Celebrate Ms. Jennifer Booz, Fulbright Distinguished Award

Homer Middle School educator is going to Finland!

Jennifer Booz of Homer Middle School in Homer, Alaska, has been selected for the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Research (Fulbright DA) Program to Finland, a program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

Booz is one of approximately 22 U.S. citizens who will travel to 10 countries around the world in spring 2021 on the Fulbright DA Program. Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement, as well as record of service and demonstrated leadership potential. Learn more about the Fulbright Program, a the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S government, and created to increase mutual understanding and build lasting connections between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.

In her words…

Education is evolving, especially in 2020! What most intrigues you?

The world is becoming increasingly connected both to itself and to information. Gone are the days when the teacher imparted all knowledge onto students, revealing the mysteries of the universe. Beyond the critical skills of reading and writing, it will no longer be appropriate to teach facts and ask for recall. Students have this information at their fingertips. Educators would be foolish to not evolve along with our students. I see the role of education and teachers evolving into that of a guide and interpreter. I would love to see a teacher pose questions or present students with phenomena which is then explored. Teachers and students would then work together to sift through the vast amounts of information and students would learn the skills needed to navigate this new world. I am also interested in developing more ways for classroom students to feel empowered to make things happen in their community. I want students to realize they have a powerful voice, and take what they learn in school to use it.

Wow! What does receiving the Fulbright Award evoke in you?         

I feel both thrilled and terrified. This is a very prestigious award and I want to be sure to do my best during my fellowship to show I am worthy of this honor. I know I will be in the company of people far smarter and more accomplished than myself and look forward to collaborating with and learning from them. I am also very much looking forward to being a student again. I have so much to learn from the courses I will take and from the Finnish teachers I will be working with.

In retrospect, do you have guidance for your younger self?

I have always wanted to study and live abroad. For many reasons, this never happened during high school and college. Since then, it has seemed a far off dream that would never happen. I think I would tell myself, “Stick with it. Keep working hard, push yourself out of your comfort zone, keep learning and trying to improve yourself, and never let your work become stagnant.” Even after 17 years of teaching, I feel I have so much to learn. I want my younger self to know it will be worth it one day!

I hope my future self can tell me that my Fulbright experience was a life-changing one. I want to know I took full advantage of all the opportunities given me, embraced the culture, and made new friends and colleagues. I want to hear that it will be challenging but entirely worth it. (Oh, and I want to know that COVID-19 doesn’t interfere with the program by shutting down countries again!)

What’s a favorite aspect to your work each day?

If last spring and remote teaching taught me anything, it is that students are my favorite aspect of my work day. Middle schoolers are goofy and weird and hormonal and smart. My daily interactions, from hallway banter to engaging them in science learning, keep me going through the not so fun stuff.

With no limits, what is your dream three-to-six month professional learning experience you’d like to pursue?

I am doing it! The Fulbright DA is the ultimate in professional learning experiences for teachers. It combines living and studying abroad with high level learning and professional development. When choosing my host country, Finland stood out for a few reasons. First, their education system is generally regarded as being the best in the world. I want to learn from the best. Also, in 2016, Finland implemented a country-wide curriculum reform which, among many things, mandates Phenomenon-Based Learning (PBL) in all schools. PBL is near and dear to my heart so I hope to learn from Finnish teachers about best practices in PBL in hopes of bringing them back to my classroom in Alaska.

“Jen is a student centered teacher who always puts her students’ needs above her own. She is always at the cutting edge of embracing innovated instructional practices and is an amazing role model for her students. She will represent KPBSD wonderfully in this Fulbright experience and I am certain that when she returns her students and colleagues will also benefit from this amazing learning experience.”

John O’Brien, Superintendent of Schools

“Ms. Jennifer Booz is an exceptional physical science teacher who consistently represents her colleagues in leadership roles, and continually strives to further improve herself professionally. For the last seven years as the Homer Middle School principal, I have been fortunate to supervise Jennifer in her position as the eighth grade science teacher. Our school is located in a small coastal town at the end of the road in Homer Alaska, has a student body of approximately 200 seventh and eighth grade students from a high diversity of families and cultures including Alaska natives, commercial fishermen, and oil and gas industries. Jennifer’s physical science curriculum routinely incorporates community engagement including local scientists from a broad range of disciplines and teaches physical sciences through local relevant and current topics. Jennifer has been teaching middle school science for 14 years covering a variety of topics within science from engineering to the scientific method to design and modeling. Jennifer’s students are consistently engaged in high-level thinking and rigorous learning activities. Her ability to establish rapport and connect with the students, which has resulted in, improved student self-motivation. Jennifer continually refines her practices and in my opinion, this has benefited our student’s learning and academic achievements.”

Homer Middle School Principal Kari Dendurent

Congratulations Ms. Jennifer Booz!

