School news

School board to meet

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education meets at 7 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:

• April 6;

• May 4 (at Seward High School);

• June 1;

• June 2 (Board planning session).

Career and technical training for high school students

KPBSD Career and Tech Department is offering free after school academies to train students in the welding, construction and medical field. Listed below are upcoming academies:

There is a welding academy at Nikiski High School. The students will be building a snow machine trailer. Class days will run March 17th-May 14th, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30-4:30.

A summer construction academy will be taking place at the Workforce Development Center (located behind KCHS). Students will be constructing a greenhouse and a shed. Class days will be May 27th-30th and June 1st-4th from 8:00am-4:00pm.

Also offered this summer is an Emergency Trauma Technician (ETT) academy. The academy will be taking place at the Workforce Development Center (located behind KCHS). Academy days will be May 27th – June 5th from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. This course will cover all areas required to receive certification as an Emergency Medical Technician. The last week of class will be for review and the final exam. If you pass the exam you’ll receive your certification and an ETT patch.

Any high school student is able to participate in any of our academies. If a student successfully completes the 60 hour academy they will receive a ½ practical art credit.

To sign up students can see their counselor, call Tiffany Eck at 714-8884 or go to MailScanner has detected a possible fraud attempt from “onestop.kpbsd.k12.ak.us” claiming to be http://onestop.kpbsd.k12.Alaskaus/

Scholarships available

— The Soldotna Rotary club is offering several $1,000 scholarships to graduating seniors from Cook Inlet Academy, Soldotna and Ninilchik High Schools as well as homeschool graduates. The Soldotna Rotary scholarships are based on the motto of “service above self.” Recipients will be picked based on community service performed during their high school careers. Applications are available at school counselor’s offices or the office of Foster Construction, 265 Wilson Ln. Applications must be received by April 13. GPA or parental financial information is not required. Submit applications and two letters of recommendation to: Soldotna Rotary Club Scholarships, P.O. Box 303 Soldotna, Alaska 99669.

— The Kenai Borough Employees Association scholarship committee is accepting applications for four scholarships of $500. The scholarships are available to all 2015 graduates of the Kenai Peninsula Borough including public, private and home-schooled graduates. Applications and instructions are available from any Kenai Peninsula Borough High School counselor’s office or on the borough’s website at www.borough.kenai.ak.us. Applications can be mailed or dropped off at the Kenai Peninsula Borough, KBEA Scholarship Committee, 144 North Binkley Street, Soldotna. Applications must be postmarked or delivered by March 27.

— The local chapter of the Interational Organization of Philanthropic Educational Opportunities, PEO, is looking for women who are returning to further their education and looking for scholarships for the 2015-16 school year. Applications are available at the financial aid office of Kenai Peninsula College’s Kenai River Campus. PEO’s purpose is to help women reach their goals to improve their lives and the lives of their families through education. The scholarships are offered for a wide range of students including high school graduates to masters and doctorate level education as well as grants and loans. If you are a woman returning after at least one year of college classes, you would be eligible to apply.

— Applications for the Cody Honrud Memorial Scholarship must be received at the Soldotna High School counselors office by April 15. The recipient must be graduating this 2014-2015 school year from Soldotna High School. The student must be accepted as a full-time student by either a business/trade school, apprenticeship program or vocational/technical school in 2015-2016 and carry at least a 2.0 gpa. Pick up an application today at the counselors’ office at Soldotna High School. The winner will be announced April 30.

— The Central Peninsula Hospital Auxiliary has released the application packets for its 2015 High School Senior Scholarships. There will be 2 scholarships awarded at $4,000 each. To be eligible, you must be a member of the Auxiliary, or a dependant of a CPH employee. You must be a senior in high school, and have at minimum a 2.5 GPA. You must also be majoring in a medical career. For more information or an application please come to the Central Peninsula Hospital Gift Shop or call Jim Childers at 907‐714‐4543. The deadline to submit an application is April 17.

