Leopard Lines

• Parent Pick-Up and Drop-Off
• Rally Point Drill
• Begich Healthy Spot Clinic
• Begich Family Game Night - September 19th
• National Suicide Awareness Month
• PBIS Rewards

• Vaping/E-Cigarettes Safety

• Student Advisory Board Members

• Title I Parent Advisory Committee Opportunity

• Parent Notification of the Right to Inquire about Title I Educators

• Library Celebrations in September

• Fall Map Growth Testing at Begich

Drop-Off: When you drop-off your students in the morning, please only drop students from the inside (nearest the school) lane. No stopping is allowed in the outside lane. It is important that we keep this lane moving so that drivers can exit after they drop off their students and so that students are not walking in front of moving vehicles.

Pick-Up: During student pick-up, please do not stop in the outside lane. Parents/guardians who are stopped and waiting to pick-up their student must be in the inner (closest to the building) lane. The outside lane is reserved for moving vehicles, allowing drivers who have already picked up their students to exit quickly. Thank you for your help in this matter. These rules are designed to help keep students safe and move cars as efficiently as possible.

On September 16th, Begich will complete its annual walk to the rally point evacuation drill. All students will evacuate the building and walk west towards Muldoon Community Assembly (MCA). MCA is Begich's rally site in case of an emergency that would render the building unusable. Students will not cross DeBarr, but will be able to see where MCA is located. Students will then walk down Patterson and return to Begich through the Chester Court walking path. APD will assist Begich in keeping students safe as we complete the drill.

The Begich clinic has begun seeing students to prepare for the start of the volleyball season in October. To request a physical, or see if your student has a current physical, please use this link: https://forms.gle/DUMfETYDpArMaV23A

Our first family night will be on Thursday, September 19th at 5:30-7pm. It's a game night (board games in the MPR, active games in the gym). All Begich families and staff are encouraged to attend! The topic of our brief presentation will be appropriate Chromebook care and use and Q Parent Connection.

How can you make a difference in suicide prevention? Learn about what to do if you think someone might be at risk for self-harm by reading these 5 Action Steps for Helping Someone in Emotional Pain.

Student will continue to earn digital "Begich Bucks" for meeting school expectations. Specifically, we're looking to see actions where students are kind, safe, and responsible. When students meet expectations, or go above and beyond expectations, teachers and staff members can award Begich Bucks. Students can then redeem those bucks for rewards at the online Snow Leopard Store. The Snow Leopard Store is only open for shopping on Mondays. Purchased items will be delivered on the following Friday. Begich Bucks is a component of Begich's implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports and is designed to promote positive behaviors in our school.

Vapes and e-cigarettes are extremely common in our community. As a school, we are working hard to keep our building free of alcohol and drugs, including vapes and e-cigarettes. On Monday, September 30th, students will participate in an informational lesson on vaping and e-cigarettes during their advisory class. More information about vaping and e-cigarettes and how you can support your student can be found here.

Congratulations to Paige Popely (6th), Claire Davis (7th), and Camden Archbold (8th) for being selected to participate in the Student Advisory Board. They will represent Begich each month at meetings with all the other middle and high school representatives. We are thankful for their willingness to speak on behalf of our school.

Under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the parents of students attending Title I schools have the right to request the professional qualifications of their children’s teachers. I can assure you that all teachers in the Anchorage School District meet strict state standards and are indeed qualified to teach, but you have the right also to ask for the following information about each of your child’s classroom teachers:

• Whether the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development has issued an Alaska teacher’s certificate for the grade(s) and subject(s) he or she teaches.

• Whether the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development has decided that your child’s teacher can teach without being certified under state regulations because of special circumstances.

• Whether the teacher is teaching in the field of discipline of the certification of the teacher.

• Whether any classroom aides or other paraprofessionals provide services to your child and, if they do, their qualifications.

If you would like specific information about your child’s teacher or paraprofessional, please contact me at witthoeft_matthew@asdk12.org. For general information about ESEA, please contact Zareena Clendaniel, Federal Programs Compliance Coordinator, for the school district at clendaniel_zareena@asdk12.org or 907-742-7819.

I know you want the very best for your child. All of the educators in the Anchorage School District join me in wanting to make sure every child succeeds in school. We look forward to working with you to make sure all students get the quality education they deserve.

Sincerely,

Matthew Witthoeft

Principal, Begich Middle School

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at the middle school library! From September 15 to October 15, explore a vibrant collection of books, stories, and resources that highlight the rich cultures, histories, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities. Whether you're into biographies of inspiring figures, tales from different countries, or learning about cultural traditions, there’s something for everyone. Swing by, discover new voices, and dive into an exciting world of diversity and heritage! Don’t miss out—it’s a great opportunity to broaden your horizons and learn something new!

Join us at the library for Banned Books Week! This annual event, held from September 22-28, celebrates the freedom to read and spotlights books that have faced challenges or bans. Explore a special collection of these "controversial" books and discover why they’ve sparked conversations throughout history. From classic novels to modern-day favorites, Banned Books Week reminds us of the importance of diverse perspectives and the right to access all kinds of stories. Stop by, check one out, and celebrate your freedom to read!

MAP Growth is the ASD and State of Alaska required benchmark/interim reading and mathematics assessment for students in grades 3-9. Grades 10-12 students identified as needing Tier II and Tier III reading and mathematics support also take MAP Growth as part of the Anchorage School District's MTSS framework.

Alaska's Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) has partnered with NWEA to implement a creative approach to a balanced statewide assessment that connects fall and winter MAP Growth benchmark/interim assessments and the Alaska spring AK STAR summative assessment. AK STAR eliminates the spring benchmark/interim assessment window for grades 3-9 by combining the summative and benchmark assessment into one test that produces a spring benchmark score, which includes a growth measure. More information is available at the State of Alaska AK STAR website, education.alaska.gov/assessments/akstar.

MAP Growth is an online, adaptive assessment that provides each student a personalized testing experience with data that speaks to their individual progress and growth in mathematics and reading.

The MAP Growth reading and mathematics benchmark will be administered in person during the 2024-2025 fall and winter benchmark windows. The spring benchmark will be embedded in the AK STAR summative assessment as outlined above.

• Fall Benchmark 1: September 3 - September 13 (make-ups through September 20)

• Winter Benchmark 2: December 2 - December 13 (make-ups through December 19)

• Spring Benchmark 3: embedded in AK STAR administered during the summative assessment window: March 24 - April 4 (make-ups through April 25)

• MAP Growth assessment only: Grades 10-12 identified as needing Tier II and III support

MAP Growth practice tests and tutorials allow students and families the opportunity to become familiar with the types of questions and tools available on the actual MAP Grow assessments such as the highlighter and calculator. An overview of these resources with links to the practice tests are compiled on the MAP Growth Practice Tests Quick Sheet.

Begich Testing Dates:

Week of September 9-13th: Students take the Math assessment in their Math classes

Week of September 16-20th: Students take the Reading assessment in their ELA classes

Students may be pulled from classes for makeups during September 9th-20th