Alaska Native Cultural Charter

• March

• 3/5 - Last school day of Quarter 3
• 3/4 - Library Story Night, 5:15 - 6:00 pm
• 3/6 - Quarter 3 Grading Day - NO SCHOOL
• 3/8 - 3/13 - Spring Break - NO SCHOOL
• 3/16 - Classes resume for Quarter 4
• 3/18 - 3rd-5th grade field trip to Anchorage Museum
• 319 - 6th-8th grade field trip to Anchorage Museum
• 3/19 - Parent Connection: Screenagers, 5:30 - 7:00 pm
• 3/24 - ANCCS Science Fair project judging
• 3/26 - ANCCS Family Night, 5:00 - 7:30 pm
• 3/31 - MAP / AK Star ELA test (grades 6-8)
• April
• 4/1 - MAP / AK Star Math test (grades 6-8)
• 4/2 - MAP / AK Star ELA test (grades 3-5)
• 4/3 - MAP / AK Star Math test (grades 3-5)
• 4/3 - Family Bingo Night, 5:30 pm
• 4/6 - 4/17 - MAP / AK Star make-up window
• 4/9 - Alaska Science Assessment (grades 5 & 8) (tentative)
• 4/20 - 4/24 - ANCCS Culture Week
• 4/24 - Culture Week Feast & First Catch Celebration
• 4/29 - 6th Grade Archery Field Trip
• May
• 5/1 - 1st Grade Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center Field Trip
• 5/2 - 5/9 - 8th Grade Close Up to DC & NYC
• 5/15 - ANCCS Student Showcase
• 5/18 - Field Day
• 5/19 - 8th Grade Promotion
• 5/21 - Last day of school

Waqaa ANCCS families! Third quarter flew by with lots of exciting activities and learning for staff and students. A highlight for February was our Spring Intensives week. During spring intensives, students worked in small, mixed-grade groups on a special interest topic for two days. Topics ranged from The Iditarod to Engineering for Earthquakes and Teaching like a Teacher to Everything Moose. It was exciting to see our staff and students explore these topics together and engage in hands-on learning.

Spring break marks the end of quarter 3 with the last day for students on Thursday, March 5. Fourth quarter resumes on March 16. Although quarter 4 is the longest quarter of the year, it is sure to fly by as there will be lots going on at ANCCS, including family nights, field trips, AK Star testing, culture week, and a special trip to Washington DC and New York City for some of our 8th-grade student leaders.

Please join us Saturday, February 28, at 5:30 pm to provide input on our 5-year Strategic Plan. We will meet in the library.

Every year, our students, staff, and families are invited to provide valuable input and feedback regarding our school climate and connectedness. This survey provides us critical information that guides our leadership decisions and future planning. Last year, we had 100% family participation and our families were recognized by the district for this accomplishment! Let's do it again this year: please complete the School Climate & Connectedness Survey (SCCS) today!

Join us on Wednesday, March 4, in the library for a story night! Our very own ANCCS parent and frequent volunteer, Tanisha Charles, will be reading a story. Students will also have a chance to check out books from the library to bring home.

For RETURNING ANCCS students (students currently enrolled in K-8 at ANCCS):

During parent-teacher conferences, teachers requested that families complete an intent to return form. If you have not completed an intent to return form, please contact your student's teacher or the front office to let us know if your child will be returning to ANCCS for 2026-2027.

For K-8 students NEW to ANCCS (including current preschool students):

• Lottery opens: February 1, 2026
• Lottery closes: March 31, 2026 at 5 p.m.
• Family notifications: April 7, 2026 beginning at 4 p.m.*

*Note: The lottery window was extended due to pending ASD Board budget decisions

For new preschool students:

Families interested in ANCCS preschool for 2025-2026 will need to apply through the preschool department.

Please join us on Thursday, March 19, for a family connections night to discuss screen time, technology use, and navigating parenting in the digital age. We will be viewing the film Screenagers and providing opportunities to connect with other parents, caregivers, and school staff.

This event is from 5:30 - 7:00 pm and is open to all parents, guardians, and caregivers of current ANCCS students. Please RSVP by completing the linked survey form.

View the trailer for the film: Screenagers.

Please RSVP by March 13 by completing this form to reserve your spot! This will help us to plan for our discussions, dinner, and childcare needs.

