Chinook News for Wk of 8/28-9/1

This Week: 8/28-9/1

8/28-9/1 - iReady Math Diagnostic Window Open (more info below)

• MON, 8/28 - Late Start Monday / School Starts at 10 / Strive for 9:45
• WED, - 8/30 - Running Club starts for 1-6th graders with permission (more info below)
• FRI, 9/1 - Chinook Spirit Day - wear logo wear or blue/red

Looking ahead...

• 9/4 - Labor Day Holiday / No Students or Staff
• 9/5 - A.L.I.C.E. DRILL / Emergency Preparedness (more info below)
• 9/5-9/15 - MAP Testing Window for 3-6 grade (more info below)
• 9/6 - Running Club
• 9/11 - Running Club
• 9/13 - Running Club
• 9/13 & 14 - mCLASS testing for K-3rd grade (more info below)
• 9/18 - Running Club
• 9/20 - Running Club
• 9/21 - Picture Day (more info below)
• 9/25 - Running Club
• 9/27 - Running Club
• 9/28 - Tentative / South area Running Jamboree / 4-8 (more info below)
• 10/9 - Indigenous Peoples Day / No Students or Staff
• 10/20 - End of 1st Quarter / Grading Day / No Students
• 10/25 - Parent/Teacher Conferences / Early Release
• 10/26 - Parent/Teacher Conferences / Early Release
• 10/27 - Professional Development Day / No Students

See below for more information.

Please reach out to Lori Rucksdashel, Principal, if you have any questions.

Rucksdashel_Lori@asdk12.org

MAP Growth is the ASD and State of Alaska required benchmark/interim assessment for students in grades 3-9 in reading and mathematics.

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 2023-2024 fall and winter benchmark windows. The spring benchmark will be embedded in the AK STAR summative assessment as outlined above.

• Fall Benchmark 1: September 5 - September 15 (make-ups through September 22)

• Winter Benchmark 2: December 4 - December 15 (make-ups through December 21)

• Spring Benchmark 3: embedded in AK STAR administered during the summative assessment window: March 25 - April 5 (make-ups through April 26)

• 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.

As part of The Alaska Reads Act, the State of Alaska requires that districts administer an early literacy screening tool three times a year to students in grades K-3 to identify potential reading difficulties in order to improve reading outcomes for students. Families can read more about this comprehensive K-3 reading policy at The Alaska Reads Act website: education.alaska.gov/akreads

mClass with DIBELS 8th Edition Assessments is the State of Alaska Department of Education’s and ASD’s Early Literacy benchmark screening and progress monitoring tool for students in grades K-3 in reading. mClass utilizes curriculum-based measures and is used by schools as part of the ASD Comprehensive Assessment System to support informed instructional decisions.

The Alaska Department of Education & Early Development explains the decision to adopt mClass as the statewide literacy screener here:

https://education.alaska.gov/Alaska-Reading-Resources/Statewide-Early-Literacy-Screener

Chinook testing: Sept 13 & 14th

Results for K-3 students that were assessed during a benchmark window, will be available in Parent Connect by September 29, 2023 ParentConnection Login Information and Reference Guide: parentconnect.asdk12.org

With our NEW late start Mondays (every Monday) this school year, Chinook school hours will be...

• MONDAY: 10:00-3:30
• Tuesday: 9:00-3:30
• Wednesday: 9:00-3:30
• Thursday: 9:00-3:30
• Friday: 9:00-3:30

LINK for more info and FAQ's: https://www.asdk12.org/schoolstarttimes

LINK here to view options and let us know tentatively what your plan is. https://forms.gle/sRhzWKSTJoCm8rd96

Dear Chinook Parent(s)/Guardian(s),

This letter is to let you know that your child’s class will be receiving age-appropriate lessons on child sexual abuse and assault prevention education as required under the state’s Alaska Safe Children’s Act (Erin’s Law).

Erin’s Law Education is comprised of two lessons (one lesson at the beginning of each semester) taught during the health classes. Combined, these lessons meet the full requirements for students under the Alaska Safe Children’s Act (Erin’s Law) and are designed to help prevent childhood sexual abuse. These lessons will be presented in a non-threatening way, along with the skills needed for self-protection and will be handled in a sensitive, respectful manner.

Information about the lessons can be viewed HERE.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1J4mCSGZi6GBUv14WBpiO-7gsrj7DbXtA?usp=sharing

If you do NOT want your child to receive the instruction under the Alaska Safe Children’s Act, you must write a letter to the school principal requesting that your child be excused from these specific lessons.

Thank you for partnering with us as we continue to provide learning opportunities to improve the safety and well-being of our students.

Sincerely,

Lori Rucksdashel, Principal

Rucksdashel_Lori@asdk12.org

Please visit https://www.asdk12.org/volunteer and fill out the online application and waiver. Every volunteer needs to be approved at the start of each school year. Please complete this process ASAP, as you do need to be approved prior to being able to help in our school. This process can take between 5-10 days.

• Do you want to join our Chinook team?
• Do you know of a strong educator that would be great on our Chinook team?

To best educate your students, our goal is to have ALL positions filled with high quality staff. Help us do that by getting the word out...

We are hiring for this year (23/24):

• Teacher Substitute (ongoing recruitment)
• Front office Secretary
• Preschool Paraprofessional

We, the staff and students at Chinook Elementary, commit ourselves to working together to provide a positive and safe school environment that strives to meet the needs of our diverse community of learners.‌

Email: rucksdashel_lori@asdk12.org
Website: https://www.asdk12.org/chinook
Location: 3101 W 88th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99502, USA
Phone: 907-742-6700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AKChinookElementary/