KPBSD Communications Field Notes
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District | Sharing Stories ~ Learn, Connect, Engage

What are your sources of strength?
Take care KPBSD. These are challenging times, and everyone is stretching this week. It is valuable to pause to check in with yourself, family members, and friends. Sources of Strength (SOS) program is in many KPBSD middle and high schools, and focuses on positive protective factors in our lives, such as trusted adults and mentors, healthy activities, and positive friends. These strengths aid students and everyone to develop help-seeking behaviors, coping mechanisms, and resilience that can assist overcoming difficulty and adversity in daily life, and increase health, happiness, and well-being. What are your sources of strength?
Idea: Think about which two are strongest for you today, then make time for a meaningful conversation about sources of strength with your family and friends. This can be a helpful way to check-in with each other.

Happy Census Day, Alaska!
Alaska Counts shares: “No, today is not the deadline for responding to the Census – that’s August 14. Technically, when you respond to the Census, you tell the Census Bureau where you live as of April 1, 2020, so that is why we celebrate it as Census Day. Which you can do right now at 2020census.gov or by calling 1-844-330-2020. It’s safe, quick, and really important for the future of our state. We love you, Alaska. Wash your hands. Stay home. Respond to the Census. #alaskacounts #everyalaskancounts #census2020

Helpful Resources for KPBSD families:

• “Get and Go” Free meals for students: to sign-up or change your order, call 714-8890.
• KPBSD Remote Learning Resources For Parents
• Internet Access Resources for students and educators

Links

• COVID-19 and KPBSD webpage
• KPBOEM (JIC) website
• KPBalerts Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KPBAlerts/
• Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Covid-19 webpage

For non-clinical COVID-19 related questions call 2-1-1 or 1-800-478-2221, or contact your health provider

March 31, 2020 KPBSD Update

To our parents and students, day two of remote learning is a wrap! Are you energized, exhausted, frustrated, inspired? We know it may be bumpy, and it will get easier. KPBSD staff had two intense weeks to prepare for the beginning of this huge shift to deliver education on the Kenai Peninsula. Now, it is your time for that learning curve of the newness and figuring everything out. Be patient, reach out to your school staff or principal, and know that together we can and will do this—for all our families and youth. #GrowthMindset

Starting today, a few times a week KPBSD will share a short spotlight about “virtual schooling and remote learning activities” in KPBSD. Today, take a look at Mrs. Beck’s Fantastic 5^th Seward Elementary virtual classroom and story!

It is critically important to practice responsible social distancing. Today, during a briefing to the nation, Dr. Deborah L. Birx said, “Each of our behaviors will change the course of this virus in the next 30 days.”

Thank you to Alex France for her Social Distancing for Alaskans graphic:

Helpful Resources for KPBSD families:

• “Get and Go” Free meals for students: to sign-up or change your order, call 714-8890.
• KPBSD Remote Learning Resources For Parents
• Internet Access Resources for students and educators

Links

• COVID-19 and KPBSD webpage
• KPBOEM (JIC) website
• KPBalerts Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KPBAlerts/
• Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Covid-19 webpage

For non-clinical COVID-19 related questions call 2-1-1 or 1-800-478-2221, or contact your health provider

Mrs. Beck’s Seward Elementary Room 308 virtual classroom

March 31, 2020:
“My students are doing a phenomenal job! We have been using Canvas and Google all year long, so I wasn’t worried about student abilities. Once we got the students access to Chromebooks, my worries were over! 

One of the best features I am incorporating is a Mrs. Beck Help Time. I created a recurring Zoom meeting from 12:45-3:15 for students to hop in and out when they need help. I love being able to share my screen! This eliminates all the emails and other messages! It is also a time for kiddos who need me for social emotional needs or who just want to be in the room with someone. 

This is Personalized Learning at its finest! Being the Personalized Learning #PLChamp for our school, as well as being certified in Google, really helped our staff! I was able to train them on multiple platforms! 

Visit Mrs. Beck’s Seward Elementary Room 308 virtual classroom

Hello everyone!

This is going to be one of the most important tools you (student and parent) will be using during the School Away From School! Anything, I mean ANYTHING and everything we do in the virtual classroom will be added to this page!

Each of the tabs has all the necessary information you will need. Most pages have buttons or hyperlinks (words that are underlined or pictures you can click on) that will take you directly to the designated site). This page is published for ANYONE to view.

