Is setting priorities to meet the unique educational and culturally related academic needs of our 1,200 Alaska Native and Native American students of value to you?
Do you believe it is important to encourage or assist our Alaska Native and Native American students to stay in school and pursue further education?
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Title VI (Indian Education), formerly known as Title VII, seeks parent, student, and staff advisory committee representatives. The qualities desirable in the members of the advisory committee are:
Willingness to actively participate
Involvement in community affairs
Represent the interest of all children in the KPBSD who are eligible for Title VI
Committee members must commit to quarterly meetings, usually held at the KPBSD office building in Soldotna. Remote area representatives participate via Skype for Business.
Seats by Region
Parent RepresentativeA parent is any person who on the date of election for Advisory Committee membership is the parent, acting local parent, legal guardian, or elder of a student currently eligible for Title VI and enrolled in KPBSD
Seat D—Region 4 (Ninilchik, Anchor Point, Homer)
Seat E—Region 5 (Seldovia, Nanwalek, Port Graham)
Seat F—At-Large (any region)
Student RepresentativeAny KPBSD Title VI enrolled student
Seat G—At-large
Seat H—At-large
Staff RepresentativeAny KPBSD employee
Seat I—At-large
The KPBSD Title VI Advisory Committee is a requirement of the federal government to receive Title VI funds and assists KPBSD in setting the priorities to meet the unique educational and culturally related academic needs of Alaska Native and Native American student population. The KPBSD Title VI Advisory Committee will also consider and make recommendations as to programs, projects, or other efforts specifically aimed at encouraging or assisting Alaska Native and Native American students to stay in school and pursue further education. Nominations for membership are due by noon on September 28, 2018. (scroll to the bottom of the webpage for nominations.) Return your completed nomination by region to Conrad Woodhead, KPBSD Native Education Coordinator, at cwoodhead@kpbsd.k12.ak.us. Questions? Please call 907-235-8671.
A Title VI Advisory Committee Meeting will take place October 3, 3018, 3:00 – 4:30 p.m., Borough Assembly Chambers, or via Skype. Links
Alex wrestles and wins during the Round Robin Rumble in Homer, Alaska, on October 21, 2017
Alexandrea “Alex” Moseley Homer High School, Class of 2018
Alexandrea Moseley, or Alex to her teammates, is continuing the Homer High School legacy of female wrestling. She started wrestling on a whim her sophomore year and liked it so much she stuck with it through adversity. Although she did not win many matches the first few years, her persistence and hard work gained traction. She became a student of the sport, went to summer camps and participated in large out-of-state tournaments. The result is a winning record against the boys and a 2017 Alaska State Championship at 126, and a wrestling scholarship to Adrian University in Michigan! Photo: Alex paints her freshmen teammate, Brook Miller, at the 2017 Cross Country State Championships where they were State Runner-ups. Alex was also a member of three state championship running teams, and one wrestling championship team throughout her career at HHS.
Facebook Homer High School
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District www.KPBSD.org
Logan Smith is a tinkerer. This curiosity led him to all things tinkering that Seward High had to offer—shop, metals, woodworking, and so forth. Logan also has a natural aptitude for mathematics. This made him a logical candidate for Seward High’s engineering course called Project Lead the Way. “It was here that his talents combined to truly find his niche—and make Seward High better in the process,” said Principal Trevan Walker. “We’ve been slowly putting together our own Maker Space, but the process has been slow as these efforts have been largely extra-curricular. It was Logan who self-taught himself how to leverage the equipment he had, and advocate for additional equipment that we didn’t, to turn our Maker Space into something that is used every day and by a variety of students and teachers.”
