I
hope your spring break has been restorative, with positive memories. Most of
our schools have this week off, but the district leadership team has been
meeting to respond to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic. We are continuing
to work closely and take direction about the COVID-19 response from the State
Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), the Department of Education
and Early Development (DEED), Office of the Governor, and the CDC. Your safety
in our schools is a primary concern.
KPBSD will close all 42 schools to students March 16-20, 2020, to assist with social distancing, and slowing the COVID-19 infection curve in our diverse communities.
KPBSD staff will
receive an update about when to report to work by the end of the day on Friday,
March 13, 2020, through district email.
CDC
and state DHSS recommendations directly influenced this difficult decision. Additional
updates about the COVID-19 districtwide closure and subsequent actions will be
sent to families and staff via SchoolMessenger. Kindly monitor the KPBSD website, Mobile app, Facebook, and Twitter pages for updates. The best place to
learn about COVID-19 is the state website, or the CDC.
New “Symptom-Free” Schools Protocol When
schools reopen, and until the end of the school year, all KPBSD schools will
adopt a “Symptom-Free” School Protocol* for students and staff. Children
and staff should not be at schools or school activities if any of these
symptoms are present:
Temperature of 100 or greater
Cough
Constantly runny nose
*Exceptions
for pre-existing conditions will be determined by the nurse or administrator.
The Symptom Free Schools Protocol includes the school day, co-curriculars, and
sports.
Questions we have received throughout the week are primarily: When do students and staff stay home? How
will education delivery happen if schools close? What if I traveled out of
Alaska over spring break? In addition, our team has focused on many other
aspects of our continuity of operations plan, and keeping schools calm,
healthy, and a place of learning. Responses to these questions and others will
be posted Friday on our dedicated COVID-19 and KPBSD
webpage,
and updated as new information is available.
This
is a lot of information, and we will be in close communication during this time
of uncertainty. We urge you to do what is best for your family, and reach out
to your school or the district with school related questions. Our communities
are strong, and we will weather this storm.
Public involvement in the school district budget counts. District administration will meet with site councils and everyone interested in K-12 education to present the nearly $145 million preliminary budget for the school year beginning in August.
February Community Budget Forums begin
at 6:00 PM Site-Councils, together
with everyone who is interested—parents, staff, students, business partners,
community members, and elected officials—are invited to participate.
Tuesday, February 18, 2020, Homer High School library
Wednesday, February 19, 2020, Kenai Central High School library
Thursday, February 20, 2020*, Soldotna High School library, plus remote broadcast to Nanwalek, Nikiski Middle-High, and Tebughna schools
Tuesday, February 25, 2020, Seward High School library
*Additional school locations receiving
the remote broadcast on Thursday, February 20, 6:00 PM will be updated at
www.KPBSD.org
“At the community budget forums, we will review the 2020-2021 (FY21) preliminary budget. Staff, parents, students and community members will have an opportunity to learn about our budget, provide input, and ask questions.”
–Liz Hayes, Director of Finance, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Planning for the 2020-2021 school year, KPBSD projects a budget deficit of $2,255,900. The FY21 projected expenditure budget is $144,776,830. On March 2, 2020, the recommended budget for the 2020-2021 school year will be on the KPBSD Board of Education agenda.
This budget timeline calendar combines important dates for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education, the Borough Assembly, and State of Alaska legislature and Office of the Governor.
It will be updated when additional dates are available. Current version: 1.10.20
Join the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District to celebrate Tustumena Elementary educators, students, and families! One hundred schools nationwide earned recognition as a National ESEA Distinguished School in 2019, and Tustumena Elementary School is recognized in the category of exceptional student performance for two or more consecutive years!
In the small coastal area of Kasilof, Alaska, Principal Doug Hayman
often refers to Tustumena Elementary School as Camelot. With a population of 549
(2010), a post office, mercantile, gas station, church, and school tucked along
the aquamarine Kasilof River flowing to Cook Inlet, the staff and 145 students
and their families make the school the place to gather, connect, and learn.
