Tag: Soldotna

Teens can meet college representatives at Kenai Peninsula College Fair

News ReleasePrint
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Contact: Pegge Erkeneff, 907.714.8888
Soldotna, October 2, 2015—Peninsula high school students have an opportunity to meet representatives from more than 40 educational institutions

Tuesday, October 20, 2015
10:00—1:00
Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska

Choosing a college takes time and effort so KPBSD is making it easier for students to dream for and plan their future education path by inviting college representatives to come and meet with students here on the Peninsula. The sixth annual Kenai Peninsula College Fair is free, and no appointments are needed.
KPBSD juniors and seniors will attend with their schools. Connections, IDEA and Cook Inlet Academy students can sign-in at the door.
Students and parents can learn more about scholarships, loans, state and federal financial aid programs at the Financial Aid booth.
KPBSD students must sign-up with their school counselor to attend; transportation is provided.
Confirmed educational institutions: Alaska Bible College, Alaska Christian College, Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education, Alaska Job Corps OA/CTS, Alaska Pacific University, AVTEC – Alaska’s Institute of Technology, California Baptist University, Central Washington University, College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University, Colorado Mesa University, Colorado State University, Eastern Washington University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Fort Lewis College, Gustavus Adolphus College, Idaho State University, Institute of American Indian Arts, Kenai Peninsula College, Lincoln College of Technology, Linfield College, Mayville State University, Northern Arizona University, Northern Industrial Training, Oregon Coast Culinary Institute, Oregon Institute of Technology, Pacific Lutheran University, South Dakota State University, Southern Oregon University, Southwestern Oregon University, St. Olaf College, The Art Institutes, The College of Idaho, The Master’s College, UAA College of Engineering, Universal Technical Institute, University of Alaska – Anchorage, University of Alaska – Fairbanks, University of Alaska – Southeast, University of Hawaii at Manoa, University of Idaho, University of Portland, Willamette University.
2015 college fair flyer
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Candlelight Vigil for homeless youth and families

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District News ReleasePrint
Contact: Pegge Erkeneff, 907.714.8888

Candlelight Vigil for homeless youth and families

Soldotna, November 5, 2014—Families and unaccompanied youth are homeless on the peninsula. An invisible reality to most residents, the number 253 is important. Would it surprise you to know that 253 is the average number of students who are homeless in the KPBSD Students In Transition (SIT) program, and attending a KPBSD school?
The community is invited to learn more at an annual candlelight vigil for homeless youth and families:

Thursday, November 13, 2014

6:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Farnsworth Park

Birch Street, Soldotna, Alaska

Guest speaker Dr. Steve Atwater, KPBSD superintendent, will help raise awareness about the reality of homelessness on the Kenai Peninsula. Music will be provided by Beau Miller and Scott Lazaros. Please dress for the weather.
The SIT program has enrolled 138 students since the start of the school year, which is thirty-three percent higher than last year at this time. In the central peninsula, 111 youth are enrolled, and thirteen are unaccompanied youth, while ninety-eight are with a family unit. In the southern peninsula, twenty-seven students are enrolled, eighteen are unaccompanied youth, and nine are with a family unit.
“One of our more persistent challenges is serving our students in transition,” said Dr. Steve Atwater, superintendent. “The good work of our students in transition coordinator Kelly King and our Students in Transition Facebook page are helping us to meet this challenge. The public vigil is a good opportunity for all of us to stop and reflect on our students in transition. I trust that each of these students will benefit from this attention.”
2014 Candlelight Vigil Poster PDF with disclaimerAbout KPBSD Students in Transition (SIT) program
Students experiencing homelessness are provided assistance through two KPBSD homeless liaisons. This program’s primary purpose is to ensure that educational programs for students are not interrupted while they are in transition. In order to facilitate helping our communities grow in awareness and advocacy, KPBSD created a Facebook page to provide updates and resources. Please like and share, KPBSD Students in Transition.
The SIT program provides KPBSD Pre-K to12th grade students:
• An advocate to help students and families find the resources they need in the community for food, shelter, clothing, transportation, and permanent housing
• Free school lunches
• School supplies
• Immediate school enrollment
• Paperwork assistance to secure school documents
• Special academic support if needed
• Local referrals to other agencies
Eligible families or youth are those who lack a stable, adequate, and permanent place to sleep at night. If you or someone you know is sleeping in a motel, a camper, a tent, couch-surfing, or living with friends or relatives then this program can help.
KPBSD Students in Transition program contacts 
Kelly King, homeless liaison, serving Central Peninsula, Seward and Tyonek schools, kking@kpbsd.k12.ak.us, 907.714.8869
Jane Dunn, homeless liaison, serving Southern Peninsula schools and Ninilchik,
jdunn@kpbsd.k12.ak.us, 907.226.1890
Links

