- Cama-i, quyana tailuci!
- (Central Yup’ik)
- "Greetings, thank you for coming!"
Information Exchange: Vol. 45 No. 14
Inside This Edition:
- Department Has a Few Openings for PEAKS Standards Setting
- State Board Seeks Comments on Three Proposed Regulation Packages
- State Museum in Juneau Hosts Presentations on Fisheries Research
- Alaska FFA to Convene in Palmer on April 18-21
- Bond Reimbursement and Grant Review Committee to Meet
- Opportunity for Title IIA Subgrants to Eligible Partnerships
- Seminar about Resilient Educators set for June in Girdwood
- Website about Treaty of Cession Includes Curricular Materials
- High School and College Students in Juneau Celebrate House Completion
- Webinar of Interest to Summer Meal Sponsors
- Film by Alaska College Students Selected for Native Film Festival
- Sitka National Park Features Native Artwork about Treaty of Cession
- Alaska Teacher of the Year Nominations are Open
- Students Invited to Design Poster for the Choose Respect Initiative
- Coaching Boys into Men Spring Training
- Sitka, Arts, Summer, and Four Credits
- Arts Training for Teachers Working with Special Education Students
- Attend an AAEC Summer Arts Institute
- Digital Teaching Initiative Network to Present Conference in June
- Webinar Explains State Law on Physical Activity in Schools
- Alaska State System of Support Seeks Experienced Alaska Teachers as Coaches
- Nominations Open for Superintendent of the Year
- School Leadership Institute Set for May 22-24
- Summer Food Service Program Looking for Local Sites
Contact Us
- Eric Fry: (907) 465-2851
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Department Has a Few Openings for PEAKS Standards Setting
The Department of Education and Early Development is recruiting a few additional educators to participate in standards setting to establish the achievement levels of Alaska’s new statewide grade 3-10 assessment in English language arts and math, which is called the Performance Evaluation for Alaska’s Schools (PEAKS). Panelists must have experience in teaching math and/or English language arts in the specified grade levels, be knowledgeable about the Alaska standards, and work well as part of a team. Priority will be given to educators from rural areas. Panelists must participate in person during the week of May 30-June 3. Apply by April 21 at PEAKS Assessments Standard Setting Educator Application. For more about PEAKS, see education.alaska.gov/tls/assessments/PEAKS.html. Questions? Contact Margaret MacKinnon, Director of Assessment & Accountability, at margaret.mackinnon@alaska.gov.
State Board Seeks Comments on Three Proposed Regulation Packages
The State Board of Education and Early Development has sent out for public comment three packages of proposed regulations. One package repeals regulations that mandated college and career readiness assessments; it also clarifies which holders of a certificate of achievement are eligible for a high school diploma. The second package repeals a state requirement that school district employees undergo a physical examination once every three years. Under the third package, only pre-elementary schools operated by school districts or Head Start agencies will be required to obtain department approval; the program will be more closely aligned with the department's statutory duty to supervise pre-elementary schools that receive direct state or federal funding. See education.alaska.gov/regs/comment.cfm for more details and information on how to comment. The deadline for written comment is 4:30 p.m. May 12.
State Museum in Juneau Hosts Presentations on Fisheries Research
The public is invited to join graduate students from the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences on April 19 from noon to 1 p.m. at the Alaska State Museum in Juneau as they present findings of their research on the ecology and management of Alaska salmon. Fish Tales at Different Scales will feature presentations and a panel discussion by UAF graduate students Doug Duncan and Lorna Wilson and Assistant Professor Anne Beaudreau. The talks will highlight current research on predators’ impacts on juvenile salmon in nearshore areas along the Juneau road system and factors affecting Chinook salmon growth in the ocean. The students will also share techniques of effective science communication that they have been learning about and adopting as a component of their current coursework. The talks will be held in the museum’s new Earth Sciences/Science on a Sphere gallery. Admission to the event is free and light refreshments will be available.