“Relationships between the teachers and the parents at Tustumena Elementary is strong, and by working together to promote this strong bond, we have developed an atmosphere that leads to success. Tustumena has always provided the best education possible. In order to do this, we have worked to keep class sizes down, meet the needs of all students, and draw the best teachers available. The test scores in recent years have shown that all of these factors and more have helped Tustumena become an extremely successful school. Data driven decision-making has been an important part of our overall school planning. Regular Benchmark testing fuels our Intervention process. Beginning with the first I-Team Day and ending with the last day of school, the Intervention and Special Education programs are key to assuring that all students are getting their individual instructional needs met.”
Principal Doug Hayman
Tustumena Elementary School and Evergreen Elementary School in the Wrangell School District were the two Alaska schools named National ESEA Distinguished Schools by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development.
“It is an honor to recognize these two outstanding schools in our state. Both Tustumena Elementary and Evergreen Elementary have demonstrated effective strategies to ensure student success. I am proud to congratulate the educators, students, and families of these communities on the recognition of their hard work and dedication to Alaska’s students.”
Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) Commissioner Johnson
Alaska identifies eligible schools for the award based on their students’ performance on the Performance Evaluation for Alaska’s Schools (PEAKS) assessment in English language arts (ELA) and Mathematics. Identified schools chose to apply for the honor, providing evidence of effectiveness in evidence-based instructional strategies; providing opportunities for all children to achieve; coordination of Title I with other programs; professional development of staff; and partnerships with parents, families, and communities.
“The faculty at Tustumena has long been recognized in the community for the steadfast dedication to students and their families. It is exciting to see them being recognized at the state and national level for the academic outcomes resulting from that dedication. To be recognized as having high student performance for two or more years is especially impressive because the PEAKS assessment has undergone some changes. While other schools in the state have grappled with declining student performance due to the academically challenging standards we have here in Alaska, it is worthy of celebrating that students in the KPBSD, and at Tustumena Elementary, especially, are doing so well as they advance toward the opportunities their futures will hold!”
Dr. Christine Ermold, KPBSD Director of Federal Programs and Professional Development
photos: Tustumena Elementary, December 2019, Pegge Erkeneff, KPBSD
About ESEA Distinguished Schools Program www.ESEAnetwork.org. The National Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
Distinguished Schools Program is a project of the National Association of ESEA
State Program Administrators that publicly recognizes schools for their
positive educational services. It highlights the efforts of schools across the
country making significant improvements for their students. Because only two
schools per state can be selected as a National ESEA Distinguished School each
year, this award is an especially prestigious honor for the schools, staff, and
students.
In the KPBSD, Tustumena Elementary joins Nikolaevsk School which was
recognized in 2015.
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District: Pegge Erkeneff, Director of Communications, Community, and Government Relations, 907-714-8888, Pegge@KPBSD.org
She’s 14, won’t graduate until 2023, and is buzzingly
changing our world, one word, image, and seed at a time.
Meet Anna, a homeschool student, with an online
teacher who inspires her to be a citizen scientist…
“My KPBSD Distance Education science teacher, Ms.
Leslie, inspires me to set high goals and work diligently to reach them. She
always encourages me to be a “citizen scientist” and to make a difference in
our community by following my dreams. She has an amazingly kind and funny
personality, and as my role model, she has shown me that curiosity and
resiliency are important! Not only does she support my academic life, but she
also cares about who I am and what I’m interested in. Because of the way she touches
my life (even though we’ve only met in person a few times), I’m planning to go
into the same profession: online education. I want to change students’ lives
the way she has changed mine.”
Caring for the Kenai competition with educator Kim Leslie
Faced with Choices…
Recently, pollinators have been declared the most
important creatures on earth by the Earthwatch Institute, and yet their numbers
are declining at an alarming rate. In the U.S. alone, their numbers drop by 30%
every year!
