Anchorage School District - Educating All Students for Success in Life |
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A Message From Our Superintendent |
Dear ASD Families and Community members,
Welcome back from Thanksgiving break! I hope you have had a chance to enjoy the snow that appears to be here to stay.
There is lots happening between now and winter break as we plan for 2022.
The Anchorage School Board approved a two-year bond during its last meeting. Read on in this newsletter for bond details and next steps.
Planning for the 2022-23 budget is in the works. As always, my focus for the upcoming budget is to keep class sizes small, maintain safety (including keeping our School Resource Officer program), and meet Board goals, which will help students achieve academic growth. I look forward to working with the Anchorage Assembly and the Bronson Administration.
This winter we are highlighting students, teachers, and staff in a new campaign called #ASDShineBright. Please check it out on our social media platforms. Let’s shine a light on the bright moments that happen every day in ASD!
I wish you all a very happy holiday season.
Cheers,
Deena Bishop, Ed.D.
Superintendent
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Anchorage School Board Approves 2022 Bond Proposal |
At the Nov. 19 board meeting the Anchorage School Board approved a 2022 bond proposition with amendments for the April municipal election. Similar to the 2020 bond, the 2022 bond proposition is a two-year bond measure. The 2022 bond is comprehensive in scope and has projects benefitting all areas within the Municipality. It includes replacing Inlet View Elementary School building and is heavily weighted to deferred major maintenance, multiple roof replacements (which include seismic improvements), much-needed renovations to Bettye Davis East Anchorage High School and Lake Otis Elementary, safety and security vestibule improvements in multiple elementary schools, and planning and design for future projects. The total cost for this two-year proposal, if approved by the voters, is $111,090,000.
The District is mindful of the bond’s impact on public debt and takes serious its responsibility to properly care for the public’s schools while getting the best possible value for tax payers. The District worked hard to limit the total bond cost to not greatly exceed the $102.2 million the District will retire in existing bond debt during this same time period.
Following the Board’s action approving the 2022 bond proposition, it now goes to the Anchorage Assembly for approval to be included in the April 2022 ballot.
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Current case numbers are waning from the recent spike as reflected in the school communities’ data. ASD remains in the High Transmission Red category.
Once the District reaches levels below 100 the Superintendent will reassess mitigation plans and possibly make changes.
To read Dr. Bishop's full COVID-19 update click here.
Below please see two recent Opinion pieces in the Anchorage Daily News:
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Bus Route Suspensions Lifted |
ASD Transportation is pleased to share a plan has been put into place to halt the temporary suspension of routes for cohorts 5 and 6, scheduled for Nov. 22 to Dec. 10 and Dec. 13, 2021 to Jan. 7, 2022.
Bus routes will continue with no interruptions of service.
Should COVID-19 impact staffing during the cohort dates, the District will reinstate the temporary suspension, but at this time there is NO plan to temporarily suspend routes.
Thank you for your patience and flexibility as the ASD Transportation Department worked to resolve temporary bus route suspensions.
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New Way to Watch: Anchorage School Board Meetings Now Streaming on ASD Website |
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Anchorage School Board meetings are held in person at the ASD Education Center, are broadcast live on the ASD Youtube channel, and are NOW available via livestream directly from the school board website.
The Anchorage School Board meets twice per month for Regular Sessions and holds one Work Session per month, unless otherwise noted.
The next upcoming Board meetings are scheduled for Dec. 6 and Dec. 20 and follow the schedule outlined below:
4-5 p.m. Work sessions
5-6 p.m. Executive Session (scheduled when needed)
6 p.m. Regular meeting – Late Session
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#ASDShineBright Campaign Share Stories of Hope |
As the daylight dwindles and the temperatures drop, ASD will focus on the glow from the good things happening within our schools. Let’s shine a light on the small but bright moments that happen every day. ASD will highlight stories of kindness, students accelerating individually and in group projects, and staff successes using the hashtag #ASDShineBright |
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ASD Welcomes Afghan Refugees |
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ASD welcomes Afghan refugees into the District and is prepared to provide supports to ensure that English language learners and their families engage meaningfully in the full array of educational programs and services provided by ASD.
The ASD English Language Learners (ELL) Department anticipates approximately 100 individuals from Afghanistan are expected to arrive in the Anchorage area through Refugee Assistance and Immigration Services (RAIS) and that many of the families arriving will have school aged children.
ELL has worked collaboratively with RAIS to prepare resources for staff on language and culture, social-emotional learning, and academic learning. Nationally ASD is working with other school districts to make sure our resources and information are up to date and is focused on the best supports possible for our incoming families from Afghanistan and other communities around the world.
The District has already began working with some Afghan families and is prepared for any additional arrivals. ASD ELL Welcome Center Staff who are school based work with families to make sure that families and schools have what they need in order for students to begin school and to be successful. The ELL Department is actively working with families of students arriving from Afghanistan and other countries to accommodate cultural needs.
