School board to meet
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education meets at 6 p.m. in the borough building at 148 N. Binkley Street in Soldotna (unless otherwise noted). For more information, call 907-714-8888 or visit kpbsd.k12.ak.us. The agenda and packet items are posted on Wednesday afternoon prior to the date of the Board meeting. Persons with disabilities who need accommodations to participate at the School Board meetings should contact Debbie Tressler at 907-714-8836 or email dtressler@kpbsd.k12.ak.us no later than three business days before the meeting date. The board will meet:
■ Jan. 11;
■ Feb. 1;
■ Feb. 2 (Worksession);
■ March 7;
■ March 21;
■ April 4;
Holidays and vacation days scheduled
■ Jan. 18 — Martin Luther King Jr. Day;
Connections Home School Program
Dates To Remember:
■ Jan. 12 – Kenai Recreation Center Gym Time
■ Jan. 13 – Soldotna: Battle of the Books 3:30-4:25 p.m.
■ Jan. 2016 – Connections Talent Show
Also check out our Connections website for numerous student activities, contests and more. Here are some examples:
— LEGO Robotics Camp and Adventure
— One Arctic: Student Art and Video Contest
— 2016 Name the Maritime State Ferry Sponsored by the Department of Transportation
AIMS Web Assessments for Kindergarten through sixth Grade:
AIMS Web Assessments will be ongoing for the month of January for grades kindergarten through sixth grade. Please contact your local Connections office to schedule an appointment:
Homer Connections: 226-1880 – Call for dates and times
Seward Connections: 224-9080 – Call for dates and times
Soldotna Connections: 714-8880 – Call to reserve your date and time:
■ Jan. 13 at 9-11:30 a.m.
■ Jan. 14 at 1-4 p.m.
■ Jan. 25 at 8–11:30 and 12:30–4 p.m.
EdPerformance Assessments for Grades 5-8:
The EdPerformance Assessment for grades 5-8 window is Jan. 4-29. Here are the Ed Performance Testing Instructions, please complete the assessment by Jan. 29:
— Go to edperformance.com, click on Student Login
— Enter Site ID: 76-7551-2951 (have to enter dashes)
— Choose Test (Math, Reading or Language Arts)
— Enter Student ID without beginning zero (if you need your student’s ID number, please call the office)
— Confirm Student Name, take assessment
— Will prompt when completed to take another assessment. Results are provided by advisors.
Further testing information:
Ed Performance is a standards-based assessment that targets the instructional level of each student. This is accomplished by adjusting question difficulty based on previous answers. If a student answers correctly, the test will increase the item difficulty to appropriately challenge that student. If a student answers incorrectly, the test engine will decrease item difficulty to the lower level skills. This enables Ed Performance to provide an accurate evaluation of the student’s abilities, either at, above, or below grade level. If a student has already taken this assessment it will start out at their previously determined level, often leading to a shorter testing experience than the first attempt.
Most students take about one hour to complete. It may take longer than an hour for students who are advanced and continue to provide correct answers. Please note that some students; particularly advanced students may feel frustrated at some point. To determine a students’ level, some questions will need to be incorrect. It is important for as a teacher to let students know the test is designed to not get all answers correct. Visit with a child and let them know how the test works. Please call an advisor if more information or assistance is needed.
Homer Connections High School Book Club:
Please come join us every week for reading, discussions, quizzes, prizes, coffee or tea, fun, and a whole lot more.
When: Tuesdays from 3:30 – 4:15 p.m.
Where: The Homer Bookstore
Contact: Derek dbynagle@kpbsd.k12.ak.us for more information.
Connections Spelling Bee:
We are pleased to announce that Connections Homeschool is enrolled in the National Spelling Bee this year, continuing with a great tradition. All Connections students in grades third through eighth are encouraged to participate in order to build confidence, increase vocabulary and improve spelling skills.
The local Spelling Bee will be held on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016 at the Soldotna Public Library. The 2016 Alaska State Spelling Bee will be held on Tuesday, March 22, 2016 at the Center for the Performing Arts in Anchorage (PAC).
