Fourth grade students were guided through the engineering design process by a parent who is an engineer! Hands-on learning included brainstorming, designing, constructing, testing, and redesigning. The three day tower project included seismic, wind, and strength tests. Winners were determined based on their performance. We had a lot of fun and learning!
“We are thankful for our involved parents, Mr. and Mrs. Winslow, who visited our class for the three day tower project with the K-Beach fourth grade students!” –Jason Daniels, fourth grade teacher, K-Beach Elementary School
Author: Pegge Erkeneff
Middle School students code for Project Zero Waste
Curious about if you can recycle something? Anything? And then … where to take it on the Kenai Peninsula?
Middle School students in Anchor Point, Alaska, built a website to give you what you need to know, on the go.
The Kenai Peninsula Recycling website is hosted on KPBSD servers, and Chapman School students explain they will keep adding pertinent information, “Hopefully we’ll need to do so as recycling programs continue to expand!”
“This project helped me learn more about where to recycle. It allowed me to use my skills and discover the wonderful world of coding.” –Andy Drake, Chapman School
“Learning how to code can help us change the world because electronic devices are popular and people are more likely to use a website than a book. Coding is a fun and educational way to use time.” –Melissa Baxter, Chapman School
“The project grew out of the “Zero Waste Project” that Chapman School eighth grade students are doing with the Center for Alaska Coastal Studies,” explained teacher Mr. Jon Crocker. “We realized that a lot of people don’t know what can be recycled, and where to go locally. There are resources out there, but none that can be easily accessed while somebody is on the go. It also fits in with our year-long thematic unit about community. Once it became clear that such a resource would be a good idea, I asked my eighth graders to put designing their personal webpages on hold for a few weeks while we developed the site. Each student took one topic, researched it, and came up with their page based on a few guidelines. If a student was assigned something that isn’t recycled locally (such as #3 plastic), I asked them to focus more on reducing and reusing strategies. We wanted it to be something people could access from their phones while doing things like making decisions on what to buy in the grocery store.”
Students worked to improve on the information available on the Borough website. For example:
- Embedded maps (students figured out how to do this!) replace written descriptions of facility locations
- Recycling #5 plastics through private parties is included
- Recycling #4 plastics—many plastic bags are actually #4, and those can be recycled in a couple of places
Visit the Chapman School coding class Kenai Peninsula Recycling website: http://bit.ly/KenaiPeninsulaRecycling
What do you want to recycle? Click a link below to find out where it can be recycled.
Tip: you can also learn about reducing and reusing strategies for each item! Or visit the main site at http://bit.ly/KenaiPeninsulaRecycling
- Aluminum
- Glass
- Tin
- Newspaper and Cardboard
- #1 Plastic
- #2 Plastic
- #3 Plastic
- #4 Plastic
- #5 Plastic
- #6 Plastic
Find your local recycling center
Visit the Kenai Peninsula Recycling website: http://bit.ly/KenaiPeninsulaRecycling
The Chapman School 8th grade coding class built the website, and the 7th grade students are also learning HTML. Chapman School 5th and 6th graders are learning programming with Scratch http://scratch.mit.edu.
The 2017 Book Battles!
The winning KPBSD Battle of the Books teams will represent KPBSD at state battles the beginning of March!
#golden #AKlearns
Congratulations!
Grades 3- 4: Connections Homeschool
Grades 5- 6, and Middle School: Cooper Landing School
High School: Voznesenka School
Opportunity to testify – HB 115 Comprehensive State Revenue Restructing
Statewide Public Testimony Opportunity
Friday, February 17, 2017
1:30 PM – 3:30 PM
In person, by telephone, via email*
House Bill 115 – Comprehensive State Revenue Restructuring Act
STATE INCOME TAX; PFD CREDIT; PERM FUND INCOME
“An Act relating to the permanent fund dividend; relating to the appropriation of certain amounts of the earnings reserve account; relating to the taxation of income of individuals; relating to a payment against the individual income tax from the permanent fund dividend disbursement; repealing tax credits applied against the tax on individuals under the Alaska Net Income Tax Act; and providing for an effective date.” Read the full bill.
The number one KPBSD Board of Education legislative priority is, “Provide sustained, reliable, and adequate education funding for Alaska’s students.”
If a solution to the state fiscal challenge, and funding public education is a priority to you, please be part of the solution, and make time to tell your story or offer your opinion on Friday. The House Finance committee will listen to public testimony about the proposed bill HB 115 for two hours.
*HOW-TO TESTIFY
Go to a local LIO office in Homer, Kenai, or Seward; call-in; or email your testimony.