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This and all KPBSD media releases are online at this web page: http://bit.ly/MediaPublicRelationships
Suggest or contribute a story online link: http://bit.ly/SuggestKPBSDstory
Homeless vigil 2011
 

Soldotna 7-12 grade schools reconfiguration

News Release

KPBSD logo 4c today

Advisory Committee recommendations for Soldotna schools 7-12 grade reconfiguration

Soldotna, November 8, 2013—The Soldotna area 7-12 grade schools Advisory Committee completed its work and presented recommendations to the KPBSD Board of Education during a work session on November 4, 2013.
Last spring, the school board voted to reconfigure the three Soldotna area secondary schools which set in motion a series of events to address the details of what needed to be in place for these schools at the start of the FY15 school year. One of these events was the administration’s creation of an advisory committee. This committee was tasked with making recommendations on school names, school colors, school mascots and suggestions on how to address the pending changes in school cultures.
This committee’s work is complete, and Doug Hayman, Transitions Coordinator, presented the following recommendations to the school board on November 4, 2013, during a work session. Consensus by the Advisory Committee was reached on the following topics:

  • The 7-8 grade middle school be named Skyview Middle School
  • The 7-8 grade middle school mascot be a Panther
  • The ninth grade school be named Soldotna Prep
  • Two 10-12 grade high school name possibilities are Soldotna High School or Soldotna Central High School
  • The ninth grade school and 10-12 grade high school mascots both be a Star
  • The available colors for all three schools be blue, purple, black and white. (This palette opens the possibility but does not require additions of complementary highlights.)
  • The committee recommends that the current student body of each of the three schools, with the guidance of staff, develop and plan the transfer and preservation of all cultural and historic elements.

“I am pleased that the advisory committee accomplished so much and I want to thank each member for their positive, can-do approach toward their committee membership,” said Dr. Atwater, Superintendent. “Now that the committee’s recommendations have been made, it is important to dispel the misinformation that large sums of money will be required for next steps. As necessary, the district will change small items, e.g., signs in front of a school, but will not commit to large cosmetic changes, e.g., changing the gym floor. I encourage everyone to look forward to the benefits that the students will receive from this reconfiguration. We have an excellent secondary staff at our three schools who will do all that they can to ensure that the transition to the new schools will be smooth.”
Thank you to Soldotna Schools Reconfiguration Advisory Committee
Community and Parent Representatives: Michelle Blackwell; Lynne Carter; Dale Dolifka; Michael Gallagher; Roxanne Miller
Skyview High School: Paul Kupferschmid, site council; Darren Jones, staff; Austin Laber, student
Soldotna High School: Kathy Gensel, site council; Troy Minogue, staff; Kelci Benson, student
Soldotna Middle School: Krista Arthur, site council; Joel Burns, staff; Jode Sparks, student
Doug Hayman, Transitions Facilitator
 School reconfiguration

  • Soldotna area 7-8th grade students will be housed at the existing Skyview High School
  • Soldotna area 9th grade students will be housed at the existing Soldotna Middle School
  • River City Academy (7-12) will be moved to the existing Soldotna Middle School
  • Soldotna area 10-12 grade students will be housed at the existing Soldotna High School

Links

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Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Contact: Pegge Erkeneff, 907.714.8888

News Release: 2013_11_08 Soldotna area schools Advisory Committee recommendations to KPBSD school board

