Ptarmigan Elementary School

Dear Ptarmigan Families,

We are off to a great start this school year! Thank you for helping make the first weeks of school smooth and successful for your children. September is a time to build strong routines, establish expectations, and set the tone for a positive year of learning and growth.

PBIS Focus
PBIS is a framework that helps us create a safe, supportive, and consistent environment for all students. At Ptarmigan, we use the acronym CARL to guide our schoolwide expectations:

• C – Care for Self and Others
  
  

• A – Act Responsibly
  
  

• R – Respect Everyone
  
  

• L – Learn Every Day
  
  

At the start of the school year, teachers and staff modeled and practiced these expectations with students in different areas of the school (classrooms, hallways, cafeteria, playground, and during arrival/dismissal).

Families can help at home by talking with your child about what CARL looks like in your daily routines—caring for others at home, being responsible with chores, showing respect in conversations, and committing to learning both inside and outside of school.

Celebrating Students
We will begin celebrating students who demonstrate PBIS expectations through positive recognition and schoolwide shout-outs. Be on the lookout for the positive CARL notes that we will send home.

Thank you for your continued support in helping us make Ptarmigan a safe, respectful, and caring learning community for all students.

With appreciation,

Mrs. Ellen Drake
Principal, Ptarmigan Elementary

September 1st:

• Peace Run Assembly - Grades 3-5 @ 9:00am.

September 3rd:

• First day Cross Country Running Club @ 2:30pm-3:20pm. (Practice Thursdays & Fridays)

• Open House @ 5:30pm.

September 7th:

• NO SCHOOL. Labor Day holiday.

September 10th:

• SRP (Standard Response Protocol) Safety Drill.

• First day Choir Rehearsal @ 2:30pm-3:30pm. (Practice Mondays & Wednesdays)

• ASD Vaccine Clinic (ASD ED Center) @ 3pm-7pm.

• Lions Club Vision Screenings.

• Cross Country Running Regional Jamboree @ Bartlett High School
  

Happy September, Timberwolves!

The leaves are changing, the mornings are dark, and autumn is fully here! We are so glad to have welcomed our students back to class - we're already busy busy BUSY learning every day!

Back to school can be a financially stressful time of year for families. If you need help with school supplies or back to school supplies, please reach out to me. Our community closet is open!

Finally, I wanted to let our families know that events will look a little different this year as I will be on maternity leave in September and October. I look forward to picking things up in November when I return!

If you need any assistance or a family advocate, please don't hesitate to reach out to our school counselor Ms. Gay. Her email is gay_rhiana@asdk12.org and her phone is 907-742-0449. Our front office is also always available to assist!

Family Resources

Public schools are often one of the first resources that families come to for community assistance. We take that responsibility seriously and want to help. We also know asking for help isn't always easy so we've provided a few options below for families that might need additional assistance.

1. The Food Bank of Alaska provides the most up-to-date calendar on when and where families can get food assistance. Check out their website or apply for SNAP at https://foodbankofalaska.org/

2. If you need assistance with housing, accessing therapy or other mental health challenges, please reach out to Shannon O'Connell with Volunteers of America at Oconnell_Shannon@asdk12.org or at 907-742-0452. Shannon is based out of Ptarmigan and can help with intake and referral as needed.

3. If you need access to medical services, Alaska Children's Urgent Care and Outreach and the Anchorage School District are partnering together to offer telemedicine visits for children at school. For a flyer, please reach out to us.

Community Closet

Our community closet is OPEN to the community. We have some clothing, supplies, winter gear and more. If you need something please reach out to us. Winter will be here soon, if you need winter supplies please let us know as soon as possible. Students do go outside, every day and in every type of weather!

If your student has outgrown their things, please consider donating to our closet. It goes a long way to keeping kids warm. All donations need to be clean, in decent condition, and in a box or bag. Donations can be brought to Leela's office in the morning around drop off Monday through Thursday. Thank you to everyone who has donated so far!

The community closet can accept:

- Clothing from 4T to adult smalls

- Shoes from toddler size 10 to adult size 9, tennis shoes and boots preferred

- Socks and Underwear may only be accepted in their packaging

Current pressing needs:

• Big kid/adult sized socks (must be unopened)

• Pants size 4-7

If you know or have a business that is willing to become a business partner with us or our community closet, please reach out to me. We can offer a donation tax receipt for financial contributions.

