Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Contact: Pegge Erkeneff, 907.714.8888
News Release
Conference Committee short funds education
Soldotna, May 18, 2016—The Conference Committee on the Operating and Mental Health Budgets HB 256 and HB 257 has eliminated the equivalent of the $50 Base Student Allocation (BSA) funding to education that was required by previous legislative action, included in the FY17 Governor’s budget, as well as in both the current House and Senate budgets.
We anticipate a floor vote on this action at some point today.
KPBSD has worked on our FY17 budget in a rigorous and transparent manner since August of 2015, and made over $3 million in reductions. Today is the last day of school in our district. Our district has issued contracts that will not be withdrawn.
Last night, this new action that the Conference Committee took is less than transparent, did not allow for a public input process, and created new turmoil.
The KPBSD has acted in good faith throughout the legislative process. We did not initially include the statutory $50 BSA increase in our FY17 budget until the last possible school board meeting prior to the deadline to issue teaching contracts as required by law. The inclusion of this revenue was only made after extensive discussion with many members of the legislature and accepting the previous vote by both the Senate and the House of Representatives to include the equivalent of $50 BSA educational funding.
Short funding education in the amount proposed by the Conference Committee equates to the loss of the $50 BSA. For the KPBSD, the unanticipated impact at this late date to our 2016-2017 budget is:
Potential 2016-2017 revenue loss to KPBSD: $1,090,241
- Total possible reduction in state funding to KPBSD: $886,375
- Total possible reduction in corresponding local (borough) funding to KPBSD: $203,866
“KPBSD is committed to work with the legislature to best address the fiscal challenges in our state,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “We understand that there are very difficult decisions to be made. However, in order to plan for our staffing and the educational needs for K-12 education and our students, we need to be included early in the process, and not receive financial surprises such as this, so late in the legislative session.”
Links
- May 18, 2016: KPBSD Letter of Concern to Conference Committee
- Webpage: The Legislature and KPBSD
- Webpage: Alaska State Legislature
- Connect with KPBSD on Facebook, Twitter, our Mobile App, and website to follow updates
Alaska senators, representatives, and the Conference Committee member contacts
Kenai Peninsula Legislators:
- Senator Peter Micciche, Senator.Peter.Micciche@akleg.gov
- Senator Gary Stevens, Senator.Gary.Stevens@akleg.gov
- Representative Mike Chenault, Representative.Mike.Chenault@akleg.gov
- Representative Kurt Olson, Representative.Kurt.Olson@akleg.gov
- Representative Paul Seaton, Representative.Paul.Seaton@akleg.gov
- Representative Louise Stutes, Representative.Louise.Stutes@akleg.gov
Conference Committee on HB256 and HB257 members:
- Senator Pete Kelly, Senator.Pete.Kelly@akleg.gov
- Senator Anna MacKinnon, Senator.Anna.MacKinnon@akleg.gov
- Senator Lyman Hoffman, Senator.Lyman.Hoffman@akleg.gov
- Representative Mark Neuman, Representative.Mark.Neuman@akleg.gov
- Representative Steve Thompson, Representative.Steve.Thompson@akleg.gov
- Representative Les Gara, Representative.Les.Gara@akleg.gov
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Posted in Legislature by .
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Contact: Pegge Erkeneff, 907.714.8888
News Release
Prestigious Videoconferencing Technology Award
Soldotna, May 12, 2016—Two KPBSD educators were honored by the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) in St. Louis, Missouri, on May 10, 2016. USDLA awarded Rob Sparks [Soldotna Prep School] and Greg Zorbas [Kenai Central High School] with the Best Practices Gold Level award for excellence in distance learning teaching, for their innovation and excellence in “Videoconferencing Technology – K-12 Education.”
Educator Greg Zorbas, Kenai Central High School, videoconference in Classroom Without Walls (CWOW), and Global Nomads, May 13, 2015, 6:00 AM
“Greg and Rob have long been leaders in utilizing technology to expand learning opportunities for our students,” said Sean Dusek, Superintendent. “They have also worked very hard to meet individual student needs every day and have leveraged videoconferencing to do this. I am very proud of their efforts and accomplishments. They are very deserving of this award and I appreciate their efforts very much.”
