HUSKY UPDATE

Please join the PTO on August 18, 2026, from 5:00 PM - 5:45 PM for back to school night. PTO will be serving hot dogs, chips, and a treat!

We look forward to seeing you at back to school night!

Please consider joining the PTO at Homestead. PTO hosts a meeting once a month and you have the ability to be as active as you wish!

PTO provides the following for Homestead:

• Buses for field trips
• Paint night
• Fall carnival
• Popcorn Friday
• Teacher appreciation
• I-DID-A-READ
• Back to school night
• STEM fair/night
• Classroom grants
• School enrichment activities, guest speakers, performers
• and SO much more!

Look for the PTO booth at back to school night! PTO is looking forward to the best year yet!

Show your Homestead pride every Friday by wearing your Husky gear!

Don’t have any Homestead swag yet? You can order your Husky wear through our school store below, or show your school spirit by wearing our school colors: blue and gold.

Let’s fill the school with Husky pride every Friday!

Go Huskies! 🐾💙💛

Order your Husky spirit wear here: Https://homesteadapparel2026.itemorder.com

• Areana Cuddy – Art Teacher

• Ashley Inman – School Psychologist

• Caitlin Hopper – Music Teacher

• Irmgard Melecio – SBBS Teacher

• Kassandra Carpenter – Special Education Paraprofessional

• Lauri Sinnott – Special Education Teacher Expert

• Leane Powell – ELL Teacher

• Lindsey Shangi – SBBS Teacher

• Robin Murphy – Long-Term Substitute Art Teacher (through October)

• Sarah Berry – Kindergarten Paraprofessional

• Sarah Santos-Spencer – Special Education Assistant Director

• Sonny Shields – SBBS Counselor

• Natalie Brewer– Kindergarten Paraprofessional

Q ParentConnection is a valuable resource for staying connected to your child's education. Through ParentConnection, you can:

• View your student's attendance and absences

• Monitor grades and academic progress

• Check assignments and class information

• Update contact information and access important school resources

If you haven't already created your ParentConnection account, please click the ParentConnection Link for step-by-step instructions on how to get started.

At Homestead, we believe that every day counts. Consistent attendance is one of the biggest factors in a child’s academic success. When students miss school, they miss valuable instruction, classroom discussions, and opportunities to connect with their peers. We understand that absences happen, but we encourage families to prioritize being at school whenever possible. Together, we can help every student grow, learn, and thrive!

Substitute teachers play an essential role in supporting our students and staff.

• To apply for general substitute positions, visit:
  HERE

• Interested in subbing regularly at Homestead Elementary?
  Please email our Administrative Assistant, Kasey Callison at:
  askhomestead@asdk12.org or call @ 907-742-3550

Interested in becoming a Noon Duty at Homestead? We would love to have you! If you are interested in the position, please email Mrs. Stone at Stone_Maranda@asdk12.org.

Come run with the best!

We love having our families and community members be part of the Homestead Husky team! If you are interested in volunteering, please complete the ASD Volunteer Form before helping at school. This has to be completed each school year.

Learn more and complete the form here:
🔗 https://www.asdk12.org/Page/13771

For the safety of our students and staff, all school visitors must show a photo ID when entering the building and check in through our Raptor visitor management system.

What is Raptor?

Raptor is a visitor management system designed to help keep our schools safe. The system records a visitor’s name, date of birth, and the last four digits of their ID and checks this information against the national database of registered sex offenders.

Please know:

• The registered sex offender database is the only database checked.

• No other information from your ID is collected or recorded.

• Visitor information is kept private and confidential and is used only to support school safety.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership in helping us keep Homestead a safe and welcoming place for all students, families, and staff!

Homestead Elementary is committed to providing a focused learning environment for all students. We appreciate your partnership in supporting our school-wide cell phone expectations.

In accordance with School Board Policy 5138, students are expected to have their cell phones silenced and put away during the school day. Cell phones will be stored in a designated location during school hours and should not be used during instructional time.

If a student needs to contact a parent or guardian during the school day, they will be excused to use the school office phone. Likewise, if a parent or guardian needs to reach their child during school hours, please call the school office, and we will ensure your message is delivered promptly.

Thank you for partnering with us to minimize distractions and maximize learning for every student

Toys and stuffed animals should remain at home unless they are part of a special activity or event communicated by the teacher.

• Hats, hoods, masks, animal ears, and tails are not permitted during the school day.

• Shorts, dresses, and skirts should reach the bottom of the student’s fingertips when standing.