General instructions
- Public testimony limited to 2 minutes per testifier
- If you are a member of a group with the same message, in the interest of time, please select a spokesperson to testify for the entire group
- Identify yourself (first and last name), the community in which you live, and any relevant affiliations
By Phone (LIO offices in Homer, Kenai, and Seward, plus Off-Net):
- Public members are strongly encouraged to testify from their Legislative Information Offices (LIOs), as there are limited Off-Net phone lines that are prioritized for those who are unable to physically reach their LIO;
- If public members cannot reach their LIO, they may use the limited Off-Net phone system
- 844-586-9085 (toll-free) or 907-586-9085
- All Off-Net callers are required to hang up immediately after testifying in order to keep as many lines open as possible for other callers.
Written testimony:
- Email housefinance@akleg.gov
invitation: Possibility becomes reality for Project SEARCH interns
You are invited!
Project SEARCH intern showcase
Possibility becomes reality when a school district and hospital collaborate to create a business-led, one-year, school-to-work program for students with disabilities.
Everyone is invited to discover how Project SEARCH is a positive impact in our community.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Denali Room, Central Peninsula Hospital, Soldotna, Alaska
Families, local employers, educators, partner organizations, and the community are invited to:
- Meet student interns who will showcase learning from their internship rotations
- Talk with the teacher and job coach; meet the hospital job mentors
- Light refreshments will be served
The Project SEARCH High School Transition Program is a total workplace immersion, facilitating classroom instruction, career exploration, and relevant job-skills training in strategically designed internships. Through targeted internship rotations, students acquire competitive, marketable, and transferable skills. Students also build communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills which is important to their overall development as a young worker. The goal: independent adults prepared for competitive employment opportunities.
Local employers of previous interns include: Safeway Bakery; Fred Meyer; Wal-Mart; Central Peninsula Hospital; Heritage Place; Blue Moose Bed and Biscuit; Charis Place Assisted Living; Walgreens; KPBSD.
Kenai Peninsula Project SEARCH is made possible through the collaborative efforts of Project SEARCH Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Central Peninsula Hospital, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, the Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Frontier Community Services, and the Kenai Job Center.
Questions? Contact: Cindy Worley, Project SEARCH Instructor, KPBSD and CPH, 907.513.9691
Volunteer Laura Johnson receives Golden Apple award
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Golden Apple Award | February 6, 2017
Ms. Laura Johnson
Ms. Laura Johnson is an exemplary volunteer at Cooper Landing School.
Once a week she volunteers to teach art to the kindergarten through eighth grade students at Cooper Landing School. “She consistently finds a way to engage the students of every grade level,” said Susanna LaRock, school secretary. “If a lesson plan is geared toward a specific age group, Laura will personalize it so that it becomes interesting for every student in our small school. Students learn art skills and to talk about art, with terms like perspective, realism, and abstract. Ms. Johnson takes pride in displaying the student’s art projects in the halls of the school and keeping the school looking beautiful, which in turn encourages the children to do the same. Every art project is mounted and displayed beautifully, and our school always looks colorful and bright.”
Last fall at Halloween time, Ms. Johnson decided that it would be fun for the kids to do a mural of Edvard Munch’s The Scream. She spent hours at home drawing the general outline of the painting in mural size and making it into sections so that each student could paint a section. Then she came into the school and taught the students about the background of the painting, and about the artist Edvard Munch. She also taught about paying attention to colors and shades, and then gave each student their section. Ms. Johnson chose sections for students, ranging in age 5 to 13, according to each student’s ability and strengths. The finished product was fantastic—16 students with varying abilities created one work of art together.
Throughout the school years, Laura notices which projects students find most interesting. She then locates other similar projects to build on their learned skills. When she notices that one student has a harder time following the directions, and thinks more outside the box, she sits down with that student and teaches them how to do the project their own way, but to keep within the parameters of the assignment. Students at Cooper Landing School learn art skills and to talk about art, with terms like abstract, realism, and perspective.
Ms. Johnson puts in countless volunteer hours making sets for the school’s Christmas play. It is common for her to spend an entire school day working on sets, and she finds ways to involve the students in the process to encourage pride and ownership of the sets. Last year, the older students helped to decorate and design the set for the production of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” When Laura realized that the younger students did not have much of an opportunity to participate, she invited each of them to decorate stockings to hang by the fireplace. This year she was even more determined to make sure that every student participated in the set design, so she created window scenes, and every student, in every grade, made items that were displayed in the windows.
Cooper Landing School is welcoming and bright because Ms. Johnson volunteers with her heart and spirit, making a difference for each child.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education is proud to recognize Ms. Laura Johnson for her dedication to the students of the school district, past, present, and future.