Alaska FFA to Convene in Palmer on April 18-21
The 41st annual Alaska FFA Convention will take place in Palmer at the Matanuska Experiment Farm and at Mat-Su College on April 18-21. Middle and high school students will compete in activities aimed at improving their career and leadership skills. Topics will include public speaking, job interviews, marine technology, agricultural mechanics, parliamentary procedure, floriculture, environmental and natural resources, veterinary medicine, and agricultural issues. The National FFA Organization, formerly called Future Farmers of America, has broadened its mission to reflect new opportunities in agriculture. The youth organization has a growing presence in Alaska, with 280 members in 15 chapters in Fairbanks, North Pole, Delta Junction, Palmer, Anchorage, Ninilchik, Hope, Soldotna, Kenai, Kake and Kodiak, and several groups of home-schooled students. See alaskaffaassociation.com/events/.
Bond Reimbursement and Grant Review Committee to Meet
Bond Reimbursement and Grant Review Committee of the Department of Education and Early Development will meet from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. April 25 by audio conference. The agenda and meeting packet will be available online prior to the meeting. The topic of the meeting is developing a strategy for establishing school construction standards.
Opportunity for Title IIA Subgrants to Eligible Partnerships
The Department of Education and Early Development announces a federal partnership grant for teacher/administrator professional development. Grants will support professional development institutes using WIDA CLIMBS curricula. CLIMBS (Content and Language Integration as a Means of Bridging Success) is professional learning curriculum designed to introduce participants to the use of research-based approaches and WIDA resources to support ELL students in their classrooms.
Training may be either:
- The CLIMBS Course Trainer program (to train district staff as CLIMBS instructors):
- The CLIMBS Course (to train teachers directly at a WIDA event):
Proposals are due May 26. Download a copy of the RFA. Please direct all questions to Bjørn Wolter at bjorn.wolter@alaska.gov. Call-in Number: (855) 244-8681. Access code: 807 813 709.
Seminar about Resilient Educators set for June in Girdwood
Brightways Learning is presenting a seminar about resilient educators. It is set for June 12 & 13 at Alyeska Resort in Girdwood. The registration fee is $249. One continuing education credit is available from the University of Alaska Anchorage; the fee must be paid by the participant. Visit Brightways Learning for more information.
Website about Treaty of Cession Includes Curricular Materials
The Department of Natural Resources Office of History and Archaeology website includes a link for educators to teach students about the 150th Anniversary of the Treaty of Cession, which ceded Russian possessions in North America to the United States.
High School and College Students in Juneau Celebrate House Completion
On April 21 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., students from the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) and the Juneau-Douglas High School are having an open house to celebrate the completion of Lena Loop House 2 at 16200 Lena Loop Road, on the corner or Point Lena Loop and Ocean View Drive. The House Build Project is a four-way partnership with the city of Juneau, the Juneau School District, the Juneau Housing Trust, and UAS to build affordable housing while training students in residential construction. The program gives high school and college students real-world experience planning and building a small house. Upon completion, the house will be sold to provide a family in Juneau with a new, durable, and energy-efficient home. Students participate in all aspects of the project including; design, construction, planning, estimating, interior and exterior finishing.
Local resident Chava Lee noted in an email to the school, “The idea of working with the students to produce an incredible product is an amazing thing. We need more of this type of education. The houses are beautiful and a great addition to our neighborhood. I value having this type of instruction and mentoring available. Everyone involved should be very proud of what has been accomplished.”
Webinar of Interest to Summer Meal Sponsors
A webinar entitled No Kid Hungry – Improving Meal Quality in the Summer, One Change at a Time, will be held April 18 at 10:00 a.m. Alaska time. You’ll hear from sponsors who operate summer meals programs that provide meals that are tasty and appealing to children. Learn about their challenges and barriers, lessons learned, and strategies for ensuring meal quality – while controlling costs – to maximize participation in summer meals. In addition, you’ll leave this webinar equipped with resources from Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters team and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. Bring your questions and ideas to enrich this discussion during the extended Q&A session. Visit the No Kid Hungry website for more information.
Film by Alaska College Students Selected for Native Film Festival
A short film developed by University of Alaska Fairbanks students and faculty will be shown in the Hess Recreation Center on April 15 as a part of the Thaw Out Film Festival hosted by the UAF Film Club. The festival starts at 7 p.m. “Feels Good” was written and directed by Andrew Okpeaha MacLean of Barrow. Maya Salganek, UAF assistant professor of film and media arts, served as executive producer, and UAF students in the Film Reel Alaska Mentoring Experience program worked as crew. “Feels Good” tells the story of Kelvin, played by Jake Waid, a Tlingit man brought to the big city of Fairbanks in pursuit of work. After his car breaks down he is picked up by Russ (Allan Hayton), a Gwich’in man who is looking for his runaway daughter (Quannah Potts).