Parent Club!

We have our Open House on September 3rd at 5:30 pm. Bring your student and let them guide you through our amazing school!

Stay tuned for news of future events!

Mrs. Leela Turso

Family Services Support Coordinator

907-742-0444

turso_leela@asdk12.org

ATTENTION Parents/Guardians; new and returning!

Please review our Arrival and Dismissal Procedures. Our ultimate goal is to provide the most safe and efficient arrival and dismissal possible for our students, families, and staff. Please DO NOT leave your vehicle unattended and please DO NOT park on the left side of the drive-thru.

Welcome back! We are off to a great start in the Music Room at Ptarmigan Elementary. There will be lots of singing, dancing, and instrument playing happening for all grade levels! I get to see your students twice a week this semester! In January they will not have music but they will have the same schedule with Art.

During the first few weeks, we are focusing on how to stay safe in the music room and how to be a C.A.R.L. while learning music at Ptarmigan.

Effort Points in Music (Grades 1–5):
Students can earn up to 5 points per class based on their effort in the following areas:

• Active Listening
  

• Cooperating
  

• Following Directions
  

• Participating
  

• Respecting: self, classmates, the room, and instruments
  
  

Upper Grades (3rd–5th):

Students in third through fifth grades have been learning the North Wind Dance from Australia. This lively and joyful dance celebrates new beginnings, making it the perfect way to kick off the school year!

Primary Grades (K–2):

Our younger students are reviewing basic rhythm reading and playing. Through singing games and movement, they’re learning to express themselves while discovering the power and joy of music.

Choir Opportunity (Grades 3–5):
If your child enjoys singing and performing, we’d love to have them in the Ptarmigan Choir!

Rehearsals: Mondays & Wednesdays, 2:30–3:30 PM

First Rehearsal: Monday, September 14th.

Please fill out and return the Choir Permission Slip/Contract as soon as possible to reserve a spot.

I hope to instill a love of music in all my students. Looking forward to a musical semester at Ptarmigan Elementary!

🎶
Mrs. Benton
Classroom Music Specialist

Welcome back! We have missed you and are happy you are with us at Ptarmigan. My name is Mrs. Giammalva, and I am the librarian here. I am starting my eighth year at Ptarmigan and twelfth year with the Anchorage School District.

Your student will have the opportunity to visit our library once a week for 50 minutes. During this time, students will participate in a lesson and checkout books.

• Kindergarten classrooms have five books checked out to their class each week.
  
• First and second grade students can check out one book.
  
• Third through fifth can check out two books.
  

The month of September will be very busy in our library. Students will learn routines, expectations, and how to take care of our books. Students will also learn about the different areas of the library we will use. Students will begin to understand that the library has a special organization to make it easy to use.

Keep an eye out for more information about our Scholastic Book Fair coming to Ptarmigan in October!

I look forward to seeing your student each week and assisting them in finding books they will enjoy. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

Respectfully,

Mrs. Alyson Giammalva

Teacher-Librarian

Ptarmigan Elementary School

(907) 742-0416

*General Education Preschool Release Time: 12pm

Hi Ptarmigan Timberwolves!

Cross Country Running Club will begin on Thursday, September 3rd!

Cross Country running club will be open to students K-5 and we will meet on

Thursdays and Fridays in the upper gym 2:30-3:30

The club will run for 6 weeks for a total of 12 practices

(Last practice is Friday October 9th)

Permission slips and flyers with more information on cross country running club and the jamborees will coming home soon but just in case it got misplaced, see below flier. Scan QR or click on the following link to fill out permission slip and waiver: https://forms.gle/9ikQfpmZuh8McJR88

Our Regional Jamboree is the North Area Jamboree on September 23rd @ Bartlett High School

We will have a tent, water and snacks at the North area

Other Jamboree opportunities:

Beach Lake Jamboree (Eagle River Area) @ Chugiak High School, September 17th)

South Area Jamboree @ Service High School (September 30th)

Looking forward to a fun and active Running Club this school year!

Welcome Back Ptarmigan Families!

