Sep 15
28
KPBSD Key Communicators
People move in the direction of their conversations and seek accurate stories and information about the school district.
KPBSD Key Communicators help people in their local communities learn more about KPBSD, while also assisting the school district to learn and understand more about what people think, feel, and know. The concept is to promote a continuing exchange between Key Communicators and the school district, creating a loosely connected group of parents and citizens for two way communication.
People move in the direction of their conversations; KPBSD Key Communicators will be kept informed through email messages, media releases, and news from the KPBSD district office communications.
Opportunity
KPBSD formed a network of people who are interested in our schools in order to cultivate positive relationships with the school district and in our diverse communities. Conversations happen every day in school parking lots, at the grocery store, via social media, and so forth. The idea is that our Key Communicators will be kept informed about school district initiatives, issues and celebrations through email messages, media releases, and newsletters from district office communications. Together we will broaden community advocates and help share the golden stories that happen everyday in our schools and district.
Commitment
Key Communicators are asked to simply read the emails and information sent from KPBSD Communications, and potentially share any misconceptions, perceptions, or concerns they hear with KPBSD communications. If a particular issue arises, we may opt to ask you brief questions, utilize an area gathering, advocate or testify with legislators and community members depending on the topic, or broaden our understanding by directly contacting Key Communicators. Your name and contact information will not be published online anywhere as a contact for your school. Participation in Key Communicators is open, with no time frame limit. An annual survey will be conducted to determine shifts needed to grow positive and effective communications.
Meet and Greet
Key Communicators, district leadership, school board members, and any interested school staff are invited to gather informally for a meet and greet. This is an opportunity to meet face-to-face, connect, ask questions, and learn a bit more about things that are happening in the school district and with Key Communicators.
Three dates take place in September 2015, one each in the Central Peninsula, Seward area, and Southern Peninsula, with additional times throughout the 2015-2016 school year.
- Thursday, September 10, 2015, Seward Middle School library, 5:30-6:30 PM
- Tuesday, September 22, 2015, Soldotna High School library, 5:30-6:30 PM
- Monday, September 28, 2015, Homer Middle School library, 5:30-6:30 PM
Action
In early 2014, school principals nominated 2-3 people in their school community and provided Pegge Erkeneff, communication liaison, with the name, context, connection, or position in the community, and contact information including email, address, and telephone. Every year, principals and school board members offer additional names, and everyone interested in KPBSD schools are welcome to attend area gatherings.
If you are interested in becoming a KPBSD Key Communicator, please email Pegge Erkeneff, communications liaison, at Communications@kpbsd.org.
Posted in Communications Community Partners by .
Falcom Greear, Homer High School
When he was five, his music teacher inspired him. Fast forward eleven years, and Falcom Greear, now a sophomore at Homer High School, hasn’t stopped singing, and videoconferences via Skype nearly every week with his retired music teacher, who lives in Mississippi. She has been his inspiration and helped guide his love of music since he attended McNeil Canyon Elementary school in Homer, Alaska. There is a lot to talk about now, as Greear practices more than an hour a day in preparation to represent Alaska and sing during the NAfME All-National Honor Ensembles performance in Nashville, Tennessee.
Greear is working with his ensemble director, Kyle Schneider, Homer High School and Homer Middle School director of choirs, to prepare for the October 25 – 28 trip. One of three students selected from Alaska, the 673 students will perform on the world-famous Grand Ole Opry House stage, “known for creating one-of-a-kind entertainment that’s been referred to as the ‘home of American music,’” according to the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) website. The performance will take place during the 2015 NAfME National In-Service Conference.
“Selected students are currently rehearsing a challenging repertoire in preparation for performing under the baton of five of the most prominent conductors in the United States: Ann Howard Jones (Mixed Choir); Jung-Ho Pak (Symphony Orchestra); Eugene Migliaro Corporon (Concert Band); and Sherman Irby and Todd Stoll (Jazz Ensemble),” writes NAfME in a news release. “All conductors have received top honors in their field and will spend several days rehearsing with students before the concert.”
A sophomore, in his free time Falcom teaches Zumba classes, occasionally telling his students, “sing if you want to!” The Broadway musicals, All that Jazz and Chicago are his favorites, and Greear believes, “If you have a goal, go for it! Whatever you are passionate about brings you joy.”
Link
- 2015 NAfME All-National Honor Ensemble news release – 673 Students from 49 States and Territories to Showcase Talents in Nashville on October 28
Posted in Inspiration by .
