Natalie Kant, Alaska Counselor of the Year!
Skyview Middle School (SMS) counselor Natalie Kant received top acknowledgment from the State of Alaska for her “exceptional leadership skills, work ethic, enthusiasm for the profession, and care for students.” Sarge Truesdell, principal of SMS said, “There is this old saying in schools that the head secretary and head custodian run a school building. Here at SMS, Mrs. Natalie runs the building. She outworks us all, is a leader amongst her colleagues, is innovative, original, competent, and continually striving to learn and improve. She loves what she does!”
Natalie Kant, Alaska Counselor of the Year, with Skyview Middle School (SMS) students
“I am very humbled to receive this incredible award for something that I love to do,” said Natalie Kant. “I am honored to be an employee of the KPBSD and absolutely love being a school counselor. My students, their parents, my colleagues and friends, my family and my school district have inspired me to always be involved and have motivated me to do my best. I love working with all students. Thank you for encouraging and challenging me to be the person I am today. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your life. I am very grateful for the influence you have had in my life. Thank You!”
KPBSD School Counselors celebrate Alaska Counselor of the Year, Natalie Kant
Posted in Awards Inspiration by .
Good morning! Today is Wednesday, May 13, 2015! Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.” …. A typical school morning announcement? Yes! Until…. “Camai uciitilat, camai uciiniit. Ernerpak nupugpet Ipitaqa aniuq.”
Nestled at the foot of beautiful mountains and along the shores of Cook Inlet, Nanwalek, or “a place with a lagoon,” is home to approximately 250 residents who are from the Sug’piaq culture. The language of the Sug’piat is a dying language, with only about 20 fluent residents. They are the elders, who often do not live with children who are developing language skills.
It is hard for most people to imagine their language disappearing off the face of this earth. What would that be like? The exponential effects are many, for language affects interactions, culture, and history. Most would make every effort to save the language – or risk losing all traditions. In Nanwalek, the school has been key in the effort to save the Sugt’stun language.
Alongside other schools, Nanwalek is focused on academic standards to help students from this isolated K-12 multi-graded school have as many options as possible when they graduate. As importantly, the Alaska Cultural Standards are essential to daily life at Nanwalek School. These provide another set of standards based on traditional and ancestral beliefs that are about survival of a Native world view, and in Nanwalek this is a way of knowing and being to preserve Sug’piaq values and history through bilingual education.
Links
School website
Connect with Nanwalek on Facebook
Posted in School Stories by .
Soldotna Area Schools Online Survey
open May 7 – 22, 2015
We are ending the first year of the Soldotna area schools reconfiguration, and seek your opinion via an online survey about two topics: the reconfiguration, and school start and end times for ten area schools. Please respond to brief questions in an online survey, open through May 22, 2015. Parents, guardians, staff, 7-12th grade students, and community members are invited to participate!
Start the survey now! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SoldotnaSchools2015
Reconfiguration
At the start of the 2014-2015 school year the Soldotna area schools were reconfigured resulting in:
- Skyview Middle School: 7th – 8th grade
- Soldotna Prep School: 9th grade
- Soldotna High School: 10th – 12th grade
School start and end time
Should KPBSD consider changing the school start time for Soldotna area schools? This question continues to be asked to district administration, so we are asking you. Please keep in mind that we are simply gauging the school and community perception of school start and end times, no decision is made, and that any potential change would not take place in the upcoming 2015-2016 school year.
Thank you for your time and thoughts!
The mission of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is to develop productive, responsible citizens who are prepared to be successful in a dynamic world.
Connections Homeschool program supports innovative approaches in education and fun opportunities unique for students. In March we had very little snow on the ground. Our skiing club couldn’t get out on the trails as we had in previous years. We needed to find another activity. A great alternative to skiing in the winter is Fat Tire biking the beaches. Cycological and Saw and Cycle in Homer both rent Fat Tire Bikes, so we put an invite out to our peninsula-wide students.
