School board to meet
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education meets at 7 p.m. in the borough building at 148 N. Binkley Street in Soldotna (unless otherwise noted). For more information, call 907-714-8888 or visit kpbsd.k12.ak.us. The agenda and packet items are posted on Wednesday afternoon prior to the date of the Board meeting. Persons with disabilities who need accommodations to participate at the School Board meetings should contact Debbie Tressler at 907-714-8836 or email dtressler@kpbsd.k12.ak.us no later than three business days before the meeting date. The board will meet:
■ April 6;
■ May 4 (at Seward High School);
■ June 1;
■ June 2 (Board planning session).
Holidays and vacation days scheduled
April 3 — Good Friday; May 20 — Last day of school.
Free training for high school students
KPBSD Career and Tech Department is offering free after school academies to train students in the welding, construction and medical field. Listed below is an upcoming academy:
There will be a welding academy at Nikiski High School. The students will be building a snow machine trailer. Class days will run March 17th-May 14th, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30-4:30.
A summer construction academy will be taking place at the Workforce Development Center (located behind KCHS). Students will be constructing a greenhouse and a shed. Class days will be May 27th-30th and June 1st-4th from 8:00am-4:00pm.
Also offered this summer is an Emergency Trauma Technician (ETT) academy. Dates and locations to be announced. This course will cover all areas required to receive certification as an Emergency Medical Technician. The last week of class will be for review and the final exam. If you pass the exam you’ll receive your certification and an ETT patch.
Any high school student is able to participate in any of our academies. If a student successfully completes the 60 hour academy they will receive a ½ practical art credit.
To sign up students can see their counselor, call Debbie Pearson at 283-2145 or go to MailScanner has detected a possible fraud attempt from “onestop.kpbsd.k12.ak.us” claiming to be http://onestop.kpbsd.k12.Alaskaus/
Funding for the Alaska Construction Academies comes from a grant from the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development and The Alaska Department of Commerce and Economic Development.
Annual KCHS Job Shadow Luncheon
2015 KCHS Job Shadow Luncheon
Wednesday, March 18, 2015- 12:30 – 01:30 p.m.
Kenai Christian Church
Speakers:
1974 KCHS Graduate – KPB Mike Navarre
1994 KCHS Graduate – Michael Crawford
Connections home school program
Dates to remember:
■ 03/18 – Homer Connections Annual Ice Skating Party from 1:30-3:00 @ Kevin Bell Arena
■ 03/19 – Winter Ecology Overnight Program
■ 03/20 – Connections Gym Time @ Kenai Rec Center 12-1pm
Upcoming Activities:
■ 03/30-05/01 – Alaska Measure of Progress (AMP) Testing
■ 03/30-03/31 – Soldotna Safe Sitter Class (more info below)
■ 03/31 – Purchasing/Ordering Deadline
■ Iditaread Ends
■ APRIL: Re-Enrollment for 2015/2016 School Year Starts – Please call your Connections Office to make an appointment
■ 04/03 – HEA Electrical Safety Poster Contest for Grades 3rd & 4th: Entries Due
■ 05/07 Talent Show @ SoHi Auditorium @ 5:00 p.m.
■ 05/14 – Barren Island Trip
Upcoming events – Look:
Homer Connections Annual Ice Skating Party March 18th @ Kevin Bell Arena:
Homer Connections is hosting an ice skating party at the KEVIN BELL ARENA in HOMER on Wednesday, March 18th from 1:30pm – 3:00pm. Refreshments will be served and ice skates will be provided free of charge! ALL homeschooling families and anyone interested in homeschooling are welcome. The Homer Connections staff will be there to visit with you and provide information regarding our homeschool program. Please remember to bring hats, gloves, coats and spare socks. It is COLD in the ice arena! We look forward to seeing you in Homer on Wednesday, March 18th!