Sep 15
22
News Release: Mediation Concludes
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Contact: Pegge Erkeneff, 907.714.8888
News Release
Mediation Concludes
Soldotna, September 22, 2015—The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District (KPBSD) was unable to reach a tentative agreement with Kenai Peninsula Education Association (KPEA) and Kenai Peninsula Education Support Association (KPESA) through the mediation process, which took place September 21 – 22, 2015.
A meditator from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) met with all three parties and exercised shuttle diplomacy between the groups, which in essence means conveying questions, supposals, and information seeking to find areas of compromise. Everything that took place during mediation remains confidential, and mediation was closed to the public.
The KPBSD bargaining team is analyzing and reviewing what transpired in the mediation process.
Unless all parties agree to return to face-to-face negotiations, the next step in the collective bargaining process is advisory arbitration.
KPBSD employees continue to work under contracts which expired June 30, 2015. When the new fiscal year began on July 1, 2015, all eligible employees did receive salary and wage movement on the predetermined salary and wage schedules.
Links
- School District Collective Bargaining 2015
- Collective Bargaining Agreements for 2012-2013 through 2014-2015
- September 22, 2015 News Release: Mediation Concludes
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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
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Contact: Pegge Erkeneff, 907.714.8888
News Release
Project SEARCH open house is September 24, 2015
What takes place when a school district and hospital collaborate to create a business-led, one-year, school-to-work program for students with disabilities? Join KPBSD and Central Peninsula Hospital for the annual Project SEARCH High School Transition Program open house and find out about a life-changing opportunity happening in our community.
Thursday, September 24, 2015
5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Challenger Center,
Kenai, Alaska
Families, educators, partner organizations, and community members are invited to:
- Meet student interns who will showcase learning from their respective internship rotations
- Talk with the teacher and job coach
- Meet the hospital job mentors
- Be inspired by national speaker, Erin Riehle, the Project Search National Director, who will speak about the ways in which you can assist our students with special needs in employability training and community involvement.
Sean Dusek, KPBSD superintendent said, “One of our on-going challenges is to ensure that our students with disabilities make a smooth transition to life after high school. Project SEARCH is thus, a wonderful way to help us meet this challenge.”
The Project SEARCH High School Transition Program is a total workplace immersion, facilitating a seamless combination of classroom instruction, career exploration, and relevant job-skills training through strategically designed internships. Through a series of three targeted internships the students acquire competitive, marketable, and transferable skills. Students also build communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills which is important to their overall development as a young worker. The goal: independent adults prepared for competitive employment opportunities.
Kenai Peninsula Project SEARCH is made possible through the collaborative efforts of Project SEARCH Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Central Peninsula Hospital, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, the Governor’s Council on Disabilities and Special Education, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and Frontier Community Services.
Links
Project SEARCH
2014 Golden Apple Award: Central Peninsula Project SEARCH program
2013 KPBSD Project SEARCH story
2012 KPBSD Project SEARCH story
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Sep 15
11
First time: Maritime Awareness Day
Thunder, lightening, and rain didn’t stop Seward High Students from painting, welding and working on heavy equipment at the Vigor Shipyard, September 10, 2015.
The interactive tour started at AVTEC when students from Seward High, AVTEC’s Welding, Diesel Mechanics and Constructions classes met with employers, department officials from DOT, and the Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Labor, Joe Thomas. Students travelled to the shipyard where Vigor employees had a welding lab, machine shop demonstration, and fabrication shop stations, then they learned the art and science of the boat painting industry followed by the heavy equipment and Dry Dock facility. Students loved the hands on, action packed day, and returned with inspiration, new learning, and ideas!
Posted in Community Partners School Stories by .
September 9, 2015, is International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Awareness Day
Do you know that the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is a leader compared with schools throughout North America in facing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)? We are working to increase our capacity to successfully deal with the many challenges faced by students with FASD. This fall we are taking another giant step forward by also taking a lead in awareness and prevention of FASD.
FASD awareness day started on 9/9/99 to remind everyone that a woman can remain alcohol fee for all nine months of pregnancy.
Proclamations are issued in countries, states, provinces, and towns all around the world. Bells are rung at 9:09 a.m. in every time zone from Alaska to New Zealand. People all around the world gather for events to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking during pregnancy and the plight of individuals and families who struggle with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD).
To our students, and all future parents: the decision whether or not to drink alcohol during pregnancy is a decision that will affect the rest of your lives and those of your children yet to be born. There is so much false information about drinking during pregnancy. Truthful scientific facts include:
• No amount of alcohol is safe to drink anytime during pregnancy.
• Alcohol is poison to a developing baby and permanently damages whatever part of the baby that is developing when a pregnant woman drinks.
