H. Green

It is good to be back, to see the hustle and bustle of kids in our halls going hither and yon.

As always, while your child is at Steller his/her safety is of paramount concern for us.   I just want to touch base on a few issues that are well within our ability to affectively deal with.

The first is skateboards: Skateboards are not allowed and will be confiscated and held to the end of the day if brought to school.  If there is a repeat incident a parent will need to come and pick up the skateboard.  We had some students playing with them in the streets.  A community member called the school to inform us of what was happening.  When I went to check, sure enough a group of our students were where they were said to be.  I observed one student fall in front of a moving car causing the car to come to a stop just to avoid hitting him.  So, please keep skateboards at home.

Open campus Students are prohibited from leaving the campus during the school day EXCEPT during lunch. The exceptions are students who attend King Career Center, have pre-approved late arrival or early dismissal privilege and students who have classes on different school campuses. Students who do not fall under any of those categories must stay on Steller’s campus. If students, need to leave campus during the school day for any reason, they must have prior parent permission. Parents must contact the Office before the student leaves school allowing the front office staff to amend their attendance records.

Because Steller does not have a lunch program our students are allowed to leave campus and go to any of a number of establishments for lunch.  As they are going about the business of getting lunch, students need to remember basic safety precautions.  Walk on sidewalks or as close to the edge of the street as possible.  Do not walk in the middle of the streets and play chicken with oncoming cars.  And, please remember to cross streets at designated crosswalks.

One item that is at the forefront of everyone’s concerns is supervision of students.  As you all know school is over at 3:00.  Teachers are here at least until 3:30 after which they leave the building.  We still have kids that have not been picked up by that time.

After 4:00 there is no one that can maintain a modicum of supervision for our students. There is just too much that can happen with unsupervised kids.  We need the students to be picked up between 3:30 and 4:00pm.  If you absolutely cannot pick your child up by 3:30 or 4:00pm give them an alternate location for you to rendezvous.  Barnes and Nobles is one space a lot of parents use, one of the nearby eateries is the next logical choice, also some students are enrolled in one of the martial arts programs, Kim’s Tae Kwon Do, Mr. Kim picks those students up from the school.  If you have an alternative place in mind that would be fine.  But regardless, for the safety of your child we ask that you pick them up between 3:30 and 4:00pm.  The exception would be if they were in an after school activity. Then of course we would ask that you pick them up after the activity.

On to other news, we did finally get an Art teacher.  Her name is Alayne Tetor.  She has a brief bio in this newsletter.  We think that she will do a wonderful job in that position.  We still do not have word on the sped teacher.  We did pick someone and have sent her name to the district.  As of yet I have not received any information as to whether she accepted or declined the offer.  So, we wait a little bit more.

The kitchen is finished and looking good.  I think that it will serve the Steller community very well.  We need to get pots and pans that are appropriated for the ceramic cook tops.  Once that is done we can start cooking, hosting or entertaining as we choose.

I invite each of you to join with us in making this year one of our best.

Parking and Building Safety

It is school board policy that all students parking in ASD student parking lots have a parking permit.  This permit [if displayed properly] will work for any school district student parking lot.  The cost of the permit is $50.00 per semester. To obtain a permit please take all monies to the main office and see Elizabeth. Students will then receive a Vehicle Registration and Parking form. Take the completed form and payment receipt to JayBee and he will issue the actual permit.

There will be periodic checks of vehicles in the parking lot to make sure vehicles have up-to-dated permits prominently displayed. If you do not have a permit a warning citation will be issued for the 1st offense. However, a $20.00 fine will be assessed for the 2nd offense. Cars maybe towed at owners expense if there is a 3rd offense. Be aware that if you have a class at another ASD school you must have a permit prominently displayed or you may be cited. Also, each school has their own fine system for their parking areas. Permits from our school are valid at any other ASD student parking lots.

Vehicle safety is important. Please do not speed in the driveway or parking lot. Please make sure that each of your passengers has access to a seat belt. Our school is about responsible freedom, which means just that, freedom to be responsible in all things you do. Driving responsibly is the only way we can be certain of our privilege to drive to school and park on campus.  If proper choices are not made, those freedoms could be taken away

All visitors must sign in at the office. This allows us to know who is in the building for security and fire purposes and helps alleviate confusion about non-permitted cars in Steller’s parking lot.

