Parents of Students in grades K – 12

The 2010 Climate and Connectedness Parent/Guardian Survey is being administered to provide schools with information about perceptions and experiences related to school climate and connectedness for use in setting school goals and redirecting resources.  This is an annual survey implemented and analyzed jointly by the ASD departments of Safe and Drug Free Schools and Assessment and Evaluation. The survey will take place between March 22 and June 30 of 2010.

Parents/Guardians should complete one survey for each child in school. There are many different ways to access the survey:

• Mailing of paper surveys—Surveys will be mailed with students’ SBA and HSGQE test results during the first week of June. There will be a separate mailing for parents/guardians of juniors and seniors not taking the HSGQE retest and parents/guardians of kindergarten, grade 1 and 2 students. All of the surveys will be in self-addressed, postage-paid mailers, making it easy for parents/guardians to return the surveys directly back to the Assessment and Evaluation Department.
• ASD Web site—ASD Web site: http://www.asdk12.org/depts/assess_eval/climatesurvey.asp
• Parent Connect — As of this year we are providing a fourth optional link through Zangle’s Parent Connect.  A survey link will appear on the page where you access your account.
• ASD Facebook page — A link to the survey can be found on Facebook.

The Gifted Mentorship Program pairs talented/gifted juniors and seniors with a mentor in a career field of great interest to the student.  With the help of a coordinator, the mentor and student develop an independent study course based on a college-style internship.  Students receive .5 elective credit and a letter grade for successful participation in the program.

We will be recruiting students at Steller for this year’s summer school program, as well as next year’s school program.  Interested current sophomores and juniors are welcome to attend informational meetings to be held at Steller in the library during lunch on Thursday, April 15th in the library/computer lab.  Ms. Wiley, Steller’s mentorship coordinator, will review the application process, mentorship requirements, and answer questions about the program at the meeting. Students with GPA’s over 3.5 and/ or high standardized test scores will be invited to attend the meeting.  Curious students and parents can also come to hear about the program.  Summer school will be happening this year; incoming seniors will be given priority because of the limited number of students that will be accepted.  If you can’t attend the meeting or have questions, please call Ms. Wiley at 575 6885 or email at Wiley_Lisa@asdk12.org

Steller Secondary School Current Students and Mentors

Erin A.  -  Rebecca Zubro, Providence, ER Nursing
Wade B.  -  Mike Crotty, AFD, Paramedic Medicine
Nora C.  -  Felicia Czekaj, Providence, Clinical Laboratory Science
Gina G.  -  Roberta Garvey, Pediatric Surgeons of AK, Pediatric Surgery
Hannah G.  -  Gordon Thompson, Architecture
Michael K.  -  Liberty Helgeson, Providence, ER Nursing
Madeline K.  -  Katie Larson, Alaska Zoo, Environmental Activism / Wildlife Biology
Samantha M.  -  Libby Brown, Providence, Neurological Nursing
Caitlyn P.  -  Shannon Jensen, Alaska Zoo, Wildlife Biology
Emily S.  -  Dr. Dwight Ellerbe, Plastic Surgery
Arvin T.  -  Joe Hickel, Hotel Captain Cook, Culinary Arts
Karlie W.  -  Lynne Young, Orthopedic Physicians of AK, Athletic Training
Robin W.  -  Andy Weiss, KPB, Architecture

Poll Shows Alaskans Support Keeping
Exit Exam by 3-1 Margin

JUNEAU – A recent Dittman public opinion poll commissioned by Sen. Con Bunde, R-Anchorage, shows that 74 percent of Alaskans support keeping the High School Graduation Qualifying Exam, also known as the exit exam. Currently there is a bill in the Legislature that would repeal the exit exam.

Bunde, who authored the original exit exam language when it was passed into law in 1997, said the Dittman poll results clearly indicate that the public still supports the exam as a way to ensure that possessing a high school diploma means graduates can demonstrate basic competency in reading, writing and arithmetic.

“Currently in the Senate, there is, in my view, a misguided effort to do away with the high school graduation qualifying exam. This poll shows that three-quarters of the people of Alaska do not want it to go away,” Bunde said. “That’s a pretty substantial level of support.”

Bunde said the idea to do away with the test is rooted in a well-intended push by some groups representing students who have had a difficult time passing the exam.

“Last year there were 8,008 graduates who passed the exit exam and received a high school diploma. At the same time there were 270 high school seniors who were unable to pass the exit exam, and therefore received a certificate of attendance,” Bunde said. “So, the question is, should we dilute the value of the diploma for the thousands who passed it just to accommodate the few who do not?  I don’t think we should, and clearly, almost three-quarters of the Alaska public don’t think we should, either.”

The Dittman poll was conducted February 9-22, 2010. The bill to repeal the exit exam, SB 109, recently passed out of the Senate Education and the Community and Regional Affairs committees and is currently sitting in the Senate Finance Committee.

Dittmann Survey Results.  Click to enlarge.  Email subscribers:  If you cannot view this image, click the article title to go directly to the website.