• Alcohol is a solvent, like paint remover, to a developing fetus. One single glass of wine dissolves 10,000 cells in the developing baby’s brain.
• The damage done to a developing fetus by alcohol cannot be undone. It is permanent.
• Alcohol is more damaging to a developing baby than even heroin or cocaine.
• The single biggest factor influencing whether or not a pregnant woman drinks alcohol is having a husband or partner who will stay sober with her for the entire pregnancy.
• If a woman finds that she is pregnant and has been drinking some alcohol, her baby will be healthier if she stops drinking.
• If you are pregnant, don’t drink. If you drink, don’t get pregnant.
At 9:09 AM, on 9/9, is when FASD is recognized throughout the world. “Everyone has a part they can play in preventing FASD, and to remember the importance at the school level of understanding the impact of this invisible disability,” said Clayton Holland, director of KPBSD pupil services. “The CDC estimates that 2% to 5% of the total population is impacted by FASD. If we apply that percentage to the KPBDS we would have close to 400 students who are impacted, with many of them not being identified with FASD, but likely having significant struggles in the classroom and at home.
Last year the district formed an FASD “Think Tank” to help guide the district’s next steps in addressing the many challenges that come with FASD. The FASD Think Tank determined a need to focus on continuous on-going training and resources for teachers, school and community outreach to prevent future FASD, and the development of resources for students impacted by FASD to understand how their disability impacts them and what resources they have available to them. We have also offered college credit training opportunities as well as presented for school staff at regular staff meetings and in-service days. Finally, In order to help our families and communities better understand FASD, we have established parent support groups in the communities of Seward, Homer, and in the Central Peninsula.
Collectively, our work with FASD has helped to contribute to more positive outcomes for all students and helped to contribute to a significant decrease in suspension and discipline referrals at the school level. I encourage all KPBSD staff members to learn more about FASD by going to The National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome website. This is an excellent resource for all staff working with students experiencing FASD.”
Posted in Inspiration by .
Jenna Fabian, Seward Elementary 4th and 5th grade teacher reflects after personally meeting with President Obama when he visited Seward, Alaska, in September 2015:
Today’s experience was clearly one that I will never forget! My student, Samantha, and I had a great conversation on the way out to Exit Glacier after going through three different security checkpoints. We decided that we were going to be “sponges” and take every little bit in! We ended up meeting up with him twice. The second time included a conversation with him regarding how important National Parks are, and the amazing career of a teacher.
What moved me the most is the absolute poise that our President exemplified. He was beyond personable with his warm smile and continuous eye contact. This experience made me think of the amazing colleagues that I am in the company of each and every day, our amazing school district, and all of the incredible educators that are there for our Nation’s children each and every day. With all of these fantastic people at the forefront of my mind, it was an absolute honor to represent Seward area schools and the initiative of “Every Kid in a Park.”
The President asked Samantha what grade she was in upon first meeting him. Then, as he walked to meet others, we were escorted down a trail by a White House correspondent to the 1926 marker near the outwash plain so that we could wait to see the President again. There at the outwash plain, we met him again with all of his press. He stopped and talked with us more, and referenced how fortunate our school is to have so many opportunities to see Exit Glacier and the great outdoors. He continued in and discuss the Every Kid, Every Park initiative and how important it is for kids to see the outdoors. We heard about his fond memories of visiting Yellowstone as a child, which seemed to be such a great memory for him as evidenced by the warm look on his face when speaking about the National Park.
I appreciated that he thanked me for my dedication to kids, and noted that teaching is one of the most important careers.
On the ride back, Samantha said there were two things that struck her the most: she was speechless after the President gave her a hug! Before the President continued his hike, he gave her a box of Presidential M&M’s. She was quite excited and reassured me that she would never eat them!
A local photographer, Kalani Woodlock, donated a picture of Seward in the winter time. This picture was printed on metal and given to the President on behalf of Seward Schools. I wasn’t able to give it to him personally but his assistant took it, and assured me that he would get the gift.
Sep 15
2
Exploring Careers at ANSEP Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) Summer Academy
Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP)
Partnering with the University of Alaska ANSEP program for the first time this year, we recruited qualified students from 27 of our schools to attend the ANSEP Middle School Academy. Of the 1,014 identified native students in the district, 245 attend middle school (6-8 grade), with 143 of the students meeting the requirement of being on track for success in grade 8 algebra.
KPBSD sent 48 students and eight chaperones to the 10 day Middle School Academy. Students experienced high quality, upper level science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) problem-solving activities taught by college staff while on the University of Alaska campus. KPBSD is committed to continue this recruitment effort in 2015-2016. Successful academy completers are not allowed to participate in future academies that occur during the school year but are invited to apply for ANSEP’s follow-up summer academy.
