In Today's Newsletter
1. Congratulations, Megan Eilers!
2. Amplify Professional Development
3. Webinar: Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
4. Webinar Series: Understanding Alaska's Early Education Program Standards and 0.5 ADM Approval
5. FY25 Application for District Wide Early Education Program Approval and 0.5 ADM / Foundation Formula Funding
6. Creative Writing Contest
7. 2023 National ESEA Distinguished Schools
8. The Association of Alaska School Boards Law & Policy Day
9. Teach to Lead Summit
10. FCC Tribal Office Hours
11. 988 Create!
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Watch the moment Megan Eilers is presented with the Milken Educator Award
Fairbanks Teacher Honored as One of the Nation’s Best with Surprise $25,000 Milken Educator Award
Last Tuesday, The Milken Family Foundation visited the James T. Hutchinson High School today to surprise Megan Eilers with the Milken Educator Award.
Eilers is a high school teacher and registered nurse who provides a valuable environment for students in the health science pathway at Hutchinson High School. Her collaboration with Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and other community health organizations has increased the success of students in health and medical occupations. Enrollment in her classes increases each year due to her passion, empathy, and extensive knowledge. Eilers brings 'real world' experiences, hands-on lessons, and topnotch industry standards to her classroom.
"The collaboration, compassion, and consistency that Megan possesses every day is truly commendable. Her focus on teaching workplace-ready skills directly impacts not only her students, but the entire community. The Milken Award, one of the highest honors in education, is a natural fit for such an incredible educator, and it will continue to elevate her positive influence throughout Alaska," said Alaska Department of Education and Early Development Commissioner, Dr. Deena Bishop.
Learn more about Megan and the Milken Educator Award here: Milken Educator Megan Eilers (AK '23) | Milken Educator Awards
DEED is committed to ensuring that Alaska educators have the tools and knowledge necessary to make the most of the mCLASS DIBELS 8 literacy screener, and is offering a variety of professional development opportunities that will support teachers in the Alaska Reads Act requirements. Check out the January and February professional development options by clicking on the flyer below:
It's not too early to start planning for CACFP Week! This is a national educational and information campaign to raise awareness of how the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) works to combat hunger.
You can register for a free webinar on CACFP Week on February 8, Thursday, 10:00-10:30 am Alaska (2:00-2:30 pm EST). 2024 CACFP Week At-a-Glance is designed to help you celebrate and raise awareness within your network during this week-long campaign.
Please note that registering for this webinar is different from registering to participate in CACFP Week.
If you are interested in participating in CACFP Week, you can register on the event calendar to receive an exclusive sample menu. This year's theme is eating the rainbow, with a sample menu that focuses on a different color of the rainbow for each day of the week.
Intended Audience
- Administrators from all districts with an Early Education Program.
Purpose:
- Dive into Alaska’s Early Education Program Standards.
- Plan for documentation of high-quality early education programming.
- Familiarize the requirements of the 2024-2025 District-Wide Early Education Program Approval (.5 ADM Funding) application.
Schedule:
- Registration is required for all live webinars. Follow the links to register.
All webinars will be recorded and posted on The Alaska Reads Act Early Education Programs page following the live presentations.
Link: Register for Session 5
Time: Thursday, February 8, 2024 from 10:000-11:30 a.m.
Topic: Standard I: Teaching and the Learning Environment and Standard VI: Family Engagement
DEED is inviting applications for FY2025 District Wide Early Education Program Approval. Those districts who receive approval will be eligible to report enrolled early education students in the district’s average daily membership (ADM) that determines Foundation Formula funding. Funding will be granted at a rate of 0.5 ADM for each eligible 4-year-old and 5-year-old student.
Approval will be determined according to compliance with these requirements:
- Operate an early education program for three or more years,
- Consult all high-quality childcare programs within the school district boundaries, including Head Start [Sec 14.03.410(c)],
- Successfully implement the Alaska Early Education Program Standards, and
- Employ early education teacher(s) with the required and current teacher certification.
Application Available:
January 25, 2024
DWEEP-ADM Intent Form - Education and Early Development (alaska.gov)
Technical Assistance Webinars:
Tuesday, February 13, 2024 at 12:00p.m. - Meeting Registration – Zoom
Wednesday, February 21, 2024 at 10:00a.m. - Meeting Registration – Zoom
Due Date:
Wednesday, May 15, 2024
For more information, visit education.alaska.gov/earlylearning or contact earlylearning@alaska.gov
The 41st annual statewide Creative Writing Contest, sponsored by the University of Alaska Anchorage and the Anchorage Daily News, encourages new writers of all ages to submit a piece of work before the February 15th deadline. There are cash prizes.