Soldotna 7-12 grade Schools Reconfiguration Advisory Committee

KPBSD logo 4c todayMedia Release

Soldotna Schools Reconfiguration Advisory Committee

Soldotna, September 9, 2013—The fourteen person advisory committee will meet for the first time at Soldotna Middle School library on Tuesday, September 10, 2013, 5:30 p.m. The committee will make recommendations about cultural and historic issues (colors, school names, mascots, and so forth). This committee will serve in an advisory capacity.
Twenty-six community members applied to serve on the advisory committee; five people were selected, in addition to a student, staff member, and site council member from Skyview High School, Soldotna High School, and Soldotna Middle School.
Soldotna Schools Reconfiguration Advisory Committee Members
Doug Hayman, Transitions Facilitator
Community and Parent Representatives

  • Michelle Blackwell
  • Lynne Carter
  • Dale Dolifka
  • Michael Gallagher
  • Roxanne Miller

Skyview High School

  • Paul Kupferschmid, site council
  • Darren Jones, staff
  • Austin Laber, student

Soldotna High School

  • Kathy Gensel, site council
  • Troy Minogue, staff
  • Kelci Benson, student

Soldotna Middle School

  • Krista Arthur, site council
  • Joel Burns, staff
  • Jode Sparks, student

The Advisory Committee will meet six times at the Soldotna Middle School library on Tuesdays, from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Meetings are open to the public.

  • September 10
  • September 24
  • October 8
  • October 22
  • November 5
  • November 19

“Last spring the KPBSD School Board approved the reconfiguration of our three Soldotna area secondary schools. We are now ironing out the details for our three schools and will be utilizing an advisory committee as a way to gain critical public input on the upcoming decisions.” — Dr. Steve Atwater, Superintendent.

The KPBSD Board of Education approved a reconfiguration for Soldotna area 7-12 grade schools, effective August 2014:

  • Soldotna area grades 10-12 will be located at the current Soldotna High School campus
  • Soldotna area 9th grade students will be housed at the existing Soldotna Middle School
  • Soldotna area 7-8th grade students will be housed at the existing Skyview High School
  • River City Academy will be moved to the existing Soldotna Middle School

Links
Information: Soldotna Area Schools Advisory Committee
Background documents: Soldotna Area Schools Reconfiguration
Media Release, September 9, 2013: Soldotna Area 7-12 Grade Schools Reconfiguration
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This and all KPBSD media releases are online at this web page: http://bit.ly/MediaPublicRelationships
Contact: Pegge Erkeneff, KPBSD communications specialist, 907-714-8888
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
148 N. Binkley Street, Soldotna, Alaska 99669
Pegge@KPBSD.org

In Homer and Soldotna: Taylor Crowe “My Life With Autism…”

Is your life centered on capability or disability?
In spite of a daily struggle with autism, national speaker, Taylor Crowe, knows his life is centered on his capability. Now thirty years old, his life is in direct contrast to the physician who initially diagnosed his autism, adding, “There is no hope for him.”
The Alaska Autism Resource Center, in partnership with Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, welcomes national speaker, Taylor Crowe, to Soldotna and Homer for two inspirational evenings.
Crowe is an inspiring young man, artist, and graduate of the California Institute of the Arts with a degree in Character Animation. He will offer two free public presentations, and a general school assembly in Homer.
Taylor Crowe “My Life With Autism…” free public presentations:

  • SOLDOTNA: Monday, March 19, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., Soldotna Middle School library

  • HOMER: Wednesday, March 21, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., Homer Middle School library (childcare provided)

    • 3/21/12: general school assembly, West Homer Elementary Auditorium, 10:00-10:30 a.m.