Important Health Information for the 2026-2027 School Year

A new school year is upon us, and I would like to welcome everyone back to Ptarmigan Elementary! As we prepare for a safe and healthy school year, please take a moment to review the important health information below.

Immunization Requirements

Alaska State Law requires that students be up to date on required immunizations in order to attend school. Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, students will be excluded from school unless their immunizations are compliant or a valid exemption is on file.

For more information, please visit:
https://www.asdk12.org/departments/mental-health-and-student-supports/healthcare-services/immunizations

Care Plans and Medication Forms

If your child has asthma, seizures, severe allergies/anaphylaxis, or requires medication at school, please submit updated Care Plan or Medication forms for the new school year.

A new care plan and medication form is required each year to:

• Verify that no health needs have changed over the summer.
  
• Ensure we provide the most current and appropriate care for your student.
  
• Maintain accurate health information at school.
  

Medication at School

All medications must:

• Be brought to school by a parent or guardian.
  
• Be in the original packaging.

• Include the student's name and prescribing provider's information.
• Have the appropriate authorization forms completed.

Over-the-counter medication forms are also available for students who may need:

• Children's Tylenol
  
• Ibuprofen

• Cough drops

Please remember that school staff cannot administer any medication without written parent/guardian authorization. A Nurse may take a one-time verbal authorization from a parent or legal guardian.

Students may not carry medications to or from school. Any medication found in a student's possession will be confiscated and held in the health office for parent/guardian pickup.

Health forms can be found here, and some can be completed electronically:

https://www.asdk12.org/departments/mental-health-and-student-supports/healthcare-services/forms

When completing forms electronically, please include my email address so they are sent directly to me.

Vision and Hearing Screenings

The Lions Club will be at Ptarmigan Elementary on September 17, 2026, to provide vision screenings for students and October 29, 2026, to provide hearing screenings for students.

Routine vision and hearing screenings are conducted in compliance with Alaska State Guidelines (AS 14.30.127).

Questions?

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child's health needs at school, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to working with your family and helping ensure a healthy and successful school year for all students.

Warm regards,

Cassandra Espinoza BSN-RN PMH-BC

Ptarmigan Elementary School Nurse

Phone: 907-742-0417 Fax: 907-742-0425

espinoza_cassandra@asdk12.org

The snow is already coming down the mountains. It is never too early to prepare for the colder weather.

Welcome to the 26/27 school year. My name is Kate Cannon, and I am the Indigenous Student Support Specialist for Ptarmigan Elementary. I'm excited to be a part of the Ptarmigan team and I can't wait to get to know you and work with your students this year!

I have been the Indigenous Student Support Specialist at Tyson Elementary for the past six years and will continue to be, but there were some BIG changes in my schedule this year. My department needs me to split my time between Tyson and Ptarmigan Elementary. This will allow Ptarmigan to have a Student Support Specialist, but it does mean that I will only be at Ptarmigan on Mondays and Tuesdays, and will be over at Tyson Elementary for the rest of the week (Wednesday through Friday). I will be providing support in the homeroom classrooms as well as pulling students for support.

These first couple weeks I am focusing on enrolling students into the Indigenous Education Program and filling out forms with families. I hope to have lunch/recess groups and an after-school program in the future but I will keep posted on those changes. Whether I am at Ptarmigan or Tyson, I am always available via my email address.

I look forward to working with our students to help them succeed and to help support them culturally as well. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions!

Katrin Cannon (Mrs. Kate)

Student Support Specialist

Indigenous Education

Email: cannon_katrin@asdk12.org

Did you know that the Municipality of Anchorage and the State of Alaska set aside 1% of public construction budgets, including for schools, to fund permanent, site-specific public art installations? Many of these art pieces are installed inside and outside of schools in The Anchorage School District, including Ptarmigan Elementary. We are excited that our totem poles got a fresh coat of paint over the summer! With this refresh, we thought this was a perfect opportunity to share some Interesting facts about this '1% for Art' installation:

• They were carved by Ketchikan carver Donald "Donnie" Varnell who is part Haida.
• The poles were carved from red cedar. One was donated by Cape Fox Corp. which came from Revillagigedo Island in Ketchikan. The other was donated by the U.S. Forest Service from Thorne Bay on Prince of Wales Island.
• He worked on them for 11 months, while also working on other projects.
• Tradional pole raising ceremony was held in late October 2005.