The film was selected to appear in the imagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival in Toronto in fall 2016. The festival draws thousands of filmmakers and spectators each year. The nonprofit organization that runs the festival seeks to prompt a greater understanding of indigenous peoples and cultures through the presentation of contemporary indigenous-made media art. Click here and here.
Sitka National Park Features Native Artwork about Treaty of Cession
As an Alaska Native artist who grew up in Southeast Alaska, the idea that her ancestors’ land could be bought and sold out from beneath them still baffles Mary Goddard. “I find it hard to accept that people could purchase land without regard to who it really belonged to and use the natural resources without proper precautions and respect,” she said. Ms. Goddard created a work of art to express her feelings. “Selling Alaska” is now on display at the Sitka National Historical Park as part of the exhibit Voices of Change: Perspectives on the Transfer of Alaska from Russia to the United States. The artworks depict interpretations of the responses of Alaska Native peoples to the transfer of Alaska in 1867. The exhibit is installed in the park visitor center in Sitka through November.
Alaska Teacher of the Year Nominations are Open
The Alaska Teacher of the Year 2018 nomination process is open through May 1. Alaska has many outstanding teachers who are worthy of the award. The Alaska Teacher of the Year Program gives us an opportunity to identify Alaska’s best teachers. Any interested Alaskan may nominate a teacher for the award. Teacher of the Year is an excellent way to acknowledge the expertise, skills, accomplishments, and professionalism of teachers in your school. Contact: Cecilia Miller at AlaskaTOY@alaska.gov or 907-465-8703. The nomination form is available at education.alaska.gov/RecognitionPrograms/TOY/.
Students Invited to Design Poster for the Choose Respect Initiative
Alaska students K-12 are invited to create a positive message about respect and healthy relationships by participating in this year’s Choose Respect: Alaskans Pulling Together for Each Other poster contest. Posters must be received electronically or via mail by April 14. Contest details are available online. Questions can be directed to Karen.Obermann@alaska.gov or call 907-269-7450.
Coaching Boys into Men Spring Training
A Coaching Boys into Men Spring Training will be held May 11-12 in Juneau. Coaching Boys into Men (CBIM) is a comprehensive violence-prevention curriculum for coaches and their athletes developed by Futures without Violence. The program engages athletic coaches through the Coaches Leadership Program to help shape the attitudes and behaviors of young male athletes. Scholarships to attend the training are provided; they include travel and lodging. Visit the Department of Public Safety website for details. For additional information please contact Ann Rausch, Program Coordinator II, Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, at ann.rausch@alaska.gov. View a video about CBIM.
Sitka, Arts, Summer, and Four Credits
Come see Sitka and take the two-week AAEC Basic Arts Institute called Unraveling the Layers: Arts, Culture and Technology Integration from June 5-16. This opportunity is sponsored by Alaska Arts Education Consortium (AAEC), Sitka School District with cooperation from the Sitka Tribe, and Sitka Fine Arts Camp. The teacher-leaders are: Shelly Toon Lindberg for Visual Arts and Theory, Nathan Shafer for Media Arts, Kathleen Kingsley for Movement and Dance, and George Holly for Cultural Arts and Languages. Registration fee is $495 for member districts. Four credits are available. The deadline is April 27. Visit akartsed.org or contact Barbara Short at barbshort@gmail.com.
Arts Training for Teachers Working with Special Education Students
The Alaska Arts Education Consortium is offering Arts are Exceptional one-week institutes in Unalakleet, May 22-26, and Anchorage, July 31-August 4. These special education-focused institutes are open to all K-12 educators who are interested in learning skills and techniques pertinent to special needs students, including modifications and adaptations of classroom practices through the arts. Daily sessions include theory and hands-on activity sessions—including art, music, drama, and movement. Educators will experience the diverse ways that students can access learning and gain skills, increasing the ease and likelihood of student success for all students. Visit akartsed.org or contact Barbara Short at barbshort@gmail.com.
Attend an AAEC Summer Arts Institute
The Alaska Arts Education Consortium has announced plans for five 2017 Summer Arts Education Institutes:
- May 22-26, Unalakleet Arts are Exceptional Special Education and the Arts Institute one week, 3 credits.
