Tag: special education

New School Year Letter to KPBSD Special Education Families

info: Read about the three options available to every KPBSD student to attend school during the 2020-2021 school year

August 11, 2020
Dear Parents and Guardians,

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District (KPBSD) is committed to turn challenges into opportunities, and ensure that every student with a disability will have access to their peers as well as core instruction, curriculum, and learning. With the opening of the 2020-2021 school year, we want you to be reassured that KPBSD learned through the experiences from this past spring, and there will be increased rigor and accountability with service delivery and instruction for all learners, including students with disabilities.

KPBSD Student Support Services is preparing and planning to provide an excellent education to our students with Individual Education Programs (IEPs) when school opens in August. With this comes increased measures to ensure the health and safety for all students and staff. The spring of 2020 raised a challenge that no one was prepared for when COVID19 closed schools to students. We acknowledge that emergency remote learning was implemented with varying degrees of success throughout our school district, the state, and country.

Now more than ever, communication and collaboration between teachers, parents and students is vital. To that end, please note:

  • We will continue to encourage meeting options that reduce exposure and risks
  • Meetings should be held via video conferencing (Zoom or Skype) or telephonically
  • Staff will reach out to you to determine the best way for your student’s meetings to occur
  • Your student’s special education case manager, in partnership with you, will construct a remote learning plan that will address service delivery, accommodations, related services and supports in order to help your child make progress towards their IEP goals

Our school district has a long history of turning challenges into opportunities. Successfully educating over 8,800 students distributed amongst 42 schools of varying grade level configurations and enrollment, six different school calendars, and spread across 25,600 square miles, encompassing 17 distinct communities (of which four are fly in only) is one example of how KPBSD overcomes challenges.

Plans will account for changes in education delivery modes if COVID19 risk levels change to high in communities or schools, and as we navigate the 2020-2021 school year. If you believe an IEP meeting is necessary, please reach out and communicate this with your child’s school team. We are here for you.

Together, we each must acknowledge that this school year will be different from any school year in the past.  Together, as partners, we will help set students and staff up for a successful school year. KPBSD will work closely with our families and students, in order to meet their individual and unique needs. By becoming even more resilient, creative, and flexible in this time of uncertainty, we are confident that each of us can and will navigate through this global pandemic, and most importantly, quality education and support for our students with disabilities will occur.

It is our intent, desire, and mission to support our students and families. If you need more information or have questions or concerns, kindly contact your school team or Student Support Services office at 907-714-8881.

Kind regards,

Amy Hagen, Director of Student Support Services, together with the Student Support Services Administrative Team

KPBSD Student Support Services webpage

August 2020 KPBSD-COVID19-New School Year Letter-to-Special-Education-parents-and-guardians
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Special education student grade rate on the rise!

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Students receiving special education services in the KPBSD continue to find success!

In the most recent reporting year (2016-2017), 73 percent of students receiving special education services in the KPBSD graduated within four years! The State of Alaska graduation rate is 58.7 percent.

“A graduation rate this high is not something seen in the state of Alaska, and is high for anywhere in the United States. The reported graduation rate includes the three to five percent of students receiving special education services who stay past four years of school due to the significance of their disability, participation in secondary work transition program such as Project Search, or as part of a plan to develop more independent living skills prior to leaving school.” –Clayton Holland, KPBSD Director of Pupil Services

Statistically, students receiving special education services in the United States are significantly more likely to be at risk of receiving a long-term suspension (three to five times as likely for some subgroups). However, according to the most recent disproportionality in special education report, in comparison to other students, KPBSD students receiving special education services are less than half as likely to receive long-term suspensions.
Mr. Holland attributes both the high graduation rate and low student discipline rate to targeted and ongoing professional development and training, staff collaboration, and the development of a positive district culture that take responsibility for every student. Most importantly, Holland says, “we have teachers, paraprofessionals, related services providers, families, and community partners who believe our students can achieve and find success in school and in life, and then they take the steps to help that happen.”
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District and has been able to show that the steps we take to provide positive outcomes for our most at risk learners also equates to increased success for all students, and for our community.
KPBSD Pupil Services
 

