School board to meet
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education meets at 6 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:
■ March 21;
■ April 4;
■ April 5 (Worksession);
■ May 2 (Seward High School);
■ June 6;
■ June 7 (Planning Session);
Child Find Preschooler Screenings
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Child Find Program will be offering free screenings for children not yet in Kindergarten (3- to 5-years-old). The screening will be held in Ninilchik at the Ninilchik School on Friday, March 25, 2016, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Program staff will screen a child’s motor skills, speech, early learning concepts, vision and hearing. Children will be seen by appointment only. To make an appointment, please call the Ninilchik School at 567-3301. For more information contact Robin Evans at 714-8930.
Scholarships for students
■ KBEA Scholarships for year 2016
The Kenai Borough Employees Association (KBEA) Scholarship Committee is currently accepting applications for four scholarships of $500 each. The scholarships are available to all 2016 graduates of the Kenai Peninsula Borough (including public, private, and home-schooled).
Applications and instructions are available from any Kenai Peninsula Borough High School counselors’ office or on the Borough’s web site at kpb.us under “Hot Topics”.
Applications must be delivered, or postmarked by March 31.
Applications can be mailed, or dropped off at the Kenai Peninsula Borough, KBEA Scholarship Committee, 144 North Binkley Street, Soldotna, Alaska 99669.
■ Kenai Historical Society to award Scholarship
Kenai Historical Society will award a $1,000 scholarship to a 2016 graduating Senior in the KCHS attendance area,including home schooled students. The funding for the scholarship is a bequest from a member who was especially interested in education as well as the History of Kenai. Requirements for the scholarship include enrollment in an accredited post-secondary industrial, technical or academic program for 2016-17, community service activities, evidence of leadership and maturity, and an essay about how living in Kenai influenced future goals. An interview will also be conducted. More information and the application form are available at the KPBSD website. Click the Onestop logo at the top of the page and scroll to Kenai Historical Society Scholarship. The deadline for applications is April 15.
Connections Home School Program
Dates To Remember:
■ March 21 – Re-Enrollment Begins!
■ March 23 – Homer Rock Climbing at the Bay Club contact Jake Parrett at 1:30 p.m. Contact (jparrett@kpbsd.org ) for more info
■ March 24 – Soldotna Connections Fly Tying Club at 1:30 p.m.
■ March 25 – Homer Rock Climbing at the Bay Club contact Jake Parrett at 3:30-5 p.m. Contact (jparrett@kpbsd.org ) for more info
■ March 29 – Kenai Rec Center Gym Time
■ March 31 – Last day to place orders
■ April 14-15 – Peterson Bay Field Trip
■ April 19 – Connections Talent and Art Show at SoHi 5-6:30 p.m.
■ April 29 – Last day to submit reimbursement
■ May 3 – Kenai Fjords Trip in Seward, AK
■ May 5 – Middle School Math Meet at Homer Middle School from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact (more info below).
Also check out our Connections website:
connections.blogs.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/wpmu/info-for-families-2/activities-contests-and-more/ for numerous student activities, contests and more!
Iditaread Started March 1: The annual Iditaread program started March 1! So get out a favorite book or one that hasn’t been read yet and start keeping track of reading minutes. When at student has read their way to Nome and crossed the finish line, see the Connections Office for a prize. If families have any questions, please call the Connections office (714-8880) or email: cnolden@kpbsd.k12.ak.us for more information and how to log onto the Iditarod Insider. Happy reading and mush on!
Peterson Bay Field Trip:
Come experience unforgettable, interactive programs where students discover the ecology of Kachemak Bay. Don’t watch a movie about the fabulous four marine phyla, find them and observe their amazing adaptations to life in the intertidal zone! Don’t miss this amazing learning opportunity.
— Open to all Connections students in grades 6th through 10th.
— Departure by boat from Homer Spit on April 14 at 8:30 a.m. and return late morning on April 15.
— Cost for the trip is $120 per person Space is limited (the maximum is 30 students) so call now!
For the trip the school needs a 6:1 student to adult ratio, so parents are welcome to attend by paying their way out of pocket while the student fee can be deducted from the student allotment if the student has a class on their ILP related to this activity. There is also a $10 per person fee for food that will be prepared and served on site – this fee needs to be paid out of pocket for all and is non-refundable. All fees are due by March 25. Please notify an advisor of any interest in this trip as soon as possible. In the event that there are more than 30 people interested in participating, students will have priority once we have enough chaperones. For more info please contact:
— Homer Area — Derek Bynagle – dbynagle@kpbsd.k12.ak.us 226-1880
— Central Pen Area—Mark Wackler – mwackler@kpbsd.k12.ak.us 714-8888
Connections Talent and Art Show:
The Connections Talent Show has become an event the school looks forward to each school year. This year the school has added an art exhibition to accommodate the many artistic students in our program.
Staff enjoy seeing the work and success astudents are finding outside of the academic realm, and love giving them an opportunity to show those talents each spring. If a student has a talent or art piece they wish to share, please register with show coordinator, Mark Wackler, at mwackler@kpbsd.k12.ak.us. The show is held at Soldotna High School in the auditorium on April 19 from 5-6:30 p.m. School staff look forward to seeing all families at the 2016 Connections Talent Show.
Middle School Math Meet:
The Middle School Math Meet will be held at Homer Middle School on Thursday, May 5 and will run from around 10 a.m until 2 p.m. All advanced math students in 6th through 8th grade are welcome.
Participants will compete in two individual rounds, a team round, and a gameshow style countdown round with a chance to win competition and door prizes.
