North Star News - September 2023

Photo: First day of school at Woodriver Elementary!

• Letter from Dr. Luke Meinert
• School Communication Survey
• Culture of Attendance
• Elementary Reading Plan
• Wellness Guide
• and more!

FNSBSD Families,

As our kindergarten through third grade students will be taking literacy assessments this month, I would like to take a moment to emphasize the paramount importance of literacy in ALL students' educational journey. Literacy is not just a skill; it is the foundation upon which all learning is built. Literacy opens the doors to knowledge, imagination, and countless opportunities. It is the key to understanding the world around us, communicating effectively, and making informed decisions. Therefore, I urge you to join us in our efforts to promote literacy within our school communities.

As parents and guardians, you play a crucial role in nurturing literacy skills. Here are some practical ways you can support your child's literacy development:

• Read Together: Set aside time for reading together as a family. This can be a shared activity that promotes bonding and a love for books.

• Provide a Variety of Reading Materials: Encourage your child to explore different types of reading materials, including books, magazines, newspapers, and digital content - our school and local libraries are a great resource for this!

• Be a Role Model: Let your child see you reading and valuing literacy. Your example can have a profound impact.

• Discuss What You Read: Engage in conversations about the books and articles you read. Encourage your child to share their thoughts and opinions.

• Support School Work: Be actively involved in your child's education. Help with homework, review assignments, and communicate with teachers to ensure they are on track with their reading and writing skills

• Celebrate Achievements: Celebrate reading milestones and accomplishments. This positive reinforcement encourages a love for reading.

• Be Patient and Supportive: Every child progresses at their own pace. Be patient and provide support, even if your child faces challenges in reading or writing.

I look forward to a productive and successful school year, filled with growth and achievement. Thank you for your partnership in promoting literacy within our school communities. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's teachers or school administration.

Dr. Luke Meinert

FNSBSD Superintendent

Photo: Dr. Meinert's recent instagram photos.

Congratulations to West Valley High School Marine Corps Junior ROTC (MCJROTC) on their designation as a Naval Honor School as of August 12, 2023! This marks the third year in a row that the MCJROTC at West Valley High School has received the honor under the Direction of Chief Warrant Officer-5 Carlos V. Cruz (Ret.) and Staff Sergeant Travis Walker (Ret.).

The selection is based on several criteria, including the number of cadets active in school activities and clubs, the number of community service hours for the unit as a whole and per cadet, the number of organizations assisted by the unit, and scholastic achievements including the number of academic awards and scholarships given to cadets. The units are also measured by participation in public affairs events, community service, drill/color guard team competitions, marksmanship competitions, academic competitions, leadership camps, physical fitness team competitions, and field trips.

Because of this prestigious status, we have the opportunity to send nominations to the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, and the Military Academy at West Point. The award also provides students who have a desire to join a service academy the significant advantage of earning recommendation letters from their Senior Marine JROTC instructor, CWO-5 Cruz; who under this award designation carry just as much weight as a letter from a U.S. Representative or Senator.

The author in the video, Gnimdou, attends Hunter Elementary School. One of Gnimdou's many superpowers is that he speaks two languages, English and French. This summer, Gnimdou participated in the Summer Reading Club, completing a Picturing Writing research project on his favorite animal. In the video he reads the animal poetry trifold he both illustrated and authored. Can you guess what Gnimdou's favorite animal is?

Learn about our English Language Learner program.

It takes a community to support our students! These organizations are amazing partners that support development and improvement in student literacy. Thank you!

• Fairbanks Native Association

• Guys Read / Gals Read

• North Star Tutors

• Rural CAP - Elders in the Schools

• Stars of Gold

Sherry Smith, Ryan Middle School counseling secretary, was recognized as the Extra Special Person (ESP) of the month for September 2023. Heather Stewart, Ryan Middle principal made the presentation at a recent Board of Education meeting.

"Ms. Sherry is not only responsible for keeping all of Ryan Middle School student records up to date but she has also trained new secretaries in the office and has cross trained to fill in for the administrative secretary–she does this all with poise and grace," said Principal Heather.

"No matter how chaotic the office gets Ms. Sherry is always calm and professional in her interactions with the school community. As part of the office team Ms. Sherry makes Ryan a friendly and comfortable place for staff, students and families." Congratulations Sherry!

Our Nutrition Services team gathered recently for their annual all staff day to review work requirements and guidelines. We appreciate our Nutrition Services team and all they do for our schools and students! Click here to learn more about Nutrition Services and employment opportunities.

THANK YOU to these FNSBSD employees who have committed 30+ years serving our community within the school district!

Your loyal and dedicated service continues to be integral to our student and community success.

The school district is conducting a school communications survey. Your feedback is needed to help evaluate and improve communication at the school district. We want to make sure families and staff are getting the information you want and need. The School Communications Performance Evaluation (SCoPE) survey is administered by a third party and your responses stay anonymous.

This survey will be open until Wednesday, September 20 - please share your input!

The benefits of regular attendance for all students extend beyond academic growth. Each student is such a valuable part of our school communities and when they are absent, their individual perspectives and participation is missed by their teacher and classmates. Each student voice is such a valuable part of our schools, and we want to support them to be present as much as possible.

