20-21 coming school year update

June 26th, 2020

Hello STrEaM families!

I hope you are all enjoying summer and the great Alaskan outdoors! I trust you are doing so with masks when around others and staying 6 feet apart.

As you may have seen, ASD moved the start of school back two days, to August 20th. This adds two additional days for staff to plan and prepare for the opening of school! See more on the District's plans here:  https://www.asdk12.org/2020start

While I too am on summer break, I have been closely following events and updated information on COVID-19, with an eye on what school will look like in the fall and how STrEaM will meet the challenges before us. I will share an outline with you all soon, an overview of the major areas of focus and preliminary plans including:

• Facilities plans for safety and social distancing
• Enhanced online learning, blended learning, technology and access
• Increased outdoor education time, outdoor classrooms and spaces
• Social-Emotional Learning, student and staff care and support, re-integrating and addressing trauma

I've also closely followed the tension and unrest over race issues in our country and this too has been an area of deep thinking, reflection and planning. Equity and diversity are core values of our school and staff, and we are looking at how we address race and ensure equity through a new lens with enhanced focus. I expect this to be in important topic with our staff, and engaging with parents, students and our community, as well.

Feel free to stay in touch by email, messaging our social media or calling throughout the summer. While I am finding some down time and getting outdoors (I caught a few salmon this week!), my priority remains with the health, safety and future success of our students and our program.

Stay in touch. Stay safe. Get outdoors every day and #MaskUp STrEaM!

Principal Mokelke

#MaskUp

Letter week of 5/25

5/26/20

Hello STrEaM Families,

I hope you were able to get out and enjoy the holiday weekend, while wearing your mask and social distancing of course! The great outdoors helps to mitigates the spread of germs naturally, and fresh air has a way of making us feel healthy and happy.

While school is officially out, we are still working to meet the needs of our students and parents! Mrs. Biondich and Mr. Mokelke will work through June 12th, and will be on campus Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

We will have "Morning Coffee" Zoom meetings on Wednesdays: 5/27, 6/3 and 6/10. If interest is sustained, we will resume these in July. Mr. Mokelke and Mrs. Biondich return to the office July 13.

ONLINE REGISTRATION is open, and registration is critical to us for scheduling, managing class size, and moderating the online lottery.  63 of our students have registered. Thank you to those who completed this. Please complete online registration as soon as possible!

Chromebook return can be done by appointment. Please call us at 742-9000. We are waiting on the return of 19 of our Chromebooks.

Yearbooks have been delayed, and are expected to arrive in July. Mrs. Biondich will contact you and make sure you get your yearbook!

Please join us for coffee at 8 AM tomorrow.
https://asdk12.zoom.us/j/189887262?pwd=b0EzVGZYVjB6TEkxWHcrNTdsNmxRUT09
Meeting ID: 189 887 262 Password: MORNING
youtube.com/adammokelke

Thank you all!
Mr. Mokelke

Last week of school!

5/18/20

Dear parents and families,

It is hard to believe it is already the last week of school! It has been an incredible year, yet we come out of it with a strong, positive school culture and much to celebrate. Thank you for being with us this year, and we are hoping for and planning for being together in our classes in August. 


Learning never ends, and your learning access won't end this Thursday. ASD is providing FREE online iSchool courses for middle school students during the summer including Math, Language Arts, Social Studies, & Science. Follow the link or contact our counselor, bonertz_amy@asdk12.org with any questions. https://www.asdk12.org/Page/15489. For more specific opportunities and continuation, contact teachers please!

Monday 5/18

Kick off the last week of school! This is the final opportunity for students to complete assignments, turn in work, log into zoom sessions and wrap up the year. Let’s come together, celebrate and finish the year STRONG!

Tuesday 5/19 

Join us for “Morning Coffee!”

Mrs. Gatlin and Dr. Sturm will present on Project-Based Learning at STrEaM Academy.

Guest principal Finkler will discuss ASD charter homeschool programs Frontier and Family Partnership. 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://asdk12.zoom.us/j/189887262?pwd=b0EzVGZYVjB6TEkxWHcrNTdsNmxRUT09 

Meeting ID: 189 887 262  Password: MORNING
Missed morning coffee? Watch the recording on youtube!