Last year, I decided to do something about this
worldwide problem and I created a program to benefit pollinators here in
Alaska: P.O.P. – Promote Our Pollinators!
P.O.P. began as a Caring for the Kenai project and is designed to educate our
community about the importance of pollinators and why their numbers are
declining, while providing ways to promote their population growth and
inspiring the next generation to be good stewards of our natural resources. I
created a flier, activity book, Facebook page, Twitter account, and website to
educate and inspire our community to take action for pollinators. I have
designed promotional items like reusable tote bags, stickers, and buttons and
distributed them at many community events like Industry Appreciation Day. I
have given numerous presentations in schools, Rotary Clubs, and at the Soldotna
Senior Center.
“When you are 14, it can sometimes be difficult and overwhelming to start a project like this, but I have the support of many individuals, organizations, and agencies who encourage me to pursue my passion for pollinators.” –Anna Devolld
Would you like a portable, pollinator garden?
“I created Pollinator Packs to address pollinator habitat loss. Pollinator Packs are six-pack pots that contain six different pollinator-friendly seedlings: the start of a pretty, portable, pollinator garden for anyone! My prototype year in 2019 ensured the plants would thrive and attract our indigenous pollinators. Next summer, I will be planting and freely distributing hundreds of Pollinator Packs, providing the easy to locate food source that pollinators need at frequent intervals in urban areas. The supplies needed to grow these packs and produce the promotional items are funded by grants from the Awesome Foundation, the Challenger Learning Center of Alaska, ENSTAR, and by donations from local businesses. The City of Soldotna and Soldotna Parks and Recreation have partnered with me to install permanent pollinator garden signs in five locations this spring.
Education and State Government
I am scheduling more presentations for this spring and creating an online P.O.P. class for 3rd through 6th graders. In addition, I am also requesting that the Alaska DOT implement section 1415 of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, a law that encourages state governments to use best practices to support pollinator health along roadside rights of way.
“I’m a gardener, and I really like planting seeds, so here’s one for you to grow: find something that you’re passionate about, no matter how small, and see how you can use it to change our world.”–Anna Devolld
Fun counts too!
While I love dancing and playing my piano, many of my
favorite activities take place outside. I always look forward to skiing at
Alyeska. My dad taught me how to ski when I was two, and now I can almost beat
him down the slopes! I also really enjoy camping in the summer: sitting around
the fire, roasting marshmallows, and listening to the sounds of the lake. In
addition to admiring the scenery, we get to meet quite a bit of wildlife. One
year, a brown bear came sauntering through our campsite! We watched him
investigate a little bit, but when he took special interest in our tent, Mom
decided it was time to get a trailer!
Expanding
horizons with travel
I love to travel! Every year, my family visits a
different part of the United States to see famous landmarks and historical
sites. We have been all across the country: from New York to California and
Minnesota to Texas. Last summer, we drove along the Mississippi River from
Minnesota to Louisiana; it was amazing how much the climate and culture changed
as we traveled. I enjoyed all the amazing architecture and delicious food
(Cajun food? Yes, please!).
“Whatever you
do, work at it with all your heart…” Colossians
3:23a is Miss Devolld’s favorite motivational phrase, and it is abundantly clear
that it is a guiding principle leading her vision and destiny. What grabs your
heart of care in our world? What supports do you need, and what can your first
step be to begin?
Want to learn more about pollinators? Connect online:
photos: 2015 State of Alaska winning essay for the Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting Essay Contest; Industry Appreciation Days booth for POP – Promote Our Pollinators; VFW Voice of Democracy Award Ceremony; Caring for the Kenai awards with educator Kim Leslie
KPBSD celebrates Anna Devolld who is proof positive of the KPBSD mission to empower all learners to positively shape their futures.
Do you have a story tip about a KPBSD graduate,
current student, or staff member to profile in our weekly inspiration
highlight?
