Seward High School – Page 2 – KPBSD Communications Field Notes

Celebrate Stephanie Cronin, 2017 BP Teacher of Excellence

Stephanie Cronin, Seward High School, 2017 BP Teacher of Excellence

“It is truly humbling to receive this award. I am very proud to accept it on behalf of my fellow 2017 Teachers of Excellence, and all the excellent teachers across our district. Thank you BP for this program and the recognition you give to public educators!” –Stephanie Cronin

Stephanie Cronin teaches math and engineering at Seward High School. She has spent all 20 years of her teaching career in Alaska.
Stephanie graduated from University of Minnesota Minneapolis with a bachelor degree in economics and also received a bachelor’s in mathematics from University of Alaska Anchorage. She continued at UAA for graduate school received a Master of Arts in Teaching and also a master’s degree in educational leadership.
Stephanie’s enthusiasm as a student translates fluently to her enthusiasm as a teacher.
One of her students writes, “She planted the seed in my brain that it’s okay to be excited about math. Mrs. Cronin’s ability to bring excitement and engagement into the math room stems from the way she really cares about each student. I hope someday I can inspire any individual the way Mrs. Cronin and her selfless devotion to her career has inspired me.”
Stephanie’s goal in the classroom is to encourage her students to become creative problem-solvers, who are not afraid to try hard, take risks–and potentially fail.
She accomplishes this by building trusting relationships with each student. She greets each student as he or she enters her classroom, and honestly listens when they answer her question, “How are you?” Her classroom is a safe place, where students want to be, and where they feel the confidence to tackle tough problems.
She challenges her kids. When she gives the class a problem to solve, for example, she does not tell each student whether or not he or she got the correct answer. Rather, she sends them back and tells the entire class to agree on an answer. Only when they have all talked it out and come to an agreement will she lead them through a diagnosis of how to perform the correct math.
In this way, she turns individual effort into success as a member of a group–a team—and that evolves into self-confidence.
When a University of Alaska representative visited Stephanie’s classroom last year to promote college attendance, she remarked how impressed she was at the high number of students who wanted to become math teachers and engineers. When the students were asked why, they answered, “It’s because of Mrs. Cronin.”
Her dedication has not gone unnoticed. In addition to other awards, in 2012, Stephanie received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, which was presented to her by Vice President Joe Biden in Washington, D.C., and she is the 2017 State of Alaska Alternate Teacher of the Year.
Another former student who attended Stanford University honor Ms. Cronin with the Stanford Recognition “Teacher Tribute” award for having the greatest influence on his education.
Principal Trevan Walker states: “If one were to survey any Seward High graduate since the Class of 2000 then I am confident that they would not only be able to describe ‘Positive Math Attitude,’ but that they would be able to describe what ‘PMA’ personally means to them. I can think of no greater tribute, to a truly excellent teacher, than this.”
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. Mrs. Cronin is definitely one of our finest teachers who has transformed math instruction at Seward High School. She makes a positive difference everyday and is an unforgettable influence on her students. This award is very well deserved.”
“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.”
Now in its 22nd year, the BP Teachers of Excellence program honors K-12 teachers from all school districts statewide, including public and private schools.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District BP Teachers of Excellence winners are:

Stephanie Cronin, Seward High School
Jonathan Dillon, Mountain View Elementary School
Barbara Larivee, West Homer Elementary School
Meredith McCullough, Kenai Central High School
Colby Way, Port Graham School

Congratulations, Stephanie Cronin, BP Teacher of Excellence!

#KPBSD Stephanie Cronin is 2017 Alaska Alternate Teacher of Year

#KPBSD State Championship of Teaching!

Stephanie Cronin [Seward High School] is
2017 Alternate Alaska Teacher of the Year!

“The staff and students of Seward High, and entire community, could not be more proud of Ms. Cronin and her amazing accomplishment,” said Trevan Walker, Seward High School principal. “It’s gratifying to know that she is recognized, at the state level, for that which we have always known in Seward … that her Positive Math Attitude (PMA) has resulted in years of Seward High graduates who share her passion.”

Ms. Cronin will serve as Alaska Teacher of the Year if Mr. James Harris (2017 Alaska Teacher of the Year) is named national Teacher of the Year. She 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.

Reached by telephone, Cronin said, “I am humbled and honored to be selected as the 2017 Alaska Alternate Teacher of the Year. I’m proud to represent the amazing teachers of the State of Alaska.” A celebration assembly will take place at Seward High School on December 15, 2016.

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.

The 2017 Alaska Teacher of the Year is also from the #KPBSD, and Superintendent Sean Dusek said,
“This is the State Championship of teaching! We are excited and humbled to have two of our teachers recognized as the best in our state! Congratulations to Mrs. Stephanie Cronin for being the alternate this year. She is and always has been an outstanding teacher. As for our new 2017 Alaska Teacher of the year, Mr. James Harris, I am very pleased his great effort with our students has been recognized at the state level. He is an excellent representative of the teachers in our district! It is truly a great day in our district as both of these outstanding individuals have earned the highest honors in our state.”