“Although it is the United States Distance Learning Association, it is actually an international organization recognizing efforts from around the world,” said Rob Sparks. “It has been humbling the number of people who have come up to me and Greg to say ‘Oh, you’re the Kenai guys….’ The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is recognized worldwide as a leader in innovative and effective uses of video telecommunications!”
“We put our students in front of twenty-two industry professionals interactively this semester and they all told the students they will be ahead of their peers at the next level—this validates what Rob and I are doing,” said Greg Zorbas. “Professionally every time we connect with a guest presenter or connect to another classroom everybody has to bring their A game. Lessons get better and better because in this environment we are constantly getting feedback on what worked, but also how we can make it better. I have been gone for three days to attend this conference and receive this award, and I can’t count the number of emails and instant messages I’ve received from students—this tells me they are engaged in what we are doing.”
“As a premier organization for the entire distance learning profession, we are honoring the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District as a leader in the industry,” said Dr. John G. Flores, Executive Director of USDLA and Program Professor at Nova Southeastern University. “KPBSD has raised the bar of excellence and we are truly honored by KPBSD contributions within all distance learning constituencies.”
“This year’s USDLA Awards recipient, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, represents the finest examples of online courses, best practices, and leadership in our field. The depth and breadth of the USDLA membership allows us to engage with leaders from higher education, K-12, industry, military, and government who daily demonstrate the power of distance learning. We are so very proud and excited to be able to recognize this level of excellence,” said Mr. George Collins, President of USDLA.
Link
- United States Distance Learning Association website
- To learn more about what Mr. Sparks and Mr. Zorbas are offering for students, read this article, and watch for an upcoming KPBSD story. Click here: Kenai Peninsula Prepares Students for the Next Generation Workplace
Educator Rob Sparks, Soldotna Prep, video teleconference (VTC) certificate students with KCHS and students in Palestine, April 11, 2016, 8:00 PM
United States Distance Learning Association awards, 2016
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- This and all KPBSD media releases are online at this web page: http://bit.ly/MediaPublicRelationships
- Suggest or contribute a story online link: http://bit.ly/SuggestKPBSDstory
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Patti Truesdell – Hope School
2016 BP Teacher of Excellence
Patti Truesdell, Hope School
2016 BP Teacher of Excellence
“This year’s nominees were again, an excellent representation of our staff as a whole,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “They are humble, hard-working and student-centered. I was particularly impressed with how all of the finalists have gone the extra mile for their students and make sure every student they work with know that they are loved.”
Patti, or “Mrs. T” as the kids call her, is a reading, language arts and history teacher for Kindergarten through 12th grade at Hope School. She has been a teacher for 13 years, all in Alaska, after a 23-year career in healthcare.
“I believe I was inspired to teach by having had good teachers when I was in public school as a child,” said Patti Truesdell. “I was the kind of child that teachers liked. I was quiet and bookish. My parents divorced when I was in sixth grade, and that was the year we had Mr. Holte. He made sixth grade so much fun! The weird thing I remember is that he had these big, heavy braces on his legs, and he walked really stooped over. He wore those old man pants with the big creases in them. But we did not care about his braces or his pants or his limp. He made every day so much fun. That was the year we wrote plays, directed them, had a class newspaper and I was Dear Patty (that was before I changed the “y” to an “i” to get more personality like Teen Magazine suggested I do). I even remember wearing a potato costume sometime that year! Whatever we suggested, Mr. Holte would laugh and tell us, that was a great idea, let’s do it! He just made everything fun. We never thought of him as old, or crippled—he was our teacher and we loved him. That is the kind of teacher I always wanted to be. Years later, I feel the same way when I am in a classroom. My students do not see me as an old 64 year old teacher who has to take off her glasses to read. I don’t feel old when I am with them, I am just Ms. T. They trust me and know that I love them. School should be a safe place for students—it was for me when I was little and that is what I want for my students. School should be a safe place for students to learn and for teachers to teach. Everyone once in a while, I just marvel at how much fun I have each and every day in a classroom and I think, “Wow! … This teaching is so much fun!” I never saw Mr. Holte again after I left sixth grade, I hope he had a good life and knows what a great teacher I always thought he was.”
Patti is one of only two teachers at Hope School. That means she has to wear a lot of hats. Moment to moment, she has shift, going from how to count in kindergarten to “How to Kill a Mockingbird” in high school.
