Bond Reimbursement and Grant Review Committee Meeting
The Bond Reimbursement and Grant Review Committee will meet via teleconference from 1 – 4 p.m. on Tuesday, December 3, 2024.
The committee's agenda and meeting packet will be available online prior to the meeting on the committee’s website education.alaska.gov/Facilities/BRGR).
The primary topics of the meeting include presentation of the FY2026 Capital Improvement Project Initial Agency Ranking and subcommittee reports.
Audio Teleconference through the free online Zoom application.
Join the meeting now Meeting ID: 828 0966 7805
Join by Phone - +1 253 215 8782, United States Find a local number
Individuals, or groups with disabilities, who require specific accommodations to participate should contact Michael Butikofer at 907-465-6906 or michael.butikofer@alaska.gov by Noon on Friday, November 29, 2024, so arrangements can be made.
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The LETRS for Early Childhood Educators course filled quickly. If you would like to add your name to a waitlist, if current registrants drop, please click here.
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District early education programs who have been in operation for at least three years and have implemented the Alaska Early Education Program Standards are encouraged to submit an EEP-ADM application. Approved districts will be eligible to include 4- and 5-year-old preschool students in the average daily membership count for formula funding.
Application due May 15, 2025
Submit the Intent to Apply form to get started.
Technical assistance webinars: December 3, 9:00-10:00 and December 5, 1:00-2:00.
Click the links to register.
*Completing the intent to apply form does not obligate a district to apply.
*Those who have an unfinished application from last year should email jayne.mcfarland@alaska.gov directly.
Is your district planning to apply for the Early Education Program Grant or Approval for 0.5 ADM/Formula Funding? If so, consultation with all Head Start agencies operating within the district is required.
Access consultation forms and guidance at https://education.alaska.gov/forms/05-24-031.docx
Visit the Early Learning Programs Page for more information about the EEP Grant and EEP-ADM funding, or e-mail jayne.mcfarland@alaska.gov
Threat Assessment Team - Support
Does your school have a Threat Assessment Team (TAT)?
A TAT creates a detailed plan on how to identify and address students in danger of hurting themselves and others. There are two upcoming one-hour sessions being held as a follow up to a half-day post School Safety and Wellbeing Summit Day. Kyra Meyer, Ph.D., and Lieutenant Scott McCumby developed procedures that include documents and processes that are in alignment with Alaska Statutes and have been used in Valdez, Alaska successfully. Even if you didn’t attend the session in September, these sessions can be a valuable start to developing a solid team to help students and the school community. Reach out to pat.sidmore@alaska.gov if you have questions.
Join Zoom Meeting:
December 9, 2024, 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83737397534?pwd=d95lKwLwirQfUQpKlcabqm1zWCKMlV.1
Meeting ID: 837 3739 7534
Passcode: 707238
 Pictured from left: Alaska CTE Team Brad Billings, Sheila Box, Felicia Swanson, Bjorn Wolter
DEED employee Felicia Swanson is among awardees at the Alaska ACTE Conference.
The Alaska Association for Career and Technical Education (Alaska ACTE) is a professional organization dedicated to ensuring that all Alaskan students have access to quality career and technical education courses through leadership, professional development and advocacy to Alaskan educators who provide these opportunities to students.
Each October Alaska ACTE hosts a statewide Professional Development Conference (PDC) for CTE professionals from all over the state.
At the October PDC Alaska, ACTE presents 5 statewide CTE Awards. This year, Felicia Swanson of the Department’s CTE Team earned the CTE Leadership Award for 2024-2025.
Felicia has worked with DEED just shy of 26 years; the majority being with CTE. Her favorite part about working with Career and Technical Education professionals is learning about all the amazing projects CTE teachers are doing with their students.
The other awardees at this year’s conference were:
Rex Hammer, Alaska Gateway School District – Innovative CTE Program
Zachary Schneider, Yupiit School District – New CTE Teacher of the Year
Noel Bowe, Bristol Bay Region CTE – Counseling and Career Development
Brian Cook, Mat-Su Borough School District – CTE Teacher of the Year
Congratulations and thanks to all awardees!