Ms. Cronin holds a bachelor of science degree in economics from the University of Minnesota. She holds three degrees from the University of Alaska Anchorage: a bachelor of science degree in mathematics, a master of arts degree in teaching, and a master of arts degree in educational leadership.
Past Teachers of the Year from KPBSD include:

1999 – Daniel Walker, Seward Middle-High School
1988 – Sammy Crawford, Soldotna High School
1976 – Gary Woodburn, Cooper Landing School

Links
Webpage: Alaska Teacher of the Year
October 22, 2016 Commissioner Johnson Announces Finalists for Teacher of the Year
October 22, 2016 KPBSD story: two KPBSD educators named Teacher of the Year Finalists
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Contact: Pegge Erkeneff, 907.714.8888
News Release

Two KPBSD educators named Alaska Teacher of the Year finalists!

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

DEED News Release: October 22, 2016: Commissioner Johnson Announces Finalists for Teacher of the Year
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Maddy Rea’s senior year adventure | Seward High School #Classof2016

Maddy Rea’s Adventure

Maddy Rea [Seward High School, Class of 2016], set a goal early in her high school career to travel abroad and volunteer to work with animals. At first, her plan was to travel to Malaysia and work with Sea Turtles. When she discovered that this program was not accepting more applications, her research landed her in Yungas, Bolivia, at a place called La Senda Verde (which means The Green Path). Further research convinced her mom, CJ, that Maddy had found, “the most incredible place on the planet” and that this would be an amazing opportunity for Maddy to see her goal to fruition.
La Senda Verde takes in animals that were victims of illegal animal trafficking and, with the help of volunteers, tries to return them to a life as close to normal as they can have. It is illegal to re-release an animal once it has been trafficked in Bolivia. They are currently working with 550 different animals.
Maddy secured a position for two and a half months. She saved the money from her summer job to buy her tickets, visa, and pay for her volunteer position. Many of their volunteers are there for just two weeks. Volunteers like Maddy, who stick around, get to do a lot more with the animals. Her favorite animals to work with are what they call the “special animals.” These are all of the small primates (Lucachi, Squirrel, and Owl monkeys), Capybara and Paca (both really big rodents) and the Margays and Ocelots (cats). Based on skills she learned as a volunteer at the Alaska Sealife Center she is trying to train the Capybara (attached picture is a mural of a capybara). La Senda Verde has animals of all kinds; Spider, Capuchin, and Howler monkeys, Andean Spectacled Bears, Parrots, Toucans, Macaws, Tortoises, and Coatis.
Maddy’s days begin at 6:45 a.m. and she starts work at 7:30. She works until 5:30 p.m., has dinner and then socializes a bit. She works six days a week and on her seventh day she usually makes it into the town of Coroico where she has access to the internet. There are no other American volunteers. She lives in a dorm styled room with six other people, and has met people from Australia, Brazil, Belgium, France and other countries. She has also experienced tarantulas in her bed and the shower.
Maddy will return in mid-May to participate in graduation with her class at Seward High School and begin her summer work to save for college.

2016 ASTE Technology Leadership Awards go to KPBSD employees

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Contact: Pegge Erkeneff, 907.714.8888
News Release
2016 ASTE Technology Leadership Awards for KPBSD employees
Soldotna, March 1, 2016—KPBSD celebrates employees Casey Olson and Trevan Walker, who received top statewide recognition with a 2016 Alaska Society for Technology in Education (ASTE) Leadership Award. Each year ASTE selects three people who demonstrate true technology integration and have a positive impact on teaching and learning in Alaska. In 2016, two of the three award recipients are KPBSD staff: the 2016 Technology Support of the Year award recipient is Casey Olson, district programmer and analyst, and Trevan Walker, Seward High School principal, who is the 2016 Administrator of the Year. #golden

Casey Olson, 2016 ASTE Tech Support of the Year 2016 sm — Casey Olson, ASTE 2016 Technology Support of the Year