We set a date for the ride and everyone met at Bishops Beach in Homer, for the first Connections Fat Tire Bike Ride. It was a little overcast and windy on the beach. Everyone bundled up for the weather. We had a brief safety meeting and started peddling towards Diamond Creek. Part of scheduling the event was ensuring that we could hit low tides mid-day. Our low tide was a negative 1.5 at 11:30 a.m.; there were tons of exposed boulders, tide pools, and flat sand to ride. We peddled up the coastline, hopping rocks, crossing tide pools, and scraping the edge of the ocean surf. As we moved up the beach we hit several little showers along the way. After peddling four miles up the beach we stopped in an accumulation of driftwood and took a lunch break. After refueling we started the trek back to Bishops Beach. Everyone improved their riding on the way back to Bishops Beach.
Connections provides a unique opportunity for students across the peninsula. Students were able to get outside in the winter, exercise, and learn how to ride the beaches of Homer. The only question posed by the students was, “When will we do this again?” What a great opportunity for our students!
Story contributed by Jacob Parrett, secondary advisor, Homer Connections Homeschool
Connections Homeschool on Facebook
website: Connections Homeschool
Posted in School Stories by .
News Release
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Contact: Pegge Erkeneff, 907.714.8888
Soldotna, April 21, 2015—“Mom, I forgot my lunch money!” Have you ever wanted to add money to a school meal account, for a student activity fee, donation, or lost book via an online payment? Now you can! KPBSD is working with RevTrak, which allows parents and other interested parties to make online payments to the district, via a computer or mobile device.
Food service payments
Online payment for food services is now available for all KPBSD schools. Online payments are processed in real time; this means that someone could make a payment in the morning, and the funds would be available for the student when he or she goes to lunch that day.
Student activity fees
Kenai Central High School and Ninilchik School are piloting the receipt of online payments for student activities, such as class fees, activity participation fees, donations, lost book fees and so forth. Additional schools are going live in coming weeks.
To make a payment
Parents or other people making payments can access a student record in three ways to make payments:
- Use of the PowerSchool parent portal
- Through the KPBSD website online payments link on the Students-Parents tab
- Via the online payments icon on the KPBSD mobile app
“The district has had many requests for some type of online payment capability, so we are glad to be able to offer this service for students and we hope it will be helpful,” said Laurie Olson, director of finance. “Liz Hayes in our finance department together with Eric Soderquist and David Henson in information services have worked since last summer to get this online and functioning; they are the main reason we are able to offer this service.”
Note: there is a 3.61% processing fee calculated on all payments, no exceptions. This is the actual cost of the processing fee from RevTrak, and is not a source of revenue for the district.
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Posted in Communications News Release by .
Soldotna, April 10, 2015—The Senate and House Conference Committee for HB 72 Operating Budget formed. The first meeting is Friday, April 10, 2015, at 4:00 PM.
- KPBSD understands that difficult financial decisions have to be made. We have confidence in our legislators and Speaker of the House Chenault, who have demonstrated support and advocacy for public education on the Kenai Peninsula.
- Over 80 percent of our 2015-2016 budget is related to staff (salary and benefits). The proposed reductions of $8 million translates into the potential loss of up to 100 positions and vital programs.
- It is a constitutional responsibility of the State of Alaska to provide and maintain a public school system open to every child.
Principal Nate Crabtree, K-Beach Elementary: “Legislators are proposing additional reductions to education funding. Our children have one chance for a K-12 education and it needs to be the best we can provide. KPBSD is committed to delivering a quality education to our students and providing stability for our staff and communities. Unanticipated education funding reductions, proposed this late in the budgeting process, will have an impact on K-Beach Elementary. While it is imperative that we find ways to save money as a state, we need to carefully consider doing so in a way that doesn’t negatively influence students during these very formative years when the emerging skills of reading, writing, and math are taking root. Please consider ways in which you can positively influence legislators. Time is essential; the legislative session ends April 19, 2015.”
Principal Dan Carstens, Nikiski Middle-High School: “When I learned of the possible additional reduction to the BSA [Foundation Formula 4.1% reduction], I was taken aback and immediately examined my current staffing sheet to determine what else could go. It came down to programs and opportunities for our students. … I looked at our Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs and would have to have lighter versions due to the fact that our instructors would need to teach a wider variety at mainly a beginning level. In other words, not a deep understanding, only introductory. Which would be a shame, especially with the variety of equipment we currently possess.”
