All Communications – Page 36 – KPBSD Communications Field Notes

RAMP it up! Natalie Kant blazes a trail for Alaska school counselors to follow

“Skyview Middle School (SMS) is the first school in Alaska to be designated with national Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) recognition,” said Natalie Kant, Skyview Middle School counselor. This year 104 schools from 27 states will receive this designation.”

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) established RAMP to promote exemplary school counseling programs. The Skyview Middle School (SMS) counseling program uses leadership, advocacy, and collaboration skills to make a difference for all students. Through a collaborative effort involving the counselor, students, parents, teachers, administrators, community leaders and other stakeholders, the counselor develops and delivers a comprehensive data driven ASCA National Model program that benefits every student. The counseling program promotes individual student growth and systemic change, leading to bridging gaps in overall achievement, opportunity, and attainment.
“This year’s RAMP honorees have shown their commitment to students and the school counseling profession,” said Jill Cook, ASCA assistant director. “These schools used data to drive their program development and implementation so all students can achieve success. RAMP designation distinguishes these schools and encourages school counselors nationwide to strive for excellence.”
The RAMP designation is awarded for aligning with the criteria in the ASCA national model. In addition to completing a required information section, RAMP applicants must document their efforts across twelve different areas, including:

create a school counseling program philosophy and mission statement
develop school counseling program goals
utilize a school counseling program advisory council
implement outcomes-based classroom and small group programming
conduct what ASCA refers to as “closing the gap” activities

“I am so proud of the SMS counseling department,” said Sarge Truesdell, principal. “The Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) application process was rigorous to say the very least. Ms. Kant’s desire to align our counseling program to the RAMP model and to make changes at SMS based on what is best for students is what makes her such an amazing school counselor. While we are the first school in the state of Alaska to be recognized as a RAMP model school, I hope other KPBSD schools will follow our lead and go through the process. It really is what’s best for kids.”
“In short, Skyview Middle School is being recognized for aligning the work they do to the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) National Model,” said Kant. “The counseling department put together evidence based research to support what SMS has in place for student support and success. The application submitted was 27 pages long with 102 attach supporting documents. I believe this recognition happened because the amazing leadership on the district team, our principal Mr. Truesdell who without a doubt supports me and the vision and mission of KPBSD, the SMS advisory council, the entire staff at SMS, my district counseling colleagues, and the support from my husband and family.”
SMS school counselor Natalie Kant will receive the RAMP award on July 10, 2017, during an awards presentation.
Links

KPBSD School Board is frustrated #AKleg

June 8, 2017

The Alaska State Legislature
Conference Committee on Hb57
Representative Paul Seaton
Senator Lyman Hoffman
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801
Dear Representative Seaton and Senator Hoffman:
On behalf of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District’s Board of Education, I am writing to express our frustration over the Legislature’s inability to produce and pass a budget for the fiscal year 2018. The impact on our schools, staff and students caused by this inadequacy cannot be understated. Our district has less than 55 work days before school doors open again to welcome students for another year. The few summer weeks that schools are closed, the district office administration works diligently to plan and prepare so that our school staff have what they need to succeed the minute they return to their buildings. At this point, KPBSD cannot even make crucial decisions on filling vacant positions, much less move forward with other critical preparation.
This legislative session is a perfect example of why the state must develop a comprehensive, long-term fiscal plan that includes forward funding for education. It is unreasonable and unconscionable to expect school districts to function at their highest level and provide a world class education to students when they are held hostage to the legislature’s timeline and inability to move forward in an efficient manner.
If you would like to discuss this further of if our board can be of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Joe Arness, President
Board of Education

News Release: KPBSD can hire 12 of 30+ frozen positions

News Release
KPBSD can hire 12 of 30+ frozen positions

Soldotna, June 8, 2017—The Borough Assembly passed the Fiscal Year 2018 budget on June 6, 2017, which included funding for the KPBSD school year which begins August 22, 2017. The State of Alaska has not yet determined funding for public education.
Mayor Navarre increased the FY18 borough funding appropriation to KPBSD by $1.5 million over FY17 in Ordinance 2017-19, and the Borough Assembly voted to pass this funding. The Borough will provide KPBSD $38.88 million in Local Effort support available for use by KPBSD, and $10.85 million for operations and in-kind support, for a total appropriation of $49,738,432.
The increase provided KPBSD the fiscal certainty to offer contracts to a handful of local teachers on June 7, 2017, some of who had not yet been offered positions because of the hiring freeze and fiscal uncertainty. In addition, a handful of principals are interviewing for positions now open at their school site, with the ability for KPBSD to offer a qualified candidate a position immediately. The remaining positions are still on hold until the state legislature determines education funding, which could range from status quo to a five percent reduction.

