North Star College
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks
Welcome to North Star College! (Aug. 3, 2026, Vol. 1)
Dear Parents, Guardians, and Students,
It's an honor to begin our fourth year at North Star College. Following a rewarding graduation at the Carlson Center this past May, we're excited to continue preparing our students for success in their post-secondary education. I'm proud to be part of this program, working with talented and experienced staff from both the district and UAF.
As I start my 27th year in education, my focus remains on three key areas for our students: academic growth, social-emotional well-being, and consistent attendance. I hope to partner with you to support them in these areas. I look forward to meeting our nearly 210 juniors and seniors on campus and helping them take advantage of all that UAF has to offer.
This periodic newsletter is designed to be your primary resource for all important and current NSC information. Your student also receives this content at their "alaska.edu" email address to ensure they stay informed. Please help remind students to start getting in the habit of checking their university email as this will be the primary form of communication with instructors, too.
Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. You can find all staff contact information at the bottom of this newsletter.
Sincerely, Stacey Kennedy
UAF Bunnell Bldg., Suite 402
Student and Parent Orientation Aug. 17
Mark your calendars! Our student and parent orientation date is Monday, Aug. 17. Attendance is required for all students during the day and parents are highly encouraged to be in attendance that evening. There will be more information coming, but please plan accordingly.
8:00am-11:30am–ALL NSC Students
(Returning Seniors can leave after morning session)
11:30am-3:00pm–All NEW Juniors and NEW Seniors
Where: Schaible Auditorium in the Joseph E. Usibelli Building
(Be parked by 7:45am, use Nenana/Taku/Patty Center lots, pay as necessary.)
Check in starts@8:00 in the Joseph E. Usibelli Building.
ALL NSC Parents/Guardians
Monday, Aug. 17 5:30pm-7:00pm
Where: Schaible Auditorium in the Joseph E. Usibelli Building
(Free Parking after 5:00pm where appropriate. We will start promptly at 5:30pm)
UAF and FNSBSD Start Dates
FNSBSD high school classes start on Aug. 18 (Freshman only) and August 19 (10th-12th grades return) only IF you are taking any classes at your local attendance area school.
UAF First Day of Instruction: August 24
How To View Your UAF/FNSBSD Course Schedule(s)
UAF Courses:
To view your Fall 2026 class schedule, follow these steps:
Go to the UAOnline website: https://www.alaska.edu/uaonline/
Log in using the UAF Students option.
Navigate to the Schedule Planner and Registration tool.
On a mobile device, this is located under Additional Links.
On a computer, you'll find it directly on the main page.
Select Fall 2026 as the term, then click Save and Continue.
Choose Current Schedule at the top of the window.
You will see a list of your courses. Your class times and locations are listed under the Days and Locations column.
Any questions/changes for UAF courses all go through our NSC/UAF Advisor at nctanner2@alaska.edu or https://uaf.campus.eab.com/pal/nY3zcwdUKc to schedule an appointment.
FNSBSD Courses:
Beginning the week of August 17, students taking classes at an area attendance school can view their schedules. Our NSC Counselor, Kristan Kelly, will be calling to confirm classes you requested during your advising appointment last spring. (Please be patient as district counselors start back on Wednesday, Aug. 5 and will begin working through high school course requests. These take a few days to process and verify enrollments with local high schools.)
To access your schedule:
Log in to your FNSBSD PowerSchool account.
Click on Courses and Programs.
Select List Schedule.
This will display the classes that were scheduled for you based on your requests.
Any questions/changes for FNSBSD classes all go through your NSC Counselor, Kristan Kelly at kristan.kelly@k12northstar.org or 452-2000 ext 52103.
University of Alaska Employees and Tuition Waivers
If you are a University of Alaska employee we are asking that you complete the Employee Tuition Waiver Form for your student attending North Star College. Our agreement with the school district and the University is to request the use of these fiscal funds to share some of the tuition expenses. Thank you! Deadline: Aug. 21, 2025
FNSBSD Chromebooks Available
If your student is in need of a computer for this school year, we have FNSBSD Chromebooks available in our office for checkout. Starting the week of Aug. 11, stop by anytime between 7:30am-3:30pm and our program secretary will get one assigned to you or these will be available following orientation on Aug. 17.
I do encourage families, if it's feasible, to consider purchasing your own laptop especially if you know you are continuing onto college. You'll be using a laptop quite a bit the next few years.
Our offices are located at: 1790 Tanana Loop, Bunnell Building Suite 402.
