Parent letter week of 9/30

September 28th, 2019
Dear parents and families,

October is perhaps the busiest month in schools each year. There is so much happening, and it will go fast. We have a TREK,  3 straight weeks with no school on Friday, X-C championships, Women in Science night, Student-led conferences, the end of the 1st quarter and our "I Am" celebration. WHEW! Please watch the announcements and Rapids Reports for updates.

Parent communication is always an important focus. If you appreciate how staff are sharing information or find anything particularly helpful, please let them know! Teacher often get feedback on what is not working and rarely on what works. As with teaching our students, we know positive reinforcement is far more effective!

This week we have a X-C meet at Kincaid, with busses leaving at 4 PM and races starting at 5:30. On Friday, we have a TREK to Kincaid park for a day of outdoor activity. Please treat these days like regular school days: they are essential to our program, count for attendance, build skills and relationships, and should not be seen as optional.

Homework comes up often. We DO believe in homework (done properly) and we DO assign homework. We strive to keep it minimal, connected directly to learning, and practice of skills (not busy work or new concepts) or extension of projects. Check with individual teachers on homework, extensions and projects students should be doing at home. As always, we believe every day students should read, then go outside and play!

Thank you for choosing STrEaM and supporting our program. As always, I want parents to call, email or come by with questions or concerns.

Click for the link to the Rapids Report for this week

Thank you,
Adam Mokelke, servant leader

"I Am" Project information

2019 "I Am" Project update and information 

September 2019

Dear Parents and Families,

Our second annual school-wide “I Am” project is underway! Students are working in grade-level teams every Wednesday developing their projects.

This project culminates Wednesday October 30th at 5 PM in the auditorium with our “I Am” celebration. “I Am” projects will be on display, and families are invited to join us and bring a cultural or family dish to share potluck-style.

6th Grade “I Am” Projects (Mrs. Staker, Ms. Draeger, Ms. Gabel):

Personal Crest and Motto

Essential Question: Who am I as a person (origin, interests) and where did I come from?

Activities: Name art, name poem, crest and motto, map, I Am Poem, flag, optional activities (recipe, musical or theatrical performance, etc.)

Deadlines:
  9/11 Name Poem and Name Art
9/18 Crest and Motto
9/25 Map
10/2 I Am Poem
10/9 Flag
10/16 Books assembled
10/30 Project complete with optional activities planned and ready to present

Products: Final book with all required activities (excluding optional activities)

7th Grade “I Am” Projects (Ms. Kotelman, Mr. Holsopple, Mr. Bierer):

Essential Question: What are the building blocks of my identity?

Activities: Story of your name writing and interview, “I contain multitudes” article annotation & personal connections, parts of me in percentages, silhouettes and illustrations of what makes me ‘me,’ artist statement, personal memoir, cover art

Deadlines:
  9/18: Parts of Me pie chart completed
9/25: Parts of Me abstract artwork completed
9/25: Artist Statement completed
10/09: Mini-memoirs completed
10/09: Cover art completed
10/30: Entire project completed and ready to share

Products: Pie charts, abstract art, artist statement, personal memoir, cover art

8th Grade “I Am” Projects (Mrs. Smith, Ms. Goodman, Mr. Perkins):

Essential Question: Where am I going in 5 years?

Activities: Haiku, Poem, Mind Mirror, Learning Styles Preference Survey and discussions, discussion/presentation with counselor, categories of a 5 year plan (social/emotional, school/college, career, physical location, other goals), Agamograph for Where I Am Vs. Where I’m Going, multimedia video explaining a 5 year plan.

Deadlines:  
Due 9/18: Haiku, Poem, Mind Mirror, Learning Styles Preference Survey, Agamograph for Where I Am
Due 9/25: Agamograph for Where I Am Vs. Where I’m Going
Due 10/2: Started on video
Due 10/16: At least half of video
Due 10/23: Video due (and everything else should already be completed)

Main “BIG” Products: Final Draft of Where I’m Going Poem, Agamograph for Where I Am Vs. Where I’m Going + multimedia video explaining a 5 year plan.

If you have any questions please contact one of the teachers on your child’s grade-level team. We are striving to have great “I Am” products on display for the final event.

We look forward to seeing parents and families on October 30th!

Thank you,
Adam Mokelke
Principal

Rapids Report and parent letter 9/13

9-13-19

Dear STrEaM Families,

Happy Friday! We just completed week 4 and are halfway through first quarter. So far your child has been engaged in high-quality learning, multiple class projects, started "I Am" projects on Wednesdays, conducted engineering challenges, gone outdoors to several local parks, and TREK'ed to Arctic Valley. WHEW! 

