Rapids Report for 4-29-24

 The Rapids Report

April 29th, 2024

Dear STrEaM Families,

The calendar turns to May this week, and our annual Spring Auction is now open for bidding. 

On Tuesday we go phone free for the day! Please encourage your child to leave their smartphone at home if you are comfortable with that. If not, we will ask that they not have their smartphone on their person throughout the day. They can leave them in their backpacks, or give them to one of our admin. team for safe keeping. 

This Week at STrEaM:

Sunday 4/28: Auction Opens at 10am (LINK) Spring Auction 2024 

Monday 4/29:  Full Day P. 1-7

Tuesday 4/30:  Block Day A Advisory & P. 1-4

• PHONE FREE DAY! 

Wednesday 5/1: Early Release 12:00

Thursday 5/2: Block Day B Advisory & P. 5-8

• ONLINE REGISTRATION for FY25 opens today!

• Phone Free Schools Parent Forum 4:30-5:30 PM

Friday 5/3: Full Day P. 1-7

Coming Up at STrEaM:

Wednesday 5/08: Girl Scout Troop 540 will be in the lobby selling cookies! $6/box

Showcase Week!

Wednesday 5/15:

9:40-11:30, 6th and 7th grade Showcase: In the auditorium, students will show off projects from all classes and grade-level teams.  It will include a few whole-room presentations as well as individual presentations with rotating presenters and audience members. At 11:30-12:00, we will have a potluck-style celebration (so bring a dish to share!) during which students and guests may celebrate and freely mingle.

Thursday 5/16:

9:10-1:15, 6th Grade TREK: Students will travel by bus to downtown Anchorage to analyze memorials, monuments, and art as part of our grade-level project.  Please COMPLETE THIS PERMISSION FORM to allow your student to participate. 

7th grade Rocket Launch! 8:30 to 1:00 PM Chugach Foothills Park

Monday 5/20:

8th Grade Plant Sale and Showcase! 1:45-2:45 PM

Tuesday 5/21: FIELD DAY AT STREAM- ALL GRADES

Wednesday 5/22: LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

Smartphones, Social Media and Mental Health

A message from Principal Mokelke

Feeling pressure to get your child a smartphone? 40% of students attending STrEaM next year do not have a smartphone. It is ok to wait until high school!

This initiative is aligned with our unique mission and vision at STrEaM. The word "experiential" appears 18 times in our charter. The word outdoor(s) appears 12 times. Our charter states "the ASA approach enhances students' relationships with their local environment, and addresses the staggering divide between children and the outdoors. Child advocates such as Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods, link the lack of nature in the lives of today's youth to an increase in obesity, attention disorders, and depression. ASA believes that direct exposure to nature is essential for healthy childhood development and for the physical and emotional health of children and adults."

Latest letter to parents on our Phone-Free Initiative: https://rapidsreport.blogspot.com/2024/04/smartphone-free-school-initiave.html

Check out this great summary of “The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt: The Anxious Generation Summary: The Phone-Based Childhood Is Destroying Our Kids' Mental Health 📵

Our Phone-Free FAQ and resources: Phone Free FAQ.pdf

Summer Art Camp

Join new STrEaM teacher Michael Dickerson for art camp this summer!

Does your kid love to draw? Paint? Make music? Create graphic novels? Place.ment youth art camp is a summer program open to middle school artists of any medium or discipline. From June 17-28, our teaching artists will give workshops and lead creative sessions that weave together all our campers‘ interests into a final project to share with friends, family, and our community. Together will explore  a single important theme: people’s relationship with place. Sign up at https://www.placementcreative.com/ to reserve your spot!

Health Updates: 

Free bicycle helmets for children and teenagers are now available at Anchorage Fire Department (AFD) stations.

This safety program is a collaboration between Safe Kids Alaska, AFD, and International Association of Firefighters Local 1264, with generous funding provided by the Children's Miracle Network. 

To receive a helmet:

• Kids/teens must be present so the helmet can be fitted and adjusted; and

• Supplies are limited to stock on hand. 

Although any child can receive a free helmet, this program is intended for those who might not otherwise be able to obtain a bike helmet. 

For more information, please contact Safe Kids Alaska at (907) 212-3194 or safekidsak@providence.org.

