Trailside Parent Newletter
01/12/26 Educating All Students for the Success in Life
Upcoming Dates
Jan. 19- Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday- NO SCHOOL
January 23: Read-A-Thon Book Character Dance Party Kickoff 6-7:30
January 25-31: School-wide Readathon Week
January 27: Dine to Donate Day at Texas Road House
Jan. 31- Lion's Club FREE Eye Clinic! (See Info Below)
Feb. 1- DEADLINE for Yearbook Cover Submissions
Feb. 1- ACCESS Testing Window for for English Language Learners Opens
Feb. 16- President's Day Holiday- NO SCHOOL
Feb. 25 and 26- Parent Teacher Conferences
Feb. 27- Student Release Day- No school for students
March 3- Picture Day!
March 4- NAEP Testing for 4th Grade Only
Winter Gear
Please ensure your child has appropriate winter gear for recess (and label with your child's name). ASD policy has students going outside for recess up until -10 degrees F.
We Need Yearbook Pictures!
Have a great photo of students participating in events this school year? Send your photos to: Trailsideyearbook25@gmail.com
ACCESS Testing for English Language Learners
Dear Trailside Parents and Guardians,
Beginning Feb 1, 2026, our school will be conducting a state required assessment for English Language Learners. This assessment is called ACCESS and provides important feedback about the progress of our English Language Learners in Reading, Speaking, Listening and Writing. Students will take the test using our school’s computers. Only students who are currently identified as members of the English Language Learners (ELL) Program will be assessed. Most of the assessments will be completed during the first two weeks of February but some may continue into March. More information about the ACCESS assessment can be found on the Alaska Department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s ACCESS page, http://education.alaska.gov/assessments/elp.
If you have any questions about this test, you are encouraged to contact us here at school 907-742-5500. You may also contact the District’s ELL Department at 742-4452. Information about the English Language Learners Program in the School District can be found on ASD’s website.
As always, with testing, we ask that families plan so that their students are in school and are well rested for testing. Your patience and support for this process is very much appreciated as this assessment does provide useful information that helps our district and school improve programs for English Language Learners.
Sincerely,
Eric Niessner, Principal
National Assesment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
NAEP 2026 PARENT-GUARDIAN NOTIFICATION LETTER
Grades 4, 8, and 12 Civics, Mathematics, Reading, or U.S. History Monday,
January 12, 2026
Dear Parent or Guardian: Trailside Elementary will participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. NAEP is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students know and can do in various subjects. NAEP is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics, within the U.S. Department of Education. NAEP is different from our state assessments because it is a common measure of achievement across the country.
Your child will/may take a mathematics or reading assessment. In addition to subject-area questions, students voluntarily complete NAEP survey questions. These questions provide valuable information about participating students’ educational experiences and opportunities to learn both in and outside of the classroom. More information about NAEP survey questions is available at https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/parents under the section “Survey Questionnaires & Your Student: What You Need to Know.” The assessment takes about 120 minutes for most students, which includes transition time, directions, and completion of survey questions. The information collected is used for statistical purposes only. Your child’s grades will not be affected. Students may be excused for any reason, are not required to complete the assessment, and may skip any question. While the assessment is voluntary, NAEP depends on student participation to help policymakers improve education.
If you do not want your child to participate, please notify me in writing by Monday, February 23, 2026. There is no need to study in preparation for NAEP, but please encourage your child to do their best. Contact Eric Niessner at 907-742-5500 or at niessner_eric@asdk12.org if you have any questions. We are excited that our school is participating in NAEP.
We know that Trailside Elementary’s students will show what our nation’s students know and can do. Sincerely, Eric Niessner The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) conducts the National Assessment of Educational Progress to evaluate federally supported education programs.
All of the information you provide may only be used for the purposes of research, statistics, and evaluation under the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (ESRA; 20 U.S.C. § 9543) and may not be disclosed, our used, in identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law. Every NCES employee as well as every NCES agent, such as contractors and NAEP coordinators, has taken an oath and is subject to a jail term of up to 5 years, a fine of $250,000, or both if he or she willfully discloses ANY identifiable information about you. Electronic submission of your information will be monitored for viruses, malware, and other threats by Federal employees and contractors in accordance with the Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015.