Wednesday  5/20

Last day for regularly scheduled teacher Zoom meetings, advisory, tutoring sessions. 
This Wednesday at 10:00!!!- May 20th. Our last Zoom workout of the year. Bring two drumsticks, or similar items. Go to the Zoom meeting: https://asdk12.zoom.us/j/621861387?pwd=R01VYzdYdWpnWDJmVVYwcGo1U05TQT09

Thursday 5/21 

LAST day of school!

Final zoom-sembly at 11 AM. We will celebrate the year, recognize students and send off our 8th graders. Zoom for students and staff: parents may view the assembly at youtube.com/adammokelke

Friday 5/22

Last teacher work day!

8:00 AM: join us for a special “Morning Coffee” launch for our teachers. Join us is special guest, author and speaker Allison Holzer, presenting on the topic of “inspiration!” Her book “Dare to Inspire” is a great motivational read, and we are excited to have her joining us for the last day with our incredible staff! 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://asdk12.zoom.us/j/189887262?pwd=b0EzVGZYVjB6TEkxWHcrNTdsNmxRUT09 

Meeting ID: 189 887 262  Password: MORNING

Friday from 10 AM to 3 PM we will be accepting Chromebook returns. Please call or email for more details or appointments. 

Please remember to complete online registration for all returning students! 

Thank you!

Adam Mokelke, Principal

Week 7 E-learning

May 11th, 2020

Dear STrEaM parents and families,

It is hard to believe this is our 7th week of distance learning, and the last full week of school. As we wrap things up for this school year, know our staff is already working on models for what school may look like in the fall. We are considering three scenarios: full open, modified open and distance open. This will of course depend on the virus and how Alaska responds in the coming months. Whatever happens, STrEaM will be prepared.

Online registration for 20-21 is open! Please complete registration as soon as possible. This is something we do every year. If you are NOT returning to STrEaM, please let us know as soon as possible. The second online lottery is also open. New families can put in applications, and the lottery will run at the end of July. We have a waiting list for most seats, but we have open seats for 6th grade girls that can be filled immediately.

Monday

Finish Strong! Make week 7 a final push for learning and engagement. The weather has been beautiful and school is almost out, so let's make one last push before starting our summer break.

Tuesday

Join us at 8 AM for coffee!  Two of our APC members are presenting on Trauma and Self-Care, related to social distancing and schools being closed.
Former State Representative Les Gara will join us and discuss how to talk to legislators about education.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://asdk12.zoom.us/j/189887262?pwd=b0EzVGZYVjB6TEkxWHcrNTdsNmxRUT09
Meeting ID: 189 887 262  Password: MORNING
You can also view on Youtube.

Wednesday

Please join us and view the APC meeting via our youtube channel starting at 5:30 PM.
https://www.youtube.com/adammokelke

Thursday

At “Morning Coffee” we have special guests State Representative Ivy Spohnholz and Professor Gabel from UAA joining us.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://asdk12.zoom.us/j/189887262?pwd=b0EzVGZYVjB6TEkxWHcrNTdsNmxRUT09
Meeting ID: 189 887 262  Password: MORNING

Friday

Final Friday of this school year! Let’s finish this school year strong!
Next week we have our final school assembly on Zoom at 11 AM. Join us to recognize matriculating 8th graders and celebrate a great year!

Thank you! Parents, you've done a great job as teachers, and your break is almost here.

Adam Mokelke
Anchorage STrEaM Academy

Week 6 E-Learning Letter

MAY the FOURTH

Dear STrEaM parents and families,

It’s finally May and the sun is shining. Right now we would usually be taking students outdoors as much as possible. I hope under the current circumstances you are able to get outside and enjoy the brief Alaskan spring! We posted “55 Outdoor Activities” on our webpage if you need some suggestions.

This week teachers are scheduled to clean out their classrooms. They are coming in a couple at a time, wearing masks and gloves, practicing social distancing and safety measures.
Personal student items will be bagged and tagged for pick up on Friday. Watch for announcements regarding pick up of personal items.

Online registration is open! Please complete registration as soon as possible. This is something we do every year. If you are NOT returning to STrEaM, please let us know as soon as possible. The second online lottery is also open. New families can put in applications, and the lottery will run at the end of July. We have a waiting list for most seats, but we have open seats for 6th grade girls that can be filled immediately.