Link
Click here to nominate a business, community member, volunteer, or KPBSD staff for Golden Apple recognition
School website: Cooper Landing School
Golden Apple recipients
Seward SOS – Sources of Strength learning
“A best practice youth suicide prevention project designed to harness the power of peer social networks to change unhealthy norms and culture, ultimately preventing suicide, bullying, and substance abuse. … Sources of Strength moves beyond a singular focus on risk factors by utilizing an upstream approach for youth suicide prevention. This upstream model strengthens multiple sources of support (protective factors) around young individuals so that when times get hard they have strengths to rely on.” – Sources of Strength
Seward Middle School and Seward High School roll out Sources of Strength training. A blizzard couldn’t keep adults from a day of learning on Monday, and Tuesday added students to the learning. #SewardStrength
The program identifies and increases the Sources of Strength that students already leverage to overcome adversity and challenges of all kinds. Seward Middle and Seward High students learn to recognize their strengths and use them to support each other and the larger Seward secondary age school community.
Training continues in Kenai on February 15 – 16, 2017! A network conference is in the works for late April or early May to include learning for SOS students, partners, and student leaders from non-Sources of Strength schools. Stay tuned.
Nikolaevsk mines a day of sports travel
When the #KPBSD Nikolaevsk School basketball team traveled to Nenana, learning happened on the road! Students stopped by the Usibelli Coal Mine for a tour led by the senior engineer. A visit to the lab, shop, mine, and a presentation on the science behind the operations was insightful! #AKlearns
Survey: Should Paul Banks Elementary host a Boys and Girls Club?
Public Comment Opportunity now open through February 14, 2017
Dear Parents in the Homer area,
I need your input to determine the level of interest in our community to host a Boys & Girls Club at Paul Banks Elementary, which would serve Homer area schools.
I’ve heard from several parents who are concerned about after-school childcare starting in August, when the school start and end times will permanently change. Students from other Homer area schools could be bused to Paul Banks.
This survey is the first step in finding out the need and what population would use a Boys & Girls Club.
Thank you for taking time to complete this survey–it will close on February 14, 2017. Click here to take the survey!
Thank you,
Eric Pederson, principal
Paul Banks Elementary School
You're invited: February KPBSD community budget forums
News Release
Alaska fiscal challenge and impact to KPBSD budget
Do you know which educational opportunities for your children and the youth in our communities might diminish because of a multi-million dollar budget deficit in the KPBSD?
Attend a budget development forum to learn about the proposed 2017-2018 KPBSD budget, the $3.45 million deficit with status quo revenue*, expenditures, revenues, and administrative recommendations to address the deficit.
Parents, staff, students, business partners, community members, and elected officials—mark your calendar and bring your questions:
-
February 14, 5:30 p.m., Seward High School Library
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February 15, 5:30 p.m., Soldotna High School Library, This presentation will also be broadcast via skype for business at these school locations: Kenai Central High School library, Nikiski Middle-High School library, Port Graham, Nanwalek, Susan B. English, and Tebughna schools.
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February 21, 5:30 p.m., Homer High School Library
Be informed so you can advocate for the 2017-2018 school district budget which will define opportunities and offerings in August, 2017. The budget recommendation will be presented to the school board on March 6, 2017.
*Why be concerned?
Think in terms of this: ten KPBSD teachers equates to one million dollars. If the Alaska State legislature passes additional revenue cuts to state education funding, the KPBSD $3.45 million budget deficit will increase. This is the additional impact:
- 1% Reduction to BSA = $1.05 million
- 3% Reduction to BSA = $3.18 million
- 5% Reduction to BSA = $5.29 million
“Alaska is addressing its ongoing fiscal challenges, and it is important that everyone is involved in the conversation to ensure a long-term fiscal plan is finally implemented,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “As a part of this conversation, we will continue to prioritize services to provide the most effective and efficient education possible for all of our students. Your voice will help shape those priorities as well as clearly communicate that all students should remain the number one priority in Alaska and the Kenai Peninsula Borough.”
“Our annual budget is one of the most important things we do each year,” said Dave Jones, assistant superintendent of instructional support. “We want to give our parents, staff, students, and community members a chance to learn about our budget, participate in the process, and ask questions.”
Action ideas
- Attend a KPBSD school site council meeting, school board meeting, Key Communicator Hour
- Communicate with your school, friends, neighbors, legislators, and elected officials
- Watch the nine minute video shown at the fall community budget meetings to learn how KPBSD crafts a budget in response to the fiscal reality impacting all aspects of state government and funding for public education
- View any of the other short videos that explain aspects of funding and budgets*
LINKS
KPBSD Finance Department
KPSBD online video channel: Budget*
- Budget Basics PDF and Video
- Fund Balance Categories PDF and Video
- General Fund Revenue PDF and Video
- Grants PDF and Video
- Staffing Formulas PDF and Video *link includes all videos & PDFs
If the future success for our KPBSD K-12 students is dependent on a quality education so graduates will be prepared for college or a career, funding public education is crucial. In this time of fiscal uncertainty, KPBSD asks everyone to attend a public budget meeting, and become involved in the financial solutions for our school district and state.
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