Magpie
September 7th - 11th
Important School Dates:
9/7 - No School - Labor Day
9/10 - Coast Walk Clean Up - All School Field trip
9/11 - Early Release Day
9/18 - Talk & Dress Like a Pirate Day
9/22 - Spotlight Lunch @ 11:55
9/24 - Site Council Meeting @ 3:15
9/25 - Family Game Night @ 6:30pm
Volunteer Opportunities:
9/10 - Coast Walk Clean-Up - parent volunteers needed for class groups (contact your student's teacher) and 2 helpers to prep and serve hot chocolate at the school at 1:30pm (please email Joy at joverson@kpbsd.k12.ak.us)
Please see the attached letter from KPBSD below in regards to the fiscal year 2026 AK STAR testing results.
**If this would create a hardship for your family, please email Joy at the address above**
Last Chance to Order!! Online Dragon Gear Orders Due Sunday, September 6th
Check out our new dragon gear options by clicking the link below. This is also a fundraiser for all the amazing extras that are tradition here at McNeil like our monthly Spotlight Student Lunch sundaes and hot chocolate after Coast Walk Clean-Up amongst many other treasured traditions! The gear will have have our new featured logo on each item (see example on the right side of this post). The deadline for all orders is Sunday, September 6th. The online store will close after that date.
Our Annual Beach Coast Walk Clean-Up Day will be held on Thursday, Sept. 10th. Teachers will be looking for volunteers to help with student groups and 2 volunteers will be needed to prep and serve hot chocolate at the school for the students return. Additional information was sent home today.
We will have an Early Release Day on Friday, September 11, 2026. McNeil Students will be released at 1:20 pm and buses will leave at 1:30 pm. Your child will arrive home 1.5 hrs. earlier than usual.
Friday, Sept. 18th, is Talk and Dress-Like-a-Pirate Day. Aaaargh. Join the fun!
As the winds begin to swirl on Kachemak Bay and the fireweed reaches the tops of the stalks, we all know that summer is winding down—which means our school year is starting! I can’t wait to hear about the summer fun our Dragon families enjoyed as we transition into healthy activities and movement in the gym.
We’ll kick off the year in P.E. with games and activities that help us get comfortable in the gym, get to know our classmates, and explore healthy movement. Students can look forward to breathing hard, working as a team, and laughing as we learn the expectations and routines that will help us be successful in P.E. this year.
Families can support P.E. by making sure your child has well-fitting gym shoes. Students should be able to run, skip, hop, slide, and climb safely in shoes they can fasten independently, whether by Velcro, slipping them on, or tying laces.
I’m pleased to announce that McNeil will once again participate in the Healthy Futures Challenge! Students can earn prizes by tracking 60 minutes of healthy activity each day for at least 15 days each month. Our fall session will run through September, October, and November. Look for the September activity logs in green homework folders.
Finally, teaching P.E. at McNeil is truly a privilege. Thank you for your support and enthusiasm. I’m so excited to embark on this new school year!
Dear McNeil Families,
Welcome back to a wonderful new school year! Title I is thrilled to continue working with students and families this year to support academic success for every child in our school.
As a full-school Title I program, our services benefit every student at McNeil. We provide targeted reading and math intervention, support classroom learning with additional resources, and offer meaningful family engagement opportunities throughout the year. We also love sending home materials like family reading books, activities, and other resources to keep learning going beyond the classroom walls.
Speaking of family events, mark your calendars for our Annual Family Board Game Night on September 25th. We're excited to partner with our Student Council, who will be hosting Capture the Flag in the gym for part of the evening. More details coming soon! We look forward to seeing you there.
Veronica Jones
Title I Tutor
Join us at 6:30pm on September 25th for our annual Title 1 meeting where you can learn more about how this program supports our McNeil students and their families. Family game night will follow from 7:00-8:30 pm. Bring board games to share. Join the Fun!
We received a generous donation of youth size rain jackets/pants and are hoping to get it into families hands that can use them. It is a first come first serve basis and you are welcome to go through the box of items at the front office.
McNeil Canyon Elementary School
Email: joverson@kpbsd.k12.ak.us
Website: kpbsd.org/schools/mcneil-canyon/
Location: 52188 East End Rd, Homer, AK, USA
Phone: 907-235-8181
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/McNeilCanyon/