Ravenwood Elementary

Ravens:

• Striving for academic success
• Connecting with community
• Soaring to our highest potential

It’s wonderful to have all 363 Ravens here in the nest—from PK through 5th grade! Our students have had a great start and are already soaring into learning while discovering why “It’s Always a Great Day to Be a Raven!”

Next week, we begin our fall benchmark assessments. These results will help teachers identify student strengths and needs and plan targeted intervention and enrichment for WIN groups beginning in October.

We’re also looking forward to welcoming our Ravenwood families to Open House on September 15 from 5:00–6:00 PM! Come visit classrooms, connect with staff, and celebrate the start of another great year. Following Open House, please stay as we honor Nurse Jen Cottle at her Retirement Reception at 6:00 PM in the MPR.

Meanwhile, our summer construction projects are finally nearing the finish line! Our front office is almost complete, with furniture and a few final details—including our intercom and bells—still to come. Contractors are also hoping to have the loading dock completed by mid-September…maybe even by Open House! 🤞

In this month's newsletter please find info about:

• PTSO - Meeting Tonight and Volunteer Needs
• Fall Benchmark Testing - Sept 8 (mClass K-3) and Sept 10 and 11 (MAP Growth 3-5 grade)
• Beach Lake Jamboree - Sept. 17
• Nurse Cottle’s Retirement Reception — Sept. 15
• Picture Day — Sept. 16
• Run for Ravenwood — Oct. 1
• Schoolwide Expectations & Technology Use
• Safety Drills
• And so much more—so, please read on!

Warmly,

Kim Bautista, Principal, Ravenwood Elementary School

❤️🤍💙 Honoring the Past • Leading Today • Inspiring Tomorrow

Together… UNITED, We Soar!

Please contact our front office, if you have questions or need assistance.

• School Day: 8:00a - 2:30p
• Arrival: no earlier than 7:45a (doors open at 7:50a with 1st bell)
• Dismissal: 2:30p
• Office Number: (907) 742-3250
• Front Office Team: Beth Kutyba and Laura Figueroa

Lifetouch will be at Ravenwood on Wednesday, September 16 for individual student photos. Be on the lookout for order form information, or families can order online in advance for special savings at mylifetouch.com and using: Ravenwood Picture Day ID: EVTNDZK9V

After 26 years with ASD—including 21 years caring for our Ravenwood community—Nurse Jen Cottle has retired!

Please join us for cookies, thanks, fond memories, and best wishes as we celebrate Nurse Jen and her many years of dedicated service.Tuesday, September 15 | 6:00 PM | MPR (immediately following Open House). Come help us give Nurse Jen the Raven send-off she deserves!

🦆 And yes…there may be ducks involved. 🦆

mClass (K-3)

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.

At Ravenwood, mClass screening assessments for fall will be administered in-person during the benchmark window:

• Sept. 8 – mClass Assessment Team here all day for K-3
• Sept. 8-18 mClass Assessments

MAP Growth (3-5)

MAP Growth is the ASD and State of Alaska required benchmark/interim reading and mathematics assessment for students in grades 3-9.

MAP Growth is an online, adaptive assessment that provides each student a personalized testing experience with data that speaks to their individual progress and growth in mathematics and reading.

At Ravenwood, our MAP Growth reading and mathematics benchmarks will be administered in person this fall:

• Sept. 10: Grades 3–5 Reading Assessment
• Sept. 11: Grades 3–5 Math Assessment
• Sept. 14–25: Make-up assessments for any students who miss their scheduled test

Please use the below map for student drop-off/pick-up. We will have extra staff to help with arrival/dismissal for the first several days.

Safety Reminders:

• Students are not allowed to cross Eagle River Road - it is far too dangerous.
• Speed limit is only 5 mph on campus/parking lot.
• Please plan to walk with your child(ren) across parking lot.
• Stay alert for students and watch the road (no cell phones or distracted driving)
• If your student is walking/riding a bike - please have them wear reflective gear/clothing to be more visible. Bike riders must wear a helmet.

Thank you in advance for your patience, as we always prioritize student safety!

This year, ASD is launching GATE, a new gifted services model for students in grades 3–5. Students will participate in a 60–90 minute weekly pull-out with Miss Heather, our librarian, in Room 106, providing opportunities to explore ideas, solve problems, collaborate, and engage in challenging projects. The 2026–27 school year will serve as a pilot year for this new program.

Please see our Ravenwood GATE schedule below for weekly days and times.

• 4th Grade - Tuesdays, 1:20-2:20
• 5th Grade - Wednesdays, 1:20-2:20
• 3rd Grade - Thursdays, 10:20-11:20

Please label water bottles, jackets, and other personal items with your student’s name. As you prepare for our winter weather, it's important to label coats, hats, gloves, snow pants, and boots, too!