Kindly email Pegge Erkeneff, KPBSD director of communications, community, and
government relations: Pegge@KPBSD.org
Superintendent John O’Brien was surprised after he delivered a presentation to school counselors in Anchorage when the Alaska School Counselor Association (AkSCA) recognized him as their Advocate of the Year! “The Advocate of the Year award recognizes a special individual or group for their assistance in furthering the mission of school counselors in Alaska,” wrote @MyAkSCA. “The Advocate of the Year may have developed or implemented a new program that affects the well-being of students and staff; they may have initiated improvement in counseling services; or they may have provided outstanding opportunities for the professional growth of counselors. Whether an administrator, community group, or other individual in or out of the school environment, the recipient of this award represents true advocacy for our profession.”
“This recognition by our State’s School Counselors is perhaps one of the most meaningful awards that I have received in my career as a professional educator. Our school counselors play such a vital role in the social and emotional well-being of our students. They build capacity in our schools by assisting our teachers, support staff, and school administrators to understand the importance of educating the whole child.”
Superintendent John O’Brien, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Skyview Middle School counselor Natalie Kant wrote in
the nomination for O’Brien, “I have worked in the KPBSD for 30 years. Of those years,
I have been a school counselor for 16 years. Throughout my time with KPBSD, I have
seen Superintendent O’Brien always support school counselors. At one point in his
career, he was the Director of Secondary Education and oversaw all of the district
counselors for four years. Through his leadership and district influence, counselors’
voices have been heard. He worked on removing non-counseling duties from counselor’s
plates, and his efforts led to school counselors no longer had to be school assessment
coordinators.
I remember when counselors wanted to be evaluated by the
ASCA (American School Counselor Association) national model instead of the same
rubric used by teachers. He allowed school counselors to create a district evaluation
tool that aligns with the ASCA National Model. This evaluation tool continues in
our district. Because of his continuous support of school counselors, Skyview Middle
School and Soldotna High School have become RAMP (Recognized American School Counseling
Association Model Program) schools. Making history, these are the first ever RAMP
schools in the state!”
What difference does a school counselor professional make in a school? In 2013, former Alaska Governor Sean Parnell proclaimed, “School counselors are an integral part of the educational process and work closely with teachers, administrators, fellow educators, and parents to assist students in exploring their potential and setting realistic academic and career goals.”
Congratulations to Superintendent O’Brien! Together let us celebrate our school counselors, district leadership, and the many ways school counselors assist students, families, and coworkers to create a positive school culture!
Announcing a school closure or two-hour delay start in a timely manner for our students, families, and staff is important to KPBSD administration. Timing of the decision is crucial so we can notify transportation before busses begin their routes, employees head to work, and students and families prepare for a school day, potentially waiting at bus-stops. The decision to close school for the day or institute a two-hour delay start is the responsibility of the Superintendent of Schools.
KPBSD is committed to school safety, and educating every student. An involved process takes place early in the morning before the decision is made to close, or delay the start of school by two-hours. Additionally, if a school make-up day is necessary, several factors contribute to determine the date for one or more make-up days of school.
If school remains open, and you as a parent or guardian do not believe it is safe for your child to travel to school based on conditions in your area, please use your best judgment to decide what is safest for your family. Please notify the school if your child will not attend; absences will be excused.
How things work Determine and Communicate school closure or two hour delay start
Is school open? Communication to Public
KPBSD district office communications will post two-hour school delays or closures, and subsequent updates, usually starting by 5:30 AM. If nothing is announced, assume schools are open on a normal schedule.
KPBSD Mobile App push notification (Kenai Peninsula Borough SD)
Local media including: radio stations, television stations, newspaper online sites
How-to calculate a two-hour delay start time
Add two hours to normal school start time.
Add two hours to normal bus pick-up time. Thus, students are picked-up two hours later than their normal scheduled bus pick-up time.
KPBSD employees arrive two hours later than normal work-day morning schedule.
Schools will dismiss at the normal time unless announced otherwise.
