- Cama-i, quyana tailuci!
- (Central Yup’ik)
- "Greetings, thank you for coming!"
Information Exchange: Vol. 45 No. 4
Inside This Edition:
- Curriculum Combines Science and Inupiat Culture
- Nominations Open for Principal Awards
- Mt. Edgecumbe is Seeking an Administrative Assistant
- Bond Reimbursement and Grant Review Committee to Meet on February 28
- UAS Scholarship Deadline is February 15
- Artists and Scientists Collaborate in Fairbanks Exhibit
- Special Education Conferences Set for February 4-10
- 2017 Alaska PLAAY SUMMIT Set for February 24-25
- Request for Proposals to Operate a Gift and Book Store at APK Building in Juneau
- American Bar Association Holds Art Contest for High Schoolers
- Opportunity for Title IIA Subgrant to Eligible Partnerships Grants
- UAF Presents Summer Research Academy for Middle and High School Students
- UAF Offers HS and College Students a Look at Science and Math Careers
- Time is Running Out to Submit Creative Writing to UAA/Alaska Dispatch Contest
- Calista Offers Marine Apprenticeships
- Alaska Court System and Bar Offer Art Contest for Grades K-8
- Free Summer Science and Wilderness Expeditions Accepts Girls Ages 16 to 17
Contact Us
- Eric Fry: (907) 465-2851
Subscription
Curriculum Combines Science and Inupiat Culture
A new curriculum weaving together science concepts about the aurora borealis with Inupiat culture and language is now available for elementary and middle school teachers across Alaska.
The curriculum includes a 25-minute video, “Kiuguyat: The Northern Lights,” which combines scientific and indigenous perspectives. The film was produced in a format for high-definition viewing in a planetarium; its Alaska public debut will be today at the University of Alaska Anchorage Planetarium in Anchorage.
The Learning Through Cultural Connections curriculum is the culmination of a three-year, $1.4 million grant project funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The materials were developed for elementary and middle schools in Iñupiaq-speaking areas of northern and western Alaska, but it is available online for teachers anywhere. The curriculum was created by staff in the outreach office at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute.
The curriculum is aligned with Next Generation Science Standards, Alaska Science Standards, Alaska Cultural Standards, the Iñupiat Learning Framework, Iñupiaq Cultural Values, and Alaska English/Language Arts Standards.
Kits containing the elements of the curriculum including materials such as teacher and student guides, vocabulary cards with relevant science terminology in English and Inupiaq, and scale models of the solar system were distributed in early January to every elementary and middle school in the North Slope and Northwest Arctic Borough school districts, as well as to Nome Public Schools – in all, 23 schools in 20 communities.
The Geophysical Institute will take a portable planetarium to the 20 communities between now and April to share with students and community members “Kiuguyat: The Northern Lights” projected on the ceiling of the dome-shaped planetarium.
Partners supporting this project included the Native Village of Barrow; Inupiat History, Language and Culture Commission; Alaska Native Language Center; Inupiat History, Language and Culture Center; Carrie McLain Memorial Museum; and UA Museum of the North.
The video debuts at 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., January 27, UAA Planetarium and Visualization Center, Conoco Phillips Integrated Sciences Building, 3101 Science Circle, Anchorage. See the curriculum at http://culturalconnections.gi.alaska.edu. See the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb0WlrkcOak.
Nominations Open for Principal Awards
The Alaska Association of Elementary School Principals and the Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals are accepting nominations for yearly principal awards. Nominations can be made by anyone in the community or school.
The Alaska Association of Elementary School Principals is accepting nominations for the 2017 National Distinguished Principal. Nominations are due February 24. Complete the nomination form attached and send it to Kim Bautista, AAESP Vice President, at bautista_kim@asdk12.org.
The Alaska Association of Secondary School Principals is accepting nominations for regional principal and assistant principal of the year. Nominations are due February 12. For the purpose of this nomination process, a secondary school includes some or all of grades 6-12. For the nomination form, see https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2018RPOY. For questions please contact Liz Lange at 907-586-9702 or llange@alaskaacsa.org.
Mt. Edgecumbe is Seeking an Administrative Assistant
The Department of Education and Early Development is recruiting for an Administrative Assistant I to support Mt. Edgecumbe High School in the areas of travel arrangements, purchasing/receiving freight, completing banking, procuring supplies, document filing, payroll/personnel processing, student data management, and providing backup relief for the MEHS secretary and accounting technician.
