Anchorage School District - Educating All Students for Success in Life |
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A Message From Our Superintendent |
"Molly of Denali," left, enjoys story time with kindergarten students at Chester Valley Elementary School and Superintendent Dr. Deena Bishop. Photo courtesy of Alaska Public Media |
Dear ASD Community,
As each week comes and goes, I am reminded of how valuable time has been this year. I do not take one day of in-person learning for granted. I know we are all busy and excited to make summer plans. Yet, I encourage each of you to finish these final days of our school year with focus and determination.
At the District level, good things are happening and there is much to celebrate this month. The graduating class of 2021 will walk the stage in-person, and thanks to the new changes to Emergency Order 20 that relax or revoke several restrictions on gathering limits, additional tickets have been allotted to graduates, depending on the seating capacity of their school stadiums.
The updates to EO-20 may also affect daily operations in some ASD buildings as we move into summer school. Families will hear from schools soon if these new changes affect them.
This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. I encourage you all to thank the teachers and school staff in your life. If you are a teacher or staff member, thank you for being a difference-maker. You are so appreciated!
After a year of responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, I was thrilled to hear the Anchorage Assembly recently passed a resolution recognizing ASD nurses on National School Nurse Day, May 12, 2021. Our school nurses have been shining lights. Read on in this newsletter to learn about the ASD student art project to honor our healthcare workers.
As we near the finish line, let us finish strong! Doing so will make the summer even more rewarding.
Sincerely,
Deena M. Bishop Ed.D.
Superintendent
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Thank You, ASD Teachers and Staff! |
May 3-7 is Teacher Appreciation Week! Especially during this challenging year, our teachers and staff have been beacons of community, care, and support for families and students. Below see photos of dedicated ASD teachers providing instruction during the 2020-2021 school year.
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Terri Draeger, a science teacher at STrEaM Academy works with one of her sixth grade students to launch a hot air balloon during a socially distanced, outdoor event during the second quarter of the school year. It was the first time Draeger met her students in-person. |
Lynn Mills, a fourth grade teacher at Taku Elementary School assists a student in March 2021, just days after the CDC relaxed its guidance to say student may be three feet apart (previously six feet wherever possible). |
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ASD Recognizes Asian American and Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander Heritage Month |
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As a District where 17% of students and 10% of staff identify as Asian American Pacific, ASD welcomes and celebrates the backgrounds and cultures of our AANHPI community. A diverse student population provides students the ability to interact with peers from many different backgrounds, expanding their knowledge of other cultures and preparing for life in a global society.
In response to recent unjust acts of violence across our country, the Anchorage School Board recently issued a statement in response to Anti-Asian/Pacific Islander violence and acts of hate, stating "As educators, we must foster learning environments and opportunities that respect and value the contributions of others no matter their ethnic or cultural origin. We must also provide safe and inclusive environments where our students can thrive."
Please visit the Anchorage School Board website for more information and to read the statement in full.
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Congratulations Class of 2021! |
The Anchorage School District would like to congratulate the graduating Class of 2021! Graduation ceremonies will be held in-person at various outdoor locations beginning May 5. Spectators and participants will maintain 3-foot distancing between family groups. Masks will be required for all participants and spectators. Please contact your graduate's school for additional details
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May 13 is Bike to School Day! |
ASD will observe Bike to School Day on May 13!
Students must wear helmets and bright clothing. Learn more and find a safe biking route on the Municipality of Anchorage Safe Routes website.
If families need a helmet, check out BikeAnchorage.org to fill out a form and make a request.
Remember to scan the QR code on the Bike to School Day poster for a chance to win a bike from The Bicycle Shop on Dimond. Roll on, have fun, and be safe! |
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Register Returning Students Online |
Returning students can be registered through Q/ParentConnect for the 2021-22 school year between April 26 and January 15, 2022.
Parents can register returning students online to save time, but middle and high school students will still have an opportunity to visit their school to pick up class schedules, locker combinations and parking permits, and to get ID photos taken. If you have questions about online registration, please contact your child’s school.