Is school closed or delayed? Decision Making Process
Assistant Superintendent gathers information, beginning as soon as accurate information is available. Most of the time this begins very early in the morning. If a significant storm is expected, a decision might be made the night ahead of time, but this rarely happens. Consultation and assessment includes:
District transportation staff
Apple Bus Company
Alaska State Department of Transportation (DOT)
Alaska State Troopers (AST)
Central Emergency Services (CES)
Kenai Peninsula Borough Office of Emergency Management (OEM)
Homer Electric Association (HEA) and utility providers
Weather services
Onsite school district employees
The Assistant Superintendent contacts the Superintendent to give an update about specific conditions and offer a recommendation for a two-hour delay start* or school closure. (Delay starts are always two hours.)
The Superintendent of Schools makes a final decision to delay start by two hours, or close schools.
School principals are contacted with the decision and supporting information*
Principal contacts school staff
School may implement automated call system, social media post, or other type of contact message to parents if applicable
*KPBSD may be briefed with information that helps to determine that a two-hour delay start will result in school being in session for the day. At other times, the two-hour delay allows time to assess the evolving conditions, before making the decision to close school for the day. If the roads are impassable due to inclement weather, a two-hour delay will give road crews additional time for sanding and plowing. Updates are posted as soon as decisions are made.
Make-up Instruction Days
If school is closed for the day, by state law, a make-up day must be scheduled. KPBSD does not build additional days into the annual calendar for potential inclement weather or school closures that may or may not occur.
A make-up day is generally scheduled on a vacation day, or after the official school calendar ends in May. One day is built into the calendar—typically the third Friday in the last quarter—and is often used as the first option for a make-up day.
Factors to consider when a make-up day is scheduled for one or more schools in KPBSD:
Coordinated bus transportation
Student nutrition services breakfast and lunch programs
Staffing
A few school facts in Alaska
State law mandates a school term of 180 days with up to ten of these days used for teacher in-service.
Per state law, all students must attend school for the minimum of 170 student contact days.
KPBSD teaching contract is 188 days (also includes orientation days and 7 mandated holidays.) Teacher in-service days are part of Professional Development and required by contract. Flexible work days are most often utilized at the front end of the school year (August) in preparation for the school year.
Closing school for the day or instituting a two-hour delay start is a complex decision, with several factors involved. Every effort is made to keep school in session.
If school remains open, and you as a parent or guardian do not believe it is safe for your child to travel to school based on conditions in your area, please use your best judgment to determine what is safest for your child and family. Please notify the school if your child will not attend; absences will be excused.
Kenai Peninsula school district budget meeting at 20 schools is Tuesday, November 12, 2019
At 6:00 PM on Tuesday, November 12, 2019, KPBSD school principals and district leadership will meet with families, staff, school site councils, and the public after a live video-streamed presentation from the district to 20 school sites.
This budget meeting is the autumn opportunity to involve everyone in this important process. The annual budget for the district and its 42 diverse schools is the foundation for quality instruction and school culture, ensuring all learners can pursue their dreams in a rigorous, relevant, and responsive environment.
*Tuesday, November 12, 2019, 6:00 PM, Regional Gatherings at 20 KPBSD schools:
Aurora Borealis Charter School
Chapman School
Cooper Landing School
Homer Middle School
Hope School
Kaleidoscope School of Arts & Science
Kenai Central High School
Moose Pass School
Nanwalek School
Nikiski Middle-High School
Nikolaevsk School
Ninilchik School
Port Graham School
Seward Elementary
Soldotna High School
Soldotna Montessori School
Sterling Elementary
Susan B. English School
Tebughna School
Tustumena Elementary
Who will attend?
School Site-Councils, parents, staff, students, business partners, community members, and elected officials—everyone is invited to participate.
Flipped Meeting – how-to prepare
To prepare for November 12, kindly review this information online before participating in the meeting so time at the meeting is not needed to do so, then bring your questions and comments to the meeting:
News Release Kenai Middle School Assistant Principal Dan Beck is State of Alaska 2020 Assistant Principal of the Year!