KPBSD leadership recognized by State of Alaska Educational Leaders!

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!

 2019-10-29 Dan Beck Alaska AP 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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Homer High and Homer Middle schools: community meeting and survey

KPBSD_2017-2022_StrategicPlan_SealHomer High School Principal Doug Waclawski, Homer Middle School Principal Kari Dendurent, district administration, and the school board request your thoughts and input about potentially consolidating Homer Middle School and Homer High School. No decisions have been made, and your thoughts are valuable.
Exploring the difficult concept of school consolidations or closures is a challenging task. However, with fiscal uncertainty at the state and borough levels, it is an act of due diligence to have the conversations in order to learn community concerns and thoughts, and share with families and staff. In that light, KPBSD is being proactive to explore a number of possibilities to meet potentially significant funding cuts in all areas of our district, including southern, central, and eastern peninsula schools.

  • The high school has the capacity to accommodate the middle school students at this time, and this consolidation simplifies transportation issues
  • Closing the school would offer annual savings of approximately $459,000 in operating costs, and avoid deferred maintenance costs of approximately $10,000,000

 

Homer High School and Homer Middle School community meeting: April 15, 2019, 6:00 p.m.

A community meeting for families, students, and staff will be April 15, 2019, 6:00 p.m., Homer High School Commons. The meeting will be hosted by the school principals and Mr. John Pothast, KPBSD Director of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Homer Survey: Parent, student, and staff survey is open April 9 – 16, 2019
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2TJG85C
Homer 2019-04 QR_code_2TJG85C
Timing of any potential school consolidations in the Seward or Homer areas is unknown, and at this time, school closures or consolidations would be dependent upon funding from the state in FY20 and beyond. It is unlikely that school closures would occur in the Seward or Homer area as fast as the 2019-2020 school year, unless the Governor’s proposed budget stands.
Link: School consolidation discussions webpage and report
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Homer Middle School, 2018 National Blue Ribbon School

News Release2018 BR Eagle
Homer Middle School achieves 2018 National Blue Ribbon School recognition

“It is with great pride for Homer Middle School to be recognized as a 2018 National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. Students, staff, parents, and the community of Homer are all responsible for this extraordinary achievement. This accomplishment is a result of support, hard work and dedication to high academic expectations that makes Homer Middle School one of the best schools in the Great State of Alaska.” –Kari Dendurent, Homer Middle School principal
“Congratulation on your students’ accomplishments and for your extraordinary commitment to meeting their unique needs,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos in an October 1, 2018, video message announcing the awardees. “We recognize and honor your important work in preparing students for successful careers and meaningful lives.” Homer Middle School is a 2018 National Blue Ribbon School, based on overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.

One of three schools in Alaska to receive this distinguished honor in 2018, Homer Middle School, in Homer, Alaska, joins ten other schools in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District (KPBSD) to achieve the National Blue Ribbon excellence designation. Nationwide, 349 schools are honored with 2018 National Blue Ribbon School recognition.

“I am very proud of the effort our staff and students put in at Homer Middle School,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “This is a very well deserved award that exemplifies what is happening around KPBSD. Congratulations Homer Middle School! Great job and I look forward to many more years of great leadership, excellent instruction, and significant student learning growth.”
“These three diverse Alaskan schools are excellent examples of educational communities coming together to support all students, every day,” said Alaska Education Commissioner Dr. Michael Johnson. “I am pleased that Homer Middle School, Pioneer Peak Elementary School and, for the second time, Stellar Secondary School are being recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools. Congratulations to the students, staff, and families of these schools. Alaska is very proud of you!”

 
Homer Middle School Blue Ribbon
The U.S. Department of Education will honor the 300 public and 49 private schools at a recognition ceremony on November 7-8, 2018, in Washington, D.C.
Links:

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Homer Middle School National Blue Ribbon 2018-3
Homer Middle School National Blue Ribbon 2018-2
Homer Middle School National Blue Ribbon 2018-4
Homer Middle School National Blue Ribbon 2018
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Celebrate Jen Booz, 2018 Kenai BP Teacher of Excellence

Jen Booz

“There are so many amazing teachers out there doing incredible things every day that to be singled out for recognition feels unbelievable. I love being a teacher. Teaching science to middle school students is the best job I can imagine but I could not do it alone. Kari Dendurent, my principal, is always willing to support whichever crazy idea I have. My co-teachers inspire me every day and the kids keep showing up excited to learn science. I hope to continue to grow my craft and never stop learning.” – Jen Booz

