Notes from the Principal
It's always fun to see the students' excitement when Valentine's Day arrives! The smiles on their faces with anticipation for the classroom parties is always fantastic.
The lottery opens on February 15th! If you have a sibling already attending, please mark the sibling preference. If your child is already enrolled here at NLABC, you do not need to complete the lottery process again for this school.
Thank you for supporting our Spread the Love campaign with your donations to the Food Bank. We were able to deliver 589 jars of nut butters and jams to the Food Bank. Our student government (and school) tries to do two community service events every year. This helps foster the character trait of demonstrating good citizenship throughout the community. The classroom winner with the most donations was Mrs. Hughes' 5th grade with 52 jars collected and wins the PTA prize of an extra recess. Mrs. Gionet's 1st grade collected 51 jars and will receive a small treat for the class.
Handicapped Parking
The handicapped parking spots are reserved for those who have a handicapped license plate or placard. Do not use these spaces to park and pick up students. We have several families who need to utilize these spaces and cannot get the needed access because others are using this reserved spots.
Morning drop off
We are having more and more students that are tardy in the morning and I believe part of the problem is that some in the front drop off lanes are not letting their student out of the vehicle and are trying to drop off closer to the door. It's okay if your child needs to walk. This action is preventing other cars from moving forward. The loading zone needs to be going at a quicker pace so all vehicles can drop off their students in a timely manner. Thank you for your cooperation with this matter.
NLABC PARKING AND TRAFFIC REMINDERS…the SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN IS KEY!
Show courtesy and respect at all times
Do not remain in the turn lane on Dowling before dismissal, continue into the parking lot or circle around the school using Laurel
Pay attention to driving, no use of phones while you are driving with children present
Follow the flow of traffic
Follow the fire lane around for pick-up or to park in front parking lot
DO NOT drive through back parking lot (closest to Dowling and Lake Otis)
If you will be entering the school building, park your vehicle in the designated parking areas
The front parking lot is one-way to the East, toward Laurel
Don’t enter through staff parking
Staff parking lot is one-way, two lane traffic going East, do not enter from Laurel
Handicapped parking is for drivers with marked handicapped vehicles only, who are doing business in the building
Use crosswalks at all times
Follow crossing guard directions
Drop off and pick up only:
in designated parking spots
Fire Lane in front of the building
Pull forward and do not leave full car lengths between the vehicles. This blocks the traffic on Dowling.
Laurel Street pull-outs
DO NOT block through traffic
DO NOT pick-up/drop-off students in any other area!!
Don’t remain in the drop-off/pick-up lanes after students enter/exit
Use turn signals and look for traffic when pulling into and out of drop-off/pick-up areas
Drop-off/pick-up on Laurel
Do not stop traffic flow on Laurel; if any part of your car is in the Laurel driving lane don’t stop, keep moving to find a spot further up
Do not pull forward unless there is no one in the driving lane to turn in front of you; your student should be watching for their vehicle
Don’t leave excessive space between cars
Do NOT turn around on Laurel…NO U-turns, signs are posted
Upcoming Dates
2/20 - President's Day - No School
2/22 - Boys' Basketball Game at Mears @5:30 pm
2/23 - National Junior Honor Society Induction Ceremony
2/24 - School Store is Open
3/2 - ABC Board Meeting at 3:15 pm in the library
- Math and Science Night from 6-8 pm
3/7 - PTA Meeting at 3:15 pm in the library
AK STAR TESTING for Grades 3rd-8th
The AK STAR and Alaska Science Assessment Student Tutorials, Practice Tests, and Educator Guides to Student Readiness are available for schools, students, and families.
- Tutorials and Practice Tests are available to anyone with the link, both at school and at home.
- Practice Tests and provide an opportunity to utilize and exercise both platforms, including using Universal Tools and text-to-speech (TTS).
- The Quick Sheet provides links to Practice Tests, Tutorials, and all resources and may be shared with families:
Library News
We’re deep into the 3rd Quarter, and that means it’s nearly time for our Spring Scholastic Book Fair! We’re doing things a little differently this year. Our Fair will be open for in-person shopping on the evening of March 2nd during Math and Science Night. Students will also be allowed to shop during their class’s Library Time between February 27th and March 3rd. Please talk with your student about being responsible with their money and purchases.