The community of Hope is fewer than 200 people. So teaching in such a small school brings with it an enormous advantage–Patti is able to devote lots of personal attention to students. And, then, because she is with them year after year for so long, she knows better than anyone what their trouble areas are and what their potential is. She states, “My teaching style is to work with students as individuals and get them actively involved in their own learning. If a student is having trouble in one area, we come up with a plan together to improve it. Then we get it done.”
Patti works to engage parents, and the parents have responded to her approach–which is evidenced by the school’s increase in census where it had been decreasing before she arrived. That’s part of the impact a teacher can have on a small community. And Patti loves teaching at Hope. Even though she lives in Soldotna, she commutes to school, renting a room in Hope during the week.
Here’s one example she gives of the difference between a large school and her beloved little school in Hope: “I have a little girl in sixth grade whom I’ve been teaching since kindergarten. She has always struggled in math and reading. But I’ve known her for a long time now and I knew she had strengths in certain areas. She was gifted in art and could do puzzles better than anyone else in class. We got her some special services help, and continued to work with her every day. When I got her winter benchmark test scores back this year, she was reading at her grade level for the first time. I pulled her outside the classroom and told her. She was so proud! We stepped back into the classroom and told the other students, and they gave her a standing ovation. That is what a small school is like. Everyone cheered for this young lady, and when we’re reading in class, when she has trouble, they help her.”
Under Patricia, students become family. A mother of four adult children and 12 grandchildren, Patricia finds time to take her kids to Anchorage and other communities for additional education experiences, conduct cooking class in the evening, tutor after school, and volunteer for American Lung Association and Tobacco Alliance. She even promotes recovery and prevention programs for addicts.
This is what a former student wrote about Patricia: “Every child who has contact with her comes away feeling loved and valued. She empowers and aides them in making their ideas become reality. Her mentoring and caring helped to change my life.”
Congratulations, Patricia Truesdell, BP Teacher of Excellence.
Links
2016 KPBSD BP Teachers of Excellence
L-R, Darilynn Caston, Redoubt Elementary; Sharon Hopkins, Tustumena Elementary; Nickole Lyon, Seward Elementary; Patti Truesdell, Hope School; James Knoebel, Soldotna High School
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Nickole Lyon – Seward Elementary School
2016 BP Teacher of Excellence
Special education preschool teacher
Nickole Lyon, Seward Elementary School
2016 BP Teacher of Excellence
“None of us get good at what we do without a little help,” said Nikole Lyon. “I work with some of the most dedicated families and professionals I know on a daily basis. I am so thankful to live and teach in a community that is as passionate about teaching the whole child as I am. Thank you for your support and encouragement to grow into the teacher I am today.”
“It was an honor to attend the BP Teachers of Excellence award dinner to honor Nickole Lyon, Seward Elementary preschool intensive needs special education teacher,” said David Kingsland, principal. “Nickole is an excellent teacher, who uses child centered instruction to help integrate students into her classroom and to develop their full potential.”
“This year’s nominees were again, an excellent representation of our staff as a whole,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “They are humble, hard-working and student-centered. I was particularly impressed with how all of the finalists have gone the extra mile for their students and make sure every student they work with know that they are loved.”
A graduate of Chadron State College in Nebraska, she achieved her Master of Education in Early Childhood Special Education from University of Alaska Anchorage. She has been a teacher for 11 years, all in Alaska.
As a parent, you know just how much help your child requires on a daily basis. So there’s nothing more terrifying than the thought of sending that child away–being out of sight, saying good bye and letting go–allowing your child to be under the care of someone else, especially if they require special needs.
Imagine the parent’s immense relief to find out Nickole is that someone else. One of her student’s parents says: “She creates a happy, beautiful, organized and enriching classroom for my son and his classmates. They receive amazing one-on-one attention.”
When one of Nickole’s students learned that his military family will be moving to Virginia, she made contact with the child’s new teacher and set up a Skype date so he could see his new classroom all the way across the country.
Nickole says: “At the heart of my instruction is developmental play. At three, four and five years old, play is their driving force. It’s how they develop personality, sense of self and social skills.” Nickole is constantly analyzing their actions during play, evaluating their interests, and emotional, physical and cognitive development to adjust her curriculum for each child, and for the class as a whole. She says, “I’m building their confidence to work outside their comfort zone. Learning is much easier if you’re confident.” She gently pushes them to advance and achieve a measure of independence. “I am a firm believer in teaching the whole child,” she says. “My heart swells with pride when I’m out at some community event with my family and I see former students who once struggled with social skills and communication, outgoing and confident and having fun.”