Soldotna High School student council: “We, the students of Soldotna High School Student Council would like to address the current status of HB72 as it stands on April 8, 2015. We are gravely concerned about the educational implications of this bill if it should pass as it currently exists. … We would encourage you to continue to look at a variety of ways to help balance the budget without such extreme cuts to education.”*
Please contact legislators to voice your opinion about the proposed reductions to education funding.
The Senate Finance Committee amended HB 72 with a 4.1 percent reduction to the Foundation Formula educational funding on April 2, 2015. The impact to KPBSD is:
- Reduction of state contribution to KPBSD: $4,238,432
- Reduction of local (borough) contribution to KPBSD: $977,007
Governor Walker proposed an operating budget reduction of educational One-Time Funding in HB 72.The impact to KPBSD is:
- Reduction of state contribution to KPBSD: $2,262,989
- Reduction of local (borough) contribution to KPBSD: $520,487
Potential 2015-2016 revenue loss to KPBSD: $7,998,915
Total possible reduction in state funding to KPBSD: $6,501,421
Total possible reduction in local (borough) funding to KPBSD: $1,497,494
- Email the entire Legislature: http://www.legis.state.ak.us/poms/
- Individual Senator Contacts: http://akleg.gov/senate.php
- Individual Representative Contacts: http://akleg.gov/house.php
*HB72 Operating Budget Conference Committee Members
- Representative Mark Neuman – Representative.Mark.Neuman@akleg.gov – 800-505-2678
- Representative Les Gara – Representative.Les.Gara@akleg.gov – 888-465-2647
- Representative Steve Thompson – Representative.Steve.Thompson@akleg.gov – 877-465-3004
- Senator Pete Kelly – Senator.Pete.Kelly@akleg.gov – 877-665-3709
- Senator Anna MacKinnon – Senator.Anna.MacKinnon@akleg.gov – 800-861-5688
- Senator Donald Olson – Senator.Donny.Olson@akleg.gov – 800-597-3707
Kenai Peninsula Legislators
- Senator Peter Micciche, Senator.Peter.Micciche@akleg.gov– 907-465-2828
- Senator Gary Stevens, Senator.Gary.Stevens@akleg.gov– 907-465-4925
- Representative Mike Chenault, Representative.Mike.Chenault@akleg.gov– 907-465-3779
- Representative Kurt Olson, Representative.Kurt.Olson@akleg.gov– 907-465-2693
- Representative Paul Seaton, Representative.Paul.Seaton@akleg.gov– 907-465-2689
- Representative Louise Stutes, Representative.Louise.Stutes@akleg.gov – 907-465-2487
Connect with KPBSD on Facebook, twitter, our Mobile App, and website to follow updates. Contacts for Alaska legislators are noted in this announcement, and also on the Alaska State Legislature webpage.
Links
- HB 72
- KPBSD and the Legislature webpage
- The Alaska State Legislature webpage
- Media Release April 3, 2015: Proposed reduction to education funding in Alaska
- April 7, 2015: Education Funding and KPBSD
- April 8, 2015: HB 72 and Education Funding in KPBSD
- *April 9, 2015: Soldotna High School student council addresses education funding
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Posted in Legislature News Release by .
Through a State of Alaska grant, Nikiski Middle-High School received a Checkmate King CNC Laser. The “King,” as the students call the CNC Laser, has made quite an impact both in quality projects and the understanding of dimensional geometry. NMHS CTE teachers Paul Johnson and Vern Kornstad have challenged both themselves and their students to master the fundamentals of this new technology. They are challenged to understand the maintenance, functions, media, and how exportation in CorelDraw has had to change from previous machines. Should you visit the class you will hear excited and eager students anticipating their projects and troubleshooting to make them even better! Each moment is excitement in hands-on learning, applied math, computer technology, and employability skills.