All entries must be submitted electronically. Entrants can submit up to three poems, one piece of fiction, and one piece of nonfiction. Teachers can assist students with posting submissions if needed, though permissions and student contact information must be provided. Published authors, librarians, creative writing instructors serve as volunteer judges for the contest.
Winning entries from previous contests can be found online at LitSite Alaska
The 2023-2024 Statewide Creative Writing Contest will open for entries on Sunday, November 6, 2023 and close on Thursday, February 15, 2024.
The 2023 National ESEA Distinguished Schools are now featured on the National ESEA Distinguished Schools webpage, joining a host of other exemplary schools from across the country. Along with national recognition, this offers other schools an opportunity to find replicable programs to help improve achievement for their students.
At the upcoming National ESEA Conference, Arctic Light Elementary School (Fairbanks, AK) will be honored as one of the schools named this year in recognition of their outstanding work. The National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators (NAESPA) implemented the National ESEA Distinguished Schools Program to highlight selected schools that have effectively used their ESEA federal funds to improve education outcomes for students. Check out this 2 minute "Story of Success" video created by Arctic Light Elementary Principal, Rachel Blackwell. Congratulations to Rachel and her team!
The Association of Alaska School Boards (AASB) with the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) and the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) School of Education Public Policy Forum on Education Funding are hosting a Law & Policy Day to understand Alaska education funding and embrace civil discourse on the topic.
DEED Commissioner Dr. Deena Bishop will be part of a panel that afternoon on the role of the political process of education funding.
Friday, February 9, 2024
8:30AM - 5:00PM
Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall in Juneau
The Law & Policy Day session will lead into the AASB Leadership Academy and Legislative Fly-In: AASB’s Leadership Academy & Legislative Fly-In and Youth Advocacy Institute 2024
Apply to attend the free Teach to Lead Summit to be held April 12-14, 2024, in San Diego, CA!
The U.S. Department of Education is excited to invite teams of educators to apply to join the upcoming Teach to Lead Summit, a three-day, in-person convening Friday, April 12 – Sunday, April 14, 2024, in San Diego, California. Participants will engage in learning sessions and facilitated activities with motivated colleagues, peer teams, subject matter experts, and representatives from the U.S. Department of Education to address persistent problems of practice related to the event theme, Leading for the Future: Improving the Educator Experience and Expanding Opportunities to Elevate the Profession. Teams of 4-5 members, including at least one practicing teacher, are encouraged to apply. All accepted teams receive free registration and lodging (for Friday and Saturday). Learn more at https://eed.communities.ed.gov/#program/teach-to-lead-summit
Have questions or want support with your application? Join one of the following office hours:
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will be hosting Tribal Office Hours focused on challenges to the National Broadband Map. The sessions on Tuesday, February 6th and February 20th both at 4-5:30 PM EST, will focus on availability challenges. To attend any of these sessions, please email Tribal.Events@fcc.gov.
For additional information, please see the article below for helpful information about the types of evidence that could support an availability challenge: How to Submit a Successful Fixed Availability Challenge – BDC Help Center (fcc.gov)
 Hello Partners in the Arts and Health!
The arts and mental health are undeniably connected. Arts are where we lose ourselves, where we heal, and find ourselves all over again.
Through the month of February, the Youth Alliance for a Healthier Alaska will be accepting many forms of art for our 988 CREATE campaign based on the theme: Healing & Support.
Young Alaskan artists could win one of ten $150 prizes (gift cards) – and, more importantly, help change lives for the better!
Contest Overview:
988 CREATE campaign based on the theme: Healing & Support. Your artwork could win you one of ten $150 prizes (gift cards)
These pieces can be new or past creations and submitted if they fit the theme above.
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Submit your unique art for the 988 Create! art campaign by March 1, 2024.
Digital art submissions (jpg, jpeg, mp4, and doc under 25MB) can be submitted here or via email at yaha.alaska@gmail.com.
The winning submissions will be shared on our Instagram page @ak_youth_voice and on the website: [988.alaska.gov/create]988.alaska.gov/create
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For details, please check out the above website and let young Alaskan artists know we’re excited to hear from them!
Administered by the Youth Alliance for a Healthier Alaska (YAHA), with support from the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC), Alaska Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health, Spirit of Youth, along with many of our other statewide suicide prevention partners.
#Alaska988 #youthresilience #988create
The winning entries will be featured on social media, at the Annual Suicide Prevention Conference as well as making them available to schools, and other organizations across the state. Please spread the word!
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