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An Important Message from Maria (sent out via email September 12);
As you are aware, the Anchorage School District has been making many changes to support students’ needs and provide new opportunities for growth. These changes include moving all 6th graders into Middle Schools, changes to school start times, and the College/Career/Life Ready (CCL) academic model. With all these changes come many shifts for us in the Steller community. Our three pillars of Steller: Students, Staff and Parents will be an integral part in guiding the future of our community.
To ensure that everyone is aware of what all these changes mean, we are going to be holding some forums and meetings in the coming months.
Our first initial Fact Sharing Parent Forum will be held Thursday, September 21, 6:00-7:30pm at Steller. We will have an ASD representative from Teaching & Learning to discuss College/Career/Life Ready academy model, and we will present facts around 6th graders moving to middle school and school start times.
To get familiar with these district initiatives, please check out ASD’s link to Q&As and lots of great information: https://www.asdk12.org/
All three pillars will have an opportunity to discuss these topics and the impacts to Steller. We will utilize the information gathered from the original survey to guide our discussions. So, take the time to provide your input. Students will have a chance to have discussions within their Advisory groups starting Monday, September 25. Staff has been discussing and will have a more in-depth meeting held on Tuesday, October 3.
The Steller Parent Group (SPG) will be holding various discussion meetings for parents and community members. During the SPG Tuesday, October 10 meeting SPG will provide an overview of the topics and have data from the original survey to share, along with a short discussion. In addition, SPG will hold 2 meetings where they will share key facts and break into smaller groups to further discuss concerns. Meetings will be held Monday, October 16, 7:00-8:30pm via Zoom and Thursday, October 19, 6:00-7:30pm in person at Steller.
After these meetings and discussions our goal as a community is to present the district with what we would like Steller’s future to be. All of you are encouraged to vote on what the future will hold through an online survey that will be open October 11th through October 31st. We will then hold an All-Community Meeting where the results of the vote will be shared along with a proposal to move forward within ASD.
Our philosophy reads, “Steller is a school devoted to the creation of independent, courageous people capable of dealing with the shifting complexities of the modern world.” As an educational leader, I am committed to our Steller philosophy and as part of that commitment, I encourage all of you to be a part of this process. It is time for Steller’s three pillars to come together and help guide what Steller’s next 50 years will look like. Thank you in advance for taking the time to be involved, see you all at our upcoming meetings.
Sincerely,
Maria
Read more about this in the SPG Meeting Minutes and Slides from September 12.
FROM ASD WEBSITE on the Move to Academy Learning Model:
The primary strategy for achieving transformation will be the creation of career-themed academies in our local high schools. The academies will provide students with planned elective pathways within each high school beginning with an orientation experience or Freshman Academy during their 9th-grade year.
Students will choose an academy pathway within one of the available career-themed academies at the end of their freshman year. The academy pathway is made up of a sequence of at least three elective courses aligned to a viable college, trade school and / or career pathway that are completed during the 10th, 11th, and 12th grades.
The progression of courses will be coupled with learning experiences that bring businesses and college / trade school partners into the school setting and send students out to college / trade school campuses and into the workplace to explore and apply what they are learning in high school at a deeper level.
THIS WILL DIRECTLY AFFECT STELLER in 2024 and the future.
From ASD Website on Moving 6th Grade to Middle School:
On 2/21/23, the Board voted 6-1 for this year (2023) to be a planning year, and for all (comprehensive) 6th grade students to move to middle school in the 2024/25 school year.
Steller is the only 7 to 12 school in the district, and this change will directly impact us in 2024.
From ASD Website on School Start Times:
THIS CHANGE WILL DIRECTLY IMPACT STELLER in 2024.
September and October DATES:
Hello Steller Families and Students!
Steller Parent Group is excited to announce our annual fundraiser
This is our biggest fundraiser of the year and will help to support:
You are invited to join us in the lobby for coffee or cocoa and students will also bring coffee and cocoa to your car during drop off and pick up. They’ll also be ready to take your donation.
Donate
We also need volunteers to help make this event happen. Ask your student to help and volunteer together!
Warm regards,
Steller Parent Group
P.S. Please make sure you are extra careful as you drive through the drop off/pick up line and help keep our students safe.
Questions? Please contact Monica at fundraisingspg2@gmail.com
All volunteers must complete the ASD Volunteer Form annually.
Steller Philosophy is built on the Three Pillars: Students, Staff, and Parents & Guardians working together to build the community and learning experiences we want. There are many opportunities for ALL our community members to get involved and make a difference at Steller!
Steller Parent Group organizes volunteers on behalf of the staff and student groups and our own initiatives. We will post requests and links to Sign Up Genius on our website as needs arise.
