The Scoop

Dear Chugach Families,

Welcome to 2024! I sincerely hope all of our students and families had a restful and fun filled winter break, and that you are excited about the second half of our school year. Already I have noticed the extra sunlight we are getting in the mornings and afternoons, and I know that seems to be giving me an extra boost of energy.

As of today (Jan. 12), all MAP Growth and mClass test scores from the December benchmark testing should be available for parents to see on the ASD Parent Connect portal. If you are having any trouble seeing your child’s score, please make sure to let their teacher know. Also, Chugach will be offering after school tutoring in reading starting the week of January 22nd and going through April 14th for students who scored in the red (below proficient). Your child’s teacher will be reaching out to families who could partake in this tutoring and informing you on the days/times tutoring will be offered each week.

Please continue to make sure students are coming to school prepared for outdoor recess each day. This week we have had a number of students who were underdressed for the weather conditions.

As always, please stop by the office and say hello if you get the chance.

Joel

Monday, January 15 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day - NO SCHOOL

Wednesday, January 17 - 5/6 BOB Practice (3:00pm-4:00pm); 3/4 Basketball (3:00pm-4:00pm); Community Assembly meeting (6:00pm-7:30pm)

Thursday, January 18 - 5/6 BOB practice (11:30am-12:30pm)

Friday, January 19 - Basketball Game @ College Gate Elem. (4:00pm-5:30pm);

Monday, January 22 - Lego League (3:00pm-4:00pm)

Wednesday, January 24 - 3/4 BOB School Battle (1:30pm-2:30pm); 5/6 BOB Practice (3:00pm-4:00pm)

Thursday, January 25 - 5/6 BOB practice (11:30am-12:30pm); Basketball (3:00pm-4:00pm)

Friday, January 26 - Primary Alaska Animal Museum (8:10am-9:00am); EARLY RELEASE DAY (dismissal @11:15am); Basketball Home Game vs. Bayshore Elem. (4:00pm-5:30pm); WINTER CARNIVAL (5:00pm-7:30pm)

Saturday, January 27 - Lego League Expo (10:00am-12:30pm @ Goldenview MS)

Monday, January 29 - Primary Alaska Animals Musical presentation (8:25am - 9:00am); JNYO Practice (11:30am-12:30pm);

Tuesday, January 30 - JNYO Practice (11:30am-12:30pm)

Wednesday, January 31 - JNYO Practice (11:30am-12:30pm); 5/6 BOB (3:00pm-4:00pm)

Thursday, February 1 - JNYO Practice (11:30am-12:30pm); Basketball (3:00pm-4:00pm)

Friday, February 2 - Parent Coordinator Meeting (8:30am-9:30am); JNYO Practice (11:30am-12:30pm); 3/4 Basketball Game @ Bowman Elem. (4:00pm-5:30pm)

If your student has regularly scheduled appointments that result in late arrival at school on specific days of the week, please let the office know so that we can enter these excused absence into the attendance system in advance. This will avoid accidental "unexcused absence" robocalls and make the students arrival go much smoother. Even if you told us about these appointments earlier in the year, we would appreciate an update/reminder!! Thank you for your help!

Chugach Optional students go outside for morning and lunch time recess in almost all weather. The only exception is when the outdoor temperature falls below -10F. Please make sure your student(s) come to school with the appropriate outdoor gear. This time of year that includes: winter coat, boots, snow pants, gloves/mittens, hats or hood. Nurse Maya has a very limited selection of gear to lend out, but this tends to disappear quickly (especially gloves) so please do not assume that the school can provide appropriate winter gear. We would happily accept any winter gear donations for our lending selection.

Please encourage your student(s) to be prepared.

Please join us at the next Community Assembly Meeting (CAM) on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 6-7:30 p.m. in the library. We will hear from Susan Beesley, a Chugach mom of Robin (Mikelle's family group), Locke (Kris' family group), and Sam (Chugach alum). Susan is a pediatrician who specializes in behavioral health and mindfulness-based interventions. She will present about mindful parenting, introducing us to mindfulness and an overview of mindful parenting topics, such as attunement, mindful communication, walking the middle path, and equanimity.

Join us for an evening of winter magic - outdoor fun with Chugach friends and family!

Appearance by DJ Spencer Lee!

