Category: KPBSD District Stories

#iAmKPBSD Outstanding Students | Distance Learning

distance-deliver-logo

Meet #iAmKPBSD outstanding Distance Learning education students, Fall 2016

Annie Quinn, Soldotna High School
Annie Quinn
Soldotna High School
Distance Class: Computer Applications
Distance Teacher: Darren Jones
“Annie Quinn completed all three computer applications courses this year earning her six college credits from Kenai Peninsula College. Annie has a great work ethic, time management skills and has demonstrated outstanding computer skills.”
David Weisser
David Weisser
Connections Homeschool
Distance Class: Biology A
Distance Teacher: Kim Leslie
“David’s creativity and enthusiasm for learning shine through on all of David’s work in Biology. He moves through this rigorous course on pace, showing strong understanding and bringing a level of curiosity that honors the wonders of science.”
Caleb Rauch, Homer High School
Caleb Rauch
Homer High School
Distance Class: World History
Distance Teacher: Steve Cothran
“Caleb finished the whole semester of World History by the quarter mark, and more importantly, did so while maintaining the highest quality of work.  His assignments were always comprehensive and he looked for meaningful insights between the course material and his contemporary world.”

gage-charlesworth
Gage Charlesworth, Connections Homeschool

Gage Charlesworth
Connections Homeschool
Distance Class: Health
Distance Teacher: Amanda Adams
“Gage has demonstrated true diligence in his first online course! Working continually to understand the material and remove roadblocks along the way. He responds to feedback by thinking deeper about the topics, and furthering his understandings.”
Kaitlyn Johnson, Nikiski Middle-High School
Kaitlyn Johnson, Nikiski Middle-High School

Kaitlyn Johnson
Nikiski Middle-High School
Distance Class: Language Arts 10
Distance Teacher: Amanda Adams
“Kaitlyn continually demonstrates diligence in her efforts to become a better reader and writer. Her work ethic is unwavering, always reworking assignments, clarifying with questions, and applying feedback. Kaitlyn allows her creativity to shine through into her writing, and she isn’t afraid to take risks in trying new things with the goal of expanding her ability.”
Olivia Delgado, Ninilchik School
Olivia Delgado, Ninilchik School

Olivia Delgado
Ninilchik High School
Distance Class: Pre-Calculus
Distance Teacher: Gabe Evins
“Olivia is doing outstanding in Pre-Calculus online and is seven assignments ahead of schedule.  Olivia continues to be one of my best students and shows exemplary work.  She is very respectful with her communications and is not afraid to ask for help if help is needed.”
Marissa Geissler, Homer High School
Marissa Geissler, Homer High School

Marissa Geissler
Homer High School
Distance Class: Italian 1
Distance Teacher: Emanuela Pokryfi
“Marissa has been a remarkable student with her positive and proactive attitude throughout the first quarter. She was very helpful by letting me know of errors or issues with the course and its content whenever she found one, suggesting possible solutions. Marissa also agreed to meeting with another student in her school who is enrolled in the same online course to help her in getting more grounded in the course.”
Learn more: KPBSD Distance Learning Department

The mission of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is to develop productive, responsible citizens who are prepared to be successful in a dynamic world.

Mind a-Mazes in Rodent Racers

Forty-four registered teams with close to 200 students from fourth grade through high school competed in the KPBSD annual “Mind A-Mazes” meet on Saturday, October 15, 2016, at Soldotna Prep School. Teams came from all parts of the peninsula – Homer, Hope, Seward, Nikiski, Moose Pass, and the Central Peninsula.
Mind amazes KPBSD
This year’s annual “Mind A-Mazes” challenge had teams exercise their communication, teamwork, engineering, and problem-solving skills while constructing and testing a vehicle powered solely by a single mousetrap. The annual challenge is made possible through the active participation of district Quest program (gifted education) teachers, as well as a host of other teachers, volunteers, and supporters. The “Rodent Racers” problem challenged team vehicles to travel a distance of 21 feet with accuracy and speed. If a team’s device met all of the problem requirements and limitations and hit a can target at the end of a 21 foot lane (without going outside of a three foot wide lane), then it qualified for a second heat in which the speed at which it traveled the lane and hit the target were measured.
img_1294-s

Junior Division

  • 1st place – K-Beach Elementary “Caribou Creators”
  • 2nd place – Redoubt Elementary “Unicorn Poprocks”
  • 3rd place – K-Beach Elementary “The Speedsters”
  • Junior Spontaneous Challenge Winners – Seward Middle “Cheese Balls”
  • Junior Judges Choice Winners – Sterling Elementary “Rapid Racers”

