Pearl Creek Weekly Newsletter
August 15, 2022
Welcome to the 2022/2023 School Year!
Ice Cream Social-August 16th from 5:00-6:30
School Starts August 17th!
School Supply List
School Safety
Doorbell System
Pick Up and Drop Off Process
Each family will receive a large card with a number on it, please hang this placard on your rear view mirror. This number correlates to your child and when we see you pulling up the driveway we will call your child over to be picked up. We will be sending placards home with students during the first week of school. Thanks!
For families that are new I have include a short video that explains the process and what it looks like.
After School Enrichment! Looking for Volunteers!
Thanks!
Wellness Check-Check it Out!
Meet our Teachers!
Kindergarten Teachers-Mrs. Alonzo Taggart and Ms. Olund (previously known as Mrs. Stephenson)
1st Grade-Mr. Baxter and a new hire (but not new to education, we hope to have our teacher secured in the position for the first day of school with students)
K/1-Mr. Hensel
2nd Grade-Mrs. Downing (wonderful teacher and coming from Nordale and BEST) and Mrs. Chavez
2/3-Ms. Addis
3rd Grade-Mrs. Norton and Mrs. Fields
4th Grade-Mr. O'Regan, Mrs. Baxter and Mrs. Hammer
5th Grade-Ms. Graves, Mr. Carlson and Ms. Keller
Music-Mrs. Gillette (amazing Music teacher coming from Nordale, you may recognize her as she provided online music lessons during COVID)
PE-Mr. O'Donnell (moved from ELP, but so excited to teach PE)
Library-Mrs. Zayon
Counselor-Mrs. Bartusch
ELP-Mrs. Wallingford (an excellent addition, coming from University Park, we are so lucky to have her)
Resource-Mr. Greci and Mr. Dow
Nurse-Julia Konefal
Extended Resource-Mrs. Franzen (new to special education but is passionate and inspired, not to mention, hard working!)
Early Learning-Mrs. Poole
Again, we have such dedicated and amazing teachers ready to help our Puffins soar!
Nutritional Services-Changes from Last School Year
Due to federal funding for the School Lunch Program, we have previously been able to offer meals to all students in the district at no charge. That funding has ended and we are returning to our previous requirements for students to receive free and reduced meals. If you would like your child to continue receiving free and reduced meals, please complete the 2022-23 meals application form and see if your family qualifies.
NEW!!! Our online breakfast & lunch menu provider has changed. We now have everything you need at https://www.schoolcafe.com . No account is needed.
You can view the menus as a guest!School meals are a great value and huge convenience for busy families. Full elementary price breakfast is $2.00 and lunch is $3.50. Middle and high school price breakfast is $2.25 and lunch is $3.75. If your child qualifies to receive meals at the reduced price, breakfast is free and lunch is $.40. Free and reduced price meal benefits do not extend to additional milk or milk only purchases or partial meal purchases. All portions of a meal can be purchased by paying the ala carte prices. Milk comes with breakfast and lunch but if your child purchases additional milk with his/her meal or one to drink with his/her lunch from home, the cost is $.1.00. Visit https://www.schoolcafe.com to make payments, view the menus, and see what your child purchases.
If your child received free or reduced price meal eligibility last school year as the result of a completed 21-22 meals application and were enrolled on the last day of school, the grace period will expire on September 28, 2022. On October 1, 2022, students receiving meal benefits due to the grace period will revert to full pay status. You have the convenience of completing the application online at https://www.schoolcafe.com or you can get a paper application from your child’s school. Submit a completed meals application for the 2022-2023 school year as soon as possible as it can take up to ten (10) days for application processing.
Transportation-Update
In the past we have asked families to register to ride the bus. Because of limited staff, we’re not doing that this year. If you would like your child to take advantage of bus transportation, please check the Transportation website and click the Find Your School Bus Stop button to find the bus stop closest to you. Make sure to have your child at the bus stop five minutes before the scheduled time.
Adequate staffing for school transportation has long been a dilemma and, as we experienced last year, has reached new levels of intensity and become a nationwide quandary. Moving into this school year it’s important to know that there will be NO rotating route schedules. Our goal is to deliver safe, consistent, and reliable transportation to support families in getting their children to school. Bus transportation will look a bit different than in pre-pandemic years–no one strategy will solve a problem of this magnitude, so we have put several solutions in place to alleviate the situation.
The first strategy is a system of pick up locations along the main road arteries in the Borough. Instead of buses going through neighborhoods and stopping at individual houses, students will be picked up at one location in a zone area. Families across the district have been using this school transportation method and now more buses will participate in the routine this year. Because buses will be sticking primarily to main routes, we are anticipating an increase in on-time arrivals and fewer delays.
If your designated pick up location is further than 1.5 miles from your home, you may qualify for the “in lieu of'' option. This option allows compensation to families for getting their children to the bus stop. This option is available only to students attending their home attendance area school. Students attending schools of choice will not qualify for the option. For more information, please contact the Transportation Department at 907-452-2000 option 4 or visit the transportation website.
Secondly, we will be partnering with Durham to utilize minivans to supplement the bus system. These vans will give us flexibility in how we address transportation needs in the more remote portions of the district as well areas of need. We are working with Durham to use current district staff as drivers in this unique option.
It is important to note that all Special Education routes will run on a regular schedule across the district.
Finally, Durham will continue their aggressive recruitment efforts. We are fortunate to have a transportation partner that, in the middle of a nationwide bus driver shortage, has been able to consistently recruit, train, and hire school bus drivers. They will continue their efforts and keep buses running and delivering students to school. If you or someone you know is interested in driving a bus, apply here.
ThrivAlaska
Kat Nichols-Director
Wk: 907-452-4267 xt. 240
Fax: 907-479-9035
1949 Gillam way, Fairbanks AK 99701
ANE
Migrant Education Program
Fairbanks North Star Borough Student Handbook
Pearl Creek Elementary
Email: shawna.henderson@k12northstar.org
Website: https://www.k12northstar.org/pearlcreek
Location: 700 Auburn Drive, Fairbanks, AK, USA
Phone: 907-479-4234
Facebook: facebook.com/pearlcreek