We pack in a LOT of learning at ASA. If you ever want to know more about what is happening please:

• Log into ParentConnect from the ASD website or app
• Visit our website https://www.asdk12.org/STrEaM and Facebook page 
• Email or visit teachers (contact info on our web site)
• Ask your child to log on to their Google Classroom and show you their classes
• Text the message @streamac to the number 81010 to sign up for REMIND

We offer several chances to come together, view student work and visit with us. Please see our calendar on the website for all events!  Highlights include:

• "I Am" Showcase and potluck October 30th, 5 PM in the auditorium. Bring a family or cultural dish!
• Semester 1 Student Showcase December 16th
• Semester 2 Student Showcase in May 2020
• We will host Student-Led Conferences on October 23rd and 24th, and again in February. 

Events coming up soon:

• Picture day September 24th. Forms went home today!
• Kincaid TREK October 4th. Permission slips went home today as well!!
• Cross country meets tonight at Service, then on 9/19, 9/25, 10/2, 10/8, and 10/10. 

Communication and feedback is very important to us. Thank you to everyone who took our recent survey. I presented this data to the APC and will be sharing with staff next week. We love the positive feedback, and appreciate the suggestions on how we can improve! Please know my door is always open, as well as phone an email, to parents. 

Thanks for your support,

Adam Mokelke, Principal

RAPIDS REPORT FOR 9/16-9/20

Monday 9/16:    Full Schedule Day, Periods 1-7

• LUNCH 11:45-12:15, Dismissal 3:00 
• Drop off after 7:30 AM, please pick up by 3:30 PM 
• X-C Running practice 3:00-4:30, meet in room 6

Tuesday 9/17:     “A” Block Schedule Day, Periods 1, 2, 3 and Elective

• LUNCH 11:15-11:45, Dismissal 3:00 
• Drop off after 7:30 AM, please pick up by 3:30 PM 
• X-C Running practice 3:15-4:30, room 6
• Robotics club 3:15-4:30

Wednesday 9/18:         Early Release day @ 12:00

• “I AM” PROJECTS
• X-C Running Practice 7 AM
• MAP TEST MAKE UPS
• Lunch 11:30-12:00 in Advisory
• Dismissal 12:00 pick up by 12:30 please

Thursday 9/19:  “B” Block Day periods 4, 5, 6 and Advisory

• LUNCH 11:15-11:45, Dismissal 3:00 
• Drop off after 7:30 AM, Please pick up by 3:30 PM 
• X-C Running MEET at Kincaid 5:30 PM
• Friday 9/20:    Full Schedule Day, Periods 1-7
• LUNCH 11:45-12:15, Dismissal 3:00. Please pick up by 3:30 PM  
• X-C Running practice 3:15-4:30, room 6

Friday 9/20:    Full Schedule Day, Periods 1-7

• LUNCH 11:45-12:15, Dismissal 3:00 
• Please pick up by 3:30 PM  
• X-C Running practice 3:15-4:30, room 6

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• We have seats open in 7th and 8th grade- call 742-9000 for an appointment
• Only the “Healthy Goodness” vending machine is ok for student use
• APC (board) seats open this fall! Election in October. Call or email
• NO SCHOOL 10/11, 10/18, 10/25 (NOTICE 10/11 is unique to STrEaM)
• 10/30 5 PM “I AM” celebration and showcase: please bring a cultural or family dish to share!

Parent letter update 9/3/19

September 3rd, 2019

Dear Parents and Families, 

We have a short but busy week ahead! As we head into September, here are some important updates for this week and the near future. 

Tomorrow (Wednesday) we have an assembly at 8 AM. We will recognize students who have been outstanding thus far and review our safety protocol ALICE (ALERT, LOCKDOWN, INFORM, COUNTER AND EVACUATE.) We will hold our first evacuation to our "rally point" in Muldoon Park.  Throughout the year we will review and practice aspects of the ALICE protocol in order to be prepared for threats and emergencies.

Our annual Arctic Valley TREK is this Friday, September 6th. Students will choose their level of activity for hiking and berry picking. Students be prepared to be outside for the day and will need a backpack, full water bottle, sack cold lunch (there will not be access to a microwave), hiking shoes, and layers for the weather. Buses will leave at 9 am and return at 1:30 pm. Students will be released at 3:00 as usual. We are still looking for parent chaperones. If you are interested, please contact gatlin_megan@asdk12.org or Mrs. Biondich at 742-9000. 

