HUSKY UPDATE

It was another great week to be a Homestead Husky! We hope you have an amazing long weekend and we can't wait to welcome students back on Tuesday. This edition of the Husky Update will cover the following topics:

🍁Fall Clubs

🇺🇸MFLC

❤️SLC

🎵Choir

😎PTO

📸 Happenings Around Homestead

Suzie is giving our website a much needed upgrade which can be viewed here. Thank you Suzie for making it happen!

Homestead Running Club

Our running club is designed to help students set goals and work to reach them through running.

We ask for a $5 donation for each sport your child participates in here at Homestead to help the Physical Education department raise money for equipment, technology, and guest presenters.

Thank you for your support.

Volunteers are need to make this club be successful. Please contact Coach Payne if you can help out at practices by running or standing.

If you have students in both age groups you can pick one day that works best for you.

We don’t do any of the “free fun runs” as a group or team. I just try to get info out so families can go if they choose.

Thank you.

Coach Payne

Payne_jason@asdk12.org

Practice Dates

Time 3:30-4:30 (Please pick students up on time)

(Grades 1-3) Wednesday, September 7th

(Grades 4-6)Thursday, September 8th

(Grades 1-3)Wednesday, September 14th

(Grades 4-6) Thursday, September 15th

(Grades ALL)Wednesday, September 21st

Thursday, September 26th- No practice at Homestead. Beach Lake Jamboree @ Chugiak HS- You must bring your child if you want to participate, there is no bus to events.

(Grades 1-3)Wednesday, September 28th

(Grades 4-6)Thursday, September 29th

More info on the Beach Lake Jamboree at first practice.

-Kindergarten students are welcome if accompanied by a parent.

Homestead Flag Football

Our non-contact flag football is for both boys and girls in the 5th and 6th grade. We learn the basic skills and strategies of flag football while playing under modified rules.

I ask for a $5 donation for each sport your child participates in here at Homestead to help the Physical Education department raise money for equipment, technology, and guest presenters for the school. Thank you for your support.

Volunteers are welcome. Please contact me if you can help at practices.

Practice is held on the field next to the playground and will end at 4:30. Every year I have players who are doing CYSA Flag Football as well as tackle football. Students can participate in all of these groups at the same time since we don't require a big time commitment. Most of practice is playing the game to get ready to play other schools during the Jamborees.

- Coach Payne

Practice Dates

(Please pick students up on time)

All Practices 3:30-4:30

Monday, September 12th

Monday September 19th

Monday, September 26th

Monday, October 3rd

I am trying to get to Jamborees where we will get to play other schools. They will be in the first or second week of October. More info when it is finalized.

** More Information on the Jamborees will be provided after the first practice. Just note you are required to take your child and stay at the jamboree. There are no buses to Jamborees, but parents have arranged rides in the past to help parents who work in Anchorage.

Homestead has been blessed with Victoria Moore as our MFLC for the year. MFLC permission slips went home this week to sign and return as soon as possible. If you have any questions please reach out to Victoria Moore at 907-201-0882 or Victoria.L.Moore@leidos.com.

Information regarding MFLC:

Dear Parents,

We take this opportunity to inform you of a valuable resource provided by the Department of Defense. Due to the unique challenges military members face and the impact they have on families, the Office of Military Community and Family Policy provides Child and Youth Behavioral Military Family Life Counselors (CYB-MFLCs). CYB-MFLCs have advanced degrees (masters or doctoral-level) in the mental health field and specialized training in child and youth development. They support the needs of children and families by partnering with parents, faculty, counselors and staff to foster healthy growth and social skill development. The well-being and safety of your child is our top priority. They may have the need to share information about your child/children with school or program professionals to ensure a comprehensive continuum of services.