The class is partnering with the Soldotna, Alaska, business Threeguysnowood.com. The task the partnership developed was to create a small inexpensive project that tourists could purchase at the business. The winning project would be class produced, marketed and sold this summer through the business with all proceeds returned to the CAD/CAM program at NMHS. Students brought their creativity and understanding of computer program tools, CorelDraw, geometry and measurements to create and execute product ideas. The class voted on the computer assisted drawings and discussed marketing potential. The samples below are some of the CorelDraw ideas that students created. Each color of a line tells the CNC Laser where to cut, how deep to cut, and where to burn on the student designs. Each component is a layover of a layover, so the students must be aware of each line, close each line, and what that line will be doing when exported to the King.
The selected design from each class was then exported to the CNC Laser. There were some exciting moments when the computer assisted drawings did not turn out exactly as anticipated. As a class, a team in the real-world, they assisted each other in correcting the pathways needed to cut out the prototype(s).
Tami Murray, Executive Director of the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce, worked with the business to assist in choosing the most marketable item. After careful consideration the Alaskan puzzle was designated to be produced.
From that discussion, the instructors further discussed with the students the factors of: packaging, cost of items, and overall marketability. One of the unforeseen and most exciting results of this grant funding is that all chosen student projects will be produced and sold at Threeguysnowood.com this summer with 100% of those proceeds returning to the CAD/CAM program. In a sense every class then has a stake in sales, and every class is a winner.
The State of Alaska CTE 2015 grant has made an enormous impact on students already. The grant has provided a vehicle in which to foster student learning and to bring resources back into the CTE program. Students are challenged in an integrated cross-content project emphasizing applied math, computers, marketing, and fostering employability skills. This has truly been a success!
Thank you to Paul Johnson and Vern Kornstad, Nikiski Middle High School for this story.
Posted in Community Partners School Stories by .
On April 9, 2015, the Soldotna High School Student Council sent a letter to Alaska legislators in response to proposed reductions to education funding.
Dear Senators and Representatives,
We, the students of Soldotna High School Student Council would like to address the current status of HB72 as it stands on April 8, 2015. We are gravely concerned about the educational implications of this bill if it should pass as it currently exists.
While we do recognize the importance of drafting a balanced budget, the cuts to education are extremely distressing. With the additional reduction of 4.1% to the Foundation Formula and a cut to other One-Time funding sources, our district is now facing up to an additional $8 million reduction to the new school year budget—which was already a deficit budget and included cuts. We worry about what this means for our school next year and in the future.
With the adoption of new curriculum standards and adjustment to the new testing procedures, we are worried that decreased budgets could lead to increases in the size of our classrooms and a reduction in resources. While each of them by themselves is alarming, combined they could be devastating. Already we do not have enough one on one time with teachers and while we have internet access, our computers and buildings are showing their age.
Extra-curricular activities will also be hit very hard. Student fees to play may need to be increased to help cover the costs of busing, uniforms, referees and coaching staff. Many students are already discouraged about the high costs of participating in sports and yet it is these activities that help keep many kids in school and motivates them to get passing grades. We will need to lean more on local businesses and communities to help with fundraising efforts at a time when they already feel the pressure of helping our local schools.
Thank you for this opportunity to share our concerns. We would encourage you to continue to look at a variety of ways to help balance the budget without such extreme cuts to education.
Sincerely,
Members of Soldotna High School Student Council
Posted in Legislature Student Posts by .
HB72 and Education Funding in KPBSD
- Prioritize Alaska’s future.
Our children have one chance for a K-12 education and it needs to be the best we can provide. KPBSD is committed to deliver a quality education to our students and provide stability for our staff and communities. Unanticipated education funding reductions, proposed this late in the budgeting process, compromises our ability to prepare our students for their future.
- Proposed cuts will compromise the ability of schools to deliver quality education and vital programs.
“In addition to our Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses, art, music, and technology education, we have been able to increase the amount of college prep classes we are able to offer at our school,” said Dan Carstens, Nikiski Middle-High principal. “Our AP course offerings have doubled in the past year and we were able to offer an honors course to our freshmen and sophomore classes. Our main focus is to differentiate what we offer to our students to best meet them at their current levels. The bottom line is that we have a fine balance of offerings to meet the needs of our diverse population at Nikiski Middle-High School.