Celebrate Aaron Gordon, 2018 Kenai BP Education Ally

2018 Kenai Education Ally
Nate Crabtree, K-Beach Elementary was in on a secret, and made up a story to bring Mr. Aaron Gordon to the BP Teachers of Excellence celebration. During the evening awards, Mr. Gordon discovered he was the 2018 Kenai Education Ally when Superintendent Dusek began reading about him!
“Our Educational Ally works with young students in an intensive-needs, structured classroom.
The teachers who work with this ally say the individual is enormously patient and flexible when dealing with difficult personalities or situations involving conflict, refusals or multiple health impairments.
This ally is tolerant of the children’s differences and cool-headed in tough situations. What’s more, this person is also really fun to be around. A film major at University of Alaska Fairbanks, this ally runs an after-school film club that has become hugely popular and accommodates students affected by autism, enabling them to engage in positive social interaction with their peers.
Fluent in sign language, this person can often be seen carrying on conversations with hearing-impaired students, helping to broaden their vocabulary and simply adding a bit of laughter to their day with corny jokes or lengthy discussions of Pokemon.
For many years, our Educational Ally has been a counselor at the Royal Family Summer Camp, an intensive and successful opportunity for local foster children. Many of these children have very tough backgrounds, and when they return to school, they invariably seek out this person as a safe and positive staff member, and have better transitions back into the school routine.
This ally is so approachable and fun that staff and students alike are glad he’s at the school. This person was nominated for this award by the teachers he works with, perhaps the best evidence we have that he is truly an Educational Ally.”
“I believe Aaron Gordon makes a difference in public education because he brings in the experience and skillset of an award winning filmmaker to the classroom setting,” said Nate Crabtree, principal. “This is evident in the high quality videos he helps created to promote positive school culture, the after school film club that he started to introduce elementary students to film and using his expertise to enhance the educational experience for a homebound student.”
“I am very proud of Aaron Gordon,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “He ensures a strong, positive relationship with each and every student. Mr. Gordon is very deserving of this recognition and I look forward to his continued excellence and leadership in our district.”
Congratulations to Kalifornsky Beach Elementary’s Aaron Gordon, BP Educational Ally

Amelia and Stella video convo #TaylorSwift

Dear Taylor Swift, kindly meet Amelia and Stella, two very special teens from Homer High School, in Homer, Alaska. You inspire Stella to be herself, and you brighten her life everyday.  
My name is Amelia Springer and I compiled this video for my friend Stella, who says she is the #1 Taylor Swift fan! I love watching Stella dance and sing to Taylor Swift songs at lunch and thought how amazing it would be if Stella ever got the chance to meet her in person.
Stella has down syndrome and I have a rare type of ectodermal dysplasia, AEC, which is a skin condition and was #21 in the world diagnosed with my specific type.

“I want this video to show people that we are individuals outside of our conditions, because I often feel that medical conditions are looked at from the medical side of things and I want people to see the brilliant minds and personalities  behind the conditions.” – Amelia Springer

Although Stella and I both have our syndromes we don’t let them define us, which is my goal for this video.
My other goal for this video is for it to possibly reach Taylor Swift so Stella experience her dream of meeting her!

So please like this video and share it!
Let’s see how far this gets!

Stella and Maria (2)

PE: a vision impaired bowman learns skills

Unassumingly, everyday, KPBSD staff goes the extra mile for their students, and often we never hear about it. This #GoldenMoment took place before school started, one winter day in Soldotna, Alaska.
Before school hours, Malikhi Hansen, a Soldotna High School vision impaired student, made a visit to Redoubt Elementary, a neighboring school.
With Granger Nyboer, KPBSD vision specialist, Joe Shirley, his special education aide, and under the direction of Donny Joachim, physical education teacher and archery specialist,  Malikhi received memorable lessons.
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2016 Inclusive Practices Award goes to Nikiski special education team

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Contact: Pegge Erkeneff, 907.714.8888

News Release
KPBSD team from Nikiski awarded top state recognition

Soldotna, February 19, 2016—A team of six KPBSD employees make a difference every day at Nikiski Middle-High School for their students with disabilities. Recognizing excellence, the Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education awarded the 2016 Inclusive Practices Award to Megan Fowler, and her team of Zach Nerison, Jen O’Brien, Kristin Peek, Kally Seater, Angela Smith, and Kristina Stadelman.

