Petersburg Schools Newsletter

As we head into this season of thanks, I’ve been reflecting on how much we have to appreciate in our school community. Our students continue to inspire us with their curiosity and growth, our staff shows up every day with care and commitment, and our families do so much to support the work happening in our schools. It’s these everyday moments and shared efforts that make our district such a special place.

With Thanksgiving approaching, I want to extend my sincere gratitude to each of you. Thank you for the encouragement you give, the trust you place in our schools, and the many ways you contribute to our students’ success. Wishing you and your family a very happy Thanksgiving.

We are Thankful for our Music Program- Enjoy the Winter Concerts

Tuesday, December 2nd

6:30 p.m. 3rd-5th grade concert

Wednesday, December 3rd

2:15 p.m. K-2 music concert

Monday, December 15th

7:00 p.m. PHS concert

Wednesday, December 17th

7:00 p.m. MMS concert

Dear Parents/Guardians,

The System for School Success is Alaska’s accountability system designed to celebrate success in our schools and identify areas we can focus on to help provide additional support. This accountability system fulfills the requirements under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to regularly evaluate school efficacy and close gaps in student achievement.

Accountability systems are not meant to be punitive. State standards and assessments are set as expectations for what students should know and be able to do. Accountability systems help to set the expectations for school performance and effectiveness and are one of the ways we can identify what is working well and what we need to improve. A brief overview of Alaska’s accountability system can be found at: education.alaska.gov/akaccountability/schoolsuccess/accountabilitysystems.pdf.

Alaska’s accountability system allows us to:

· Articulate goals for student achievement, growth, and success

· Collect, analyze, and report on school performance

· Recognize high-performing schools and provide additional support to schools when needed

School report cards can be found on the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development’s website under System for School Success.

We are pleased to announce that all three schools — Stedman Elementary, Mitkof Middle School, and Petersburg High School — have received a school designation of Universal Support.

This designation means that:

• Each school’s index value is higher than that of schools identified as being in the lowest 5% of Title I schools.

• For schools that include grade 12, the graduation rate is higher than 66.67%.

• The index values for each subgroup within the school are also higher than those of schools identified in the lowest 5% of Title I schools.

Universal Support (education.alaska.gov/akaccountability/schoolsuccess/Universal_Support.pdf)

Please contact the school principal if you have any questions.

Click here for the latest updates:

Stedman Elementary School

Mitkof Middle School/Petersburg High School Bulletin

Stedman Elementary Students of the Month!

We’re so proud to celebrate these incredible Vikings who show kindness, respect, and a love of learning every day!

Jon Hammer – thoughtful and encouraging leader

Talaya Cabral – enthusiastic and creative role model

Cora Corrao – hardworking and confident student leader

Scarlett Morrison – resilient, kind, and welcoming to all

Erika Boggs – caring and inclusive friend

Dirk Severson – dedicated learner and strong role model

The third graders learned how to find the area of rectangles and rectilinear figures. They designed mini golf courses, each with an area of 24 square feet, selected and built four, and enjoyed putting on the courses in the library.

As we stroll through 4th and 5th grade during their English Language Arts time I was able to look at the different stories our students come up with. These two pieces really stood out to me. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. Well done Brenda and Amaiya!

Heather Conn

In this season of gratitude, we want to share how thankful we are for our fun, festive, and spirited middle school students. Their curiosity, humor, and enthusiasm bring so much energy to our hallways and classrooms each day. They remind us that learning can be joyful, community can be vibrant, and school can be a place where everyone feels connected.

We are especially thankful for our middle school students who take lab safety seriously, allowing us to build toward more complex and exciting investigations throughout the year. Strong lab safety habits formed in middle school set students up for success in high school and beyond. We are equally grateful for their natural curiosity—the way they ask questions, explore new ideas, and dive into each experiment with enthusiasm. Their responsible habits and inquisitive spirit bring our classroom to life and make every lab an opportunity for discovery.

Congratulations to basketball and cheer on a great season!!