Have you moved? Will your children be attending a different school? You may register online, but please notify your new school. Elementary school offices will reopen the last week in July. You will need to provide proof of residency to your new school.
If you are a family new to the District, ASD is offering an online pre-enrollment option.
Early registration helps school staff prepare for the next school year. Registration by August 13 is encouraged.
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Trailside Elementary School Principal Named AAESP's National Distinguished Principal for 2021 |
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Congratulations to Trailside Elementary School, Principal Heather Jones, for being named the Alaska Association of Elementary School Principals National Distinguished Principal for 2021.
Jones was nominated and selected by her fellow principals through a statewide search process conducted by the Alaska Association of Elementary School Principals.
The 2021 National Distinguished Principal Celebration marks the 37th year that the National Association of Elementary School Principals has presented this prestigious award.
Jones graduated from Western Montana University with a Bachelor’s Degree, she then added a Master’s Degree in Teaching in 2003 and a Master’s Degree in Administration in 2006 from Grand Canyon University. Heather began her administrative career as a principal at Eagle’s View Elementary in Unalaska in 2007 and went on to be a principal in Montana from 2010-2012, followed by principalships in Anchorage at Ocean View Elementary and Chinook Elementary from 2012-2019. She is currently completing her second-year as the principal at Trailside Elementary School.
Jones will travel to Washington D.C. in October 2021 for two days of activities to honor the elementary administrators selected by their respective states.
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Wendler School Nurse Receives School Nurse of Excellence in Alaska Award |
Longtime Wendler Middle School Nurse Kim Boyd, BSN, RN, NCSN, received the 2020-2021 School Nurse Excellence in Alaska award during the annual Alaska School Nurses Association Annual Spring Conference, held virtually on April 24, 2021.
Boyd was honored by ANSA among her fellow Alaskan school nurses for demonstrating excellence in school nursing through daily practice, continuing education, collaboration, and leadership in school health.
Boyd credited the District’s Health Services Department and her colleagues for their constant professionalism and expertise during the response to COVID-19. “I am in awe the way the [health services department] led us through constant change, upheaval, and surprises. It is humbling to win the SNEA award when I see the dedication and hard work of all school nurses during the time of COVID.”
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Northwood Elementary Teacher Named Alaska Teacher of the Year |
Commissioner Michael Johnson announced Kelly Shrein of Northwood Elementary the 2021-2022 Alaska Teacher of the Year.
Shrein was nominated for her outstanding efforts to keep students engaged when the COVID-19 pandemic forced students and teachers to adapt to distance learning.
“The Anchorage School District is excited and honored to have Kelly Shrein named as Alaska’s Teacher of the Year!” said Superintendent Dr. Deena.
“Kelly is a master of her craft and has earned a tremendous amount of respect among her students, parents, and colleagues across ASD and our community," said Bishop. "Her innovation in the classroom and infectious enthusiasm for educating students is an inspiration to us all.”
As Alaska Teacher of the Year, Shrein will have a seat on Commissioner Johnson’s Teacher and Educator Advisory Council. She will also be Alaska’s nominee for National Teacher of the Year.
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AS Students Honor Local Healthcare Workers Through Art |
Middle and high school students from across ASD chose to participate by selecting a selfie taken by a local healthcare worker and creating a portrait using pencils, paint, or digital media. The portraits all display a close visual of the healthcare workers’ faces. The visual art pieces will be delivered to healthcare workers at Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Alaska Regional Hospital and Providence Health & Services Alaska. Elementary students were also given the opportunity to participate by creating thank you cards to be delivered to healthcare workers.
After hearing stories of long hours, sacrifice, and great risk, Eagle River High School Art Teacher Jacob Bera wanted to find a way he and his students could express their thanks to healthcare workers battling on the frontline against COVID-19. Inspired by the work of artist Steve Derrick, Bera led the ASD venture that gathered more than100 selfies from local healthcare workers.