Bring your ice skates, skate guards, helmets, and warm gear

Join friends around the fire pits - camp chairs and blankets welcome

Bring your sleds or borrow a Chugach sled for sledding on the hill! (Weather conditions permitting)

Hot drinks and popcorn

Food Truck fare available for purchase

(If temperatures too cold for operation, food truck will cancel)

Restrooms inside school will be open

Children MUST be supervised at all times

Suggested Donation $5/person or $10/family of 4 or more

Purchase tickets online

If you have questions or would like to be involved in the event planning, please contact Sarah Jefferies at sarahgrunwaldt@gmail.com or visit the link to volunteer with this great event: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4CA4A622AAFAC52-46471078-winter

In order to make min-courses happen this year, we need adults to sign up ASAP to lead or assist with courses. Mini Course Day is less than a month away and we need help to make it happen! Please click here to sign up. This is a day for you to share a passion, joy or skill with our community. If you have questions please talk to Sara Falkoff Saralaska@hotmail.com or Anne Severin anne-w@callbluesky.com

Welcome back!

Hope our families had an amazing break!

January brings daylight and a few important events coming up.

We will host our monthly CAM meeting on January 17th. All our welcome.

Winter Carnival is happening on Friday January 26th 5:00-7:30. An amazing time for all.

Please note some of the exciting changes regarding art night.

Thank you,

The CEC

Exciting changes are underway for Art Night in 2024!

Art Night, our cherished schoolwide fundraising event, is taking a fresh approach to making a positive impact. Historically, the funds raised during Art Night have only benefitted Mauni Primary School in Malawi, Africa. This year, Art Night will continue its commitment to supporting Mauni School while expanding our reach to contribute to national, state, and local needs and programs. This change will also empower students in the decision-making process about funding Art Night proceeds.

Students will actively participate by casting ballots to determine where the funds raised during Art Night will be directed. This approach engages our school community and ensures that the impact of our collective efforts extends to areas and programs that resonate with our students. In the coming months, we'll be unveiling more details on how you can lend your support to these programs through Art Night. Stay tuned for updates on this exciting development!

Art Night will remain an event where the Chugach Optional community comes together to make a difference. Students, families, school groups, classrooms, and community members all play a crucial role by creating or donating an array of arts and crafts. The event features a diverse selection of artwork, including paintings, jewelry, wall art, pottery, quilts, knitted garments, stained glass, garden art, and furniture that are donated or created by established artists and amateurs, students, parents, and enthusiastic beginners.

Please consider donating art for this event!

Friendly reminder on When to Keep Your Child Home From School

If your child has a cold that causes their nose to run constantly and/or the cough is frequent and wet, or your child is experiencing nausea or is too tired and uncomfortable to function at school it would be best to keep your child home for a day or two of rest.

Students should ALWAYS stay home for fever (100.4) and/or vomiting and if positive for COVID. Current ASD policy does not require COVID testing for illness, however if you believe your child’s illness is related to COVID and choose to test we do require that the current CDC guidelines for isolation are followed when positive:

• If you have a positive test, isolate for 5 days.

• You may return to school/work with symptoms resolving on day 6. You will need to wear a mask at school days 6-10.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Your one-time donation will directly support Chugach Productions and Presentations: sound, light and technology. Currently, Chugach students have been participating in the full cycle of sound production, light engineering and technology at a limited capacity. We have had to beg, borrow and steal the equipment from other schools to pull off our A class performances and presentations. Suggested donation is $100. A personal mic with wireless receiver costs $1598 dollars. If you are interested in being a founding donor or personal mic sponsor please contact Lauralee. Visit our Chugach YouTube page to see examples of our work and applaud our amazing students and staff.

Parking Etiquette

Friends - please help our community to ensure a safe and efficient parking lot for arrival and dismissal. We know parking is limited especially wih the record snow fall this year. Please refrain from parking in any of the "RESERVED" parking spots, the fire lane or the loading dock area. Please do not park in such a way that you block others from getting out of their parking spots or that blocks the flow of traffic.

Chugach families are welcome to park at the New Hope Church across the street and in the Municipal EOC parking lot but please be good neighbors and do not park in their reserved parking areas and be mindful of your speed at all times.

The Chugach Optional Office is open from 7:30am - 4:00pm every school day. We can be reached at 907-742-3730 or by email at ChugachOffice@asdk12.org