02/10/25 Trailside Parent News

2025 SCCS Family Link to Share

PLEASE COMPLETE

Trailside Families- Please take a few moments to complete this school year's survey. Your input is extremely valuable and will guide our leadership team moving forward. Thank you!

Do you know frequent tardies stop the classroom instruction every time a student enters

the classroom late. The teacher has stop instruction to direct the late student to put their

backpacks away and to pull out whatever the class is working on. The teacher then has to

try to remember where they stopped their instruction and restart their lesson. Imagine this

happening several times the first ½ hour of the day.

Each spring, Alaskan students are provided an opportunity to show what they know. When students show what they know, teachers and parents can partner to promote student success. The State of Alaska Department of Education has partnered with NWEA to align and connect the English language arts (ELA) and mathematics tests with the MAP Growth benchmark assessments students take in fall and winter.

This balanced assessment system targets instruction to better support meeting students’ individual learning needs. In addition, students will take only one assessment per content area (ELA and math) and be provided two scores as follows:

1. Summative assessment result at grade-level

2. MAP Growth interim benchmark result, including growth from fall to spring

AK STAR, the Alaska System of Academic Readiness, is comprised of English language arts and mathematics and is administered to students in grades 3-9. The Alaska Science Assessment is administered to students in grades 5, 8 and 10. The purpose of a large-scale, summative assessment is to provide parents and schools an overall picture of a student’s progress in meeting the Alaska standards at grade level.

Parents can locate resources for AK STAR and the Alaska Science Assessment, including directions for Student Readiness (Practice Tests and Tutorials), student testing times and general assessment information on the ASD website at https://www.asdk12.org/akstar.

Parents can also help by ensuring their children are well rested, eat a nutritious breakfast, and are at school on time for the days of testing. Please avoid scheduling appointments on your child’s testing days.

The ASD AK STAR and Alaska Science Assessment testing window allows for school assessment scheduling flexibility. Students! Get ready to show what you know during our school’s AK STAR and Alaska Science Assessment testing dates: ___________________

2025 ASD AK STAR and Alaska Science Assessment Testing Window:

March 24-April 4

(Make-ups through April 25)

State of Alaska Window: March 24-April 25

Feb. 26 and Feb. 27 are Parent Teacher Conferences!

Sign-up Today!

https://apps.asdk12.org/ConferenceScheduling/StudentScheduleStartExt.aspx

Free & Reduced-Price Meal Application Reminder. Free & Reduced-Price meal applications and Direct Certification are available throughout the school year. Feel free to copy the information and adjust it to fit specific school community needs. Student Nutrition appreciates school support in getting this information out to families.

If there are any questions, please contact Student Nutrition at SNAdmin@asdk12.org.

❄️ Winter Family Fun Night - February 21

Mark your calendars for our upcoming community event! We'll have winter activities and games for the whole family. Weather permitting, we'll have some outdoor fun. Volunteers are needed to help make this event a success -- sign up at https://signup.com/go/mTprrWW.

📚 Read-a-Thon

Thank you to everyone in our school community for their support of our readers! The 2025 Read-a-Thon was a huge success and we will have final reading and fundraising tallies later next week. Please have your kiddos turn in all pledges and reading logs by February 10!

🍽️ PTA Membership Meeting & Appreciation Dinner - February 19

Join us for our annual membership appreciation dinner!

• Dinner served: 5:30 PM
• Brief meeting: 6:00 PM

Not a member of the PTA? that's okay! Signup at https://trailsidepta.givebacks.com/store

🔬 Math and Science Night - March 21, 2025

We're seeking presenters for our Math and Science Night! If you or someone you know would like to share their expertise with our Trailside community, we'd love to have you. The event runs from 5:30-7:30 PM on Friday, March 21st. New ideas are always welcome!

