School board recognizes one of its own
Tim SteeleThe Anchorage School Board nominated member Tim Steele for the Association of Alaska School Boards' Outstanding School Board Member Award at its Monday meeting. The award is designed to reflect the nominee’s commitment to board standards, which include vision, structure, accountability, advocacy, and conduct and ethics. Steele began his service in April 2001 when he was elected to the board. He has served as board president for two years. Additionally, he has served on all board committees (Legislative, Audit and Policy) and is currently serving as the vice president of the school board and chair of the Legislative Committee. Steele has been an active board member; he has gone to most legislative fly-ins, has actively supported school bond elections and has testified frequently to the legislature and to the Anchorage Assembly on school district issues. Steele holds Seat A. His current term expires in April 2010; he cannot serve another term due to municipal charter restrictions. He has also served as a member of the AASB Board of Directors and recently was recognized as one of two awardees.
Russian Jack Elementary students learn about electronics during one afternoon with Total Reclaim environmental services after school as part of the district’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers.
We’ll keep the lights on… after school
“Lights On Afterschool” is a nationwide effort to focus on the importance of after-school programs in America. On Monday, the Anchorage School Board approved to officially recognize Thursday, Oct. 22 as Lights On Afterschool Day. Activities to celebrate include book giveaways, family nights, safety demonstrations and literacy activities at ASD schools.
The 21st Century Community Learning Centers initiative, the only federal program dedicated solely to after-school programs, provided safe places for more than 5,000 of Alaska’s kids after school last year—with many more students in self-care that could be served if programs were available, according to Susan Williams, 21st Century CLC manager. In Anchorage last year, nearly 1,500 students attended 21st Century CLC programs at some Title I schools. Numerous national studies show positive results in student behavior and achievement for students who regularly attend. The 21st Century CLCs provide academic enrichment activities that help students meet state standards. The centers also focus on a broad array of services such as drug and violence prevention programs, social skills counseling, art, music and recreation programs as well as technology education, character education programs and social-emotional learning at the district’s most needy schools.
A new report, America After 3PM, as well as a new cable show created by Bright House Networks and the Afterschool Alliance will be released/debut on Lights On Afterschool Day. The study provides nationwide data on after-school supply and demand and was conducted for the Afterschool Alliance and sponsored by the JCPenney Afterschool Fund. The cable program will feature personal stories of families and youth after school. Video spots of the program are blocked by ASD Web filters, but can be found off-district at Brighthouse Networks.
Alaska Native/American Indian Heritage Month resource
ASD joins the rest of the nation to celebrate November’s Alaska Native/American Indian Heritage Month through a variety of community and school activities. The “Sharing the Spirit” booklet is available to teachers who want to schedule a presenter. “The individuals and groups gathered for this book are eager to make presentations, answer questions and share his or her Native culture in the classroom,” said Doreen Brown, Title VII Indian Education supervisor. “All presentations listed in this book are free during the month of November.” Schedules fill up quickly; submit your request form to the Community Resources Department. Presentations are correlated with state standards and most of the content areas are addressed at each instructional level.
Charitable Giving Campaign invites creative fundraising
Martina Henke, Language Arts coordinator (left) and Debbie Young, Language Arts, SEL administrative assistant, (right) hosted the east end Education Center Salad and Dessert luncheon fundraiser. The 2009 Charitable Giving Campaign is in full swing with pledges coming in and contests and luncheons happening at various work sites. Whaley School reports that it has two more Tuesday drawings on October 20 and 27. Charitable Giving Coordinator and Art Teacher Bev Kirk says the first three donors always receive their choice of beadwork. (They’re still talking about the time a couple of years ago, where every donor got to vote for someone to kiss the hind end of a pig; sadly for our coordinator, it was she.) Maintenance has several fundraisers, according to Charitable Giving Coordinator and Administrative Assistant EJ Johnson. Home baked goods will be delivered to each Maintenance shop Thursday morning, a wall-hanging quilt is being donated to the Huffman location silent auction and an afghan will be auctioned at the East and Chugiak shops. Theme baskets and other items are being donated for auction the last week in October in the bay at the Huffman shop. The east end of the Education Center held its salad and dessert luncheon on Tuesday and the west end is set for the build-your-own sandwich luncheon on Wednesday. Charitable Giving Coordinator and Muldoon Elementary Family School Services Coordinator Lela Stevenson said they will hold a chili feed today and are conducting a daily “Queen for the Day” contest.
Next week is Save for Retirement Week; do you know where you stand?
National Save for Retirement Week is Oct. 18-24. “We know how important it is to prepare for retirement,” said ASD Benefits Director Alden Thern. “The district wants people to be informed and offers a variety of information, training and resources.” Online resources for employees include information on the district’s supplemental retirement savings account that allows employees an opportunity to make pre-tax investments in a variety of mutual funds and one fixed-income option with the 403(b) plan. Currently, more than 1,600 employees are participating actively in the plan. Great-West Retirement Services is the sole bundled services provider for the district’s plan. In celebration of Save for Retirement Week, Great-West has launched a “Save the Planet, Save for Retirement” campaign. The campaign includes an online information site that includes voice-over Web presentations and fliers that discuss important retirement savings topics, as well as online calculators and an online quiz designed to give employees an opportunity to test their environmental knowledge with familiar retirement planning and saving concepts.
A representative from Great-West Retirement Services is available to discuss the 403(b) plan and investment options in Anchorage at 301 W. Northern Lights Blvd., Suite 406 (northwest corner of C Street and Northern Lights).
Call Great-West Retirement Services for an appointment at 276-1500, or e-mail Cheri.Turner@gwrs.com or Andee.Nusaath@gwrs.com.
of the weeks to highlight transportation safety and drug abuse prevention. This week the district honors ASD Transportation employees who provide more than 6 million passenger trips that travel about 3 million miles annually. On Monday, Abbott Loop Elementary officially kicks off the district’s celebration of Red Ribbon Week at a special assembly.