A mother of two children, Nickole and her husband have also served as mother to foster children. She volunteers for a long list of community and school programs, and mentors at adoption workshops, helping others become parents.
Congratulations, Nickole Lyon, BP Teacher of Excellence.
Links
2016 KPBSD BP Teachers of Excellence
L-R, Darilynn Caston, Redoubt Elementary; Sharon Hopkins, Tustumena Elementary; Nickole Lyon, Seward Elementary; Patti Truesdell, Hope School; James Knoebel, Soldotna High School
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James Knoebel – Soldotna High School
2016 BP Teacher of Excellence
“Every day I am inspired by the students I work with,” said James Knoebel. “Their persistence, resilience, and steadfastness to overcome barriers push me to be a better educator and person. I am appreciative of my team members at SoHi that support me as I promote inclusive and dynamic learning environments. I love what I do, and look forward to continuing to foster an atmosphere within our school that promotes self-determination and an appreciation for the whole person.”
James Knoebel, Soldotna High School
2016 BP Teacher of Excellence
“This year’s nominees were again, an excellent representation of our staff as a whole,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “They are humble, hard-working and student-centered. I was particularly impressed with how all of the finalists have gone the extra mile for their students and make sure every student they work with know that they are loved.”
James teaches special education at Soldotna High School. He graduated magna cum laude in vocational rehabilitation from University of Wisconsin and achieved his Master of Education in Special Education from University of Alaska Southeast. He has been a teacher for nine years, all in Alaska.
“I don’t think there’s a branch of education that calls for more compassion, patience and a refusal to give up than special education. These are children who have difficulty in class and will have difficulty in life later on. Their experience in school sets the groundwork for how they will deal with life’s challenges, most of which require some form of learning. Many of these kids have been told for years they will never be able to graduate high school. It’s critical for them to learn how to learn. But even more, it’s critical for them to learn to believe in themselves.”
James’ students come to him not only with academic challenges, but also behavioral, social and mental-health issues. He is inclusive in the way he teaches, developing meaningful relationships with each child, working to steer them to general education classes for more-typical students and lighting within them the belief that they can overcome difficult things.
One nominator writes: “He is the most inclusive teacher I have come into contact with in over 20 years of working as an administrator and special education coordinator.”James achieves a notably high graduation rate with kids who might otherwise drop out of school by helping them become independent. He inspires them to become problem-solvers. Mr. Knoebel’s innovative approach to teaching has not only been recognized locally by students, parents, co-workers and administrators, but also by special education professionals from the state, who have visited his classroom to observe his exceptional work.
As the department chair, he assists other teachers in the Intensive Needs program. He also takes on coaching position for girls’ softball. James has been a staunch advocate for students with disabilities throughout the school and, by his example, has succeeded in changing the culture of acceptance in perhaps the most difficult group of all–teenagers. In his classroom, children learn they can complete school assignments, conquer emotions and navigate complex, often frightening social situations.
But James’ favorite time of year is graduation night. He says, “I get to sit in the audience and watch students I’ve worked with for years, sometimes five or six years, walk across that stage and shake the principal’s hand and hold up their diploma.” Our goal in this life as teachers is to inspire young people to believe they can do it, whatever their own personal “it” is. James achieves that goal every year on graduation night–against odds the rest of us simply don’t have to face.
Congratulations, James Knoebel, BP Teacher of Excellence.
Links
2016 KPBSD BP Teachers of Excellence
L-R, Darilynn Caston, Redoubt Elementary; Sharon Hopkins, Tustumena Elementary; Nickole Lyon, Seward Elementary; Patti Truesdell, Hope School; James Knoebel, Soldotna High School
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Darilynn Caston – Redoubt Elementary School
2016 BP Teacher of Excellence
“To view the world from the eyes of a child is a beautiful gift. These children inspire me to be a better version of myself every day. I am both honored and grateful to be entrusted in the nurturing of this beginning part of their journey of life’s discoveries.” –Darilynn Caston
Darilynn Caston – Redoubt Elementary School
2016 BP Teacher of Excellence
Darilynn teaches kindergarten at Redoubt Elementary in Soldotna. She has been a teacher for 17 years, all in Alaska.