The Iditaread Started! Our annual Iditaread program started March 1st! So get out your favorite books or those you haven’t read yet and start keeping track of your reading minutes. When you’ve read your way to Nome and crossed the finish line, see your Connections Office for your prize! If you have any questions, please call the Connections office (714-8880) or email: cnolden@kpbsd.k12.ak.us <mailto:cnolden@kpbsd.k12.ak.us> for more information and how to log onto the Iditarod Insider. Happy reading and MUSH ON!
Connections Gym Time:
We invite all homeschool students to our homeschool gym time at the Kenai Recreation Center on Friday, March 20th from 12-1pm. Advisors will be leading fun activities for students of all ages. Please RSVP with advisor Mark Wackler (mwackler@kpbsd.k12.ak.us <mailto:mwackler@kpbsd.k12.ak.us> or 714-8880) so that he can plan according to the group size. Please remember to dress appropriately including non-marking gym shoes. We look forward to seeing you there!
Safe Sitter Course:
Connections and Central Peninsula General Hospital are partnering together to offer the Safe Sitter class for homeschoolers. This is a two day class and will be offered March 30 & 31 from 9:00am to 3:30pm. Children need to be between the ages of 11 & 13 to attend. The cost is $50.00 and may be reimbursable by Connections. For more information go to www.safesitter.org or www.cpgh.org, click on quick links, go to community programs and click on safe sitter. For more information, or help registering, please contact Marcia Knowlton 598-0950 (Instructor/Parent contact) or Sheila or Roberta 714-4775(Hospital contacts). Please register with the Hospital Cashier to reserve your child’s seat today!
HEA Electrical Safety Poster Contest:
Homer Electric Association (HEA) is offering its 21st annual Electrical Safety Poster Contest for 3rd and 4th grade students. Contestants will receive a certificate of participation and have the opportunity to win some great prizes. The electrical safety posters will be judged on the following message:
■ Best Electrical Safety Message – $100.00 visa gift card, plaque and poster framed
■ Most Humorous Message – $50.00 visa gift card and poster framed
■ Most Creative Message – $50.00 visa gift card and poster framed
Deadline for the contest entries is April 3, 2015. If there are any questions regarding the contest, please contact Tanya Lautaret at 907-283-2305.
Connections Talent Show:
The Connections Talent Show has become an event we look forward to each school year. We enjoy seeing the work & success our students are finding outside of the academic realm, and we love giving them a chance to put those talents on display each spring. If your student has a talent they may wish to share at out talent show this year, please contact our talent show coordinator, Mark Wackler, at mwackler@kpbsd.k12.ak.us. The show will be held on May 7th at the Soldotna High School Auditorium at 5:00pm. We look forward to seeing you at the 2015 Connections Talent Show!
BARREN ISLANDS TRIP with Rainbow Tours May 14th:
Visit the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, and the Barren Islands. Located in the middle of Kennedy Entrance numerous species of wildlife call these islands home during our summer months and will be arriving starting the beginning of May.
This is a great opportunity to view pelagic seabirds, whales and more during this over-100 mile round trip. Oceanography, geology, and marine biology will be discussed along the way.
Cost: $150/person with a minimum of 15. This can be deducted from the student allotment if the student has a class on their ILP related to this activity. Parents are welcome but would need to pay out of pocket.
When: Thursday May 14th. Departure is at 7am with a return of 6 pm
Who: This trip is open to High School Connections’ students and their parents with good sea legs.
Please notify Derek Bynagle in the Homer Connections (dbynagle@kpbsd.k12.ak.us <mailto:dbynagle@kpbsd.k12.ak.us> ) office of your interest in this trip as soon as possible or if you have specific questions or concerns.
*Please note that trips can be cancelled in the morning due to rough seas at the Barrens. A possible reroute to Port Chatham would be considered depending on conditions.
Interior Distance Education of Alaska
Now enrolling for the 2015-2016 school year! Please go to www.ideafamilies.org and click enroll now to register! It is also time to re-enroll for our existing families. Please look up your re-enrollment passwords and ID that was sent to your IDEA families webmail.