Logan carries a 3.24 grade point average even as he has taken Seward High’s most rigorous course load. His work ethic, commitment to studies, and contribution to Seward High was also recognized by the University of Alaska, Fairbanks (UAF), who accepted him into their early admission engineering program where he will begin his post-secondary education in the fall. I’m am confident that UAF will be as proud to claim him, as one of their best and brightest, as we are. Seward High School website
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District www.KPBSD.org
“While I am honored by this recognition, I want to share that it isn’t mine alone. What we achieve at Mountain View Elementary—both students and staff—comes from the ways in which each of us work to support one another. I am fortunate to teach alongside helpful administrators, loving families, master teachers and staff, and—most importantly—kind, curious students. I am grateful to be a part of the Mountain View family.” – Jonathan Dillon
Jonathan Dillon teaches music in kindergarten through fifth grade at Mountain View Elementary School in Kenai. He has been a teacher for five years, all five of which have been in Alaska. In addition to being nominated by parents of his students, Jonathon was recognized by many of his fellow teachers. The universal consensus is that he’s a really nice guy, always willing to help struggling students and his coworkers, he simply loves teaching.
Johnathan graduated from University of Alaska Fairbanks with a bachelor’s in music and earned a master’s degree, also in music, from the University of Montana. Clearly, he is a gifted musician, but it’s as a teacher that he earned this compliment from a parent: “Mr. Dillon is remarkable in his ability to include all students, of all abilities, in his classes. When a student tells him they do not know something, whether music-related or not, he kindly interjects, ‘Not yet.’”
Whereas conventional wisdom may be that some people have musical talent and some do not, Johnathon approaches each student with the belief that every one of them can learn to create music. Because he teaches a number of grade levels, he is able to mentor them through the first years of learning music, helping them progress: playing a number of instruments, reading and even writing music. Most important, they learn to sing.
He says, “I believe singing is a great equalizer in music education. Each child has his or her own unique voice – and learning to use that voice is the foundation upon which all other musical skills flourish.”
Johnathan is dedicated to helping his students. He teaches band during lunch, and choir after school. He holds concerts during the year to not only allow his students to showcase their talents but to teach them what it means to learn a discipline in private then use it in real application – in public.
One of the many fellow teachers who nominated Johnathon wrote, “Mr. Dillon uses music as a vehicle to elevate each person to the point that they are operating at their highest self – and to ask, ‘How can I make someone else’s day a bit brighter?’ If Mr. Rogers were to come back as a music teacher, his name would be Johnathan Dillon.”
Many of Jonathan’s students come to school from very difficult home situations, including homelessness, adoption, foster care, poverty, divorce, and so forth. But as another fellow teacher wrote, “Mr. Dillon is a leader in our school in the way he models kindness, generosity of time and attention, and inclusion of all in his program. He goes above and beyond for those kids every day.”
“Music is only a small part of the curriculum that Mr. Dillon delivers to Mountain View Elementary students,” said Karl Kircher, Mountain View Elementary principal. “Good teachers model what they want their students to learn, and on a daily basis Mr. Dillon seamlessly models kindness, empathy and assuming positive intent as he manages his classes. The entire culture of our school is affected by his actions as he inspires our staff to emulate his practices. The amazing relationships that Mr. Dillon develops with his students and the joy they find in singing together with their friends is evidenced by the fact that 46, 4th and 5th grade students participated in after school, extra-curricular choir this year. Mr. Dillon’s smile and demeanor as he goes about his day from classes to Kindergarten lunch duty to his after-school computer code writing club for shows that he takes in as much joy as he gives.”
This year’s nominees were again, an excellent representation of our staff as a whole,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “They are humble, hard-working and student-centered. They are willing to go above and beyond to help students succeed and reach their full potential.”
“BP is proud to honor these great teachers and their tireless work in the classroom,” said BP Alaska Regional President Janet Weiss. “We see it as part of our ongoing commitment to the communities where our people live and work – and an investment in the people who help make Alaska great.”
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District BP Teachers of Excellence winners are:
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
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
KPBSD Winter Concerts & Music Programs Please treat yourself and attend a
music concert or school play in December!
Aurora Borealis Charter School – November 22, 7:00 p.m., Winter Program, KCHS
Chapman School – December 15, 7:00 p.m.