Casey Olson, 2016 Technology Support of the Year

ASTE Technology Support of the Year Award recognizes Alaskans who help teachers and faculty find and use technology to support academic goals, which may include helping with hardware.
“I am very proud that Casey Olson has been named the ASTE tech support person of the year,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “He is an integral part of our videoconferencing effort to expand opportunities for students around the district. His effort has put a solid infrastructure in place so that students can work with experts and other students from around the world. Students are also able to collaborate with their peers within the district to experience our own diverse cultures. This award is very well deserved and I look forward to Casey continuing his leadership role in meeting our twenty-first century learning needs for our students.”
“The ASTE Tech Person of the Year recognition for Casey Olson is timely and well-deserved,” said Eric Soderquist, director of information services. “Casey has worked diligently to provide the vision and technical guidance critical to the recent Polycom RUS grant award, and continues to be a trusted resource for the video conference platform in use today. He clearly recognizes that IT is about more than just making technology work—focus must be placed on ensuring a given technical solution effectively meets the needs of users. Casey has proven masterful at combining his technical skillset with the vision required to adapt to ever-changing technology implementation and support needs.”
Learning about the award, Mr. Olson said, “I was surprised to be nominated for the ASTE award and honored to be chosen to receive this recognition. Being nominated by teachers in our school district that I’ve worked with for a number of years made the award even more significant to me personally.”

Trevan Walker, 2016 Administrator of the Year

Trevan Walker, ASTE 2016 Administrator of the Year

ASTE Administrator of the Year award recognizes Alaskans who lead schools or organizations in the innovative use of technology to support academic goals.
“I am fortunate to have a staff who believes in our common vision to endeavor to be all things for all students,” said Trevan Walker, Seward High School principal. “The reality is that they should get the credit as they are the ones doing the hard work—not just with technology integration in instruction, and the innovative practices that come out of it, but also with the relationships they’re building with kids and genuine desire to see each one of them succeed at Seward High School, regardless of the pathway required to find it.”
Sean Dusek, superintendent said, “We are very proud of Mr. Walker for receiving the ASTE Principal of the Year award. Mr. Walker is an innovative school principal that has worked very hard to meet the individual needs of students at Seward High School. The entire staff is engaged in this ongoing effort and also share in this award. We are looking forward to even greater degrees of success with students in Seward as this award represents the beginning of the modern learning system in KPBSD.”
“This district is making serious headway in tackling the online and blended learning formats,” said Amanda Adams, KPBSD distance learning teacher. “It is really exciting to watch whole cohorts of teachers developing new practices to meet the needs of students. With innovative people like Trevan and Casey, they are holding the doors open for teachers like me to not be bound by tradition. The question is not why do you want to do that, but instead, how can I help you do that.”
Links

KPBSD Information Services
Seward High School website
Alaska Society for Technology in Education (ASTE) website
News Release: Two KPBSD employees receive 2016 ASTE Technology Leadership Awards

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First time: Maritime Awareness Day

Thunder, lightening, and rain didn’t stop Seward High Students from painting, welding and working on heavy equipment at the Vigor Shipyard, September 10, 2015.
The interactive tour started at AVTEC when students from Seward High, AVTEC’s Welding, Diesel Mechanics and Constructions classes met with employers, department officials from DOT, and the Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Labor, Joe Thomas. Students travelled to the shipyard where Vigor employees had a welding lab, machine shop demonstration, and fabrication shop stations, then they learned the art and science of the boat painting industry followed by the heavy equipment and Dry Dock facility. Students loved the hands on, action packed day, and returned with inspiration, new learning, and ideas!

Seward High students grow greens

Students at Seward High School are using their greenhouse to supply the school with healthy greens, which provides essential nutrients and supports the local student body. Greenhouse preparations began in November and planting started the first week of January. Seeds were planted a week apart in order to have a sustained yield, which means the students can harvest every week. The first batch of lettuce was delivered on Wednesday, February 11, 2015, and demand exceeded supply.

By utilizing the greenhouse, students can extend the growing season in Alaska throughout the winter. The project will conclude before the spring term ends. The greenhouse is an interactive way of getting greens locally, which is fresher, cleaner, and helps consumers know what is put into their food. This is project-based experiential learning. It helps students in finance with business planning, students in environmental science with agricultural understanding, and students in statistics with concepts and data.
–Story contributed by George Reising, Seward High School math and science teacher

Job shadow: a big, heavy project

Seward High School students Marcus Sharamek and Kris Hettick spent Friday March 20, 2015, with Troy Hager and his heavy equipment class. The job shadow day was arranged through the Kenai Peninsula School District and John Clare. It allowed Kris and Marcus to see what AVTEC is like and to get a taste of the type of work a Heavy Equipment mechanic does. The guys had fun and it was “cool to see how the excavator came apart,” said Hettick. They enjoyed the new trucks, being in the shop, and getting hands on experience with the other students. It was fun to be involved taking the tracks off of the John Deere 135 Excavator and seeing how it actually works. Both Sharamek and Hettick feel this type of work is something they are interested in pursuing. They learned a little about shop operations, shop safety, and how to work with a team on a big heavy project. It was also good for the AVTEC students–they became the mentors and found out they learn more when they have to explain what is going on. AVTEC hopes to extend this type of opportunity to other high school students around the peninsula or state.
Story contributed by Kent Berklund