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December Update
Alaska Association of Elementary School Principals
Dear Esteemed Colleagues,
As we navigate the crisp Alaskan air and the winter wonderland surrounding us, I am filled with profound gratitude and admiration for each of you in the Alaska Association of Elementary School Principals.
This year has been a testament to our collective strength, resilience, and unwavering commitment to the educational well-being of the children in our care. Our challenges have only fortified our resolve to ensure that every student receives the quality education they deserve.
As we approach the end of this calendar year, it's a fitting time to reflect on the achievements and milestones that have marked our journey. The collaborative spirit within our association has been nothing short of extraordinary. From dynamic professional development sessions to impactful community outreach initiatives, your dedication to excellence has not gone unnoticed.
Looking forward, let us eagerly embrace the opportunities that the coming year holds. Our commitment to fostering leadership, innovation, and collaboration remains steadfast. I am excited about the prospect of furthering our shared goals and making a lasting impact on the educational landscape of Alaska.
Here are a few key points to highlight:
Professional Growth: The Alaska Association of Elementary Principals is committed to providing opportunities for your professional development. Look out for upcoming workshops, seminars, and conferences tailored to enhance your leadership skills and keep you at the forefront of educational excellence.
Advocacy: As educational leaders, we play a pivotal role in advocating for policies that prioritize the needs of our students and schools. The legislative session is just around the corner. This year is more important than ever as our districts face millions of dollars in shortfall. While the Reads Act brings some much-needed attention to reading instruction in Alaska, it has also become an unfunded mandate and a financial burden to districts across Alaska. We need to raise our voices and advocate on behalf of children. Together, we can be a powerful voice for positive change.
Member Spotlight: Your stories matter. If you or a colleague have a success story, innovative program, or a lesson learned that could benefit others, please share it with us. Your experiences can inspire and guide our entire community.
In closing, I want to express my deepest appreciation for your continued dedication and hard work. The Alaska Association of Elementary Principals is more than an organization; it's a community of passionate educators shaping the future of our great state.
May the holiday season bring you joy, peace, and moments of well-deserved rest. I am excited about the journey ahead and the positive impact we will undoubtedly make together.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Joshua Gill
New on the NAESP Website!
NAESP sat down with two principals to discuss how they stay engaged with lawmakers, and what steps school leaders can take to embrace the role of principal advocate.
Joshua Gill is principal of Ayaprun Elitnaurvik Elementary School in Bethel, Alaska, and a 2023 National Distinguished Principal.
Samantha Walder is principal of Tea Area Legacy Elementary School in Tea, South Dakota, and a 2023 National Distinguished Principal.
David Griffith is associate executive director of policy and advocacy at NAESP.
Arctic Light Elementary School is located on Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska and currently serves about 460 students in grades PK-5. Arctic Light Elementary serves a diverse population of military-connected students that come from all over the globe.
Arctic Light is a Title I school where 51% of our students qualify for free/reduced lunch (September, 2023). Also, all of Arctic Light’s students live in military housing within walking distance to the school. The fact that Arctic Light does not have any bussing makes it unique in the Fairbanks School District where most schools’ attendance boundaries encompass significant geographic distances.
The unique SEL needs of active military-connected children cannot be overstated. Ensuring the SEL needs of Arctic Light students are met is a priority. Arctic Light proudly serves the students and families who serve our country.
Arctic Light was designated a 2022-2025 Purple Star school. Since military children move every two to three years, the Purple Star School program is designed to help schools respond to the educational and social-emotional challenges military-connected children face during their transition to a new school and keep them on track to be college, workforce, and life-ready. The Purple Star Award for military-friendly schools recognizes schools that show a major commitment to students and families connected to our nation’s military. Arctic Light is especially proud of its Purple Star School designation and intends to maintain this high level of service to its families and students.
Arctic Light Elementary School has recently been named a National ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Education Act) Distinguished School by the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development.
Arctic Light was selected as a Category 3 of the ESEA Award–a school that has shown excellence in serving special populations of students. Arctic Light received recognition for excellence in serving their English Language Learners (ELL) students. Arctic Light is one of up to 100 schools throughout the country being nationally recognized. Only two schools per state can be named each year.
The National ESEA Distinguished Schools Program publicly recognizes qualifying federally funded schools for positive educational advances and the outstanding academic achievements of their students.
This is my first year as principal at Arctic Light and I have been delighted to work with the staff and families at this unique school. This year we were able to use our Title I funds to bring Playworks to our school for a Recess Reboot to revitalize our recess and empower our students to take ownership of their recess. Playworks brought the Junior Coach program to our school, and we have seen some really successful leadership from our 4th and 5th graders at Arctic Light. We have also worked with Fort Wainwright and the local VFW to have Warrant Officers and Veterans come and read to our students. Based on recommendations from staff, we will be doing a schoolwide program called One School, One Book in January and all of our students will receive their own copy and read Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library. When our whole school finishes the book, we will have a big celebration of our literacy success! We are holding a Community Resource Fair this weekend at our school to share all the resources that the Fairbanks community has to offer with our Fort Wainwright families. In October we implemented a brand-new Walk to Read program to help meet the required Alaska Reads Act needs of every student in literacy growth and we are already seeing a lot of progress in the reading skills of our students.
