Tag Archives: #community

Steller Parent Group Meeting February 9

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 a Social Club for grade 7 students, the plan for student recruitment for 2021-22 school year, and a proposal for gifts for Senior students. We are still accepting funding requests as well. 

You can find the Agenda 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

Join Zoom Meeting

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

Meeting ID: 973 9149 6736

Passcode: STELLER

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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. 

#StellerGives: Sentha W.

 

The Anchorage #BLM March was intended to commemorate the March on Washington by Martin Luther King along with many others around the country. Unfortunately, covid created permitting issues and the march took place a little later in the month.

The organizers of the march reached out to local teens to speak about how the events going on around the country had affected them. We are a member of the Jack & Jill of America organization and they presented the opportunity to our teens. Jack & Jill is involved in community service all over the nation and they encouraged the teens to speak out and speak up for what they believe in.

The march organizers wanted the teens to write about their experience and perspectives. They created a space for a few local teens to speak to their community about how the racial injustices happening were impacting them. Sentha wrote a speech and shared it with the crowd. There were about three other teens and one elementary schooler who spoke. They all spoke of their pain and how they believe that we should see each other as fellow human beings. It was powerful to have the young people encourage the crowd to love and discourage the racial injustices happening. Sadly, not everyone came out of love and Sentha was heckled while giving her speech. The crowd began chanting to drown out the negative words and raised their first in solidarity with her. It was a powerful moment.  That is when the photo was taken.

Thank you Sentha for speaking up for what you believe and being a leader in our community.

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: Carly F

My name is Carly F, I’m a senior, and I have volunteered in Mrs. Caldarera’s kindergarten classroom for the last 8 years. I have gone in almost every school day for 1-2 hours a day and this has resulted in over 900 volunteer hours in the classroom! I absolutely love volunteering there because I can see the direct impact I have on the children’s lives. It is very rewarding being able to see how I have helped over 140 children learn to read, write, and do math. Every year I learn more about the classroom so I am able to take more burdens off of Mrs. Caldarera which greatly benefits the class. I love playing with the kids and building a unique relationship with each of them. I know that a lot of the time as the kindergarteners grow older they no longer remember me, but I know they will remember the things I taught them and the fun things we did together. 

I have done two separate passages in the kindergarten classroom. In the spring of my 9th-grade year, I did a passage based on providing upper-level kids with challenging math. I worked with 6 different kids and met with all of them in small groups twice a week. In the spring of my 11th-grade year, I did a passage helping the lower level kids get caught up with their reading and writing. I worked with 6 kids individually and met with them once a week. I worked with 3 children where English was not spoken at home, which was a learning experience for me. I even met with this one boy 3+ times a week because he needed extra help. Once I started working one-on-one with him there were many improvements in his behavior and his academics. From winter break to spring break, he went from knowing 13 letters and 12 sounds to knowing 22 letters and 20 sounds. I absolutely love volunteering with Mrs. Caldarera and I am grateful that I’ve been given this opportunity every year. 

Carly F

Senior

You should be proud of what a difference you have made in the lives of all the children you work with Carly! Well done.

 

 

#StellerGives: Naomi H

Naomi H. is a 7th grader at Steller.  This past month, she has helped out at the mobile food bank and regularly walked Maya, the service dog, to help out an ill friend.  She has also been working on assembling care packages to donate to the Pet Stop for dogs and cats with cancer.  This summer, she raised over $600 by selling items at the downtown weekend market and will use the funds to complete the baskets for her homegrown charity, Sincerely, Little Su.

It is great to see all the creative ways you are contributing to your community Naomi!

Kirsten Tschofen

Chair, Steller Parent Group

#StellerGives: Michael H.

Michael with Bill Ross, chairman of the 4th of July parade council, celebrating a successful broadcast of the special presentation.

Michael at the Food Bank.

Michael H. is a junior at Steller.  He has been involved in OP Group, TPC, NHS this year at Steller.  He has been volunteering monthly at the mobile good bank in Fairview and helped out with the Thanksgiving Blessing, as well.  This summer, Michael worked for many hours as the  video production and media specialist to create “The Special Presentation of the Veterans 4th of July Parade” which was broadcast on PBS on July 4th at 11am in lieu of the annual in person parade.  He is also serving as a current committee member of the Veterans 4th of July Parade Council. 

Michael H.

Steller Senior

Michael, it is good to see you developing you skills for so many good causes. Well done!