- June 5-16, Sitka Basic Arts Institute, two weeks, 4 credits.
- July 24-August 4, Juneau Basic & Beyond Arts Institute, two weeks with special event during the second week, 4 credits.
- July 31-August 4, Anchorage Arts are Exceptional Special Education and the Arts Institute one week, 3 credits.
- August 9-13, Sitka Cultural Arts Institute, one week, 3 credits.
For institutes that are open for registration, visit akartsed.org.
Digital Teaching Initiative Network to Present Conference in June
The Digital Teaching Initiative Network will present the 2017 DTi Network Conference: Inspiration, Innovation, Personalization on June 5-7 in Soldotna. The network is made up of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, Copper River School District, and Kodiak Island Borough School District. At this strand-style conference, educators and administrators will be immersed in learning skills and pedagogy they can apply to their classrooms with confidence. The presenters are state and national leaders in their fields. Visit kibsd.org/domain/646.
Webinar Explains State Law on Physical Activity in Schools
The Alaska School Health and Obesity Prevention and Control programs will present everything you want to know about state law regarding physical activity in Alaska schools. A webinar presentation will be held from 3:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on April 26. Topics include the history and details of the law, frequently asked questions, ideas for implementation, and school district examples. There will be time to ask questions; the line will stay open after 4:00 p.m. if needed. Register online. Contact Wendy Hamilton at wendy.hamilton@alaska.gov or 907-465-2768 for more information. Or visit the Department of Health and Social Services website.
Alaska State System of Support Seeks Experienced Alaska Teachers as Coaches
The Department of Education and Early Development is seeking responses from qualified and experienced Alaskan educators for the State System of Support Coaching Program. Coaches will apply their education skills to increase the capacity of low-performing schools and districts to raise student achievement. Offerors must have knowledge of current research and practices in the six effective school domains of curriculum, assessment, instruction, supportive learning environment, professional development and leadership. Coaches work as independent contractors. Visit notice.alaska.gov/184945.
Nominations Open for Superintendent of the Year
The selection committee is seeking nominations for the 2018 Alaska Superintendent of the Year. Nominations can be made by school board members, parents, colleagues, community members, or anyone who has personal knowledge of an Alaska superintendent’s performance and qualifications.
Candidates should exemplify educational effectiveness, knowledge, leadership, ethics, and commitment. Any superintendent or top leader of a school system who plans to continue in the profession may be nominated. Please email nominations to acsa@alaskaacsa.org or mail them to the ASA Executive Director, 234 Gold Street, Juneau, AK 99801 by May 1. The nomination application is available at SOY2018 Nomination Form (pdf).
School Leadership Institute Set for May 22-24
Alaska School Leadership Institute 2017: Leadership to Support Instructional Excellence, Making a Positive Impact on the Culture of a School and Maximizing Student Learning, on May 22-24, at the Hilton Hotel in Anchorage. This conference is tailored to small and rural schools and districts. Topics include: cultivating the leadership dispositions that grow a positive school culture, providing effective feedback, building and supporting a highly effective system with mathematics, and the impacts and opportunities of the new ESSA for rural school systems. For more information and registration.
Summer Food Service Program Looking for Local Sites
Are there children in your community who will go hungry this summer? The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development’s Child Nutrition Programs unit is looking for school districts, parks and recreation departments, non-profit organizations, camps, and churches to operate Summer Food Service Program feeding sites for children and youth in low-income areas in Alaska.
Sponsors are reimbursed with federal funds for each eligible meal served at approved feeding sites. Sponsors receive training and technical assistance. All trainings will be in person or by phone, please contact Cyde Coil at cyde.coil@alaska.gov or 907-465-4969 to register: Distance Delivery for New and Returning Sponsors. Schools Training: Training Delivered via WebEx; April 20, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. All School District Sponsors and Staff; Anchorage In-Person Training: Located at BP Energy Center 900 E. Benson Blvd., May 2, 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. New and Returning Sponsors and Staff.
To sponsor a program this summer, contact Alicia Maryott at 907-465-4788 or alicia.maryott@alaska.gov. Applications, training, and sponsor information will be sent upon inquiry. Visit education.alaska.gov/tls/cnp/sfsp.html.
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