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Tue May 06, 2008
Foxtales
CELEBRATE SPRING THIS FRIDAY MAY 9th: Hershey’s Track & Field 9:00-11:30, Community Bar-B-Q potluck at about 11:30 AND ceremonial unveiling and dedication of our murals on the gym wall at approximately 1:00. Students will be excused from school after the mural unveiling at approximately 1:30-2:00. Don’t Miss the Fun and the opportunity to be present at a Historic Event!
We need additional volunteers for the Hershey’s Track and Field event to do crowd control and assist Rachel and Susie. We also need tables, volunteers and potluck items for the Bar-B-Q.
Girl Scout Cookies will be on sale at the track meet. The scouts still have Mints and a few Tag a longs, $3.50 per box. Support your local Girl Scouts!
No soccer Friday because of the Hershey Track & Field meet!
Camper Orientation. Thursday morning, 8:30 in the multi-purpose room, there is a mandatory NPS camper orientation for all campers and chaperones who will be going on one of the camping trips this spring.
Staffing News. Annie Mackovjak has accepted the high school English/History teaching job. We are excited to welcome Annie back to Gustavus School! When asked for a statement for the Foxtales Annie replied “Yippee Skippee!” We are still advertising for a Special Education teacher.
Utility Costs. We’re all feeling the pinch of high electric and fuel prices. Just out of curiosity I added up what Gustavus School has paid during this school year so far (Sept.-April):
Electricity:
School: $30,291 (average $3,786/month)
Gym: $9,259 (average $1,157/month)
Total: $39,550 (average $4,943/month)
Heating Fuel:
School: $17,911 (average $2,239/month)
Gym: $19,933 (average $2,492/month)
Total: $37,844 (average $4,731/month)
Water (the school pays .23/gallon to the NPS for water):
$11,077 (average $1,385/month)
Total Utilities (for 8 months): $88,471 (average $11,059/month)
School districts are supposed to place 70% of funding into education directly (staff, materials, etc) and 30% or less for operations and maintenance. Chatham School District has requested waivers due to the astronomical prices of fuel and electricity that our rural sites face.
Congratulations to the winners of last week’s drawing: Cora, Andrew, Aria, Sonny, Kelly, Ferris, Zoe, Alyssa, Xochitl, and Emily. The winning tickets were drawn from among many that students earned for various good deeds.
Girl Scouts will meet this Thursday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. There will be a parent meeting from 4:30 to 4:45 to discuss Resident Camp in Juneau, 4th of July Fundraiser, and 4th of July Parade. We hope to see everyone there!
Encore: Tuesday @ 3:30-4:30, Robotics in the multipurpose room.
WEDNESDAY COMMUNITY BREAKFAST CANCELLED THIS WEEK DUE TO THE CHEF BEING SICK. There will be one last community breakfast next week.
Mon Apr 28, 2008
Foxtales
Whew, Gustavus School was a buzzing beehive of activity last week! Mural painting, opera singing and performing, boating safety program, school trip to Klukwan, job shadowing, Earth Day celebration. . . Every event was successful and lots of fun--thanks to all who helped bring all these opportunities to our school and community.
Klukwan Trip. The 3-5th graders and a few lucky middle/high schoolers flew to Haines on Thursday, then drove up the highway to Klukwan for a cultural celebration. Kelly and Abby say “they had different activities set up for the kids: weaving, beading, carving and storytelling, and they had native foods for lunch. We joined in the native dancing.” Jacob says “it was really, really fun. I did weaving, carving and storytelling. The Tlingit dance was really cool. We had homemade seaweed chips that were salty but good. I didn’t try the herring eggs. The flights were beautiful, we flew really close to the mountaintops.” Stephen says “I painted dancing tools and we went on a tour of the village. We saw the long house and watched carvers. It was really fun.”
MAYDAY STORYHOUR, Thursday, May 1st, 10:45 am at the library. Stories, songs and activities about new beginnings – a new season, new books, new beginnings. All ages are welcome to attend. Toddlers and pre-schoolers, please bring an adult.
It’s the grown-ups’ turn to have fun and paint!--Come to a special art event for adults with our artist-in-residence Sarah Conarro this Wednesday 2:30-4:00.
CELEBRATE SPRING FRIDAY MAY 9th: Hershey’s Track & Field 9:00-12:00, Community Bar-B-Q potluck at noon AND ceremonial unveiling of our murals on the gym wall. Don’t Miss the Fun and the opportunity to be present at a Historic Event!
Staffing News. Billi has accepted a teaching job at Delta Junction for next year. Jessie will move into Billi’s job with the 3rd-5th group. Eric and Ellie have signed contracts for next year. We are currently advertising for two positions, English/History and Special Education. Robyn has accepted a principal position with Denali. We encourage the RSB to continue to fund a Northern District Principal position.
Volleyball: Little Diggers volleyball Saturday mornings 10:00-11:30. Call Mrs. Vandenberg at -2787 for more information.
