Creekside Insider

Dear Creekside Park Families,

As we transition into our final quarter of the school year, I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for the incredible effort you have put into supporting our students. This year has been a true testament to our collective hard work, and I am consistently impressed by the academic results our students are achieving and the dedication they have shown to their learning.

One of the most heartening aspects of this school year has been our community’s spirit of inclusion. We have seen a high level of students moving in and out of our school, and I am overwhelmingly proud of how warmly our students welcome newcomers. This kindness helps every child find success and feel at home at Creekside Park, regardless of when they join us.

As we move into this final stretch, we are busy planning fun spring events and setting the foundation for next year’s success. This is where we need your help. We truly value your perspective, as your input directly shapes the future of our school. We are currently in the window for our annual Family Climate and Connectedness Survey, which helps us decide where to focus our academic and social-emotional programming. It also guides us in choosing the instructional supports and staff positions we prioritize and value.

Last year, 94% of our families stated they would recommend Creekside Park to others. This is a remarkable benchmark, higher than the average school in Anchorage and even higher than the average elementary school across the nation. While 88% of families felt we did a good job of listening to parent advice, this was actually one of our lower-performing areas. We have made a concerted effort this past conference season to listen more closely and ask for your advice, and we want to continue that trend of improvement.

In previous years, we have seen over 100 responses, but last year that number dipped to 66. This year, our goal is to reach 160 responses. Currently, only 25 parents have completed the survey. It takes only five minutes of your time, but those five minutes provide us with invaluable data to better support your children moving into next year. I ask every parent and guardian to please take a moment to fill it out and give us that feedback. Your voice is the compass that helps us navigate the needs of our students for years to come. Thank you for your partnership and for making Creekside Park such a special place to learn.

David Christal, Principal
Creekside Park Elementary

(907) 742-1563

2026 AK STAR and Alaska Science Assessment

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), student testing times 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: ___________________

Important Information: Upcoming AK-STAR State Assessments

As we move into spring, we are preparing for the annual AK-STAR state assessments. These assessments are an incredibly important tool for our school community. Not only do they help us report our progress to the state, but the data also guides our instructional approaches and helps us identify the specific needs our students will have in the years to come.

We’ve observed over the years that students perform their best when they feel prepared and supported. When students take their time, get a full night’s sleep, and arrive with a mindset dedicated to showing what they’ve learned, their results truly reflect their hard work.

Why Attendance Matters

We find that students feel more confident and perform better when they take the assessment with their whole-group class. While make-up sessions are available, they often lack the familiar environment of the classroom, and students typically do not perform as well as they do on the scheduled testing days.

Please ensure your child is in good health and present on their assigned days. We kindly ask that you avoid scheduling appointments during these testing windows.

Testing Schedule at a Glance

2026 ASD AK STAR and Alaska Science Assessment Testing Window:

March 30-April 16

(Make-ups through May 1)

State of Alaska Window: March 30-May 1

We will no longer be able to accommodate pick-up changes after 2:15pm, except in the case of an emergency. Late changes create unnecessary confusion in the office, as we need to locate students, verify bus routes, and ensure timely dismissals. We also want to avoid delays for students on the buses. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in helping us maintain a smooth end-of-day routine.

3/5/2026: Family Night 5:30-7:00 pm

3/6/2026: End Of Third Quarter/Student Release Grading Day/No School

3/9/3026 - 3/13/2026: Spring Break

3/17/2026: St. Patricks Day

3/20/2026: Spring Picture Day

March Newsletter

Notes from the Nurse:

As we’re moving towards Spring and a much-needed break, I wanted to share a few helpful hints for the season to finish the 25-26 school year strong!

During the Break: Children thrive on routine and emotional safety. Gentle routines and calming moments can help reduce stress, improve focus, and support overall mental wellness – especially when coming “out” of Alaska’s long winter months. Keeping to a mostly normal sleep schedule can ease transitions when it’s time to go back to school after a big break. Monday morning after break can be tricky – so consider resetting for a few days if you get off schedule with travel or other Spring Break adventures!

Illnesses: We have had a lot of stomachaches and congestion over the last few weeks! Consider checking with healthcare providers for any worsening or persistent health concerns. Handwashing, hydration (drinking water!) and good sleep are all very important for your body to recover and reset during even a mild illness. It’s really tempting to overdo activities on a break – just be sure to give yourself and your student’s a chance to return to school healthy, rested and ready to learn!

Referrals: If you need assistance with any resources for your student (vision, medical, mental health, etc.), we have helpful resources sheets for community providers. Please reach out if you’re needing assistance getting an appointment or connecting with a healthcare provider (vision, dental, medical or mental health).

Another all-purpose that may be helpful for other resources includes the Anchorage Little Blue Book - 128 pages of community resources including mental health, medical, dental, food, employment, abuse, crisis, disability, immigrants, and many others: https://www.muni.org/Departments/Health/Documents/LittleBlueBook.pdf

I hope all our friends and families have a nice break, make time for something fun, and have a chance to connect with loved ones!

Happy Spring Break!

Julie Craft DNP FNP-C NCSN

Creekside Park Elementary Nurse

Craft_Julie@asdk12.org

907 742-1551

The School Board is committed to equal opportunity for all individuals in education. District programs and activities shall be free from discrimination based on sex, race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, physical or mental disability, Vietnam era veteran status, genetic information, good faith reporting to the board on a matter of public concern, or any other unlawful consideration. The Board shall promote programs which ensure that discriminatory practices are eliminated in all District activities.

Please stop by the Creekside Park lost and found, it is located just outside of the front office. We have accumulated lots of goodies that are trying to find their way home.

Community Resources Connection:

Food Resources:

School Lunchbox Program: Food is donated to Creekside for distribution to families. If a family is in need, please fill out this link, and we are happy to send home a prepackaged shelf-stable meal from the Lunchbox program: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe72z30roxiy0plu5gfbNvvHS6amhGofoOwTj-X6XVn42X8ZQ/viewform?usp=header

Alaska SNAP Program with updates:

https://health.alaska.gov/en/services/division-of-public-assistance-dpa-services/snap-nutrition-assistance/

Food Bank of Alaska:

Connects families to a network of food pantries and meal sites. https://foodbankofalaska.org/help

Update on Possible SNAP Benefits During Government Shutdown.

https://blog.foodbankofalaska.org/snap-benefits-during-the-government-shutdown-what-alaskans-need-to-know

211- Alaska211.org:

Call 2-1-1 (Statewide Info Line) or visit AnchorageFood.org for updated community food pantry sites

Catholic Social Services:

Operates the St. Francis House Food Pantry.

3710 E 20th Ave or call 907-222-7323

Operates Monday- Thursday 9 am -1:00 pm

4:00 PM to 5:30 PM on the fourth Wednesday of the month.

Principal: David Christal

christal_david@asdk12.org

Assistant Principal: Rita Shannon

shannon_rita@asdk12.org

Administrative Assistant: Jennifer Kalt

kalt_jennifer@asdk12.org

Secretary: Anais Martninez

martinez_anais@asdk12.org

Nurse: Julie Craft

craft_julie@asdk12.org

Counselor: Dr. Brenda Hoskins

hoskins_gwendolyn@asdk12.org

Email: askcreekside@asdk12.org

Website: https://asdk12.org/creeksidepark

Location: 7500 East 6th Avenue, Anchorage, Ak 99504

Phone: (907)742-1550

Facebook: Facebook.com/CreeksideParkElementary