UAF Bookstore Purchasing Process for NSC Students
Starting July 27, students should have started receiving emails to your UAF email (either your alaska.edu or what you set as your preferred email) regarding your textbooks and the UAF Bookstore "Bundle." The email you receive is to verify your courses/texts and select your delivery preference (in-store pick up or shipped directly to you). All NSC students will select "In-Store Pick up" as we do not pay for shipping directly to you. All NSC students need to stay "opted-in" to this option as this is how you will receive your books. (DO NOT OPT-OUT.)
When you registered for classes, you were automatically enrolled in the UAF Bookstore Bundle Program. The classes you are registered for are directly linked to the textbooks you'll need as the instructors work closely with the bookstore for ordering. Don't panic! Sometimes there may not be a textbook for a class. Sometimes an instructor just uses online materials. If you are taking a lab class in person, the lab kit is already provided in class.
If it's an online lab class, it should be on your listed text/course materials and we'd purchase that lab kit for you. Be patient as sometimes instructors also share more specifics on the first day of class and then you can proceed with the bookstore if something is missing.
You do not need to pay for any of these textbooks/lab kits as the school district will pay all students' tuition and bookstore accounts in September. Note: If you charge your own credit card by mistake we are unable to reimburse you.
Be Patient! Book orders will not be starting to get filled until AFTER Aug. 10, so relax and know you have some time especially if you anticipate changing your course schedule. You don’t want to end up with books you have to return later. (Reminder: North Star College pays only for required texts/materials.).
IMPORTANT STEPS as you work through the UAF Bookstore email:
Step 1: Click on the MAKE MY SELECTION button and start (#1) reviewing your course materials.
Step 2: All North Star College students MUST select “In-Store Pickup” as we will not be paying for shipping/delivery.
Step 3: Click submit and finish. You MUST complete all three steps or your course materials will not be ready for pick up.
If you have any additional required online lab kits/materials that need to be purchased, those will need to be purchased separately through the online UAF Bookstore starting Aug.11. (That’s the date NSC/Student Financial Aid funds will be applied to your student account as detailed below).
If purchasing any additional required online lab kits/materials, here are the steps to follow carefully to assure that NSC gets billed for the expense: (Do this after Aug. 11)
1. Go to: UAF Bookstore
2. Under "Sign In", click on "Create Account" (if you don’t already have one). You will need your UAID
3. Shop and add to your cart what required lab kit/materials you need
4. Click proceed to checkout.
5. Click on Program Voucher
6. Check the box next to Internal Provider
7. Your Student ID # should come up
8. Click on "Apply Student Financial Aid" Box
9. This should complete the process showing a green confirmation message.
NOTE: Each student has a maximum of $500 loaded to their account. If your required lab kit/materials are over this amount, please contact Stacey Kennedy to request your account to be increased BEFORE your purchase.
REQUIRED Advisory Support Course and Library Information and Research Class Dates/Times for NEW Students
Our NSC Advisory Support class was created to focus on support resources for students to jumpstart their transition to the university. You'll be receiving .5 high school credit for this course.
What you need to know:
This is a required course for all new incoming juniors and seniors
1 hour per week for 4 weeks
Class time is scheduled for each Wednesday from 8:00-9:00am in Schaible Auditorium
(Aug. 26, Sept. 2, Sept. 9, and Sept. 16)
Attendance is required and will be taken to assure students are obtaining resources to support their success on campus.
Then, beginning Sept. 30, is the Library Information and Research class at the same time and same place for the next 8 weeks. (Sept. 23, Sept. 30, Oct. 7, Oct. 14, Oct. 21, Oct. 28, Nov. 4, Nov. 11)
- Attendance is required and will be taken to assure students are obtaining resources to support their success on campus.
- You'll be receiving .5 high school credit for this course and 1.0 UAF college credit.
You will start seeing this on your Library Research course on your UAF schedule prior to orientation on Aug. 17.
Topics for NSC Advisory will be, but are not limited to: Canvas course platform, navigating your syllabus, books/purchasing, printing on campus, course changes, setting up advising appointments with UAF/FNSBSD counselor, sports form completions for instructors, effective communication with instructors, how to schedule tutoring/support services, navigating concerns with courses, visit to the Student Success Center, attendance/travel expectations, ACT/SAT timelines, calendar mapping with course syllabus, stress management strategies, AK Career Information Systems, post-secondary goals/exploration, academic portfolio building (within AKCIS), etc.
Mark your calendars now with these dates/times and we will continue to send calendar reminders to students throughout mid-semester.