“I am grateful that the Borough Assembly and Mayor Navarre took action that provided some fiscal certainty to the school district. They demonstrated leadership and made some difficult decisions that supported the schools in our district. We will continue to work closely with the Assembly and Mayor in our planning for next year to ensure efficiencies and provide the best opportunities for all of our students in the coming years. We will work together to make our communities positive, vibrant places that our graduates will want to live and work in as they have their own families in the future.” – Sean Dusek, Superintendent of Schools

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Please contact Pegge Erkeneff, communications liaison, Communications@kpbsd.org
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Mrs. Jeanne Duhan receives Golden Apple award

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Golden Apple Award | June 5, 2017
Mrs. Jeanne Duhan

Mrs. Jeanne Duhan is an outstanding music educator, a tireless advocate for children, and a kind person. In the past five years at K-Beach Elementary School, Mrs. Duhan has gone above and beyond expectations to meet the unique needs of her students. For example, recognizing the need for more structured music learning activities for students over the summer, Mrs. Duhan cofounded and directed the band of the Con Brio Music Camp for two years. She spearheaded the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District adoption of SmartMusic, which is an innovative software application used to provide band students with individualized feedback on their performance.
Under the guidance of Mrs. Duhan, the K-Beach Elementary band program expanded to include grades four through six, three levels of band instruction, and close to 70 students studying a band instrument. “Jeanne inspires a true love of music and band in her students,” said Kent Peterson, Soldotna High School music teacher. “In addition to performing as a full band, she features many of her students in small ensembles and solos. These soloists and ensembles are sometimes performing at a level that is equal to and beyond what would be expected in grades seven and eight.”
“Additional contributions to our district and the wider music education community include adjudicating at a number of regional and statewide festivals; serving as guest conductor of the Aurora Music Festival Mass Band; serving as a student teaching mentor, as well as an informal mentor to a number of early career teachers in our district; designing and leading a number of professional development programs for our district music teachers, including training in instrument repair, music technology, and band teaching methods; and opening an instrument repair business,” said Jonathan Dillon, Mountain View Elementary music teacher.
In addition to the band program, the students at K-Beach Elementary are not just performing music, but learning how to perform music. The fundamentals of becoming a good musician are taught throughout her classes and will benefit her students and the schools for many years to come. Outside of school, Mrs. Duhan maintains an active performance schedule, and plays the French horn with the Kenai Peninsula Orchestra, the Redoubt Chamber Orchestra, and various chamber ensembles; Bari saxophone with the Peninsula Jazz Band; and guitar and vocals with the band, Recess Duty. Being so active in the community through music offers inspiration to her students and families.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education is proud to recognize Mrs. Jeanne Duhan for her dedication to the students of the school district, past, present, and future.
Golden Apple recipients

Three state virtual choir imagining a wonderful world

click to watch Imagine a Wonderful World

In April and May, three KPBSD Redoubt Elementary music classes (4th, 5th, 6th) joined students from Michigan and Texas to learn a song and employ technology to create a video with 115 young people from three states singing the same song together in a virtual choir!
“We are following the model of Eric Whitacre’s virtual choirs, one of which you can see here,” said teacher, Ms. Pugia. “Students learned and recorded, individually or in small groups, a song that they and two other choirs also learned. Together, all of the videos were uploaded and multi-tracked (voice and video) into one cohesive project, so the whole song is heard as if it is sung by just one choir all in the same place!”
Thank you to:

Algonquin Middle School (Chippewa Valley School District) directed by Ms. Woodman
Redoubt Elementary School (Kenai Peninsula Borough School District) directed by Ms. Samantha Pugia
Sugar Land Middle School (Fort Bend ISD, Texas) directed by Ms. Capdau

All composer credits are in video. All songs copyright to original composers.