In Mrs. Ward’s Physics class, students are exploring momentum, collisions, and the forces that occur during sudden changes in motion. They put these concepts into action by designing cars that keep eggs as “passengers” safe. Their challenge: design, build, test, and improve a protective device that keeps the egg intact upon impact. Through hands-on experimentation, students are discovering the real-world physics behind airbags, crumple zones, and seat belts, while learning how mass, velocity, and momentum determine the outcome of collisions. This engaging lab helps students see how physics explains everyday motion and keeps people safe in the real world.

Students in AP European history participated in an Enlightenment Era Salon where they took on the role of philosophers, writers, and rulers of that time period. As these characters, students engaged in polite conversation--and some arguing--regarding foundational ideas of the modern world that began during this time in history.

In Mrs. Ward’s Intro to Chemistry class, students are uncovering the roots of chemistry through early human practices. Last week, they explored the intriguing process of lactic acid fermentation—a preservation method used by ancient civilizations to keep vegetables safe and flavorful. Through hands-on activities, students are discovering how chemistry has shaped daily life for thousands of years and how lactic acid bacteria naturally transform fresh vegetables into delicious, tangy pickles.

Event times can and do change. Please see your school's website for the most up to date information on upcoming events.

NOVEMBER

25th- Early Release (1:30)

26th- No School for Students

27th- THANKSGIVING- No School for Students

28th- No School for Students

DECEMBER

2nd- 3rd-5th Grade Music Concert 6:30 (PHS Gym)

PIE Meeting Stedman Elementary

3rd- VB @ State Tournament

K-2nd Grade Music Concert (PHS Gym) 2:15

PHS Basketball and Cheer Start

4th- Policy Committee 4:00 (District Office)

Wrestling vs. Sitka

5th- Early Release 1:30

Wrestling @ Wrangell

6th- SAT Test

Wrestling @ Wrangell

11th- Wrestling Regionals @ Edgecumbe

12th- Early Release 1:30

Wrestling Regionals @ Edgecumbe

13th- ACT Test

15th- PHS Concert 7:00

16th- School Board Meeting 6:00 (PHS Library)

17th- MMS Concert 7:00

19th- Early Release 1:30

Winter Break 12/20-1/6

JANUARY-School Board Appreciation Month

2nd- PHS BB @ Metlakatla

3rd- PHS BB @ Metlakatla

5th- Teacher In-Service

6th- Teacher In-Service

7th- Students Return to School

8th- PHS JV BB Tournament

Policy Committee 4:00 (District Office)

9th- Early Release 1:30

PHS JV BB Tournament

10th- PHS JV BB Tournament

15th- MMS/PHS Assembly

16th- Early Release 1:30

PHS BB @ Wrangell

MMS Activity Night

17th- PHS BB @ Wrangell

20th- School Board Meeting 6:00 (District Office)

22nd- Semester 1 Ends

23rd- NO SCHOOL MMS/PHS ONLY

Early Release 1:30 for Elementary ONLY

Boys BB vs. Craig

Girls BB @ Craig

24th- Boys BB vs. Craig

Girls BB @ Craig

30th- Early Release 1:30

PHS BB vs. Haines

31st- PHS BB vs. Haines

FEBRUARY

3rd- PIE Stedman Meeting 4:00

5th- PHS BB Tournament

6th- Early Release 1:30

PHS BB Tournament

7th- PHS BB Tournament

13th- Early Release 1:30

PHS BB vs. Metlakatla

14th- PHS BB vs. Metlakatla

16th- No School for Students- Parent Teacher Conferences

17th- No School for Students- Parent Teacher Conferences

School Board Meeting 6:00 (District Office)

19th-PHS Play (TBD)

20th- Early Release 1:30

PHS Play (TBD)

PHS Cheer Camp

PHS BB @ Haines

21st- PHS BB @ Haines

PHS Cheer Camp

25th- MMS Spring Concert 7:00

27th- Early Release 1:30

PHS BB vs. Wrangell

28th- PHS BB vs. Wrangell Senior NIght

MARCH

3rd- PIE Stedman Meeting 4:00

4th- Basketball Regional Tournament

5th- Policy Committee 4:00 (District Office)