CYB-MFLCs address challenging behaviors and strengthen the capacity of staff, families, programs and systems to meet the needs of military children and youth by:

• Observing, participating and engaging in classroom activities
• Developing strategies for supporting positive behavior, age-appropriate behavioral interventions to enhance coping and behavioral skills in the classrooms and at home
• Meeting one-on-one or in groups, providing evidence-based prevention and intervention services
• Implementing and modeling strategies for teacher and staff responses to children’s behavior
• Conducting trainings for staff
• Facilitating groups to increase parents’ understanding of social emotional development and positive behavior guidance strategies
• Linking families with community resources or military family programs
• Working with military children in settings such as field trips and other center, camp or school-sponsored activities.
• Conducting individual sessions to address the unique challenges of school-aged military children and youth

At no time will the CYB-MFLC meet individually with a child without being in line of sight of a teacher, staff, or a parent/guardian. CYB-MFLCs are mandated reporters and information provided to the CYB-MFLC will be kept confidential, except to meet legal obligations or to prevent harm to self or others. Legal obligations include requirements of law and DoD or military regulations. Harm to self or others includes suicidal thought or intent, a desire to harm oneself, domestic violence, child abuse or neglect, violence against any person, and any present or future illegal activity. The CYB-MFLC is obligated to follow school and military child and youth programs' regulations for reporting safety concerns including problematic sexual behaviors in children and youth.

CYB-MFLCs encourage the participation of parents in decisions that affect their children and strive to empower parents with the knowledge and skills to act in their children’s best interest.

CYB-MFLCs are flexible and can schedule appointments, meetings and activities after hours and on weekends, if needed, with advance notice. They are available to meet with individuals and families who have interest in seeking consultation about their child or family.

Thank you for allowing us to provide support services to your child/children.

SLC starts on next Thursday, September 8, 2022. Permission slips are due Tuesday, September 6, 2022, and we don't want you to miss out on all the fun.

INFORMATION

Who: 4th-6th grade students. Anyone who wants to join in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade is welcome!

When/where: Thursday mornings from 8:00-8:45 am in Mrs. Lenoir’s Classroom (RM 22).

**students also come in during lunch and/or recess to work on projects.

**Some events, such as movie night, are held after school. SLC students have the OPTION to sign up to volunteer at these events.

What/Why: SLC gives students opportunities to realize their full potential, gives them ownership of what we do at school, and helps them to find their voice.

We are excited to share that the Homestead Elementary Choir is looking for 5th and 6th grade singers! We start rehearsals on Wednesday, September 14th. No auditions are required for this ensemble and there is no club fee to participate. Rehearsals will take place in the Music Room on Wednesday mornings, from 8:00 a.m. - 8:50 a.m. Because this is a before-school activity, students will either need to walk to school or be dropped off. In years past, members have also created “Choir Carpools.”

This ensemble has a long-standing history of bringing joy, song and a whole lot of fun to our Homestead family and community. We already have several potential performances on the horizon. Stay tuned for more information about performances for the Chugiak/Eagle River Chamber of Commerce Winter Wonderland and Tree Lighting Ceremony, Homestead Choir Holiday Tour, an afternoon and evening Homestead Choir Winter Concert, North Area Festival, Music in Our Schools Month at the Simon 5th Avenue Mall and an afternoon and evening Homestead Choir Spring Concert.

We cannot wait to hear the Choir sharing in song once again! Please don't hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Johnston with any of your Choir questions or concerns. Thank you for your continued support and stay tuned for performance announcements!

Thank you all for your support at our Fall Book Fair.

The PTO general meeting is September 8, 2022 and will be held in the Homestead Library and will also be available via Zoom.

Zoom information is listed below:

Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://meetings.ringcentral.com/j/1460462267

For the best audio experience, please use computer audio.

Meeting ID: 146 046 2267

Or iPhone one-tap :

US: +1(623)4049000,,1460462267# (US West)

Or Telephone:

Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):

US: +1(623)4049000 (US West)

Fall Picture Day will be held on September 15, 2022 and you can pre-register with the QR code below. The photos will be taken outside weather permitting.

PTO is in search of the items listed below to be used to make the Fall Carnival happen. If you have any of the items listed below they can be dropped at the office.

🥫Tin cans/ canned vegetable size

📦One or Two large appliance boxes

🥛Half gallon cardboard milk cartons (10)

🌪The game twister (maybe someone has one they are looking to get rid of)

🎃6 halloween buckets, preferably all the same size/shape

💦Pool Noodles (6-10)

🏆Spinning Prize Wheel (will be returned)