Connections Home School Program

This Week:

• 04/06 – TODAY: Soldotna Connections Egg Drop @ 1:30 p.m. (more info below)

• 04/10 – Soldotna Birch Ridge Golf Assoc. Hook A Kid on Golf Applications Due

Upcoming Activities:

• 04/16 – High School Eligibility Due

• 04/17 – Kenai Golf Assoc. Hook A Kid on Golf Applications Due

• 05/06 – Salmon Celebration @ Johnson Lake in Kasilof from 10:00am-2:00pm (more information coming at a later date)

• 05/07 – Talent Show @ SoHi Auditorium @ 5:00 p.m.

• 05/14 – Barren Island Trip

Upcoming Events- Look:

April: Re-Enrollment for 2015/2016 School Year Starts – Please call your Connections Office to make an appointment!

Today @ Soldotna Connections Egg Drop:

We have some very egg-citing news! Monday, April 6, starting at 1:30 p.m. Soldotna Connections will be hosting an egg drop! See attachment for specific rules and requirements. The Easter Bunny will be visiting to drop the eggs from the Connections’ roof! We will also have treats for all the students that participate. Please contact Shelli Furlong: sfurlong@kpbsd.k12.ak.us, if you would like other Egg-citing Eggs-periments!

Hook A Kid on Golf:

The hook a Kid on Golf annual clinic is starting up in the Kenai and Soldotna areas. Attached are applications with more information. This program is for youth age 8-15 years who have never played golf before and do not own a set of clubs. Participants will receive free training along with golf balls, tees, cap, shirt, bag and clubs. There is no cost to participants but there is a limit of 24 students per class. If you would like more information please call Jane Stein at 262-2659.

Connections Talent Show:

The Connections Talent Show has become an event we look forward to each school year. We enjoy seeing the work & success our students are finding outside of the academic realm, and we love giving them a chance to put those talents on display each spring. If your student has a talent they may wish to share at out talent show this year, please contact our talent show coordinator, Mark Wackler, at mwackler@kpbsd.k12.ak.us . The show will be held on May 7 at the Soldotna High School Auditorium at 5:00 p.m. We look forward to seeing you at the 2015 Connections Talent Show!

Barren Island Trip with Rainbow Tours May 14:

Visit the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, and the Barren Islands. Located in the middle of Kennedy Entrance numerous species of wildlife call these islands home during our summer months and will be arriving starting the beginning of May. This is a great opportunity to view pelagic seabirds, whales and more during this over-100 mile round trip. Oceanography, geology, and marine biology will be discussed along the way.

Cost: $150/person with a minimum of 15. This can be deducted from the student allotment if the student has a class on their ILP related to this activity. Parents are welcome but would need to pay out of pocket.

When: Thursday May 14th. Departure is at 7 a.m. with a return of 6 p.m.

Who: This trip is open to High School Connections’ students and their parents with good sea legs.

Please notify Derek Bynagle in the Homer Connections (dbynagle@kpbsd.k12.ak.us <mailto:dbynagle@kpbsd.k12.ak.us> ) office of your interest in this trip as soon as possible or if you have specific questions or concerns.

*Please note that trips can be cancelled in the morning due to rough seas at the Barrens. A possible reroute to Port Chatham would be considered depending on conditions.

Kalifornsky Beach Elementary

The Kenai Peninsula Orchestra is giving out free student tickets for their upcoming Pops Concert on April 10th at the Renee C. Henderson Auditorium. They will be playing Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, and much. This is a great way to introduce your kids to the symphony! Pick up as many student tickets as you would like at the K-Beach office.

K-beach fourth -sixth graders are doing a guitar unit for the next few weeks. If you have a guitar at home and want your child to use it at school, they are welcome to bring it to music class.

• April 10 – Spring Pictures

Kaleidoscope School of Arts and Science

Monday, April 6

• Spring Picture Day-Pictures will begin at 9:15 with sibling pictures from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Only students who have purchased a package will have their pictures taken. Information was sent home over the past 2 weeks with your child and also in the weekly emails.