Early education–in particular, kindergarten–has been shown to have an enormously positive impact on a student’s performance all the way through high school and in their future careers. That doesn’t just mean higher test scores–it means setting them up for success for the rest of their lives.
Darilynn is the very model of a compassionate, dedicated teacher. A mother of four, she brings maternal devotion to the students in her class. She believes that: “we are not just teachers–we are a lifelong piece of each child’s life.” She is responsible not just for giving kids their earliest foundation of education, or inspiring in them a love of learning, but for their very wellbeing.
Several of her students have serious medical conditions, and their parents were very nervous about sending them to school. But they quickly discovered Darilynn cares for their children as if they were her own. One parent writes: “She teaches children how to deal with life situations alongside her teaching the school work. She has had to deal with all the health issues that have been put in her path, and she does it with a big heart and love for these children. I do not think my child would be where she is today if not for her hard work and dedication to these kids and her job.” Darilynn says knowing that this level of trust has been placed in her to always be vigilant and mindful of a child’s care, is an honor.
Darilynn is a teacher who spends her evenings at home laminating and glittering projects, developing her curriculum, searching for new ways to engage her students in the joy of learning. She goes to her classroom on weekends and redecorates the walls so her kids arrive Monday morning to discover a whole new world waiting for them. Young students gain far more in her classroom than information like counting and how to tell time. She explores big concepts with them: honesty, work ethic, compassion, triumph, loss, perseverance. They are learning at five and six years old how to be good people.
Darilynn’s path to teaching began at Minot State University in North Dakota where she double majored in Special Education and Elementary Education. She taught in Bristol Bay for eight years, working with limited staff, and often finding herself taking on roles beyond teacher, such as school bus driver (which could be via a boat, four-wheeler or snow machine) cook, gym teacher, music teacher or school nurse.
Darilynn believes her job is to convince children that they have the power to be the best version of themselves, and the way to do that is to be the best version of ourselves.
Congratulations, Darilynn Caston, BP Teacher of Excellence.
Links
2016 KPBSD BP Teachers of Excellence
L-R, Darilynn Caston, Redoubt Elementary; Sharon Hopkins, Tustumena Elementary; Nickole Lyon, Seward Elementary; Patti Truesdell, Hope School; James Knoebel, Soldotna High School
Posted in Awards by .
Sharon Hopkins – Tustumena Elementary School, Kasilof, Alaska
2016 Kenai BP Teacher of Excellence, and Kenai BP Teacher of the Year
Sharon Hopkins – Tustumena Elementary School, Kasilof, Alaska
“I am inspired by the children in my classroom,” said Sharon Hopkins. “When first graders become confident readers it changes them. Every year I’m rewarded with this process when each student blossoms into a reader. Plus, I’m always appreciative that I’m a teacher at Tustumena Elementary as I work with a talented, inspiring staff that does whatever it takes to educate and enrich the lives of our children.”
Sharon Hopkins, 2016 Kenai BP Teacher of the Year
“This year’s nominees were again, an excellent representation of our staff as a whole,” said Sean Dusek, superintendent. “They are humble, hard-working and student-centered. I was particularly impressed with how all of the finalists have gone the extra mile for their students and make sure every student they work with know that they are loved. Mrs. Hopkins truly exemplifies what we expect from all of our teachers. She holds high expectations for all of her students, helps every student meet those expectations, makes sure parents are engaged, and truly cares about the individual student beyond academics. She is a gem who has positively impacted hundreds of children in her career and this award is very well deserved!”
To introduce the 2016 Kenai BP Teacher of the Year, Stan Bennion, Vice-President of Human Resources, BP Alaska, said, “This teacher sets expectations for her students and inspires those kids to rise to meet them.
The principal said, “Nobody leaves that classroom without being a reader, regardless of their ability level when they start.”
This teacher is dedicated to preparing kids not only for their future education, but for their whole lives.
The ability to read well is fuel to all other learning. The teacher achieves such great results by getting to know the kids well, what their abilities are, where they’re coming from, what they bring to the class.
This teacher is more than part of the school, they’re part of the community, engaging parents in the education of their children. Some of this teacher’s students are the children of former students. That’s a powerful, long-term effect on a community.
