Facilitated by Scott Christian, Ph.D., the purpose of this project is to support partnerships between Alaskan students, teachers, parents, and communities to co-construct engaging, equitable learning spaces. You are invited to hear about this exciting innovation for public education and to have a voice in the design and planning of this project. Alaskan teachers, students, parents, and community members are welcome. 

Participants in the forum will be eligible to participate in a drawing for a $100 gift card!  This is a great opportunity for Alaskans to build a new vision of education together.  

Community Forum One:   Wednesday, March 17th, 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Community Forum Two:   Wednesday, March 24th, 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Click here to learn more and register for this free event.

NEW! Online resources for Women’s History Month

March is Women’s History Month. Resources from a number of federal and independent agencies collected at https://womenshistorymonth.gov, including the Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.  The National Women’s History Museum has also posted a Women’s History Month Resource Toolkit, which can be found via https://www.womenshistory.org/womens-history/womens-history-month.  The U.S. Census Bureau has also posted some facts and statistics at https://www.census.gov/newsroom/facts-for-features/2021/womens-history-month.html. The Smithsonian Institute also has both educational resources and projects to engage both students and the public at large: https://womenshistory.si.edu/

NEW! Applications for summer computer science PD for middle and high school teachers now available

The Alaska Staff Development Network is excited to announce the dates for the 5-day professional learning opportunities available to Grade 6-12 teachers this summer.

• Apply to attend Computer Science Discoveries professional learning. You must be a classroom teacher who can teach this curriculum next year to apply.
  * June 14-18 (virtual) with yearlong support as you teach the curriculum SY 21/22
  * July 26-30 (tentatively in-person in Anchorage) with yearlong support as you teach the curriculum SY 21/22
• Apply to attend Computer Science Principles professional learning
  * June 14-18 (virtual) with yearlong support as you teach the curriculum SY 21/22

Are you as inspired as we are to re-energize and live YOUR excellence with a new dedication?

“Live Your Excellence, Bring your Best Self to School Every Day” book study facilitated by KPBSD Principal Kari Dendurent with guest appearances by author Jimmy Casas. Register for the 4 part series starting March 18^th as will registration to earn one 500-level credit through UAA-PACE. More info here.

Prince William Sound College announces summer ‘for Teachers’ events

Each of these professional development courses awards you three 500-level credits and your cost to attend, including tuition, housing, and some travel, is paid for through grant funding. Each course will mix content instruction with discussions on the Alaska teaching standards, the Alaska Cultural standards, thematic lesson planning, place-based learning, and the inclusion of Indigenous Knowledge/Indigenous Science in the curriculum. Each course includes outdoor activities as part of the learning process. Learn more: https://pwsc.alaska.edu/4teachers/

Outer Coast recruiting students for Summer Seminar 2021 and Outer Coast Year 2021-22

Outer Coast is a new post-secondary institution in Sitka that offers a transformative, immersive, student-governed education for students from across Alaska and around the world. Rising high school juniors and seniors are eligible for the Summer Seminar, and graduating seniors or recent graduates are eligible for the Year. Cost will not be a barrier to attendance. Nominate a student at outercoast.org/year/nominate, or apply at outercoast.org/year/apply. Applications are due by April 4. For more information, contact frank@outercoast.org.

Registration is open for AASB’s second Legislative Academy

This academy on March 20 is a unique opportunity for education advocates from around the state to come together to learn about what is currently driving the legislature, and how together, school board members can engage legislators in crafting solutions to the challenges districts face.

Sessions include: Legislative Priorities & Bill Review, Advocacy Sessions, and Like Size District Forums.   To register, visit:  https://aasb.org/virtual-legislative-academy/

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals 2021 Civics Contest

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is pleased to invite Alaska’s high school students to write essays or create videos that speak to this year’s topic: What Does Our American Community Ask of Us?

The contest’s web site presents engaging materials that your students will be able to access online, free of charge.  You can find them under the “resources” tab of the website. Access the complete set of materials here: https://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/civicscontest.  Entries are due March 17.

Resource Manual for Transitioning from Secondary to Postsecondary Education for Students with Disabilities

Lee Waters, Ed.D. with the Anchorage School District in collaboration with the UAA Center for Human Development LEND Without Walls has created a manual to assist all those involved with the education of students with disabilities.  This manual is designed to be a helpful resource for anyone involved with the transitional needs of students with disabilities from secondary to postsecondary education.  The manual is available through ASD’s website: https://www.asdk12.org/PostsecondaryTransitionManual.

