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Mt. Edgecumbe High School is now taking applications for the 2024/2025 school year! Families who are interested in having their student experience the unique educational journey at Mt. Edgecumbe High School (MEHS), where they not only celebrate the diverse cultural backgrounds of their students, but also foster a strong sense of belonging within a close-knit school community. As a public residential boarding school, MEHS is dedicated to providing a challenging and unparalleled education while nurturing a vibrant community spirit. Interested students can apply now by visiting www.mehs.us!
Are you interested in speaking at the 2024 Alaska School Safety & Well-Being Summit, happening September 25-26, 2024 at the Egan Civic and Convention Center in Anchorage, Alaska? If so, please fill out the form here!
All applications will be reviewed by the conference planning committee. The deadline to apply is Friday, April 26, 2024 at 5:00 PM AKT.
Presentations should be intended for the following conference audience: Administrators, Teachers, School Counselors/Nurses/Social Workers, Community Partners, School Board Members, Parents, Students.
If you have any questions regarding the event or your submission, please contact the Conference Coordinator, Storme Srisaneha, at storme@goveventservices.com.
Friends and Supporters of the Arts in Alaska,
Thanks to all who were able to join us for the Alaska Cultural Trust Reception last Thursday evening at the Andrew P. Kashevaroff State Library, Archives & Museum Building in Juneau. The Alaska State Council on the Arts and the Alaska Arts & Culture Foundation were delighted to welcome a lively and engaged group of Alaskans for a wonderful gathering. Special thanks to the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF) for supporting the event, and to Alaskan Brewing Company, Specialty Imports, TK Maguire's, the staff at the State Division of Libraries, Archives & Museums, Juneau Poetry Out Loud finalist Lumi Fermin, and guitarist Quinton Woolman-Morgan for all they did to make this a special evening.
We look forward to continuing to work with our fellow Alaskans to make the Alaska Cultural Trust a reality.
Yours gratefully,
Benjamin Brown, Chairman
Alaska State Council on the Arts
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Teacher Certification has made a few changes to the Alaska Reads Endorsement application to simplify the process.
The form has been split into three separate endorsement applications:
If educators complete a DEED offered professional learning course they do NOT need to turn in an application. Their certificate is on record with DEED and the appropriate AK Reads endorsement will be added to their certificate prior to the July 1, 2025, deadline. You will receive an email with a link to TEACH AK where you can view, download, and print your updated certificate.
The Alaska Reads Act Reading Teacher only requires the signature from an administrator or district representative.
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The Teacher Certification Team is hosting virtual informational sessions. Each session will include updates and a question-and-answer session.
Date/Time
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Audience
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Topics
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Registration
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May 1st
1:00 – 2:00 pm
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Districts and Education Preparation Providers
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- Emergency Cert Plan (June 1st)
- TEACH AK online application process.
- AK Reads Act endorsement info.
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May 1st
4:00 – 5:00 pm
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Teachers
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- Certification information for teachers new to Alaska.
- TEACH AK online application process.
- AK Reads Act endorsement info.
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Click here to recommend topics for future sessions.
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The Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO), through its Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), will offer a three-day virtual webinar series on student privacy and data security. The webinar series will provide the education community with opportunities to learn more about the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), data security, data breach preparedness and response, transparency, and more. Register at the links below.
Day 1: FERPA 101 and Data Security Best Practices, April 10, 2024, 2-4pm ET covers the basics of FERPA and provides training on current data security best practices for education data systems.
Day 2: FERPA 201 and Transparency, April 17, 2024, 2-4pm ET dives into scenarios faced by schools and districts and highlights PTAC’s research on transparency.
Day 3: Incident Response and Vetting Educational Technology, April 24, 2024, 2-4pm ET leads participants through a simulated data breach and explores how to assess online educational technology for privacy protections and general FERPA compliance.
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Alaska Center for the Book is seeking nominations for its annual Contributions to Literacy in Alaska (CLIA) Awards. The deadline for nomination is May 15, 2024.
The awards recognize people and groups who have made significant contributions in literacy, the literary arts, or the preservation of the written or spoken word in Alaska. For the CLIA nomination form and information on past winners, visit www.alaskacenterforthebook.org. Nominations are accepted online. The 2024 winners will be honored during Alaska Pacific University’s summer session of the Master of Fine Arts program in July.
The Bond Reimbursement and Grant Review Committee of the Department of Education and Early Development will meet in Juneau on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 10 and 11, 2024. The primary topics of the meeting include review and approval of the FY2026 Capital Improvement Project application and support materials; revisions to the Program Demand Cost Model for Alaska Schools and Life Cycle Cost Analysis Handbook publications; and updates from the design ratios and school space subcommittees. The agenda and meeting packet will be available prior to the meeting on the BRGR Committee webpage.
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There is an opportunity for the public to comment on the draft of a five-year plan titled “Strengthening the System: Alaska’s Comprehensive Integrated Mental Health Program Plan 2025-2029”. The plan encompasses ten focus areas, each with specific objectives and strategies designed to strengthen the system of care. The ten areas of focus are:
- Early Childhood and Youth
- Healthcare
- Economic and Social Wellbeing
- Substance Use Disorder Prevention
- Suicide Prevention
- Protecting Vulnerable Alaskans
- Services in Least Restrictive Environments
- Services in Institutional Settings
- Workforce
- Data
A notable aspect of this plan is its emphasis on prevention and early intervention, which aims to build resilience and address trauma in individuals at risk of developing disabling conditions. The deadline for public comment is April 15, 2024 and can be found here.
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The Department of Education & Early Development, Facilities section, is offering a free workshop on the FY2026 CIP Grant Application on April 26, 2024, at the Atwood Conference Center in Anchorage. This full-day workshop will review the FY2026 capital improvement project application, discuss the changes from prior year applications, offer tips to assist districts in submitting an application that reaches its full scoring potential, and provide an opportunity to ask specific questions on current or upcoming projects. Workshop is open to school district or municipal personnel and interested members of the public.
More information on the CIP Application & Support page.
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) provides access to education funding for students. With historically low rates of FAFSA completion, our students miss out on substantial funding sources to support postsecondary education and workforce needs. In recent years, Alaska high school graduating classes have left over $12 Million in Pell Grant funding unused by not completing the FAFSA. Additionally, Alaska students will not receive the Alaska Performance Scholarship, Alaska Education Grant, and institution-based financial aid awards without completing the FAFSA.
To support FAFSA completion efforts, the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) leads the Alaska FAFSA Completion Initiative. Offering support to increase FAFSA completion including a Reference Guide outlining ACPE’s FAFSA resources and the FAFSA At-A-Glance for students. ACPE delivers its Master the FAFSA Training every Monday and Thursday via Zoom in which attendees become a FAFSA completion resource within their own community. Please visit ACPE’s FAFSA site to review the full suite of resources available to support FAFSA completion efforts in your districts and schools.
Upcoming Meetings
The Commission will meet on April 11-12, 2024 to consider disciplinary actions against certificate holders, to conduct administrative reviews, and to discuss other Commission business.
The public is welcome. The meetings may be in person, but will also be held virtually by Zoom. More information, including a Zoom link, can be found online: PTPC
Learn More!
Have additional questions, concerns, or just want to learn more? Melody Mann, PTPC's Executive Director, is available to present information about PTPC to educators around the state. Send her an email to schedule an informational presentation.
A great deal of the Code for Ethics for Educators is related to professional communication with students, the public and with colleagues. Know your obligations to uphold the Code of Ethics of Educators.
Communication whether in person or via any communications device is expected to be professional, responsible, reasonable, and appropriate.
It’s important to consider how one might have to defend one’s communication as educationally sound, or for student or staff health or safety.
Locate, review, and become familiar with School Board Policy and communication expectations.
DEED is committed to providing information, resources, and leadership to schools, districts, parents, and the public in order to support an excellent education for every student every day. Staff at DEED are engaged in meaningful professional work in support of Alaska’s most valuable resource – its children.
DEED values collaboration and relationship building, creativity and innovation, and mission-driven work guided by the Alaska’s Education Challenge. The daily work environment at DEED is energetic, collaborative, fast paced, and challenging as staff work together to support Alaska’s school districts and students.
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