*If you click on my bitmoji in the top left corner, it will bring you back to the Home page! This site will be edited and republished by 8am each Monday! I may, however, make changes during the week, but the site will still be available to you!*

Mrs. Beck

Links
William H. Seward Elementary School on Facebook
Personalized Learning in KPBSD
PL Champs in KPBSD

KPBSD added new pickup points for “Get and Go” meals!
Seward: Mile 0 and Bear Creek Fire
Soldotna: Funny River Fire Station
If you are currently picking up your meals at another site and would like to change or be added to one of these sites, kindly call 714-8890.

Helpful Resources for KPBSD families:

• KPBSD Remote Learning Resources For Parents
• Internet Access Resources for students and educators

Links

• COVID-19 and KPBSD webpage
• Check your risk for coronavirus: https://c19check.com/start
• Kenai Peninsula Borough Joint Information Center (JIC) website
• KPBalerts Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KPBAlerts/
• Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Covid-19 webpage
• DHSS Facebook

Learn more about how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at coronavirus.alaska.gov

For non-clinical related questions please call 2-1-1 or 1-800-478-2221, or contact your health provider

###

School begins Monday!
These next few months will require a growth mindset for each of us. Your school district staff is here to help you as together we navigate the shift to virtual schooling and remote learning activities. We have an opportunity to learn together, and ask you to join in this historic time to learn, stretch, and discover things we did not know we could do!

Message from the KPBSD Instructional Team

Dear Parents & Students,

Thank you for your understanding, flexibility, and most importantly, your trust in our teachers and staff to continue to hold your student’s best interests close as we navigate through these truly historic times!

KPBSD educators are working carefully to:

• Ensure students have an appropriate balance of online and offline work so students do not spend too much time in front of a computer.
• Define appropriate amounts of work for students to perform in a Remote Learning environment. This link describes workload descriptions, separated by grade spans with time recommendations.
• Ensure every student has access to learning materials and activities, regardless of computer and internet access at home.

Although delivery of our Remote Learning instruction will primarily take place online, parents and students will have access to hard copies of materials as needed. Principals and teachers are working directly with parents, and there are various options for both delivery of material, as well as returning completed work back to teachers. Kindly work with your student’s teacher, or principal, for arrangements that work for your family situation.

As school districts around our state and nation begin shifting where and how instruction happens, Alaska Department of Education and Early Development Commissioner Michael Johnson reminded us that “Teaching is not a location; it’s a relationship and action.” Regardless of where and how we serve parents, guardians, and students, we are committed first, to maintain and enhance our relationships with parents and students, while also providing the highest quality instruction possible.

There is no question that challenges face us ahead as we navigate this new format of teaching and learning, but KPBSD is prepared, and our teachers and staff are up to the challenge. Working together to accomplish great things is what Alaska has always been about, and we have confidence in our ability to work in partnership to provide the best learning experiences for every one of our 8,500 students!

Sincerely,

The KPBSD Instructional Team

Helpful Resources:

• KPBSD Remote Learning Resources For Parents
•  “Get-It and Go” Free Meals for KPBSD Students To sign-up, or stop delivery, please call Student Nutrition Services at 714-8890
• KPBSD Guidelines for Offline Learning Materials Read the details
• Internet Access Resources for students and educators

Links

• COVID-19 and KPBSD webpage
• Check your risk for coronavirus: https://c19check.com/start
• Kenai Peninsula Borough Joint Information Center (JIC) website
• KPBalerts Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KPBAlerts/
• Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Covid-19 webpage
• DHSS Facebook

Learn more about how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at coronavirus.alaska.gov

For non-clinical related questions please call 2-1-1 or 1-800-478-2221, or contact your health provider

March 27, 2020 KPBSD Update

Weekend message from KPBSD: get outside and play before school starts on Monday, March 30, 2020, but practice responsible social distancing of 6’ or more, wash your hands for 20 seconds or more, and wipe surfaces like cell phones, water bottles, door knobs, counters, faucets and, don’t touch your face!

This evening two new State Health Mandates were issued. What is important to understand? KPBSD is an (vi) essential business, and a (9) “educational institution facilitating distance learning.” Meals will continue and school will begin on Monday via distance delivery.

• Health Mandate 011: Social Distancing goes into effect March 28, 2020, at 5:00 PM
• Health Mandate 012: Intrastate Travel – Limiting travel between communities to critical infrastructure or critical personal needs goes into effect March 28, 2020, at 8:00 AM
• HELPFUL: a FAQ answering questions about the two mandates is posted on the State DHSS COVID-19 webpage.

All Staff Message
Acting Superintendent of Schools Dave Jones emailed KPBSD staff today with this message. Please celebrate the historic effort that KPBSD employees made in the past two weeks!

