HUSKY UPDATE

We are excited to welcome students back into the building in 6 days! Construction is wrapping up and we can't wait to show off our upgrades! We are looking forward to a fantastic year and hope you enjoy the last week of summer.

We will be sharing information in realtime on our Facebook page, so please go give it a like and follow.

Dear Homestead Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to the 2024-2025 academic year at Homestead Elementary! Whether you're returning for another year or joining us for the first time, we’re thrilled to have you as part of our community. Elementary school is an exciting journey full of learning, growth, and unforgettable memories.

Before we dive into the adventure ahead, I want to personally invite you to our Back to School Night on Wednesday, August 14th, from 5:30 to 6:30 PM. Due to ongoing construction, the event will take place outside. Our PTO will be providing hot dogs, chips, and drinks. Class lists will be posted at 5:30.

We’re also hosting an Open House on September 12th from 5:00 to 6:00 PM. This is a great opportunity for families to visit their child’s classroom, learn about all the exciting things Homestead has to offer, meet our amazing staff, and see our newly remodeled spaces.

Please mark your calendars: The first day of school will be Thursday, August 15th, 2024, for our first through fifth graders. Kindergarteners will begin on August 22nd. I also want to remind you that we have a new school start time this year.

• Monday: School starts at 9:00 AM and ends at 2:30 PM.
• Tuesday through Friday: School starts at 8:00 AM and ends at 2:30 PM.

Our outside supervision will begin at 8:40 AM on Mondays and 7:40 AM from Tuesday through Friday. Please do not drop off students before these times, as they will be unsupervised.

Huskies, we are a team, we are a family, and we’re in this together! With that in mind, our theme for this school year is "Together We Can." We will collaborate with the community, district office, staff, students, and parents to ensure everyone feels valued as part of the Husky family. Together, we can make a meaningful impact on our kids! We will encourage our students to possess strength, courage, and determination on their learning journey.

With the new year, there are a few changes at Homestead. Hats and hoods will not be allowed inside the building for safety reasons, as I need to be able to see who is walking in the hallways. Cellphones must be off and put away when students are on campus. If you need to contact your child, please call our front office, and we’ll ensure they receive the message. Additionally, no toys will be allowed at school, during lunch, or at recess. Please keep all personal items at home. Thank you for your support with these changes.

If you have any questions or just want to say hello before school starts, feel free to reach out. My door is always open. I’m looking forward to a fantastic year of growing together at Homestead.

Warm regards,
Maranda Stone

Dear Homestead School Community,

My name is Patrick Freeman, and I am excited to join Homestead as the Elementary Senior Director of the North Region. I have many years of school-based experience in teaching and administration, and I am passionate about the success of elementary schools. I look forward to being a part of yours once again, as I am a Homestead HuskY alumni.

Having grown up in Eagle River and taught in the same community for seven years, I am deeply committed to ensuring that our students have the best opportunities to thrive academically and personally. With 19 years of experience as a school principal, I firmly believe in the power of community and collaboration. I am eager to work alongside your talented staff, engage with the parents, and, most importantly, get to know the amazing Homestead students.

I am excited to bring my experience in education, and I look forward to supporting Principal Stone with the mission of excellence in education.

Thank you for welcoming me into your community. I am looking forward to a fantastic year ahead. See you around the school!

Patrick Freeman

ASD Instructional Division

Elementary Senior Director North Region

Camp Fire is back at Homestead in the afternoons from 2:30 - 6:00 PM. Call 907-279-3551 or email registrar@campfireak.org to sign up. Please see their flyer below for more information and the QR code to use.

If you plan on chaperoning field trips, volunteering in the classroom, making copies, or helping the PTO please fill out the online volunteer form HERE. This form does need to filled out every year.

The Homestead PTO is a small but hard working group of parents and teachers who make magic happen. PTO is in need of more members, so please consider joining. Please check out the PTO booth at Back-to-School night.

