Tag: teachers

A View From The Window: Our Alaskan Schools in Winter by Sam Jordan at ASDN

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Alaska’s winter season is something special. Extreme. Beautiful. Unpredictable. Long. To get to and from school, many students and staff stoically suit up with the necessary hats, gloves, jackets, snow pants and boots, often traversing formidable snow berms and ice encrusted roadways. They also sometimes brave temperatures that can reach down to -65 below zero. The moving thing about Alaska’s school communities is that they embrace these realities with a special brand of Alaskan hardiness and inspired appreciation.

The Our Alaskan Schools Blog is pleased to offer ‘A View from the Window’, a showcase of visual snapshots from seven different schools across the state that highlight what students and staff are experiencing during this unique season in The Last Frontier.        

Continue reading A View From The Window: Our Alaskan Schools in Winter by Sam Jordan at ASDN

‘The Annette Island School District (AISD) Highlights Its Reading and Cultural Instruction’ by Superintendent Taw Lindsey

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The Annette Island School District (AISD) serves students from Metlakatla and surrounding areas on the beautiful southeast Alaskan island of Annette. Metlakatla or Maxłaxaała means “salt water passage” in the Tsimshian language. The community is only accessible by boat, ferry or plane.

Continue reading ‘The Annette Island School District (AISD) Highlights Its Reading and Cultural Instruction’ by Superintendent Taw Lindsey

‘The Hooper Bay School Culinary Arts Class Serves Up Nourishment and Healing’ by Teacher Eric Gold

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The culinary arts class has prepared holiday cookies for elders, community members and school staff each year.

The Hooper Bay School Culinary Arts Class has taken on a life of its own since it began in the fall of 2014. Originally created as a 1-semester elective, it has become one of the more demanded classes in the high school. In addition, it has a following in the school and community, and students either from the class or those unable to take it, are often found in the cooking room after school visiting, cooking and cleaning or otherwise engaged in projects that support the school and community.

Continue reading ‘The Hooper Bay School Culinary Arts Class Serves Up Nourishment and Healing’ by Teacher Eric Gold

‘A Love Letter To The First Day of School in Alaska’ by Sam Jordan at ASDN

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Galena City SD Superintendent Jim Merriner proudly showing off his “Home of the Hawks” tie at the Beginning-of-Year-Assembly

Across Alaska this month schools from Metlakatla to Utqiaġvik are welcoming students back to the 2019-2020 school year. These first few days are a special time. Students are being welcomed back by communities of educators who are excited and expectant about the year to come.

Continue reading ‘A Love Letter To The First Day of School in Alaska’ by Sam Jordan at ASDN

’20th Annual Wax Museum Project’ by Kipp Norris at Valdez City Schools

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Seventh Graders at Gilson Middle School in Valdez pose in their wax museum costumes for the 20th annual project.

What has become a right of passage for every seventh grader in the Valdez City School System took place on May 7th as Gilson Middle School just hosted it’s 20th annual Wax Museum Project. Continue reading ’20th Annual Wax Museum Project’ by Kipp Norris at Valdez City Schools

Yakutat Students Create a 3D Printed Hand for Community Member by Sam Jordan at ASDN

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34 years ago, in the small Southeast Alaska coastal town of Yakutat, Darin Bremner, then a high school student, was involved in an accident at school.  During a home construction class, a saw slipped and cut off his hand.  Efforts by doctors to reattach the hand were unsuccessful. Darin says that the accident has impacted everything.  “You can feel it when people notice your difference – they stare or look away. I’ve used prosthetics with hooks for years but had always dreamed of having a more functional hand.” Continue reading Yakutat Students Create a 3D Printed Hand for Community Member by Sam Jordan at ASDN

‘Expressing Gratitude Matters’ by Principal Robin Jones of Chief Ivan Blunka School

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While there are many advantages to working in the field of education, educators often communicate that they do not feel adequately appreciated for the extraordinary work they do. Recognizing that thankfulness is an important value and an often simple expression can make a significant difference, we have started a movement of deliberately spreading the practice of gratitude. Continue reading ‘Expressing Gratitude Matters’ by Principal Robin Jones of Chief Ivan Blunka School

‘Is Maith Leis a Bheith Ag Seinm Ceol!’ (Irish Gaelic for ‘I like to play music’) by Valdez City Schools Superintendent Shawn Arnold and Sam Jordan at ASDN

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Valdez City Schools students perform as part of the Dublin Choir Festival

Thirteen Valdez High School students, three teachers, and a number of family members recently returned from the Dublin Choral Festival in Ireland.  The group toured with Music Contact International for a seven-day experience full of music, culture, art, history, and architecture.  During the tour students visited monastic ruins in the Irish hills, toured the Edwardian inspired Dublin Castle built atop medieval ruins and experienced the levity and local flair of a century old pub. Continue reading ‘Is Maith Leis a Bheith Ag Seinm Ceol!’ (Irish Gaelic for ‘I like to play music’) by Valdez City Schools Superintendent Shawn Arnold and Sam Jordan at ASDN

‘Collective Teacher Efficacy Takes Center Stage in Kenai’ by Christine M. Ermold, Ed.D.

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Kenai School District Logo

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District may encompass over 26,000 square miles, but the support new teachers have make it feel like everyone’s within walking distance of each other.  The range of school sizes often results in singleton teachers with a grade level configuration or content area, so connecting teachers has been a priority for KPBSD leaders.  Research by Hattie (2009) affirms what many knew instinctively; collective teacher efficacy almost quadruples typical teaching efficacy with an ultimate effective size 1.57! Continue reading ‘Collective Teacher Efficacy Takes Center Stage in Kenai’ by Christine M. Ermold, Ed.D.

‘Shadow A Teacher Day’ by Dr. Karen Gaborick, Superintendent of Fairbanks North Star Borough School District

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This year, our district implemented a new initiative called “Shadow a Teacher” to build connections and enhance communication among district staff.  It took place the week of October 1st and was a smashing success. Staff who work behind the scenes to support district functions spent an entire day shadowing teachers who volunteered to host guests in their classrooms. Visitors included staff from facilities maintenance, network services, business administration, human resources, teaching and learning, federal programs, special education, communications, and the superintendent’s office. Even school board members participated!  Continue reading ‘Shadow A Teacher Day’ by Dr. Karen Gaborick, Superintendent of Fairbanks North Star Borough School District