Seventy-four students currently receive educational services in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School Special Education eligibility category of autism. Eligibility is based on student needs; students are varied and may be in a general education classroom, a resource classroom, or a contained class.
About Taylor Crowe and his presentation:
Diagnosed with severe autism when he was a preschooler, in the years of public schooling and intense therapy that followed, an extraordinary young man emerged.
Presentation will touch on the areas of his education and upbringing that had the greatest influence on him, vividly describing his evolution from a child given virtually no hope by the physician who diagnosed him, to a grade school student who showed occasional glimmers of promise, to an artistically gifted high school student surrounded by caring friends, to a refreshingly independent young adult who successfully completed a rigorous course of studies at one of the premier art schools in the world.
Focus on the impact teaching professionals, therapists, friends and family have in the daily lives of students with disabilities. He will share details about those specific situations both in and out of school that had the greatest influences on him. He will outline his personal advice to educators and educational assistants about what should and shouldn’t be done in school settings for students with autism.
Describe life from the frame of reference of an individual on the autism spectrum, explaining what life is like to someone who is a visual learner predisposed to interpreting things precisely and literally. Taylor will not describe a “miracle cure” of autism. He explains that he still struggles daily with the challenges his autism presents but emphasizes his conviction that by growing up in a caring and positive environment, he learned that his was a life of capability, not disability.
Share how his specific interests and areas of ability were discovered, nurtured and cultivated, not for any anticipated vocational benefit but as social tools for interacting with mainstream peers.
Coauthor and narrator of The View from Here: My Life with Autism, a video documentary describing his insights about the disorder. He has been the keynote speaker at scores of autism conferences and seminars throughout the United States and Canada, and is one of the individuals with autism featured in the 2010 HBO documentary film A Mother’s Courage: Talking Back to Autism.
Currently finishing a children’s book about autism he and a friend wrote and illustrated. He also draws editorial cartoons for The Southeast Missourian newspaper. In addition to this, he is also preparing a series of lectures about a particular area of interest to him, the history of animated theatrical short cartoons. In 2008 Taylor wrote and animated a short cartoon about the discovery of x-rays for the American Roentgen Ray Society. In his spare time, he paints landscapes.
Links:
Alaska Autism Resource Center
KPBSD Pupil Services
www.TaylorCrowe.com
Facebook: “Autism from the Inside: Taylor Crowe “My Life with Autism””

KPBSD and Alaska Shield 2012 simulation

KPBSD is participating in the Alaska Shield 2012 simulation exercise.
Thank you to staff, Soldotna Middle School, custodians, Student Nutrition Services staff, and locals who will stay at the SMS shelter.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough Office of Emergency Management explains:

The Kenai Peninsula Borough (KPB) is participating in Alaska Shield 2012. Alaska Shield is an annual, state-wide exercise to test the ability of emergency responders to manage disasters and emergencies. Alaska Shield 2012 will SIMULATE a natural gas outage in Soldotna and Sterling during a period of extreme cold. In a real gas outage emergency, many people would have difficulty heating their homes, cooking and so on.
As part of the exercise, an emergency shelter will be established at SMS to provide a refuge for people who would not be able to stay safely in their homes. There will be NO ACTUAL interruption in natural gas service.

In the event of a REAL gas shortage, residents would be requested to:
• Set thermostat at 60 degrees in living areas (55 if away)
• Turn water heater gas valve to “pilot”
• Do not use natural gas fireplaces, decorative heaters or gas grills
• Consolidate household activities into as few rooms as possible
• Use the microwave for cooking
Links:
Kenai Peninsula Borough homeowners: Do you know you can register your cell phone to receive emergency messages?
Aaron Selbig, KBBI reports “Emergency Responders Participate in Alaska Shield 2012”
Peninsula Clarion reports: “Preparedness exercise a good reminder to us all”
Press Release from the Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Management

Great Grocery Grab at Redoubt Elementary

Kids and adults raced Redoubt Elementary halls today…for a good cause!

Principal John Pothast competed against Superintendent Steve Atwater to see who could race the hallways, pushing grocery carts, fill them with cans of food donated by students, and get back to starting position, first.
Dr. Atwater won the blue ribbon for time, wearing his speedy sneakers and sporting a tie headband. Principal Podhast was slowed a bit by his hat of swinging eggs, and a wobbly cart wheel. In the end–everyone wins, as more than one thousand pounds of food is collected for the Food Bank.
The sound was deafening–truly–as children lined the hallways ready to hand off their cans. The littlest kids screamed the loudest in hallways where usually only soft whispers are heard. It’s a good cause to shout out for–providing canned food to the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank.
Thank you Redoubt Elementary! You bring fun and food to our community and help others.
Watch for a story in the local newspaper–last Friday Borough Mayor Mike Navarre competed with Soldotna Mayor Peter Micciche.
See more photos in the Redoubt Elementary photo album.