There are three vending machines in lobby. However, only one of them is approved for student use. It is labeled “Hello Goodness” and has district-approved healthy snacks and drinks. We do not allow soda or energy drinks at ASA, and students may not use the other two vending machines. 

Please plan accordingly: no school Friday October 11th! STrEaM has two additional “no school” days beyond the ASD calendar. These are the dates for the Wayland University fall and spring graduations: October 11th and April 17th. Following the ASD calendar, we also do not have school 10/18 and 10/25. 

Our Academic Policy Committee (APC) or “board” overseeing our charter meets the second Wednesday each month at 5:30 PM, usually in room 6. Our next meeting is Wednesday September 11th, and it is open to the public. We are seeking to fill several seats on the APC in the October election (held during parent teacher conferences). Please contact us if you are interested! 

Please call, email or stop by with questions!

Adam Mokelke, Principal 

(907) 742-9000 mokelke_adam@asdk12.org

What is STrEaM Academy?

What is STrEaM Academy and why should you choose us?

Welcome to Anchorage STrEaM Academy! We are a middle school, and ASD's newest charter school, located at Wayland University in East Anchorage.

Our name infuses "STEM" (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) with research & the arts. We are a unique charter middle school for grades 6, 7 & 8 driven by our mission, "Anchorage STrEaM Academy empowers students to be involved learners, critical thinkers and engaged citizens inspired by the natural world." How do we do this?

Curriculum and instruction at STrEaM is driven by Project-Based Learning, incorporating STEM and experiential outdoor education. Students are taught through an integrated, hands-on approach. Instead of traditional "sit and get" learning, teachers work together to design projects encompassing multiple standards across subject areas. Class sizes are small, around 20 students, and student engagement is high.

What is an example of Project-Based Learning? 6th grade students study renewable and non-renewable energy resources from scientific, social, political and economic perspectives. They simulate mining and oil drilling in labs, engineer wind turbines, focus on the viability of renewable energy resources like wind or hydroelectric in our community, and present their findings to the Mayor of Anchorage for their final assessments. This model engages students by providing choice, allowing them to explore interests, work hands-on, collaborate in teams, research real topics and issues, engage with the community, and present to an audience. Teachers move from the "sage on the stage" to the "guide on the side," becoming facilitators of learning and empowering their students.

Hand-in-hand with STEM and Project-Based Learning at ASA is our focus on Experiential Education. We believe in getting kids outdoors and out in the community and environment in which we live. On a daily basis, we build in movement, activities, brain breaks, short recesses outdoors or walks in our local parks. Kids need exercise, activity and fresh air! STrEaM students go outside every day.

We take several school-wide TREKs (Teaching Research Education with Kids), full-day excursions tied to learning goals and projects in our community and local environment. Our annual TREKs include trips to Arctic Valley, Lake Eklutna and Cheney Lake. Throughout the year guest presenters engage students on topics including STEM fields, wildlife, careers, local government, weather, energy and much more. Through these experiences our students are learning to be the future leaders and stewards of our community and environment.

The results of this approach to teaching and learning show. Our school culture is strong and positive, close-knit, not tolerant of bullying. We are engaged, focused on curiosity, inquisitiveness, discovery and learning. Students love their school, and our staff wouldn't work anyplace else. We all strive to make STrEaM the best school possible for our students.

Each Wednesday we release school at 12:00, so our dynamic staff have time to design and plan for Project-Based Learning. We provide 1 to 1 technology with student Chromebooks and all staff utilized Google Classroom to post assignments and information online. Our facilities at Wayland Baptist include 10 classrooms, a library, offices, access to the auditorium, a large fenced yard, and easy access to multiple parks.

If you love outdoor sports, we have our own ASD cross country running and skiing teams. Students can also participate in sports and after school activities at their neighborhood school

Great things are happening at STrEaM, and you are invited to join us. Explorers wanted!

For more information: Call now (907) 742-9000

Stop by between 8 AM and 3:30 PM at Wayland Baptist University on Muldoon, across from the Totem theatre, or come for school tours each Tuesday in February at 9:30 AM.

Email the principal: mokelke_adam@asdk12.org

Email the Admin. Assistant/front office: biondich_sylvia@asdk12.org

Visit our web page at http://stream.asdk12.org/

Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/AnchorageSTrEaMAcademy/

On Twitter @Anc_STrEaM_AK
Instagram @Anchorage_Stream_Academy https://www.instagram.com/anchorage_stream_academy/