The Raven's Call
Raven Homeschool
August 2019 Edition
Dear Raven Families,
Welcome to our digital newsletter! By having the newsletter as an electronic version, offices may now include links and easy-access resources for you to click on.
This main SMORE will have an overview of highlights from each of our 6 Raven offices. To view more in-depth information from each office, you will click on the coordinating link to view their personal SMOREs.
If you would like a printed copy, please contact your local office.
If you have questions, please contact Maegan, mmascagno@yksd.com
- Raven Homeschool
From the Director's Desk:
Happy New School Year! Welcome to another school year with Raven Homeschool. The Raven staff and I are thrilled you’ve partnered with us to provide your children the very best education possible!
My name is Luke Meinert, and I'm very excited to introduce myself as the new assistant superintendent for the Yukon-Koyukuk School District and program lead for Raven Homeschool. I'm replacing Andrea Cottrell as she's retired after 25 years of service.
A little about me: I've been with the district for six years and have been in education for fourteen years all in Alaska. I have master’s degrees in educational technology and Educational Leadership and hold valid Alaska's teacher and administrator certificates with a superintendent endorsement. I'm the father of two little ones that are the highlight of my life, and my wife and I love adventuring outside in our amazing state.
I look forward to working with the entire Raven community to continue providing the best homeschool program available. My office is always open, and I welcome the opportunity to meet with all of you!
Feel free to reach out with any comments, concerns, suggestions or praise at lmeinert@yksd.com or 907.374.9413.New Staff Members:
Julie Gillette - Administrative Clerk, Fairbanks Office
Megan Rosendall - Graduation Coach, Eagle River Office
I am Megan Rosendall. I am very excited to be joining the Yukon-Koyukuk School District as the new Graduation Coach with Raven Homeschool – Eagle River. I have been in Alaska for the past 12 years working in the village schools of the Lower Kuskokwim School District. Most recently I was the Site Administrator/Principal of Kwigillingok School a PrK-12th Grade school for 130 students. I was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan where I still have family and friends. Before becoming an educator I worked for the YMCA. In my free time I enjoy a wide variety of activities including gardening, hiking, biking, riding motorcycles and skiing. During more quiet times I enjoy reading, solving puzzles such as sudoku or playing games with my friends. I love seeing students succeed and I am always willing to go the extra mile for student’s success. My office is always open, and I look forward to working with the families of the Raven Homeschool Community.
Natalie Shier - Administrative Clerk, Eagle River office
Natalie Shier is a 2008 Raven Graduate turned Eagle River office Administrative Assistant. She attended the University of Alaska Southeast. Natalie worked for a the DIPAC salmon Hatchery for many years, as well as a monitor/supervisor at Fronteras Spanish Immersion Charter school. Ms Shier has also worked within the Raven program, assisting the Wasilla office before accepting the position in Eagle River. She currently lives in Wasilla with her dog, Lucy, happily surrounded by family and nieces and nephews.
Counselor's Corner:
Why is it important to work with my high school academic counselor at Raven Homeschool?
Over the years, we have found that students (and families) that start working with their school counselor in 8th and 9th grade are much more prepared and have a better plan for what they want to do after they graduate with their high school diploma. As a homeschooler, this is a team effort and we are here 12 months a year to meet with you individually to help you attain all your goals. We are also not limited to the 15 minutes that typical "brick and mortar" high school counselors can offer individual students. We will take as much time as you need and are able to meet with you on a regular basis to help come up with a plan or accomplish your goal(s).
The Armed Services
For example, this week, we had a student interested in enlisting in the Army. What did we do to get the ball rolling? We called up the Army recruiter and had him come down the Raven office where we discussed enlistment, the benefits, and all the options. That student left our office with a concrete plan on how to get in shape and what they needed to do prior to graduation.
Trade Apprenticeships
This also goes for the Union Trades. We can assist you in making the connection with the apprenticeship program, set up a personal meeting with the apprenticeship coordinator and come up with a plan on how you can be the most competitive when you apply. Trade apprenticeships are very competitive, so knowing how to interview, what classes to take in high school, and, in general, knowing how to be prepared will put you at a very distinct advantage during the interview process. Also, one of the benefits of homeschooling is having the flexibility to job shadow or volunteer your time during the day in an area that you are interested in.
College and Career Planning
Another important element of our expertise is college planning. We are experts on helping you figure out how to apply and pay for college. We can sit down with you and your family individually to fill out admissions applications, the dreaded FAFSA form, which is required by most schools in order for you to accept scholarships or grants, and other related paperwork. We will also help as well as advise you on taking classes at a University of Alaska campus or through one of their distance education courses while in high school.
Life Can Get Tough
Life is not always easy and staying on track can be difficult. As School Counselors, we are also available to help you problem solve and to help you overcome barriers that may be making it difficult for you to be successful. Although we are not equipped to offer long term mental health counseling, sometimes life happens, relationships get difficult, a child might be on the way, or you made a mistake that is making finishing high school difficult. You need a way forward. We can help you find local resources to help you get through the rough time and can meet with you to help you come up with a plan to help you finish your classes.