KPBSD Class of 2017 Graduations

“Congratulations to the class of 2017! I’m very proud to send another high caliber group of young people into their future. I wish all of our graduates the best and look forward to seeing the positive difference they will make in the world!” –Superintendent Sean Dusek

Class of 2017 Graduation Dates & Times
Thursday, May 18, 2017

Kachemak Selo School – 2:00 PM
Razdolna School – 11:00 AM
Voznesenka School – Land’s End, Homer 4:00 PM

Monday, May 22, 2017

Homer Flex – Land’s End – 5:00 PM
Homer High – Homer High Gym – 7:00 PM
Hope School – 7:00 PM
Kenai Alternative School – K-Alternative Gym – 5:00 PM
Soldotna High School – Soldotna Sports Center – 7:00 PM

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Nikiski High School – Nikiski High Gym – 7:00 PM
Nikolaevsk School – 5:00 PM
Seward High School – 7:00 PM
Susan B. English – 4:00 PM

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Kenai Central High School – Renee C. Henderson Auditorium – 6:30 PM
Nanwalek School – 1:00 PM
Ninilchik High School – Ninilchik School Gym – 7:00 PM
Port Graham School – 4:00 PM
River City Academy – Soldotna Sports Center – 6:00 PM
Tebughna School – Tebughna School Gym – 6:00 PM

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Connections – Soldotna High School Auditorium – 4:00 PM

Departing KPBSD after fifteen plus years

KPBSD appreciates dedicated staff who will retire or depart this year

“This is a bittersweet time of year with our staff. It is a time to celebrate the successes and growth we’ve all experienced throughout the district. It is also a time for transition. We are losing some excellent educators and support staff, and while it is sad they are leaving the district, it is also a time to be thankful for their contributions and also wish them well on their next adventure. So, thanks and best of luck goes to all our retirees and staff moving on to other adventures. You will be missed!” – Sean Dusek, Superintendent

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District appreciates the commitment and service these employees contributed, each with fifteen or more years in the school district. Each of you has made a difference, THANK YOU!

Rosemary Bird, Kenai Middle School, Choir and Home Economics Teacher, 37 years
Teri Zopf-Schoessler, Soldotna High School, English and Drama Teacher, 33 years
Leobof Dorvall, Nikolaevsk School, ELL Tutor and Food Service Manager I-S, 32 years
Daniel Hastings, Student Nutrition Services, Districtwide Kitchen Manager, 31 years
Mo Sanders, Montessori Charter School, Administrator, 30 years
Kenneth Roser, Kenai Middle School, Physical Education and Health Teacher, 30 years
Daniel Calhoun, Homer Middle School, Math Teacher, 30 years
Linda Raemaker, Soldotna High School, Social Studies Teacher, 29 years
Bill Noomah, McNeil Canyon Elementary School, Fifth Grade Teacher, 28 years
Marilyn Dvorak, Homer Flex and West Homer Elementary, Custodian I, Food Service Cashier, 28 years
Phyllis Halstead, Kenai Alternative High School, School Secretary II, 27 years
Eric Benson, Paul Banks Elementary School, Head Custodian II, 26 years
Jean Calhoun, West Homer Elementary School, School Secretary III, 26 years
Pamela Howard, Tebughna School, School Nurse, 26 years
Catherine Patterson, Sterling Elementary School, Food Service Manager I-S, 26 years
Katie Blossom, Tustumena Elementary School, Kindergarten Teacher, 25 years
David Fischer, Kenai Middle School, Math and Science Teacher, 25 years
Michele Stenger, Kachemak-Selo, Kindergarten and First grade Teacher, 25 years
Laurie Olson, District Office, Director of Finance, 24 years
Teresa Dalebout, Soldotna Prep School, Special Education Aide, 24 years
Stuart Laurion, Soldotna High School, Special Education Aide, 23 years
Martha Shirley, Skyview Middle School, Special Education Resource Teacher, 22 years
Penny Duncan, Seward High School, Head Custodian III, 22 years
Laurie Martin, Paul Banks Elementary School, Second Grade Teacher, 20 years
Dolan “Wayne” Cowan, Kenai Middle School, Head Custodian II, 20 years
Mary Helminski, Redoubt Elementary School, School Secretary III, 20 years
Diane Ames, Nikiski North Star Elementary School, Food Service Cashier, Kitchen Assistant, 19 years
Barbara Njaa, Central Peninsula Area Schools, ELL Tutor, 18 years
Carol Boehmler, Sterling Elementary School, Third and Fourth Grade Teacher, 17 years
David Kingsland, Seward Elementary School, Administrator, 17 years
Teri Diamond, Soldotna Elementary School, Administrator, 17 years
Janet Szajkowski, Connections Home School Program, Generalist Teacher, 16 years
Kimberly Johnson, Chapman School, Second Grade Teacher, 15 years
Andrea Fischer, Kenai Middle School, Food Service Manager I-S, 15 years

Dolphin's class names drug detective K9

As part of the Safer Alaska initiative, Governor Bill Walker announced the names for the two new Alaska State Trooper drug detection K9s. K9-B will be named Mak (short for Kachemak, as in Kachemak Bay) -that name was suggested by Hannah Dolphin’s class at Kalifornsky Beach Elementary School in Kenai!

