AGSD Monthly Newsletter Feb. 2018
LeAnn Young-Grants * Tracie Weisz-Curriculum & Instruction
RAVE (Rural Alaska Village Entrepreneurs)
RAVE is an Indian Education demonstration grant that Alaska Gateway School District was awarded in the fall of 2017.
RAVE focuses on career studies around specific career clusters. We can provide dual credit certifications and occupational licensing that give students college and career advantages before they leave high school. Students will experience real-world, relevant work situations to help build interests and skills, and to inform future goals and plans
The RAVE grant partners include; Mentasta Traditional Council * Northway Village Council * Native Village of Tetlin * Copper River School District * Tanacross Village Council * Tanana City School District * Tok Native Association * University of AK Fairbanks - Interior Campus
Senior Night
On Wednesday, January 31st, AGSD hosted its first Senior Night. Graduating seniors and their parents participated in an information filled evening with many representatives from several organizations. A big thank you to Crystal Wilson, IAC (Interior Alaska Campus) Ellarae Miner, DANSRD (Department of Alaska Native Studies and Rural Development), Kristy Malemute and Daisy Henry from UAF for the FASFA and Rural Student Services, Sara Blackard with Tok-A-Tan Scholarships and Bronwyn Walton who was there to discuss graduation night preparation details. Thanks to all AGSD staff who were there to support graduating seniors and and Mr. Tad Dunning, AGSD Counselor, for hosting the event.
District Makerspace Ready for Imaginations!
Our first set of materials to populate our District Makerspace are a set of giant Everblocks (they look and work like giant Legos). These allow students to take Lego building to the next level. Middle school students have had an exciting time unpacking them and planning ideas around the next construction project. Outlying schools are encouraged to bring their classes in to spend time in the Makerspace, and as items are added, some of the materials will "tour" the district so that smaller sites can have on-site makerspaces as well.
District Makerspace is made possible as part of the RAVE grant.
Migrant Education
Alaska Gateway School District offers supplemental services to migrant eligible student. Some of these include;
- Tutoring-Tok School students can sign up with Karla Champagne!
- Family Literacy Nights for Migrant families -watch for a scheduled spring event at your school!
- Summer Fun-pacs that target literacy and math skills are created for Migrant families to take with them when they are traveling away from home. Stay tuned for information!
- Back to School backpacks of school supplies-these will be available in August.
- Watch for information regarding magazine orders!
Fun Times
Small Group Work
Hands-On
Graduations are Set!
Eagle Community School: May 10, 2:00pm
Tok School: May 17, 6:00pm
Tanacross School: May 18, 11:00am ("Moving Forward" ceremony for 8th graders)
Walter Northway School: May 18, 2:30pm
These can also be accessed on the AGSD App and the website www.agds.us under the round Calendar button.
A-CHILL Happenings!
Chum Salmon
Dog Yard
Hugh Neff
Blended Learning in Action
On February 1, AGSD teachers, as well as 7 educators from our neighboring district, Copper River Schools (CRSD), had the opportunity to spend a day in Tok in a full workshop with Tiffany Wycoff, author of Blended Learning in Action. AGSD is in the midst of a Blended Learning initiative kicked off this year to support instruction in the Variable Schedule. CRSD also uses a Variable Schedule, and is involved in a similar Blended Learning initiative. They are also grant partners with AGSD in our Blended Learning for Success in the Variable Schedule grant.
Teachers spent the day learning more about creating engaging and targeted instruction in their classrooms that will meet each student's needs. Blended learning focuses on personalizing learning so that students learn what they need to learn in a way that engages them through choice, and encourages them to set goals and find ways to work toward them that suit their learning needs. Teachers reported having a great professional learning experience with Tiffany by the end of the day!
Welcome Robert Kelso
Robert Kelso Bio: I moved to Alaska in 2009. I taught in Selawik, Kasigluk, and Bethel. I am passionate about helping others and making a positive difference in the school. I do my best to always maintain a positive attitude and love being apart of the community.
Welcome Ken Kuykendall
We are fortunate to have Ken Kuykendall join our staff as a teacher in the RAVE (Rural Alaska Village Entrepreneurs) program. RAVE is a 4 year Indian Education Demonstration grant that focuses on career pathways and aligning academic expectations while developing community partnerships and creating local relevant learning experiences. He is teaching Plant Science, Middle School Social Studies, 9th Grade World Geography, MS Survey of Emerging Technologies, and Global Foods. He is classified as a 6-12th Grade Generalist Teacher (so he teaches a wide variety of classes), and he is also trying to recruit students to start a Future Farmers of America (FFA) charter in Tok for next year’s Agricultural teacher to take over.
Ken's Bio: Born in Sweeny, TX, raised in Damon, TX, Carryville, FL, and Eagle River, AK.
Ken has spent the past 3 years in Texas, before that he and his wife Merriam spent 10 months in the Philippines where their daughter Aurora was born. Before that, Ken spent 9 years in Alaska: 5.5 years teaching in rural AK villages; a year working in the oil industry for VECO at PS3; a season working for Crowley delivering heating fuel on the Kuskokwim river; and he also spent time working in the financial sector in Anchorage for Wells Fargo in their Management Training Program and for AK USA Federal Credit Union as an Assistant Branch Manager. Thus, Ken has many years experience working in both “blue collar” and “white collar” employment, and he has a Masters Degree in Political Science, minored in Business Management, but put himself through college at the University of Houston as an AK carpenter for Taylored Restoration.
Ken drove up from the Houston,Texas area mid-year with his family in tow. He limped into town with both tires on his trailer blown, and no spare left! His hobbies include world travel, writing, art, photography, and philosophy. He also enjoys Alaska outdoors camping, hiking, hunting, and fishing in the summer months (when he is not traveling to see extended family in the Philippines or Texas).
Welcome Brian Luebke
Brian's Bio: Born in Wisconsin. Graduated from Fort Lewis College in Colorado. Masters degree at UA in Fairbanks. Married with three children. First teaching job in Alaska in 1978. I have taught in ten villages in rural Alaska. For over fifteen years worked with youth with emotional issues in Fairbanks. My summers are spent playing softball, fishing,
and traveling. I enjoy reading about historical events and collecting Alaskan native masks.
AGSD Teachers Receive Training at RTI Conference
Service with a Smile!
Blended Learning and Distance Learning in AGSD
Districtwide Spelling Bee
Thursday, Feb 15, 2018, 10:00 AM
Tok School, Jon Summar Drive, Tok, AK, USA
About Us
Alaska Gateway School District
PO Box 226Tok, AK 99780
Email: dsparks@agsd.us
Website: http://www.agsd.us/
Location: Milepost 1313.5 Alaska Highway
Phone: (907) 883-5151
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlaskaGatewaySchoolDistrict/
Twitter: @AlaskaGatewaySD