If your student is interested in participating in the Spelling Bee please contact Carole Nolden at 714-8880 or cnolden@kpbsd.k12.ak.us ASAP. We look forward to hearing from you.
Interior Distance Education of Alaska
Happy New Year from IDEA homeschool. There are several activities planned for students this new year, and families can come in to see updated office space. IDEA now has texting available and students can sign up for this service online.
■ Jan. 12 – National Geographic Bee at the IDEA office – 1 p.m. Make sure to call to reserve a spot, or sign up online.
■ Jan. 15 from 1-3 p.m. There will be a class learning about animals in their winter habitats, classification, behaviors, examination of their fur and more. Then a class will be taken outside to snowshoe on the trail. Evidence of the animals just learned will be sought after. The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge will provide snowshoes if needed. Please make sure to sign up here. The refuge the ages of participating children ahead of time to prepare. This is a free event.
The Battle of the Books is coming. Each competition will be taking place on the dates below at 10:30 a.m. at the IDEA office.
■ Jan. 19 – high school
■ Jan. 20 – middle school
■ Jan. 21 – grades fifth and sixth
■ Jan. 22 – grades third and fourth
Do you have a high school student? Come join us at the IDEA office on Jan. 22 for a hands on workshop for all high school students. Learn how to use AKCIS, a tool to help plan for your future as well as take some personality and interest surveys to discover more about opportunities that lie before you as a young adult. This workshop will be a springboard to finding a direction and focus and how to organize your documents, projects and experiences to best help you succeed in future endeavors.
IDEA Schedule:
— 9:30-11:30 a.m. – Intro to AKCIS – Students will make personal portfolios, take skill and interest surveys and review the checklists for their grade levels.
— 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. – LUNCH provided by IDEA
— 12–1 p.m.– Career and College Exploration – Students will begin a search of possible opportunities that fit with their interests and skills. There will be the chance to explore colleges, vocational training options, military, apprenticeships, and self-employment.
— 1-2 p.m. – Parents join at the school for a wrap up –Students will share what they have created and how it will be helpful in the future. IDEA staff will share other resources such as checklists, testing information, FAFSA and APS info.
— 2-3 p.m.- Seniors only Time – Graduation Meeting – All Seniors will want to stay to learn about graduation and what to expect in this last semester of high school.
■ Jan. 26 at 1:30-3:30 p.m. is salmon dissection day. We will have expert instruction and teaching from a fishery biologist who works for AK Fish and Game. Sign ups are needed for this opportunity so Fish and Game can come prepared with the proper amount of salmon. Please sign up on the Region K Blog.
Once you have registered online, you will receive an e-mail with instructions on how to participate in the meeting. Internet and telephone access are required.
For more information on the APS, go to APS.alaska.gov or contact ACPE Customer Service at (800) 441-2962,option #2.
■ Jan. 31 – Art in the Capitol artwork due. The theme for 2016 is Land and Sea – landscapes and seascapes. This is an excellent opportunity to display a child’s quality artwork in the halls of the Capitol building in Juneau for our governor, legislators, Alaskans, and visitors to see and appreciate.
Please remember to check webmail or Region K Blog and to sign up for these events.
■ Jan. 11 — 4:15 p.m. APC work session on bylaw review
■ Jan. 12 — 8:35 a.m. PTA Meeting
— 9:15 a.m. PTA Brunch for all members and those interested in learning more about PTA. Everyone is welcome.
■ Jan. 13 — 9 a.m. Yearbook Committee meeting in the computer lab
■ Jan. 14
— Third and fourth graders will go to the Triumvirate Theatre. Look for more information coming home in Friday folders.
■ Jan. 16 — 3 p.m. Linked Up Concert at the Renee Henderson Auditorium at KCHS.
Upcoming Events
■ Jan. 18 – No School
■ Jan. 25 – APC meeting at 4:15 p.m. (new meeting date)
■ Feb. 4-5 – No School due to Parent – Teacher Conferences
■ Jan. 15 and are due by Feb. 12 — Re-enrollment forms will be mailed. Every student must return this form to indicate he or she is returning in the Fall or will not be returning.