The front access drive is a Fire Lane. Dropping off and picking students up is fine but parking is not allowed. Any car parked in the Fire Lane (without a driver in the auto) may receive a citation from Anchorage Police.

When we are having an emergency or a drill and vehicles are stopped in the front entrance driveway be aware of students coming out of the doors and please move your car to the parking area as soon as you are able. In the advent of a real emergency, if your car is unattended, we may not be able to locate the owner of the car. Our first concern is the safety of the students. If your car is blocking the emergency vehicles they will move it any way they can.

Thank each and every one of you for your cooperation in helping to keep Steller a safe place for kids to be.

“Inspiring a community of independent, confident, self-directed learners”

These words make up the Steller mission statement.  The staff and faculty of our school recognize our role and responsibility toward each and every student enrolled in our program.  We continue to engage in conversation about our mission, our pedagogy and our goals pursuant to the education of your young adult with this mission statement in mind.

We strive to inspire by offering challenging courses, interactive classroom learning opportunities, and by allowing students the chance to actively engage in their educational process.  We bolster their confidence by insisting that a “stand and deliver” component be built into every class, that students experience success and that they are given feedback and a chance to show academic growth at every opportunity.  We push toward self-direction to the extent the student is individually capable by sponsoring peer-taught class, SDLs and Independent Study coursework and by getting to know your student via our Advisory group and, at times, pushing them to go beyond their comfort zone.  Our goal for your child is similar to your own  to start each one on the path toward an independent, confident and self-directed future.

Please join us in our on-going conversation; attend the Monday afternoon staff meetings, subscribe to and read the Steller Flash, come to the All Community Meetings and Advisory group events, and become active in the Parent Group.  Together students, parents and staff can make for a stronger, more effective Steller.

In search of beautiful places and creative opportunities, life brought me to Alaska this past April, and to Steller very recently.  I am thrilled to be a part of such a progressive and dynamic community of teachers and learners.  Originally, I am from Northeastern Pennsylvania.  I attended college at Johnson State College in Vermont, and graduated from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania with a degree in K-12 Art Education.  Since then, I have wandered the mountains of the Adirondacks in upstate New York and Aspen, Colorado teaching skiing and art.  This is my first position as a full-time classroom art teacher.  I plan to continue my enthusiasm and experience of teaching in alternative settings in an experiential manner as the art teacher at Steller.  My mission is to explore life and expand the mind.  I am elated to share the experience with others.

School Board Policy 343.34

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a federal law, requires the District, with certain exceptions, to obtain your consent prior to disclosing personal information from your student’s education records. The law recognizes, though, that schools often desire to publish student information, for example, to recognize students through awards or athletic programs. Additionally, outside organizations such as colleges, legislators, the military, and vendors for items such as photographs or class rings, often seek contact information for students. To meet this need, FERPA allows the District to designate as “directory information” any personally identifiable information in a student’s educational records that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. School officials may release directory information about a student without first obtaining parental consent, unless you object by returning this form.

The District has identified the following information as   directory  information   student   name,    address,

e-mail, year of birth, enrollment, dates of attendance, grade level, degrees and awards received, date of graduation, name of secondary school most recently attended, scholarship eligibility, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, and height and weight of members of interscholastic athletic teams. This list is found at Anchorage School Board Policy 343.34. A copy of this policy is available for review in the office of all of our schools or on the District’s website.

In two instances, the District is required by law to release certain contact information regarding junior and senior high school students, unless you object. First, the District is required to provide to the University of Alaska the names and addresses of those students eligible for UA scholarship programs. Second, upon receiving a request from military recruiters and/or institutions of higher learning, the District must provide names, addresses, and telephone listings. The form below specifically allows you, as a parent, to object to release of phone numbers and directory information to military recruiters and colleges.

If you do not want the District to disclose directory information from your student’s education records during the 2010-2011 school year, you must notify the District, in writing, by returning this form Directory Opt-Out. If you have no objections to the release of directory information, you do not need to take any action.

Thank you for your cooperation.

A number of exciting opportunities in law-related education (LRE) are available to Alaska’s youth over the coming year.  In honor of Constitution Day—this Friday, September 17—we’ve compiled them into the attached flyer and are providing them to you in the links below.