Small Rural School Achievement Grant Application Available

The U.S. Department of Education published in the Federal Register this morning a notice about the availability of, and application deadline for, fiscal year (FY) 2021 SRSA (Small Rural School Achievement) grant applications.  You can access the notice at this link, which includes eligibility and other important information.   Applications are available now and the deadline for districts to apply is April 16^th. 

The Anchorage Festival of Music announces the 2021 Ted Stevens Young Alaskan Artist Award Competition

Young Alaskans pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree or program in music at an accredited institution are encouraged to apply for the 2021 Ted Stevens Young Alaska Artist Award. Winners receive a substantial monetary award and are presented in a full-length solo recital. The deadline is May 28, 2021. The application may be downloaded at www.anchoragefestivalofmusic.org.   

For questions, please contact Juliana Osinchuk, Young Alaskan Artist Award Director, 907-351-6392,  dawsinchuk@gmail.com or Laura Koenig, Artistic Director, Anchorage Festival of Music, 907-227-2010

anchoragefestivalofmusic@gmail.com.

FDA Releases New Agricultural Biotechnology Curriculum for Middle and High School Students

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of Science and Our Food Supply: Exploring Food Agriculture and Biotechnology, a new, free and online supplemental curriculum for middle and high school students on the science behind genetically engineered plants. This curriculum is the latest release of the FDA’s award-winning supplemental curriculum series Science and Our Food Supply. Through labs, activities, and interactive discussions, the curriculum aims to help teachers instruct middle and high school students about traditional and modern agricultural methods, with a focus on genetic engineering and genome editing techniques that are used to produce foods commonly called “GMOs.”

NASF Centennial School Tree Challenge Grant, Extended!

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry has extended The National Association of State Foresters (NASF) Centennial School Tree Challenge. Grants are available to schools for the purchase, shipping, and planting of trees. Trees can be planted on school grounds, or even indoors if your school has a suitable space or a greenhouse. This opportunity is first come first served and is available until funds are exhausted.  NEW: Participating schools will be eligible to receive a FREE curriculum from Project Learning Tree!

COVID-19 has brought exceptional challenges to us all during the past year, and it's no surprise that educators have once again shown courage, strength, and resiliency.  Plant a tree at your school in honor of your school's heroes! Create a memorial grove of trees in memory of your community members who have lost lives to COVID-19.  Use this grant to create a new outdoor classroom surrounded by trees for a healthy learning environment! 

Notice Inviting Applications: Alaska Native Education Program

• Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 12, 2021.
• Contact for Further Information: Almita Reed, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, room 3E222, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 260-1979. Email: ASKANEP@ed.gov.

Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PEAMST) Nomination Period for 7-12 Educators Now Open

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) are the highest honors bestowed by the United States government specifically for K-12 science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science teaching. The Awards were established by Congress in 1983. The President may recognize up to 108 exemplary teachers each year.  To read more about the program, nominate a 7-12 teacher, or view the application packet, please visit https://www.paemst.org.

Air Force ROTC Scholarship Program

The Air Force ROTC High School Scholarship Program gives high school seniors financial aid for college, followed by a guaranteed career in the Air Force (or Space Force!) upon graduation. If you’re curious about Air Force ROTC’s scholarship opportunities, the adventures you’ll have and the family you’ll discover within the program, or the thrill of becoming a confident leader in the world’s greatest Air Force or Space Force, please contact Sarah J. Boggins, 2d Lt, USAF.  She is there to answer any and all of your questions!

Stories of Women in STEM at the Smithsonian

Stories of Women in STEM at the Smithsonian features biographies of trailblazing women who made history through their scientific discoveries and innovation. From aerospace engineer and mathematician Mary Golda Ross to hair care entrepreneur Madam C.J. Walker, learn how women have defied gender stereotypes and overcome structural barriers to advance the science, technology, engineering, and math industry.  Read on Apple Books or via the web.

Districts can Register for Alaska’s School Climate & Connectedness Survey

All school districts are invited to participate in the 2021 School Climate & Connectedness Survey (SCCS). Schools are looking quite different this year. But no matter what shape learning is happening in your district-remotely, in-person, or blended, it is essential for students, staff, and families to feel safe and connected.  Taking SCCS will provide you with student, staff, and student perceptions on how they are doing now. For the 2021 school year, additional questions have been added to better understand the needs of students, staff, and families during COVID-19.