Please contact Derek at 226-1880 or dbynagle@kpbsd.k12.ak.us for more information and example questions. If there is interest Derek will also hold practice sessions leading up to the meet in Homer; for Central Peninsula inquires please contact Wendi Dutcher wdutcher@kpbsd.k12.ak.us.
Kaleidoscope School of Arts and Science
■ March 21 – APC Meeting at 4:15 p.m.
■ March 24 – PTA Family Fun Night egg hunt at 6 p.m.
Up Coming Events:
■ March 28 – New Parent Information Meeting at 6 p.m.
■ March 29 – 5th graders visit KMS
■ March 30 – Lottery at 4 p.m.
■ March 31 – APC Ballots due to Coghill Group.
■ April 1 – early release – School ends at 2:10 p.m. On these early release dates, school will end ninety minutes (1.5 hours) earlier. Bus transportation will be adjusted by ninety minutes.
Reminders
— The Life Skill staff and students are focusing on this week is Sense of Humor; To laugh and be playful without harming others.
— If a child arrives after 9:10 a.m., please come in and sign him or her in at the office.
— If a parent would like to be a volunteer, be sure to complete a background check and volunteer training. Go to kaleidoscope.blogs.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/wpmu/volunteers kaleidoscope.blogs.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/wpmu/volunteers and click the link to the background check. Please allow up to two weeks for this to clear. The next link on the page will take visitors to the Online Volunteer Training.
These two steps must be completed in order to volunteer at Kaleidoscope. Completed Volunteer Indemnification forms are needed 48 hours before all field trips.
Kenai Middle
Congratulations to Character counts winners- Brandon Olson and James Sparks.
Congratulations to February Students of the Month as well.
Ellen Atchley, Erin Blum, Madeline Edelen, Sydney Jeffries, Priscilla Phillips, Morgan Mallory, Wyatt Medcoff, Grace Morrow, Brooke Nash, and Landon Olson.
Boxtops for Pizza winner for February is Samuel Baisden. The school says “Thank you Samuel and congratulations!”
The school wants to know “Are you collecting your aluminum cans?” Remember, students who bring in a large trash bag (10lbs crushed) full of aluminum cans on one of the three collection days in April will get first choice at Mini Courses.
It’s a great advantage for students and helps cover costs for mini courses.
6th Grade Basketball starts today, March 21 and continues until March 31.
Tuesday, March 22, is the State Spelling Bee in Anchorage. Good Luck Sorin Sorenson!
On Friday, March 25, Mountain View 5th graders will visit KMS to learn all about 6th grade here at Kenai Middle.
Save the Date: Spring Pictures- April 1st
Track Begins (for 6th, 7th, & 8th Grade)- April 4
April 12-14- Aluminum Can Collection Days
Mountain View Elementary
Junior Achievement members will be visiting Mountain View Elementary on Thursday, March 24. Nineteen members of the business community will spend the day in classes teaching students about business management, entrepreneurship, and finances.
Friday, April 1, is an early release day. Those students being picked up will be dismissed at 1:50 p.m. and all other students will be dismissed at 1:55 p.m.
Applications are available for the 2016-2017 Mountain View Pre-K Program.
Screenings for this program will be held on Thursday, April 21. In order to be considered, a child must be 4-years-old by Sept. 1, 2016, live in the Mountain View attendance area, and have a completed application returned to Mountain View Elementary. Screenings will be scheduled after applications are brought back to the school. For information please call 283-8600.
Soldotna High
Cinderella’s Closet will be on March 31 and April 2 from 2:30-5:30 p.m. at Soldotna High School in the green room (look for the signs). This program is designed to provide free items for local ladies for prom. SoHi has tons of dresses, shoes, accessories, makeup, and more.
Donations can be dropped off at Soldotna High School. All local high school ladies are welcome to attend.
Soldotna High School Student Council will be running a drive for our students in transition.
This is similar to their canned food drive, except they will be collecting personal care items (full size: deodorant, shampoo, body wash, soap, and more). Only full size, unopened items will be accepted. Dental care items are not needed. These items will be given to KPBSD students in need. Items can be dropped off to the main office between 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Soldotna High School PTSA’s primary fundraiser is the Fred Meyer Rewards Program. It’s easy to sign up and makes a big difference for the PTSA and the school. Visit fredmeyer.com with a Rewards Program number and select Soldotna High School PTSA. It’s quick and simple and families make a positive impact just by doing everyday shopping. Thank you!
Anyone interested in purchasing SoHi apparel, SoHi has a new website they can go to and look at the items and order straight from the website. There must be at least six orders of an item before they will print it. They will ship to the school for free. Students can pick up the orders at the school. Go to the following website and check it out. aresteamstore.com/Showroom/SoldotnaHS/397897
Soldotna High School PTSA’s primary fundraiser is the Fred Meyer Rewards Program. It’s easy to sign up and makes a BIG difference for the PTSA and the school.
Visit fredmeyer.com with a Rewards Program number and select Soldotna High School PTSA. It’s quick and simple and every purchase make a positive impact just through everyday shopping. Thank you!
Soldotna Stars Letterman Jackets are available to order atneffco.com. Click on Varsity Jackets, find our school by State, select Soldotna High School, starting at $149 students can personalize it anyway they would like. Any questions contact Heather Parkki, 260-7022.
The SOHI Library Media Center will be open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday. Contact Ms. Wear at 260.7036 or twear@kpbsd.k12.ak.us for information on the 4:15 p.m. bus.