Hannah Dolphin, 6^th Grade Teacher, K-Beach Elementary said, “We’re excited! One of my students, Karley Johnson, was the one who came up with the name. When I asked her why she picked it she said, ‘I thought of it because my dad goes fishing a lot. He fishes in Kachemak Bay and I was thinking of some of the days I’ve gone fishing with him.’ My class also thought the name was fun because of the play on words with Kachemak, like “Catch ‘em, Mak!”
As 5^th graders, K-Beach students have the opportunity to participate in D.A.R.E, thanks to the Soldotna Police Department. Officer Brennan comes in each year to teach students about positive decision making, and resisting drugs. Our school works closely with the police department, and I think these are really good ways to foster positive relationships between students and law enforcement.”

K9-A will be named M.O.C.H.A. (acronym for Meth, Opioids, Cocaine, Heroin, Alaska); the name was suggested by Ryan Engebretsen’s class at Teeland Middle School in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley.
“M.O.C.H.A and Mak will play important, integral roles in our efforts to create a Safer Alaska,” Governor Walker said. “I’m so grateful for the participation of Alaska 6^th graders and citizens across the state in selecting these names. I look forward to seeing the important work these new dogs will do.”
The State Troopers will use the K9s to help detect opioids and other drugs in a variety of places across the state in continued efforts to tamp down on drug use and trafficking. Alaska 6^th graders initially submitted over 70 potential names for the new dogs after learning about the impacts of drug abuse, and how to respond in difficult situations.
Names were selected via Facebook poll from suggestions made by Alaska 6th-graders.

700 kids: Take me to the river #service

The weather cooperated with the 4th Annual Kenai River Spring Cleanup, students scoured the river and campgrounds, and logged in a total of 3,055 pounds of debris and trash. And that’s a lot considering how light fishing line is!
Six KPBSD schools and nearly 700 students participated from 27 third through sixth grade classes. Connections Homeschool program, Kaleidoscope School of Arts and Science, K-Beach Elementary, Soldotna Elementary, Sterling Elementary, and Redoubt Elementary participated.

Congratulations to Redoubt Elementary for once again pulling together to bring in the “Most Trash Collected” award! Their contribution to this year’s total was a whopping 1,540 pounds!
Thank you to all of the students and volunteers who contributed their time to make this year’s event another huge success, and all the local area sponsors who collaborated and donated prizes to create another excellent event for children and the community.

Links
Photo album: 2017 Kenai River Spring Cleanup

Facebook: Kenai River Spring Cleanup

Middle School Math Meet in Homer

KPBSD Math Meet

Homer Middle School reports over seventy 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade students from all around the school district met in at Homer Middle School gym on Thursday, May 11, 2017, to compete in the KPBSD Middle School Math Meet. This all day event consisted of four grueling rounds of math competition in which students competed against and collaborated with their peers from around the district.

HMS results
Larry Dunn took third in the sprint round, a 40-minute test of thirty questions students had to tackle without the aid of a calculator. In the target round, a shorter round with longer, more complex questions, Ben Coble also scored a third place finish. For the team round, competitors are put into groups of four with students from other district schools and asked to work together to solve ten difficult problems. Casey Otis came in first with his team, Hunter Green and West Homer student Garrett Briscoe second, and Kazden Stineff third.
Overall Homer Middle School’s Larry Dunn took second on the combined total, with Ben Coble and Sam Larson also placing in the top ten and going on to compete in the game show style countdown round.
The students who represented Homer Middle School this year were Larry Dunn, Ben Coble, Sam Larson, Katlyn Vogl, Emmet Wilkinson, Vianne Sarber, Casey Otis, Olivia Glasman, Keith Roderick, Kazden Stineff, Delilah Harris, Peyton Tobin, Hunter Green, Ryan Carroll, Izzy Fisk, and Elijah Blake.
Homer Middle School would like to thank all of the volunteers who helped make the math meet possible as well as the sponsors: Two Sisters, Latitude 59, SpitwSpots, K Bay Coffee, Alice’s, Representative Seaton, and the Strydom family.
Thank you to Rand Seaton for contributing this story.

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Golden Apple Award | June 5, 2017 Mrs. Jeanne Duhan

click to watch Imagine a Wonderful World

Links Photo album: 2017 Kenai River Spring Cleanup

Facebook: Kenai River Spring Cleanup

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Golden Apple Award | June 5, 2017
Mrs. Jeanne Duhan

Links
Photo album: 2017 Kenai River Spring Cleanup