Please feel free to email or call me with any questions. zimpelman_bethany@asdk12.org

Wishing you well

~Nurse Bethany

From the desk of Ms. Hayden

Hello, all! It is finally feeling like Spring! The end of the school year is full of planning, deadlines, lack of motivation, and anxious excitement. In the middle of all of that, all of us - kids too - grapple with the various ways we are showing up in the world. It is not always perfect, for sure :)  I wanted to share a TEDtalk I watched recently about embracing all the conflicting parts of ourselves, especially the parts we struggle with. I hope you all have a wonderful week. 

School Governance

APC (Academic Policy Committee)

The Academic Policy Committee (APC) meets Wednesday May 8th at 5:30 PM. Community and parents are always welcome to attend. Please notify us prior to the meeting if you wish to provide public comment.

Friends of STrEaM

• The School Lunch Program: Donations of shelf stable fruit are needed. We are thankful for the amazing support of our school community and our FY24 business partner, Clarion Suites Anchorage Downtown.

• (LINK) Spring Auction 2024 opens Sunday 4/28 at 10am! Advisory classes will be competing to see which basket gets the most bids. The grade with the most bids wins a pizza party!

After School Activities

Wednesday MATH CLUB

It is time to sign up for Wednesday’s Math Club for quarter 1 of the ‘24-’25 school year! 

Math Club is hosted by math teacher Stephanie Olendorff. Math Club is open to any STrEaM student who has a permission form submitted. However, there is cap of 20 seats available and academic need will be considered when accepting students. It will take place on Wednesdays from 12:30 to 1:30 pm. Students must be picked up or have permission to walk off campus by 1:30 pm. Please complete the permission slip in the following link: https://forms.gle/4TAHChYhGtzUY5rU9 

For more information reach out to Mrs. Olendorff at olendorff_stephanie@asdk12.org 

Advisory & Lunch MATH CLUB

Students have the option to spend Tuesday and Thursday advisory period in Mrs. Olendorff’s room for math support. Students are to check in with their advisory teacher for attendance, then go to room 4. Students can also spend lunch in Mrs. Olendorff’s room Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and/or Friday for math support. The expectation is that students are silently working on any PA’s and MA’s while Mrs. Olendorff is there to offer support and instruction. This is a great opportunity to incorporate more math into the students’ schedules.  Please reach out to Mrs. Olendorff at olendorff_stephanie@asdk12.org with any questions. 

24-25 School Year

START TIME CHANGES

For the 24-25 school year, we will be moving our start and end time up 30 minutes so that we do not start at the same time as elementary. This would be an undue hardship on our families with elementary students. 

24-25 START/END TIMES:

M/T/TH/F:  8:30 AM TO 3:30 PM

WEDNESDAY: 8:30 AM TO 12:30 PM

RETURNING STUDENTS

If your 6th or 7th grader will not be returning to STrEaM for the 24-25 school year, PLEASE let us know. We track this closely for enrollment, seats, gender balance, scheduling, staffing, the lottery and waitlist. 

To make it easy for you, you may also complete this short survey: https://forms.gle/zmrTUSawRZaVAhiQ9 

We invite you to SAVE THE DATE to attend OPEN HOUSE the afternoon of Friday, August 9!  We will orient new and returning students/families to grading practices, Q and Canvas, and strategies for success to prepare for the new school year a week before it officially begins!  Students and families will also have the opportunity to meet teachers and walk through classrooms.  

Online Registration Opens 4/25/24

Registration for next school year opens on April 25th! ASD requires all returning students (from any ASD school) to complete online registration every year. On April 25th log into ParentConnection and follow the link on the top left corner.

Anchorage STrEaM Academy requires four school-specific permission forms to be completed annually: FY25 Walking Permission, FY25 Personal Device, FY25 Science Lab Safety, for 7th & 8th only- FY25 FABLAB Safety and the Optional Carpool Connection Sign-up

Quyana!

Thank you for your continued support. 

Call, email or stop by if you have any questions or needs! 

Adam Mokelke, Principal  mokelke_adam@asdk12.org 

Rebekah Hayden, Assistant Principal hayden_rebekah@asdk12.org 

Amy Bonertz, Counselor bonertz_amy@asdk12.org

Sylvia Biondich, Administrative Asst.  biondich_sylvia@asdk12.org

Jessi Blackson, Secretary blackson_jessica@asdk12.org 

Bethany Zimpelman, Itinerant Nurse zimpleman_bethany@asdk12.org 

Chris Krejca, Special Education krejca_christine@asdk12.org

Smartphone-Free School Initiave

 Dear STrEaM families,

STrEaM is exploring an initiative to go “phone free” for the 24-25 school year. This is a growing movement, based on evidence showing smartphones are harmful to the mental health, development and learning of adolescents. Our age group, middle schoolers, are particularly impacted by smartphones and social media. Simply, this is a shift from students keeping smartphones on their person, to not on their person or at home. 