Most of the artwork was created at home while students participated in distance learning. The portraits reflect doctors, nurses, and healthcare staff donned in PPE.
The portraits will be on display in-person for a limited time at Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Alaska Regional Hospital and Providence Health & Services Alaska.
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month |
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Wellness includes having a positive purpose in life, satisfying work, play, joyful relationships, a healthy body, living environment, and happiness.
Visit the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium's Mental Health Awareness Month page to find weekly wellness activities all month long.
If you or someone you know needs a mental health support, please call the Alaska Statewide Careline at 1-877-266-HELP (4357) 24/7, or text 4HELP to 839863 Tuesday-Saturday from 3-11pm.
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ASD to Participate in Super Sweeper Saturday - A Citywide Cleanup Event |
The Anchorage Chamber of Commerce's Super Sweeper program helps teach school-aged kids in the Anchorage School District the value of a clean community.
A total of 44 schools across ASD plan to participate on Saturday, May 8 at 10 a.m. Parents and students are encouraged to assist in picking up trash around their schools and neighborhoods then return the full bags of trash to the school before 2 p.m.
Contact your school to see if they plan to participate.
You can also volunteer on your own anytime from from May 1 through May 29, by picking up your official Citywide Cleanup orange bags at your local Fred Meyer. Once you fill your bags they can be dropped off, free of charge, at the Anchorage Regional Landfill and the Central Transfer Station located at 1111 E 56th Ave., Anchorage Monday – Friday, May 1 through May 29, 2021.
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Learning never stops, and summer is an opportunity to expand and improve your education.
ASD is providing both in-person and virtual Summer Learning programs.
In-person programs will be offered based on learning needs.
Programs will be free of charge, and meals options will be available to participating students.
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Teaching Today: ANCCS Students Get Opportunity to Learn Seal Skinning |
Teaching Today is a video series documenting how ASD teachers engage student to achieve their learning goals. These inspiring stories show how ASD teachers reinvent the way they teach to ensure students have access to engaging, hands-on content.
In the most recent video, Veronica Kaganak, a Yup'Ik Teacher at Alaska Native Cultural Charter School demonstrates how to process a seal that was recently harvested by her family.
“We live a traditional subsistence lifestyle,” said Kaganak referring to her family. “[The students] get to see me prepare it; and all of it is eaten. We use the skin for hats and I am in the process of making a wallet. We use everything.”
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Elementary Families: Devices Due Back May 7 |
Elementary students attending in-person instruction and who have an ASD Chromebook checked out to them will be asked to return the device to their school starting May 3.
Elementary students in the virtual program will be asked to return their device by the end of the school year unless: 1) they are attending summer school, or 2) they will be enrolled in the virtual program next year.
Please remember to also return all power cords.
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Alaska Works to Offer ASD Students Free Pre-Apprenticeship Youth Training |
Alaska Works Partnership Inc. will offer free and introductory hands-on training to ASD students this summer through its Pre-Apprenticeship Youth Training Program.
This is an opportunity to gain career skills in Alaska's growing and essential construction workforce. So help spread the word!
ASD students age 16 and up and graduating seniors are encouraged to apply.
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Countdown to Kindergarten Virtual Events to Take Place May 13 and 14 |
The year before kindergarten is important in helping your child feel ready and confident in starting school. Countdown to Kindergarten is a free resource to support families during this transition.
Join the Countdown to Kindergarten team to engage in virtual learning activities that promote literacy, language, and social emotional development. Activities will include stories, songs and movement and are geared toward children ages 3-5 years old who are not yet in kindergarten.
ASD representatives will be present to answer parent or caregiver questions.
Events takes place Thursday, May 13 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Friday, May 14 from 11 a.m. to noon.
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New Physical Education Program Combines Reading and Physical Activity |
The Anchorage School District Health and Physical Education Department recently announced a new program designed to get elementary students excited to read and move.
The new Tales on Trails program combines exercise with reading and is designed to spark curiosity and interest in books written by Alaskan Authors. The Tales on Trails program is part of the District’s new P.E. Paths initiative.
