Eagle Update
September 11th, 2021
Greetings Eagle Families and Students,
Our weather is getting cooler and the leaves are beginning to fall, and we know what's coming! Because we are anticipating shorter days of winter, and the long hours indoors, our teachers have been great about getting the kids outside, in the sunshine, as often as possible!
The walks to the park and games in the yard have been so nice to see and a wonderful break from being inside. It looks like our weekend may be another perfect opportunity to enjoy beautiful fall weather!
September is National Suicide Prevention month, and this past week our Intervention and Prevention Specialist, Zach Vehmeier, did an outstanding job of creating hope through action with meaningful activities for our students each day. We had a Spirit Week with dress up days, a Wall of Hope where students wrote their wishes, special locker notes with positive messages for every student, a "fist bump" day, encouraging kids to make new friends, and sidewalk art welcoming students into the building. It was heartwarming to see such an outpouring of care and community.
If you or someone you know is suffering, call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255). You can find more information and resources here.
Continue to take care of each other, and stay safe and healthy!
Heather Johnson, M.Ed.
Interim Principal
Tanana Middle School
News on Masks in FNSBSD Schools
As many of you have heard, our community Covid numbers have been very high as of late, and during last Tuesday's School Board Meeting, the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District Board of Education voted 5-2 in favor of requiring masks for the first semester.
Mask wearing within public schools will go into effect on Monday, September 13, 2021.
The Board decision: Require masks for the first semester, with the school board reevaluating the matter for the second semester, at its December 7 Regular Meeting, with the 2021-22 Operational Guidelines regarding masking to include the following: Mandatory mask wearing for students, staff, and visitors (age 2 and older) when indoors; and
Mandatory mask wearing at extracurricular events per ASAA guidelines.
The district continues to review and update our “Maintaining In-Person Learning During COVID-19” document to assist schools and families.
Families should follow the Wellness Check for Students and Staff when determining whether or not to attend school or work.
Staff and spectators must wear a mask during extracurricular indoor activities. Participating student-athletes do not have to wear a mask for the duration of the practice or game.
Any Athletic updates will be found on the district’s Student Activities page.
Medical exemption forms are available for students who need them.
Mask wearing is not required outside, such as when our teachers take kids outside during advisory.
By Federal requirement, masks must be worn inside of school buses.
Please make sure your child has their mask on Monday, and if you do not have one, we can provide one at school.
Map Testing
Next week, students will be starting their MAP testing in Science and we will be doing Make-Up testing for those who missed their Math and/or English test.
Science - 9/14 & 9/15
RED HOUSE NEWS
Edition #2
These past two weeks have been exciting. Students are getting the hang of things, we are getting more confident in using our lockers, and getting used to our block schedules.
English
Mrs. Morrison’s classes have been working on our interactive notebooks and grammar skills, along with completing MAP testing. We are still examining mentor texts for personal narratives, and next week we will talk about point of view, dialogue, and our first interactive notebook check is next week!
Mrs. Haakenson's students have been working on their personal narrative. We are excited to learn more about each other, for students have been sharing what they will be writing about via brainstorming. Some of the stories are about hunting, camping, moving to Alaska for the first time, four-wheeler adventures, hockey tournaments, family vacations, and more. This is a great way to work on writing skills. Many students have started writing their first rough draft.
Almost everyone finished the MAP testing. Those who may need more time will be taken out of their Advisory class to finish (sometime next week). The MAP Skills will soon be used in the classroom. It is a great program that we use to help students learn.
Social Studies
Mrs. Morrison’s class has been working on mapping skills and will move to study South America next week!!
Mrs. Wilkinson’s Social Studies classes have learned about essential map skills and are slowly moving into studying North America.
Mrs. Garcia 7th Grade Math
During the week of Aug. 30 -Sept. 3 Students in 7th grade math review comparing/ordering decimals, rounding decimals, and multiplying decimals. This week, Sept. 6-10, students completed the district MAP Testing that is done 3 times a year, Fall, Winter, and Spring.
Mr. Wilde's Science
In science the students paired up and personalized some creations for the next assignment! They took rubber stoppers and given 15 mins to personalize them. They will use these to show their knowledge of the forces of motion in the next assignment where their creation is going on an adventure through the forces of motion!
Enjoy these pictures of your students and staff of Red Team.
ORANGE HOUSE NEWS
English, Science , Social Studies
Check out all of the cool things Orange House is doing here!