As a Raven high school student, you have so many options. You have the opportunity to cater your high school course work towards your interests and towards your future goals. And, you have the support and assistance that is just a phone call or email away that will help you achieve all of your goals. So, please take the time to call or email us for an individual appointment. Our goal is to help you achieve success in whatever you want to do in life.
PLEASE CALL YOUR SCHOOL COUNSELOR WITH QUESTIONS!
Megan Rosendall | Anchorage, Eagle River, Wasilla | mrosendall@yksd.com | 907.622.6631
Ryan Tilbury | Delta, Fairbanks, Juneau | rtilbury@yksd.com | 907.374.9432
Statewide Apprenticeship Program:
AK Grad Announcement:
Congratulations to the winner of our iPad drawing, Tristen Moody. Last year AK Grad asked students to share their feedback on their course experience so improvements to courses could be made to better meet students' needs. Students who choose to participate were entered into a drawing to win an iPad. Thanks again to everyone who shared information to help make AK Grad better.
Anchorage Office:
July Recap:
It’s ILP season at Raven! Teachers and families are finalizing paperwork and curriculum choices, so that students are ready to go! If you have not scheduled your ILP meeting yet, please give the office a call.
Our teachers also participated in-service training for all Raven teachers and they focused on planning for this school year.
Please note, the Anchorage office summer hours are in effect.
Regular business hours (Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm) will resume Monday, August 5th.
August Activities:
August 1st - Teacher In-Service
August 2nd - Office Closed
August 5th - Regular Office Hours Resume
August 7th - PAC Meeting
August 12th - FLL Robotics
August 15th - STEAM: FLL Robotics
August 19th - FLL Robotics
August 22nd - Civil Air Patrol
August 26th - FLL Robotics
August 28th - Back-to-School Party
Staff Schedules:
Carmen will be out of office August 2nd, 7th, 9th, 15th, 16th and 26th.
Danae will be out of office August 12th, 19th, and 26th.
Terri will be out of office August 6th, 13th, 16th, 20th and 27th.
For more details about our events and to RSVP, please click on our SMORE below!
Delta Office:
July Events:
Students in 8th and 9th grade met to learn about Raven graduation requirements complete a survey on how much they would need to earn to live their vision of life after high school. Our Liewer Trail hike unfortunately was smoked out. Raven students participated in the Deltana Fair. Condie Tomlinson won a Grand Champion ribbon for her tree stump cake. Tiana Kaio earned the Miss Junior Deltana crown and Raven graduate, Kirsty Schenk, took home the Ms. Deltana crown. Congratulations to all!
August events:
August 6th - Please meet us at the “pull out” on the road to Ft. Greely. Bring a sack lunch and come prepared for a walk.
August 27th - Calling all Write At Home students!!! Attendance is required. You will to sign in to the class with our support.
August 27th - Back to Homeschool Night: Raven provides Hot dogs, buns and drinks. Raven families bring sides and desserts. Please call to let us know if you can join us, so we have enough food. We have invited our local vendors! Information will be available to help you participate in our office activities like Book orders, Healthy Futures, Book Fair and Lego Robotics.
Welcome back to homeschool. This month you should have your classes started for the 2019/2020 year. If you needed this reminder to get started, just call the office and we can help.
Enjoy the sunshine and warm weather. I hope to see all of you at our Back to Homeschool Night!
Heidi
Eagle River Office:
July Recap:
July was a busy month of meetings, paperwork and ever more meetings! Our office participated in the Bear Paw Grand Parade again this year. We had a great float that was decorated by students and families that matched the “Shake, Rattle and Roll” theme of the parade! Thank you to everyone who helped create our float and those who volunteered to walk with us! The office also sponsored the Lego Building Competition during Bear Paw. It was amazing to see all of the fascinating creations people came up with. We wrapped up the month with a hike and picnic lunch to Barbara Falls.
If you haven’t already, please contact your office to schedule your ILP meeting! We can start ordering curriculum already, but we need paperwork completed first!
Please note, the last day of our summer schedule will be Friday, August 2nd. We will resume our regular school year schedule on Monday, August 5th.
August Activities:
August 1st - Teacher In-Service
August 2nd - Office Closed
August 5th - School Year Schedule Resumes
August 7th - PAC Meeting
August 13th - Teen Leadership Club Planning Meeting
August 14th - Geography Club Kick-Off Party
August 29th - Back-to-School Party
Staff Schedules:
Steve will be out of office August 2nd, 5th,6th, and 9th-16th.
For more details about our events and to RSVP, please click on our SMORE below!
Bear Paw Lego Building Competition
Bear Paw Grand Parade
Bear Paw Grand Parade - "Shake, Rattle & Roll"
Fairbanks Office:
Office Hours...Summer is coming to an end
Last Week of Summer hours:
Monday - Thursday 8:00am to 4:30pm
Friday 8:00am to 11:30am
Starting August 5th, Raven we resume regular hours:
Monday-Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm
Welcome Aboard - Julie Gillette!