Reminders
— The Life Skill we are focusing on this week is Initiative; To do something, of one’s own free will, because it needs to be done.
— If a child arrives after 9:10 a.m., please come in and sign him or her in at the office.
— If a parent would like to be a volunteer, be sure to complete your background check and volunteer training. Go to kaleidoscope.blogs.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/wpmu/volunteers and click the link to the background check. Please allow up to two weeks for this to clear. The next link on the page will take users to the Online Volunteer Training. These two steps must be completed in order to volunteer at Kaleidoscope. Completed Volunteer Indemnification forms are needed 48 hours before all field trips.
Kalifornsky Beach Elementary
This week’s Box Tops winners are Hannah Crabtree and Ryker Wilson. Way to go, Caribou.
K-Beach third grade students are teaming up with several local schools to sing and play recorders with the Kenai Peninsula Orchestra on Jan. 16 through the Carnegie Hall Link Up program. Performance starts at 3 p.m. Free admission.
Mr. Daniels’s class is trying to solve a mystery. They read about a lost rabbit named Snowball and the owner is trying to find it. They are learning about how animals respond to their environment in science. The information they learn, will help them to make sense of the clues around the owner’s house. They hope to use their newfound knowledge to reunite Snowball with its owner. Mr. Daniels’s class will also be working with ceramics. They will learn some vocabulary that is used in making clay projects, as well as the steps used in creating works of art from clay.
Kenai Central High
■ Jan. 12
— Basketball (Home) vs Soldotna High School 3, 4:30, 6 and 7:30 p.m.
■ Jan. 14:
— Hockey at Colony High School 7 p.m.
— Boys Basketball (Home) vs. Ninilchik 5:30 p.m. (Endowment Game)
— Friday, Jan. 15:
— Hockey at Wasilla 7 p.m.
— Girls Basketball (Home) vs West High School 3, 4:30 and 6 p.m.
— Cross Country Skiing at Wasilla
■ Dec. 5: Hockey at Palmer 2:30 p.m.
— Girls Basketball Ball (Home) vs Diamond High School 10, 11:30 and 1 p.m.
— Cross Country Skiing at Wasilla
Mountain View Elementary
The PTA will be meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 12 at 4 p.m. in the Library.
Mountain View fourth grade students will be performing “Linkup: The Orchestra Rocks” with the Kenai Peninsula Orchestra on Saturday in the auditorium at Kenai Central High School. Students need to be at the high school at 1:30 p.m. for rehearsal and the concert will begin at 3 p.m. Students should wear their Mountain View t-shirts. Please call the office at 283-8600 if you have any questions.
■ Monday, Jan. 18, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, is a vacation day. There is no school for students.
■ The Mountain View Site Council will meet on Thursday, Jan. 21 at 4 p.m. in the Library.
■ Pajama Day is Friday, Jan. 22.
Congratulations to our Soaring Eagles for the month of December. They are Koby Anderson, Lilliana Brewer, Hope Broussard, Clayton Cooper, Tait Cooper, Lila Drobnick, Briggs Guymon, Annabelle Jennings, Vaughn Johnson, Andrew Love, Tiffany Mason, Ellsi Miller, Winter Morris, Leia Parkki, Gunnar Stanley, Tyler Van Sky, Buddy Ward and Alexa Warley.
The school staff would like to thank everyone that helped make our 2015 Christmas Drive a success. This year the school was able to provide Christmas dinner, toys, and winter clothing for 50 families, including 139 children. Generosity made this all possible. Thank you.
Nikiski Middle-High
Welcome back and Happy New Year. Second semester is off to a busy start in the Middle school with the start of the volleyball, wrestling, and cross country skiing. Students are hard at work in the classroom.
The High School boys basketball team traveled to Kona, Hawaii over the break to compete in a tournament. The competition was great including some Hawaii and California teams and a team from Australia. The Nikiski boys took second place in the tournament finishing 5 – 1. It was a fantastic experience for the team.