Intermediate-Senior Division

  • 1st place – Hope School “Twenty-One Mice”
  • 2nd place – Kenai Middle “The Losers”
  • 3rd place – Kenai Middle “Rodents of Unusual Size (R.O.U.S.)”
  • Intermediate Spontaneous Challenge Winners (tie) – Kenai Middle “Muelloffatchews” and Homer Middle “The Huskies”
  • Intermediate Judges Choice Winners – Nikiski Middle/High “Vinyl Girls

Thank you to all the students, parents, coaches, teachers, volunteers, judges and coordinators who made this year’s meet such a wonderful experience for students!
Link
Mind a-Mazes Blog

More photographs and details
 
Story contributed by Brian Bailey
cover-4-s
img_1299-sm

More photographs and details

KPBSD October Budget Development Meeting links

kpbsd-community-budget-meetings-hl

Districtwide Community Budget Development meetings – October 13, 2016
How to best prioritize programs and services in KPBSD?

LINKS for Community Budget Development meetings at KPBSD schools:

  • KPSBD online video channel: Budget* 

*link includes all videos & PDFs
Provide feedback:

  • Which areas of your school site budget could be reduced in 2017-2018 if there is a 3 to 20 percent reduction in education funding revenue from the State of Alaska?
  • What ways can KPBSD legally increase revenues?
  • Is there anything that KPBSD can provide that will help people understand the fiscal problem and help with solutions
  • What are your suggestions to legislators about funding shortfall solutions?

 

Parents, staff, students, business partners, community members, and elected officials are invited to attend the districtwide community budget development meeting on Thursday, October 13, 2016, 6:00 p.m.,* at these KPBSD school sites:

Aurora Borealis Charter School – K-Alt main meeting room;
Chapman – Mr. Sharp’s room;
Cooper Landing – Classroom 4;
Fireweed Academy – Big Fireweed;
Homer High School – Homer High Library;
Kaleidoscope School of Arts and Science – Library;
K-Beach Elementary – Room 18;
Kenai Alternative – K-Alt main meeting room;
Kenai Central High School – KCHS Library;
Kenai Middle School – KCHS Library;
McNeil Canyon – McNeil Canyon School;
Moose Pass – Seward Middle Auditeria;
Mountain View Elementary – Library;
Nikiski North Star – Room 13;
Nikolaevsk – Room 11;
Ninilchik School – Library;
Port Graham – Room 2 – Secondary Classroom;
Redoubt Elementary – SoHi Library;
River City Academy – ELA Room;
Seward Elementary – Seward Middle Auditeria;
Seward High School – Seward Middle Auditeria;
Seward Middle School – Seward Middle Auditeria;
Skyview Middle School – Room B104;
Soldotna Elementary – Library;
Soldotna High School – SoHi Library;
Soldotna Prep – SoHi Library;
Sterling Elementary – Room 162A;
Susan B. English – Commons area;
Tebughna – Room #12;
Tustumena – Library;
West Homer Elementary – Homer High Library
*variances
October 13, 2016: Homer Flex – 5:30 p.m.,  ELA Room; Hope – 3:45 p.m., Sandra Barron’s room; Nikiski Middle-High School – 5:30 p.m., Library; Paul Banks School – 3:15 p.m., Paul Banks Lounge
October 17, 2016: Homer Middle School – 3:30 p.m., Conference Room; Nanwalek – 4:30 p.m., Room 110, Secondary Room
October 19, 2016: Kachemak-Selo, Razdolna, Voznesenka – 4:00 p.m., Voznesenka School
October 25, 2016: Soldotna Montessori –5:30 p.m., Room 414

“As the State of Alaska works to develop a sustainable long-term fiscal plan, our district will continue to provide the highest quality educational experience it can within that state plan. We are asking all of our stakeholders to be engaged in the budget process to help prioritize programs and services to be offered in our district. Some decisions may be difficult, but there are many opportunities too. Ultimately, our budget process will help inform our state and borough leaders of the needs our schools have to provide an excellent education. I look forward to beginning this discussion and supporting all stakeholders to participate in the district and state planning process.” –Sean Dusek, superintendent of schools

Participant input will be synthesized and presented to the KPBSD school board during November and December board meetings and work sessions.
Link
KPBSD Finance Department

Time to volunteer on a KPBSD committee?

