Category Archives: Parent Group

Welcome to a New Year from SPG

A Welcome Message from the Steller Parent Group

Dear Steller Families,

On behalf of the Steller Parent Group we want to 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 via Zoom on the following dates:

  • January 12, 2021 06:00 PM
  • February 9, 2021 06:00 PM
  • March 16, 2021 06:00 PM
  • April 13, 2021 06:00 PM
  • May 11, 2021 06:00 PM

Every member of the Steller Community is welcome to attend, ask questions and share their ideas. You can find agendas and meeting minutes on the Website here.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/97391496736?pwd=NVlNbkc4N3Q5REZSMUxqcXFWTmcxZz09

Meeting ID: 973 9149 6736
Passcode: STELLER

We are currently looking for help managing the Student Directory.  This would take less than an hour a month. 

It’s also time to start thinking about transitioning to the new board next year.  Becoming a co-chair, co-treasurer or co-secretary now would be an easy way to learn more about the position, without the responsibilities. 

If you are interested in learning more about SPG positions please let us know.

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.  
  2. Steller Secondary Parent Group is a closed Facebook Group created to promote communication between current parents, teachers and staff for organising 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,

Chair, Steller Parent Group

chairstellerparentgroup@gmail.com 

*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. 

Thank You and Happy Holidays

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steller Parent Group wishes the entire Steller Community – students, families, teachers and staff – a wonderful holiday.  We hope the next two weeks provide opportunities to rest, reset and enjoy yourselves, and are looking forward to a better 2021 for all of us. 

We particularly want to thank Steller staff for the effort they have made this year to support our students and provide them with the best educational opportunities.

Warm regards,

Kirsten

Quyanas to our Staff!

ASD is currently running a unique way to recognize staff for their efforts to support our children in their learning.  The website describes it this way:

Quyana (ku-‘ya-na) a Central Yup’ ik word for thank you, is also the name of our site-based award of appreciation. You can give this award to any employee or volunteer in recognition of achievement, service or dedication.

Thank you to the students and parents that have taken the time to write a few words for our staff.  To see what others have written visit the site here. 

If you would like to say your own thank you please go to this link and write your Quyana. 

Warm regards,

Kirsten Tschofen 

Chair, Steller Parent Group

Student Nutrition Committee Meets Tuesday, December 8 at noon

Steller Parent Group would like to invite parents, staff and students to join the Student Nutrition Committee.  The purpose of this group is to ensure that all Steller students have access to healthy and balanced meals – especially during this pandemic. 

Starting in October 19, all ASD students enrolled in the National School Lunch Program are eligible to pick up free breakfast and lunch through a special emergency program funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). 

Steller Secondary does not have a school lunch program and is not registered as part of the NSLP and so our students are not eligible for this program. 

We would like our Steller students to be eligible to participate in this program.  Our committee plans to explore ways to address this issue.

If you are interested in helping please join us for a planning meeting on Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at 12:00 to 1:00pm.  Email Kirsten at chairstellerparentgroup@gmail.com for the Zoom link.

Sincerely, Kirsten Tschofen Chair SPG

Holly Rinehart, Chair Student Nutrition Committee

Quyanas to our Staff

ASD is currently running a unique way to recognize staff for their efforts to support our children in their learning.  The website describes it this way:

Quyana (ku-‘ya-na) a Central Yup’ ik word for thank you, is also the name of our site-based award of appreciation. You can give this award to any employee or volunteer in recognition of achievement, service or dedication.

We thought wouldn’t it be a lovely way to recognize the extra work Steller staff has been doing for us if we managed to write a Quyana for every staff member at Steller? I think it is so much more meaningful if the thank you is specific and comes from someone who knows the staff member.  This is where you come in.  Would you be willing to write a short thank you to one or two staff members? It only take a few minutes, and is such a nice gesture as we wrap up our second quarter. 

If you are willing, let me know and I can share our list of everyone who has already been thanked, and then go to this link and write your Quyana. 

Warm regards,

Kirsten Tschofen 

Chair, Steller Parent Group

#StellerGives: Update

During the typical holiday season, there is a drumbeat for gift giving – to friends, family, colleagues, and clients (to name a few!). This year, however, global and local circumstances may put a damper on excessive shopping. Indeed, as people seek ways to cut down on gift giving, they may instead focus on how to make a difference.

On December 1, hundreds of thousands of civic-minded individuals around the world will celebrate #GivingTuesday by donating to their favorite nonprofit organization or cause, and spreading the word to encourage more giving. According to â€œGiving Tuesday and Beyond”, 38 percent of those who donate to charity said that they are more likely to do so during the holiday season.

Here at Steller Secondary our community is known to be extremely generous — we have started highlighting all the ways our students and families give back to our school and the community at large with their time, talents and donations through the #StellerGives campaign.  Please continue to share your stories by emailing them to chairstellerparentgroup@gmail.com and we will highlight them through Flash and the Student Showcase on the website.

We also humbly ask that you consider donating to Steller Parent Group as part of your giving plan this year, if you feel you are in a position to do so.  This year, the Steller Parent Group has decided to introduce a direct donation appeal for families that would like to offer support since we can’t hold any in person fund-raising events. All donations go directly toward supporting Steller students and projects. There is a Donate button at the top right of the Steller Secondary website page for quick and easy payments (scroll down to the bottom if you are reading this on your phone).

This year Steller Parent Group has funded:

  1. $1100 to purchase Art Supplies while students are learning at home. 
  2. $125 for a Banner in the school entrance. 
  3. $700 for Staff Appreciation gifts.
  4. $640 for Hand Sanitiser Stands
  5. $1600 for Student Nutrition support on school re-entry.

When you shop using Amazon Smile with Steller Parent Group as your designated charity or using this link,  SPG receives money back to support student programs at Steller Secondary.  Want to know more about how we use the funds we raise? Visit here. 

Kirsten Tschofen

Chair, Steller Parent Group

 

 

 

Steller Parent Group Meeting December 8, 6:00 to 7:30

All parents/guardians, students and staff are automatically part of the Steller Parent Group and welcome to attend meetings, share ideas and vote on decisions.  This month in addition to regular updates from Reed, staff, and OpGroup we will be discussing the progress of the Student Nutrition Committee, updates on the #StellerGives campaign to recognise the contributions of Steller students, staff and families to our school and the wider community. We are still accepting funding requests as well. 

You can find the Agenda here, and previous Meeting Minutes on under the “Parents” tab of the website, here.

We look forward to seeing you!

Kirsten Tschofen 

Chair, Steller Parent Group

Use this Zoom link to join:

Join Zoom Meeting

https://asdk12.zoom.us/j/94394820644?pwd=ZkNYV3B3dXA2OFBKME9ZQVZkN2hDZz09

 Meeting ID: 943 9482 0644

Passcode: 693295

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Meeting ID: 943 9482 0644

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