Congratulations to the winners of last week’s drawing: Chelsea, Sol, Janice, Abby, Nicole, Ferris, Sammy, Rowan, Zoe, Stephen. The winning tickets were drawn from among many that students earned for various good deeds.
WEDNESDAY COMMUNITY BREAKFAST this week: Scrambled eggs, bacon/sausage, tatertots. Thank you Chris and Kara for delicious burritos last week! Join us for breakfast every Wednesday 7:30-8:15. Everyone welcome, donations of food, help or $$ also welcome!
Mon Apr 21, 2008
FOXTALES
Students, Staff, Parents, and Community Members:
I would like to make you aware that this will be my last year working as a District Principal for Chatham School District. I have accepted a position with Denali and will be serving as the K-12 Principal for the Tri-Valley School in Healy.
I am grateful to Superintendent Cortez-Rucker for taking a chance on hiring a “rookie” administrator. These past three years have truly opened my eyes to the many aspects of administration, beyond what I had thought a typical principal’s job entailed. I have found that each site has its own unique characteristics and traits but ALL are committed to doing what’s best for children. I am confident in the abilities of our teachers and staff to continue to provide excellent educational opportunities for your children.
To the community of Gustavus, THANK YOU. I am proud to have been a part of this community. Your support to the school is a critical piece to the noted gains. Your support, whether through volunteering time, presenting to a group, cooking breakfast, serving on the ASC, fundraising, or joining in on an activity, makes our jobs in education much easier. I have high hopes for Gustavus School. The staff is a cohesive group that goes well above and beyond the call of duty. With your assistance this school will continue to thrive.
Again, thank you ONE and ALL.
Sincerely,
Robyn Taylor
HAPPY EARTH DAY!
We are celebrating Earth Day on FRIDAY. The Life Skills class invites everyone to a potluck at school from 11:30-1:00. Also, the class is challenging community members to be car-free on Friday. A prize drawing will be held for everyone who walks, rides a bike or carpools to the potluck. Get creative and figure out how to carry that casserole or salad on a bike! Prizes include gift certificates from local businesses. See you Friday!
OPERA COMES TO GUSTAVUS! Don’t miss Gustavus School’s first Opera Night, tomorrow (Tuesday) at 6:00 pm. The performance will feature Gustavus school students, a professional opera singer from Vienna, Austria and a group of graduate students from Willamette University in Salem Oregon. The performers will share stories and arias, including an operatic retelling from the Alaskan Native tale “KaHaSi and the Loon”. Admission is free! See you there!
HOORAY! Our letter-writing campaign was successful: the legislature appropriated $40,000 for a new school van! Thank you to all who wrote letters!
Advisory School Committee Meeting this Wednesday at 6 pm in the school library. Agenda items include staffing for next year. There is a vacant seat on the committee due to the resignation of Darlene Lee, whom we thank for her service. Gustavus School needs you--Please consider serving!
Klukwan Trip. On Thursday the 3rd-5th graders and a few lucky middle-high schoolers will travel to Klukwan for a cultural celebration. Their travel is being supported by the grant that brought the Willamette group here.
Volleyball: In order to accommodate more students who wish to play “Little Diggers” volleyball, practice has been changed to Saturday morning 10:00-11:30. If you have any questions, please call Mrs. Vandenberg at -2787.
YEARBOOK news. Time to place your order for an ad in this year’s yearbook! The Creative Arts class is working on the yearbook. Anyone interested in advertising please contact Sol Martinez at 697-2323 or 907-723-6972.
Track & Field practice Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:30-4:30 and Wednesdays 2:20-3:30. Call Rachel for more information.
ENCORE: Robotics Tuesdays 3:30-4:30 for ages 10 and up.
“Hang out with Rachel” Mondays 11:30-12:15 during lunch. Rachel will be hanging out in the school library—come chat! Snacks provided!
Congratulations to the winners of last week’s drawing: Chelsea, Sol, Dustin, Naria, Alyssa and Mani. The winning tickets were drawn from among many that students earned for various good deeds.
Boating Safety. Nick True from Alaska State Parks in Haines will come to our school this Wednesday to talk about boating safety. Please bring life jackets.
No Thursday Lunch this week.
WEDNESDAY COMMUNITY BREAKFAST this week: Breakfast Burritos. Thank you Chris and Kara for delicious quiche last week! Join us for breakfast every Wednesday 7:30-8:15. Everyone welcome, donations of food, help or $$ also welcome!
Mon Apr 14, 2008
Letters from Gus Martinez, Elaine Hopson
Memo from Board Chair Gus Martinez:
This weekend the Chatham Regional School Board took action on three matters. We have placed Superintendent Vance Cortez-Rucker on administrative leave effective immediately. We are going to offer a contract to Elaine Hopson as Interim Superintendent. It is our desire to have Mrs. Hopson working for us as early as Tuesday evening, in time for our Scheduled Regional Board meeting. We will also begin a Superintendent’s search as well, with the assistance of the Alaska Association of School Boards.