Are you interested in health and wellness, or sports and cocurricular activities? Indian education? Setting the districtwide school calendar?

committees-2

Consider volunteering for a KPBSD committee! Several opportunities are open:

KPBSD logo 4c no tag SMALLThe Kenai Peninsula School Activities Association (KPSAA) is seeking a Parent Representative to serve the remainder of the current term ending with the current school year. Parent Representatives are an important voice on the KPSAA Board, and will seek information from other KPBSD parents to report back to the KPSAA Board at our quarterly meetings. For more information, please contact Tiffany Eck no later than September 9, 2016 via email teck@kpbsd.k12.ak.us or by phone 907-714-8884. Our first meeting is scheduled for September 15, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. at Soldotna Prep school.
KPBSD logo 4c no tag SMALLThe KPBSD Wellness Committee is seeking nominations for a Parent Representative. The Wellness Committee is responsible for reviewing Board Policy 5141.6 Student Nutrition and Physical Activity for districtwide compliance and seeks input from our schools, parents and community members. The committee meets 2-3 times per year, typically in the central peninsula area. For more information, please contact Tiffany Eck no later than September 15, 2016, via email teck@kpbsd.k12.ak.us or by phone 907-714-8884. The first Wellness Committee meeting will be held on October 4, 2016 at the District Office building from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
KPBSD logo 4c no tag SMALLThe KPBSD Title VI Indian Education advisory committee seeks parent, student, and staff members to serve. Are you interested in setting priorities to meet the unique educational and culturally related academic needs of our 1,200 Alaska Native and Native American students? Is encouraging or assisting our Alaska Native and Native American students to stay in school and pursue further education a value to you? Committee members must commit to quarterly meetings, usually held at the KPBSD office building in Soldotna. Remote area representatives participate via Skype for Business. Nominations for membership are due by September 20, 2016, and can be submitted by Region to Conrad Woodhead, KPBSD Native Education Coordinator, at cwoodhead@kpbsd.k12.ak.us. Questions? Please call 907-235-8671.
KPBSD logo 4c no tag SMALLThe KPBSD is recruiting members to review the 2017-2018 school calendar and make recommendations to the Board of Education for the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 school years. Details and the application can be found here. Questions? Email NBates@kpbsd.k12.ak.us, or call 907-714-8858. Apply by October 3, 2016.

Cade Anderson | Nikiski Middle-High School #Classof2016

Cade Anderson [Nikiski Middle-High School] #Classof2016
Cade Anderson [Nikiski Middle-High School] #Classof2016
Valedictorian, Cade is a champion for his community, and takes pride in serving his community through mentoring youth in sports and recreational activities at the North Peninsula Recreation Center. The impacts are clear that the children who are mentored by Cade exemplify the highest levels of sportsmanship, teamwork, and compassion for others. Cade’s credibility as an emotionally intelligent leader was solidified through his years at NMHS by being chosen as the team captain on the football team that earned state berths to the championship game and was awarded academic state champions four straight years, being a member of the National Honor Society that led NMHS in service learning opportunities, and interacting with Nikiski North Star Elementary students during Citizenship Celebrations.
Cade will continue to build his repertoire of mentoring strategies at the University of Alaska Fairbanks where he will focus his studies on becoming a secondary education teacher with a focus on history, language arts, and coaching.

You are not alone suicide awareness and prevention assemblies

“You are not alone” suicide awareness and prevention
IMG_7496
This spring, more than one thousand students from Kenai Central High School, Kenai Middle School, Nikiski Middle-High School, Skyview Middle School, Soldotna Prep, and Soldotna High School attended assemblies about suicide awareness. Student leaders at KCHS received training about suicide awareness. The assemblies aimed to assist our students and staff with helpful tips and facts about mental health and suicide prevention. Deb Casello, You Are Not Alone youth suicide prevention project coordinator through the Alaska Training Cooperative and UAA’s Center for Human Development, together with trained students from Anchorage facilitated the assemblies.
Students learned that many people think that openly talking about suicide raises the risk.
The fact is that asking someone directly usually lowers their anxiety, opens up lines of communication, and also lowers the risk of an impulsive act. Everyone received yellow wrist bands with a Careline that anyone can call, anytime: 877-266-HELP.
“Since almost all efforts to persuade someone to live instead of attempt suicide will be met with agreement and relief, don’t hesitate to get involved or take the lead.” –You Are Not Alone presentation
Question. Persuade. Refer. QPR is three steps everyone can learn to help prevent suicide. The objectives of youth led QPR trainings are:

  • Teach the appropriate role for youth in suicide prevention; youth are neither counselors nor interventionists
  • Learn about the myths and facts surrounding suicide
  • Empower youth with tools to safely ask the Question
  • Recognize the warning signs of suicide
  • Know how to Persuade by offering safe support and hope
  • Reinforce critical step of involving adults, Refer to help