There's a New Face at the Raven Front Desk
Julie Gillette - Fairbanks Clerk - joined the Raven family on 7/22. Julie retired from the Air Force after 20 years of service as a Senior Master Sergeant. Her specialties were intercontinental ballistic missile electronics and logistics. She completed a degree in Health Information Technology and worked in a Neurology clinic managing electronic health records for 3
years. Julie homeschooled her child through Raven Homeschool for 3 years in Wasilla then
relocated to Fairbanks in 2013. She served on the Alaska State Board of Nursing for over 7 years
and held the positions of Secretary and Chair during her tenure. She currently lives in Fairbanks with her 15 year old child, Miles, and their dog Tito.
Good Luck to Tami Rump!
Tami received a promotion and will serve in a new position as the Administrative Assistant to School Operations & Assessments for YKSD. The Raven family is bitter sweet to see Tami transition into her new role, but we are enlightened to know she will continue to be a valuable member to the Yukon-Koyukuk school district. Please stop by and congratulate her and provide well wishes, as her new desk will be next door. You will still be able to see her smiling face and warm greetings when you come in. She will be greatly missed on the Raven side of the office!
Raven Student’s at Eielson Airforce Base - Airshow
On July 13, 2019, Raven Kids and staff attended the 2019 Arctic Lightning Airshow on Eielson
Airforce Base. The show featured flying skills of the F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team, the
Pacific Air Forces F-16 Viper Demo Team, and a KC-135 Refueler demonstration as well as many
static aircraft attractions. Pictured here: John & Randy Philbrick.
Teachers' schedules this week - Out of the office dates
Natasha Anderson - out of the office July 30-August2, August 19th
Chuck Backe- out of the office July 29-30, and every Monday
Cathy Walker - out of the office every Friday
Ryan Tilbury - out of the office August 8-19, August 29-30
For more details about our events and to RSVP, please click on our SMORE below!
Juneau Office:
July in Review
July was a great start to the 19-20 school year. We kicked off the new year with our annual Happy Birthday America Ice Cream Social. We had a great turnout and it was a wonderful chance for many of our new families to get to meet other members of our Raven family while enjoying tasty treats. The monthly PAC meeting was also well attended with parents helping to collaborate with us for planning a fun, successful school year. A new activity we did this year was a tour of the KTOO radio station and everyone who attended had a great time and learned a lot. Though we did not have the usual rush of activities like in other months, it was a good month for getting paperwork/ILP meetings completed, enjoying the beautiful weather, and preparing for another fantastic school year with our Raven families.
Summer Office Hours End Aug 2: Mon-Thurs 8am-5pm, Fri 8-11:30am
Regular Office Hours Resume Aug 5: Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm
August Important Dates
August 1st - Teacher Inservice Day
August 7th - PAC Meeting & Student Activity
August 14th - Yearbook Committee Kickoff Meeting
August 19th - Gold Rush Dog Sled Tour
August 29th - Back to School “Raven is Out of This World” Open House
Staff Schedules:
Theresa Off - August 2nd, 5th, 12th, 19th, 23rd, 26th
Joan Off - August 2nd, 9th, 12th-16th, 23rd, 30th
Holly Off - August 6th-9th
For more details about our events and to RSVP, please click on our SMORE below!
Wasilla Office:
July Recap!
Families enjoyed getting together at a couple of different parks in the month of July. The children had a great time playing while moms were able to get to know each other a little better. If you haven’t been to the Transportation Museum in Wasilla, you are missing out. Students enjoyed seeing things that they have never seen, or at least in person; and the adults reminisced over things now considered outdated- or even antiques! We visited our first Peony farm- learned a lot and were able to get some beautiful flowers! In the office we have had ILP meetings, orders going in and out, and continued planning for the upcoming activates. Watch your email for an invitation from SignUps.com- this is where you will sign up for things happening. If you haven’t done your ILP meetings yet, give us a call and we will get you in as soon as possible!
August Activities
August 7th - PAC (Parent Advisory Committee) Meeting
August 9th - Homeschool EXPO
August 9th - Office Closed
August 13th - Back to School Potluck, Parent Orientation, High School Orientation & Senior Success
August 16th - Hike the Butte
Staff Schedules
Cynthia: Off on Mondays & Tuesdays
Joy: Off on Fridays
Kim: Off 2nd, 7th, 16th, 19th, 23rd, 26th, 30th
Kim in Eagle River: 5th-6th, 12th-15th
Ruth: Off 2nd, 5th-7th, 30th
Summer Office Hours End Aug 2: Mon-Thurs 8am-4:30 pm, Fri 8-11:30 am
>> Please note: Office Closed on Friday, Aug. 9th<<
For more details about our events and to RSVP, please click on our SMORE below!