This teacher is beloved.
But it’s more than just personality-this teacher is uniquely capable of motivating young students.
The principal says, “We have the floor, which is our state standards all students have to get to. But this teacher’s target is way above that.”
This teacher knows the kids so well, lessons specifically match learning to the child’s skill level and interests. The result is they’re thirsty to learn.
This teacher routinely goes beyond what is required or even what is expected and educates with the goal of helping every child find a path to success.
Finding that path is the very reason we have teachers.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great pleasure that I introduce the 2016 BP Teacher of the Year from the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, Sharon Hopkins.
Sharon Hopkins, 2016 Kenai BP Teacher of the Year
2016 Kenai BP Teacher of Excellence
Sharon is a first-grade teacher at Tustumena Elementary in Kasilof where she has been at the heart of the small town of Kasilof for 23 years.
Sharon approaches education by first motivating her students with enthusiasm for learning. She designs lessons that are hands-on to make classwork fun for them. The way she does this is quite simple, and it is an inherent facet of who she is as a person–she herself is enthusiastic about learning.
One parent describes her as animated in class, excited about the subject matter, and that excitement is contagious, stating: “She is patient and kind while also being firm. These are young children in first grade, six and seven years old. But she communicates with them as mature little people, and they rise to the standard she sets for them.” Because it is so evident that she cares for her students, they want to please her, whether that means doing a good job on a project or behaving well in class.
A parent describes the academic landscape at Tustumena as challenging, with a mix of every socioeconomic demographic, but Ms. Hopkins happily and successfully instructs the most academically challenged with equal attention and effectiveness as the most gifted children. She does it all with humor, knowledge and grace.
Sharon sees a distinct benefit to teaching in the same community for more than two decades, stating: “I know many of the families that attend our school. I take advantage of these connections to understand how to help children learn. Working with the children to focus on their strengths allows me to individualize to meet their learning needs.”
She is the bright, shining example of what an adult should be. And the children rise to meet her expectations. They look up to her for a better understanding of what is right and what is wrong, for the decent thing to do, for how to be thoughtful towards others.
Sharon is devoted to her children in and out of the classroom. She is often the first person at school early in the morning, preparing her classroom for the day or working on volunteer efforts. She serves as the treasurer of the PTO, putting her mind to work developing fun, creative ways to raise money to augment the school’s budget. She works to encourage parents to take a greater role in their children’s education, often asking them to volunteer in class and on field trips. She talks with them about how important the parent’s involvement is to a child. In this way, she is a teacher to the parents, as well. She directs or volunteers for the Halloween Carnival, Thanksgiving Bingo for Turkeys, cash raffle, Easter Egg Hunt, fundraising for the local Boys and Girls Club; she plans the Summer Reading Program, Box Top Store, Love of Reading Week, and more.
This is a teacher who, quite simply, has determined that her purpose in life is to help children.
Congratulations, Sharon Hopkins, BP Teacher of Excellence.
Links
Elementary school teacher Sharon Hopkins is the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District BP Teacher of the Year and the winner of a $1,500 continuing education grant. Hopkins teaches first grade at Tustumena Elementary School in Kasilof, Alaska. A teacher for 23 years in the district, she has taught generations of families. Hopkins says enthusiasm is her most inspiring strength, allowing her students use their sense of wonder to achieve success. She is known for setting clear expectations and modeling kindness to her students. She also mentors new teachers and volunteers with her school’s parent teacher organization.
The BP Teachers of Excellence program recognized 32 Alaska teachers in 2016, for their exceptional performance in the classroom, dedication to students and contribution to the state’s future. Since the program’s inception in 1995, BP has recognized 680 teachers for their dedication to teaching and inspiring students. This year, the program attracted more than 1,000 nominations.
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“Espen (Homer High School) takes the lead from Malikhi (Soldotna High School) with about 10 m left in the 4×100 relay. But then, Espen stops before the finish line to wait for Malikhi, his sight-impaired competitor, so they could finish together. #golden #inspiration #sportsmanship
Homer Invite, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Unified Track Team Race
April 2016, Homer High School
Watch the video from Don Pitcher Photography
ASAA Track and Field
Posted in Inspiration by .
