Peterson reviews accomplishments of 2001-02 school year

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Superintendent, Donna Peterson, has assembled the following list of noteworthy points in review of the 2001-02 district school year.

Meetings, committees, trainings

Above ground storage tank training completed

Homer middle school students made a PowerPoint presentation regarding technology to the Borough Assembly

Primary standards-based report card committee began meeting

Kodiak School District reviewed technology processes and training

Changes, firsts

Awarded contracts for a Kalifornsky Beach Elementary bus turnaround, a Skyview High School well house, a Soldotna High School boiler replacement and roof replacements

Completed inventory and assessment of major shop equipment in 10 schools

Planned summer school intensive reading programs in Seward, Homer and central Peninsula areas

Nikolaevsk Elementary and High School gymnasium grand opening -- 1 percent art coming

Federal money from the Leave No District Behind grant resulted in additional temporary staffing at several elementary schools

Children's Internet Protection Plan certified

ASAA voted to return to statewide overlapping wrestling seasons

Summer school planned in five locations for 380 students

"Pilot" Skyview High School graduation held at Soldotna Sports Center

Awards, recognition

Sheryl Sotelo of Cooper Landing received the 2001 Presidential Award in Excellence in Math and Science Teaching

Kenai Alternative was awarded a $40,000 Governor's Grant for Drug and Violence Prevention

Sylvia Reynolds of Soldotna High received the Alaska Association of School Librarians "Pat on the Back" Award

Homer student Francis Switzer's painting of polar bears won the congressional award at the All-State Art Competition and will hang in Washington, D.C.

Nikiski Drama, Debate and Forensics team was named State Champions in debate

Shelli Furlong received the Unocal scholarship to attend the Keystone Institute summer program in Colorado

Kimberly Remsen, holiday drive chair from Kenai, was recognized as First Lady Volunteer Award winner

Anjani Salonen of Nikiski High School and Lela Wiley of Skyview won the HEA 2002 Youth Rally Award

Four KPBSD teams -- Ninilchik, Seward, Skyview and Soldotna High -- participated in National Ocean Sciences Bowl

Jared Szajkowski of Homer High placed first in the International Bridge Building Contest

Usual but important events

The student leadership conference was a success with more than 200 students in attendance

Fifteen schools held graduation ceremonies

Terra Nova test results were received and are being distributed to schools

Seventy students and 20 community members attended the CTSO conference

QUEST sponsored 125 students from around Alaska for the Future Problem Solving competition

The DARE program graduated approximately 250 students from five elementary schools

The annual Masonic awards honored top students from the district

Twelve finalists from various area high schools presented their projects for Caring For the Kenai

An interim school year audit process began

The KPBSD budget was approved by Borough Assembly

The Middle School Borough Choir was a success

Administrative Hiring Recap

The school board approved Wayne Young of Port Graham as principal/teacher at Spring Creek; Darrell Johnston of Shageluk as principal/teacher at Port Graham; Charles Walsworth of Fairbanks as principal at West Homer; Sylvia Reynolds of Soldotna High as principal at Kalifornsky Beach Elementary; John Owens of Kotzebue as assistant principal at Nikiski Middle/High; and Alan Fields of Koliganek as assistant principal at Kenai Central High

Appointments pending school board approval include Kenai Central principal; Kenai Middle assistant principal; North Star Elementary; Paul Banks Elementary; Moose Pass; Razdolna principal/teacher; and Homer High assistant principal

Appointments in process include Kenai Alternative, Soldotna High School principal and director of human resources.