Dear Staff,

On Monday, March 30, 2020, KPBSD will enter into a new and unknown arena of delivering instruction to all of our students through distance delivery. We have been able to reach a readiness level to do so, thanks to the diligent and productive work of all of our employees. I want to take this time to recognize and thank each of you for your efforts and contributions!

Governor Dunleavy issued COVID-19 Health Mandate 010 on March 23, 2020. Attachment A – Alaska Critical Workforce Infrastructure, states that:

Certain critical infrastructure industries have a special responsibility in these times to continue operations.

At this time, critical industries and entities in Alaska include:

              n. Educational institutions facilitating distance learning;

As one of the designated critical industries, we will strive to provide quality instruction through distance learning to all of our students. Through your efforts, we have created a platform of instruction that will enable us to move forward in these uncertain times.

In the last two weeks, we have encountered a constantly changing situation, and together we have adapted. I am sure we will see more changes ahead. It is our intention to continually work to find solutions to these changes that will allow KPBSD to move forward with our critical mission of providing distance learning to our students.

Please make time this weekend to take a deep breath or two and relax. I am confident that come Monday, our students will return to their virtual classrooms and be met with quality instruction. Thank you again for your efforts and contributions that have brought us to this point.

Sincerely,
Dave Jones
Assistant Superintendent
KPBSD

Helpful Resources:

• “Get-It and Go” Free Meals for KPBSD Students To sign-up, or stop delivery, please call Student Nutrition Services at 714-8890
• KPBSD Remote Learning Resources For Parents
• KPBSD Guidelines for Offline Learning Materials Read the details
• Internet Access Resources for students and educators

Links

• COVID-19 and KPBSD webpage
• Check your risk for coronavirus: https://c19check.com/start
• Kenai Peninsula Borough Joint Information Center (JIC) website
• KPBalerts Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KPBAlerts/
• Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Covid-19 webpage
• DHSS Facebook

Learn more about how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at coronavirus.alaska.gov

For non-clinical related questions please call 2-1-1 or 1-800-478-2221, or contact your health provider

“Get-It and Go” Free Meals for KPBSD Students
3,324 meals delivered to 1,662 students on the Kenai Peninsula!
#ThankYou to KPBSD food service staff, helpers, and bus drivers—all making a difference!
If you want to sign-up, or stop delivery, please call Student Nutrition Services at 714-8890

Download: WHO COVID-19 Parenting: Talking about COVID-19 tips

NEW! KPBSD Remote Learning Resources For Parents
This KPBSD webpage is your go-to resource as everyone transitions from interacting with students face-to-face in classrooms to Remote Learning.

KPBSD Guidelines for Offline Learning Materials Read the details

Internet Access Offers for students and teachers
Local providers, including Alaska Communications, GCI, and SpitwSpots are offering Internet Access Resources for students and educators

Links

• COVID-19 and KPBSD webpage
• Check your risk for coronavirus: https://c19check.com/start
• Kenai Peninsula Borough Joint Information Center (JIC) website
• KPBalerts Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KPBAlerts/
• Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Covid-19 webpage
• DHSS Facebook

Learn more about how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at coronavirus.alaska.gov

For non-clinical related questions please call 2-1-1 or 1-800-478-2221, or contact your health provider

NEW! Remote Learning Resources For Parents
This web page is your go-to resource as everyone transitions from interacting with students face-to-face in classrooms to Remote Learning. You will find a collection of general academic and support links on this page to help serve the academic needs of K-12 learners. Tip: Bookmark the Remote Learning Resources web page

Guidelines for Offline Learning Materials
Read the details
We’ve heard concerns about student belongings and materials, when you can pick them up, how to pick them up, and who has touched items. Please call your school directly if you have questions or concerns.
KPBSD implements every state health alert and mandate, and has a Symptom Free Schools Protocol in place. The limited staff who are still at work in schools practice social distancing, and the focus of custodians is to keep buildings sanitized and clean.

Please give a thank you – from a distance – to hard working KPBSD staff who are heeding the call to continue to educate all our youth as part of the Alaska Critical Workforce in these extraordinary times. The coronavirus is passed primarily by breathing in droplets when an infected person has coughed or sneezed, so continue to wash your hands frequently, be calm, practice social distancing, and stay home close to your immediate family.

Internet Access Offers for students and teachers
Local providers, including Alaska Communications, GCI, and SpitwSpots are offering Internet Access Resources for students and educator who need connectivity in this exceptional time of COVID-19.