During the next two days I ask that we continue with the following procedures. Any day to day issues will be dealt with by Robyn Taylor in the Northern half of the district, and with Jeni Mason in the Southern half. If there is something that they need guidance on, I will be available, and I will consult with our board for a final decision. I thank you in advance for working with us during this time of change. We will be seeking input and guidance from all of you as we move forward to finding a new superintendent.
I also would like to thank all the staff for keeping the interest of our children first and foremost during these times. We have a little over a month left; we will finish the year strong thanks to all of you.
Letter from Elaine Hopson:
I am delighted to introduce myself to you and look forward to meeting all of you in the near future. Due to some family medical concerns, I have been required here in Juneau the past week so did not get to touch base with you as soon as I would have liked. We will make up for lost time when I do get the opportunity to meet with you. I have attached a copy of my resume so you can see my lifelong career as an educator.
On Thursday, April 17, 2008, I will be going to Anchorage to attend the Job Fair with both Jeni Mason and Robyn Taylor. I realize there is some uncertainty regarding a few positions and we will certainly try to clear that up and solidify positions as quickly as possible. Because of the timeline for the return of contracts, we will be unable to make final decision for some positions until Sunday, April 20, 2008. However, we are aware of how difficult these uncertainties can be. Please bear with me.
Jeni, Robyn (by phone), and Terry Dierick met on Friday, April 11, 2008, and reviewed the budget. Although the figures are not all finalized, it is clear that we may not be able to do all we would like to do but that is a normal situation. The good news is that it does appear we can continue the good work that is currently going on and work together to look at opportunities where we can work together to do more.
At the Board meeting on April 8, 2008, many individuals from your communities as well as staff members shared concerns and issues. I assure you that these will be addressed and we can come up with some workable solutions and/or directions in which to move. I have heard many good things about each of the communities and the staffs and that is what it takes to progress toward our goal of educating children by meeting their needs.
Again, I so look forward to meeting all of you as soon as possible. As soon as I learn a few names, places, dates, concerns, activities and hopes, I will be working together with you to make the Chatham School District all that it can be.
Foxtales
Welcome back from “spring” break! (This is spring??) We’re into the homestretch now—only 30 days of school left! Let’s finish off the year strong!
The schedule for the rest of the year has changed due to our Artist in Residence program. The new schedule is enclosed.
District News: As many of you are aware, there has been a lot of turmoil in the district in recent weeks involving superintendent Vance Rucker and the Regional School Board. See the enclosed letters from board chair Gus Martinez and new interim superintendent Elaine Hopson. Thank you to our excellent board members Lynette Hart and Gus Martinez for all their help and hard work during this difficult period. If you would like to get involved and help our school, please consider serving on the Advisory School Committee. Call Robyn or any ASC member for more information. One piece of very good news: Robyn was offered a contract for next year.
FOLK FEST! Congratulations to Aishu, Sophie, Xochitl, Stephen, Cassandra, Rowan, Jonah, Clayton, Jacob and of course Ellie for their great performance at the Folk Festival on Saturday. Forty-two students from Gustavus, Haines, Mosquito Lake, Klukwan, Hoonah, Sitka, and Juneau performed a 15-minute set of traditional fiddle tunes. The musicians also played a set at the Juneau Pioneer’s Home. Special thanks to Ellie Sharman and Liz Falvey for all their work setting this up and securing a grant to partially cover travel expenses. Sophie says “It was really, really fun! We got to hear some great music and we made new friends.”
Congratulations to Kelly Nemeth for a good showing at the state geography bee! She represented our school very well.
Artist in the Schools. Artist Sarah Conarro will lead K-12 students in the design, painting and installation of an outdoor mural to beautify the gym. Students should bring paint clothes to put on over their school clothes. Thanks again to Ellie for all her work pulling together this great opportunity for our students.
Testing. Thanks to students and parents for excellent work during SBA testing.
YEARBOOK news. Time to place your order for an ad in this year’s yearbook! The Creative Arts class is working on the yearbook. Anyone interested in advertising please contact Sol Martinez at 697-2323 or 907-723-6972.
Track & Field practice Mondays 3:30-4:30 and Wednesdays 2:20-3:20. Call Rachel for more information.
ENCORE NEWS: Robotics Tuesdays 3:30-4:30 for ages 10 and up.
“Hang out with Rachel” Mondays 11:30-12:15 during lunch. Rachel will be hanging out in the school library—come chat! Snacks provided!
Congratulations to the winners of last week’s drawing: Aishu, Naria, Rachael, Ida, Mariah and Janice. The winning tickets were drawn from among many that students earned for various good deeds.
Boating Safety. Nick True from Alaska State Parks in Haines will come to our school April 23rd to talk about boating safety.
Thursday Lunch: Thursday lunch has changed because the Life Skills class no longer meets in the mornings. However, as long as our volunteers and food hold out, we will be offering a la carte items for lunch on Thursdays. This week: grilled cheese sandwiches, $2 each.
WEDNESDAY COMMUNITY BREAKFAST this week: Chef’s surprise. Thank you Chris and Kara for delicious biscuits & gravy last week! Join us for breakfast every Wednesday 7:30-8:15. Everyone welcome, donations of food, help or $$ also welcome!
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