We've created this flier with information, frequently asked questions (FAQs), and resources on smartphones and our phone-free initiative: Phone Free FAQ.pdf

Some clarification that may help with questions or concerns:

• There will be no change this school year. If adopted, a policy change would go into effect for the 24-25 school year

• We are not planning to ban smartphones

• Students will either be asked to put them in a secure storage or keep them in their backpacks

• We are encouraging, but not requiring students to leave smartphones at home 

• The important change is not having them in class or on their person

• Smartwatches are not included in the proposed policy 

• Students will be able to use their devices before and after school

• We will always facilitate communication between parents and students

• School policy never supersedes medical, 504 or IEP requirements for device access. There will always be approved exceptions for legitimate reasons

This initiative is aligned with our unique mission and vision at STrEaM. The word "experiential" appears 18 times in our charter. The word outdoor(s) appears 12 times. Our charter states "the ASA approach enhances students' relationships with their local environment, and addresses the staggering divide between children and the outdoors. Child advocates such as Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods, link the lack of nature in the lives of today's youth to an increase in obesity, attention disorders, and depression. ASA believes that direct exposure to nature is essential for healthy childhood development and for the physical and emotional health of children and adults."

Please reach out to us with questions or concerns. 

Thank you!

Principal Mokelke

Rapids Report 4-22-24

 The Rapids Report

April 22nd, 2024

Dear STrEaM Families,

We’re entering the last full week of April. There is so much happening at STrEaM! You may have noticed a LOT of students outside on Thursday afternoon when you come for pick up. We have 5 teachers teaching outdoor specials on Thursday at the end of the day! Please use extra caution driving onto campus. As always, we’re outside every day!

This Week at STrEaM:

Monday 4/22:  Full Day P. 1-7

Tuesday 4/23:  Block Day A Advisory & P. 1-4

• 3:00 pm Volunteer Appreciation Party in the Auditorium

Wednesday 4/24: Early Release 12:00

Thursday 4/25: Block Day B Advisory & P. 5-8

• ONLINE REGISTRATION for FY25 opens today!

Friday 4/26: Full Day P. 1-7

Coming Up at STrEaM:

Wednesday 5/08: Girl Scout Troop 540 will be in the lobby selling cookies! $6/box

Smartphones, Social Media and Mental Health

A message from Principal Mokelke

One major concern I’ve heard about going phone-free is that parents want their children to have cell phones in an emergency or crisis situation at school. As a father, I completely understand this sentiment. I’ve read numerous articles and resources on this topic, and the consensus is that students on cell phones are much more likely to impede or exacerbate a school emergency than do good. As a father, I know if I got a text or call from my child, I’d rush to the school. Imagine every parent rushing to school, impeding law enforcement and emergency response. Imagine students texting or posting instead of following staff directions or responding to emergency personnel. We have phone lines that work even in emergency situations with power outages. We have direct lines to law enforcement and ASD security. We train and prepare to handle emergencies. This is not at all a clear or easy discussion, and I respect parent concerns regarding emergencies. 

Here’s a resource for further reading: https://schoolsecurity.org/trends/cell-phones-and-text-messaging-in-schools/ 

Summer Art Camp

Join new STrEaM teacher Michael Dickerson for art camp this summer!

Does your kid love to draw? Paint? Make music? Create graphic novels? Place.ment youth art camp is a summer program open to middle school artists of any medium or discipline. From June 17-28, our teaching artists will give workshops and lead creative sessions that weave together all our campers‘ interests into a final project to share with friends, family, and our community. Together will explore  a single important theme: people’s relationship with place. Sign up at https://www.placementcreative.com/ to reserve your spot!

Health Updates: 

Free health clinic (dental/vision/medical) at Begich Middle School on April 20-21st. 

iknowmine.org

Alaska has a unique website to distribute educational materials and resources to teens and families. Free resources for condoms, naloxone kits, infection testing, drug tests and safe medication disposal supplies to be sent directly to you, confidentially. The goal is to disseminate materials, programs and other resources, promoting health and wellness. It’s a great time to discuss with your pre-teen if there are products they or their social group need and how to procure them or just have them on hand in your home, if the topic comes up. Discrete availability can eliminate many health disparities. We believe community involvement is integral to achieving wellness. 

www.iknowmine.org

Please feel free to email or call me with any questions. zimpelman_bethany@asdk12.org

Wishing you well

~Nurse Bethany

From the desk of Ms. Hayden

Hello, all! It is finally feeling like Spring! The end of the school year is full of planning, deadlines, lack of motivation, and anxious excitement. In the middle of all of that, all of us - kids too - grapple with the various ways we are showing up in the world. It is not always perfect, for sure :)  I wanted to share a TEDtalk I watched recently about embracing all the conflicting parts of ourselves, especially the parts we struggle with. I hope you all have a wonderful week. 

