About NLABC

Northern Lights ABC School is a Kindergarten through Grade 8 school which emphasizes:
 Academic Excellence  Character Development Responsibility Discipline
Patriotism Citizenship Parental Involvement

Northern Lights ABC School is an alternative educational program established in 1978. Its founders were dedicated to a philosophy embracing a back to basic approach to education. Character education, a strong emphasis on citizen ship, values, discipline and patriotism make this program unique.

Parents who choose our school for their children should believe in the tenets upon which our school was founded. Strong, committed parental support is essential for any program to successfully educate children for the future.

Parents, children and staff working together for a common goal characterizes Northern Lights ABC School and contributes to its effectiveness in educating our most precious children. Our commitment to maintain the ABC philosophy and objectives is vital and ongoing. Join us in partnership to continue to maintain, nurture and grow to meet the needs of students.

Academic Excellence:  A high quality program of basic academic education is presented at Northern Lights Anchorage Basic Curriculum (ABC) School.  It begins with the half day academic Kindergarten and continues though 8th grade.

Awards:  Regular awards assemblies honor excellence in academics, deportment, and citizenship as well as penmanship, physical education, music, art, and special categories for unique accomplishments.

Curriculum:  At Northern Lights ABC there is a strong emphasis on functional skills, reasoning ability, patriotism, character building, family, courtesy, self-discipline, and good citizenship.  Scope and sequence is set for all grades driving a unified approach to all major subjects.  Textbooks are chosen that support high goals in each area of the curriculum and often differ from those used in other ASD schools.  Students in grades 1-8 are provided with a full day of academic instruction.  Homework, in addition to class work, is assigned in academic subjects at every grade level including Kindergarten.

Knowing Where Your Child Stands:  All students take a competency-based test to discover if they have achieved the skills expected for each grade level at the end of each year.  Letter grades are assigned in academic subjects in first through eighth grade and are based on a percentage scale as follows:  A=94-100%; B=87-93%; C=70-86%; D=60-69%; and F=59% and below.

Parental Involvement:  To be successful in this academically challenging program a parent must support their student by providing quality time for homework and studying.  Learning is considered a partnership between parents, students, teachers, and staff.

Responsibility and Discipline:  Our teachers and staff care about each child who attends Northern Lights ABC.  They foster a positive self-image and help each one learn self-discipline.  Standards of student decorum are outlined and reinforced by all members of the staff.  The academic program is based on the premise that many students learn best within the framework of a structured environment where self-discipline is encouraged and boundaries are consistently reinforced.

Starting with the Basics:  It is essential that children learn how to use the English language and basic math early in their educational experience.  Intellectual development includes mastery of basic skills in all areas - reading, writing, math, spelling, Spalding phonics, penmanship, problem solving, and study habits.  Our students achieve maximum learning through careful and sequential teaching, thereby receiving a solid academic foundation.

Whole Group Instruction:  Whole group instruction is the traditional method of teaching delivery where one teacher is at the front of the classroom teaching to the entire class of students at the same time.  Students are not grouped according to ability and provided individualized instructional materials.