The Scoop

Dear Chugach Families,

Well, we have survived the snowiest January on record! As we head into February, we’ll be preparing for 3rd quarter conferences, and will be gearing up for us heading into Spring.

This month ASD will be presenting the school board with their proposed budget. The first of three budget reading will be at the school board meeting next Tuesday (Feb. 3rd). There will be two additional readings should the school board ask the district to go back and rework the budget before it is finalized. I would encourage all of you to pay close attention to the budget and any proposed actions. This is especially true with an 80 million dollar deficit.

This afternoon (January 30th), the school district will be releasing information on the budget, so please look for that to come to you.

As always, I look forward to seeing everyone in the building, and I hope you have a fantastic February.

Monday, February 2 - ASD Gifted Screener (2nd Grade only), JNYO Practice (Gym, 7:45am-8:10am & 11:30am-12:35pm), CEC Board Meeting (Conference room, 8:30am-9:30am), Upper Battle of the Books Competition (West High School, 3:30pm)

Tuesday, February 3 - JNYO Practice (Gym, 7:45am-8:10am & 11:30am-12:35pm), Chugach School Tour (9:00am-10:00am)

Wednesday, February 4 - JNYO Practice (Gym, 7:45am-8:10am & 11:30am-12:35pm), Middle Battle of the Books Competition (West High School, 3:30pm), Basketball practice (Gym, 2:50pm-3:55pm)

Thursday, February 5 - JNYO Practice (Gym, 7:45am-8:10am & 11:30am-12:35pm), Chugach Staff meeting (Library, 3:05pm-4:05pm)

Friday, February 6 - JNYO Practice (Gym, 7:45am-8:10am & 11:30am-12:35pm), Parent Coordinator Meeting (Seed Lab, 8:30am-9:30am), Basketball Game @ Alaska Native Cultural Charter School (3:15pm)

Monday, February 9 - JNYO Practice (Gym, 7:45am-8:10am & 11:30am-12:35pm), Chugach School Tour (6:00pm-7:00pm)

Tuesday, February 10 - JNYO Practice (Gym, 7:45am-8:10am & 11:30am-12:35pm), Heart Challenge Kickoff Assembly (9:00am-9:30am)

Wednesday, February 11 - NAEP Testing (4th Grade only), JNYO Practice (Gym, 7:45am-8:10am & 11:30am-12:35pm)

Thursday, February 12 - JNYO Practice (Gym, 7:45am-8:10am & 11:30am-12:35pm)

Friday, February 13 - Friendship Celebration and 100 Day (Kindy), JNYO Practice (Gym, 7:45am-8:10am), Early Release Day (Dismissal @ 11:15am), Early Release Paint Party Session1 (12:00pm-2:00pm), Early Release Paint Party Session 2 (3:00pm-5:00pm)

Monday, February 16 - Presidents Day holiday [[NO SCHOOL]]

Tuesday, February 17 - JNYO Practice (Gym, 7:45am-8:10am & 11:30am-12:35pm), Chugach School Tour (9:00am-10:00am)

Wednesday, February 18 - JNYO Practice (Gym, 7:45am-8:10am & 11:30am-12:35pm), Primary Portfolio Share (8:10am-8:45am), Community Assembly Meeting (Library, 6:00pm-7:30pm)

Thursday, February 19 - JNYO Practice (Gym, 7:45am-8:10am & 11:30am-12:35pm), Primary Portfolio Share (8:10am-8:45am), Middle Portfolio Share (2:00pm-2:50pm), Chugach Staff meeting (Library, 3:05pm-4:05pm), Science Share (5:30pm-7:00pm)

Friday, February 20 - JNYO Practice (Gym, 7:45am-8:10am), Primary Portfolio Share (8:10am-8:45am), Heart Challenge Event (Gym, 11:00am-12:30pm), Upper Portfolio Share (1:45pm-2:45pm)

Saturday, February 21 - JNYO Competition (Grades 1-6, Gruening Middle School, 8:00am-5:00pm), Alternative School Fair (Begich Middle School, 12:00pm-4:00pm)

Monday, February 23 - Chugach School Tour (6:00pm-7:00pm)

Wednesday, February 25 - Early Release for Conferences (Dismissal @ 11:15am)

Thursday, February 26 - Early Release for Conferences (Dismissal @ 11:15am)

Friday, February 27 - In-Service Day [[NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS]]

Please help our community to ensure a safe and efficient parking lot for arrival and dismissal.

We know parking is limited , especially with all the snow, but please refrain from parking in any of the "RESERVED" parking spots, the fire lane or the loading dock area.

Also, please do not park in the handicapped parking spaces unless you are permitted to do so. We need to have these spots accessible to those who need them. We would also appreciate it if you could park in such a way as to not block others from getting out of their parking spots or that blocks the flow of traffic.

Chugach families are welcome to park at the New Hope Church across the street and in the Municipal EOC parking lot but please be good neighbors and do not park in their reserved parking areas and be mindful of your speed at all times.

You may have already noticed the change at our back (12th Ave) entrance, but wanted to make sure everyone is in the loop. For security reasons, we will now be locking the back entrance at 8:15am. Please be sure to come through the front door if you arrive after 8:15am and do your best not to let anyone in the back door on your way out!

Chugach Optional will be taking two Middle Family Group teams to the ASD district Battle of the Books competition on February 4th at West High School. We had an awesome school battle with a record 6 teams participating. It really came down to the wire, but two teams came out on top. We are so proud of all the hard work and dedication that all of our battlers put into this battle! Congratulations to the following teams who will be representing Chugach at the district battle:

Team 1: C.A.T.S!