School Governance

APC (Academic Policy Committee)

The Academic Policy Committee (APC) meets Wednesday May 8th at 5:30 PM. Community and parents are always welcome to attend. Please notify us prior to the meeting if you wish to provide public comment.

Friends of STrEaM

• The School Lunch Program: We have 18 lunch days left this year which translates to about 420 lunches. We are thankful for the amazing support of our school community and our FY24 business partner, Clarion Suites Anchorage Downtown.

• (LINK) Spring Auction 2024 opens April 29th! Between now and then we are building the online auction website and preparing for the event. Advisory classes will be competing to see which basket gets the most bids. The grade with the most bids wins a pizza party!

After School Activities

Wednesday MATH CLUB

It is time to sign up for Wednesday’s Math Club for quarter 1 of the ‘24-’25 school year! 

Math Club is hosted by math teacher Stephanie Olendorff. Math Club is open to any STrEaM student who has a permission form submitted. However, there is cap of 20 seats available and academic need will be considered when accepting students. It will take place on Wednesdays from 12:30 to 1:30 pm. Students must be picked up or have permission to walk off campus by 1:30 pm. Please complete the permission slip in the following link: https://forms.gle/4TAHChYhGtzUY5rU9 

For more information reach out to Mrs. Olendorff at olendorff_stephanie@asdk12.org 

Advisory & Lunch MATH CLUB

Students have the option to spend Tuesday and Thursday advisory period in Mrs. Olendorff’s room for math support. Students are to check in with their advisory teacher for attendance, then go to room 4. Students can also spend lunch in Mrs. Olendorff’s room Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and/or Friday for math support. The expectation is that students are silently working on any PA’s and MA’s while Mrs. Olendorff is there to offer support and instruction. This is a great opportunity to incorporate more math into the students’ schedules.  Please reach out to Mrs. Olendorff at olendorff_stephanie@asdk12.org with any questions. 

24-25 School Year

START TIME CHANGES

For the 24-25 school year, we will be moving our start and end time up 30 minutes so that we do not start at the same time as elementary. This would be an undue hardship on our families with elementary students. 

24-25 START/END TIMES:

M/T/TH/F:  8:30 AM TO 3:30 PM

WEDNESDAY: 8:30 AM TO 12:30 PM

RETURNING STUDENTS

If your 6th or 7th grader will not be returning to STrEaM for the 24-25 school year, PLEASE let us know. We track this closely for enrollment, seats, gender balance, scheduling, staffing, the lottery and waitlist. 

To make it easy for you, you may also complete this short survey: https://forms.gle/zmrTUSawRZaVAhiQ9 

We invite you to SAVE THE DATE to attend OPEN HOUSE the afternoon of Friday, August 9!  We will orient new and returning students/families to grading practices, Q and Canvas, and strategies for success to prepare for the new school year a week before it officially begins!  Students and families will also have the opportunity to meet teachers and walk through classrooms.  

Online Registration Opens 4/25/24

Registration for next school year opens on April 25th! ASD requires all returning students (from any ASD school) to complete online registration every year. On April 25th log into ParentConnection and follow the link on the top left corner.

Anchorage STrEaM Academy requires four school-specific permission forms to be completed annually: FY25 Walking Permission, FY25 Personal Device, FY25 Science Lab Safety, for 7th & 8th only- FY25 FABLAB Safety and the Optional Carpool Connection Sign-up

Quyana!

Thank you for your continued support. 

Call, email or stop by if you have any questions or needs! 

Adam Mokelke, Principal  mokelke_adam@asdk12.org 

Rebekah Hayden, Assistant Principal hayden_rebekah@asdk12.org 

Amy Bonertz, Counselor bonertz_amy@asdk12.org

Sylvia Biondich, Administrative Asst.  biondich_sylvia@asdk12.org

Jessi Blackson, Secretary blackson_jessica@asdk12.org 

Bethany Zimpelman, Itinerant Nurse zimpleman_bethany@asdk12.org 

Chris Krejca, Special Education krejca_christine@asdk12.org