Parent Post

The last student day for the 2022-2023 school year is this Friday, May 19!

As we near the end of another academic year, it is remarkable to reflect on the challenges and success we have experienced together as MSBSD! With unexpected twists and turns, our community has adapted. We greatly appreciate our parents and guardians who have supported their children throughout this year, providing them with the resources and encouragement they need to succeed. We have celebrated student learning at every level! Recognizing our staff who work tirelessly to provide high-quality education and supports to our students is essential. Thank you families, staff, teachers and community members for a momentous year of learning!

Every student must be re- registered every year. Use ParentVUE to register your children grades preK-12. For technical help with ParentVUE, call 907-761-HELP (4357) For general help, please call 907-746-9212.

In August, your child's school will start communicating about the first days of school.

Attendance at school all day, every day is really important. Students who are present and engaged every day experience more academic growth and success than students who are frequently absent. For your planning purposes, the following calendars can assist in mapping out the school year:

• 2023-24 School Calendar
• 2023-24 Charter School Calendars (listed alphabetically)

For next year, please note:

• Team time will continue on Monday mornings. Students will continue to arrive at school one hour later on Mondays compared to Tuesday-Friday start times to allow for building- and district-wide collaboration in PLC Teams.
• November 1-3 is professional learning for staff, which means no school for students.

• In March, our school facilities will help host the Arctic Winter Games! To accommodate this rare and exciting Borough-wide event, spring break will begin for students on Thursday, March 7 and classes will resume on Tuesday, March 19.

There are several district-wide summer programs in the Mat-Su serving various needs. High school credit recovery, accelerated learning, special education extended school year, individual school programs, and various summer camp information is highlighted on this page. Re-visit the Summer Programs page often and share with your friends and acquaintances to help with summer planning!

Other community agencies also offer summer activities for students:

• Middle School Explore Healthcare Careers in Alaska Camp June 5-9 at Mat-Su Middle College or June 12-16 at UAA Main Campus. FREE!

• Youth 360 offers summer programs for all Mat-Su youth entering 6th-12th grade. Students can register for Youth 360's summer programs at Houston High School and Wasilla High School by clicking here . Youth 360 offers great opportunities for secondary students to be part of a caring, supervised community all summer long.

• Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Alaska offers terrific mentoring for kids. This flyer has details about how your child can be part of Big Brothers, Big Sisters in Alaska!

In an effort to keep learning all summer long, we ask that you, as parents, work with your children to encourage them to continue to enjoy math and reading during their break. Aim for at least 40 minutes per week in math and at least 40 minutes per week in English/language arts. Here are some options:

For Math:

• grades K-8 can use iReady math online
• grades 9-12 should utilize Aleks or Khan Academy online
• also, play card games, do logic puzzles, talk about math topics like budgeting and estimating travel time between places or the amount of soil needed in your raised bed gardens. Teach your kids to help with other practical, everyday activities, especially those involving math topics (the possibilities are endless!)

For English/Language Arts and Reading:

• grades K-5 can use iReady Magnetic Reading online
• grades 6-12 can opt for Khan or SORA reading apps online
• visit public libraries and participate in summer reading programs, read together as a family, play "I Spy" on road trips and write old-school letters or postcards to out-of-state family or friends! (Talking with your kids promotes vocabulary development and learning. Have great conversations this summer and fuel your kids' natural curiosity!)

Your student's Chromebooks have been sent home this summer to provide access to programs available on the Clever online platform. The tools and apps in Clever provide formal, systemic and FUN instruction in math and English/language arts. By fostering a culture of learning and exploration at home, you can help your children maintain and advance their knowledge while enjoying their well-deserved break! Please click here for a flier which highlights online resources accessible with your child's Chromebook.

Chromebook assistance is available! This page has phone numbers and links to help.

The GoGuardian Parent app is a mobile app designed to provide parents/guardians insight and control over their student's online activity when on school-managed devices and accounts, like their Chromebooks and Google accounts.

The GoGuardian Parent app provides you with an additional set of internet controls that you can set for out-of-school hours. GoGuardian Parent was created to help provide students with additional educational support and is a companion to the classroom engagement and internet filtering tools that our schools use.

For helpful videos and other information about how GoGuardian can help with filtering and setting screen time limits this summer, click here to visit Tech Information and the GoGuardian Parent App page.

To learn about schools you are interested in, follow the instructions in the graphics to navigate to different school webpages from our www.matsuk12.us main website. (Click on the graphic to the left to enlarge it and make it easier to view)

• Beryozova Russian Language Immersion School is one of two language immersion schools in the Valley, and only one of five Russian language immersion programs in the country! (Click here for a description in Russian.) Their lottery for enrollment is still open! Please reach out to English Language Learner coordinator Keri Shannon or Redington Principal Tom Lytle with questions about Beryozova.
• Mat-Su Middle College School for high school Juniors and Seniors is accepting applications until August 10.
• Click here for more details about Preschool in Mat-Su!
• Preschool is available for kids who are 4 years old before September 1 (no exceptions) and fully potty trained
• Preschool is optional (not mandatory) in Alaska and FREE through MSBSD Federal Programs
• Note: if your preschool-age child has special needs, they may be eligible for preschool with Student Support Services. Click here to learn about Child Find that helps us identify kids age 3-5 with eligible special needs.

Our MSBSD Human Resources department is seeking applicants for all job classifications for the 2023-24 school year! For a complete listing of job opportunities currently available, visit our HR Jobs Board by clicking here.

We especially are seeking qualified candidates for certified teaching positions starting in August of 2023. If you are a certified teacher ready to re-enter the profession after a leave of absence, or if you are planning on enrolling in a post-baccalaureate teacher certification or master of special education program and are interested in being considered for certificated employment, please contact Bethany Lyons at bethany.lyons@matsuk12.us and complete a certified application by visiting www.matsuk12.us/jobs.

The mission of our Mat-Su Borough School District is that "we prepare all students for success."

Student success comes, in part, because of the dedication and contributions of many talented staff that are part of MSBSD. The staff recognized below go above and beyond in their classrooms, their schools and their community every day. We salute these school leaders for their commitment to students and learning!

TEN staff from across MSBSD received awards and recognition for being #1 in their field by professional organizations they are part of. These outstanding educators were recognized at our May 3 school board meeting by our School Board and Superintendent.

Did you know...for teachers, learning never stops? Congratulations to the first graduates of LETRS! This intensive, two-year course is based on the Science of Reading and goes deep into helping teachers know and use the most effective research-based reading instruction practices. Kudos to these teachers for always learning and growing to best support their students in the classroom!

The Public Information Office and Office of Instruction encourages you to visit this MSBSD website to see what's happening for kids in the Mat-Su Valley. Schools, parents and other community stakeholders may download, read, or print informational flyers related to what your interests are.

Flyer approval requests may be sent to Laura Richardson, Family & Community Partnership Coordinator for review and approval for distribution to schools.