For the next school year, in part due to enrollment and budget reductions, we already needed to eliminate one full position. We were able to manage this reduction while still being able to offer our complement of courses, albeit at a decreased level. Obviously it was not our desire to eliminate a position, however, we also understand the need to reduce our spending with the state income not what it used to be.
When I learned of the possible additional reduction to the BSA [Foundation Formula 4.1% reduction], I was taken aback and immediately examined my current staffing sheet to determine what else could go. It came down to programs and opportunities for our students. … I then looked at our CTE programs and would have to have lighter versions due to the fact that our instructors would need to teach a wider variety at mainly a beginning level. In other words, not a deep understanding, only introductory. Which would be a shame, especially with the variety of equipment we currently possess.
Again, I understand the need to make reductions. It is imperative, however, that these reductions are incremental and they are not applied all at one time. We have made our plans for next school year to continue our services. Each year we have the normal attrition of our staff from retirements and resignations; we examine how we can restructure our staffing on a regular basis to continue to meet the needs of our students. As you know, it is never easy, but we have made those decisions based on what our students need to graduate and be successful beyond high school whether it is in college or a career.”
Please contact legislators to voice your opinion about the proposed reductions to education funding.
Last Thursday, the Senate Finance Committee amended HB 72, with a 4.1 percent reduction to the Foundation Formula educational funding. The impact to KPBSD is:
- Reduction of state contribution to KPBSD: $4,238,432
- Reduction of local (borough) contribution to KPBSD: $977,007
Governor Walker proposed an operating budget reduction of educational One-Time Funding in HB 72.The impact to KPBSD is:
- Reduction of state contribution to KPBSD: $2,262,989
- Reduction of local (borough) contribution to KPBSD: $520,487
Potential 2015-2016 revenue loss to KPBSD: $7,998,915
- Total possible reduction in state funding to KPBSD: $6,501,421
- Total possible reduction in local (borough) funding to KPBSD: $1,497,494
A joint Finance and House conference committee has formed for HB 72 and will be meeting soon.
- Email the entire Legislature: http://www.legis.state.ak.us/poms/
- Individual Senator Contacts: http://akleg.gov/senate.php
- Individual Representative Contacts: http://akleg.gov/house.php
*HB72 Operating Budget Conference Committee Members
- Representative Mark Neuman – Representative.Mark.Neuman@akleg.gov – 800-505-2678
- Representative Les Gara – Representative.Les.Gara@akleg.gov – 888-465-2647
- Representative Steve Thompson – Representative.Steve.Thompson@akleg.gov – 877-465-3004
- Senator Pete Kelly – Senator.Pete.Kelly@akleg.gov – 877-665-3709
- Senator Anna MacKinnon – Senator.Anna.MacKinnon@akleg.gov – 800-861-5688
- Senator Donald Olson – Senator.Donny.Olson@akleg.gov – 800-597-3707
Kenai Peninsula Legislators
- Senator Peter Micciche, Senator.Peter.Micciche@akleg.gov– 907-465-2828
- Senator Gary Stevens, Senator.Gary.Stevens@akleg.gov– 907-465-4925
- Representative Mike Chenault, Representative.Mike.Chenault@akleg.gov– 907-465-3779
- Representative Kurt Olson, Representative.Kurt.Olson@akleg.gov– 907-465-2693
- Representative Paul Seaton, Representative.Paul.Seaton@akleg.gov– 907-465-2689
- Representative: Louise Stutes, Representative.Louise.Stutes@akleg.gov – 907-465-2487
Connect with KPBSD on Facebook, twitter, our Mobile App, and website to follow updates. Contacts for Alaska legislators are noted in this announcement, and also on the Alaska State Legislature webpage.
