How soon will 7-12 grade students return to onsite at-school learning every day? Good news: the community spread of COVID-19 is continuing to flatten on the Kenai Peninsula, so it appears schools may soon open onsite every day for Grades 7-12. Thank you to everyone for your patience—if you have questions or issues to solve, call your school and talk to your principal, teacher, or school secretary. When is the earliest possible date Grades 7-12 could resume attending onsite five days a week? Monday, January 25, 2021, is the earliest possible date for:Eastern Peninsula (Moose Pass and Seward schools)Southern Peninsula (Homer area, ...
School Holiday KPBSD schools* are closed on Monday, January 18, 2021, in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday *variance: Kachemak-Selo, Nanwalek, Nikolaevsk, Port Graham, Razdolna, and Voznesenka schools will be open on a normal schedule School calendars
►ALERT: KPBSD schools in the Eastern Kenai Peninsula* will open with a TWO HOUR DELAY START on THURSDAY, January 14, 2021, due to weather and road conditions. If weather and road conditions warrant a full closure for any schools, that announcement will be made about 7:00 AM. If you don’t hear anything, the two-hour delay start remains in effect. Parents and guardians, if you decide, based on conditions near you to keep your child at home, absences will be excused. *A two hour delay means that morning buses run two hours later than normal, school begins two hours later than normal, staff arrives at school two hours later than ...
►ALERT: KPBSD schools in the Southern Peninsula* will open with a TWO HOUR DELAY START on THURSDAY, January 7, 2021, due to weather and road conditions. 100% Remote Learning is also on a two-hour delay start--some staff are teaching from the school and need to safely drive to their worksites. If weather and road conditions warrant a full closure for any schools, that announcement will be made about 7:00 AM. If you don’t hear anything, the two-hour delay start remains in effect. All Pre-K sessions—both morning and afternoon--at these schools are cancelled during a two-hour delay start. Parents and guardians, if you decide, ...
News Release: KPBSD onsite learning opens to more students on 1-11-21Download On January 11, 2021, KPBSD expands the onsite-at-school learning option during High COVID-19 Risk Soldotna, January 5, 2021—KPBSD Pre-K through 6th grades can attend school onsite, every school day beginning Monday, January 11, 2021, during High COVID-19 Risk. Grades 7-12 will attend onsite two days a week, with a split A/B schedule—schools will be in contact with families to announce the plan they design. When COVID-19 risk levels drop into medium risk*, Grades 7-12 will switch to onsite learning five days a week. The 100% Remote Learning option will continue to be available. Attending school onsite-at-school during ...
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Staff and Students who travel outside of Alaska Do you have questions about when you may return to KPBSD work or onsite-at-school learning after travel out of state? This may help: Based on the State of Alaska Health Order No. 6 effective December 16, 2020: KPBSD employees and students must observe “Strict Social Distancing*” for five days after arriving back in Alaska, after a COVID-19 test happened within 72 hours of departure back to Alaska, or testing on arrival into Alaska. If staff or students receive a negative test result and are symptom free, they can return to school on ...
December 18, 2020 Dear KPBSD staff and families, “With the dawning of a new year, growing daylight, and a vaccine to help control the spread of the COVID-19 virus, we are planning for a return to more normalcy for our schools in 2021. We are excited for the return of our students to in person onsite learning no later than mid-January, and possibly as soon as January 11, 2021. 2020 has been an extremely difficult year for all of us but I am confident that 2021 will bring with it brighter days and more certainty in our everyday lives. Our dedicated building ...
"Hot-Rod" Todd Brewer It is with sadness and heavy hearts that Seward learned of “Hot Rod” Todd Brewer’s death on December 3, 2020. He never regained consciousness after being intubated for complications from COVID-19. He brought infinite joy with his cheesy jokes about rival schools (he especially loved giving Nikiski grief) and professionally printed photos of Seward Seahawks in action. He made those photos freely available to students and parents and took great pride in the happiness they created. He loved driving Seward school activity busses. As he drove the bus into the school driveway, he would always say, “Welcome to Seward High where ...
News Release Board of Education approves bringing more students back to onsite learning in high COVID-19 Risk Soldotna, December 9, 2020—The option to attend school onsite, at-school during high COVID-19 risk levels for students in Pre-K through 6th grade, and middle and high school ages is expanding in 2021, after the Board of Education approved the SmartStart Plan updates at their December school board meeting. The 100% Remote Learning option will continue to be available. These changes begin no later than Tuesday, January 19, 2021 (Monday is a school holiday). Estimates indicate the peak of COVID-19 transmission in the KPB is expected to happen ...
News Release, Soldotna, November 24, 2020 Kenai Peninsula Borough School District COVID-19 update due to continued COVID-19 community contagion throughout the Kenai Peninsula: A SmartStart plan update so more students could attend school onsite during High Risk operations will be presented to the KPBSD Board of Education on December 7, 2020 KPBSD Grades 1-12: 100% Remote Learning from home will continue through Friday, December 18, 2020 KPBSD Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Special Education Intensive Needs learners may again return to onsite learning at school beginning Wednesday, December 2, 2020, with greater safety plans in place* The 100% Remote Learning continues for ...