Ms. Coe - English
(mandi.coe@k12northstar.org)
Mrs. Forbes - Science
(Carri.forbes@k12northstar.org)
Ms. Weber- Geography
(Brittany.Weber@k12northstar.org )
Resources for Students:
Google Login:
s_ _ _ _ _ _@student.k12northstar.org
ELP Class
ELP students have jumped right into the school year with a positive attitude and ready to work. The past couple of weeks they have learned the game and strategies of Chess and learned the physics behind making their own roller coaster! They got very creative with their roller coaster tracks and some even figured out how to get their marble to go through many, many loops. This week and the weeks to come they will start thinking about what they are passionate about and go into further study with a passion project!
Ms. Anderson
Music
I am so excited to create music with these students throughout the year! They are hard working and dedicated! Even though some students have not played since before pre-covid, they are stepping up to the plate and keeping a positive attitude, while the 8th graders are being great mentors to them! This past week we started to pass out concert music to the band/orchestra students and they are excited! In exploratory music we started playing guitar and were able to play a song this week! They also have enjoyed the talent of playing with boomwhackers pictured below. Keep up the great work!
Ms. Anderson
Tanana Library News
Students…
visit the library weekly as a class & are welcome to come individually with permission from their teacher.
are welcome to check out up to five books.
are expected to use their Chromebook wisely & treat it with respect. Please click here to watch the video outlining student Chromebook expectations.
should come to the library at the end of the day to check out a Chromebook for overnight, educational use.
Earbud reminder - earbuds need to be WIRED so they can be plugged into Chromebooks. Wireless earbuds are not suitable for this task.
Students may access their school Google account from home using a personal device. Please see the attached step sheet for specific instructions. There is also a QUICK video tutorial on the Tanana YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmMMqTCKAn8
Please contact our librarian, Mrs. Martin, with any further questions.
School Pictures!
Military Students
Be sure and check out our Military Student Support page on our District's website!
Here you will find lots of up-to-date information and resources available while you and your student are here!
- Ft. Wainwright Gate for Students - Opens at 7:30-9;00 and 2:00-3:30. This gate is located next to the Guard Station.
- Please do not allow your child to walk out of the main gate where traffic is heavy. We would hate to have anyone hurt, and when the snow flies, that road narrows dramatically.
TANANA BELL SCHEDULE
School Lunch!
Breakfast and lunch will be offered free of charge for the 2021-2022 school year. USDA has provided a participation option through the National School Lunch Program which gives us the ability to do this for another year.
- Students enrolled in brick & mortar schools who are participating in the National School Lunch Program are able to receive breakfast and lunch for free every school day.
- Students enrolled in E-Learning at participating schools are able to pick up meals when the school is serving the students in attendance. E-learning students can pick up breakfast and lunch at one serving period (e.g. the student arrives at breakfast, both meals can be taken). At this time, a parent cannot pick up meals for their student.
- BEST students are able to receive meals if they are attending a class at a participating brick & mortar school immediately before or after a meal service.
- Meals are free of charge but any ala carte items (e.g. a carton of milk) are not. All students will have to be able to pay for those items.
Even though meals are free, please encourage families to complete the 2021-2022 meals application Free & Reduced Meals Application . Meal status provides assistance with course fees, exam fees, and federal funding for the District (e.g. Title I), to name a few.
Nutrition Services has several vacancies (20 as of today). I have attached the flyer we have been using. For this reason, there will, more than likely, be response delays from our admin office once school begins since we will be working at schools.
For School Lunch Menus, Free and Reduced lunch applications, and more, please visit our Nutrition Services District Page.
School Sports!
- All physicals and paperwork will need to be turned in before students can try out OR practice. This is very important.
- Students need a Sports Physical, an Activity Consent form, a Concussion Awareness form, and a COVID Waiver on file BEFORE you can try out OR go to practices!
- Forms are available here: https://www.k12northstar.org/domain/5387
- We are currently looking for a coach for Girls and Boys Soccer! If interested, please contact Rachel Blackwell, Assistant Principal for more information. 907-452-8145.
SPORTS CALENDAR
XC Running 8/18 – 9/22
Girls Basketball 8/18 – 10/14
Soccer 8/18 – 9/22
Boys Basketball 10/18 – 12/12
Wrestling 11/29 – 3/4
Native Youth Olympics 1/4 - 3/4
Boys & Girls Volleyball 2/28 – 4/29
School Calendar
Contact Us!
Email: heather.johnson@k12northstar.org
Website: https://www.k12northstar.org/Page/57
Location: 600 Trainor Gate Road, Fairbanks, AK, USA
Phone: 907-452-8145
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TananaMiddleSchool
Twitter: @TananaMiddle