I am honored and privileged to be the principal at such an exciting and positive school. I truly come to work every day looking forward to whatever challenges may arise. I have a great team here at Arctic Light and I'm thrilled that we have accomplished so many great things already this year. I look forward to many more successes at Arctic Light and can't wait to see what comes next!
If you are interested in learning more about Arctic Light Elementary, here are the links to our school podcast:
Dear AAESP members,
As the holiday season approaches, I want to recognize your hard work and dedication to Alaska's students. Your leadership and commitment to your schools and communities are truly inspiring, and I am grateful for all you do.
I also want to congratulate this year's AAESP National Distinguished Principal, Josh Gill, and National Outstanding Assistant Principal, Elizabeth Kvamme.
As we prepare for the upcoming legislative session, please join us for our ACSA advocacy meetings that will take place every Friday starting January 12th at 1:30 p.m. on Zoom. These meetings are an important opportunity for us to come together to stay up to date on the happenings in the legislature. Please attend so you can ask questions about legislation and share your insights.
Thank you again for everything you do, and I wish you a happy and restful holiday season.
Respectfully,
Dr. Lisa S. Parady
Nominations are open for National Outstanding Assistant Principal!
AAESP NOAP Nomination Form
Connected IT has over 75 years of combined experience implementing business technology solutions that support the needs of our customers. They provide exemplary customer service for all industries, including education, and are grateful for the hard work our educational leaders are doing each and every day in communities throughout Alaska.
Thank you, Connected IT, for your continued partnership with the Alaska Association of Elementary School Principals!
New Member Benefit: AILeader.Info Subscription
We are thrilled to announce an exciting new member benefit that will undoubtedly enhance your professional development journey: AILeader.info—an invaluable resource dedicated exclusively to artificial intelligence design, tailored specifically for school leaders like yourself.
What is AILeader.info?
AILeader.info is a comprehensive platform that offers a collection of three-minute master classes designed to equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills to understand artificial intelligence. We understand the demands of your busy schedule as a school principal, which is precisely why these concise, yet impactful master classes are available to keep you ahead of the curve.
How does it work?
To take full advantage of this new member benefit, you simply need to follow these straightforward steps:
- Click on the following link to register: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeZffrXlWGwrXqdvvEnX3pSISVmFvbYsJ58VOR6G8L7ZVpKoA/viewform?usp=sf_link
- Fill out the provided form with your details.
- Keep an eye out for a welcome email from AI Leader, confirming your successful registration.
Once you are registered, you can access all the videos by visiting https://learn.aileader.info. In the event that you forget your password, do not worry! Simply click on the "Forgot password?" link on the site, and you will receive instructions promptly.
Who created AILeader.info?
AILeader.info has been expertly developed by Jethro Jones—an eminent figure in the field of education, and a nationally recognized principal, author, and speaker. Jethro is well-versed in the challenges faced by school leaders, bringing with him extensive experience as a former school leader, podcaster, and author of renowned books such as "How to be a Transformative Principal" and "SchoolX: How principals can design a transformative school experience for the people right in front of them!" In addition, Jethro is the founder of the BE Podcast Network, the best educational podcast network out there. You can learn more about him by visiting jethrojones.com.
We firmly believe that AI Leader will serve as a powerful tool for your professional growth, enabling you to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in artificial intelligence and its impact on education. Take advantage of this exceptional resource to further develop your leadership skills and cultivate transformative practices in your school.
PreK - 12 Monthly Principal Meetings
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89249290371?pwd=M2hUR0p0WW0zR055RExWdjZORElXUT09
Meeting ID: 892 4929 0371
Passcode: 205964
Hear from colleagues around the state on important issues we are facing, as well as from experts in the field. These meetings are for members only, so be sure you have renewed your membership ASAP!
Alaska Reads Act - Support Available!
Let's learn from one other! We know that you are all at different places regarding the Reads Act implementation and thought we would offer some opportunities for you to share ideas, challenges, and resources with your colleagues around the state. These sessions will not be formal presentations, but a time for principals to collaborate!
Our final Zoom session is this Thursday, December 7th at 10:00 A.M.
If you have questions, please contact Jennifer at jschmitz@alaskaacsa.org
The Zoom information is below.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82854299679?pwd=eTNyTDdLU2dtRjhMRFJHclo3eWNsUT09
Meeting ID: 828 5429 9679
Passcode: 000206
RTI/MTSS Conference - Register Today!
Registration Link to the Alaska RTI/MTSS Conference:
UnitED Summer Conference in Nashville!
Contact Us
Email: jrinaldi@alaskaacsa.org
Website: www.alaskaprincipal.org
Location: 234 Gold Street, Juneau, AK, USA
Phone: 907.242.9989
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/akprincipals
Twitter: @alaskaprincipal