As always, please feel free to stop by the office in the Red Diamond Center to look at our resource room, library or speak with a contact teacher. We are here to serve you as you educate your children.
Upcoming events to put on your calendar:
It’s not too late to sign up for the:
Race to the Summit with IXL Math
Did you check out the IXL store at the IDEA office? There are lots of prizes to choose from. You can still sign up to help us reach the summit. This is a wonderful opportunity to supplement your child’s math! Kids are loving it! Ask your contact teacher about signing up.
• March 20 – Seward activity day – Starting at 11:00 there will be family games. At 12:00 let’s do lunch together. Please pack your own lunch so we can visit while eating. At 12:30, we will have literature time with art and for parents there will be a question and answer time for AMP testing. Then at 2:00 we will have park time, depending on the weather, of course.
• March 20 – We will be having our PAC meeting at the IDEA office from 12:00-1:00. Come join us as we plan out the rest of the school year!
• March 26 – We will have a practice day for 3rd graders or all students new to testing. We have this practice day so that children and parents will feel more comfortable with the environment and to gain a better understanding of the schedule for the actual testing days. This is will at the Challenger Center at 1:00.
• March 31 – Final materials orders and reimbursements need to be entered in FAST – remember your allotment carry over!! What you don’t spend rolls over to next school year!!
• April 10 –SBA Science test (grades 4th, 8th and 10th)
• April 13 –AMP Math test (grades 3rd-10th)
• April 14 – English/Language Arts tests (grades 3rd -10th)
• April 16 – Let’s celebrate the completion of testing with a free day at Jumpin’ Junction!
• April 20-May 15 – STAR Early Literacy – In addition to AMP testing, the STAR early literacy is a state mandated test for students grades K-2nd. This is a helpful tool that will be conducted at the IDEA office on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays during the dates April 20th-May 15th. Your contact teacher will call you to set up an appointment. This is a computer based test that will generate results while you are in the office. Parents are welcome to stay in the room while their children are testing.
April 29 Curriculum Fair at Kalifonsky Christian Center!!
The Fair with all its workshops and vendor exhibitions are free to all IDEA families.
Come early on Wednesday before the exhibit hall opens and enjoy our keynote speaker and breakfast. Tickets must be purchased in advance for this fair opener.
If you have a friend or neighbor that is in not in IDEA, but interested in homeschooling, you can bring them with you and they can get in for only half price by purchasing a Buddy Pass! Just remember, in order for you to spend your next year’s allotment at the fair, you must be enrolled for the 2015/2016 school year, so take care of your re-enrollments soon.
Each year, IDEA offers the opportunity of advertising your homeschool related business or product at our annual curriculum fair. This year’s fair will be held on April 29.
You may advertise at this fair by including your catalogs or flyers in our Hand-Out Sacks. If you are interested in participating this year, please read the details and guidelines by visiting our website http://www.ideafamilies.org/fair/2015/exhibitors/handout.htm
May 5 – We will have our local Graduation Celebration! Our celebration will be held at Kalifonsky Christian Center at 7:00. Invite family and friends!!
May 21 – IDEA’s graduation in Anchorage! More details to come, but mark your calendar!
Redoubt Elementary
Spring Break – March 9 – March 13
School resumes – Monday, March 16
Pre-registration forms for next year have been sent home. Please make sure to send the completed form back to school as soon as possible. This is a good time to let us know if you will be having a new kindergartener starting in the fall.
FALL Registration will take place March 31st – April 2nd, 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. for students new to the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District who will be attending Redoubt Elementary and currently live in the Redoubt attendance area. This registration will also include new kindergartners. Please bring in your child’s current immunization record, birth certificate and proof of your physical address. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the school office at 260-4300.