School Hosted Events and Activities
Occasionally SPG will help recruit volunteers for school lead activities like the following:
Steller Parent Group Hosted Events and Activities
The mission of the Steller Parent Group is to promote involvement in school activities, to solicit address, and make recommendations regarding issues and policies facing the Steller Community, and to support fundraising activities and facilitate the disbursement of those funds.
Steller Parent Group meets the second Tuesday of each month from 6:00pm to 7:30pm. Our first meeting will be on Tuesday, September 12 in person and via Zoom. Watch for the announcements on the Steller Flash (SUBSCRIBE HERE). You can find meeting agendas and minutes on this website.
We have need for both leadership positions, and volunteers on the date of events, and various time commitments. This is just a summary to get a sense. Visit our Google Form here for a complete list, and to indicate your interest.
If you would like to know more about any of these roles, or have your own idea for something SPG could do reach out to our chairs – Dee Dee and Amy at chairspg2@gmail.com
Dates to Remember (this is NOT comprehensive!)
View and subscribe to the Steller Calendar here
Wednesday, August 30 6:00 to 7:30 Back to School Night (meet the teachers) and All Community Meeting (meet Steller Parent Group and other families)
Monday, September 4, Labour Day – No School for Students
Tuesday, September 12 6:00 to 7:30 Steller Parent Group Meeting in person and via Zoom. We will present the budget at this meeting, and then share with the wider community for a vote via email.
Thursday, September 21 6th Grade Community Forum details tba
We were so happy to see so many people at the BBQ Tuesday night. We are looking forward to more community events this year and hope to see you all soon!
Steller Parent Group
Great Steller BBQ of 2023 is today! Tuesday, August 15, 6:00 to 7:30
Meet other students, and families, staff, and Steller Parent Group. Mingle. Maybe you will find that last minute car share you are looking for!
Steller Parent Group will supply hamburgers, hot dogs, veggie options, and drinks.
What can you bring?
A few final details:
Sign up here: .https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040B4EABAD2EABF94-great
5. If everyone helps stack chairs, takes down tents and brings home their own dishes at the end of the night its a HUGE help to our volunteer crew!
We are looking forward to seeing you all there!
The Steller BBQ is just a few weeks away and we are excited to see Steller students, families and guardians, and staff!
If you have grill skills we need you! We have rented a commercial grill and are looking for one person to be the BBQ lead, and a few more to staff the BBQ. You can sign up for the Grill, help serve food, and other jobs here https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040B4EABAD2EABF94-great
And don’t forget to REGISTER here to help us plan how much food to buy:
https://forms.gle/7jz4U4FStznDWThQ9
Steller Orientation
Schedule for Thursday, August 17th
8:30 – 11:45AM – Students meet in Advisory Groups
11:45AM – 12:40PM – LUNCH
12:40 – 2:05PM – Students meet in their Grade Groups
Schedule for Friday, August 18th
8:30 – 11:45AM – Students meet in Grade Groups
11:45AM – 12:40PM – LUNCH
12:40 – 2:05PM Students meet in Advisory Groups
Wednesday, August 30 – Back to School Night (Meet the Teachers) & All Community Meeting (meet families, students, and Steller Parent Group)
Tuesday, September 12 – Steller Parent Group General Meeting
Principal and Staff Report, Budget Presentation, Open SPG positions, 50th Anniversary Celebrations. Every member of the community is automatically a member of SPG and is encouraged to attend meetings and share their voice.
Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to Steller Flash to receive updates directly to your inbox!
Questions? communicationspg2@gmail.com
This year is Steller Secondary’s 50th Anniversary!
We know we want to celebrate our school and bring together our current community with our great Alumni community and will be starting to plan soon!
If you are interested in helping plan our celebration or just want to attend please provide your contact information here. We will plan to host our first planning committee meeting in early September.
Please share widely with our alumni community – students, staff, families and anyone else who might be interested!
For questions, contact Kirsten 50yearsSPG@gmail.com
Steller Parent Group and Steller Staff are happy to invite all Steller Students, Families and Staff to the Great Steller BBQ of 2023 on Tuesday, August 15 6:00 to 7:30 pm.
This is a great opportunity for everyone to come together as a community, meet new friends, and catch up with old friends. SPG will provide burgers & hot dogs (with veggie and gluten free options) and drinks.
Families with last name A-K are invited to bring a side dish to share, and families with L to Z are invited to bring a dessert.
We look forward to seeing you!
REGISTER to attend and VOLUNTEER to help at this event.
______
Steller Parent Group wants to make sure that we are reaching as many members of our community with up to date and relevant information as possible. We have four ways we communicate with you:
Once Advisories have been finalized we will send out the link for parents & guardians, students and staff, to opt in to the Steller Directory.
Save the Date:
Wednesday, August 30 – Back to School & All Community Meeting
Tuesday, September 12 (6:00 to 7:30) – Steller Parent Group Meeting – Committee Sign Up, Budget Presentation
