April 1, 2024: Yearbook Orders Due

April 2, 2024-April 10, 2024: AK STAR Math and Reading Assessment

April 5, 2024: Spring Carnival @ Mears, 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm

April 10, 2024: Rising 8th Graders Virtual Open House, 6:00 pm, Virtual Meeting

April 10, 2024: PTSA Meeting, 6:30 pm, Virtual Meeting

April 18, 2024: Mix It Up at Lunch Event

Order a Mears Middle School Yearbook Today!

~ The order deadline is 04/01.

Last year, people waited until it was too late and sadly some kids did not get a Yearbook. ☹️

Go to: https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/Order

~ The Mears Yearbook ID Code is 13921124

Don't remember if you already ordered one? Go to the same link above and enter your email for your order history.

The Counseling Department is excited to announce our first annual "Mix it Up @ Lunch" Day on April 18th! Mear's student leaders will host this event which is an international campaign that encourages students to identify, question, and cross social boundaries by sitting at a different table with students they don't usually sit alongside.

Students consistently identify the cafeteria as a place where divisions are clearly—and harshly—drawn. So, we asked students if they would be willing to move out of their comfort zones and connect with someone new over lunch and they said YES! It’s a simple act with profound implications that we hope will encourage year-round efforts to promote a healthy, welcoming Mears school environment. Studies have shown that interactions across group lines can help reduce prejudice, discrimination, and social biases. When students interact with those who are different from them, great things can happen!

Debate is in the final quarter and will culminate with the State Championship Tournament at UAA on Saturday, April 13. The practice schedule has gone home, and debaters are busy developing their arguments for the upcoming tournament. We currently have two Varsity-level teams participating, so wish them luck!

The topics up for debate for the Championship are:

1.Standardized testing in K-12 public school does more harm than good

2. Single-use plastics should be banned

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.

Students! Get ready to show what you know during our school’s AK STAR and Alaska Science Assessment testing.

Questions regarding spring assessments? Contact Tara Bivins: bivins_tara@asdk12.org or 907-742-6197.

Team Muir: AKStar testing is taking place the next couple of weeks, so please make sure that you bring your CHARGED chromebook. Plug it in before you go to bed!

Our last team day will take place on Friday, May 3rd. Please wear your team t-shirt to the event! Parents/guardians, if you would like to purchase an extra shirt(s) for a student(s) who may not be able to get it themselves, please purchase it on Q/Zangle or through Ms. Robin in the front office. All shirts can be picked up from Mrs. Daniel in room 104.

Team Echo: Team Echo is looking forward to positive testing the next couple weeks, do all the things to be successful!

LA: Students in Mrs. James’s class are completing presentations and beginning to build their knowledge to finish the year with humor and podcasts. STAR reading testing is April 10.

Math: Reminder that Math testing is April 9.

Science: Testing has been happening this week, so thank you for your continued efforts.

Social Studies: We The People simulated hearings are May 8 & 9.

4th Quarter Team Day is planned for Friday, May 3. Team Echo students will be bowling at Jewel Lake Bowl. Save the date, and watch for permission slips coming soon!

Team Blackstone: Our Team Day outing to attend the play, Frindle, is set and permission slips went home last week. Please keep those signed permission slips coming. Fees can be paid to any Blackstone teacher or to Ms. Robin Spartz-Hays in the front office.

Don’t forget, you need to register and pay the fee with ASA, and you will also need an updated sports physical on file with Mears. Click the link below for more information!

The ASD sports fee cap does not apply to Softball and Baseball.

Track & Field update: ASD has started to clear our track. Hopefully next week it will be usable for our student-athletes and the community. Please remember our campus is closed to public use until 5 pm daily while our students use the facility.

Visit the Mears Track website to keep informed:

The CDC has updated the Covid isolation guidelines. Covid will now be treated like most respiratory viruses (flu, RSV, etc). ASD’s guidelines can be found here. The CDC’s respiratory virus guidance can be found here. Please reach out to me if you have any questions/concerns. My office number is 907-742-6401, and my email is richards_karin@asdk12.org.

Detentions are 7:15 am-7:45 am, in Room 106, Tuesday-Friday. Please drop-off your student at the North Entrance to access the building. Security staff will greet your student and escort them to Room 106. Please contact AP Svendsen with any questions.

Our office staff is available daily, please don't hesitate to reach out if we can help you in any way, our hours are 7:30-3:00. Thanks so much, we are here to help serve you!

Is your child going to absent from school? Save time and send a quick email to our attendance email box, mearsattendance@asdk12.org or you can call the school at 907-742-6400 and select the Attendance Line option to leave us a voice mail, either option is a great way to notify us!

Making

Everyone

Accepted

Respected

Safe

Email: marquand_carla@asdk12.org
Website: https://www.asdk12.org/mears
Location: 2700 West 100th Avenue, Anchorage, AK, USA
Phone: 907-742-6400