 The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) has developed a free, teacher-facilitated curriculum designed to meet the Alaska Safe Children’s Act requirements for students in grades 7-12. This comprehensive and user-friendly curriculum focuses on preventing violence and promoting healthy relationships by addressing topics like dating violence, abusive behaviors, fostering positive relationship habits, and community resources. Developed with input from school districts and national experts, the curriculum offers engaging, developmentally appropriate content through interactive learning experiences, ensuring consistent and effective education for students across Alaska.
As an added bonus--to support schools with implementing this curriculum, the 2024 ASCA Curriculum Committee developed implementation guides for teachers and schools & districts.”
“If Bree’s Law curriculum was not offered, I think many students would not be aware that they have power to stand up for themselves when someone crosses their boundaries. I think they might always be hesitant to tell someone because they may not know that this is an option. Just knowing that they have the right to do these things is powerful.” – Educator in Alaska
For more information reach out to EED.AlaskaSafeChildrensAct@alaska.gov
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Professional Boundaries and the PTPC |
The Professional Teaching Practices Commission’s intent is to serve as a preventative and
positive force in helping to enhance the professional performance of all educators so that the public’s right to the best education possible for all of Alaska’s students is adequately protected.
https://education.alaska.gov/ptpc/pdf/Professional%20Boundaries%20and%20the%20PTPC.pdf
https://education.alaska.gov/ptpc/pdf/Communication%20and%20PTPC.pdf
Melody Mann (she/her)
Executive Director
Professional Teaching Practices Commission
https://education.alaska.gov/ptpc
I can be reached between 8-4:30 weekdays. Contact me to schedule an appointment.
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The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released the Anonymized Threat Response Guidance: A Toolkit for K-12 Schools, a new resource to help kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) schools and their law enforcement and community partners create tailored approaches to addressing anonymous threats of violence, including those received on social media. The toolkit outlines steps school leaders can take to assess and respond to anonymous threats, better prepare for, and prevent future threats, and work in coordination with law enforcement and other local partners when threats arise. |
The toolkit emphasizes six key strategies for schools to consider when addressing anonymous threats:
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Build awareness about reporting to detect threats early and deter future threats.
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Develop a partnership structure that will help address threats. This includes school administrators, law enforcement personnel and mental health professionals.
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Engage law enforcement to manage threat situations and decide when to scale response actions up or down.
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Balance initial response steps to ensure the campus is safe. Most critically, treat each threat as credible, and from there, work with necessary partners to determine how to approach an immediate response.
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When appropriate, tap into multidisciplinary threat assessment teams to support interventions and expedite response if the subject who made the threat becomes known.
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Take steps throughout the school year to prepare for threats. Establish a response protocol and practice other types of emergency management activities, such as training exercises for staff.
Alaska Society for Technology in Education (ASTE) Conference 2025
ASTE 2025 will be at the Hotel Captain Cook on February 15-18, 2025. The ASTE Board for 2024-2025, under the direction of President Anthony White, has selected "StoryBytes" as the theme:
“At ASTE 2025, dive into a unique educational technology experience designed to enhance your skills and inspire new ideas. Explore a range of registration options to fit your goals. Register now and embark on a journey of storytelling, innovation, and transformation.”
The Call for Proposal to Present for the conference is now open through November 15, 2024. Registration will open after the schedule is finalized so participants can register and sign up for sessions at the same time. Please visit www.aste.org/conference for more information.
 The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) are the top honors bestowed by the U.S. Government to K-12 STEM teachers. Each year, up to 110 outstanding educators from across the country may be recognized by the White House for their passion, dedication, and impact in the classroom.
Learn more about this prestigious award, and how nominating a teacher for PAEMST can change their life.
Keys to Literacy Professional Development
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Keys to Literacy: Keys to Beginning Reading course
Alaska Department of Education & Early Development (DEED) is excited to announce a new K-3 Alaska Reads Act course. A Keys to Literacy asynchronous course is now live and available on Alaska DEED’s e-learning platform.
This course is approved by the DEED to meet the regulatory statute requirements outlined in the Alaska Reads Act. Upon successful completion of this course, educators must submit their course certificate to AK Teacher Certification to add the K-3 AK Reads Act Reading Endorsement to their Teacher Certificate.
Keys to Beginning Reading is a 45-hour course designed by Keys to Literacy founder Joan Sedita, and tailored specifically for Alaska educators. It is a practical course that provides the background knowledge needed to teach all the components of beginning reading instruction. The instructional practices are designed to easily transfer to classroom lessons and can be integrated with any reading curriculum or published reading program.
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