Links

SAPP Grant
In April, KPBSD was awarded a three year Suicide Awareness, Prevention and Postvention (SAPP) grant from the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. The SAPP grant will help KPBSD continue to build capacity and extend our efforts to deliver suicide awareness programs in our schools. Through the grant, the district will be able to:

  • Develop peer mentoring, and involve more youth in the gatekeeper training
  • Continue to support what we are already doing by having our own trainers in the district for Fourth R and YMHFA, and now Sources of Strength
  • Collaborate with other community organizations to develop a coordinated Suicide Tool Kit to help make proactive plans if or when a suicide tragedy takes place, or if people need help to prevent a suicide

The three year grant proposal targets high risk populations of students in grades 7-12 at Homer Flex, Marathon School, and Kenai Alternative School. And, in year two and three of the grant, additional KPBSD middle and high schools. The goal is to develop teams of peer leaders, mentored by adult advisors, to change the peer social norms about seeking help, and to encourage students to individually assess and develop strengths in their life. An essential element of the program is to recruit a diverse peer leader network from a variety of social cliques and groups.
“While prevention is our first priority, we know postvention is a critical component of a comprehensive wellness program when faced with the tragedy of suicide in a community,” said Melissa Linton, KPBSD Curriculum and Assessment Coordinator. “Postvention has the ability to ease distress, break the cycle of suicide, and be a preventative measure. While KPBSD’s overall health and wellness curriculum is in place, a high priority need for our district is to further education and supports for suicide prevention. Our goal is to create a network of community mental health providers to collaborate to develop a purposeful and coordinated community support that responds quickly and effectively to provide safe havens in response to suicide.”
Slide
 
IMG_7489
 

The 2016 Book Battle

Many educators think of February as Love of Reading Month, so it is especially fitting that Battle of the Books takes place during that month. Sixty-five KPBSD teams participated in this year’s district competition. All did an awesome job. Most of the battles took place using audio conference technology with the final round teams competing using video conference. All agreed it was an added bonus to “see” the other teams.
Congratulations to the following teams that made it to the final round of competition!

Cooper Landing School
Cooper Landing School

Battle of the Books is a statewide reading and comprehension program sponsored by the Alaska Association of School Librarians. The goals of the program are to encourage and recognize students who enjoy reading, broaden reading interests, increase reading comprehension, and promote academic excellence. All this is accomplished through a game-show style competition known simply as “BOB”.
Lists of books are chosen and questions are written for all the grade levels. Students read the books (fifteen titles for Grades 3-6 and twelve titles for Grades 7-12), quiz each other, learn title and author information, and compete in teams of no more than three students attempting to score as many points as possible answering questions related to the books. Battle questions all begin with the words, “In which book”. Students are allowed thirty seconds to confer with team members and come up with an answer which is always the title and author of a book on the list.
Our district-winning teams moved on to the Alaska state competitions held the end of February. Our teams represented our district well placing as follows.

  • High School – Soldotna High School tied for 5th place (24 teams)
  • Middle School – Nikiski Middle-High School, 7th place (29 teams)
  • Grades 5/6 – K-Beach Elementary, 11th place (35 teams)
  • Grades 3/4 – Cooper Landing School, 3rd place (34 teams)

Book lists for next year’s battles were chosen by members of the Alaska Association of School Librarians at their state conference on March 12, 2016. The list is posted at the State Battle of the Book’s website.
View photos of all the teams on the KPBSD Facebook page, 2016 Battle of the Books photo album
Story contributed by Karla Barkman, District Battle of the Books Coordinator
 

Kaleidoscope School of Arts & Science
Kaleidoscope School of Arts & Science

West Homer Elementary
West Homer Elementary

KPBSD school breakfast success and opportunity

2016 school breakfast 2
As a support to student morning classroom success, students enrolled in the 30 KPBSD schools sponsoring a School Breakfast Program (SBP) enjoy access to a carefully menued school breakfast.
Each KPBSD morning, over 900 eager students participate with friends in school breakfast as the nutritious beginning of a busy school day. From Tebughna School to McNeil Canyon Elementary and from Seward High School to Nikiski North Star Elementary, KPBSD students meet with their friends for a nutritious school breakfast.
Menu choices include yogurts, juices, fruits, whole grain cereals, and breakfast bars. Menued hot items include an egg & cheese sandwich, breakfast burritos, and breakfast pizza.
The pictured KPBSD school breakfast includes a strawberry cup, orange juice, 1% milk, and a breakfast quesadilla. More importantly, breakfast comes with friends.
Pricing for KPBSD sponsored School Breakfast Programs:
Students qualifying for free or reduced priced meal support participate at no charge. A pricing of $1.75 per breakfast is the charge for students participating in the paid category.
All KPBSD students are invited to participate at school sites where school breakfast is made accessible for the start of a school day.
Links

Story contributed by Dean Hamburg, student nutrition services administrator
2016 breakfast
Non-Discrimination Statement
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: https://www.ascr.usda.gov/filing-discrimination-complaint-usda-customer, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
(1)  mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
(2)  fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.
“This institution is an equal opportunity provider.”