Alaska High School Mock Trial Championships

Statewide mock trial competition sponsored by the Anchorage Bar Association, Young Lawyers Section
Anchorage–December 3-4, 2010

Color of Justice

Workshops to promote diversity in the legal profession and judiciary for Alaskan students.
Sitka–February 2011; Anchorage–June 2011

www.courts.alaska.gov/outreach.htm#coj

iCivics.org

Retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s Online Interactive Civic Education Program
Play the “Supreme Decision” game to learn how appellate courts work!

www.iCivics.org

“Justice for All” Student Art Contest

Interpret the importance of Fairness, Diversity & Equality to Our Justice System
$500 1st Prize; $300 2nd Prize; $200 3rd Prize
Deadline for Entries: Elizabeth Peratrovich Day, February 16, 2011

www.courts.alaska.gov/outreach.htm#art

Law Day

Annual celebration of America’s Legal System–May 1st
Contact the Alaska Bar Association (907-272-7469) or Alaska Court System (907-264-0879) for details.

www.lawday.org

Supreme Court LIVE

Alaska Supreme Court oral arguments before high school audiences.
Juneau–September 17, 2010; Anchorage–February 2011; Fairbanks–September 2011

www.courts.alaska.gov/outreach.htm#scl

We the People: The Citizen & The Constitution

Mock congressional hearing competion testing knowledge of the U.S. Constitution
State Competition: Anchorage–December 8-9, 2010;  Regional competitions in November.

http://new.civiced.org/programs/we-the-people (Select “In Your State”)

For more information: Maida Buckley, UAF, mgbuckley@alaska.edu

Alaska Bar Association LRE Grant Program

Have an idea for advancing law-related education?  Apply for an LRE Grant!
Application deadline: January 2011

https://www.alaskabar.org/servlet/content/lre_grants.html

Wed Sep 15, 2010

7pm – 8pm   Parent Group Meeting  -  Ken’s Room

Thu Sep 16, 2010

6pm – 7pm   Open House

7pm – 8:30pm   Ad Board Meeting  -  Ken’s Room

Wed Sep 22, 2010

11:45am – 12:45pm   Teachers’ Lunch – Bob’s & Toni’s AG

Fri Sep 24, 2010

7pm – 11pm   September Dance

Tue Oct 5 – Thu Oct 7, 2010

8:30am – 2:30pm   Exit Exam Make-Ups (11th & 12th Grade)  -  Library

Sat Oct 9, 2010

SAT Tests

Fri Oct 15, 2010

End of First Quarter

In-Service Day – No School

Sat Oct 16, 2010

PSAT Tests

Mon Oct 18, 2010

Begin Second Quarter

Tue Oct 19, 2010

7pm – 9:30pm   College Night

Wed Oct 20, 2010

11:45am – 12:45pm   Teachers’ Lunch – Gerald’s & Svetlana’s AG

Thu Oct 21, 2010

6pm – 7:30pm   Parent Group Meeting

7pm – 8pm   Ad Board Meeting

Fri Oct 22, 2010

11:30am – 12:30pm   Picture Retakes

7pm – 11pm   October Dance

Wed Oct 27 – Thu Oct 28, 2010

Parent Teacher Conferences

Fri Oct 29, 2010

In-Service Day – No School

Welcome back,

The library has some new features this year, including a new circulation  system. This one is web based, so you can access it from any computer, anytime. [http//pac.asdk12.org8080/?config=845#bookriver] You can set up your own account (use your student number on your ID card), place holds on books and make requests to borrow books from other libraries.  Many more features are available, and I will be teaching their use to students in their classes.

Battle of the Books

List is available at the Battle website, also synopses of the books.  Paper copies are available in the library.  If you are interested in reading for Battle, please let Karen know and she will help you get in touch with others in your grade  and form a team.  There is lots of time,  the battles don’t happen until late January.

Library volunteers are “up and working hard”, thanks to all of the parents who are helping in the library.  Remember that this is an every other week commitment.  Your schedule for September is posted in the volunteer page of the library website. [www.stellerlibrary.wikispaces.com] Thank you for all of your help and making the room available to the students in the afternoons.

The weight room has some new equipment, thanks to Ramona and the Captain Cook’s Athletic Club.  We found out about the opportunity because Ramona’s husband works at the Captain Cook. They were getting rid of some Nautilus equipment and donated it to us. Thanks go out to Glenn Specking and James Glover, of the Captain Cook, for making this possible. Also, big thanks to the people who made the transfer in time to make this happen.