For more information and to register go to: https://aasb.org/register-now-for-sccs/ or email Jenni Lefing at jlefing@aasb.org. 

The U.S. Department of Education is Seeking Education Success Stories

USED is looking to highlight education success stories and best practices. Teachers, parents, or student ambassadors are invited to draft a blog post about their successful transition to the classroom or hybrid teaching model that includes innovative or unique ways students are being educated in this new set of circumstances. The first blog in the series featuring a school teacher in New Hampshire is here. Contact Susan Falconer, USED, for more information.

The Parent’s Guide to Filling out the FAFSA Form

While the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form is the student’s application, we know that parents often play a large role in the process. With that in mind, the U.S. Department of Education wanted to provide instructions for parents who are starting the FAFSA form on behalf of their child.

Latest COVID-19 Response Resources from the REL Program

In response to COVID-19, the 10 Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) have collaborated to produce a series of evidence-based resources and information about teaching and learning in a remote environment, as well as other considerations brought by the pandemic.

• Re-thinking Education Accountability Systems in Light of COVID-19
• Back-to-School Metrics: How to Assess Conditions for Teaching and Learning and to Measure Student Progress During the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Promising Practices and Approaches to Support Remote Learning
• Strategies for Educators to Support the Social and Emotional Needs of Students Impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Demand for Racial Justice: Plans for Reopening Schools
• Supporting Students Experiencing Trauma During the COVID-19 Pandemic

U.S. Department of Education Releases Parent and Family Digital Learning Guide

The U.S. Department of Education released a new Parent and Family Digital Learning Guide, a resource to help parents and guardians understand how digital tools can provide tailored learning opportunities, engage students with course materials, encourage creative expression, and enrich the educational experience.

UA Dual Enrollment Resources

Are you interested in dual enrollment opportunities at the University of Alaska? Members of the University of Alaska Transition Coalition (UATC) are available to assist with curriculum alignment, dual enrollment, and other opportunities that support the transition of secondary students to continue their training and education at the postsecondary level.

Girls Who Code at Home Activities

Girls Who Code releases free computer science activities for students, educators, and parents on Mondays. Some online, some offline, of varying levels of difficulty. Each activity features a woman in tech who pioneered innovative technology.

PPE for Schools and Districts

Get Us PPE is a national nonprofit that has delivered almost 2.5 million pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) to frontline workers. They are launching a program to get PPE to schools free of charge by matching schools and districts with local maker communities (groups that sew, 3D print, or otherwise produce "made" PPE). Interested parties can take this survey on PPE needs.

Google Educators Group of Alaska

Google Educators Group (GEG) are independently run communities of educators who inspire and empower each other to meet the needs of students through technology both in the classroom and beyond. Via face-to-face meet-ups and online activities, GEGs provide a way for educators who are passionate about education and technology to meet like-minded people and share, learn, and collaborate together.

Awareness Materials on Family and Youth Homelessness

As a result of the pandemic, and without the usual methods of outreach and identification, many families and youth experiencing homelessness may be even more disconnected from school and early childhood programs. The SchoolHouse Connection created PSAs and a social media toolkit to help raise awareness and provide information around educational rights. 

Learning Computer Science While Schools are Closed

Code.org want to support teachers, students, and families while students are learning from home. They’re offering resources for parents and teachers. Plus, options for smartphones for anyone who doesn’t have a computer at home.

Online Story Circles for Educators and Community Members

Educator Story Circles are opportunities for small groups of people (educators and engaged community members) to gather together to listen and share thoughts and stories related to a common theme. No preparation is necessary, and each participant has the option to share or simply listen to others. Story Circles aren’t about performing. Rather, the purpose is to listen and connect. Participants who want to lead Story Circles with their own students or community members will have access to a free toolkit and will be eligible for a $200 stipend from the Alaska Humanities Forum.

Ready to Read Alaska

Ready to Read Alaska is a statewide initiative for families and caregivers of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers in Alaska. The program’s mission is to promote early literacy development in Alaska’s young children to create the foundations needed for when a child begins to learn to read. Ready to Read is posting training videos on YouTube, and literacy tips, book recommendations, crafts, and activities on Instagram.

To submit news items, please email deed.infoexchange@alaska.gov.  This newsletter is available weekly and in archived form at https://education.alaska.gov/news/infoexch.

This newsletter contains hyperlinks to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the reader’s convenience. DEED does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. Furthermore, the inclusion of links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered, on these sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites.