Soaring Eagle
April 19, 2024
Message from the Principal
Dear Mendenhall River Community School Family,
We have some important updates and reminders for you this week. Please take a moment to review the following:
Alaska Science of Reading Symposium: This weekend, several of our faculty members will be attending the Alaska Science of Reading Symposium. They are eager to return with valuable insights and knowledge to further support AK Reads and literacy interventions for our students. We look forward to implementing new strategies to enhance our literacy programs!
Site Council and PTO Meetings: Just a reminder that our Site Council and PTO meetings occur on the second Monday of every month, at 5:15 pm and 6:00 pm respectively. In our upcoming Site Council meeting, we'll be discussing class configuration models, and we welcome your input and ideas. Please join us if you can!
Kindergarten Registration Day: Kindergarten Registration Day is approaching on Thursday, April 25. If you have an incoming kindergartner, please mark your calendars and make arrangements to attend this important event.
Student Support at Home: As we experience warmer weather and longer school weeks, students may face challenges in maintaining focus and following routines. Please support your child at home by reminding them of safe behaviors and consistent routines for school.
Thank you for your ongoing involvement and support in making MRCS a safe, supportive, and enriching learning environment for our students.
Kindest,
Eric Filardi
Principal
Mendenhall River Community School
MRCS Highlights...
Youth Summit Awards Winner: Morgan Adams!
Congratulations to Morgan Adams! Morgan was one of the 36 recipients of the 2024 Youth Summit Awards. The Youth Summit Awards looks for students who are doing extraordinary things in their community. Morgan is active in the Girl Scout Community and participates in service projects that better the community of Juneau. She is a mentor to younger students and works to ensure students at MRCS feel included. MRCS is honored to have Morgan in our school community!
Ms. Mitchell's Class Featured in KINY Web News for Marine Week!
We are thrilled to announce that Ms. Mitchell's class was recently featured in KINY web news for their participation in Marine Week at the NOAA lab! Our students had an incredible opportunity to learn about marine science and the importance of ocean conservation.
During their visit, students engaged in hands-on activities, explored marine life up close, and gained valuable insights into the work being done at NOAA to protect our oceans. This immersive experience was both educational and inspiring, sparking curiosity and a passion for marine science in our young learners.
We're so proud of Ms. Mitchell's class for representing MRCS and making such a positive impact during their visit. Be sure to check out the KINY web news article to learn more about their adventure: https://localfirstmediagroup.com/juneau-local-kiny/noaa-fisheries-scientists-guide-sea-week-camp/
Juneau-Douglas City Museum: MRCS Staff on Display
The City Museum is hosting a free opening reception for a new exhibition curated by Lily Hope titled, Yéil Koowú Átx'i Khaa Sháade Nákhx'i Yán Sákw Jeeyís: Ravenstail Regalia for Future Leaders. The opening reception is on Friday, May 3rd from 4-7pm. This exhibition will be on display through October 19th, 2024.
Ravenstail weaving, known in Tlingit language as Yéil Koowú, originates on the Northwest Coast of Alaska & Canada. The oldest known robe dates back to the 1700’s. Historic pieces have been preserved in museums across the world. This artform fell out of practice for multiple generations until researcher Cheryl Samuel “woke” it up. It has largely been carried by Cheryl and one of her students, Kay Field Parker, who have both taught with historical pattern integrity intact.
Lily Hope has been mentoring 20 weavers in person and via Zoom since 2020, including our own MRCS paraprofessional Michelle Gray. In that time, Michelle has contributed to her class having woven multiple Ravenstail projects including headdresses, leggings, bags, and child-size robes. The culmination of Michelle's (and other's) work will be on display in this exhibition, showcasing the history of Yéil Koowú, its current knowledge bearers, and the bright future ahead.
2024/2025 Preschool Application
Juneau School District Preschool Programs
Integrated Preschool Program
The Integrated Preschool Program is a play-based program focusing on language development, social emotional development and school readiness skills. The environment focuses on individual children's needs and the teachers strive to meet each child where they are developmentally. There is a mix of students with special needs as well as peer models in our classrooms. Our peer models are an important part of our classrooms - we provide age-appropriate activities for our students in a peer group setting. We work on social skills, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, communication, and cognitive skills. Problem-solving and self-regulation are essential components of our preschool program. Peers should be able to follow multi-step directions, regulate their emotions, and work together with other peers. Peer models are able to use cooperative play skills that include sharing, negotiation, and/or trading. We believe strongly in the benefits of children learning best from their peers. Our classrooms involve whole group learning time, art activities, music and movement activities, a daily snack time and outdoor recess each day. We focus on building relationships with students and families. We hope we can help make your child's first introduction to the school experience a positive one. Most importantly we have so much fun in preschool. We spend a lot of time working on skills through play which looks like building with materials, playing in dramatic play areas, introduction to sensory materials and being exposed to different types of art activities and materials.
KinderReady Preschool Program
KinderReady’s mission is to provide a safe, nurturing, and engaging early learning environment that effectively supports the diverse needs of children and families in our community. We strive to develop a beginning passion for learning and build foundational skills for success in kindergarten and beyond.
Philosophy
We believe that children need ample opportunities to play, to question and explore, to practice social skills with other children in a safe environment, and to gain self-confidence. We believe that children can be guided to develop self-regulation by learning to express and regulate their bodies and emotions. We believe that helping children develop a positive self-image and become socially competent is the best foundation for their future.
We believe the role of teachers is to be a guide to help children meet developmentally appropriate milestones through inspired learning activities and experiences. Our student-centered curriculum is supported through stories, songs, play, art, science experiments, learning letters and numbers, loosely-structured activities, and guided group activities. In accordance with State of Alaska Early Learning Guidelines, we observe and assess each child’s Approaches to Learning; Social and Emotional Development; Physical Growth and Health; Language, Literacy, and Communication; and Mathematics knowledge throughout our school year and work to achieve the best learning outcomes for each child.
