Nurse’s News

Hello and welcome to a new school year at Steller Secondary. The nurse’s office is working to keep students’ medical history and shot records up to date to stay in compliance with the State of Alaska’s requirements and provide safe care to students.

Please update your student’s medical health history records yearly and as necessary. By updating their medical history your child can continue to receive the best nursing care.

If you have completed any medical forms during online registration, please print and bring them in to the nurse’s office, as I do not have access to print these completed online forms.

Immunizations Due – Some students will need an immunization booster shot prior to starting school and during the school year. The immunization must be administered and documentation provided to the nurse prior to attending classes. The State of Alaska has a strict “NO SHOT, NO SCHOOL” policy…. [read more – Nurse’s News-Aug2017.pdf]

Welcome to a new school year!

We have had a great start with advisories and grade specific class activities.  Many seniors are in Seward; there was an overnighter outside of Willow, and field trips to Girdwood and around town. Seventh graders and new students are getting their feet wet in our philosophy and practice.  Looking around, I see smiling faces, friends, old and new, getting back into the swing of the academic atmosphere. There is energy in the air! An amazing start to a great year ahead.

Students are working on their schedules with advisors as I write.  Tomorrow is registration and the following day we jump right into classes.  This is the time to look at your student’s schedule. Questions should be emailed to your advisor with an option of cc’ing Marianne (school counselor).  I’d like to remind parents and students to use Zangle as a way to know progress; again, please communicate with teachers immediately if issues arise.

We have a two-year plan (a teacher passage) to educate and activate Steller as a systemic self-directed program.  We currently have a requirement of three Passages for graduation, and have many opportunities for self-direction in teacher facilitated, peer-taught classes and in those that are self-designed.  The staff consensus believe that we need better scaffolding in earlier grades for wide ranging and over-the-top success. This year, the plan started with staff review of the philosophy to reach common understanding, and will continue with lesson sharing and peer observations/discussions. The staff will share with parents and students and in conjunction will devise and define paths for students to builds skills and increases experiences towards greater self-direction with more student choice (of study).

I hope all are happy with their choice to join Steller.  If you have questions, please give me a call.
–Reed 
907 742-4950

SAT and ACT

Juniors
PSAT (Preliminary SAT) is October 11 from 8:30 – approx. 12:30 at Steller.
PSAT is a a screener for the National Merit Scholarship Program (for 11th graders only).
We allow 10th grader to sign up for the PSAT.
Sign up with Haley (front office). The fee is $20. We a few waivers for qualifying students (please see Marianne).
The deadline for signing up is August 31.

Seniors
Are you applying to colleges/universities outside Alaska?
Check if the schools you are applying to are members of the Common Application.
Create Common Application Account and start your application:
  *   The prompts for the Common App essay are to be found on their website
  *   Invite counselor and teachers as recommenders
     *   Counselor: Marianne Pedersen – email: pedersen_marianne@asdk12.org
     *   Teacher(s): choose any teacher(s) than your advisor – the advisor will write the letter of recommendation for Marianne
  *   Ask for letters of recommendation (Steller has a request form that you give to teacher/advisor/counselor)
  *   Start the college application essay as soon as possible
     *   Ask teachers/counselor to edit essay before submission

Please see Marianne if you have any questions about the college application process. I will also have a College Application session for seniors in September, date TBA.

SAT and ACT dates:
https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register/dates-deadlines

SAT Test Dates and Deadlines | SAT Suite of Assessments – The College Board
https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register/dates-deadlines

Upcoming 2017-2018 SAT test administration schedule, including all exam dates and deadlines for U.S. test-takers.
http://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act.html

The ACT Test – Measure High School Student Readiness for College | ACT
http://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act.html

The ACT test is a curriculum-based education and career planning tool for high school students that assesses the mastery of college readiness standards

Juniors and Seniors
Sylvan will offer a free SAT or ACT practice test at Steller Wednesday September 13 @ 2:15 (approx. 3 hours) – more info to come – contact Marianne if you have questions.

Rosa’s Advisory First Day Food and Fun!

As we know school starts on Monday and we will be spending part of our day in advisory! I am excited to hear about all of the adventures students embarked on last summer and we will also be introducing new to Steller students and spending some time setting goals for the up coming school year. As everything is better with food and games, I would like to encourage students to bring their favorite breakfast dish and one of their favorite games that they are willing to share or teach the class. I will be bringing quiche and UNO. If the weather is good we will make eclipse viewers and watch the eclipse! I will be handing out schedules for the rest of the week at that time. Please e-mail me if you have any questions or concerns. I look forward to seeing everyone! Saludos, Rosa Hohnstein Hohenstein_Rosalie@asdk12.org

Host an International Exchange Student

AFS is currently searching for homes for international exchange students. Steller is a wonderful environment and loves the culture that these students can add to the school. If you are interested in hosting a student for the 2017-2018 school year, please contact AFS.

For more information on being a host parent to an international student, please see the attached flyer HERE. There are five students who are anxiously awaiting the opportunity to experience Alaska and the American culture.

Sophomore Overnight Trip to South Rolly Lake

Attention sophomores! We will be leaving for an overnight orientation field trip to South Rolly Lake Campground this coming Monday at noon. Be sure to bring a warm sleeping bag and pad. We have already chosen tent groups, but we may make adjustments before we leave on Monday or when we arrive at the campground. The weather forecast is calling for a chance of showers on Monday and Tuesday, with lows in the 40’s. For those of you who did not make it to the meeting last night, we have attached copies of the  Permission Slip and the  Medication Request (aid needed) for Out-of-District Travel. Everyone must turn in a completed and signed Permission Slip and Medication Request (aid needed) on Monday morning or they will not be able to go on the trip. Each student must also turn in $10 with the permission slip to pay for food and the cost of campsites. Be sure to dress appropriately for the weather (it could rain), wear footwear appropriate for hiking, bring a water bottle and a small daypack. Please bring appropriate toiletries and anything else you need as personal items. Leave the candy and other food at home.

All sophomores are expected to participate. If for some reason you cannot participate, you need to make arrangements to have your parents pick you up at 11:45 on Monday and bring you to school by 12:40 on Tuesday.

If you have questions please call Ken at 727-0730 or 742-4950.

For 8th Grade Parents and Students

Hello Eighth Grade Parents and Students! You should have received a robo-call that gave you the basic information needed for the two hikes the Eighth Grade Class are going to have on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. This is the written version of that with the permission slips mentioned in the robo-call. 

We are leaving by bus on Monday at noon to hike Winner Creek in Girdwood. The plan is to be back at Steller to be picked up by 5pm.  Permission slip: Winner Creek Permission Slip

In the morning on Tuesday, we will leave a little after school starts, again by bus, to hike the sand dunes of Kincaid Park. We will be back around 12:30 – just in time for the Advisory Group activities of the afternoon.  Permission slip:  Kincaid Sand Dunes Permission Slip

Here is the list of supplies students are encouraged to bring for both hikes: $10; bag lunch; water; change of socks; bear bells; rain gear; warm hat; thin gloves; hiking boots or athletic shoes; trail snacks; back pack; and enthusiasm. If there are any questions, you can email Bob at Vandergriff_robert@asdk2.org or Rosa at hohnstein_rosalie@asdk12.org. If there are a couple of parents who would be interested in chaperoning for either or both hikes, please let us know at those email addresses as well. Thank you, and we look forward to having a great start to the school year.