School Events
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District
Fireweed Academy
Little Fireweed
Sept. 29: K-2 student-parent open house, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Homer Flex
Sept. 23: Eligibility check due.
Oct. 4: Picture day.
Homer High School
Sept. 22: Spirit week: Class color day; seniors: black, juniors: white, sophomores: grey, freshmen: purple, staff: tie dye.
Sept. 22: Powder Puff football finals during FOL
Sept. 23: Spirit week: Blue and gold day
Sept. 23: Pep assembly, 8:30 a.m.
Sept. 23: Swim at Soldotna High School Pentathlon, 2 p.m. Leave at 9:30 a.m.
Sept. 23: Homecoming bonfire, 7 p.m. Popcorn, games and fun.
Sept. 24: Cross-country running at regions at Soldotna High School, 10:30 a.m. Leave at 7 a.m.
Sept. 24: Voznesenka football vs. Seward on Homer Turf, 11 a.m.
Sept. 24: Varsity football vs. Redington on Homer Turf, 2 p.m.
Sept. 24: Homecoming dance in Commons, 8-11 p.m.
Oct. 1: FAFSA filing open. Please see counseling office for more details.
Cancelled: Varsity volleyball at West Spike Fest on Sept. 23-24.
McNeil Canyon Elementary School
Sept. 27: Starting day for advanced band
Sept. 30: Family game night, 7 p.m.
Oct. 1: Beginning band clinic for all McNeil first year students. More info to come.
Oct. 5: First year band begins, recurring every Wednesday during lunch recess.
Instrument donations needed
McNeil Canyon Elementary asks those with old band instruments laying around to consider donating them to fifth and sixth grade band students. Specifically need are flutes, clarinets, trumpets, saxophones, and bell kits.
Scholastic news fees
Due to budget cuts, McNeil Canyon Elementary is asking parents to pay $5 for stduents in grades 1-5 so that the school can continue to receive the Scholastic News. The fee was included on the supply list and many students have paid. The schools reminds those who have not yet to please do so.
Field trips
McNeil Canyon will be collecting pledges to help fund field trips and special classroom needs this year. Collection envelopes were sent home on Friday, Sept. 16. All envelopes must be returned by Monday, Sept. 26 whether any pledges have been collected or not.
Alaska Community Foundation awards scholarship to Ninilchik student
Naomi Hess of Ninilchik School has been awarded the Ninilchik School Memorial Fund Scholarship from the Alaska Community Foundation. The scholarship is a fund to support post-secondary education for graduating seniors from Ninilchik School who demonstrate excellence through school spirit and involvement, good academic standing and desire for futher education, according to the Alaska Community Foundation website. The scholarship was established in 2008 to honor former students Lars Hansen, Heather Henderson, Heidi Fletcher and Village Elder Irene Kraskoff.
KPBSD Board of Education Vacancy
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District School Board member Liz Downing formally resigned, effective Sept. 30, at the Sept. 12 school board meeting, according to the KPBSD Board of Education Meeting Agenda. Downing has served on the KPBSD School Board for 11 years.
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is looking for applications to fill the District 8 (Homer) school board vacancy.
Responsibilities:
For information on the role and responsibilities of board members, see kpbsd.k12.ak.us/board.aspx?id=360.
Qualifications:
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age, a qualified voter of the State of Alaska and a resident of the Kenai Peninsula and District 8 for 180 days.
Term of office:
Appointment will begin October 3, 2016. The appointee will stand for re-election at the regular election in October 2017.
Applications:
Applications are available on the website at kpbsd.k12.ak.us and at the district office.
Deadline:
The vacancy will remain open until filled. Applications will be reviewed on September 27, 2016 at 12 p.m. and, if viable, the position will be closed.
Indian Education Advisory Committee seeks parents, student, staff members to serve
The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Title VI (Indian Education), formerly known as Title VII, seeks parent, student and staff advisory committee representatives who are interested in setting priorities to meet the unique educational and cultural academic needs of the 1,200 Alaska Native and Native American student in the district. Nominations are due by Sept. 20 and can be submitted by region to Conrad Woodhead, KPBSD Native Education Coordinator, at cwoodhead@kpbsd.k12.ak.us. Please call 907-235-8671 with any questions.
Members of the advisory committee must commit to quarterly meetings usually held in Soldotna, though remote area representatives can participate via Skype. Members should be willing to actively participate, be involved in community affairs, and represent the interest of all children eligible for Title VI who attend KPBSD schools.
New members will be voted by a majoriy of a quorum and nominees must be present to be elected.
Seats by region
Parent Representative:
A parent is any person who on the date of election for Advisory Committee membership is the parent, acting local parent, legal guardian, or elder of a student currently eligible for Title VI and enrolled in KPBSD schools.
Seat A—Region 1:
(Tyonek, Nikiski, Kenai)
Seat B—Region 2:
(Sterling, Soldotna)
Seat C—Region 3:
(Seward, Moose Pass, Cooper Landing, Hope)
Seat D—Region 4:
(Ninilchik, Anchor Point, Homer)
Seat E—Region 5:
(Seldovia, Nanwalek, Port Graham)
Seat F—At-large
(any region)
Student Representative:
Any KPBSD Title VI enrolled student
Seat G—At-large
Seat H—At-large
Staff Representative:
Any KPBSD employee
Seat I—At-large
Seat terms:
Staggered in the first year of bylaw implementation:
Seats A, B, and C, and seats D, E, and F will rotate on two year terms, except for the first year the bylaws are in effect.
Seats A, B, and C will be a one year term in FY17
Student Seats G and H will be a one-year term.
Staff Seat I will be a two-year term.
The Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies’ The Backyard and Beyond Club
The Backyard and Beyond Club’s first day was Sept. 14. Fifth and sixth graders and welcome to join activities after school until 5 p.m. on Wednesdays, according to a press release from CACS. Transportation provided with parent permission: McNeil Canyon students take bus 61 to the Methodist church to be picked up by CACS staff. West Homer students will be picked up by CACS staff. For more information, contact henry@akcoastalstudies.org or call CACS at 235-6667.
Girls on the Run
The Girls on the Run season is beginning at West Homer Elementary, Fireweed, and Chapman Schools. Girls on the Run is a program that inspires girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum that creatively integrates running, according to the Girls on the Run Greater Alaska website. For more info go togotrgreateralaska.org, email Girls on the Run Coordinator Tara Schmidt at tara@havenhousealaska.org or call 235-1580.