To present or learn more, contact: Ulbrich_carleen@asdk12.org

Afterschool Activities: Barn Dancing & Ukele

Barn Dancing: Get ready to kick up your heels and reel! Learn barn dancing in this brand-new after-school activity, led by a trained dance caller. This class is for 3-5th graders ready to learn new moves to active music. Take time to wash your hands before entering the gym, and switch to gym shoes. Please do not attend while sick.

• Dates: February 10, 14, 19, and 21
• Time: 2:30 – 4:00 p.m.
• Who: Grades 3-5. Capable students in 2nd grade are welcome with parent support.

Beginning Ukulele: Have you seen Trailside’s new glow-in-the-dark ukuleles? Have you played one yet? Students will learn some basic chords and strumming patterns on the ukulele. Bring a ukulele if you have one and your voice.

• Dates: February 24, March 3, 17, 24, 31 & April 7 (Mondays)
• Time: 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
• Who: Grades 3-5. Students in 2nd welcome if ready for an hour of music practice.

Intermediate Ukulele: Take your ukulele skills to the next level. Students should know some basic chords and strumming patterns. Bring a ukulele if you have one and your voice.

• Dates: February 24, March 3, 17, 24, 31 & April 7 (Mondays)
• Time: 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
• Who: Grades 3-5

New Registration Policy: Registration closes when the class is full or at 9 p.m. the evening before the class start date. Questions? Please contact trailsideactivities@gmail.com.

PTA provides scholarships to students who need assistance, apply online.

Sign up for ASAs at https://trailside.myptezcentral.com/

If you have ideas for an ASA and want to lead an activity, please reach out to Lia Slemons at trailsideactivities@gmail.com. We offer $30/hour to instructors and are always looking for new ways to engage our students!

📋 Board Position Opening

We currently have an opening for Vice President 1 on our Board. If you're interested in this leadership opportunity, please contact Fiona at TrailsidePTAPresident@gmail.com.

📅 Important Dates

• February 19: PTA Membership Meeting & Appreciation Dinner
• February 21: Winter Family Fun Night
• March 21: Math and Science Night

February is known as Children's Dental Health Awareness and American Heart Month. Parents and guardians can help promote dental health by encouraging their children to practice regular toothbrushing and flossing, limiting sugary drinks and having annual dental well visits.

For heart health, families can work together to be more active and get outside. Get out and enjoy our local parks together and try to get in the habit of taking an afternoon or evening walk around the block.

Finally, remember to Wash Those Hands!

Calling Presenters for Math and Science night 2025!

The Science/Math Night committee is activity seeking any parents, uncles, aunts, friends, grandparents who would like to share their math or science knowledge with Trailside students and families!

This year’s Math and Science night is March 21st from 5:30-7:30pm

Please email Ulbrich_carleen@asdk12.org if you would like to present or have questions! We love new ideas! Thanks!

A friendly reminder that the arrival/dismissal car lane must keep moving. We ask that parents do not leave their cars or remain stationed in one spot- please follow the flow of the line. Thank you!

Families interested in applying for free/reduced lunch can apply here:

https://www.asdk12.org/Page/13248

Please call the office when excusing your student due to sickness, or pre-arranged absence (Travel, Etc.)

When leaving messages for the office, please make sure to leave the student's first and last name.

Please also leave a good contact name and number we can reach you at if we have questions regarding the message.

907-742-5500

All parents, please check your parent connection and make sure all of your contact information is correct.

Please notify the office of any of the following changes:

• Custody/Legal Documents (as soon as possible)
• Address Changes
• Phone number updates
• If you are moving, please notify the office as soon as possible.

Please make sure when using Q Parent Connection to excuse your student, it has to be done in the system prior to 8:30 am. If not, you will get a Robo-Call from the district notifying you that your student was absent for the day. Please call the office if it is after 9:30 am and the office staff will get your student excused.

If you are traveling please contact the office so we can get your student excused, you will then see a "P" (Travel status and other pre-arranged absences) in Q- Parent Connection instead of "E" (Excused).