Balancing Alaska Budgets

“I think it’s important for the people in my community to weigh in any opportunity that they get on the budget preference or revenue enhancements. And, while I don’t know how that is going to turn out yet, it will take some combination of both of those in order to come up with a sustainable budget that will move Alaska forward and help my community.” – Speaker of the House, Mike Chenault, February 8, 2016, in conversation with Soldotna High School student

Brian Dusek and Speaker Chenault
KPBSD Board of Education student representative Brian Dusek talks with Speaker of the House, Mike Chenault, about a letter Soldotna High School students wrote to Alaska legislators about the budget and what the value of public education means to them.

Balancing a billion dollar state budget

On anything but a normal Monday in Juneau, when HCR 23 “Suspend Uniform Rules 20, 21, 23, 24” made fast tracks to pass through the House of Representatives, “restricting committee meetings of the Alaska House of Representatives to measures that substantially relate to and have as their primary purpose appropriating, raising, or allocating state revenue, until the Alaska House of Representatives passes a state operating budget to the Alaska Senate,” Speaker of the House Mike Chenault (and District 29 representative) met with one of his young constituents, a high school student from Soldotna, Alaska.
In Juneau for a school board legislative fly-in with board member Lynn Hohl, the student school board representative, Brian Dusek, shared a letter that Soldotna High School students wrote to Alaska legislators. Speaker Chenault said, “I hope we are on the right track, we are going to work on the budget, try to focus on the budget, and come up with a remedy for the budget. We’ll look at revenue streams, we’ll look at reducing the budget where we can. I think it’s important for the people in my community to weigh in, any opportunity that they get—either weigh in on the budget preference or revenue enhancements. And, while I don’t know how that is going to turn out yet, it will take some combination of both of those in order to come up with a sustainable budget that will move Alaska forward and help my community. So that’s where we will be and what we will work on for the next three weeks, and see if we can get a budget passed.” Alaska residents are asked to weigh in with their ideas to The House Majority “Idea Line” 1-844-414-5949 to help solve the State’s budget crunch.
“I’m having a great time advocating for public education and the KPBSD,” said Brian Dusek, Soldotna High School student and school board student representative. “It was great to learn more about the legislative process, meet Governor Walker, our senators, and our representatives, speak to public officials, and have a voice that represents my peers and community. I appreciate the KPBSD school board for allowing me to attend the legislative fly in, and I hope that I helped advocate for public education so it remains a #1 priority in the state. It’s been an amazing experience!”
The Legislature and KPBSD webpage offers helpful links, copies of legislator communications, KPBSD legislative priorities, LIO office locations, and more. This page is updated throughout the legislative session.

Balancing a multi-million dollar school district budget

“The district is facing a fiscal gap for our 2016-2017 budget,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “We are prioritizing the programs and services we will be able to offer in our schools. The district will likely need to make additional difficult decisions depending upon the level of funding we receive from the state and borough. This is an important year to be involved and engaged in all levels of our budget development, and understand the local (borough) and state level funding for public education.”

KPBSD Public Budget Meetings

Parents, staff, students, business partners, community members, and elected officials, are invited to 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.

  • Tuesday, February 16, 2016, Seward High School library, 5:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday, February 17, 2016, Soldotna High School library, 5:30 p.m.
  • Tuesday, February 23, 2016, Homer High School library, 5:30 p.m.

Links

Building a Sustainable Future for Alaska The KPBSD Board of Education encourages everyone to participate in Governor Walker’s Sustainable Future: conversations with Alaskans through an interactive revenue and expenditure model that “allows you to fix Alaska’s budget your way.”
New! Alaska residents are asked to weigh in with their ideas to The House Majority “Idea Line” 1-844-414-5949 to help solve the State’s budget crunch.
Brian Dusek and Speaker Chenault 3
Rep Paul Seaton and AASB February 2016Brian Dusek and Governor Walker 2016