Yearbooks are on Sale – $15.00 pre-order yours now, make checks payable to Redoubt Elementary. Yearbooks will arrive in May. Order forms have been sent home with students.
Box Top winners last week – Congratulations to Brooklyn Howarth, Bella Martin & Payton West.
Forensics winners- Congratulations! First Place- Jireh Aley, Airah Cude, Haley Whelan, Simon Graham, Mack Frost, David Schramm, Erika Arthur, Caitlin McCullough, Second Place – Blake Lewis, Matthew Graham, Kristen Houser, Tina Utta, Ashton Jones, Dylan Dahlgren, Jaron Kenner, Fourth Place- Alexis Gomes and Catie Kline, Eighth Place-Cheyenne Friedersdorff.
For the Love of Reading –Thank you to the many guest readers from the community who read in classrooms last Monday in celebration of Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Results from the Get Fired Up For Reading contest sponsored by the Library – Dragon Scale Reading contest winners in the primary wing were Mrs. Dawson and Ms. Caston’s kindergarten classes with 280 reading scales. Intermediate wing winners were Ms. Utecht, Ms. Farmer and Mrs. Parish’s fifth grade classes with 226 scales.
PTA Meeting – Tuesday, March 17th 3:45, staff lounge. Child care is provided.
Site Council Meeting – Wednesday, March 18th, staff lounge.
March 27th – Early Release Day for students is at 1:45pm. Boys and Girls Club will be open at 1:45pm, buses will be running at 1:45pm. Please make sure to have after school plans in place for your child on this early release day.
River City Academy
For the week of March 16:
River City Academy will be celebrating Pi ( ) Day on March 16th. The students will be doing activities in their Math and Science classes to find ways to calculate Pi ( ).
Saturday School: The Saturday School schedule is as follows – March 21, March 28, April 11, April 18, April 25 and May 2. Students will be able to focus on specific contents with support from school staff to complete missing work, work toward graduation or accelerate their progress. Classes will be from 8am-1pm please bring a sack lunch.
• March 24 – Open House, 6:00 p.m.
• April 3 – Vacation Day, school is closed
Graduation – May 18, 6:00 p.m., Sports Center
RCA is accepting enrollment applications for students in grades 7-12 who are interested in a unique school experience. Students who are looking for a smaller, more personal education and who demonstrate skills in being self-motivating, self-managing and self-advocating are often an ideal fit for RCA.
The performance-based model offers students choice in their education, while maintaining a consistent standards-based curriculum. For more information about our upcoming Open House, to register for the Shadow Day or if you have questions, please call 714-8945.
Skyview Middle
Today is the first day of the fourth quarter!
Skyview Assistant Principal Interviews to hire for the upcoming 2015-2016 school year will be held today – Monday, March 16 – beginning at 3:00 p.m. in the Skyview Library. The public is invited to attend.
Sixth grade Parent/Student Orientation Night will be Tuesday, March 17 at Skyview Middle School at 6:30 p.m.
Upcoming Events:
• Tuesday, March 24 – Science SBA test for all 8th grade students
• Friday, March 27 – Early Release Day – Skyview Middle School students will end the school day at 12:55 p.m.
• Friday, March 27 – Skyview Geography Bee School champion Joseph McLeod will compete in the 27th annual state competition at the Egan Center, 555 West 5th Avenue in Anchorage
• Tuesday, March 31 – Alaska Measures of Progress (AMP) testing for all 7th and 8th grade students will begin
Congratulations to the February Students of the Month!
