Author Archives: Dee Dee Zobian

New Chair for Steller Parent Group Needed!

Dear Steller Students, Staff and Families,

I am deeply sad to share with you that due to personal health problems I will be stepping down from my position as Chair as soon as possible. 

I believe Steller Parent Group is  well positioned at this time, with our budget passed, and many procedures in place, and so now would be a great time for someone with new ideas and fresh energy to step into the position of Steller Parent Group Chair. 

Our Secretary Dee Dee will be running the February SPG meeting on by behalf, but I would like to officially take my name off of the organization at the SPG Meeting on Tuesday, March 16th, and have a new Chair in place at that time.

If there is no one in place as Chair at that time SPG can continue to hold informational meetings. However, as a 501(c)3 non-profit, and according to our own By-Laws, we need a Chair, Treasurer and Secretary to make financial decisions and actions – including writing cheques or making budget decisions. So there is some urgency for someone from the community to step in.  As soon as someone steps in, then all functions of Steller Parent Group can resume immediately. 

It has been my pleasure to serve as Chair of Steller Parent Group since January of 2020. I believe strongly that the work we do is important, and have worked hard these last few years to maintain and grow the voice of SPG in the school, respect old traditions and grow new ones – despite my tenure being almost entirely during Covid. 

This year I was pleased we were able to recruit both a new Treasurer (Claudia Liebsch) and Secretary (Dee Dee Zobian) and would like to extend a formal thanks to Brandon Brooks and Angie Southwould for their years of service to the Steller Community. 

When I took on the role, some goals for the organization were handed down to me, and I had a few of my own. I am pleased that despite obvious barriers we have met many of these goals – including cleaning up some technical things around banking, following best practice for transparency and fiducial responsibility as a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, and continuing to reach out to all members of our community and invite them to have their voice heard. 

I know it’s a difficult time, and many people will feel reluctant to take on a new role because they haven’t been involved in SPG before.  I’d like to reassure you that we have well established systems for much of the work, Claudia and Dee Dee are familiar with things, and I am happy to help anyone as much or as little as they need. Maria and Antionette are also wonderful to work with. 

If you think you might be interested in becoming Chair of Steller Parent Group please reach out and I am happy to tell you more about what is involved so you can make an informed decision. 

Warm regards,

Kirsten Tschofen 

Chair,

Steller Parent Group

 

Welcome from Steller Parent Group!

Welcome from SPG

A Welcome Message from the Steller Parent Group

Dear Steller Families,

On behalf of the Steller Parent Group we want to extend a warm welcome to all new and returning Steller families and wish you all a happy New Year.

The Steller Parent Group is an integral part of the Steller Community, and all parents/guardians, staff and students are automatically part of SPG.  We meet on the second Tuesday of every month from 6:00pm to 7:30pm on Zoom, and in person (when schools are open).  Every member of the Steller Community is welcome to attend, ask questions and share their ideas. 

The purpose of the SPG is to enrich the lives of Steller students through the financial support and leadership from all active parents and guardians. We strive to promote parent and guardian involvement in school activities. Traditionally we host events during the school year, raise funds to support school initiatives through the Steller Auction, and coordinate volunteers. Although we continue to face uncertainty due to Covid 19, the central mission of SPG remains the same, and I believe it must take on even more importance in the effort to create a strong learning community for our children in this time. 

 SPG wants to make sure that we are reaching as many members of our community with up to date and relevant information as possible.  We have four ways we communicate with you:

  1. Website/Steller Flash updates appear on the SPG website or parents, students and staff can SUBSCRIBE to receive updates directly in your inbox.  Please consult the SPG website for Meeting dates, agendas and minutes, Bylaws, and anything else pertaining to SPG. 
  2. Steller Secondary Parent Group is a closed Facebook Group created to promote communication between current parents, teachers and staff for organizing school activities, announcements, questions, and keeping up with everything that is going on. Feel free to jump in with questions or posts.
  3. Steller Secondary Page is an open page visible to the public. If you are a Steller Alumni and want to stay informed about special activities, fundraisers and student highlights we encourage you to follow our page. 
  4. Student Directory is a new online directory for parents, students and staff to be able to contact each other directly. You must create an account and add your information using the access code CGYJAU when prompted. Add the information for each student and then download the app to be able to access contact information from anywhere. 

We also encourage all community members to follow OpGroup’s Instagram account at 

instagram.com/steller_s_official.  