Do you or someone you know have an art form, craft, or cultural practice to share with others? ANCCS is currently seeking artists to teach during our annual Culture Week (April 20 - 24). During Culture Week, we pause our regular classes and instruction to work in small, mixed-grade groups led by an ANCCS staff member and an artist / culture bearer.

We invite interested family and community members to apply or reach out to Ms. Wiseman for more information.

Each spring, Alaskan students are provided an opportunity to show what they know. When students show what they know, teachers and parents can partner to promote student success. The State of Alaska Department of Education has partnered with NWEA to align and connect the English language arts (ELA) and mathematics tests with the MAP Growth benchmark assessments students take in fall and winter.

This balanced assessment system targets instruction to better support meeting students’ individual learning needs. In addition, students will take only one assessment per content area (ELA and math) and be provided two scores as follows:

1. Summative assessment result at grade-level

2. MAP Growth interim benchmark result, including growth from fall to spring

AK STAR, the Alaska System of Academic Readiness, is comprised of English language arts and mathematics and is administered to students in grades 3-9. The Alaska Science Assessment is administered to students in grades 5, 8 and 10. The purpose of a large-scale, summative assessment is to provide parents and schools an overall picture of a student’s progress in meeting the Alaska standards at grade level.

Parents can locate resources for AK STAR and the Alaska Science Assessment, including directions for Student Readiness (Practice Tests and Tutorials) and general assessment information on the ASD website at https://www.asdk12.org/akstar.

Parents can also help by ensuring their children are well rested, eat a nutritious breakfast, and are at school on time for the days of testing. Please avoid scheduling appointments on your child’s testing days.

The ASD AK STAR and Alaska Science Assessment testing window allows for school assessment scheduling flexibility. Students! Get ready to show what you know during our school’s AK STAR and Alaska Science Assessment testing dates.

2026 ASD AK STAR and Alaska Science Assessment Testing Window:

March 31 - ELA 6-8

April 1 - Math 6-8

April 2 - ELA 3-5

April 3 - Math 3-5

April 9 - Alaska Science Assessment (grades 5 & 8) (tentative)

(Make-ups through April 17)

Join us Friday, April 3, from 5:30 - 7:30 for an ANCCS Bingo Night! Our first grade classes will be hosting this family fun event in order to raise money for their annual Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center field trip in May. Concessions will be available for purchase. Bring Your Own Dauber! (Markers will be available if you don't have one.)

ASD Goal: Every student will attend school at least 90 percent of the time.

ANCCS Goal: Less than 8 is Great!

The graph below shows our ANCCS student attendance as of February 27, 2026.

246 students have regular attendance (attending 90% or more of school)

82 students have at risk attendance (chronically absent, attending 80-90% of school)

15 students have severely chronically absent attendance (attending only 70-80% of school)

3 students have attended less than 70% of school days so far this year

Students who attend less than 90% of school are at risk for academic, social, and emotional gaps and deficits. While some absences are unavoidable such as serious illness and appointments, students can attend school with minor aches and colds. Please refer to the How Sick is Too Sick? guidance from ASD. When students are out for prolonged periods, vacation, or travel, please connect with your child's teacher before and after the absence in order to ensure the transition is smooth and to make a plan regarding making up lost learning. Students can access their math (K-8) and reading (K-5) curriculums anytime, anywhere through an internet-connected device via their Clever account. When absences are necessary, we strongly encourage families to have their student read for at least 30 minutes and to do online practice via the Boost or iReady apps on Clever.

Our goal is to grow the number of students who have regular attendance during the month of March! We also want 100% of students to attend at least 80% of school.

Our basketball students earned a trophy at the end-of-season tournament

5th grade students went ice fishing at Jewel Lake and caught fish to share with their family and to save for First Catch.

Some students used their own manaq that they made during Intensives.

Students also made fish traps during intensives.

Students learned all about Iditarod during intensives, including making their own journey to Nome with checkpoints and vet checks.

Our Iditarod students made it to Nome!

There were lots of hands-on projects, learning games, and applied learning during Intensives.

Mr. Marks and his students prepared moose and moose soup as part of their All Things Deneega intensive.

Students prepped a dinner to bring home for their families, made akutaq, and practiced for NYO.

Combining art and animal study

Earthquake engineering, a trip to the Museum to learn about Alaskan rocks and minerals, and hands-on projects.

Our yugtun choir performed at NYO and ANCCS students compete all weekend.