Letters to Kenya

February 2019

Dr. Ashley and Ms. Laura-Ashlee!

After the magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit Alaska on November 30th, STrEaM Academy teachers planned a wide range of lessons and activities designed to allow students to explore and process the event. In 6th grade Language Arts, Ms. Twiford’s students wrote letters which told their personal accounts and experiences. She was looking for an audience to receive these letters and started a conversation with Dr. Don Ashley, a Wayland Baptist University professor. Their collaboration would end up connecting and positively impacting students on separate continents, providing deep and valuable learning experiences. 

Dr. Ashley brings letters to Kenya

Dr. Ashley was planning a trip to Kenya in his role as director of Wayland’s degree program there when Ms. Twiford approached him about the earthquake letters. They discussed the possibility of students in Kenya reading letters written by STrEaM students, realizing the potential for a connection spanning two different worlds. Dr. Ashley volunteered to bring the letters to a local Kenyan school. On January 16th he hand delivered the letters to a standard-six class (US sixth grade) at Enkereri Primary School in Lolgorian, Kenya. This school is located in the Masai Tribal area near the Masai Mara National Reserve. The Reserve is home to lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, zebra, wildebeest, and rhinoceros among many other species. The Masai tribe manage this area that is adjacent to Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. 

Students in Kenya were excited to hear from students in Alaska, and responded by writing letters back to STrEaM. In February, Dr. Ashley presented to Ms. Twiford’s class about the school and culture in Kenya. STrEaM students were fascinated to hear about children from another culture, in another country, living vastly different lives from theirs. Dr. Ashley showed students pictures and slides, along with Masais artifacts including a spear and shield. What began as an earthquake reflection exercise has grown into a pen-pal partnership across continents, as Ms. Twiford’s students are now writing responses back to the students at Enkerei School.

Budget impacts

February 15th, 2019

Dear STrEaM friends and families,

Most of you are aware of Governor Dunleavy's proposed budget for FY20, which includes a $330M (25%) cut to public education funding.

I shared with our staff and APC (board) that the proposed FY20 budget would reduce funding for ASA by over $370,000. We take great pride in budgeting our money very carefully to meet our mission and vision. A cut in funding of this magnitude would drastically reduce our services and programs, and a decimate chances of building our own facility.

The proposed budget would reduce our funding by almost 25%. Total for salaries and benefits, and our facility lease with Wayland Baptist, adds up to $1.6M while our projected funding would be just under $1.5M.  Our program would be scaled back in every area, class sizes increased, TREKs reduced, and vacant positions unfilled. While we have carefully reserved funds in hopes of financing a future STrEaM facility, this cut would likely cause us to use that reserve and set us back, perhaps permanently, in our quest for our own building. Funding from the State does not currently include charter school facilities at all.

Although this is very serious, I also believe in being positive and doing the best we can with what we have. Whatever the funding we are provided, ASA will continue to serve kids and meet our mission and vision to the best of our abilities. We will be positive and proactive in our approach and how we respond to this. It is important to note this is just the beginning, a first step in the budget process.

Passing a budget is a long and involved process. It will go through subcommittees, then finance committees. The House passes a budget then sends it on to the Senate. Once both House and Senate agree on and approve a budget, it is sent to the Governor to review and sign, including line item veto power.

My goal is to provide information, allowing everyone to make their own decisions and form their own opinions. Whatever your beliefs or stance, our political process allows you to influence those you elect. Let your voice be heard on this matter. You can find contact information for your legislator here: http://akleg.gov/docs/pdf/session_phone_list.pdf 

Thank you,

Principal Mokelke