“Anchorage Youth Court (AYC) is an organized and effective juvenile justice system.  It provides Anchorage Youth with opportunities for personal growth and an understanding of our legal system.”  (From the AYC website.)  Some Steller students who already participate in AYC and could answer your questions are Bobby G, Kristina V, Kari P, and Frances B.

Anyone who would like to be a member of AYC is invited to register for their 2008 fall classes starting Monday. Registration is at the AYC office Monday through Friday from noon until 5pm, August 25 to September 22, or until the classes are full.  Classes will be held on different nights at Anchorage and Eagle River high schools starting the week of September 22. For additional information, call 274-5986 or email info@anchorageyouthcourt.org.

Steller has a dance next week, should my 7th grader go?  What are Steller dances like?  What’s with all these groups—Advisory Group, Parent Group, Advisory Board, Op Group—and what do they do?  How does this new advisory-group-block schedule work?

New Steller Parents, do you have questions? Returning Steller Parents, do you have issues?  Come join us at Parent Group and we’ll work out the solutions together.  Our first meeting is Wednesday, September 17 at 5:30 in Ken’s room.  We have a few brief items of business to dispatch:  approval of the budget; a vote on a proposal for monthly staff luncheons; a slate of parent nominees for Ad Board.  After that we’ll open the floor for questions and discussion.

Come check out the Steller Parent Group—we’ll strive to keep it both interesting and informative,

Rochelle Wilhelm & Barbara Wohlforth
Co-chairs Steller Parent Group

Do you know youth, ages 13-18, interested in leadership, violence prevention and/or the arts?

If so, please let them know about the Lead On Youth Leadership Conference to be held at Alyeska September 24-26th. This mini-summit, co-sponsored by the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (ANDVSA) and Allstate will bring together Alaskan youth leaders, community partners and nationally known speakers to improve leadership skills and support healthy communities.

This event will feature youth-led workshops and presentations about how youth and community partners are using theatre, art and media in the state to promote peace and equality. This gathering is also part of the CDC-funded national demonstration project DELTA (Domestic Violence Education Leadership Through Alliances).

See attached flyer and scholarship application.

Contact Rhonda for more information. Rhonda.Johnson@uaa.alaska.edu

Click here to download the new Advisory Group schedule.

Welcome Back!

Welcome to Steller Secondary School!  By this time your sons and daughters have already filled you in on some of the most important details of life at Steller — whether the other kids are friendly, what the teachers are like, the importance of lunchtime, and whether Steller seems easier or harder that the school they last attended.  Now that everyone has had some time to settle in, we hope all the students, new and returning, feel as if they are home.

We are pleased to have you, the parents/guardians, as partners during this educational year.  As the year progresses, and as you become either more informed or more puzzled, we encourage you to call, email, or stop by the school to talk to those who might be able to help.  If your questions deal with in-class events, please make arrangements, by phone or email, to speak with the teacher.

One of our goals at Steller is to make it easier for parents/guardians to also feel at home — like the students themselves.  To that end, we send the school newsletters to your home (or computer) throughout the school year, providing you with information about events and activities. We schedule Parent Meetings and All-Community Meetings to share information with you,  and many other opportunities to volunteer.  In fact, we encourage you to volunteer!  Steller is one school where parents truly are an integral part of everyday life.

You will also want to look at your son’s/daughter’s copy of the Steller Student Handbook after they have received them.  It does a good job of explaining a typical year at our school.  By taking the time to read it, you will have a better idea of what to expect.

Steller offers complete academic programs with the flexibility to meet your student’s individual needs; however, the school cannot do it all.  Your interest, your involvement, your support, and your parental guidance have never been more important than right now and during the next few years.

We are glad to have you with us this year, and we want to assure you that we will do our best to help your child experience academic, social, and emotional growth.  With your help and cooperation, this will be an excellent school year!

Harlod Green

Allergy/Anaphylaxis

Steller Secondary is a LATEX-REDUCED environment. Do not bring latex gloves, balloons, or other items made of latex into the building.

Parents of children with a known anaphylactic reaction especially to food, animals, or bee/wasp sting must provide the school with an Allergy/Anaphylaxis Plan completed by a physician.  The nurse reviews the plan and gives a copy to the student’s teachers.  Teachers are trained to administer the epinephrine auto-injector and it will go with the child on field trips.  If you need a copy of the Allergy/Anaphylaxis Plan to take to your doctor please contact the school nurse.

