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 The eleventh annual Alaska Out-of-School Time Conference is the largest convening of afterschool and summer educators in the state and is designed to support the professional development of out-of-school time providers from across Alaska. Themed From Passion to Impact, the conference aims to strengthen the out-of-school time workforce by moving forward towards change and growth. Past conference attendees have included staff from programs such as 4-H, tribal youth programs, Boys and Girls Clubs, 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC), the Positive Youth Development Afterschool Program (PYDAP), faith-based groups, licensed school-age childcare, summer camps, school district afterschool and summer programming, and more.
This year’s conference will feature more than 24 interactive workshops, 2 preconference workshops, program site visits, a vendor exhibit hall, and more!
Join us on November 17 - 19, 2025, in Anchorage at the Dena’ina Center, to learn, explore, and connect!
For more information, and to register, please visit www.akostconference.org.
This conference is a partnership between the State of Alaska Department of Education & Early Development and the Alaska Afterschool Network.
ACPE (Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education) – Alaska’s Higher Education Agency is thrilled to offer a suite of FREE resources to help educators support PK-12 students as they explore and plan for education and career training after high school.
You can access all Kids2Careers resources at: https://acpe.alaska.gov/Kids2Careers.
On this page, you will find Kids2Careers resources for Educators & Partners as well as Students & Families. Here are some examples of the content available through Kids2Careers:
Kids2Careers Postsecondary Planning Presentations (9-12):
For classroom or evening presentations with families, these presentations highlight time-sensitive steps, where to access, and how to use Kids2Careers planning resources & templates. Zoom is the most common form of presentation delivery. (Modified presentation available for neurodivergent and transition students.)
Kids2Careers Postsecondary & Career Prep Panel Discussion (5-12):
Available with or without the Kids2Careers Curriculum Program (described below). Panelists share their pathways to success, including high school planning steps, lessons learned, and college/training experiences; Q&A with students and panelists.
Kids2Careers Classroom Curriculum (5-8):
Postsecondary & career exploration curriculum typically used with grades 5-8; however, some smaller high schools and ELL classrooms use the 6-lesson Classroom Curriculum.
Early Career Explorers Activities (PK-4):
Designed for early elementary, some special needs students in middle and high school also use the Early Career Explorers downloadable activities, depending on their developmental level.
Planning Resources & Templates for Students and Families:
- Grade Level Planning Steps (for students & families)
- College & Career Training Tips (for college-bound and technical-bound students)
- Planning Templates (for college-bound and technical-bound students)
- Digital Planning Calendar (Alaska-specific deadlines; Google calendar can be personalized and shared; for college-bound and technical-bound students)
To schedule a meeting or an overview presentation, visit: https://meetingwithshelly.youcanbook.me
Please contact Shelly.Morgan@alaska.gov or 907-269-7972 for additional details.
You are invited to help promote the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout with your staff and school community! This national event on Thursday, Nov. 20 encourages people who use tobacco to quit for the day. For those who want to participate, help is available. Alaska’s Tobacco Quit Line offers free, confidential coaching and nicotine replacement therapy and is available 24/7!
Ideas for how schools can support staff participation in the Great American Smokeout
- Share Smokeout flyers & tobacco cessation resources in break areas or staff bulletin boards
- Create a healthy space for staff to unwind – consider stocking a break area with wellness items such as teas, coloring books, fidget toys, or healthy snacks
- Ask staff what else they need to feel supported through their quit
Free resources to help Alaskans quit tobacco are available - email doh.tobacco.info@alaska.gov for more info. (Yes, you can contact us for nicotine education resources for youth too!)
November 3, 1942 – Construction crews building the Alaska Highway from the north and south met at “break through,” 20 miles east of the Alaska boundary.
November 8, 1955 – The Alaska Constitutional Convention convened on the campus of the University of Alaska at Fairbanks.
America’s Field Trip is a nationwide contest that invites students across the country in grades 3–12 to be part of our nation’s 250th anniversary by sharing their perspectives on what America means to them — with the chance to earn an unforgettable field trip experience at some of the nation’s most iconic historic and cultural landmarks.
Students are asked to submit writing or original artwork in response to the contest’s prompt: “What does America mean to you?”
In honor of America’s 250th anniversary, America’s Field Trip is expanding with more exciting field trips, and more opportunities for students to win. A total of 250 students will be awarded a special behind-the-scenes field trip experience this summer or a cash prize.
General Online Programs Information:
The Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute is excited to offer free, engaging online programs for teachers every month as well as ready-to-use curricular resources.
If you would like to receive personalized updates from us about upcoming programs and resources specifically tailored for education leaders, please complete this short interest form: https://forms.gle/HfpGA2sStYsFSq7y8
 The Young People’s Continental Congress provides an opportunity for student-teacher teams to study history and civics in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from July 19–25, 2026. Participants will interact with students and teachers from across the country, explore our nation’s founding, and learn how the ideals of the founding era continue to be debated, discussed, and refined over the last 250 years.
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Students must be enrolled in tenth or eleventh grade in the 2025/2026 academic year.
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Teachers can teach grades 4-12 from any subject area. School librarians are eligible. Teachers may come from any type of school (public, parochial, charter, private, or homeschool).
This resource was drafted to share and promote Science of Learning-aligned and evidence-based vocabulary instruction strategies and resources, improve vocabulary instruction across all content areas, and positively impact student literacy and assessment outcomes in Alaska classrooms.
Effective vocabulary instruction benefits all students, in all content areas, at all grade levels. Vocabulary instruction is doable, with multiple simple, adaptable, low-prep / high-impact strategies that work for teachers and students. Vocabulary knowledge is a key factor in student success on assessments like MAP Growth, AKSTAR, AK Science Assessment, and NAEP.
School-wide literacy goal? Increasing comprehension and engagement in your content area? Teaming with your PLC to improve student assessment scores? Preparing students to understand complex texts at their grade level and beyond? Building out the Tier 1 supports in your MTSS system? Vocabulary instruction can have an integral, positive impact on goals and projects like these, and more.
The Vocabulary Instruction Resource Depot (AK DEED) includes:
Interested in Vocabulary Instruction PD or resources for your district or school? Reach out to the AK DEED Core Content Area Specialists: Curtis Jensen (ELA / Social Studies) or Ryia Waldern (Science / Math).
Schools located in communities without a public library summer reading program—or have unique needs requiring a separate school-based program—may request support from the Alaska State Library through the Statewide Summer Reading Program to host their own summer reading program. See additional state program information online at https://lam.alaska.gov/EarlyLit/srp. Register by Sunday, November 23, 2025, at https://library-alaska.libwizard.com/f/srp-registration. For further information or questions, contact: Valarie Kingsland, Head of Library Development, Alaska State Library at valarie.kingsland@alaska.gov.
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