 Ms. Jen Booz teaches science and robotics to eighth graders at Homer Middle School. She has been a teacher for 11 years, all in Alaska.
Principal Kari Dendurant says that that Ms. Booz is known for her positive rapport with students, and all the students at Homer Middle School. But it’s not just her principal who believes this. A student writes, “She is helpful and the best science teacher. Ms. Booz makes everyone happy. She’s a really awesome, cool and healthy person to be around.”
Ms. Booz coaches cross-country running and works with all types of athletes to encourage a healthy lifestyle. She knows that being a member of a team helps her student-athletes integrate well into the other areas of their schooling. So she brings this sense of team into her classroom.
“I consciously create an environment of blended and project-based learning in my class,” she tells us, “to allow students the freedom to make choices in their learning.”
Ms. Booz creates a module-style structure, in which students are provided with content through a variety of sources, then progress at their own pace, moving ahead as they complete each component. So each student is responsible for his or her own learning, but also works with peers in small groups.
Their teacher monitors progress through CANVAS, the District Learning Management System. By blending the learning process, Ms. Booz is freed up to work one-on-one with these small groups or individuals. She says, “As a science teacher, I want students to experience ‘real science’ whenever possible. The project-based learning model I have adopted utilize community interaction, relevant topics and authentic products.”
One example of her approach was a project in which students made a presentation to a professional in the community over Skype. They received feedback directly from the professional, which was a very powerful moment for both them and their teacher.
Another example had meaning closer to home. Ms. Booz says, “In Homer, many of our families fish commercially, so when we coupled science skills and chemistry, we investigated the best methods to clean oil spills. Many of our students’ parents have been trained in oil-spill clean-up, so this project had real-life application.”
“I believe Jen Booz makes a difference in public education because she brings the love of learning and science to every 8th grade student at Homer Middle School,” said Kari Dendurant, principal. “As a result of students having Ms. Booz as their teacher they are encouraged and inspired to be innovative to make our world a better place. Students do not ever hear no from Ms. Booz, rather they hear why?, how? and what do you think? And most importantly, I believe in you. She is a true inspiration!”
Ms. Booz earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware, and a master’s degree in education from Eastern Oregon University. She began her work in science during college when she was awarded a field internship. After leaving Delaware, she traveled around the country doing field research in ornithology, and also worked as a field biologist for state, federal and academic institutions.
These positions gave her real-life experience as a scientist, lessons she tries to give her students through the blended learning she implements in class.
Ms. Booz also devotes herself to Homer’s students outside of class, serving on several school and district committees and the Innovation Committee, Personalized Learning Council and National Junior Honor Society.
“I am very proud of all our finalists for this prestigious award,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “They all embody the qualities we want all of our teachers to exhibit, especially in how they ensure a strong, positive relationship with each and every student. Each finalist is very deserving of this recognition and I look forward to their continued excellence and leadership in our district.”
Congratulations, Jen Booz, 2018 BP Teacher of Excellence.
Kenai 2018 BP Teachers of Excellence

Do you know how to perceive sound waves? #scienceproject

Do you know how sound waves affect people’s lives? Homer Middle School 8th grade student Olivia Glasman does, and she signs you how (and typed in cc to assist!)

https://youtu.be/jmzrwj42YFU

“Through a science research project on sound waves, I wanted to educate people on how hearing and deaf people perceive sound waves. I think this is an important topic because instead of not talking about disabilities we should educate people on them. I think by doing this it will benefit the deaf community and the hearing community.” – Olivia Glasman, 8th grade, Homer Middle School
HMS 2018 Olivia Glasman

Middle School Math Meet in Homer

KPBSD Math Meet
Peyton Tobin
Homer Middle School reports over seventy 6th, 7th, and 8th 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.
Team winners
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.
Individual Winners from left 4th place – Sean Raftan, 3rd – Samuel Roberts, 2nd – Larry Dunn, 1st – Hayden Hanson
Casey Otis
Delilah Harris left, Olivia Glasman right
Vianne Sarber

Changing times for schools in Southern Peninsula

Plan ahead

In August, 2017,  with the start of the new school year, ten school locations in the southern peninsula will begin with new school start and end times. This change is taking place to accommodate a switch from single-tier to double-tier bus transportation, which is already in effect for other schools throughout the KPBSD. No changes will take place in the 2016-2017 school year.
New School Times beginning August 22, 2017:
KPBSD so pen school start and end times FINAL
Bus transportation
Important transportation clarifications taking effect with the change to two-tier busing in the southern peninsula include:

  • KPBSD transportation routing will only be from home-to-school, and school-to-home.
  • Some situations in which out-of-area transportation is provided for students to attend a school outside their attendance area currently exist, and will not be available beginning with the 2017-2018 school year.
  • Parents may continue to have a child attend an out of area school through the Out-of-Area Attendance Request process (see E 5116(a)) but KPBSD will no longer provide bus transportation if a bus serving another school was available.
  • Bus routing and schedules will be updated in the summer of 2017, and available on the KPBSD website, at the same time as districtwide school routes are posted.