“You are not alone” suicide awareness and prevention
This spring, more than one thousand students from Kenai Central High School, Kenai Middle School, Nikiski Middle-High School, Skyview Middle School, Soldotna Prep, and Soldotna High School attended assemblies about suicide awareness. Student leaders at KCHS received training about suicide awareness. The assemblies aimed to assist our students and staff with helpful tips and facts about mental health and suicide prevention. Deb Casello, You Are Not Alone youth suicide prevention project coordinator through the Alaska Training Cooperative and UAA’s Center for Human Development, together with trained students from Anchorage facilitated the assemblies.
Students learned that many people think that openly talking about suicide raises the risk.
The fact is that asking someone directly usually lowers their anxiety, opens up lines of communication, and also lowers the risk of an impulsive act. Everyone received yellow wrist bands with a Careline that anyone can call, anytime: 877-266-HELP.
“Since almost all efforts to persuade someone to live instead of attempt suicide will be met with agreement and relief, don’t hesitate to get involved or take the lead.” –You Are Not Alone presentation
Question. Persuade. Refer. QPR is three steps everyone can learn to help prevent suicide. The objectives of youth led QPR trainings are:
- Teach the appropriate role for youth in suicide prevention; youth are neither counselors nor interventionists
- Learn about the myths and facts surrounding suicide
- Empower youth with tools to safely ask the Question
- Recognize the warning signs of suicide
- Know how to Persuade by offering safe support and hope
- Reinforce critical step of involving adults, Refer to help
Links
- Suicide awareness – know the signs: http://www.youarenotaloneak.org/
- You Are Not Alone: www.YouAreNotAloneAK.org
- QPR: www.qprinstitute.com
- Sources of Strength: https://sourcesofstrength.org/
SAPP Grant
In April, KPBSD was awarded a three year Suicide Awareness, Prevention and Postvention (SAPP) grant from the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development. The SAPP grant will help KPBSD continue to build capacity and extend our efforts to deliver suicide awareness programs in our schools. Through the grant, the district will be able to:
- Develop peer mentoring, and involve more youth in the gatekeeper training
- Continue to support what we are already doing by having our own trainers in the district for Fourth R and YMHFA, and now Sources of Strength
- Collaborate with other community organizations to develop a coordinated Suicide Tool Kit to help make proactive plans if or when a suicide tragedy takes place, or if people need help to prevent a suicide
The three year grant proposal targets high risk populations of students in grades 7-12 at Homer Flex, Marathon School, and Kenai Alternative School. And, in year two and three of the grant, additional KPBSD middle and high schools. The goal is to develop teams of peer leaders, mentored by adult advisors, to change the peer social norms about seeking help, and to encourage students to individually assess and develop strengths in their life. An essential element of the program is to recruit a diverse peer leader network from a variety of social cliques and groups.
“While prevention is our first priority, we know postvention is a critical component of a comprehensive wellness program when faced with the tragedy of suicide in a community,” said Melissa Linton, KPBSD Curriculum and Assessment Coordinator. “Postvention has the ability to ease distress, break the cycle of suicide, and be a preventative measure. While KPBSD’s overall health and wellness curriculum is in place, a high priority need for our district is to further education and supports for suicide prevention. Our goal is to create a network of community mental health providers to collaborate to develop a purposeful and coordinated community support that responds quickly and effectively to provide safe havens in response to suicide.”
Posted in KPBSD District Stories by .
Rabbit Project (aka Project X)
Port Graham School eighth through twelfth graders were involved in a project that began with raising rabbits, and ended with skin sewing from the tanned hides. Through active learning, students experienced every phase of this agricultural project that met both Science and Alaska Cultural Standards. This was a great opportunity for the community to help by sharing their expertise, especially for tanning and skin-sewing. Students in this small, two-room school kept the project a secret from the younger students in school, thus the project was dubbed, “Project X.”
This unique experience is highlighted here by Port Graham students Monique Cook, Rick Jager, Malachi Joseph, Suzanne LaBelle, Nicholas Meganack, and Kobe Norman.
