According to kindergartener, Kalena Schriner, “The Warrior Way is peaceful. If you are peaceful, then you get a ticket.” First grader, Kaptelina Fefelov says, “The Warrior Way makes the school better.” And kindergartener, Alexander Stading says simply, “The Warrior Way is fun!”
Nikolaevsk School is in its second year of implementing school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBiS). The Nikolaevsk Warrior Way defines behaviors that are respectful, responsible, and safe in common areas that are accessed by all students in the school, such as the hallways and the bathroom. Nikolaevsk staff are very proactive in teaching students expectations in settings, and then rewarding students for using good behaviors with tickets.
Students earn tickets for using good behaviors and making good choices in the school. Tickets earned by students are collected in the office, and counted. Once the ticket goal amount has been reached, a school-wide celebration is held. Celebrations this year include: a school-wide celebration center, principal day projects, K-3 horseback riding trip at Mr. Seller’s house, principals club, among others.
Teachers have now expanded their efforts into the classroom, using student surveys to gain student input on aspects such as student attendance and connectedness in school, and creating action plans to further support their students. The strategies in PBiS of focusing on and rewarding positive behaviors have been so widely embraced in the school, that the site council has adopted these practices as well. Due to concerns about the need to improve sportsman-like behaviors of fans at basketball games, the site council defined good fan behaviors, taught the behaviors at games, and rewards fans who exhibit these behaviors, regardless of which team they are supporting. Rewards come in the form of raffle tickets, which are drawn during the game for prizes.
The entire school body has changed their approach to recognize and reward positive behaviors. As a result, student behavior in the school has changed positively. Student office referrals decreased 63 percent in the first year of implementing PBiS in the school, which resulted in more students using positive behaviors, and fewer discipline issues.
Story submitted by Trina Uvaas, EdS, Nationally Certified School Psychologist Link
Kenai Central High School (KCHS) Job Shadow Day: helping students plan for the future
Nearly twenty years ago the KCHS Job Shadow program had its beginnings as a partnership between Kenai Central High School, the Kenai Chamber of Commerce, and the Peninsula Job Center to help students determine their plans after high school.
The annual job shadow day is in March. In preparation for the 2015 Job Shadow Day, juniors at KCHS spent several months researching careers and preparing business portfolios, including job applications, résumés, and cover letters. The unit culminates with individualized, first-hand workplace experiences with local business hosts across the Central Peninsula. Joseph Gabriel, David Beck, Mikaela Salzetti, and Homer Electric Association (HEA) Jim Cross
The Chamber of Commerce and its members have made arrangements to place 110 students into a “job placement” that matches a career interest they have selected. This pairing assists students in making decisions regarding career field, education or training required, as well as leading to possible intern or employment connections.
KCHS Principal Alan Fields points out, “The Job Shadow program is an opportunity the KCHS students get that is not available anywhere else in the state. This program demonstrates how much the community cares about our students. It takes a tremendous amount of work from all of the entities involved.”
KCHS students and staff extends sincere appreciation to all of the individuals, agencies, and businesses that helped to support this program and to make this such a positive experience for students. Concluding lunch with business partners, student participants, and keynote speakers
February 2015 KPBSD’s English Language Learner (ELL) program has seen a 55 percent increase in the number of Limited English Proficient (LEP) students in the district since 2010. Currently:
286 LEP students are enrolled across 34 KPBSD schools
23 languages are represented in the following categories:
Eastern European-Russian
Asian-SE Asian
Northern European
Pacific Islander
Native Alaskan
23 ELL paraprofessionals base their support activities on students’ specific academic needs
Administration of the annual English proficiency assessment, ACCESS, is currently underway. State and federal requirements include the administration of this annual test. The test:
Measures student progress
Determines students’ eligibility to be reclassified as non-LEP (LEP students who pass the test are exited from LEP status)
Gives educators valuable information to inform their teaching
Gives the ELL office information that can be used to determine relevant professional development and possible program modifications
This is the last year the assessment will be administered in paper-pencil format. Next year, the test will be taken online (with the exception of the Kindergarten test). Links
Outside of KPBSD’s Annual Open Enrollment period, employees may make changes to the Health Plan policy if they are in connection with certain qualifying life events. Please read the important Health Plan information below for details! When should I notify the Benefits Manager of any change in status for myself or my dependents?
You have 31 days to notify the Benefits Manager of these qualifying events:
Marriage (Copy of Marriage Certificate required)
Birth (Copy of Birth Certificate required)
Adoption or Placement for adoption (Copy of adoption documents required)
Involuntary loss of other coverage
If an enrollment form and required legal documents are received within 31 days, coverage will begin on the date of the qualifying event. If you fail to make the desired changes within the allowed time period, you must wait for the next Open Enrollment period. Open Enrollment occurs annually from July 15 – August 31, with an effective date of September 1. You have 60 days to notify the Benefits Manager of the following COBRA qualifying events:
Divorce (Copy of Divorce Decree required)
Loss of dependent status (Attained limiting age)
Legal Separation (Court order required)
Death of a covered member
Failure to notify the Benefits Manager of a COBRA qualifying event could constitute forfeiture of COBRA election rights. If an employee fails to notify the Health Plan within 60 days, the employee may be responsible for reimbursing the Plan for any claims that have been paid for their ineligible dependents.