Homer High School – December 19, 7:00 p.m., Winter Concert; December 21, 7:00 p.m., Candlelight, Carols and Desserts
Homer Middle School – December 15, 7:00 p.m., Winter Concert, Mariner Theater
K-Beach Elementary – December 15, 6:00 p.m., Grades K-2, SoHi Auditorium; De cember 20, 6:30 p.m., 4-6 Bands, K-Beach
Kaleidoscope School of Arts & Science Charter School – December 6, 7:00 p.m., Holiday Concert grades 1-5, KCHS
Kenai Central High School – December 18, 3:00 p.m. KCHS Choir Holiday Concert, KCHS Auditorium; December 13, 7:00 p.m. KCHS Band Holiday Concert, KCHS Auditorium
Kenai Middle School – December 8, 7:00p.m., KMS Choir Holiday Concert, KCHS auditorium; December 13, 7:00 p.m., Dessert Auction and Holiday Concert with the KMS Concert Band, Intermediate Band, KCHS Concert Band & Jazz Band, KCHS auditorium
McNeil Canyon Elementary – December 8, 6:30 p.m., Winter Program
Moose Pass School – December 5, 7:00 p.m., Holiday Play
Mountain View Elementary – November 15, 6:00 p.m., Grades 4-5 Concert & Band Concert, KCHS Auditorium; December 15, 6:00 p.m., Grades 1-3 Concert, KCHS Auditorium
Nikiski Middle-High School – December 12, 7:00 p.m., Winter Band and Choir Concert
Nikiski North Star Elementary – December 6, 6:00 p.m., Grades 1-2 Winter Concert, NMHS Auditorium; December 13, 6:00 p.m., Grades PreK-K, modern and concert band Winter Concert, NNS Gym
Ninilchik School – December 19, 7:00 p.m., Winter Concert, Rootbeer Float Fundraiser
Paul Banks Elementary – December 6, 1:00 p.m., Winter Program, Mariner Theatre
Redoubt Elementary – December 8, 6:00 p.m., Grades 1-3 Winter Concert, Soldotna High School; December 13, 6:00 p.m., Band Concert, Gym
Seward Elementary – December 15, 6:00 p.m., South Wing Winter Concert, Gym
Seward Middle School – December 12, 1:40 p.m., Holiday Drama; December 14, 6:30 p.m., Holiday Music Show, Hotel 360
Skyview Middle School – December 15, 7:00 p.m., Band and Choir Winter Concert, Skyview Commons
Soldotna Elementary – December 6, 6:30 p.m., Primary Winter Concert (SOEL and SMCS); December 20, 6:00 p.m., Band and Choir Concert (SOEL and SMCS)
Soldotna High School – December 13, 7:00 p.m., Band and Choir Concert (with Soldotna Prep)
Soldotna Prep – December 13, 7:00 p.m., Band and Choir Concert (with Soldotna High School)
Soldotna Montessori Charter School – December 6, 6:30 p.m., Primary Winter Concert (SOEL and SMCS); December 20, 6:00 p.m., Band and Choir Concert (SOEL and SMCS)
Sterling Elementary – December 13, 6:00 p.m., Winter Concert, Grades Pre K-3; December 15, Winter Concert, Grades 4-6
Susan B. English School – December 13, 6:30 p.m., K-12 Christmas Program
Tebughna School – December 21, 6:00 p.m.
Tustumena Elementary – December 13, 6:00 p.m.
West Homer Elementary – December 13, 1:00 p.m., Mariner Theater
Do you know that over 114 Alaska Native Tribal affiliations are represented in nearly 1,200 identified Native students in the KPBSD Title VI program?
The KPBSD Title VI Indian Education Program supports Alaska Native and American Indian students for a successful experience throughout their K-12 schooling years, and invites everyone to a public meeting on Wednesday, November 9, 2016.
Wednesday, November 9, 2016 3:00—5:00 p.m. Borough Assembly Chambers, Borough Administration Building 144 North Binkley Street, Soldotna, Alaska 99669
The Title VI Committee is comprised of parents and guardians of Title VI students who have been appointed by school site councils. Interested tribal elders, community members, students and parents are encouraged to participate. The Title VII Program is designed to assist and support students’ academic achievements, social and emotional development, and cultural awareness in the classroom. KPBSD Title VI students will be supported and enabled to receive an educational foundation, and given the skills to respond successfully with adults, situations, circumstances, activities and opportunities in school and life. Agenda includes:
• Title VI Election Results
• Nominations for Chair and Vice Chair
• Update on identified students
• Native Youth Project Grant
• Title VI Program Updates
• Partnership updates
Please RSVP to Deanna Leslie, dleslie@kpbsd.k12.ak.us
Questions? Contact Conrad Woodhead, KPBSD Native Education Program Coordinator, CWoodhead@kpbsd.k12.ak.us, 907.235.8671 or Tim Vlasak, Director of Federal Programs and Assessments TVlasak@KPBSD.k12.ak.us, 907.714.8892
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Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Contact: Pegge Erkeneff, 907.714.8888 News Release
Two KPBSD educators are Teacher of the Year finalists
Soldotna, October 22, 2016—KPBSD is so proud! Two of the three finalists for the Alaska Teacher of the Year make a difference every day in our district. Join us to celebrate Stephanie Cronin, Seward High School, and James Harris, Soldotna High School, who are finalists chosen by a team of educators from the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development.