Message from the PTO:

Start the school year by getting involved!! Our PTO needs members and volunteers to continue to provide all of the wonderful events for our community to enjoy. There are plenty of levels of involvement depending on your availability. Whether you want to be a member or can only commit to popping popcorn once a month, every little bit helps! If you are interested or have any questions, please email.

Please give a big Husky welcome to our new staff members. Homestead is growing and we couldn't be more excited to welcome the amazing new staff members listed below!

• Dylan Holtan- SBBS Counselor
• Hannah Guldin- PLTE
• Melinda Dunk- Cafeteria Manager
• Jennifer Mandrell -2nd Grade Long-Term Substitute
• Josie Harris- SBBS Teacher
• Robin Hensiek- SBBS Teacher
• Claudia DeSario- SBBS Paraprofessional
• Rebecca Simenson- SBBS Paraprofessional
• Nicholas Harris- SBBS Coach
• Philip (Rob) Hughes- SBBS Coach
• Ryan Jones- IGNITE
• Rose Ledford-Reading Interventionist
• Kendall Kordes- Speech
• Kristen Hubble- Resource Paraprofessional
• Debbie Quiroz- Health
• Johanna Bushue & Cherry Smith- SpEd Teacher Expert
• Angela Banks- Psychologist
  

Improving Student Attendance

A missed school day is a lost opportunity for students to learn. There is a direct correlation between students who attend school regularly and higher academic achievement levels. Students can miss no more than 17 days of school per year. This may seem like a lot, but it's less than two absences per month.

Excused Absences

The Superintendent or designee may excuse student absences for health reasons, family emergencies, participation in religious activities, or other reasons the Superintendent or designee determines constitute a good cause.

Unexcused Absences/Truancy

The School Board is committed to keeping students in school. Truancy is defined as the absence of a student from class without the knowledge or prior consent of the parent/guardian. The Superintendent or designee shall implement all steps appropriate to reduce student absences and to ensure that all children residing within the district are receiving appropriate educational services as required by law.

Tardiness

Children arriving after the 9:01 AM (Monday) and 8:01 AM ( Tuesday-Friday) bell must report to the office in order to obtain a pass. This indicates the office staff has documented their tardiness. If you have questions or if clarification is needed, please see our attendance secretary.

Excuse Your Child’s Absence through Q/ParentConnection!

There’s a new feature in Q/ParentConnection

that you can also access from

the ASD mobile app!

Look for the Attendance Manager icon

when you log into the ASD app.

Parents/guardians can excuse an absence through the ASD App up to three days prior and three days after the absence for the following reasons: illness,

medical, or religious

We are thrilled to announce that the wonderful Mrs. Dunk will be providing hot meals to our students starting September 3, 2024. Until then, we will offer a shelf-stable option, similar to the packets served in the past. These meals will be provided at no cost.

Please note that while these shelf-stable meals are convenient, they may not be as substantial as a full meal. We recommend considering sending your student with a snack to ensure they have enough to eat throughout the day.

We are also excited to welcome breakfast at Homestead Elementary this year! Breakfast will be served from 7:30 to 8:15 am.

Thank you for your understanding and support as we transition to our new meal plan.

We are excited to implement Positive Behavioral Interventions & Support (PBIS) at our school this year! The purpose of PBIS in the Anchorage School District is to foster healthy relationships that enable students to develop the social-emotional learning skills necessary to be ready for college, career, and life.

We achieve this by providing a consistent, positive, predictable, and safe environment for every individual to learn and grow. PBIS helps us create a school culture where students are supported in their academic and personal development.

During our upcoming open house, Mrs. Stone and Mr. Inch will provide more information about PBIS and how it will be integrated into our school community.

We believe that PBIS will make a positive impact on our students and school environment.

Aug 14 (W) *5:30pm-6:30pm* Back-to-School Night w/ PTO BBQ

Aug 15 (TH) *8:00am-2:30pm* Classes Begin for 1st through 5th

Aug 19 (M) *5:30pm-6:30pm* PTO Meeting

Aug 22 (TH) *7:50am-8:15am* Coffee and Kleenex for K Parents

Aug 22 (TH) *8:00am-2:30pm* Classes Begin for Kindergarten