Links
- HB 72
- KPBSD and the Legislature webpage
- The Alaska State Legislature webpage
- Media Release April 3, 2015: Proposed reduction to education funding in Alaska
- April 7, 2015: Education Funding and KPBSD
- April 8, 2015: HB72 Conference Committee Education Funding and KPBSD
Contact Pegge Erkeneff, Communication Specialist
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
907.714.8838
Communications@KPBSD.org
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Posted in Education Legislature by .
Apr 15
7
Education Funding and KPBSD
Please contact Conference Committee members* and legislators to voice your opinion about the proposed reductions to education funding.
The Senate Finance Committee amended HB 72, with a 4.1 percent reduction to the Foundation Formula educational funding on April 2, 2015. The impact to KPBSD is:
- Reduction of state contribution to KPBSD: $4,238,432
- Reduction of local (borough) contribution to KPBSD: $977,007
Governor Walker proposed an operating budget reduction of educational One-Time Funding in HB 72.The impact to KPBSD is:
- Reduction of state contribution to KPBSD: $2,262,989
- Reduction of local (borough) contribution to KPBSD: $520,487
Potential 2015-2016 revenue loss to KPBSD: $7,998,915
- Total possible reduction in state funding to KPBSD: $6,501,421
- Total possible reduction in local (borough) funding to KPBSD: $1,497,494
KPBSD understands that difficult financial decisions have to be made. We have confidence in our legislators and Speaker of the House Chenault, who have demonstrated support and advocacy for public education on the Kenai Peninsula.
Over 80 percent of our 2015-2016 budget is related to staff (salary and benefits). An $8 million reduction translates into the potential loss of up to 100 positions and vital programs.
KPBSD is committed to deliver a quality education to our students and provide stability for our staff and communities. These unanticipated reductions, this late in the budgeting process, compromises our ability to prepare our students for their future.
It is a constitutional responsibility of the State of Alaska to provide and maintain a public school system open to every child.
*The HB72 Conference Committee comprised of Senate and House Finance standing committee members was announced April 7, 2015. The members are: Representative Mark Neuman; Representative Les Gara; Representative Steve Thompson; Senator Pete Kelly; Senator Anna MacKinnon; and Senator Donny Olson. These legislators are tasked to work together on the operating budget revenues, expenditures, and proposed reductions for a final budget by the end of the legislative session on April 19, 2015.
Links
- HB 72
- KPBSD and the Legislature webpage
- The Alaska State Legislature webpage
- Media Release April 3, 2015: Proposed reduction to education funding in Alaska
- April 7, 2015: Education Funding and KPBSD
*HB72 Operating Budget Conference Committee Members
- Representative Mark Neuman – Representative.Mark.Neuman@akleg.gov – 800-505-2678
- Representative Les Gara – Representative.Les.Gara@akleg.gov – 888-465-2647
- Representative Steve Thompson – Representative.Steve.Thompson@akleg.gov – 877-465-3004
- Senator Pete Kelly – Senator.Pete.Kelly@akleg.gov – 877-665-3709
- Senator Anna MacKinnon – Senator.Anna.MacKinnon@akleg.gov – 800-861-5688
- Senator Donny Olson – Senator.Donny.Olson@akleg.gov – 800-597-3707
Kenai Peninsula Legislators
- Senator Peter Micciche, Senator.Peter.Micciche@akleg.gov– 907-465-2828
- Senator Gary Stevens, Senator.Gary.Stevens@akleg.gov– 907-465-4925
- Representative Mike Chenault, Representative.Mike.Chenault@akleg.gov– 907-465-3779
- Representative Kurt Olson, Representative.Kurt.Olson@akleg.gov– 907-465-2693
- Representative Paul Seaton, Representative.Paul.Seaton@akleg.gov– 907-465-2689
- Representative: Louise Stutes, Representative.Louise.Stutes@akleg.gov – 907-465-2487
Connect with KPBSD on Facebook, twitter, our Mobile App, and website to follow updates. Contacts for Alaska legislators are noted in this announcement, and also on the Alaska State Legislature webpage.
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Questions: Contact Pegge Erkeneff, Communication Specialist
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
907-714-8838
Communications@KPBSD.org
Posted in Communications Legislature by .