Peer application for Integrated and KinderReady Preschool programs: 2024-2025 JSD Preschool Application
Literacy Awareness
Literacy Awareness: Tip of the Week
"Story Chain":
Start the Story: Begin a story with a simple sentence. For example, "Once upon a time, there was a magical forest."
Pass the Story: Each person takes turns adding a sentence to the story, building upon what the previous person said. Encourage creativity and imagination!
Keep it Going: Continue passing the story around the family, with each person adding a sentence. The story can take unexpected twists and turns!
Set a Goal: Decide on a goal, such as reaching a certain number of sentences or completing a full story arc.
Wrap it Up: Once the story reaches its conclusion or the goal is met, read the entire story aloud together.
This game not only encourages literacy skills such as sentence structure and storytelling but also promotes creativity, collaboration, and family bonding. Plus, it's a fun way to see where everyone's imagination takes the story!
Word of the Week
This week’s word is the noun “bicycle.”
- Tagalog: apoy
- Tlingit: ý'aan
- Tongan: afi
- Ukrainian: вогонь (vohon')
- Italian: fuoco
- Spanish: fuego
- Lithuanian: ugnis
- Samoan: afi
- French: feu
- Japanese: 火 (hi)
- German: Feuer
- Braille spelling in English: ⠋⠊⠗⠑
Report To Parents: Hearing Health Guide for Kids
A child’s hearing is crucial to their overall well-being and development. This guide has tips and strategies to help families understand the mechanics of hearing and empower them to take steps toward protecting this vital sense for their children.
2022 - 2023 AK STAR State Assessment Results Released
JUNEAU, AK -- The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) announces the release of the 2022-2023 Alaska System of Academic Readiness (AK STAR) and Alaska Science assessment results.
DEED initiated a multi-year approach to formulate and assess AK STAR, which included the development of Achievement Level Descriptors and a standard-setting process in 2022, followed by a validation study and policy review in 2023. This meticulous process ensures that the achievement levels accurately reflect student performance and effectively inform schools, teachers, families, and students about their progress toward mastering the Alaska Content Standards.
As districts are currently administering the 2023-2024 AK STAR and Alaska Science assessments, DEED anticipates maintaining a regular reporting schedule, with scores scheduled for an early fall release. By the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year, districts will have access to two years of student performance data, enabling them to establish performance targets, identify areas of strength for reinforcement, and pinpoint areas of growth requiring additional support and resources.
DEED is pleased to note a slight increase in participation rates across all student groups from the 2021-2022 to the 2022-2023 assessment administrations. Encouraging districts to continue their engagement with parents and families regarding the new AK STAR and Alaska Science Assessments, DEED emphasizes the importance of explaining how this information contributes to improving outcomes for students.
For full assessment results: AK STAR Assessment Results
For more information: Statewide Assessment Brief.
Don't Forget...
With the transition to warmer weather, springtime often brings an increase in outdoor activities and social interactions, potentially increasing exposure to germs. By emphasizing thorough handwashing technique, school leaders and teachers can empower their students with a simple yet effective practice to help minimize the spread of infections caused by germs. Here are the five proper steps for handwashing:
- WET hands with water.
- LATHER hands with soap.
- SCRUB the front and back of hands and between fingers for 20 seconds.
- RINSE hands with water.
- DRY hands completely.
April Character Trait: Humor
Celebrating Autism Acceptance Month
April marks Autism Acceptance Month, a time dedicated to promoting understanding, acceptance, and inclusion for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). At MRCS, we embrace this opportunity to celebrate the unique strengths and contributions of our students and community members on the autism spectrum.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how individuals perceive the world and interact with others. While each person with autism is unique, they often possess remarkable talents, creativity, and perspectives that enrich our school community.
Throughout April and always, we focus on spreading awareness and fostering an inclusive environment where every student feels valued and supported.
Free COVID Tests available from the Health Office
Stop by the office to grab a few if you would like some for home!
ATTENDANCE MATTERS!
This school year, the Juneau School District is focused on improving student attendance and sharing information about the importance of regularly coming to school. You will see more communication on this topic in the coming months and may receive additional notifications about attendance from your child’s school. Our goal is to help all of our students value coming to school each day.
Student success is at the heart of our educational mission, and we are committed to ensuring positive conditions for learning and supporting increased attendance at schools. When students are present and engaged, they are able to fully participate in the learning process; develop meaningful relationships with their classmates, teachers, and staff; and build the foundation for future educational and academic successes.
Research shows that attendance has a huge impact on a student's academic success, as early as kindergarten. Students who are absent even one or two days each month can fall seriously behind. By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of the signs that a student may drop out of high school. By 9th grade, attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than test scores.
It takes all of us—schools, parents, families, and the community—committing to a collective focus on attendance to help promote academic success, along with social and emotional wellbeing. We care about your child and strive to provide them a quality education in a caring, safe, and supportive environment. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to support your family or to assist in getting your child to school each day.
Remember that when you miss school, we miss you!
Backpacks, coats, and food bags
Backpacks
Did you know that MRCS has backpacks for students who need them? Please contact Mrs. Berkey at 796-5600 or tristan.berkey@juneauschools.org and she will send one home with your child!
Weekend Food Bags
Feeding Juneau's Future is a program that provides weekend food bags (2 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 2 snacks) free of charge to any Juneau School District child who may need it; the idea is to supplement the food they receive at school. It is proven that hungry children have increased behaviors and decreased learning - no child should ever be hungry.
If you would like your student to receive a weekend foodbag every Friday please contact Mrs. Berkey at 796-5643 or tristan.berkey@juneauschools.org