A series of community meetings took place throughout 2016, with parents, KPBSD staff, students, and community members in attendance. School administrators met, and worked together to create the new school start and end times. If you have questions about specific schools, please contact the school principal with your questions.
Southern Peninsula principals continue to meet together and work with community service providers to discuss after school childcare, recreation, and structured activity options to accommodate family needs for the 2017-2018 school year.
Changes will take place at southern peninsula schools served by bus transportation and include:
Chapman School
Fireweed Academy
Homer Flex School
Homer High School
Homer Middle School
McNeil Canyon Elementary
Ninilchik School
Paul Banks Elementary
West Homer Elementary
Links:

If you have questions about specific schools, please contact the school principal with your questions.

News Release: Meeting dates | school start and end time options

News ReleaseKPBSD logo 4c no tag SMALL
Southern peninsula school start and end time options

Soldotna, October 12, 2016—Changes to school start and end times will begin in August, 2017, and in order to inform and gather input, three southern peninsula community meetings will take place in November. The same content will be presented at each meeting. Parents, KPBSD staff, students, and community members are invited and encouraged to attend a community meeting of their choosing:

  • Tuesday, November 1, 2016, 6:00 PM, Ninilchik School

  • Wednesday, November 2, 2016, 6:00 PM, Homer High School

  • Thursday, November 10, 6:00 PM, Chapman School, Anchor Point

Following community meetings and feedback from community members, on Tuesday, October 4, 2016, school principals met with district administration and staff to develop three options for new school start and end times in the southern peninsula. The preferred option from all school administrators is “X”. However, two additional options were also developed. Option “Y” adds ten minutes to start and end times, and option “Z” is most problematic, swaps the start times, and tiers schools without like needs.
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Next steps:

  • The transportation department analyzed X, Y, and Z options, and transportation routes for X and Y are viable.
  • School administrators will share the three options with site councils, and gather input.
  • November community meetings will be an excellent time for a shared conversation and discussion.
  • Principals will evaluate input and make final recommendations to district administration.
  • KPBSD transportation will make certain bus transportation for the chosen option is viable.
  • The district anticipates completion and a final decision before winter break so that parents and communities can begin to plan for the changes that will start in August, 2017.

Parents, staff, and community members are encouraged to attend a community meeting in November.
To offer suggestions, questions, or thoughts, please use this online public comment link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SouthernPeninsulaSchoolTimes
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Contact: Pegge Erkeneff, 907.714.8888
PDF Flyer: start and end time options

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Volunteer Julieanne Super receives Golden Apple award

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Golden Apple Award | October 3, 2016
Mrs. Julieanne Super
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Mrs. Julianne Super is a “super” volunteer in the classroom, with cocurricular activities, and school events. “I have the opportunity to work with many fantastic parents and community members who volunteer in our school, but one person stands out above the rest,” said Kari Dendurent, Homer Middle School principal. “I’ve have had the opportunity to know Julieanne over the past three years, as well as two of her children who have attended HMS. Julieanne has worked in so many areas of our school, faculty members each wanted to reflect about her volunteerism.”
Dan Calhoun, 8th grade math and algebra teacher says, “She is always so positive and cheerful. Julieanne has been volunteering in the Homer schools for the past twelve years. At Paul Banks Elementary School she performed many classroom duties and tasks. At West Homer Elementary she volunteered most of her time in the math classroom. At Homer Middle School, she volunteers in the math classroom as a tutor. She is reliable, consistent and great with students! I appreciate her clear, concise and accurate assistance for all students at all ability levels. In addition, she is willing and capable to do any task she is asked to assist with.”
Jen Booz, 8th grade science teacher and cross country running coach states, “She has volunteered for cross country for both years when her son, Andy, was here. She is always willing to do whatever is asked—no matter what. For our home meets, she often took on the role of volunteer coordinator since I couldn’t be with the students all of the time. She even ended up assigning jobs to parents who showed up to help. Julianne was able to run the finish line table, which is the most challenging job of the meet, and involves taking runners’ names and places, then matching them with their times. She also provided snacks for the runners and helped clean up after the meets.”
Amy Johnson, band teacher shares, “Julieanne has been a great help to the Homer Middle School Band program for the past five years. She comes in to help copy music and programs for all of our concerts, as well as helping to sort uniforms, music, and anything else as needed. She does the webcast for every single concert that Homer Middle School puts on.”
Nurse Janette states, “She will come and assist at the drop of a hat. She is amazing! She has helped with many health screenings and is always the first person I call. She even helps with picture day! Plus, Julieanne is the first person Marilyn, our school secretary, calls. And, ‘we fight over her.’”
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education is proud to recognize Mrs. Julieanne Super for her dedication to the students of the school district, past, present, and future.
Link

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Mrs. Julieanne Super, Golden Apple award recipent