KPBSD is proud to celebrate Homer Middle School Principal Kari Dendurent who is Region III Principal of the Year, and Kenai Middle School Assistant Principal Dan Beck who is recognized as both the Region III Assistant Principal of the Year AND the State of Alaska 2020 Assistant Principal of the Year!
In Mr. Beck’s words…
“It is great to be involved in a career that I love, and I wake up each morning feeling good about going to work. As a school principal, there is so much variety in my work, and two days are never the same. I really enjoy that I am not in a position that requires me to do the same things over and over, day after day. I enjoy my interactions with students, and I am hopeful that I am making a positive impact on the students who I have worked with over the years.” –Dan Beck, Kenai Middle School assistant principal
Encouragement
“The first person to encourage me to become a principal was my wife, Tracie Beck. We were teaching together in rural Alaska and she pointed out the skills that I have that she felt would make me a good administrator. She has always been supportive and encouraging, and I am very thankful for her.”
#Appreciation
“KMS is a great place to work. I know that it is common to use the term family to describe the people who you work with, but here at KMS I cannot think of another way to describe our workplace relationships. Our staff is great and that really contributes to the enjoyment and fulfillment that I get out of my work. This is my ninth year as the assistant principal at KMS, and the way that Mr. Dosko shares the administrative duties with me contributes to my high level of job satisfaction and longevity. We work closely on all administrative duties and I feel valued as a member of the KMS team.”
Thankful for mentors
“Several administrators were influential mentors to me early in my administrative career. I am thankful for the leadership and direction that Ron Keffer, Gary Whitley, Sam Stuart, and Larry Natta provided to me as I began learning the craft of school administration. They were the people who I looked to for direction and advice when I was new in the profession.”
“Mr. Dan Beck is a well deserving recipient of the Alaska Assistant Principal of the Year honor,” said Superintendent John O’Brien. “He was selected for this honor by his peers for good reason. Dan is a seasoned school administrator having served in principal and assistant principal roles in Alaska and Montana. In every decision Dan makes, he has the best interest of his students in mind. He is an amazing advocate for students and we are all very proud of him!”
Vaughn Dosko, Kenai Middle School principal said about Mr. Beck, “Ten years ago, I was representing Alaska as the Assistant Principal of the year. It is a great pleasure to mentor and work with Dan on a daily basis for the past nine years. Our administration styles mesh in a way that we are able to draw the best out in each other. Dan’s effort and passion for Kenai Middle is on display each and every day. Dan Beck is one of the many reasons why KMS is the great place it is today.”
“I have had the opportunity to work with Dan Beck as a colleague in the capacity of a fellow principal and as a member of the Kenai Peninsula Activities Association for the past seven years,” said Kari Dendurent, Homer Middle School principal. “In addition, I have had the great pleasure of following in his footsteps as the principal of Homer Middle School. While the principal at HMS, Dan created an environment of family and hired several of the phenomenal teachers currently practicing today. It is through his foresight to find and hire quality staff that HMS has become a school of excellence. As a principal colleague, I have had the opportunity to work with Dan in calibration teams and have visited his school often. During my visits, I have seen the compassion, empathy, and true sense of caring for students when walking in the halls with Dan, talking with him as he supervises lunchtime and transitions, as well as the respect he has earned from his students upon entering classrooms. Dan’s rapport with his students is in a coaching capacity and he will treat students as individuals to support them in both their academic and social emotional needs. I have also had the opportunity to work with Dan on the Kenai Peninsula School Activities Association (KPSAA) Board. Dan is level headed in his decision-making and is able to bring the history of decisions made by the board as well as providing sound reasoning to establishing policies. Dan has been invaluable on this board to ensure fairness and equity to the student athletes of the KPBSD.” Links
Do you have a story tip about someone to profile in the weekly KPBSD graduate, student, or staff profile? Kindly email Pegge Erkeneff, KPBSD Director of Communications, Pegge@KPBSD.org.
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