“These finalists for teachers of the year represent their profession and remind us of the many great teachers in Alaska,” Commissioner Johnson said in a statement. “We see a common thread of teachers who are enthusiastic about their subject and about learning. They relate to students and place a priority on creating a healthy community in the classroom. They are leaders in their school and community.”
Stephanie Cronin, Seward High School
Stephanie Cronin has been teaching mathematics and engineering at Seward High School for 17 of her 19 years in the profession. A leader in our district and the community, she serves on committees for effective instruction, teacher evaluation, professional development, assessment, curriculum, and educational technology, the school site council, and the local Native Youth Olympics.
“Of course Ms. Cronin is a finalist for the Alaska Teacher of the Year!” said Trevan Walker, principal. “Her genuine love of teaching compels her to continue to learn and grow within the profession. This growth has made her a teacher-leader in technology integration among her colleagues at Seward High and as a member of the KPBSD effective instruction committee. Most importantly, however, is that Ms. Cronin is a caring and compassionate human. Her Positive Math Attitude (PMA) is more than a catch phrase or mantra—it is a philosophy that permeates every interaction she has with her students and they love her for it.”
Cronin says her greatest contribution to education is her impact on students, which is based on respectful, close relationships. Her passion is to show students the beauty and possibilities of mathematics. One student wrote that Ms. Cronin planted the seed that it’s okay to be excited about mathematics. “She increased my positive math attitude exponentially,” the student said, mathematically. She is a leader in Seward High School’s technology-heavy hybrid model, which offers students many ways to earn credits, videotaped lectures to make the most of class time, and online parallels to courses so students have some control over where and when they learn.
“Ms. Stephanie Cronin is clearly one of the best teachers in our district,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “Her excellence stems from the positive relationships she establishes with all of her students and her ability to make math relevant for her students. I am proud that she is a finalist for the Alaska Teacher of the Year award and believe this honor is well deserved.”
James Harris, Soldotna High School
“I feel incredibly honored to be considered a finalist for the 2017 Alaska State Teacher of the Year Award, and proud to teach in the best district in the state,” said James Harris. “I am absolutely thrilled to be thought of highly enough by my colleagues and the Department of Education and Early Development to be considered a finalist. I wouldn’t be half the teacher I am without amazing colleagues who constantly challenge and inspire me, or without the support of administrators who work so hard to create an environment for both students and teachers to grow. One of my favorite aspects of teaching, aside from the fun we have in class, is working with so many supportive parents who hold a deep value and respect for education and the opportunities it provides. Finally, no one makes me a better teacher than my students. I thank my students for challenging me, using strong verbs, and making me thankful every day for my life on the Kenai.”
James Harris is a 12-year professional, and has taught English at Soldotna High School for seven years. A published writer, editor, and college educator, he chairs the English department and professional development at his school, and coaches youth hockey. Harris said he overcame a tumultuous childhood with the help of several teachers who could see the goodness and potential in him. He says, “Through literature I hope to help my students empathize with the human story, open themselves up to the joys, sufferings, motivations, disappointments, and triumphs of others, and thus achieve a kinder and more complex understanding of themselves.”
Once students graduate, they start the stories of their own lives. Harris said he uses every skill, experience, talent, and tool at his command to give his students what they need to face their life choices armed with literacy, empathy, and a deeper sense of what they can contribute to our human community.