Twenty-two of the 48 students followed the complicated application process and were accepted to the 2015 summer academy for continued guidance and learning. These photos were taken during the summer ANSEP Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) Career Explorations.
ANSEP STEM Career Explorations students (L-R) Jovena Bartels-Salas, Anika McDonough, and Leisha Lozana, June 2015
James Lamping (L) and Jakob Andreanoff (R) assemble their Unmanned Aerial Vehicle during ANSEP’s STEM Career Explorations June 2015
Daylynn Yenney, ANSEP STEM Career Explorations student, pilots the UAV her team built while university professor looks on, June 2015
Marcus Hale (L) and Sorin Sorensen (R), put finishing touches on their Unmanned Aerial Vehicle at ANSEP’s STEM Career Explorations in June 2015
Garrett Cooper assembles model lungs at ANSEP’s STEM Career Explorations in July 2015
Aphanasia Kvasnikoff creates model lungs during ANSEP’s STEM Career Explorations in July 2015
Sorin Sorensen pilots his team’s UAV while teammates look on during ANSEP’s STEM Career Explorations in June 2015
Posted in Education by .
Razdolan School Jenny Sorensen and students get creative with paint. The students designed the mural, and the physical education shed was built last year during the fall and spring Construction Academies at Homer High School with instructor Cam Wyatt.
Posted in School Stories by .
Before A School Emergency
Parents Should Be Prepared
Contact information entered in PowerSchool is used to make emergency contact with parents. So that KPBSD can keep you informed, make sure your child’s emergency contact information is accurate, current, and updated as needed. That information may be used during an emergency to generate automated phone messages, emails, or text messages to parents from schools or the district office. Parents need to go to the school office to update and sign their information.
- Download the KPBSD Mobile App so you can automatically receive emergency update push notifications
- Become familiar with the KPBSD Facebook and Twitter social media sites where emergency information is posted
Parents Should Be Informed
Familiarize yourself with these KPBSD emergency terms and procedures:
- Stay Put: A “stay put” takes place when a potential threat is identified in the school’s neighborhood. All school doors are locked but classes continue inside as normal. No entry into or exit from the school is allowed. Students will not be released until the situation is resolved and the “stay put” has been rescinded.
- Safety Closure: A “safety closure” takes place when a violent intruder is identified on school grounds or in the school building. The ALICE protocols will be followed. No entry into or exit from the school is allowed. Students will not be released until the situation is resolved and the “safety closure” has been rescinded.
- Shelter-In-Place: A “shelter-in-place” takes place when students take refuge in designated areas to be protected from hazardous materials or severe weather. Entry or exit from the schools will be controlled.
- Evacuation: In the event of certain building emergencies, students will be relocated to an appropriate evacuation assembly area. Students will be released to parents per district student release procedures.
During A School Emergency
Parents and Guardians
- Should trust that during an emergency the school and district is first doing what is needed to protect students, and then communicating to parents as quickly as possible when we have full and accurate information.
- Should trust that staff and students are prepared for emergency situations. Schools participate in emergency drills throughout the year, and staff and emergency responders know the best procedures for keeping students safe.
- SHOULD NOT call or rush to your child’s school
- Phone lines, staff, and local roads are needed for emergency response efforts.
- SHOULD NOT phone or text your child
- The sound or vibration from cell phones and phone conversations could put students in danger. Also, students need to be paying attention to the instructions from trained staff. Conflicting instructions from parents may put a child’s safety at risk.
After a School Emergency
How will I be reunited with my child?
Parents and guardians will be directed by school or public safety officials to their child’s specific location. This information will be distributed via the previously discussed emergency modes of communication. Students will be released ONLY to parents and guardians or other designated individuals who are documented as emergency contacts. All individuals will be required to present a valid picture ID such as a driver’s license, military ID, or passport. Please remember to bring your ID with you and inform your child’s emergency contacts that they will be required to show proper identification if they are picking up your child.
The reunification process can be time-consuming, so everyone is urged to be patient.
Recovery
Following an emergency, we encourage parents to:
- Listen to and acknowledge your child’s concerns
- Provide reassurance that your child is safe
- Assure your child that additional prevention efforts are being put in place
- Seek help from school personnel or a mental health professional if concerns persist
Should your child have serious concerns in response to an emergency or crisis, contact your school directly for information and guidance.
Questions?: Please contact your school principal or office.
Link: KPBSD dedicated webpage: School Delays or Closures
Posted in Communications by .