Jan 21
15
How soon will 7-12 grade students return to onsite at-school learning every day?
Good news: the community spread of COVID-19 is continuing to flatten on the Kenai Peninsula, so it appears schools may soon open onsite every day for Grades 7-12. Thank you to everyone for your patience—if you have questions or issues to solve, call your school and talk to your principal, teacher, or school secretary.
When is the earliest possible date Grades 7-12 could resume attending onsite five days a week?
Monday, January 25, 2021, is the earliest possible date for:
Eastern Peninsula (Moose Pass and Seward schools)
Southern Peninsula (Homer area, Nikolaevsk, and Ninilchik schools)
Monday, February 1, 2021, is the earliest possible date for:
Central Peninsula (Kasilof, Kenai, Nikiski, Soldotna, and Sterling area schools)
On or before January 22, 2021, KPBSD will provide an update with an official announcement.
How will I know when grades 7-12 will be open every day to onsite learning at my school?
Parents, students, and families will receive a message from the district through School Messenger, and schools will also contact their families when this change takes effect. An announcement will be posted on KPBSD.org, the KPBSD mobile app, and on social media. The KPBSD team continues to monitor COVID-19 spread, health care capacity, and ability to staff and operate schools safely. Thank you for your good effort to open schools safely, and keep schools open! Monitor your school risk level on the COVID-19 dashboard.
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January 15, 2021 Update
►ALERT: KPBSD schools in the Southern Peninsula* will open with a TWO HOUR DELAY START on THURSDAY, January 7, 2021, due to weather and road conditions.
100% Remote Learning is also on a two-hour delay start–some staff are teaching from the school and need to safely drive to their worksites.
If weather and road conditions warrant a full closure for any schools, that announcement will be made about 7:00 AM. If you don’t hear anything, the two-hour delay start remains in effect.
All Pre-K sessions—both morning and afternoon–at these schools are cancelled during a two-hour delay start.
Parents and guardians, if you decide, based on conditions near you to keep your child at home, absences will be excused.
*A two hour delay means that morning buses run two hours later than normal, all school begins two hours later than normal, staff arrives at school two hours later than normal, and Pre-K sessions are cancelled. The school day ends at the normal time.
*Southern Peninsula Schools
Chapman School
Connections Homeschool (Homer)
Fireweed Academy
Homer Flex School
Homer High School
Homer Middle School
Kachemak Selo School
McNeil Canyon Elementary School
Nanwalek School
Nikolaevsk School
Ninilchik School
Paul Banks Elementary School
Port Graham School
Razdolna School
Susan B. English School
Voznesenka School
West Homer Elementary School
Kenai
Peninsula Borough School District
Staff and Students who travel outside of Alaska
Based on the State of Alaska Health Order No. 6 effective December 16, 2020:
KPBSD employees and students must observe “Strict Social Distancing*” for five days after arriving back in Alaska, after a COVID-19 test happened within 72 hours of departure back to Alaska, or testing on arrival into Alaska.
Tip: Children age 10 and under can test, but it is not required. If a child is not tested, they will need to follow the same quarantine or strict social distancing* time as the adult with whom they traveled.
If the child aged 10 and under travels with an adult who received a positive COVID-19 test in the past 90 days and thus does not need to observe strict social distancing or quarantine, and the child is not tested, the child will need to quarantine for 14 days.
Have you received a positive COVID-19 test within 90 days?
The positive test result may also be used in lieu of testing, strict social distancing, or quarantine related to travel
Make sure to review the State of Alaska Travel Information Webpage for residents and non-residents: https://covid19.alaska.gov/travelers/
State Travel FAQs: https://covid19.alaska.gov/faq/
*Strict Social Distancing defined by the State of Alaska (Health Order No. 6, page 5)
Dec 20
9
It is with sadness and heavy hearts that Seward learned of “Hot Rod” Todd Brewer’s death on December 3, 2020. He never regained consciousness after being intubated for complications from COVID-19.
He brought infinite joy with his cheesy jokes about rival schools (he especially loved giving Nikiski grief) and professionally printed photos of Seward Seahawks in action. He made those photos freely available to students and parents and took great pride in the happiness they created.
He loved driving Seward school activity busses. As he drove the bus into the school driveway, he would always say, “Welcome to Seward High where all the kids are above average.”
He was the Seahawks’ biggest fan. His gentle nature, expertise behind the wheel and camera lens, and the unending love for the students he served will be greatly missed.
Thank you to all for the outpouring of love and support for Todd while he fought for his life. Please turn that love and support to each other while we grieve his passing.