Hali Anderson Currier, Asia Angeles Hanson, Vydell Baker, Gracie Bass, Erica Bennett, Whitney Benson, Brittani Blossom, Galen Brantley, Haley Buckbee, Garrett Cadwalader, Ryann Cannava, George Carpenter, Tim Cashman, Gracie Caston, Ernest Childers, Autumn Chumley, Ray Chumley, Rebecca Clifton, Logan Craig, Sadie Daly, Savanna Davis, Ella Dearmore, James Dile, Eve Downing, Joseph Fiebelkorn, Esther Frederickson, Mirricale George Mills, Madison Gibbs, Victoria Giles, Laurel Glaves, Aleksander Hansen, Ashlee Heiman, Ryan Hill, Christian Jaime, Holland Jaime, Luke Johns, Courtney Johnston, Trevor Jones, Brownyn Keen, River Kitchens, Victoria Kitson, Dorothy Nichole Kreider, Justin Lavendar, Bailey Leach, Erica Love, Matthew Martinelli, Antonyo Martini, Caleb Matson, Jacob McConnell, Darby McMillan, Cloe Milbauer, Journey Miller, Elias Moonin, Tyler Morrison, Emma Nash, Brandon Partin, Adriane Poulin, Mackenzie Powell, Brody Reger, Iona Reutov, Renee Rogers, Kody Rohr, Charles Ross, Marlayna Saavedra, Elizabeth Siemion, Bailey Smith, Kayli Smith, Glory Stitt, Donovan Stocks, James Taylor, Allison Towell, Jersey Truesdell, Ashlyn Vehmeier, Mollee Verba, Levi Wahl, Trenton Walden, Bradley Walters, Thomas Wells, Brennan Werner, Madison West, Tadan White, Jilliyan White, Kambree Whittom, Kaiden Wilshusen, Taylor Wilson, Jacob Wylie, Ryann Yager, Colleen Yeskie
Soldotna High
Meeting for parents of Juniors scheduled to plan the After Prom Party will be on Thursday, March 19th, 5:00pm, prior to the scheduled PTSA meeting. SOHI Teacher’s Lounge.
The Battle of the Books team earned the 3rd highest score at the State competition Tuesday. The final standings were:
1st: Polaris
2nd: (Tie) Galena and Bering Strait
4th: Soldotna High School
5th: Sitka
The team practiced for months and represented KPBSD well. Congratulations to them!!
SoHi Pool Schedule
a.m. Lap swim 5:30-7:30 Mon – Friday
p.m. Lap swim 6-7 Mon, Wed, Fri
p.m. Open swim 7-8:45 Wed and Fridays
The traveling art exhibit is now being displayed at SoHi Prep and travels among the KPBSD schools for students of all ages to appreciate. The exhibit is a body of framed paintings which students can actually study and touch the textures in. Parents and teachers have donated unique pieces along the years. If you have an original painting in your collection that is being stored in the basement, you can donate to arts education too. Contact John Clare at jclare@kpbsd.k12.ak.us <mailto:jclare@kpbsd.k12.ak.us>
Cinderella’s Closet is opening soon. March 24, 26, and 31 from 2:30-5:30 in the theater dressing rooms at Soldotna High School. Look for the pink signs! This is a program where we help local ladies in need with free prom dresses, shoes, and accessories.
We have helped over 396 ladies in the past 5 years. Last year, we provided items to 54 local students from Soldotna High, Cook Inlet Academy, Skyview High, River City Academy, Kenai Central High, Nanwalek, Port Graham, Susan B. English (Seldovia), and Nikiski High. Please share this/post at your schools. It is “housed” at SoHi, but is open to any peninsula high school students.
We are still taking donations of prom dresses, shoes, and accessories. These can be dropped off to the main office at Soldotna High School between 8am-3pm.
The KPBSD Board of Education seeks public input into its process to select a superintendent of schools.
The school board invites input from everyone interested in schools, including parents, students, KPBSD staff, site councils, PTAs, volunteers, business and community organizations that partner with schools, community groups, and the public.
The school board has sole responsibility for the selection of candidates, final interviews, and selection of the superintendent, but would like to consider the views and interests of the public to help guide those decisions.
Soldotna Prep
On Tuesday March 17th in the afternoon, Soldotna Prep School we will have an ALICE training exercise conducted by Officer Tobin Brennan from the Soldotna Police Department.