Thank you so much for supporting our Scholastic Book Fair. The Fall Fair was a huge success, and we recently ordered boxes of new books with the money earned!
During the past few weeks of Library, we’ve been discussing stories about Courage in K - 4th Grade. The Kindergarten and 1st grade students had fun listening to the story of Mirette on the Highwire. They colored their own wire walkers and wrote about things that take courage. 5th and 6th graders learned about the importance of trustworthy sources when doing online research.
During the 4th Quarter, Mr. Pierce will be sponsoring a Chess Club! Our amazing PTA bought 10 chess sets for the club. Space is limited and middle school will be given preference, so please be on the lookout for the permission slips. My goal is to send them out between Feb 21st and 24th.
If you have any questions about lost or overdue books, T.I.G.E.R. reading, or what your child has been learning about during Library, feel free to reach me at pierce_andrew@asdk12.org.
Happy Reading,
Mr. Pierce
News from the PTA
We would love to have you join us at our next meeting! March 7th at 3:15 in the library. Kids are always welcome, and you do not have to be a member to attend the meeting!
We have so many fun events coming up that we need your help with! Please consider volunteering at, http://vols.pt/TigerTeam.
Our next event is Math and Science Night on March 2nd from 6-8! Hope to see you there! Please see the attached flyer.
News from the ABC Board
Northern Lights ABC & Homework
From the NLABC Advisory Board Northern Lights ABC School is an alternative, voluntary education program. In 1978, many parents banded together to start our school because they were unhappy with the options for their children’s education. Our founders were dedicated to a philosophy embracing a fundamental, back-to-basics approach to education, and we uphold that standard today.
One of the tenets of NLABC is that homework is assigned at every grade level. Homework is an important tool for teaching responsibility, gaining mastery of subjects, and developing good study habits. It teaches students about time management, setting priorities, staying organized, problem solving, delayed gratification, planning, and how to work independently. Homework helps teachers determine how well the lessons are being understood by their students. For parents, it allows the opportunity to show interest and support, and to see what is being learned in school. Our tradition of high achievement on test scores at NLABC is a direct result of the team effort between parent, student, and teacher in regards to homework.
A mother of four kids recently wrote to the NLABC Board expressing her struggle with homework. Although it hasn’t been easy for her, the capstone of her message is her realization of her own power as a parent. She said: “Yes, it can be overwhelming, but it is not impossible, and hundreds of other kids have done it. Your kids will be watching you to see if they can do it. If you think homework’s not important, that it doesn’t deserve adequate time and attention, that it’s too hard, then they will also believe that. You will be teaching them that it’s okay to give excuses, to complete it in a half-hearted manner, to throw it together at the last minute, and that mediocrity is the standard. They may never experience the satisfaction of studying hard and getting their first 100% on a difficult biology exam. The reward from that can carry them on to strive for more and accomplish it!”
There are many things you can do to have success with homework. Providing a suitable place at home for study, helping to eliminate distraction, working out a good study schedule, and giving positive feedback and encouragement will be game-changing for your child. If your child is having difficulty with schoolwork, ask the teacher how you can help. Being a team player will teach your child respect, and show them that you value their education. Parents who invest the time with their child’s education see the most success at NLABC.
There are many ways to teach and learn, and our school district offers many educational alternatives to suit a variety of needs and wants. Our school may not fit every child’s learning style, and may not align with every family’s needs and expectations. Parents have the responsibility to understand our philosophy and operations, and make an educated and calculated decision as to whether this school is a good fit for you. As with any school, in order to have a positive experience at Northern Lights ABC, parents must believe in the tenets upon which our school was founded. Strong, committed parental support is essential for our program to be successful for your child.
As members of the NLABC Advisory Board—and as parents of current NLABC students—we know how critical homework is to our students’ education. We know that when we set the bar high for our kids and give positive encouragement, they will reach for the stars. We are proud to support our teachers and parents in their efforts to uphold this standard at our school! The NLABC Advisory Board is here for you!
Please feel free to reach out to the Board anytime with questions or concerns:
Our next NLABC Advisory Board meeting will be held Thursday, March 2, at 3:30pm in the library.