News Release
Board of Education approves bringing more students back to onsite learning in high COVID-19 Risk
Soldotna, December 9, 2020—The option to attend school onsite, at-school during high COVID-19 risk levels for students in Pre-K through 6th grade, and middle and high school ages is expanding in 2021, after the Board of Education approved the SmartStart Plan updates at their December school board meeting. The 100% Remote Learning option will continue to be available.
These changes begin no later than Tuesday, January 19, 2021 (Monday is a school holiday).
Estimates indicate the peak of COVID-19 transmission in the KPB is expected to happen in early to mid-January. Based on this information and the timeline needed to retrofit school HVAC systems*, the January 19 date was selected.
12-9-20 important clarification: Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Special Education Intensive Needs students currently attend school onsite during High Risk, and will continue to do so up until winter break starts, and when school resumes January 4, 2021. The change is for Grades 1-12 in January.
Change is coming by January 19, 2021
Attending school onsite-at-school during High COVID-19 Risk levels (Red):
Pre-K through Grade 6: every day, Monday through Friday *this includes 6th grade at all KPBSD schools
Grades 7-12: attend two times a week onsite, with a split schedule
Previously identified vulnerable students may continue to attend five days a week
Enhanced Safety Plans
To keep schools safe and the COVID-19 transmission level low in school, these actions must be followed with fidelity at all times:
Winter break for most KPBSD schools is December 21, 2020 – January 1, 2021, with school starting again January 4, 2021. The updates to operations in High COVID-19 risk will not likely begin until Tuesday, January 19, 2021.
“This is a big step in the right direction with continuing movement towards the goal of getting all kids back at school onsite, full-time. These are trying and uncertain times but together we will get through this pandemic. I am hopeful that with a vaccination on the way, continued adherence to our mitigation plans, and a conscious effort on the part of our community to practice safe pandemic behaviors, we will get this virus under control. I appreciate our Board of Education, district leadership, and the KPBSD staff for their commitment to educate our children while at the same time navigating their own personal response to the pandemic.”
–Superintendent John O’Brien
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Nov 20
24
News Release, Soldotna, November 24, 2020
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District COVID-19 update due to continued COVID-19 community contagion throughout the Kenai Peninsula:
A SmartStart plan update so more students could attend school onsite during High Risk operations will be presented to the KPBSD Board of Education on December 7, 2020
KPBSD Grades 1-12: 100% Remote Learning from home will continue through Friday, December 18, 2020
KPBSD Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Special Education Intensive Needs learners may again return to onsite learning at school beginning Wednesday, December 2, 2020, with greater safety plans in place*
The 100% Remote Learning continues for these groups, through December 1, 2020
Title-I Pre-K will only be offered onsite at school beginning December 2, 2020
Six small schools continue to be open to onsite at school learning in low-risk operations, but could shift to 100% Remote Learning at any time based on COVID-19 risk in the community
Ongoing emphasis: keep staff healthy and out of 14-Day Quarantine, so school instruction and operations can continue uninterrupted
What you can do
Help bring children back to school and resume sports
Leading into the Thanksgiving holiday, High COVID-19 Risk continues in most Kenai Peninsula communities, with an acceleration of people becoming ill occurring. Exposure and transmission is happening in family and friend groups, workplace break rooms, and everyday interactions. Local health care capacity and operations of essential services are closely monitored. Everyone knows the tools to prevent COVID-19 spread, so now is the time to use the tools—especially to wear a mask, physically distance, keep your bubble very small. Limit your actions to plank the curve and shift the trend downwards, so schools can reopen to the onsite at-school learning option for all grades.
Everyone knows the tools to prevent COVID-19 spread, so now is the time to use the tools—especially to wear a mask, physically distance, and keep your bubble very small.
November Timeline Review
Links
*Specific information for Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Special Education Intensive Needs learners
To keep schools safe and the COVID-19 transmission level low in school, these actions must be followed with fidelity at all times:
School staff will contact Pre-K, K, and Intensive Needs families to talk about school resuming onsite again on December 2, 2020. The COVID-19 risk level remains very high with widespread community transmission, so individual family circumstances may require a family to choose to continue with 100% Remote Learning Note: an immediate shift to 100% Remote could occur at any time if a positive case, or transmission at school occurs, and requires 14-Day Quarantine, staffing shortage, or school closure.
100% Remote Learning
Central Peninsula Schools Central Kenai
Peninsula includes Kasilof to Sterling, extending through Kenai, Nikiski,
Soldotna, and DHSS “other north” communities. Cooper Landing is not included in
the 17 Central Peninsula schools:
Eastern Kenai Peninsula Schools
Southern Kenai Peninsula Schools
Small schools are open to onsite learning in low
risk
Six small KPBSD schools in Cooper Landing, Hope, Nanwalek, Port Graham,
Seldovia, and Tebughna will also continue to operate in low COVID-19 risk, and
offer both 100% Remote and onsite-at-school learning options. A shift to 100%
Remote Learning could happen at any time if there is positive COVID-19 in these
communities.
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