Basketball Regional Tournament

6th- Early Release 1:30

Basketball Regional Tournament

7th- Basketball Regional Tournament

9th- PHS Baseball Season Begins

PHS Track Season Begins

10th- State Basketball

11th- State Basketball

12th- State Basketball

13th- Early Release

State Basketball

14th- State Basketball

17th- School Board Meeting 6:00

19th- Early Release 1:30

20th- Spring Break Begins- No School

20th-30th-NO SCHOOL- SPRING BREAK

31st- Students back to school from Spring Break

APRIL

2nd- Policy Committee 4:00 (District Office)

MMS/PHS Assembly

3rd- Early Release-Quarter 3 ends

MMS Native Youth Olympics

4th- MMS Native Youth Olympics

PHS Music- Afternoon Tea

7th- PIE Stedman Meeting 4:00

8th- Region 5 Music Festival - Ketchikan

9th- Region 5 Music Festival- Ketchikan

MMS Stikine VB Tournament

10th- Early Release 1:30

Region 5 Music Festival- Ketchikan

MMS Stikine VB Tournament

11th- Region 5 Music Festival- Ketchikan

MMS Stikine VB Tournament

15th- PHS Native Youth Olympics @ UAA

16th- PHS Native Youth Olympics @ UAA

MS Stikine Volleyball Tournament

17th- NO SCHOOL ELEMENTARY ONLY

EARLY RELEASE MMS/HHS 1:30

MS Stikine Volleyball Tournament

PHS Native Youth Olympics @ UAA

18th- PHS Native Youth Olympics @ UAA

MS Stikine Volleyball Tournament

21st- School Board Meeting 6:00 (PHS Library)

22nd- Track @ Ketchikan

23rd- PHS Region 5 Art Festival @ Haines

Track @ Ketchikan

24th- Early Release 1:30

Track @ Ketchikan

PHS Region 5 Art Festival @ Haines

MMS Activity Night

25th- PHS Region 5 Art Festival @ Haines

26th- PHS Region 5 Art Festival @ Haines

27th- PHS Region 5 Art Festival @ Haines

MAY

1st- Early Release 1:30

5th- PIE Stedman Meeting 4:00

7th- Policy Committee 4:00 (District Office)

3rd-5th Grade Music Concert 6:30 (PHS Gym)

8th- Early Release 1:30

Kindergarten- 2nd Grade Music Concert 12:45 (PHS Gym)

15th- Early Release 1:30

18th- MMS Music Concert 7:00

19th- School Concert during instructional day

School Board 6:00 (District Office)

20th- PHS Music Concert 7:00

21st- Track/Field Regional Championships @ Ketchikan

22nd- Early Release 1:30

Track/Field Regional Championships @ Ketchikan

23rd- Track/Field Regional Championships @ Ketchikan

25th- No School- Memorial Day

28th- Track/Field State Championships

Last Day of School for Seniors

29th- Early Release 1:30

Track/Field State Championships

30th- Track/Field State Championships

JUNE

1st- GRADUATION

3rd- Baseball State @ Palmer

4th- LAST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS! 12:30 Release

Field Day K-2 8:00-10:00

Field Trip 3rd-5th 10:00-12:00

MMS/PHS Awards Assembly

Baseball State @ Palmer

5th- Teacher Work Day

Baseball State @ Palmer

6th- Baseball State @ Palmer

16th- School Board 6:00 (PHS Library)

Robyn Taylor, Superintendent

supt@pcsd.us

Petersburg School District

PO Box 289

Petersburg, Alaska 99833

877-526-7656

Vision: Inspiring all to become responsible and healthy citizens, positively contributing to our global community.

Mission: Petersburg Schools will advocate for continuous growth, promote a healthy environment, and provide diverse educational opportunities where all students achieve.