FNSBSD Free and Reduced Meals Application
We do have a breakfast/lunch/snack options for those students who qualify for Free/Reduced Lunch. Students are welcome to walk through our NSC office space and pick them up daily, as needed. Parents, please use the link below to make sure that you've filled out the application, if needed, so we have accurate student records for this current school year. Free and Reduced Meal Application
How to schedule UAF advising sessions with Natalie Tanner
Your NSC/UAF advisor for course selection, registration, and advising questions is Natalie Tanner.
To schedule an appointment with her, follow these steps:
Click on the appointment link: https://uaf.campus.eab.com/pal/nY3zcwdUKc
Log in to the Navigate 360 page using your UA username and password.
Select Advising, then Advising/Add-Drop/Registration for the service type.
Choose your preferred date and time.
Click Schedule to confirm your appointment.
NSC's School District Counselor, Kristan Kelly
Kristan Kelly is your school district counselor now for ALL North Star College students. She will be the one you contact for anything involving academic counseling with regards to the school district, graduation progress, AK Performance Scholarship, enrolling in attendance-area school classes, scholarships, letters of recommendation, etc. She works closely with our other school counselors and requesting classes for our students. Email her at kristan.kelly@k12northstar.org or call 452-2000 ext. 52104. She is back in her office this Wednesday, Aug. 5.
Senior Meetings Required
For the 2026-27 school year, our NSC and UAF staff will continue to have required NSC senior meetings each semester. We see this as an opportunity to focus on specific support resources necessary for our seniors to begin preparing their next steps after graduation and their potential transition to either UAF or another college/university of their choice. Our goal is to have time with our seniors to help them navigate their plans and support those next steps.
Mark your calendars! NSC Senior Meetings (required) are scheduled for:
Monday, Sept. 28, 8:00-9:00am (Schaible Auditorium)
Monday Oct. 26, 8:00-9:00am (Schaible Auditorium)
Monday, Nov. 16, 8:00-9:00am (Schaible Auditorium)
Topics for NSC Senior Meetings will be, but not limited to: Common App, resources on counselor website, registering for ACT/SAT, timelines, using our CEEB code, NCAA process/overview, letters of recommendation information/timelines to request, scholarship guidance, FAFSA, financial aid, applying to UAF/colleges/universities, graduation caps/gowns, etc.
We will continue to send calendar reminders and keep you updated in the spring with second semester meeting dates.
Our Students Are Allowed To Have Jobs On Campus!
Each year Career Services and Center for Student Engagement put together a great job fair event! We know that many UAF Departments are looking to hire student workers for the upcoming school year. If interested in a job you can always search this link https://www.uaf.edu/career/students/on-campus-jobs.php for more information and we will keep you posted as to the specific date/time fo the upcoming Fall 2026 Student Employee Job Fair at the UAF Wood Center.
Disability Student Services at UAF (support for district IEP's)
Does your student experience a disability and related barriers in academics or accessing campus? Your student may register with Disability Services (DS) and request accommodations to address those barriers.
Please see the registration process below for your student. The Registration Form link will take students to a DocuSign page, which automatically goes to the Disability Services email when completed. This will prompt Disability Services to follow up with the student for medical documentation. If students do not have documentation readily available, they can assist them in connecting with the appropriate resources.
To register with Disability Services and receive accommodations, the process is as follows:
Documentation
1.) Fill out and submit the Registration Form. The Registration form covers a broad range of information. Some things may apply to you, the student, and some things may not, don't get hung up on any one question. You may skip any of the questions you feel do not apply to you. There are no right or wrong answers.
2.) Provide documentation from a medical provider stating your disability, diagnosis, and/or symptoms you experience. Alternatively, your provider may complete the Disability Verification Form. If you have any questions about medical documentation and how to access it, please let them know.
Register for classes
Because accommodations may be course specific, we expect you to register for classes prior to scheduling your initial meeting with Disability Services.
Meeting
Once Disability Services has received both the registration form and documentation of the disability and are registered for classes, they will schedule an initial appointment. This is a collaborative meeting where they will gather more information about your student's case and work with your student to establish accommodations to match their diagnosis and experience.
Accommodation Letter
At the conclusion of the initial appointment a letter will be drafted and emailed to your student for your student to share with their instructors as needed. Please note that your student is responsible for contacting Disability Services to renew your letter every semester.
This initial process could take 2-3 weeks to complete. Contact them TODAY, if needed!
Any questions or concerns, please contact:
Disability Services Team
110 Eielson Building
907-474-5655