Coming up:
The 27th Annual Nikiski Tip Off Tournament will be held Jan. 14–16. Teams from Bethel, Kodiak, Dillingham and Homer will be here for the tournament. Come out and support the Bulldogs. For a complete schedule please visit our school website.
■ Jan. 14
— Varsity Girls Basketball vs. Kodiak – 5:45 p.m.
— Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Dillingham – 7:15 p.m.
■ Jan. 15
— Middle School Wrestling at Kenai – 3 p.m.
— High School Cross Country Skiing at Kenai Invite – weather permitting
— C Team basketball vs. Seward. Girls at 3 p.m. Boys at 4:30 p.m. Games will be played in the commons gym.
— Varsity Girls Basketball vs. Homer – 5:45 p.m.
— Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Homer – 7:15 p.m.
■ Jan. 16
— Varsity Girls Basketball vs. Bethel – 3 p.m.
— Varsity Boys Basketball vs. Bethel – 4:30 p.m.
Nikiski North Star Elementary
Welcome back to all of our NNS students, families and staff. We hope that each of you had a restful and enjoyable break.
In December, students participated in the ‘Hour of Code’ challenges which enables students to work on block programming commands to complete a variety of increasingly difficult missions.
New programming challenges centered around Minecraft and Star Wars were available to challenge students. Several students completed all the mission challenges and might one day make excellent computer programmers. Quest teacher, Brian Bailey, was the NNS coordinator for this challenge.
Mrs. Baker’s and Mrs. Controneo’s class will be taking a weekly trip to the lake behind the school to participate in a STEM project studying the biodiversity of our schoolyard.
They will make scientific observations of the area as it changes over the seasons. Students will collect macro-invertebrates to test the health of the water and compare their findings from other bodies of water throughout the year. With the help of trail cameras, they will also be able to see what kind of animals visit our school area.
■ Site council meeting today in the staff lounge at 3:45 p.m.
■ Saturday, Jan. 16, third grade Link-Up concert with the Kenai Peninsula Orchestra. This will be an interactive performance. Students will have the chance to play a recorder, sing, listen to different families of the orchestra and experience the musicality that exists in both singers and instrumentalists. Students must arrive at Kenai Central High School no earlier or no later than 1:45 p.m. Mrs. Faris will meet them there and they do not need to bring anything. Rehearsal will begin at 1:45 p.m. and the actual concert will start at 3 p.m. If there are any questions, please call Mrs. Faris at 776-2634.
Redoubt Elementary
Box Tops/Labels for Education Winners last week were: Xander Fain, Jadyn Seifert and Natalee Strouse. Keep those Box Tops for education and Labels for education coming, weekly drawings are held so don’t forget to have a hild put their name on the back of each Box Top and turn them in at school. Help earn money for our school.
Support Redoubt Elementary while you shop at Fred Meyer. Every time a user shop with a linked Rewards Card at Fred Meyer, they are helping Redoubt Elementary earn a donation. And the more supporters who link their Rewards Cards to Redoubt Elementary the more we can earn. To link a Rewards account go to: fredmeyer.com
Yearbooks – Pre-order forms have been sent home with students. Only 175 books have been ordered, so make sure to get your order form and payment ($15) submitted.
Fun Fest – Jan. 29, 3:30 p.m. -5 p.m. All attending students must turn in a permission slip. Volunteers are needed for this event, please call the school office if you are interested in volunteering.
Redoubt PTA Winter Carnival will be held Saturday, Jan. 20 12-4 p.m. This event will be open to the public. Volunteers are needed, for more information on how you can help please contact Stephanie Belger at sbelger@kpbsd.k12.ak.us
■ Jan. 18 – No School –– Vacation Day
■ Jan. 27 – 9 a.m. Geography Bee – Redoubt Gym.
■ Feb. 3 – Early Release Day – Students will be released at 1:45 p.m.
■ Feb. 4 and 5 - Parent Teacher Conferences – No School for students.
■ Feb. 11 – 9:30 a.m. Spelling Bee –Redoubt Gym.