Carol Degraffenfried

Tova Crawford

Sloan Blaeuer

Owen Lester (Alternate)

Team 2: Pokenites

Sammy Acevedo

Nate Allen

Kent Hinrichsen

Luca Borghesan (Alternate)

5/6 students are excited to put their newly gained reading knowledge to good use as they participate in the District Battle Monday, February 2nd at West High School.

Students participating in the 5/6 District Battle:

Ari Hall-Potnis

Austin Wells

Dylan James

Ezra Rigg

Luna Lee

Max Anderson

Otto Anderson

If you have an incoming kindergarten sibling for the 2026-2027 school year, you must still apply to the school lottery to ensure their spot at Chugach Optional. Please be sure to note the sibling connection in your application. The lottery system opens for applications on February 1st and close on March 19th. Click here for a direct link to the ASD Lottery page. See below for the schedule of Chugach Optional School Tours for prospective families.

If you are interested in receiving information from ASD on ways to prepare your child to enter kindergarten, please complete this form. On a monthly basis, ASD will mail packets with resources and learning activities.

Dear Families,

We are getting ready to kick off the Kids Heart Challenge adventure with the American Heart Association, and we need your help! Our students will be learning about their heart, raising awareness and funds for the American Heart Association and staying strong in body and mind. We’ll get moving with fun activities, meet kids with special hearts and raise funds for the health of all hearts. Plus, they’ll feel good for doing good!

I will be passing out the flyer in PE, but if you want a headstart please download the Kids Heart Challenge App or visit heart.org/schools to register today. Once you've registered, start Finn’s Mission and complete the challenges. As a family you can help to create a community of lifesavers by learning the lifesaving steps of Hands-Only CPR. It’s quick, easy, and

fun!

Our school wide event will be February 20 during lunch recess!

This year, participating students and staff who complete Finn’s Mission will earn an entry to win two tickets to Super Bowl LXI! For every 18 students who complete Finn’s Mission, our school will earn one entry for a $10,000 fitness equipment update!

Sign Up online and help our school win the Principal's Challenge to earn an additional $500 in new PE Equipment!

Why we support the American Heart Association: About 90% of people who suffer out of hospital cardiac arrests don’t survive. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double, or even triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival.

Thank you for joining us and helping us save lives!

Polly Smith

Science Share is in three weeks! It’s time to get serious about your projects! If you haven’t registered yet, do that now. If you registered already, but need to make changes to your registration, please fill out the form again and we will use the most recent registration.

We still need Community Scientists to serve as science mentors and meet with students individually about projects on Science Share night. These mentors can be anyone from our Chugach community, including parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents with a science background (professional or informal). Please sign up here to be a Community Scientist!

Can you help in other ways? We need additional volunteers to help with set up, the scavenger hunt, pizza, and clean up. Please sign up here!

Please check out the Science Share page on the CEC website for more information and to sign up to help as a community scientist or event helper.

Dear Parents,

In PE we are learning about and preparing for the annual Junior Native Youth Olympics. We will be learning about the different games and how they originated. If your child would like the opportunity to compete in these games with kids their same age; the date is Feb 21 at Gruening Middle School 9601 Lee Street Eagle River 99577

JNYO is a friendly competition that is a fun-filled time. There are medals awarded at the end of the events, but just as important is the fact that the kids are learning our Alaskan culture from each other and enjoying the simple act of competing.

Practices will be during Lunch Recess, Before School and during PE. We will have practices starting February 2.

COMPETITION SCHEDULE

9:00 Seal Hop (1st and 2nd)

10:00 Scissor Broad Jump (5th and 6th grade) and (7th and 8th)

10:30 Kneel Jump (1st and 2nd)

11:30 Alaskan High Kick (5th and 6th) and (7th and 8th)

12:00 Eskimo Stick Pull (1st and 2nd)

1:00 One Foot High Kick (5th and 6th) and (7th and 8th)

1:30 Arm Pull (3rd and 4th)

2:30 Eskimo Stick Pull (5th and 6th) and (7th and 8th)

3:00 Wrist Carry (3rd and 4th)

4:00 Two Foot High Kick (3rd and 4th) and (7th and 8th)

· Certificate Awards following events

Please fill out the waiver and the Event form (below) and return to Polly or Amy.

We have acquired quite a collection of Lost and Found items over by the music room!

Please take a moment at either drop-off or dismissal to check the Lost & Found for any items that may belong to your family!

Wednesday, February 25th and Thursday, February 26th are Early Release days (dismissal @ 11:15am) to accommodate Family-Teacher conferences in the afternoons. More information to follow as it becomes available.

The 2026 Chugach Optional School Art Night is scheduled to take place on

Thursday, March 5th from 6:30-8:30PM.

Art Night is a fundraiser for our sister school, Mauni in Malawi, Africa. Part of this event is an auction of items created by our students, parents and staff. Examples of items contributed in the past include crocheted animals, ceramics, knitting, woodworking, jewelry, quilts, homemade bags, original artwork such as paintings and prints, and macrame.

Items for the auction should be submitted in the office by the end of day on March 3rd. Please don’t forget to fill out a donation form with your submission (these are in the office too).

If you have questions, please contact Beth at: artnight2025@yahoo.com

Email: chugachoffice@asdk12.org
Website: www.asdk12.org/chugachoptional
Location: 1205 E St, Anchorage, AK, USA
Phone: 907-742-3730