Warm regards,

Kirsten Tschofen

Chair, Steller Parent Group

*Please note the SPG website/Flash is meant to complement the district website asdk12.org/steller.  For official communication from the school and district please visit Q to update your contact information and settings to receive their communications via email, text or call. 

Warm regards,

Kirsten Tschofen

Nominate a Young Person for the Spirit of Youth Award!

Do you know a hard-working Alaska teen who you think would be a great fit for one of our 8 award categories? Then head on over to our nomination page and help them get the recognition they deserve!

Deadline extended to February 1!

Who is eligible?

We recognize Alaska youth, ages 12-19, statewide. Nominations can be submitted for an individual or a group.

Nominations can come from anyone who wishes to recognize a hard-working Alaska teenager. Nominations can be made in one of 8 categories. Recommendations often come from school staff and board members; youth clubs and organizations; the business community or other teenagers. Any community member inspired by a teen’s efforts can submit a nomination.

What are the benefits of nominating a youth?

Nominees are eligible to be selected for the Spirit of Youth Award each year. Eight nominees are chosen by the Spirit of Youth Teen Advisory Council to receive the award and be featured on our Spirit of Youth radio series, which broadcasts to nearly 100 Alaska communities. Individual award recipients will receive a scholarship from Alaska 529 of at least $2,000 and eight runners-up will each receive a $500 scholarship. Group recipients receive a grant to support their efforts.

Submitted by Kirsten

 

Alaska Teen Media Institute

The mission of the Alaska Teen Media Institute is to provide teens with the tools and training needed to produce stories and with the opportunity for their stories – told in their own voices – to be shared through a variety of media. ATMI believes the teen perspective is valuable and is under-represented. Alaska Teen Media Institute is a program of Spirit of Youth 501(c) 3.

Alaska has a number of opportunities for teens interested in media. Check out their website here to find out more about specific programs. 

Girls on Ice Application Now Open

Applications for Girls on Ice are now open! 

June 10-21, 2022

Explore an Alaskan glacier

Each June, a team of nine girls spends 12 days in the Eastern Alaska Range, exploring an alpine landscape. We experience everything from hiking through alpine meadows to observing a noisy icefall; from spotting caribou on the mountain slopes to traveling across snow-covered glaciers, all while taking advantage of Alaska’s long summer days!

Itinerary

Each year, the day-to-day details of the expedition change due to mountain weather and glacier conditions. The basic itinerary typically looks like this:

  • Day 1: Meet the team, pack for the expedition, and camp out at a local farm in Fairbanks.

  • Day 2: Drive to the vicinity of Gulkana Glacier, and get comfortable with packs and boots by enjoying a short day hike through alpine meadows.

  • Day 3: Hike up to basecamp overlooking Gulkana Glacier, and set up home for the week.

  • Day 4-9: Explore the glacier and surrounding environment. Develop and test science experiments, practice art, and learn glacier travel skills!

  • Day 10: Hike out and travel back to Fairbanks

  • Day 11: Stay at the University of Alaska Fairbanks while wrapping up science, art, and reflection activities. Deliver public presentations about science experiment results and the overall experience of the expedition.

  • Day 12: Enjoy a final morning of activities together before heading home!

Thank you to Yareth Rosen for sharing this exciting opportunity. 

SPG Meeting Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Thank you to everyone who attended the November SPG meeting.  All students, staff, parents and guardians are invited to attend SPG meetings, share their voice and participate in our votes.

Our next meeting is this Tuesday, December 14, from 6:00 to 7:00pm, on Zoom. 

In addition to the usual school updates, Maria will be sharing with us the procedures to apply for Travel Intensive Scholarships. 

  • You can find the Draft Meeting Minutes from November, and the December Agenda here.

As always, if you have any questions or comments please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Kirsten

Join Zoom Meeting

https://asdk12.zoom.us/j/95891436576?pwd=ekcwTUxweGRub0YzSDZuaGdLZ3RhQT09 

Meeting ID: 958 9143 6576

Passcode: 975378

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Meeting ID: 958 9143 6576

Find your local number: https://asdk12.zoom.us/u/abaFYwOeSd

 

Thank You for Your Generosity

Last week Steller Outreach Group students, with the support of Steller Parent Group, launched our fundraising campaign “Steller Cups for Kids” and it was a great success! 

Despite the cold weather we had almost a dozen student and parent volunteers before and after school each day, passing out coffee/cocoa along the pickup/drop off line, and sharing with parents how they can donate to our check-writing campaign.