The State of Alaska is an EEO/ADA employer. Individuals requiring accommodations should call 1-800-587-0430 or 465-4095 in Juneau or (907) 465-2815 (TTY). More information and the process for submitting an application can be found on Workplace Alaska at http://doa.alaska.gov/dop/workplace/.
Bond Reimbursement and Grant Review Committee to Meet on February 28
The department’s Bond Reimbursement and Grant Review Committee will meet on February 28 in Juneau at the Michael J. Burns Building (810 W. 10th Street). The meeting will be held from 9:30 a.m.to 4:00 p.m. in the state board room on the first floor. The agenda, teleconference access information, and meeting packet will be available online at https://education.alaska.gov/Facilities/BRGR/ after February 15. Topics will include department and committee reports; review of proposed changes to, and adoption of, the FY2019 capital improvement project application; and revisions to publications relating to school facilities, including the Capital Project Administration Handbook and Project Delivery Method Handbook. The public is welcome to attend in person or via teleconference.
UAS Scholarship Deadline is February 15
The February 15 deadline for University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) scholarships is fast approaching. UAS-specific scholarships are open to students who will attend a UAS campus in Juneau, Ketchikan, and Sitka, or enroll in an online program. All scholarships are listed on the UAS Financial Aid website: http://uas.alaska.edu/finaid.
New this year is the Verna Carrigan Promise Scholarship, open to high school seniors from Southeast Alaska high schools or a homeschool program. This one-time $3,000 award is geared to students who have overcome significant challenges in their education and life, and who demonstrate talent, fortitude, and the motivation to succeed. They may not have the highest grade point average or test scores, but their will to succeed is clear.
Artists and Scientists Collaborate in Fairbanks Exhibit
Visitors can peer through the lens of the arts to discover the hidden world of microscopic organisms at In a Time of Change: Microbial Worlds, a collaborative exhibit running February 3-27 at Well Street Art Co. in Fairbanks. Fourteen artists and writers magnify the microbiome in this collaborative exhibit sponsored by the arts-humanities-science consortium In a Time of Change.
The First Friday opening is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. February 3, and features live DNA analysis and dance as part of a multimedia installation. Writers Debbie Moderow and Susan Campbell will give a literary reading at 4 p.m. February 11. Mary Beth Leigh, an associate professor of microbiology at University of Alaska Fairbanks, directed the project. See http://itoc.alaska.edu.
Special Education Conference Set for February 4-10
The 2017 Alaska Statewide Special Education Conference will be held February 6-8 at the Hilton Anchorage Hotel. The pre-conference will be February 4-5. And the post-conference is February 9-10. For more information on the conference, go to ASSEC website.
2017 Alaska PLAAY SUMMIT Set for February 24-25
The 2017 Alaska PLAAY Summit will be held at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, 4000 Ambassador Drive, in Anchorage. See http://plaay.org/plaay-summit/.
The summit features experts providing teachers, parents, nurses, coaches, administrators, and other leaders of youth with ways to address the multi-factorial areas of adolescent health. PLAAY will emphasize the importance of physical activity as a means to improving teenage health. The conference focuses on psychological and social-emotional development, and the creation of opportunities for education and training of adult leaders who work with children.
It is limited to 100 attendees. Video conferencing is available; register soon because it is limited to 10 remote sites. Email Wallace Wilson at wally@alaskasportshall.org to discuss establishing a link. Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) certificates will be presented at the conclusion of the summit. PACE CEU’s are available for Anchorage School District employees at https://uaonline.alaska.edu/. Pricing Information: General Public - $150. School District Employees- $100 if seeking Professional Development Credits. PDCs are available through PACE for an additional $99. Register at https://uaonline.alaska.edu/. University of Alaska Anchorage students - $50. Must show credentials at check-in.
Request for Proposals to Operate a Gift and Book Store at APK Building in Juneau
The Division of Administrative Services of the Department of Education and Early Development -- on behalf of the Alaska State Libraries, Archives & Museums -- is seeking the best vendor to operate the gift and book store at the Fr. Andrew P. Kashevaroff Building (APK), located at 395 Whittier Street in Juneau. APK is the site of the Alaska State Museum galleries, the Alaska State Library reading room, and the research center for access to the Alaska State Library historical collections and the Alaska State Archives. The building also features a 24-seat classroom, 120-seat lecture hall, café, and grand atrium. There are approximately 30 visitor parking places under the facility and spaces for up to three full-sized motor coaches (holding up to 40 passengers each) in front of the building. For more information see http://notice.alaska.gov/184332.