■ Feb. 20 – Redoubt PTA Winter Carnival noon-4 p.m.
Skyview Middle
Wrestling, Nordic Skiing and Intramural Volleyball are underway.
— Wresting – First scheduled meet is Friday at Kenai at 3 p.m.
— Nordic Skiing – First scheduled meet is Friday, Jan. 22 at Kenai at 3 p.m.
— Intramural Volleyball – ends Friday, Jan. 22. Competitive volleyball begins Monday, Jan. 25.
A complete sports schedule can be found online by visiting the Skyview Middle School KPBSD Web Homepage at skyviewmiddleschool.blogs.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/wpmu
Upcoming Events:
■ Jan. 11 – Site Council Meeting, Staff Lounge, 3:30 p.m.
■ Jan. Jan. 18 – No school for students and staff
Alexis Gomes was chosen as the Dec. 7 Grade Chamber Student of the Month. Alexis will be honored at the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Tuesday, Jan. 26 at Froso’s Restaurant at 12 p.m. Congratulations Alexis.
Skyview Student Council would like to thank everyone who attended our Holiday Activity Night. A great time was had by all and we especially appreciate everyone who brought in food donations for their admission fee. Congratulations to our Limbo Winners – Camden Langley and Avery Hart. Camden has five consecutive limbo wins. Also, congrats to Candy Jar Guesses winners: Felix, Gracie Bass, Amanda Wylie, Jacey Kosto, and Kaylee Fann. Special thanks to all of our staff and parent volunteers as well as all of our StuCo volunteers who helped make the event such a success.
Congratulations to our winners of the Holiday Food Drive to benefit the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank. Mr. Dandliker’s first-hour seventh grade class brought in 188 food items and Mr. Carson’s first-hour eighth grade class had 179 food items. And Honorable Mention shout out to Ms. Hadaway’s and Mr. Whitney’s combined efforts that accumulated 132 items. Altogether, Skyview Middle School donated 1,234 pounds of food to the Food Bank. Great job, Panthers.
Heard about all the great things Student Council does at Skyview Middle? Interested in being part of it? Our second semester membership window is Jan. 5-13. If a student is not currently a member and would like to be, please pick up a Member Commitment Contract outside Mrs. Pothast’s classroom and return the form with the necessary signatures by Wednesday. Questions? See Mrs. Pothast in room C106.
Soldotna Elementary
Mark your calendars for these upcoming events:
■ Jan. 18 Martin Luther King Jr. Day- No School
■ Jan. 26 Gymnastics Performance (fifth and sixth grades) at 4 p.m.in the gym
■ Jan. 27 Spelling Bee at 2 p.m. in the gym
Soldotna High School
As of Jan 1, 2016 the FAFSA for the 2016-2017 school year is now open and available at fafsa.gov. The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is the form that colleges use to determine a student’s financial need, taking into account both student and parent income. Every high school senior should file a FAFSA regardless of income, as many scholarships, including the Alaska Performance Scholarship, require that the student complete the FAFSA before award funds are released. If a parent and student would like free assistance in completing the FAFSA, please attend the FAFSA Completion Event on Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. at Kenai Peninsula College. For more information, please contact Emily Knight at 260-7083 or emily.knight@alaska.gov.
The Soldotna High School PTSA will meet in the SoHi Staff Lounge at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. New members are welcome and we hope you’ll mark your calendars and plan to attend. Questions? Please contact Sheilah-Margaret Pothast at agr8fulmom@hotmail.com and include “SoHi PTSA” in the subject line.
Soldotna High School PTSA is looking for parents, students, school staff, and community members who want to make a positive difference. Being involved in PTSA provides an opportunity for networking with others who want to support our school, as well as opportunities to be informed about all the great things happening at our school. Membership is $10 per year and membership forms can be picked up/dropped off at the school office. If interested in joining PTSA, contact Sheilah-Margaret Pothast at agr8fulmom@hotmail.com or attend our next meeting on Thursday, Jan. 14 at 5:30 p.m. in the SoHi Staff Lounge.