If you would like to learn more about how Steller Parent Group uses the funds we raise please see here. 

We are grateful for the generous donations we have already received and will be running “Cups for Kids” until December 15th (although we happily accept donations at any time throughout the year!). 

There are three easy ways to donate:

  1. Write a check to Steller Parent Group and drop off or mail to the office.
  2. Use this QR Code
  3. Visit the Steller Website

Cups for Kids Fundraising Campaign

Dear Steller Community,

Tomorrow is the first day of the Steller Cups for Kids Fundraising Campaign!

Students will be handing out coffee/cocoa before and after school all week, sharing their stories of how Steller Parent Group funds have affected their experiences at Steller, and collecting donations.

You can  make a donation in person or from the comfort of your own home.

To make sure traffic flow is smooth and safe parents are welcome to:

1.Park in the main parking lot or along the road, and join us for a little visit in front of the school. 

2. If you prefer we can bring a coffee/cocoa right to your car in the drop off/pick up line.

During these three days please make sure you are extra careful as you drive through the drop off/pick up line and help keep our students safe. 


The Fundraising Campaign will be happy to collect donations until December 15!

For more information about Cups for Kites please see our post on the Steller Parent Group Website, and while you are there, don’t forget to subscribe to Flash so you can stay up-to-date on Steller Parent Group events, volunteer opportunities and more. 

Use this QR Code and donate now! 

Warm regards,

SPG Fundraising Committee and Steller Student Outreach

 

 

Zoom Link for Seussification of Romeo and Juliet

Join us for the “Seussification of Romeo and Juliet” on November 18 at 6:30 pm on Zoom.  Directed by peer teacher Taylor Stewart, you’ll enjoy talented students, constant costume changes, and lots of laughs.  

Join the Zoom link:

See you there! 

You are invited to a Zoom webinar.

When: Nov 18, 2021 06:30 PM Alaska

Topic: Stellar School Play

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://asdk12.zoom.us/j/98334755953?pwd=aENGd2VHdExIcGRBU1ZUSElkTm9QQT09

Webinar ID: 983 3475 5953

Passcode: 857747

Write-a-Check Fundraiser “Steller Cups for Kids”

Steller Parent Group and the Steller Student Outreach Group are planning our first “Write-a-Check” Fundraising Campaign from November 22 to December 14. 

Your support is critical. As you may know, SPG has not been able to do any fundraising since January of 2020 due to COVID. We hope to take the pressure off of parents and students to organize, buy and sell things or attend events, and simply to ask you to donate what you can. ($25 to $50 per family is suggested and would help us meet our goal of $6000). 

———- Three Easy Ways to Donate ————-

  • Write a Check to “Steller Parent Group” and drop off between the 22  and 24, or leave in the SPG mailbox before December 14. 

  • Steller Parent Group Website 

  • In person (using Square)between November 22 and 24 

Steller Students will be handing out coffee/cocoa along the drop off/pick up line outside and sharing their stories of how Steller Parent Group funding has positively impacted their experiences at school on the following dates:

Monday November 22 Tuesday November 23 Wednesday November 24
8:10 to 8:30 8:10 to 8:30 8:10 to 8:30
2:15 to 2:40 2:15 to 2:40 2:15 to 2:40

Other ways to Donate

Your everyday purchases can also generate donations to our school and support SPG!  See here for more information about Fred Meyer and Amazon community donations. 

 

With your generous donations and support, Steller Parent Group will be able to continue providing the following kinds of things for Steller Students, Staff, and Families (these are just examples, actual expenses are requested and approved throughout the year):

SPG Operational Expenses
  • Insurance
  • Website/Flash
  • Fundraising expenses
SPG Hosted Expenses
  • Back to School BBQ 2022
  • Staff appreciation Fall and Spring
  • Ice cream social
School Hosted Expenses
  • Senior Breakfast 
  • Activity Day
  • Steller Olympics
Grants
  • Intensives
  • Travel intensives
  • Program support (ie travel expenses for Band, books, and art supplies)

If you would like to volunteer to help before or after school please see the form here.

We thank you for your generous support!

Students from Steller Outreach Group and Leigh Anne

SPG Fundraising Committee – Amy Dummann and Dee Dee Zobian

 

100% of your donations benefit the Steller Community, and are eligible for tax deduction (Tax ID 06-1760342). If you would like a receipt please contact stellerpg@gmail.com