A name makes it much easier to reunite lost gear with its owner—saving families time and money.

If you are missing something? Check our Lost & Found, now located in the gym.

Elementary Student Lunch - $6.25

Milk - $1.00 and Lactose-Free Milk - $1.50

Our Ravens are enjoying a variety of fresh fruit and veggie choices with lunch each day—great fuel for learning and soaring!

Cafeteria Reminder: Elementary cafeterias no longer provide change for cash transactions. Families are encouraged to preload student meal accounts with cash or check (exact amount, please) or make online payments through Parent Connect.

🍎 For menus, meal information, and Free/Reduced Meal applications, visit ASD Student Nutrition.

My name is Ashley Denaster (Nurse Ashley), and I’m excited to be Ravenwood's new school nurse.This is my second year with ASD. I was at Fire Lake last year, and I’m excited to start this new chapter at Ravenwood.

I have been a nurse for 11 years, with the majority of my nursing career spent in the ICU. I was also a travel nurse for five years, which is actually how I ended up in Alaska! I did some work with Maxim here in Alaska as a private-duty nurse, and that is when I realized how much I loved working with pediatric patients. I also currently work in the operating room in addition to my role as a school nurse.

If you are looking to chaperone field trips or volunteer in the classroom, please complete the volunteer application for 26-27 school year. All volunteers must reapply each school year. Previous approvals do not carry over.

All Visitors Must Check in Through Raptor

Every person entering the building must be scanned in Raptor. Please remember to bring a valid state ID card with you. The system runs a safety check and prints a visitor badge to be worn while on campus.

🇺🇸✨ WANTED: A FEW GOOD PTSO VOLUNTEERS! ✨🇺🇸

Calling all patriots, school spirit superstars, and community champions! ❤️🤍💙

Our PTSO is looking to fill a few important roles, and we need YOU (or someone you know!) 🇺🇸

⭐ VICE PRESIDENT — Ready to step up and help lead the charge?
📋 SECRETARY — Great at keeping us organized and on track?
📱 SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER — Love sharing school spirit and keeping everyone in the loop?

Know someone who would be a perfect fit? NOMINATE THEM! 🎆

Let’s build a PTSO that’s ALL AMERICAN, ALL IN, and ALL ABOUT OUR STUDENTS! 🇺🇸

❤️ Nominate yourself or a fellow parent by emailing us at ravenwoodptso@gmail.com

Sept. 7 - Labor Day - No School

Sept. 15 - Ravenwood Open House, 5-6p

Sept. 15 - Nurse Cottle Retirement Reception, 6p in the MPR

Sept. 16 - School Picture Day w/LifeTouch Photography

Sept. 17 - Beach Lake Jamboree for K-5 runners

Sept. 17 - Constitution Day & Citizenship Day

Oct. 1 - Run for Ravenwood (our annual school fundraiser)

Oct. 2 - Popcorn Friday

Oct. 12 - Indigenous Peoples' Day/No School

Oct. 15 - Great Alaska Shakeout - Earthquake Drill, 10:15a

Oct. 16 - Inservice Day/No School for Students

Oct. 21 - School Picture Retakes

School for all grades will start one hour later, ONLY on Mondays to allow for PLCs (Professional Learning Communities) in all ASD schools. Bus transportation will start one hour later on PLC Mondays only. School will end at a regular time.

At Ravenwood, we want technology to support learning. In accordance with ASD School Board Policy BP 5138, elementary students may not use or access personal electronic devices during the school day. This includes cell phones, smart watches, earbuds, gaming devices, and other personal technology. So at Ravenwood, student technology is "Off and Away During the School Day!” Ravens learn best when their tech is at rest!

All schools are required to perform a number of drills per ASD Board Policy 6114 and federal and state laws.

Types of Drills:

Drop, Cover & Hold on (Earthquake)

Two per school year

Evacuation (Fire)

One per month

Shelter-in-Place Tabletop Exercise

(volcano, hazmat, etc.)

One per school year

*SRP (Standard Response Protocol) - replaces A.L.I.C.E. drills

Two per school year - 1 each semester - 1st Semester - Sept. 4th @ 12:45p

*SRP drills are intended to prepare schools for internal and external threats. These drills incorporate elements of Hold, Secure, and Lockdown training staff and students in the actions necessary to respond to a threat. SRP drills will be conducted twice a year at the beginning of the first and third quarters. For more information on these drills, please visit the website: https://iloveuguys.org/The-Standard-Response-Protocol.html

We will be having a SRP Drill (Secure and Lockdown) on September 4th at approximately 12:45 p.m.. We are informing staff and parents so that they can also prepare students for the drill. We want to practice safety precautions without scaring students and families. Please contact Mrs. Bautista if you have any questions or concerns.