Nov 15
23
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Contact: Pegge Erkeneff, 907.714.8888
News Release
Soldotna, November 23, 2015—Each year two Alaska schools are honored as a National Title I Distinguished School. This year, Chapman School in Anchor Point was recognized for exceptional student performance for two or more consecutive years. Nikolaevsk School in Nikolaevsk was recognized for significantly closing the achievement gap between student groups. Both schools are in the diverse Kenai Peninsula Borough School District (KPBSD).
We are very proud of the schools,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “Their staff, students, and communities have worked very hard. There is an obvious focus on meeting individual student needs which has shown great results. We are very excited that the schools have earned this honor from the state level.”
A November 20, 2015, press release from the State of Alaska Department of Education and Early Development stated: “Title I schools receive federal funds to support programs that supplement instruction to meet the educational needs of low-achieving students in high-poverty schools. The National Title I Distinguished Schools Program is a project of the National Title I Association. Selected schools must have a poverty rate of at least 35 percent and have been recognized by the state as a reward school in either the highest performing category or the highest progress category. Each state, using its own selection process, may select one school in each category for the honor.”
“The educators, students, and parents of Chapman School and Nikolaevsk School believe that all students can achieve, and they prove it every day,” said Commissioner Mike Hanley. “It is a great pleasure to congratulate these school-communities for their well-deserved recognition.”
Chapman School
Chapman School focuses on interventions and supports for grades K-3 in an effort to help decrease the learning gap between student groups. The foundation for these interventions is based on district-adopted and research-based curriculum partnered with strong data-based decision making for all students. The students at Chapman get a rich and varied education experience thanks to strong community partnerships.
“Through our Title I programs, Response To Intervention (RTI) program, community involvement, and top-notch staff, we continue to make it possible for all of our students to achieve—our students continue to rise to the challenge and do just that,” said Principal Conrad Woodhead.
Nikolaevsk School
Nikolaevsk School is proud of its high expectations for students and consistent 100% graduation rate. All students at Nikolaevsk develop SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound) based on their personal academic data and lead their own student-parent-teacher conferences. All Nikolaevsk teachers work as a cooperative team and operate under a shared philosophy that every student is everyone’s responsibility.
Principal Michael Sellers said, “As a result of the teachers’ efforts toward focusing on individual student needs, adopting programs that fit within those goals, and focusing on research-based methods in instruction, Nikolaevsk has seen years of success as a five-star school and a school with successful students.”
Alaska identifies eligible schools for the award based on their students’ performance on state standards-based assessments. Identified schools then must choose to apply for the honor, providing evidence of effectiveness in research-based instructional strategies, opportunities for all children to achieve, coordination of Title I with other programs, professional development of staff, and partnerships with parents, families and communities.
Links and contacts
- Chapman School Anchor Point Alaska on Facebook
- Nikolaevsk School on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/NikolaevskSchool
- National Title I Association Distinguished Schools program, http://www.titlei.org/ds
- Chapman School Principal Conrad Woodhead, 907-235-8671
- Nikolaevsk School Principal Michael Sellers, 907-235-8972
News Release: Two KPBSD Schools named National Title I Distinguished Schools
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Nikolaevsk School
Chapman School