If you have experienced a life event or have questions relating to the Health Plan, please contact the Employee Benefits Manager, Stacey Cockroft, at scockroft@kpbsd.k12.ak.us or call 907.714.8879.
Student success quietly built on school breakfast success: 1,000 times every school day
Each KPBSD school day, about an hour before the first bell, dedicated Student Nutrition Services (SNS) staff members quietly begin the preparation for School Breakfast Service. As the breakfast preparation begins in the 34 KPBSD schools that sponsor a National School Breakfast Program (NSBP), ovens warm up, coolers are opened, and serving lines are filled with cereals, fruits, juices, hot entrees and of course the ubiquitous half pint milk. A KPBSD SNS breakfast included a hot breakfast quesadilla, strawberry cup, orange juice and milk.
By the time breakfast service is completed 1,000 KPBSD students will have participated in the early morning nutrition opportunity.
As the students quietly pass through the serving line, the SNS team guides them through the selection offered breakfast items. And the adult servers offer up a warm, good morning and, Are you ready for school today? USDA Breakfast Friends at Mountain View Elementary
Older siblings and friends help younger brothers, sisters, and friends who sometimes proceed sleepily through the line. They help unzip coats, and ensure they select the proper mix of items for their USDA Breakfast.
During the actual eating time for breakfast, it is quiet in the service area.
Sometimes a little homework gets done.
Sometimes, students come back to the serving line and whisper a request for a second portion of breakfast. SNS staff smile and comply. SNS Breakfast Program Manager Ginger Self very successfully keeps record of student breakfast accounts. Ginger prepares the breakfast offering before stepping into role as cashier.
As students proceed to their class, having consumed a nutrient powerful breakfast of whole grain, low sodium, protein perfect foods, some ask What’s for lunch?
When students depart the serving area, SNS members complete the clean-up and the record keeping required for breakfast service. And then the prep begins for the thousands of USDA lunches to be provided four hours later. National School Breakfast Week is in March!
We invite you to join in the breakfast success at any of the 34 KPBSD schools that sponsor a National School Breakfast Program.
*Update: payment for student nutrition services can now be accepted online at all KPBSD schools. Click here: http://bit.ly/KPBSDonlinePayments
SNS menus and information: http://bit.ly/StudentNutritionServicesKPBSD “In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Contact: Pegge Erkeneff, Communication Specialist
907-714-8838 News Release Careers in the Health Sciences are in High Demand Soldotna, February 12, 2015—High school students are invited to learn how to become part of the fastest growing career track in Alaska and the nation.
Hospital Career Fair
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
10:00-1:30 p.m.
Central Peninsula Hospital
Students will learn about careers in Therapeutic (Nurse, Counselor, etc.), Medical Information (Billing, Coding …), Diagnostic (Radiologist, Imaging …), and Environmental (Chef, Electrician …) fields.
During the 2014 Hospital Career Day, nearly 80 KPBSD high school students attended, and hospital employees shared their passion and commitment to their chosen occupations, providing students valuable tips about how to prepare for a career in a hospital setting.
To sign up for the 2015 Hospital Career Day or learn more, students can contact their high school counselor. This opportunity will not take place again until 2017. Lunch is provided and the event is sponsored by Central Peninsula Hospital, the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, and the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Links KPBSD Career and Technical department KPBSD Career Clusters ###
This and all KPBSD media releases are online at this web page: http://bit.ly/MediaPublicRelationships Suggest or contribute a story online link: http://bit.ly/SuggestKPBSDstory
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Contact: Pegge Erkeneff, 907.714.8888 News Release
How would you spend 167 million dollars?
Soldotna, February 10, 2015—KPBSD faces a multi-million dollar deficit for a status quo budget in 2015-2016. If you care about quality schools and an excellent public education for our Kenai Peninsula K-12 students, please attend a public meeting in your area.
In addition, KPBSD seeks input to evaluate the operation of the pools within our schools. Community members are asked to provide thoughts about how to improve pool usage, and help KPBSD examine cost efficiencies.
“The KPBSD focus is to maximize opportunities for the students in our classrooms,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “The district looks forward to gathering innovative options from the public to help us address our fiscal realities. Additionally, we want to hear ideas from the public related to our pool usage and operation costs.”
Parents, employees, students, community members—please attend. Mark your calendar and bring your questions and ideas to a KPBSD public meeting, where you will learn about the district budget perspective, expenditures, revenues, and receive responses to your questions.
