Association of Alaska School Boards

E-NEWS

...your dues at work.

A weekly digest of education news for Alaska's School Board Members.

Association of Alaska School Boards, 1111 West 9^th St., Juneau, AK 99801. Tel.

907-586-1083, Fax 907-586-2995. Carl Rose, Executive Director,

crose@aasb.org: John Greely, Editor, jgreely@aasb.org. Review past issues of

the E-News on the AASB Website at <http://www.aasb.org>. To unsubscribe send an email stating the same to jgreely@aasb.org.

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Sponsored by Alaska Public Entity Insurance Co. <http://www.akpei.com>

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AASB E-News

August 23, 2007

--SENATE BILL LOOKS TO KEEP KIDS IN SCHOOL

--KNIK ELEMENTARY OPENS ON SCHEDULE

--A FIELD OF DREAMS IN THE FAR NORTH

--ALASKA LEADS THE WAY BY GETTING FISH ON SCHOOL MENUS

--MYSPACE LAUNCHES INTERENT SAFETY CAMPAIGN

--GERMAN IMMERSION SCHOOL A FIRST FOR ALASKA

--SCHOOL WELLNESS INSTITUTE SLATED FOR SEPT. 19-21

--MAGNA AWARDS DEADLINE APPROACHING

SENATE BILL LOOKS TO KEEP KIDS IN SCHOOL

At what age should a child be able to say, “I’m not going back to school?” Under Alaska’s compulsory age law, it’s 16, but an increasing number of states are raising that age to 17 or 18. Senate Bill 14 would increase the compulsory age in Alaska to 18. See full story here:

http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=6949691

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KNIK ELEMENTARY OPENS ON SCHEDULE

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District and borough government have pulled off the near impossible. The district opened the doors on Knik Elementary School this week, a school that wasn’t planned or designed until about two years ago. See full story here:

http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=6959132

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A FIELD OF DREAMS IN THE FAR NORTH

Grass doesn’t grow easily at the top of the world. Last year, the Barrow High School football team played its home games on a field of gravel. But this season, thanks to the efforts of a woman half a world away, the gravel is gone and in its place is a new turf field, bringing along with it a new feeling of hope. See full story here:

http://www.ktuu.com/global/story.asp?s=6959158

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ALASKA LEADS THE WAY BY GETTING FISH ON SCHOOL MENUS

Getting fish into the nation’s school lunch program is tough enough – making sure it is top quality and tasty is an even bigger challenge. A few Alaska schools and seafood companies are showing the rest of America how it’s done. See full story here:

http://www.adn.com/money/industries/fishing/story/9231519p-9147270c.html

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MYSPACE LAUNCHES INTERNET SAFETY CAMPAIGN

MySpace.com, the leading social networking and lifestyle portal for connecting with friends and discovering culture, announces the launch of an Internet safety campaign with the publication and distribution of Parents and School Administrators’ Guides to Internet Safety. The launch, a strategic partnership with Seventeen Magazine, the National School Board Association and the National Association of Independent Schools, supports the third annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month in October, a nationwide effort to educate Internet users about safe online practices. See full news release here:

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/MySpace+Launches+Internet+Safety+Campaign+with+Parents'+and+School...-a0154338455

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GERMAN IMMERSION SCHOOL A FIRST FOR ALASKA

When Davina Sunkel heard a German school was about to open in Anchorage, she and her husband didn’t waste much time. They packed their belongings in Fairbanks and moved south with their two daughters. “I was born in Germany…Most of my family is still over there, so I wanted my kids to learn the language. I couldn’t do it alone. I wasn’t going to miss this chance.” Many parents who showed up Wednesday for the opening of Rilke charter school, Alaska’s first German immersion program, had the same idea. See full story here:

http://www.adn.com/news/education/story/9244071p-9159417c.html

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SCHOOL WELLNESS INSTITUTE SLATED FOR SEPT. 19-21

Sign up now for the Alaska School Wellness Institute on September 19-21, 2007, to be held at the BP Energy Center in Anchorage.

The institute will provide information about school wellness topics including school nutrition and physical activity, tobacco prevention policy and programs, school employee wellness, and others.

There will be an array of presenters including hands-on training provided by the Rocky Mountain Center for Health Promotion and Education.

This year’s institute will feature Dr. Margo Wootan, Director of Nutrition Policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, who will speak about getting junk food out of schools.

The institute is designed for school district teams including school board members, administrators, teachers, PTA/PTO members, school nurses and others. It is sponsored by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services, and the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development.

Professional development credits will be offered. There is no cost for attending the institute but space is limited. Register at www.signup4.com/swi07 <http://www.signup4.com/swi07> A limited number of travel scholarships are available.

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MAGNA AWARDS DEADLINE APPROACHING

There's still time to spotlight your school district. The deadline for entering the 2008 Magna program is October 1. Presented by American School Board Journal, with the generous support of Sodexho School Services, Magna 2008 recognizes school boards that are taking bold and creative steps to advance student learning through programs developed or actively supported by the school board.

A distinguished panel of independent judges will select up to two dozen honorees from three enrollment categories: under 5,000; 5,000-20,000; and over 20,000.

Nomination forms are available online at http://www.asbj.com/magna <http://www.magnetmail1.net/ls.cfm?r=40370250&sid=2677318&m=351530&u=NSBA_ASBJ&s=http://www.asbj.com/magna> . But remember: All nominations must be made by October 1.

Questions?
Please contact Margaret Suslick at msuslick@nsba.org <mailto:msuslick@nsba.org> or at 703-838-7639.

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Association of Alaska School Boards

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Association of Alaska School Boards

1111 West 9^th Street, Juneau, Alaska 99801-1510 Tel. 907-586-1083

Fax 907-586-2995 Email: aasb@aasb.org

Website: http://www.aasb.org