Principal’s Report: Jan 14, 2010

1.  Anchorage Museum – Two new programs for teens.

  • Teen Science Tour Guide – poster in the hallway.  Contact Karen Moulton 929-9227 for more information. Can help with the new Star Wars exhibit. Applications are due this month.
  • YourSpace – help develop a magazine at the museum, coordinate a coffee house and music night.  Contact Katie Kelley 929-9268 for more info.

2.  1/23/10 Sat SAT Tests Prior registration req See Karen in library for info.

3.  ✭NAEP Grade 8 & 12 January 25 – March 5, 2010 (National Assessment of Educational Progress)

4.  Steller Community,  Please nominate our school to receive a $1000 – $50,000 NFL Grant to improve our gym, repair/replace equipment, and expand our PE Program. Anyone can make a nomination—  students, teachers, staff, parents, former Steller Grads, and friends!

There is a completed nomination form in the Study Skills room as an example and you can use the computers in that room during lunch and after school to place your nomination.  If you would prefer to access it at home, the website is:
www.keepgyminschool.com.

The entire Steller Community will benefit from the improvements.  Remember that all nominations must be received by no later than February 1st!! Contact Shanley or Toni if you have questions.

5.  ✭Terra Nova Grade 7 February 2 & 3, 2010 (makeup’s through February 10)

6.  Saturday administration of the FEB. 6, 2010 ACT Testing for those juniors who signed up is quickly approaching.  Juniors who completed the ACT registration paperwork will be receiving an ACT Admissions Ticket from ACT through the mail. It will be important that students arrive at their designated ACT test center between 7:45- 8:00 am with their ACT Admissions Ticket AND a photo ID.

7.  Yesterday, 1/14/09, The Fire Marshall was dispatched to Steller due to a parent complaint regarding our students leaving their personal belongings on the floor in the hall way.  After I escorted him around the building and showed him the hooks that were place in our halls over the summer and he noticed that most of the students did use the hooks for hanging their coats he understood.  I explained that we did not have lockers in our halls, that we had some storage in each classroom but that being in the classroom made it inaccessible to our students during the day due to classes being in session he understood.  His comments on the complaint was, “ Complaint not justified”.  In the ticket I received he did make some comments:

  • Principal has been installing coat racks on the hallway walls & having the clothing hung on them.  Backpacks are neatly stored along several areas adjacent to the hallway walls and as long as these are neatly stored tightly up against the wall & a minimum of 6’ wide egress hallway is maintained, this meets current code for an educational occupancy.
  • One temporary table was out in the egress way today in a hallway-it will be removed after today [1/14/10].
  • Building was converted from an elementary school to a middle/high school- therefore there are no lockers for student storage.
  • No clothing is allowed on the floor areas- they are to be hung up.
  • Referenced Codes are Ifc 1017.2 & 807.4.3.1

The loud and clear message in all of this is:

  • Backpacks are fine on the floor up against the walls
  • All articles of clothing must be hung on the existing hooks or somewhere other than the floor in the hallway.

Please share this with your students and we will address it in our advisory groups.   The alternative is to be fined a ridiculous amount of money for every item of clothing on the floors if and when he or someone else comes in to inspect us.  I believe because we had a parent complaint lodged about this they will be coming back to check that we are in compliance.

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