ALICE is the leading training solution that increases our children’s and employees’ odds of survival during a violent intruder event. ALICE, which stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate, is a post Columbine, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook strategy that goes beyond the conventional lock-down.
Tutoring Monday through Friday in Rm 10 during the lunch hour
Chess Club meets during lunch hour Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in Rm 18
After-School Tutoring Monday through Thursday 2:25-3:25
Native Youth Leadership Club in Rm. 10 2:15-3:00 the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month
Poetry Out Loud meetings in Rm. 10 2:15-3:00 the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month
Please check Soldotna Prep blog to stay informed on current activities; http://soldotnaprep.blogs.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/wpmu/ <http://soldotnaprep.blogs.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/wpmu/>
Sterling Elementary
■ Sterling Elementary had many winners at the Borough Forensics Meet at Tustumena School on February 28. Congratulations to all of the winners!
■ March 17 – 6th graders have a parent night at Skyview Middle School from 6:30 to 7:30 pm.
■ March 16 – 20 is kindergarten registration for the 2015-2016 school year. The week will culminate on March 21 with our annual Pre-K/ Kindergarten Fair and Classroom Visitations from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm. Join us for family activities throughout the morning and classroom visitations on the hour every hour at 10:00, 11:00 and 12:00.
■ Sterling PTA meets on March 24 at 4:00 pm in the library. Officer elections will occur at this meeting! Please attend! Childcare provided!
■ March 24 is AMP Parent Night from 5:30 – 6:30 pm. Join your 3rd – 6th grade children in their classrooms for a practice test of the new state testing system, the Alaska Measures of Progress (AMP).
There will be a short presentation regarding the new assessment and then parents will get to experience the testing just like their children will be taking through the month of April. All Sterling families are welcome to attend, however, the AMP is only given to students in grades 3 – 6.
■ March 27 is the Sterling PTA Carnival! This year is a Western theme. There will be games and baskets for silent auction! 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm at Sterling Elementary School!!
The PBIS focus for March is Hallway and Lining Up Expectations.
Any three adults on campus could have the Super Special, Super Big, Super Golden Pompom each day to give to students who are lining up and/ or showing exemplary behavior in the hallways. Parents are called and students become celebrities for their class. The class with the most golden pompom winners will be the Super Star Class of the Month for March.
■ Stop at the front desk and fill out a “Kudos” slip for one of our Sterling Staff members. Every slip for a staff member will be celebrated with a Kudos granola bar and the recognition that someone thanks them for what they are doing!
The Study
If you could include the following in this week’s ad for The Study that would be awesome:
“The Study is excited to introduce academic pre-k and first/second grade in the 2015/16 school year! It’s not too early to begin enrolling, so call us to reserve your little ones a spot!
The Study is an accredited learning center that partners with the KPBSD, home school entities, and private schools. We offer private tutoring in all academic subjects, music (guitar, voice, and piano), and a variety of courses for high school credit. Contact us and ask about taking Government and AK Studies this summer! Check us out on the web at thestudysoldotna.com or call us at 262-6227.”
Wings Christian
This week at Wings, the students are on Spring Break! They’ve been looking forward to this for weeks and are happily away from school.
School will resume on Tuesday, March 17. Vanessa Uei and Ethan Berga won the “Cleanest Desk of the Week” award. Way to go!
Next week, students will participate in the final ice skating day of the year on Thursday, March 19. On March 20, the Wings Eagles will be having their first volleyball game of the spring season. Other dates to look forward to are March 23 and 24.
On March 23, the students who have been chosen as “Students of the Month” for January, February, and March, will be participating in a special lunch with Pastor Ray Boutwell.
These students have been chosen due to exemplary behavior, character, or impressive improvement. On March 24, Wings will be having their final
Parent Night for the 2014-2015 school year at 7:00 p.m. We will be going over the students accomplishments and handing out awards from the last quarter.
Everyone is encouraged to attend.