“Mr. James Harris is one of the best teachers in our district,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “He implements rigorous and relevant instruction into his classroom every day. The students know he cares about them as individuals through his personalization efforts and how he engages them in goal setting and individual improvement. It makes me proud that he is a finalist for the Alaska Teacher of the Year award and I believe this honor is well deserved.”
October 22, 2016: James Harris; Stephanie Cronin; KPBSD Superintendent Sean Dusek
“Overall, it is very exciting that two of the three Alaska Teacher of the Year finalists are educators in the KPBSD. They are both excellent representatives of the teachers in our district and I am proud to have them working with our children every day.” – Sean Dusek, superintendent
October 22, 2016: Tony Graham, Soldotna High School principal; James Harris
“James is such a phenomenal teacher. His work and dedication to the craft pushes me to be better. I only wish I had been as good of a teacher as he is. This is an honor he truly deserves.” –Tony Graham, Soldotna High School principal
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Contact: Pegge Erkeneff, 907.714.8888
Soldotna, November 9, 2015—Results from the first year of the Alaska Measures of Progress (AMP) online assessment for students in grades three through ten in English language arts and mathematics are now available online. In every grade level, KPBSD students continue to outperform state median scale scores in both English language arts and math.
“We have worked very hard to implement the shift to the new Alaska State Standards,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “The results from the first implementation of the new assessment are in line with trends across the country in states that have also significantly raised student expectations. AMP is only one component that is utilized in our efforts to prepare students for their future. We are proud of our progress with graduation rates, student earned industry recognized certifications, college acceptance and completion, and Jumpstart college participation. KPBSD utilizes many sources of data to help our students grow and measure progress.” Background In spring 2015, our third through tenth grade students took the new online AMP assessment for the first time. AMP replaces the Standards Based Assessments (SBA). Fewer students in Alaska scored at the “meet standards” levels in AMP than scored at the “proficient or above” levels in the SBAs. KPBSD students meet these new standards at a higher rate than their peers across the state. The AMP questions in the new standards measure higher order thinking skills and complex problem solving in contrast to recalling facts and simple processes in the old SBAs. Alaska has new standards and a new assessment, which means we have a new baseline this year. It’s important to remember:
Student achievement has not declined
What is expected of students, and measured, is different than in previous years
These first AMP results are setting a new baseline to help us understand where students stand on their path to success
We anticipate parents will receive individual student reports with English language arts and math results in December. KPBSD will mail reports from the district office.
A November 9, 2015, Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) press release states, “AMP gives families, educators, and the public a more accurate understanding of whether students are on track to graduate with the academic skills they need to have choices in an ever-changing economy.”
As teachers and students gain more experience in the new and much more rigorous standards, AMP scores will rise. This has been true for other states which adopt higher standards.
AMP is not a pass-fail test
AMP scores do not affect course grades, graduation, or grade retention, but students will receive focused support to improve
Some students will meet the standards and some students will partially meet the standards
The AMP test and the SBAs are not comparable because they measure different standards, have different questions, and use different scoring
Fewer students meet the new standards than used to meet the old standards; the new standards focus on higher order thinking skills and problem solving
Our students and educators work hard and are capable of meeting and exceeding the new standards
Links
Alaska Department of Education and Early Development, AMP webpage
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Contact: Pegge Erkeneff, 907.714.8888
News Release Mediation Concludes
Soldotna, September 22, 2015—The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District (KPBSD) was unable to reach a tentative agreement with Kenai Peninsula Education Association (KPEA) and Kenai Peninsula Education Support Association (KPESA) through the mediation process, which took place September 21 – 22, 2015.
A meditator from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) met with all three parties and exercised shuttle diplomacy between the groups, which in essence means conveying questions, supposals, and information seeking to find areas of compromise. Everything that took place during mediation remains confidential, and mediation was closed to the public.
The KPBSD bargaining team is analyzing and reviewing what transpired in the mediation process.
Unless all parties agree to return to face-to-face negotiations, the next step in the collective bargaining process is advisory arbitration.
KPBSD employees continue to work under contracts which expired June 30, 2015. When the new fiscal year began on July 1, 2015, all eligible employees did receive salary and wage movement on the predetermined salary and wage schedules. Links
