The Rapids Report
November 4th, 2024
Dear STrEaM Families, parents and guardians,
One Big Thing: Tuesday is a remote learning day. Students will have projects to complete!
Principal Mokelke
Key information in this Rapids Report:
Dates to mark on your calendar
11/5 Remote learning day. No in-person school for ASD.
Friends of STrEaM needs ‘snack’ food donations (see below for ideas)
Dates for your Family Calendar:
11/5 Tuesday: Election Day and Remote Learning (Project Day for STrEaM)
11/12 Yearbook artwork contest deadline
11/13 APC Meeting 5:30 PM
12/18 8th grade Cardboard Boat Regatta 8:30 - 11:30am TREK to West Pool
🎨Yearbook Cover Art Contest
Do you want your artwork featured as the cover of the 2024-2025 yearbook? Submit artwork to Ms. Wesley by November 12th for a chance to leave your mark!
Emergency Closures & Remote Learning Days
STrEaM students participate in grade-level Project-Based Learning activities prepared by grade-level teams. Paper copies are provided to students, and optional electronic versions are made available on Canvas. On the day of the closure, plans and Zoom links are emailed to parents and posted to Canvas for students who wish to use the electronic version and/or join a Zoom. If you need to reach the school, email or call 907 742-9002 and leave a voice message.
Schedule
By 8:30 AM Grade-Level Teams will email families and post to Canvas about plans and links for the day
10:00-11:00 Grade-Level Zooms OPTIONAL for students.. Links will be emailed and posted to Canvas.
2:30-3:30 Math Support Zoom OPTIONAL for students. All are welcome. Link will be emailed and posted to Canvas.
👀 Academic Policy Committee (APC)
What is the APC? Each charter school within ASD is governed by an elected board called the Academic Policy Committee. STrEaM’s APC consists of parents, community members, a teacher liaison, and founders. The principal serves as CEO, advisor and sole employee of the APC.
The APC meets the second Wednesday of the month from 5:30 to 7:30 to discuss and vote on a variety of school topics ranging from approving academic plans to ensuring STrEaM’s mission and vision are fulfilled. The next meeting is November 13th and everyone is welcome to join any meeting to listen to the discussion. If you’d like to gain a more in depth understanding of our school and guide the future success of Anchorage STrEaM Academy consider joining the APC.
⛷️ Cross Country Skiing starts in January!
The next district sport is volleyball, which started last week at neighborhood middle schools. We do not have volleyball at STrEaM, but our students have the right to participate in any sport not hosted by our charter school by registering at their zoned middle school.
We will start collecting paperwork for XC Skiing in early December. Practices start Thursday, 01/09/2025. Students need to have a current physical on file, pay the $110.00 fee on Parent Connect and have a participation form turned in to the front office in order to be on the team. SPORTS INFORMATION
🏥 Health Updates
Health Screening for STrEaM: Wednesday 11/6 we will be conducting vision, hearing and growth screenings. Please send your students with their glasses to school. Should you have any questions regarding these ASD/state mandated screenings, please reach out
Wishing you well ~ Nurse Bethany zimpelman_bethany@asdk12.org
Friends of STrEaM (FOS) Lunch Program
FOS organizes free lunch for students who are hungry. We are so thankful for the outpouring of donations that help to make this possible! Thank you to our business partner, Clarion Suites Downtown, and the many families who have donated lunch and snack supplies.
Students who receive a free lunch get a protein (sandwich), a fruit (varies) and a snack food. Ideas for snack food donations: individual servings of chips, granola bars, trail mix, goldfish crackers, pretzels, fig bars, etc. Just about anything a middle school student would enjoy.
We served 75 lunches in August and in September 303 lunches. We continue to serve between 18 and 28 lunches every day. Thank you.
PHONE POLICY
DAILY PROCESS
As students arrive at school, they will:
Turn their phone on airplane mode or power off
Place their phone inside their pouch and secure it in the presence of school staff
Store their pouch in their backpack for the day
At the end of the day, students will unlock their pouch, remove their phone and put their pouch in their backpack.
Students must bring their pouch to school with them each day, and students are responsible for keeping their pouch clean and dry.
Math Support @ STrEaM
Advisory on Tuesday/Thursday with Mrs.Olendorff (8th graders) or Mr. Bahner (6-7th graders). Select students identified by teachers are invited, and other students may attend as requested.
Midday break on Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday with Mrs. Olendorff (grades 6-8). Any student may attend as often as needed. This option (during the lunchtime break) provides an additional 30 minutes of math work time.
Pull-outs during periods 5, 6, 7 with Mrs. Olendorff (grades 6-8). Only by recommendation from a math teacher. Mrs. Olendorff will email you if your student will be scheduled for this option.
📚Battle of the Books
Calling all readers! We invite you to join the STrEaM Battle of the Books (BOB) team this year. We will have two groups, a 6th grade group and a 7th/8th grade (Middle School) group. The STrEaM library has multiple copies of each title for both lists. You can also use the public library system, check them out electronically, or even check out audiobook versions! Permission forms are available electronically on our website or by clicking this link PERMISSION. Practice began in September and continues after school through February. Please plan on picking up your student promptly at the end of practice each Wednesday. Contact BOB coaches if you want to join us: Mr. Bahner and Mrs. Lojewski
STrEaM Gear
STrEaM Gear Store - Show off your school spirit in your own style and size! Wednesday is ALWAYS School Spirit Day!
LEFT & FOUND
Label all items. If your student is missing something, please have them check the LEFT & FOUND box. It is located just past the main lobby at the top of the main stairwell. We neatly lay items out for students to collect, and we help to return items with name tags. When the collection is FULL of items with no name tags, we have to donate items to charities because we do not have adequate storage space.
Thank you for being a part of the ASA family!
Adam Mokelke, Principal mokelke_adam@asdk12.org
Emily Smith, Assistant Principal smith_emily@asdk12.org
Sylvia Biondich, Administrative Asst. biondich_sylvia@asdk12.org
Jessica McCalvy, Secretary mccalvy_jessica@asdk12.org
Bethany Zimpelman, Itinerant Nurse zimpleman_bethany@asdk12.org
Chris Krejca, Special Education krejca_christine@asdk12.org