KPBSD Public Pool Use Meeting and Public Budget Forum Meetings
Tuesday, February 17, 2015, Seward High School library
5:00 Pool Use; 5:30 p.m. Public Budget Meeting
Wednesday, February 18, 2015, Soldotna High School library
5:00 Pool Use; 5:30 p.m. Public Budget Meeting
Tuesday, February 24, 2015, Homer High School library
Golden Apple Award | February 2, 2015
Lisa Whip, School Librarian
West Homer Elementary librarian Lisa Whip awarded Golden Apple by KPBSD Board of Education
“The moment when a student of any level or age discovers a book that they are passionate about is the most exciting part of my job as a librarian. At that point the student’s desire to read unlocks the world of books and for the first time they understand why other people read for pleasure. They become voracious readers. There is no stopping them!” – Lisa Whip
“Over the past eleven years, Mrs. Lisa Whip has turned the West Homer Elementary library into the heart and soul of our school, where students flock to find new books to read and sources for research projects, as well as a place to find a supportive ear and safe place to relax,” said Lyn Maslow, educator. “Teachers go to the library to find materials to support curriculum, scour the professional library that Mrs. Whip has developed, and find the latest cool book or series that was purchased.”
Mrs. Whip’s specialty is finding a magic book or series that switches a reluctant reader into an independent reader who keeps coming back for more. She has many strategies that help students become lifelong readers.
Mrs. Whip helps support innovative school programs. For example, when the school developed a nature trail, Mrs. Whip gathered resources and books that would support the science activities that would take place along the trail. She helped preserve and house a herbarium that the students created from the trail. When the school planted a garden, she put together a gardening section for the library. She has been an integral part of schoolwide programs such as Battle of Books, Book Fair, and Readathon.
Mrs. Whip implemented the Scholastic Lexile measure system Reading Counts into the library so that students would have school wide access to determine their Lexile levels—which led to students reading books on just the right level. She then helped students set goals for their reading, and a means to achieve those goals. The program has raised the number of books students read in order to meet personal goals. To accomplish this, she solicited funds, and coordinated volunteers from staff and the local Rotary Club to spend weekends Lexile formatting books. She coordinates two successful book fairs every year which draw many people from the community, and has evening book nights. Additionally, she has an ongoing book swap at a designated spot outside of the library, so students can exchange personal books for new ones.
Mrs. Whip works collaboratively with the children’s librarian at the Homer Public Library to increase the technology component of the West Homer Elementary library. This helps develop the role of technology in both the school and community libraries. “She procured funds to purchase iPads for each teacher in the school,” said Maslow. “And over the past two years we have been sharing different apps that are beneficial for our students.”
A tireless advocate for all students and teachers, Mrs. Whip has taken professional development classes with teachers, and then added resources from the classes to the professional library at the school. Over the past three summers, several educators participated in the Writing Institute at the Teacher’s College at Columbia University, in New York City. During the institute, Mrs. Whip collected recommended mentor texts that teachers could use in their language arts curriculum. The students would not be the successful student readers, nor West Homer Elementary be a Blue Ribbon School, without her passion for literacy.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education is proud to recognize Lisa Whip for her dedication to the students of the school district—past, present, and future. Lisa Whip, school librarian
Addressing the school board and meeting attendees, Lisa Whip said, “Now I would like to let you in on a little secret. Every day I get to West Homer really early in the morning and walk through the silent halls to the library. When I open the door to the 25,000 books waiting for me on the shelves, I say out loud Good morning West Homer Library—you are awesome! and in the same breath I whisper Thank you IT Team* for without you keeping the library systems whirring and programs running the library would come to a screeching halt! …There is a brilliance hidden in every one of us waiting to be discovered. As a librarian, I support each child in finding their brilliance through books that are just right for them.”
*Information Technology Golden Apple Awards
The Board of Education bestows Golden Apple Awards to school district employees, volunteers, and community organizations that go to extra lengths to support and advance education. Recipients are honored at a school board meeting with a proclamation and an engraved apple award. District employees, parents, school board members, volunteers, and community members are eligible to make nominations for the award. Complete a nomination form, write a letter of nomination explaining why you believe the nominee is deserving of special recognition. Click for additional information. Links Golden Apple information and nomination form Past Golden Apple Award Recipients
Alaska Statute AS 23.40.235 states that a school district “shall provide opportunities for public comment on the issues to be addressed in the collective bargaining process.”
News Release Public Involvement in School District Negotiations*
Soldotna, January 14, 2015—The public is invited to comment about issues that will be addressed in the collective bargaining process via an online comment form, or by email, fax, mail, or in person at the district office.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District (KPBSD) plans to begin Collective Bargaining negotiations with the Kenai Peninsula Education Association (KPEA), and the Kenai Peninsula Education Support Association (KPESA) by the last week in January, 2015. The process includes items for discussion such as compensation, employee benefits, health care, and work environment that one or both sides want to address for possible revision. A link to the online comment form is posted on the KPBSD website homepage. Additionally:
Download Negotiations 2015 comment form and mail, fax, or deliver in person to:
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Attn: Negotiations 2015
148 N. Binkley, Soldotna, Alaska 99669
Fax: 907.262.5867
*AS 23.40.235. Public Involvement in School District Negotiations
Before beginning bargaining, the school board of a city or borough school district or a regional educational attendance area shall provide opportunities for public comment on the issues to be addressed in the collective bargaining process. Initial proposals, last-best-offer proposals, tentative agreements before ratification, and final agreements reached by the parties are public documents and are subject to inspection and copying under AS 40.25.110 – 40.25.140. Links