Our goal as a district is to build a culture of attendance, where students are present 90% or more of the school year–not perfect attendance.

Read more about the benefits of regular attendance.

If your child received free or reduced price meal eligibility last school year as the result of a completed 22-23 meals application and were enrolled on the last day of school, the grace period will expire on October 2, 2023. On October 3, 2023, students receiving meal benefits due to the grace period will revert to full pay status. Completing the meal application online or you can get a paper application from your child’s school. Submit a completed meal application for the 2023-2024 school year as soon as possible as it can take up to ten days for application processing.

The district will administer the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) to grades 3-9 for reading, language, and math tests. mClass helps with identify grades K-3 students with reading deficiencies, in order to provide specific support so that all students will be able to read at grade level by the end of third grade.

MAP tests will be held September 5–29 and mClass is September 11–22.

• If your student is in kindergarten - 2nd grade, they will take mClass.
• Third graders will take both mClass and MAP.
• Grades 4-9 will also take the MAP assessment.
• These tests will be taken again in the winter and spring to measure students’ growth and advise teachers on the next steps in instruction.

This FNSBSD Elementary Reading Plan is designed to provide an understanding of the Alaska Reads Act and how the district will blend the science of reading with the art of teaching. Research-proven materials are most effective in the hands of skilled, knowledgeable, and creative teachers who understand how to connect with children. With the belief that reading is a fundamental right, it is the district's civic responsibility to provide every student with the resources and support they need to become proficient readers.

The Alaska Reads Act was signed into law in June 2022 and created four new programs to support early literacy, including the District Reading Intervention Program. The goal is to assist students in achieving reading proficiency at or above grade level by the end of third grade.

What does this mean for my student?

As part of the District Reading Intervention Program, the Fairbanks School District is required to offer intensive reading intervention services to students in K-3 who show a reading deficiency.

The State of Alaska requires all children who attend Alaska public school (Alaska State Law 7 AAC. 57.550 and 4. AAC 06.055) be immunized or have religious or medical exemption on file. Please note that all students must be in compliance by the start of the school year, 2023-24, or they will not be able to attend classes.

Religious and Medical exemption forms can be found on the nursing website. Exemptions are valid for one year, July 1st–June 30th of every year.

The Wellness Check is intended to help parents, students, and staff understand the district's expectations of what students and staff should do if they are not feeling well. Please reference the CDC Guidelines to inform your decision about when to return to work and school.

Are you interested in serving on the Board Curriculum Committee? The Committee is currently recruiting for one community and two parent positions. Fill out the application online.

Photo: Ms. Chris, librarian and Ms. Erin, librarian assistant at Tanana Middle School

Our district is fortunate to have incredible certified staff and libraries available for students. Make sure to visit your school or community library to encourage literacy!

The Technology Department is rolling out a replacement for LanSchool to assist with student devices in classroom management. Securly Classroom is designed to help teachers do what they do best: guide lessons, monitor student progress, and keep the focus on learning. In Securly Classroom, teachers can easily push web pages to individual students or the entire class. Students are able to quickly get on task.

FNSBSD Facilities is hiring for a student worker custodian position. These positions are less than three hours a day and help with custodial work at the end of the school day. Learn more about student work and apply online.

Durham School Services is hiring bus drivers and attendants! Starting pay for bus drivers is $27.59 per hour. Applicants will be paid during training, and receive a CDL. There is a $5K sign on bonus for new drivers who are already school bus certified. There is a $2K sign on bonus for new drivers who need training. Starting pay for bus attendants is $19.34 per hour. For more information, contact Durham at (907) 206-7789 or visit the Durham website.

Click the google sheet links below for activity calendars.

• Tennis
• XC Running
• Swim & Dive
• Football
• Volleyball
• Flag Football
• Rifle

Learn more about fall student activities.

View the revised 2023-24 academic calendar online.

The district will be conducting Child Find screenings to identify children ages 3 through 5 who may have problems with communication, learning, or skill development. For more information or to schedule an appointment contact the Special Education Department at (907) 452-2000 ext. 11448.

Upcoming screenings:

• September 15, 2023
• September 22, 2023
• November 3, 2023
• December 1, 2023

SEP 13 | 5 p.m. BEST Open House at Nordale Education Center

SEP 21 | 9:30 a.m. School Board Candidate Forum at West Valley PAC

SEP 21 | 3:00 p.m. Family Vaccine Clinic at North Pole Fire Department

SEP 28 | Early Dismissal

SEP 29 | Professional Development (no school for students)

OCT 9 | College & Career Fair

Meeting Information & Agendas

SEP 19 | 6:00 p.m. Board Regular Meeting

SEP 21 | 5:30 p.m. Board Policy Committee Meeting

Email: publicrelations@k12northstar.org
Website: https://www.k12northstar.org
Location: 520 5th Avenue, Fairbanks, AK, USA
Phone: (907) 452-2000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fsdk12/
Instagram: @fsdk12
Twitter: @fsdk12