Asthma

If your child has an inhaler at school, we must have an Asthma Action Plan on file. If you need a copy of the Asthma Action Plan to take to your doctor, I’ll be happy to make you a copy.  Request your copy by email, Williams_wendy@asdk12.org, or call me, 742-4963.  

PE Excuses

If a student will need to be out of PE for more than three days, a written request from a physician is necessary.  The excuse must specify the length of the absence (including the return date,) and the reason for it.

Medication

If your child requires medication during the school day, please contact me for the required paperwork.  All medication must be provided in the original container. The nurse cannot give out any loose medication that is sent to school in a baggie.  Students are prohibited by ASD policy from carrying controlled substance medications, such as those prescribed for ADD/ADHD, to school to give to the nurse. An adult must bring in this medication. All controlled medication must be counted by the nurse in view of the parent/guardian. For questions regarding medication administration at school, please call me.

Thank You

Thank you to all the families who donated lunch/snack items in August!  

Nurse Wendy

Overwhelmed by classwork? Scared because your parents are splitting up? Worried about a friend? Feel like you don’t fit in?  Sometimes it’s just not possible to sort through tough times alone. Problems can build up and you may lose sleep, find you can’t concentrate on homework, or even become depressed. When you need to talk to someone, your school counselor can be a great place to start!

Your Counselor Can Help You Cope

A school counselor knows how to listen and help.  A counselor takes your problem seriously and works with you to find a good solution. School counselors are trained to help with everything — and it doesn’t have to be just school stuff. A counselor can help you deal with grief, advise you on disagreements with your best friend, or brainstorm future career goals. Your school counselor can give you tips on managing stress, talking to your parents, and dealing with anger and other difficult moods. She can also advise you on problems you may have with a teacher, such as communication difficulties or questions over grades. You can also meet with your counselor to get career counseling or advice on which classes to take for college.  It takes a lot of training to be a school counselor; not only a college degree but also a master’s degree and certification in counseling. Your school counselor can give you all sorts of tips and support on solving problems and making good decisions. 

Meeting with the Counselor

You don’t need to know exactly what’s bothering you when you talk with the school counselor. It’s perfectly OK just to make an appointment because you’re not sure how you’re feeling, or not doing as well in school as you’d like. It’s the school counselor’s job to help people figure out what’s going on.   Your counselor may sometimes come into the classroom, too, to teach a class on a subject that affects everyone, such as stress or good study skills.

Your school counselor is someone who is separate from your life — a neutral adult who isn’t a parent, relative, or teacher. However, your school counselor isn’t a therapist, but if you need help in some way that the school counselor can’t provide, she can give you information about other community resources.

Your Counselor is Here to be Your Advocate!

For those new to the Steller community, my role as counselor here at Steller is to provide support and guidance for students on their academic journey, and to advocate on their behalf.  Mondays through Wednesdays I am here at Steller and available anytime to help with issues albeit dilemmas, decisions, or just to talk. No matter what your problem, try to think of me as someone who’s on your side. I am here to help make your school experience the best it can be. Instead of just focusing on schoolwork and careers, today’s counselors are there for students in a broader way. Your counselor wants to help with any problem that might get in the way of learning, and try to create a positive environment for everyone at school. So if you need a counselor’s advice, just ask!

Linda

The Gifted Mentorship program is for the exceptional 11th and 12th grade high school student who has the self-discipline and interest to pursue independent study under the direction of a professional/expert in a field of great interest to the student.

Mentorship study programs are for high-ability, high-achieving students who often have completed all advanced coursework available at the high school level or who are currently enrolled in coursework that applies to their area of interest. The program gives motivated, mature high school students an idea of what it is like to work in a field of their interest by being teamed with a professional who acts as their mentor during a 45 to 60 hour program.

The mentor, the student, and the coordinator design a curriculum of activities and projects that expose the student to real-life work situations as well as the latest information and technology in the field. The mentorship is usually completed in ninety days. Meeting times are arranged when it works best for the mentor and the student: usually after school and on in-service days. Students receive an elective credit for the mentorship when they successfully complete a range of requirements.

The deadline for fall semester applications is September 15th.  For second semester, it’s November 15th.  The application can by downloaded from our website at: www.asdk12.org/projects/gifted/

I’ll be visiting Steller in the office area on Fridays and I am available after school and other times by appointment.  Let me know if you need anything.

Lisa Wiley
Gifted Mentorship Coordinator
742-3798
wiley_lisa@asdk12.org