American Bar Association Holds Art Contest for High Schoolers
Students in grades 9-12 are eligible to submit art work to the American Bar Association’s 2017 Law Day Art Contest. The contest is open to students, student groups, and classes attending a public or private high school, or being home schooled, within the United States and in grades 9-12 or the equivalent. The deadline to enter is March 31. Students may submit an art piece that can be represented in two-dimensions, in any medium including but not limited to drawings, paintings, films, photographs, graphic novels, and comics. The theme is the 14th amendment to the Constitution. Visit the American Bar Association website for more information on the Law Day Art Contest.
Opportunity for Title IIA Subgrant to Eligible Partnerships Grants
The Department of Education & Early Development announces a federal partnership grant for teacher/administrator professional development. Grants will focus on short, intensive instructor/administrator academies in multiple content areas. These areas will be high-needs priorities as determined by individual districts. Such academies will provide teachers the opportunity to develop skills and curricula appropriate to their classrooms and communities while incorporating aspects of ongoing DEED initiatives.
Notice of intent to apply is due January 27 and proposals are due February 17. You may download a copy of the RFA (word). Please direct all questions to Bjørn Wolter at bjorn.wolter@alaska.gov.
UAF Presents Summer Research Academy for Middle and High School Students
The Alaska Summer Research Academy at the University of Alaska Fairbanks will accept applications from February 1 to April 15 for its middle and high school programs. The academy will be held each day on July 10-21. Students accepted into the summer program will spend two weeks with a small group and two instructors exploring a topic in science, engineering, math, or technology. The program is offered through the UAF College of Natural Science and Mathematics.
The middle school program is for students who will be in grades six to eight in the fall 2017. The high school program is for students who will be in grades nine to 12 in fall 2017. Financial aid may be available for qualified students. See www.uaf.edu/asra.
UAF Offers HS and College Students a Look at Science and Math Careers
High school and college students interested in exploring science- and math-related careers can attend the first Careers of Science and Math Opportunity Summit at the University of Alaska Fairbanks on February 4. The UAF College of Natural Science and Mathematics will host COSMOS from 8 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Murie Building, 982 N. Koyukuk Drive, on the Fairbanks campus. The summit is free but preregistration is required.
Students will participate in small-group discussions, panels, and hands-on activities with professionals representing fields such as space physics, biomedical research, chemistry, geosciences, wildlife biology, science education, natural resources management, and fisheries and ocean sciences. To register online visit https://sites.google.com/alaska.edu/cosmos.
Time is Running Out to Submit Creative Writing to UAA/Alaska Dispatch Contest
February 10 is the deadline to enter the 35th Creative Writing Contest coordinated by the Alaska Center for the Book and sponsored by the University of Alaska Anchorage and Alaska Dispatch News. All ages are invited to submit their best efforts in poetry, fiction, and/or nonfiction. Winning entries are awarded cash prizes and posted in the online edition of the paper and on LitSite Alaska (LitSite.org). See www.adn.com/creativewritingcontest/. Questions should be emailed to Sara Juday at creativewritingcontest@alaskadispatch.com.
Calista Offers Marine Apprenticeships
Calista Corp. has registered its marine apprentice program with the U.S. Department of Labor. Apprentices will begin training at AVTEC in Seward starting in spring 2017; qualified apprentices will be placed on boats by summer. To meet the subsistence needs of Alaskans, there are two types of apprenticeships. Contact Brenda Pacarro at bpacarro@calistacorp.com or 907-275-2818.
Alaska Court System and Bar Offer Art Contest for Grades K-8
The 2017 “Justice for All” Art Contest, sponsored by the Alaska Court System and the Alaska Bar Association, is open to students in K-8; the entry deadline in March 15. Students should address the contest theme of fairness, diversity and equality. For entry form, guidelines, and information on cash prizes, see courts.alaska.gov/outreach/#art.
Free Summer Science and Wilderness Expeditions Accepts Girls Ages 16 to 17
Inspiring Girls Expeditions is accepting applications through January 31 for free summer science and wilderness expeditions in Alaska and Washington for girls ages 16 to 17. Three teams of up to nine teenage girls and three instructors will spend 12 days exploring and learning about mountain glaciers or fjords with tidewater glaciers. They’ll conduct scientific field studies with professional glaciologists, oceanographers, artists, and mountaineers. For more information, and to learn about the application process, go to www.inspiringgirls.org/.
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