Preparing for the Rabbits Arrival – Nick Meganack and Rick Jager
What we used for keeping the bunnies safe, was an old rowboat in the back of the school that no one ever used. As a class we spent a total of 4 hours, using a hand saw, to split the rowboat in half. Therefore, making the boat: 72 inches in length, and the height was 26 inches, with a width of 32 inches. For bedding we used hay that was from Save U More in Homer, AK. We just laid it all over the ground that was underneath the boat. We thought about what weather would come by in the village, which tends to be rain, wind, sunny days, and moisture during the months we cared for them. Therefore, we used screen and plastic wrapping, to keep out predators and the rain (and they did stay dry). They were accessible by using a board that can be lifted off of the pen.
Caring for the Rabbits – Monique Cook
Port Graham High School students took care of rabbits for about two months. When they first got here we all talked about what we would feed them, and where we would put them. First, we put them in the woodshop [in a small cage]. We made sure to give them a bowl of water every day. We put hay under the cage to keep them warm. We fed them hay, carrots, and lettuce. While they were in the woodshop, we built a little pen for them behind the school. We all picked up poop for an elder, because it made a good fertilizer for her garden.
Skinning the Rabbits – Malachi Joseph
Skinning rabbits for our project seemed exciting to me, because this was the first animal I skinned by myself. I have watched, but have not ever helped with skinning. Our teacher, Mr. Way, taught us the method called, tubing. That is the way he has been skinning animals. The first steps, all three of us had to do, were: wash our hands, get gloves on, find string (strong enough to hold the rabbit), find a place to hang the rabbit by its hind legs, and get a trash can, sharp knife, and a knife sharpener.
Once the rabbit was hung we cut around the back legs on both sides. Then we cut down to the middle of the rabbit, making sure to do this with both of the legs. Once you have done the legs, and have met in the middle, you need to cut off the tail. This gives you an open area to begin removing the skin. Once you have all of this completed, and have an opening, you need to look for the connective tissue between the skin and the muscle. This tissue is very easy to cut, and you have to make sure you only cut the tissue to not damage the fur. As you cut the connective tissue, pull the skin down as you go, until you reach the head. At this point, all you need to is cut the head off, and now you have tubed skin. With the skins we will be tanning and sewing.
Butchering and Cooking – Suzanne LaBelle, Nick Meganack
When preparing the rabbits we had to butcher them into parts that we ate, and didn’t eat. We cut the limbs, ribs, and parts of the back. We didn’t use the spinal column because there wasn’t much meat, so we gave it back to nature (fed the eagles).
After all the butchering, we made a marinade for the meat. One group made two marinades. One batch had a spicy taste, the other was earthier. We put them in a Ziploc bag with a little oil and the seasonings. Another group chose from: chipotle powder, curry powder, red pepper flakes, rosemary, or Old Bay. We marinated the meat for 24 hours.
The rabbit meat takes about four minutes to cook, on each side. The meat had to reach 160 degrees for it to be cooked through.
We then ate the rabbit meat. It was quite interesting because of the texture. The texture was like turkey. One member, Nick Meganack, wasn’t feeling well that day, but said “I wouldn’t have a problem with eating the rabbits. Since we cared for them I knew their wellbeing, and knew they didn’t have anything added to their diet.”
Tanning Process – Suzanne LaBelle, Malachi Joseph, Kobe Norman
The first thing we had to do was put the furs in a five gallon bucket with: warm water, pickling salt, and alum. We left the hides to soak in the bucket for about four days. After the rabbit hides sat in the bucket, we tore off the rest of the fat from the skin. It took us about half an hour to tear off all of the fat. When tearing the fat off the hide we had to be careful to not tear the hides.
We then stretched the hides by pinning them on a board overnight. After the hides were stretched we used Deer Hunters and Trapper Hide Tanning Formula on the skins. To get the formula ready, we put in hot water and let it warm up for about 15 minutes. We used about half of the eight ounce bottle. The tanning formula takes out the grease, and hardens the skin.
When putting the tanning formula on the skins we had to be careful to not put any of the formula on the fur, because it would ruin it. We let the skins, with the formula on them, set out overnight, then we started the next step in the process.
We washed the rabbit hides in dawn soap on the second day. After that, we all dried the skin side of the hides. We put more of the formula on the skin side, and then we needed to let the skins sit for four days.
Teacher Mr. Colby Way:
The last stages of the tanning process will involve the students: washing the hides in warm water only, painting more of the tanning formula on the skin side of the hides for two days, doing a final rinse, hang dry for three to five days. This will complete the project, the students will sewing the last week in April.
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