Soldotna High School PTSA’s primary fundraiser is the Fred Meyer Rewards Program. It’s easy to sign up and makes a big difference for our PTSA and our school. Visit fredmeyer.com with a Rewards Program number and select Soldotna High School PTSA. It’s quick and simple and will make a positive impact just by doing everyday shopping.
Soldotna Stars Letterman Jackets are available to order at neffco.com. Click on Varsity Jackets, find our school by State, select Soldotna High School, starting at $149 you can personalize it anyway you would like. Any questions contact Heather Parkki, 260-7022.
The Media Center is open until 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. There are buses at 4:15 p.m. for those students working in the Media Center. If a student were to stay after school and would need a bus home at 4:15 p.m. please contact Tamra Wear at 260.7036 or twear@kpbsd.k12.ak.us to give her the bus drop off location for your student.
ATOSS tutoring will start in the Library on Aug. 25 and run until May 4 from 2:30-3:30 p.m.
There are two ways to order a transcript. Each way serves a different purpose. If you need a transcript sent to a college or NCAA or a similar agency, then you will need to log on to: parchment.com to order transcripts to be sent. The request is then forwarded to SoHi. After processing, it then goes through cyberspace rather than the US mail to get to its destination, which is much faster. All transcripts that are headed for NCAA, colleges, etc. have to be processed this way. Final Transcripts. A final transcript is one that shows your second semester grades If a student orders a transcript when the school is in second semester the student will need to make sure to choose “next grading period” when they go on to Parchment that way a transcript request will wait until the grades are in at the end of the year before it is sent.
Soldotna Prep
The Soldotna High School PTSA will meet in the SoHi Staff Lounge at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 14. New members are welcome and we hope you’ll mark your calendars and plan to attend. Questions? Please contact Sheilah-Margaret Pothast at agr8fulmom@hotmail.com and include “SoHi PTSA” in the subject line.
The Lego Adventures camp is geared toward 6-9 year old students and the robotics camp is geared toward 10-14 year old students. The camps are $35 per student and will be held on the following dates: Jan 16. There is a registration capacity of 12 students per camp. Please email Mrs. McGlothen at kmcglothen@kpbsd.k12.ak.us for more information or to register your student(s).
Check SOPREP school blog for important information and updates: soldotnaprep.blogs.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/wpmu
The Soldotna High School PTSA will meet in the SoHi Staff Lounge at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 14. New members are welcome and we hope you’ll mark your calendars and plan to attend. Questions? Please contact Sheilah-Margaret Pothast at agr8fulmom@hotmail.com and include “SoHi PTSA” in the subject line.
The Study
“The Study is excited to announce that it’s expansion in the 2015-16 school year has been an absolute success. Not only are they offering Academic Pre-K and Kindergarten, but have also added first through third grade. If your little one is not receiving highly academic, direct instruction, call The Study to inquire about how to enroll in their year-long programs.
For the older students, The Study offers the following:
— Homework Club on Mondays & Wednesdays from 4-6 p.m.
— High School Courses for Credit: Algebra 1 and 2, Geometry, Alaska Studies, Government, Art Exploration, Spanish, ASL
— Private & Group Tutoring in all subjects
— Piano, Voice, and Guitar Lessons
— SAT Prep
— A wide variety of workshops, such as Jr. High Math, Mastery of Multiplication, Excellence in Writing, Ground School, Study Skills, and even Summer School
As an accredited private school and learning center, The Study is committed to meeting the educational needs of the Kenai Peninsula.
Mark your calendars on the following dates:
• Jan. 13 – Art Exploration class begins.
• Jan. 24 – The Study’s Amazing Race at the Winter Games”
Tustumena Elementary
• Jan. 5, 6, 7 Lynx Track Ice Skating at Soldotna Sports Center,
• Jan. 18 No School,
• Jan. 19 PTO Meeting, 4 p.m.,
• Jan. 25 Site Council Meeting, 4 p.m.,
• Jan. 25–29, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Kindergarten Pre-Registration for 2016/17 School Year.