Monday
Start week 6 with students reviewing their schedule, checking Google Classrooms for updates and assignments, and making a “to do list.” Let’s maintain our focus through these last three weeks.
Teachers have been creative and proactive with sharing information each week with our students, using videos, calendars and combined lists. Check out an example here, Mrs. Staker’s “Week at a Glance” calendar: https://mrsstakersclass.weebly.com/covid-calendar.html

Tuesday
Join us at 8 AM for coffee! Ms. Mickelson will be our guest, talking about Migrant Education programs offered. She is a manager in the Migrant Ed. department and a STrEaM APC board member.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://asdk12.zoom.us/j/189887262?pwd=b0EzVGZYVjB6TEkxWHcrNTdsNmxRUT09

Meeting ID: 189 887 262
Password: MORNING

Wednesday
We have a zoom welcome and orientation meeting for new STrEaM families at 4:00 PM. This will also be streamed live over Youtube like our “Morning Coffee” meetings.

Thursday
At “Morning Coffee” we will welcome new families joining us, discuss online registration and the second lottery, and talk plans for the upcoming school year.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://asdk12.zoom.us/j/189887262?pwd=b0EzVGZYVjB6TEkxWHcrNTdsNmxRUT09

Meeting ID: 189 887 262
Password: MORNING

Friday
Wrap up week 6 of e-learning by checking Google Classroom, reviewing task or to-do lists, and touching base with teachers on any questions. Get outside if at all possible and get some fresh air and “vitamin N!”

Friday we will set tables outside with coats, jackets, shoes, backpacks and student belongings. Please come by to pick these items up. If someone is at the tables, please wait and go one at a time.

Remember, the learning is designed and intended to be at the pace and capacity of parents. We don’t want to provide too little, so if you feel it is too much just take a step back and let the teachers know. We’re here to support you.

Thank you!

Adam Mokelke
Anchorage STrEaM Academy

Week 5 e-learning letter

Week 5

Dear STrEaM Families,

We are now over halfway through 4th quarter, and somehow on Friday the calendar will turn from April to May. This last week we heard from several parents indicating they or their children had essentially "hit a wall" with online/distance learning from home.
I want to be very clear in our response to this:
We understand.
It is ok.
Parents have 100% choice in how much to engage in the content teachers are offering.
Dial it back as much as you need to, when you need to.
We provide, you decide.
We will continue striving to offer robust and engaging content. We will continue offering grace, choice, flexibility, and space. We are here to support you, whether it is engaging in lessons, projects and learning, or pulling back to focus on family and emotional wellness.
STrEaM family, we've got this. We're in this together.

Monday:  

Start the week strong by checking each Google Classroom for assignments, lessons and activities! Jump on Zoom sessions and office hours to check in with teachers. Let's start week 5 strong! Our staff meets on Zoom at 8 AM every Monday to set the tone, schedule, priorities and message for the week. How you start the week off really matters!

Tuesday:

If you were ever going to join us for Morning Coffee, today is the day! We have some amazing guests and the focus will be on outdoor education and learning. We will roll out a carefully curated list of outdoor activities for families during the closure, and discuss the incredible benefits of nature and getting outside.
Wear your STrEaM gear with us on Tuesdays!
Join Zoom Meeting
https://asdk12.zoom.us/j/189887262?pwd=b0EzVGZYVjB6TEkxWHcrNTdsNmxRUT09

Meeting ID: 189 887 262
Password: COFFEE

Wednesday: 

Many of our advisories meet on Wednesdays. This is a great opportunity to engage without academic constraints: check in, visit, enjoy each others' company. This is so important, and this is why Advisory is the heart and soul of our program.
Join us for at 10 for some fitness fun:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://asdk12.zoom.us/j/621861387?pwd=R01VYzdYdWpnWDJmVVYwcGo1U05TQT09

Meeting ID: 621 861 387
Password: pe

Thursday:

Join us for coffee! The focus is on online registration for 20-21. We are already planning for an incredible 5th year at STrEaM Academy and we can't wait to engage our students in projects, challenges, and outdoor adventures that lay ahead!
Highland Academy Principal Johnson will join us for those 8th graders headed to their awesome program.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://asdk12.zoom.us/j/189887262?pwd=b0EzVGZYVjB6TEkxWHcrNTdsNmxRUT09

Meeting ID: 189 887 262
Password: COFFEE

Friday:

It's "FITNESS FRIDAY!" Join us for a ton of fitness fun at 10 AM:

Join Zoom Meeting

https://asdk12.zoom.us/j/621861387?pwd=R01VYzdYdWpnWDJmVVYwcGo1U05TQT09

Meeting ID: 621 861 387

Password: pe

Finally,

Parents, you are doing an incredible job managing and balancing all of this. Our teachers appreciate the communication and engagement. I greatly appreciate the continual feedback from parents to me about how awesome our teachers are and how much they are appreciated. We will get through this challenging time.  Ernest Hemingway said, "The world breaks everyone and afterward many are stronger in the broken places." We will be stronger for this, as a school community. 