• Use of blended styles of tradional Native American and Japense Manga.
• Each pole includes the school's mascot, a timber wolf.
• The poles depict different seasons and are named after the children of the artist's family friends.
• Tasia, the young girl, is spring and summer and features more Tlingit influences.
• Taku, the boy, is fall and winter and is more Haida influences. The "ghost like" designs at the bottom are a madern take on Ptarmigan, the state bird.

mClass Assessment

As part of The Alaska Reads Act, the State of Alaska requires that districts administer an early literacy screening tool three times a year to students in grades K-3 to identify potential reading difficulties in order to improve reading outcomes for students. Families can read more about this comprehensive K-3 reading policy at The Alaska Reads Act website: education.alaska.gov/akreads

mClass with DIBELS 8th Edition Assessments is the State of Alaska Department of Education’s and ASD’s Early Literacy benchmark screening and progress monitoring tool for students in grades K-3 in reading. mClass utilizes curriculum-based measures and is used by schools as part of the ASD Comprehensive Assessment System to support informed instructional decisions.

The Alaska Department of Education & Early Development explains the decision to adopt mClass as the statewide literacy screener here:

https://education.alaska.gov/Alaska-Reading-Resources/Statewide-Early-Literacy-Screener

mClass screening assessments will only be administered in-person during the benchmark window listed below:

• BOY 2026: September 7 - 18

Results for K-3 students that were assessed during a benchmark window, will be available in Parent Connect by October 2, 2026 ParentConnection Login Information and Reference Guide: parentconnect.asdk12.org

MAP Assessment

Grades 3-5 will participate in the MAP assessment during the window of September 8-18 These assessments will include Language Arts and Mathematics. Each student will complete the assessments on two separate days during the window. If students are absent, they will complete the assessment when they return to school.

Are you interested in Volunteering at Ptarmigan for the upcoming 26/27 school year? You may be interested in Volunteering in your student's classroom, for field trips, Family Nights, or Holiday Events? If you are interested in Volunteering, it is REQUIRED to have an ASD approved Application and Waiver on file for all Volunteers, BEFORE they are able to Volunteer. A NEW Volunteer Application and Waiver is required for EVERY school year. If you haven't done so already, please plan ahead and apply now by scanning the QR Code or clicking on the ASD Volunteer Application and Waiver button above.

Are you planning on visiting at Ptarmigan or another school in The Anchorage School District? ALL VISITORS are required to provide their State issued ID in order to sign in to our Raptor Visitor Management Kiosk system. We are no longer able to manually add individuals without a State issued ID. We appreciate your patience!

Our school will conduct our first Standard Response Protocol (SRP) safety drill on Thursday, September 10th. We utilize the SRP framework—developed by The "I Love U Guys" Foundation—to establish clear, common language and action steps across our campus for an all-hazards approach to emergency readiness.

What Parents Should Know:

• Building Muscle Memory: Drills focus entirely on practicing the physical steps to build quick muscle memory, rather than simulating stressful emergency scenarios.

• Clear Announcements: The school always announces that an event is a drill during the initial announcement so students know it is a practice session.

• Parent Observation: Parents and guardians who wish to observe or participate in our safety drills are always welcome.
  

  
  

Thank you for partnering with us to ensure our school remains a safe, secure environment for learning. Please contact the main office if you have any questions ahead of our September 10th drill.

Anchorage School District Board:

Carl Jacobs (President), Kelly Lessens (Vice President), Margo Bellamy (Clerk),

Rachel Blakeslee (Treasurer), and Members: Paul McDonogh, Pat Higgins, and Dora Wilson.

ASD Superintendent Dr. Jharrett Bryantt.

Ptarmigan Elementary School

888 Edward St.

Anchorage, AK. 99504

Phone: (907) 742-0400

Fax: (907) 742-0425

To Leave a Message on the Attendance Line: (907) 566-0400

Email Ptarmigan Front Office Staff:

Administrative Assistant (Anina Felise-Fogamomi): felise-fogamomi_anina@asdk12.org

Secretary (Karen Johnson): johnson_karen01@asdk12.org