• Shirt straps should be at least two fingers wide.

Thank you for partnering with us to support a positive, respectful, and productive learning environment for all Homestead Huskies! 🐾

A New Way to Stay Informed About Your Child's Transportation

Don't miss important updates about your child's bus route! The Stopfinder app provides families with real-time transportation information, including:

• 🚌 Live bus location and estimated arrival times

• 📢 Instant notifications about delays or route changes

• 📍 Pick-up and drop-off updates

• 💬 Direct communication from Student Transportation

• 
  

If your child rides the bus, we encourage you to download the Stopfinder app and set up your account before the first day of school. https://www.asdk12.org/stopfinder

Families who may qualify for free or reduced-price meals are encouraged to complete an application each school year.

To apply or learn more about Student Nutrition Services, visit:

🔗 ASD Student Nutrition: https://www.asdk12.org/studentnutrition/

Want to know what’s for lunch? Families can view daily school meal options, nutrition information, and menu updates through SchoolCafé.

🔗 View the Lunch Menu: https://www.schoolcafe.com/anchorage

Homestead's office staff will be out best to communicate changes to lunch menus.

At Homestead, we believe fresh air and outdoor play are important for our students. We go outside for recess rain or shine!

Please make sure your child comes to school prepared for the weather each day with appropriate gear, including:

• 🧥 Coat or jacket

• 🧤 Gloves and hat (as needed)

• 🥾 Boots and extra socks during wet or snowy weather

• ☔ Rain gear when needed

• 
  

Please label all clothing and outdoor gear with your child’s name. We have many students with similar coats, boots, hats, and gloves, and labeling items helps ensure belongings make their way back to the correct student.

Indoor recess will only be held when temperatures reach -10°F or colder or when conditions are unsafe.

Thank you for helping your child stay comfortable, active, and ready for recess!

Monday Arrival:

• Supervision begins at 8:40 AM. Staff members will be outside to assist students.
  
  

• 8:50 AM: Entry bell – Classroom teachers will lead students into the building.
  
  

• 8:55 AM: Any remaining students will enter through the front of the building. Staff will sweep the outside to ensure all students have entered.

Tuesday–Friday Arrival:

• Supervision begins at 7:40 AM. Staff members will be outside to assist students.
  
  

• 7:50 AM: Entry bell – Classroom teachers will lead students into the building.
  
  

• 7:55 AM: Any remaining students will enter through the front of the building. Staff will sweep the outside to ensure all students have entered.

Line-Up Procedure:

• Cones with teacher names and photos will be placed outside to help students locate their class lines. These will remain in place for the first few weeks until students are familiar with the routine.

Breakfast:

• Breakfast is served from 7:30 to 8:15 AM (Tuesday–Friday) and 8:30 to 9:15 AM (Mondays).

• Only students eating breakfast should enter through the front of the building during this time.

• Depending on when they finish, staff will direct students to either line up outside with their class or head directly to their classroom.

At Homestead, we teach and celebrate four school-wide expectations: Be Safe, Be Kind, Be Respectful, and Be Responsible. These expectations help create a positive learning environment where every student can thrive. Thank you for partnering with us to reinforce these behaviors at home! 💙💛

Fitzgerald Photography will be taking school photos again this year on September 29th. If you would like to volunteer to help with picture day, please email callison_kasey@asdk12.org. Please fill our your ASD volunteer application today!

2026 - 2027

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.

The Alaska Department of Education & Early Development explains the decision to adopt mClass as the statewide literacy screener here:

https://education.alaska.gov/Alaska-Reading-Resources/Statewide-Early-Literacy-Screener

mClass screening assessments will only be administered in-person during the benchmark window listed below:

• BOY 2026: September 7 - 18

Homestead testing date is Sep 9, 2026

Results for K-3 students that were assessed during a benchmark window, will be available in Parent Connect by October 2, 2026 ParentConnection Login Information and Reference Guide: parentconnect.asdk12.org

Thank you to everyone who has been scanning their receipts this summer!

This year, we are having a contest to see which grade level can collect the most Box Tops. Each student and teacher in the winning grade will receive a prize at the end of the school year.

Please remember to "give credit" to your student's grade level. It is not too late to update past receipts. To do this:

1. Open the Box Tops for Education app and go to the "My Earnings" section at the top of the screen.
2. Tap "Earning History" and select any transaction from this school year that does not have a green checkmark.
3. Click the transaction to assign credit to any grade level (Kindergarten through 5th grade).

Scan below and sign up today!