The last day of school is still Thursday May 21st, and we will hold a virtual assembly that day to celebrate together and send off our 8th graders. See you all then, if not sooner. 

Thank you

Adam Mokelke, principal

Week 4 of Distance Education

April 20th, 2020

Dear parents and families,

We are ready to kick off week 4 of distance learning at STrEam! We are approaching the halfway point of the fourth quarter. Teachers are working hard to provide quality instruction,  lessons and projects on Google Classroom and office hours to check in and provide support via Zoom.

Parent support is key to student engagement. Please continue to gently push your kids to stay engaged, log in, attend the zoom meetings and keep their learning going. Please check in with teachers if you have questions.

While we are not assigning 4th quarter grades, teachers are still tracking assignment completion, assessing student learning, and posting results to provide feedback. Information on assignment completion can be found on Google Classroom or Q. Check with individual teachers for information on where to view completed assignments!

Daily Activities:

Structure and routine are important in school, and perhaps even more important now for distance learning. Schedules and tasks help us to stay focused, to set goals and to keep making progress. Set a schedule for work time. Schedules can be found on our website. Keep to a schedule and keep learning:

• Check each Google Classroom for updates and assignments
• Plan to visit office hours with teachers to check in and stay up to date
• Work on math: In addition to what teachers post, continue daily with ALEKS, Math Whizz or V-Math lessons. Utilize Khan Academy
• Read! Always have a good book in progress
• Plan (safely) to get outdoors, get exercise and fresh air
• Learn something new! Cook, build, create. Use an app like Duolingo to practice a new language. Watch art lessons and draw, paint, create. Pick up an instrument

Students, complete the Week 4 Online Learning Survey! You can do the survey once per day and each entry gives you another chance at the weekly prize drawing!

Monday

Today is Chinese Language day, and we have a fluent speaker of Mandarin Chinese on staff who is hosting a Chinese language Zoom session! Join us at 2:30 pm today. 

Tuesday

Have a cup of coffee with us! We have GREAT guest speakers and presenters this week. On Tuesday, Mr. Holsopple is presenting e-learning tips and tricks for parents, then at 9:30 the chair of the Anchorage Assembly Forrest Dunbar will be online with us to talk about the municipality's response to the COVID-19 crisis and take questions. Tune in, this will be a great line up!

Join Zoom Meeting:
https://asdk12.zoom.us/j/189887262?pwd=b0EzVGZYVjB6TEkxWHcrNTdsNmxRUT09 
Meeting ID: 189 887 262
Password: COFFEE

Wednesday

This Wednesday @ 10:00 AM: "Pound Workout, a Drumming Exercise". led by UAA's health and fitness professor Ms. Laura Gabel.  

Thursday

Thursday's morning coffee guests are from East High School! They will be talking about 8th grade transition and programs available at East.

Do you have ideas or requests for guest speakers for our "morning coffee" meetings? We'd love to hear from you!

Friday

Fitness Friday@ 10:00 AM: Warm up, Exercise, Cool down with Coach Mozen and other Stream Staff. All exercise options can be joined at this link:https://asdk12.zoom.us/j/621861387?pwd=R01VYzdYdWpnWDJmVVYwcGo1U05TQT09

New Parents and Families:

Join us on Zoom on Wednesday, May 6th at 4:00 PM for a new family welcome and orientation! 

The second lottery is open, and we have seats for 6th grade girls open. Although we have a waiting list, things always change so we strongly encourage interested families to apply through the lottery for 20-21. 

As always, please let us know what is working and how we can support you. The school phone, 742-9000, is forwarded to us. Email the principal at mokelke_adam@asdk12.org or our Admin. Assistant at biondich_sylvia@asdk12.org

Thank you all, and have a great week!
Mr. Mokelke