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Most Outstanding Fine Arts Senior Award Submissions Due Dec. 15 |
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ASD Seniors: Are you involved in the fine arts? Can you sing, dance, act, or play an instrument? Would you like a $2,000 scholarship? The ASD Fine Arts Department is looking for the Most Outstanding Fine Arts Senior (MOFAS). This award was founded by Dr. Bruce Wood in 2018 to highlight one senior with exceptional technical skills and ability, showcases creativity and individuality, dedication, work ethic, and strong artistic, musical, or theatrical work.
Nominations are due Wednesday, Dec.15. Please note only students who are nominated by a Fine Arts teacher will be qualify for the MOFAS award.
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Call for ASD Alumni to Submit High School Artwork for 50th Celebration of Youth Art Month |
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The 50th Annual ASD Youth Art Month (YAM) Show will take place from March 4 to April 1, 2022.
The ASD Fine Arts Department showcases student art annually for YAM at the Anchorage Museum. For the 50th anniversary, ASD alumni are invited to submit any of their artwork if their work was displayed for the YAM show from 1971 to 2021.
Local alumni can drop off physical artwork on Feb. 27, 2022, at the Anchorage Museum. Photo submissions are accepted until Jan. 14, 2022 by 4 p.m. using a Google form.
WHERE: Anchorage Museum (in-person and online). Facebook event information for alumni here: htfb.me/e/2u78xpcbd
About Youth Art Month: Youth Art Month is observed in March to emphasize the value of art education for all children and to encourage support for quality school art programs. The 50th annual Anchorage School District Student Art Exhibition will showcase artwork of student-artists all across the District. Previous exhibits included drawings, jewelry, ceramics, sculptures, photography and mixed-media.
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DEED Blog Features Eagle River High School for its Commitment to Helping Military-Connected Students |
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Last month the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development (DEED) featured Eagle River High School senior Madelyn Brokaw on its blog for Brokaw's efforts to bring the Purple Star School program to Eagle River.
The Purple Star Award for military-friendly schools recognizes schools that show a major commitment to students and families connected to our nation’s military.
In the DEED blog, Brokaw said Eagle River High School already had the basic framework to apply for the award:
“One thing that we brought back this year that I’ve already done a couple of times, is when new students come, I want there to be a student who can give them a tour during that period. They’re like an assigned buddy so that on the first day they have someone to go to, they have a face to connect to,” Brokaw said. “I’m a very social person to begin with, so it definitely has been fun for me because I enjoy meeting new people and just socializing and things like that. So it’s been nice to meet new people, especially being back in school this year.”
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Countdown to Kindergarten Events Happing in December for 3 to 5 year-olds |
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Mark your Calendar for Winter Break Dates |
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ASD's Countdown to Kindergarten program and the Anchorage Public Library are teaming together to provide school-readiness learning activities for families and their 3 to 5-year-old children! Siblings are welcome.
Please join us for the fun!
Saturday Morning
December 4th, 11:30 a.m.
Loussac Library (4th floor)
Visit the ASD Countdown to Kindergarten page for more information.
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Happy Holidays to ASD students and families! We hope that everyone has a wonderful and restful winter break.
Please note the upcoming days off for students:
Friday, Dec. 17- End of second quarter, in-service day, NO school for ASD students
Monday, Dec. 20 - Dec 31 ASD Winter Break
Monday, Jan. 3- Classes begin
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Top photo: ASD School Resource Officers (SROs) Jon Butler, left, and John Goetz, right, along with the Eagle River Wolves High School Hockey Team stand in front of the Anchorage Police Department S.W.A.T. vehicle and a patrol car filled with gifts for Toys for Tots on Thursday, Dec. 2. The toys were collected by students at Eagle River High School and is a competition between Chugiak High School to see which school can collect the most toys for the Toys for Tots program.
Bottom photo: SRO Brian Burton and the Chugiak Mustang High School Hockey Team collected a "few" gifts themselves, also filling a patrol car with stuffed animals for the Toys for Tots drive on a November afternoon, thanks to a donation from PetSmart.
Come cheer on these two fantastic teams as they face each other on the ice this Saturday, Dec. 4, at the Harry J. McDonald Memorial Center in Eagle River at 7 p.m.
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ASD is Hiring! ASD has immediate full and part-time openings for: cafeteria workers, bus drivers, and substitute teachers. Apply today and make a difference for kids across our community.
ASD is an equal opportunity employer.
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Margo Bellamy, President
Andy Holleman, Vice President
Kelly Lessens, Treasurer
Carl Jacobs, Clerk
Dave Donley
Pat Higgins
Dora Wilson
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Fri. Dec. 17
End of second quarter
In-service day
Mon. Dec. 2 to Fri. Dec. 31
Winter break
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5530 E Northern Lights Blvd.
Anchorage, AK 99504
907-742-4000
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