The P.E. Paths initiative encourages students and families to move and learn together, by activating our outside spaces, creating trails that encourage movement activities combined with learning.
The Tales on Trails program launched April 19 at Ravenwood Elementary School with a ribbon cutting ceremony and a group of Ravenwood Elementary students getting to explore the outdoors with the help of the book Dream Flights on Arctic Nights by Brooke Hartman.
The concept for the program was designed by Ravenwood Elementary teacher Caela Nielson. “The goal is to get kids outside with their families and get them moving – and to get them excited about Alaskan authors and get them reading,” Nielson said.
Tails on Trails will lead students on a quest down a trail marked with stakes where they will find a weatherproofed portion of a book by an Alaskan author. In addition to the book, each stake has a physical activity that coincides with the story, encouraging students to “jump like a snowshoe hare to the next page” or “trot like a fox to the next page.”
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FCC Program Will Provide Affordable Internet to Eligible Families |
The Federal Communications Commission has launched a temporary program to help families and households struggling to afford Internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Emergency Broadband Benefit provides a discount of up to $50 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands.
Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers.
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100 Miles in May Program Benefits the Healthy Futures Program |
The 100 Miles in May Challenge is a fundraiser for the Healthy Futures program, which works to empower Alaska’s youth to build the habit of daily physical activity.
It’s an excellent opportunity to encourage physical activity among employees, family, or friends, and model healthy behavior for youth. As participants enter their exercise into a mileage converter, they can track their status on group, industry, and statewide leaderboards!
Increasing physical activity is an effective strategy to reduce childhood obesity and lower the risk of developing chronic disease such as heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.
Join the MOVE-ment! Move and enter mileage. ANY ACTIVITY COUNTS toward your 100 Miles in May!
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ASD Camper Host Program Now Accepting Applications |
Are you traveling with your RV to the Anchorage area this summer? The Anchorage School District Camper Host Program is currently accepting applications for the summer 2021 season. ASD is seeking RV travelers to park and provide a presence at school facilities.
Parties interested in participating in the Camper Host Program should submit an application by July 31. Please use the form to submit your contact information, desired school sites, and length of stay.
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Clark Middle School Student to Participate in Junior National Young Leaders Conference in D.C. |
This summer, Clark Middle School student Zealous Leatigaga will join outstanding middle school students from across the nation to take part in a unique academic and career-oriented development experience, Junior National Young Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C.
Junior National Young Leaders Conference (Jr NYLC) is one of the Envision by WorldStrides family of programs that enable students to explore their interests and experience learning beyond the classroom.
Zealous is originally from American Samoa and now lives in Anchorage. Zealous was nominated by her sixth grade teacher, Tanya Nault. Zealous participates in student counsel and was a former school president at Mountain View Elementary School.
Congrats, Zealous!
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May 2021 Photo of the Month |
Lucca Duke, a twelfth-grade student at Stellar Secondary School, poses next to the Iditarod mural she painted in the hallway at Rogers Park Elementary School. The mural will be used as an educational tool for students. Classrooms will be invited to adopt a musher for the Iditarod and place class names on a card with the mushers. Each day the cards will be moved along the trail to track their progress.
Duke completed the mural for credit as a “passage course” in which students at Stellar can pursue a topic of their interest to receive credit. Duke began the mural in the spring of 2020 before being interrupted by COVID. She completed her work in April this year.
Duke said her painting was inspired by Kristen Bacon who is a musher in the Iditarod and the sister of a former Rogers Park employee.
Have a photo you'd like to share with the ASD Community? Email [email protected] for your chance to be featured.
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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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Mon. May 10
Graduation Week Begins
Thurs. May 20
End of Fourth Quarter
Fri. May 21
Teachers' Last Day
Mon. May 31
Memorial Day Holiday
Sun. July 4
Independence Day Holiday
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5530 E Northern Lights Blvd.
Anchorage, AK 99504
907-742-4000
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