Nikiski Middle-High Team: L-R Front: Kally Seater, Megan Fowler Back: Kristina Stadelman, Angela Smith, Zach Nerison, Jen O’Brien, Kristin Peek
Nikiski Middle-High Team: L-R Front: Kally Seater, Megan Fowler
Back: Kristina Stadelman, Angela Smith, Zach Nerison, Jen O’Brien, Kristin Peek

A team of six KPBSD employees make a difference every day at Nikiski Middle-High School for their students with disabilities. Recognizing excellence, the Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education awarded the 2016 Inclusive Practices Award to Megan Fowler, and her team of Zach Nerison, Jen O’Brien, Kristin Peek, Kally Seater, Angela Smith, and Kristina Stadelman.
“The culture of Nikiski Middle-High School is to include all students in our academics and activities no matter their skills, abilities, or talents,” said Dan Carstens, principal. “Megan Fowler and her team embody this culture and continue to serve as examples for inclusive practices to their peers.”

 Megan Fowler
“Our team has a shared philosophy that exceptional students are limited only by what educators imagine is possible for them. This award honors the philosophy of celebrating abilities.”
 Jen O’Brien
“I’m honored to be a piece of the puzzle! A puzzle that easily fits together at Nikiski High School. I went into the field of Special Education for the outcome and although outcomes can take a bit longer in my field, it’s fun trying to plan success for all of our kiddos. Teaching these special thinkers and celebrating their victories is so rewarding!”
 Kristin Peek
“It is such an honor to receive this award. This job can be so diversified that it takes us all working very hard together and with our school staff. It is very mentally and physically demanding, but the rewards are far greater than I’ve ever experienced in other positions. This is what makes it worth doing year after year!”
 Kally Seater
“The students are what make our job amazing. I am inspired by their eagerness to deal with daily challenges and overcome them. This team works together and has great support from our administrators. I am very grateful to receive this award.”
Angela Smith
“It is an honor to be recognized for the hard work our students and staff do each day. It is truly a team effort supported by our whole school. True inclusion rewards everyone it touches, and spreads into the community. I am proud to see the ripple effect in their self-esteem and endurance to try their best every day. Congrats to all fourteen nominees – your programs all make a difference.”
 Kristina Stadelman
“Our classroom has been successful because of all of the assistance we have received from people available to help in our district.”

The 2016 Inclusive Practices Award recognizes outstanding educators who work to ensure students with disabilities have the opportunity for an inclusive education in the general education curriculum. The nominations are based on the following activities that assure a positive learning environment for all:

  • Involving parents as equal partners in their child’s education
  • Encouraging student’s self-determination
  • Emphasizing inclusive practices amongst peers and others
  • Providing leadership in sharing the values of inclusion
  • Designing support services that enable access to the regular curriculum
  • Modifying programs or curricula as needed

This year’s award was presented February 9, 2016, at a luncheon at the Hilton Hotel in Anchorage. The Statewide Special Education Conference (ASSEC) was attended by more than 200 special education educators, administrators, parents and advocates from all over the state.
“We are so proud of the team at Nikiski Middle-High School for winning this award,” said Clayton Holland, director of pupil services. “This team has been relentless in their pursuit of providing the best possible education for their students. This award is an honor for this team, for the Nikiski staff, and for all the special education teachers and support staff in the KPBSD that provide countless hours and work toward educating students with disabilities.”
“I am very proud of our special education staff and extremely excited that we continue to have school teams recognized through the Statewide Inclusive practices program,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “The team from Nikiski exemplifies what happens across our district and this team of Bulldogs really deserve this recognition for all of their hard work with our students.”
Over the past year and a half, Nikiski Middle-High School has turned a corner in regard to their special education mindset,” said Elizabeth Falk, pupil services program manager. “As a result of Ms. Fowler’s resolve, and the support of our district office, the Intensive Needs classroom has shifted the thinking throughout the entire Nikiski community. While working with some of the most challenging students, this group of administrators, teachers, and paraprofessionals model a truly inclusive educational model. Students now participate across all school settings: in the lunchroom, gym and even in extra-curricular activities such as the wrestling team. For inclusion to work, educational practices must be child-centered—this classroom reflects that. The team has discovered where each of their students are academically, socially, and culturally to determine how best to facilitate individualized learning.”
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