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Nominations Open for LifeChanger of the Year – Prize up to $10,000

LifeChanger of the Year is a national recognition program by National Life Group and the National Life Group Foundation that honors and recognizes K-12 educators and employees. Nominations for the 2021-2022 LifeChanger of the Year are now open. Anyone can nominate eligible teachers or employees. National Life Group will donate $25 to one of five education nonprofits in the name of each nominee, and the nominee will be eligible to win one of 18 awards and cash prizes up to $10,000. Learn more and nominate here.

Nomination Period Open for 2022 Hoffman-Greene Ocean Youth Award

The Alaska SeaLife Center is pleased to announce nominations are now open for the 2022 Alaska Ocean Leadership Awards. Please forward this information to interested and applicable staff. 

Part of the Ocean Leadership Awards, the Hoffman-Greene Youth Award is awarded to an individual or team of Alaskan youth up to 19 years old who has displayed a dedication to promoting the understanding and stewardship of Alaska's oceans. 

Nominations for these awards are open now through December 10, 2021.  

For more information, please see the attached press release and our website (https://www.alaskasealife.org/alaska_ocean_leadership_awards), or email oceanawards@alaskasealife.org or johannak@alaskasealife.org if you have any questions. 

UAF School of Education Hiring Special Education and Elementary Assistant Professor

The University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Education is hiring an Special Education and Elementary Assistant Professor. This position will teach both face-to-face and distance delivery special education courses serving both the special education and elementary licensure programs. The position is open until filled. Learn more and apply here.

Tsunami Bowl competition and Art Show Open to High School Students

The 25th annual Alaska Regional National Ocean Sciences Bowl, Tsunami Bowl, is pleased to announce our Ocean Connections Art Show open to all high school students! The Tsunami Bowl competition and Art Show will be held in Seward, February 4-6th, 2022. All student artwork will be displayed in the Alaska SeaLife Center lobby in Seward, AK late January through early February. We encourage all Sewardites and visiting Alaskans to stop by and enjoy your students' hard work!

For those unable to make it to Seward in February, a curated Art Show will be posted on the Tsunami Bowl Facebook Page.

We welcome all ocean themed artwork from any high school student in Alaska regardless of NOSB affiliation. Submissions and entry forms must be in Seward by: January 20th, 2022. 

Ribbons and awards will be presented and mailed back to students along with their artwork after the Art Show.

Reminder:

International Dyslexia Association - Alaska Branch - Continuing Education Scholarships
Scholarships are available through the International Dyslexia Association, Alaska Branch (IDA Alaska) for professional development opportunities – good for classroom educators, advocates, or parents. Also, check out the new FREE one-year membership for teachers!

IDA branches across the nation, as well as other organizations aligned with the Science of Reading, are successfully presenting high-quality virtual conferences, webinars, certification programs, and continuing education programs. IDA Alaska compiled a list of recommended opportunities and hopes to support educators on their continuing education journey. Continuing education opportunities not on this list, if aligned with the Science of Reading, can be eligible upon approval. For more information on IDA Alaska scholarship awards (up to $500 per participant) visit: www.ak.dyslexiaida.org, or go to IDA Alaska’s 2021 Q2 Newsletter

Nominations open for K-6 cycle for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching

The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching (PAEMST) is now accepting nominations for the K-6 cycle. Anyone may nominate exceptional science, technology, math, and/or computer science teacher. Awardees receive a citation signed by the President of the United State, a trip to Washington, D.C. to attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities, a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation, and access to a network of award-winning teachers from across the country. To nominate or apply, visit www.paemst.org. The nomination deadline is Jan. 7, 2022.

Anonymous Reporting Systems and Wellness Programs available to districts AT NO COST

SERRC is partnering with STOPit Solutions, one of the nation’s leading experts in school safety, to bring its Anonymous Reporting System (ARS) and SEL & Compliance Training Center (SCTC) to 65,000 students across Alaska for three years at no cost. STOPit delivers their programs to over 6,000 districts nationwide and serves millions of students and staff. Their programs have helped save and change the lives of thousands. Their CEO and school teams are from Sandy Hook Promise – so they understand the needs of schools and constraints they face.

The combined programs teach and empower students, staff, and administrators to recognize and anonymously report safety, misconduct, and compliance concerns BEFORE they escalate into a crisis while also providing curriculum to educate and help prevent such concerns from ever occurring. Funding is being provided through the Stop School Violence Act – a Department of Justice grant awarded to SERRC.

If this is something your district is interested in, contact Ryan Stanley at ryans@serrc.org or (907) 433-7444.

Alaska Academic Decathlon and Pentathlon Partners with UAA to Offer Coaches 500-Level Post Baccalaureate Credits

The Academic Decathlon (HS) and Pentathlon (MS) are national scholastic competitions designed to stimulate intellectual growth, create critical thinkers and create lifelong learners. Both programs are team competitions where students match their intellects with students from other schools. High school students are tested in ten categories on a common theme and middle school students compete in five categories (2021-2022 Theme: Water - A Valuable Resource).  

Next year's programs will offer college credit for both coaches (500 level) and high school students, scholarships for UAA, UAF and UAS along with scholarships that can be used at any higher education institution. Both the high school and middle school program offer medals to individual participants and trophies to the winning teams. The Alaska Academic Decathlon State Competition will take place February 17-20, 2022, on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus.

The Alaska Academic Decathlon and Pentathlon are programs of SERRC - Alaska's Educational Resource Center. 

Find out more at www.akacadeca.org.

REL Northwest Educator Retention and Turnover: 2021 Update

Updated data show that teacher turnover in Alaska has remained steady but high, while principal turnover in the state decreased this academic year. A new infographic, compiled by Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Northwest as a follow-up to their 2019 report, illustrates how rural schools continue to be hardest hit by turnover. Additionally, it suggests strategies for improving teacher and principal recruitment and retention.

FCC Emergency Broadband Benefit Outreach Toolkit

Teachers - If you have students who need broadband at home, the Emergency Broadband Benefit Outreach Toolkit provides infographics, Twitter and Facebook posts, flyers, posters and handouts to help you tell students and parents about this program to help households struggling to afford internet service during the pandemic. As of May 12, 2021, eligible households will be able to enroll in the program to receive a monthly discount off the cost of broadband service from an approved provider.

Enhanced Learning Maps Project helps students personalize path the student success

Enhanced Learning Maps provide standards-focused materials that foster the conditions for improving student achievement, including online tools deliberately designed to support and inform personalized learning.

These tools encourage interactions that elicit evidence of student thinking, leading to conversations that engage students and teachers in formative assessment processes.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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. 

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.