“Get-It and Go” Free Meals for KPBSD Students
If you want to sign-up, or stop delivery, please call Student Nutrition Services at 714-8890.

Links

• Remote Learning Resources For Parents
• COVID-19 and KPBSD webpage
• Check your risk for coronavirus: https://c19check.com/start
• Kenai Peninsula Borough Joint Information Center (JIC) website
• KPBalerts Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KPBAlerts/
• Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Covid-19 webpage
• DHSS Facebook

Learn more about how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at coronavirus.alaska.gov

For non-clinical related questions please call 2-1-1 or 1-800-478-2221, or contact your health provider

Distance or remote learning instruction for all grades will take place primarily online beginning March 30, 2020, through May 1, 2020

On March 30, 2020, a new phase of education begins for Kenai Peninsula schools. This shift will involve adaptability and flexibility for educators, students, and KPBSD families.

The primary method of education delivery will be online. However, to ensure that every student has access to learning materials and activities, KPBSD will provide the opportunity for parents and students to access printed copies of materials if necessary, regardless of computer and internet access at home. Teachers and principals will coordinate scheduled times at the school level to arrange for delivery of offline learning materials to families. Parents and students are asked to work with the student’s teacher, or principal, for arrangements that work best for individual family situations. Do not hesitate to ask for assistance or help.

KPBSD is diligently working to protect the safety and wellbeing of staff, parents, and students by following symptom-free schools protocol and state quarantine mandates for employees who enter our buildings. Everyone must practice social distancing, and limit contact as much as possible. These Covid-19 health guidelines for the exchange of offline learning materials were created, and could be revised in the future:

• Each school will establish a process or location outside of their building where materials will be available for parent or student pick-up. Prior to pick up, the school will clearly communicate their process to families

• No paperwork or other offline learning materials or assignments given to a family should come back to the school
• To return offline work and assignments back to teachers for grading, families could:
  • Scan and email materials    
  • Utilize free methods to take photos of homework with a phone, and email the assignment directly to the child’s teacher                      
  • Relay answers via phone to their teachers.

If any of these ideas create a hardship, please contact the teacher or principal for coordination of assignments and work.

In an abundance of coronavirus precaution, with so many unknowns, KPBSD recommends families quarantine materials from schools for 72 hours before accessing them. #SocialDistance

Links
KPBSD Parent Resource webpage
COVID-19 and KPBSD webpage

KPBSD Update, March 24, 2020

It was a full day today, so it’s time to keep it get simple and have some fun. More details about all aspects of KPBSD on Thursday, but tonight, slow the curve, practice physical distance, and stay close to your loved ones. To protect everyone, truly starts, “in our hands.”

In Our Hands
Join KPBSD with a #thankyou to Soldotna local Bonnie Nichols, and Katherine Dines from Colorado. Children’s Grammy Finalist co-writers, the two teamed up to write songs to increase awareness of good public health policy. Their inspiration offers us an opportunity to sing with kids, have some fun, and maybe even make a video! Share your creations and tag #InOurHands #InOurHandsAK

You know the tune so share and sing along…

In Our Hands

We’ve got the whole world in our hands
We’ve got the whole wide world in our hands
We’ve got the whole world in our hands
We’ve got the whole world in our hands

We’ve got the safety of others, in our hands
All our sisters and brothers, in our hands
Love for one another, in our hands
We’ve got the whole world in our hands

We gotta use precaution, with our hands
A twenty-second washin’, with our hands
Keep those suds a sloshin’, with our hands
We’ve got the whole world in our hands

This virus is contagious, in our hands
It’s time to be tenacious with our hands
Stay home, it’s advantageous. Take a stand!
We’ve got the whole world in our hands

We’ve got a tough situation, in our hands
To stay in isolation, in our hands
The fate of every nation, in our hands
We’ve got the whole world in our hands

We’ve got the whole world in our hands
We’ve got the whole, wide world in our hands
We’ve got the whole world in our hands
We’ve got the whole world in our hands

3/24/20 Nichols/Dines Lyrics

Links

• Kenai Peninsula Borough Joint Information Center (JIC) website
• Check your risk for coronavirus: https://c19check.com/start
• KPBalerts Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KPBAlerts/
• Kenai Peninsula Borough March 23, 2020:  
• COVID-19 and KPBSD webpage
• Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Covid-19 webpage
• DHSS Facebook

Learn more about how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at coronavirus.alaska.gov

For non-clinical related questions please call 2-1-1 or 1-800-478-2221, or contact your health provider