February brought in a group of new students and ample opportunities to get out of the building for fun activities. With the start of our 5th rotation, we welcomed in nine new students to the Kenai Alternative family. These students have made an immediate impact and have embraced our school culture. Our staff is very excited about the group of students currently roaming the halls of KALT. This is a group of driven students who are goal-oriented and passionate about being a part of this school. It truly is awe-inspiring to see the growth many of these students have made during their time at Kenai Alternative.

The students' passion has been exemplified in our attendance and participation numbers for our activities/field trips. Our overall attendance rate has been steadily improving since the beginning of January. In addition, our students' overall excitement about our grant funded activities and field trips has been increasing. We took over 20 students snowshoeing at the beginning of February, and then 33 students ice skating in the middle of the month. On March 1st, 27 students joined Anna Widman on a field trip to the Anchorage Art Museum. Anna shared that this was the largest group (at any school she has been a part of) that she has taken to the museum. This rise in attendance and student participation indicates that students are taking ownership in their education and embracing what Kenai Alternative is all about. KALT staff is proud of our students for making this leap and we are excited to see what this group can accomplish.

Our students and staff have also been busy after school. Anna Widman has led a graphics design academy where students have been creating locker stickers and designs for the school hoodie. RaeAnn Nye and Susie Byrne are teaching a culinary arts class introducing students to various cooking techniques and promoting a creative outlet for our students. I appreciate the efforts of our staff members to lead these afterschool academies and that our students are taking advantage of the opportunity to expand their creative horizons and earn additional credits.

March will be another busy month! We have a community night scheduled, Spring Break, and the end of another rotation! I am looking forward to the coming weeks and the (hopeful) start of spring and warmer weather!

#GoWolves #RunWithThePack

Ryan Yeager is the Kenai Alternative High School student of the month for February. Ryan is an awe-inspiring young man and we are fortunate to have him in the building. He approaches every day with a consistent demeanor and passionate effort. We look forward to seeing him continue on his journey. Congratulations Ryan!

Congratulations to the following students and their academic achievements during our 4th rotation!

Honor Roll (3.0 GPA or higher)

- Abednego Larson, Allie Smyth, Bailey Demello-Rice, Caydne Bornowski, Danielle Thies, Jaci Bettis, Kaleb Fidai, Kayley Rogers, Layla Allain, Levin Hendrickson, Miles Moloney, Rochelle Poole, Ryan Yeager, Sonia Montague, Shay Smith, and Tyshona Chunak

4.0 GPA

- Bailey Demello-Rice, Levin Hendrickson, Sonia Montague, and Shay Smith

Kage Poe is a senior at Kenai Alternative High School who is in the home stretch of his high school career and nearing graduation. He took a moment to reflect on his time at Kenai Alternative and share his experience with others.

Q. How has your experience at Kenai Alternative been?

Kage: Amazing. It's like a fresh new start.

Q. What advice would you give to incoming students?

Kage: Don't be afraid to talk to people. Don't be afraid to reach out to staff.

Q. What are your future goals?

Kage: I want to be self-employed and live in a different state...probably Texas.

Q. Do you have any parting words for your classmates and/or teachers?

Kage: I am thankful for the way we (students) are treated here and that we are seen more as equals. I am thankful that staff make it a comfortable environment.

We are proud of Kage for all that he has accomplished and look forward to seeing him take the next step in his journey!

The Kenai Alternative staff spent valuable collaborative time with both students and parents/guardians who came in for conferences. This was an excellent opportunity to both celebrate student achievements and discuss challenges and possible solutions for individual students. We appreciate everyone who took the time to come in and meet with us. We look forward to continuing to work with your students and helping them reach their academic and personal goals.

On Tuesday, March 7th, Kenai Alternative High School will be hosting a community night event. Doors open at 5:30 pm, and there will be food and beverages provided. The purpose of this event is to invite parents, guardians, and community members into the building to provide input and share their experiences or suggestions in helping build the best possible school that we can. We would love to see you all there! If you are able to come to this event, please RSVP by calling (907) 335-2870.

The Youth Risk Behavior Survey will take place on Wednesday, March 8th during 2nd block. This is a completely anonymous survey with no private information included. The state will use information gathered in the survey to analyze trends in risk behaviors and determine potential SEL focuses. Permission forms for this survey are due by Tuesday, March 7th. If you have any questions regarding the survey, please call Kyle McFall at (907) 335-2860.

In order to promote attendance and encourage students to make an effort to come to school on a daily basis, we will be closely tracking student attendance for the months of February, March, and April. Students who maintain an 85% or higher attendance rate will be eligible for a rafting trip in Cooper Landing scheduled for Friday, May 12th. This equates to 4 or less absences for a 6-week rotation.

It is common for us all to get wrapped up in the culminating events of life that have great significance. For many of our students, this event is graduation. However, we can't lose sight of the steps it takes to get there. Attending class on a daily basis is one of these small steps and it will afford students a greater opportunity to achieve their dreams/goals. We are focusing on doing the little things so that the big dreams become a reality.

Kenai Alternative has partnered with Walden Bros to create a custom online apparel store. You can use the following link the check it out - https://waldenbros.store/KALTWebStore/shop/home.

Kenai Alternative offers students the ability to learn in a more individualized environment that focuses on the development of skills and knowledge that will be essential to life after school. Our staff is dedicated to the social emotional well-being of all our students and provides support beyond the traditional classroom walls.

Email: kmcfall@kpbsd.k12.ak.us
Website: https://kpbsd.org/schools/kenai-alt/
Location: Kenai Alternative High School, Frontage Road, Kenai, AK, USA
Phone: (907) 335-2870
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KenaiAlternativeHighSchool
Twitter: @kenaialt