Author: Damon Hargraves

The Bering Strait School District was recently awarded a $10,000 New Visions grant, from the Alaska State Council on the Arts, which is designed to increase arts education across the district. The three year project will focus on professional development for staff, curriculum writing, leadership training and bringing Alaskan Teaching Artists to work with students. The district was one of only three in the state to receive funds and technical assistance support.  District staff responded to surveys in November indicating a high level of interest in integrating the arts across the curriculum, so training and artist residencies will focus on showing teachers how to add the visual arts, music, drama, dance, and Native Arts to daily instruction. Research and common sense have shown that the arts can inspire and motivate students like no other subject, and teach them critical and creative thinking, problem solving, and expressive communication skills. These are all critical attributes for success in the 21st century. For more information contact Greg Johnson [email protected] or Kim Sweeny [email protected] .

Allen Kimoktoak holds his award, accompanied by Superintendent Jim Hickerson, Director of Facilities Bob Dickens, and Maintenance Supervisor Ric Ried

Allen Kimoktoak, maintenance worker from Koyuk-Malemute School, was selected as 2009 BSSD Maintenance Person of the Year by a district maintenance panel. Allen has worked at Koyuk school since 1988 and was selected based on several qualities and strengths. First and foremost, the pride Allen takes in his work is obvious to all. He is willing to do the extra things to make sure the school reflects Koyuk in a positive manner. He is dedicated to ensuring the school functions properly and is a safe and comfortable place for student learning. Also, Allen is a dependable employee, completing monthly paperwork and working independently to solve maintenance problems. He is willing to ask questions of supervisors when necessary, and then tackle the tasks at hand. Finally, Allen has shown his willingness to work with others, both site custodians/staff and district itinerant workers, in a cooperative manner. For these and many more reasons, Koyuk-Malemute School and BSSD is proud to recognize the efforts of Allen Kimoktoak.

Congratulations Allen Kimoktoak, Maintenance Worker, Koyuk Malemute School

The latest print version of StraitTalk will be available later this week.  Look for it in the Nome Nugget.

BSSD Staff, Students, & Parents,

It has been a very busy first semester as usual. Looking back through the last few months of StraitTalk articles, as well as my own pictures that I’ve collected from emails sent to me and collected from my travels, I am pleased to be reminded of all the great work being done across our school district. We are very busy, but also very productive. These last few months have seen the BSSD Educational Conference, Elementary/ Jr. High Wrestling and Cheerleading Tournaments, Regional Mix-six Volleyball and High School Wresting, Strategic Planning and AEC Workshop, and many other activities that are happening at the site level.

Not only is this the close of 2009, but this is the closing of the first decade of this new millennia. If you are a student, I encourage you to think about your future. Where do you want to be in another ten years? If you are a parent, I encourage you to continue to support your child by having them attend school on a regular basis ready to learn. If you are a teacher, whether a first year teacher or a twenty year veteran, I encourage you to take time over the next few weeks to think about all of the great things that have happened during your time with BSSD. What projects are worth repeating or developing, and how can you play a role?

I wish everyone a restful and safe winter break. Happy Holidays!

Sincerely,

Jim Hickerson
Superintendent

By Andy Haviland, Principal, White Mountain

Julie Mathews, an Anchorage artist, spent a week and a half in White Mountain working with students to create a school entrance sign. The sign depicts the four seasons of the year and shows some of the activities and wildlife the community enjoys.

Julie created all of the individual tiles, glazed and painted the border of the sign before shipping them to White Mountain. The students (k-12) all worked together to design the seasonal pictures in the middle and then paint them before going through the glazing/firing process.

The students also had an opportunity to make their own piece of pottery with Julie’s assistance. Julie trained the White Mountain school staff on the use of our new kiln, so that the school can continue to work with the students in exploring the fine arts.

The small pieces separating the seasons come from the tiles Julie created with us that were destroyed when our school burned in 2006.

Julie Mathews with our finished sign.

By Scott Bendlock, Special Education Teacher, Brevig Mission

Every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings you can find two dozen or more students waiting outside of school at 5:30 p.m.. Why? Open Gym you might ask? No. These students are waiting to improve their math scores! For an hour and a half, three nights a week, any elementary student may come in and work math programs that will improve math skills. Way to go kids!!!

By Shaktoolik Staff

“Mele Kalikimaka! Is the thing to say on a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day!” This is the song the Intermediate Elementary students of Shaktoolik sang and danced to at the Christmas program on Tuesday December 15. The class has been learning about the Hawaiian Islands for the last month. The students learned that there are seven main islands that make up Hawaii. They each researched and wrote reports on a Hawaiian fish, bird and animal. While writing their reports they were learning how to quote an author, create a citation and a reference which is one of their writing standards. After they finished their report each student partnered with a peer for editing and revisions. The student’s then presented their reports to the class. The class then used a rubric to score each students’ work. The class made a six foot long mural depicting all of their discoveries about Hawaii. For their dance the class used Puili sticks. These bamboo sticks are slit to make a rattle sound when hit against the body. Rachel Moore, 3^rd grader, said her favorite part was learning the dance. “It’s fun to dress up like a Hawaiian” she said. The students have enjoyed learning about another culture and comparing it to their own. Their next adventure will take them to Mexico in January.

Intermediate Elementary students of Shaktoolik: Anikan Paniptchuk, Jeremiah Sookiayak, Travis Savetilik, Joshua Takak, Ashley Sookiayak, Brad Sampson, Rachel Moore, Levi Sagoonick, Leslie Sookiayak, Kiya Andrew, Everson Paniptchuk, Kacie Rock, Ethan Evan, and Crystal Katchatag.

By Lynda Bekoalok, Teacher, Shaktoolik

On September 24-26 over 40 new teachers from BSSD assembled in Shaktoolik for a Cultural In-Service. The theme of the weekend was “Beyond the Horizons: When you’re on the horizon you can see in all directions. Connecting the past, present and future to attain success.”

The weekend opened with students from Shaktoolik School saying the Pledge of Allegiance in Inupiaq, followed by the Upper Elementary students singing the song “High Hopes”. Then the entire student body of Shaktoolik performed a few Eskimo Dances lead by Mary Huntington.

The speakers for the first evening were Superintendent Jim Hickerson and BSSD Board member Melvin Otton from Koyuk. They spoke of getting involved in the community and to get to know the elders in your village. The elders are a wealth of knowledge that can help someone new to the region become better acclimated to their surroundings. Several villages sent elders to be a part of the conference and to interact with their new teachers.

Throughout the course of the weekend the teachers were trained in Sheltered English Instruction. Anne Swigard, Educational Training Specialists, LLC of Phoenix, AZ, taught the teachers how to better work with children that English is not their first language. In 15 hours she took them around the world to ten countries involving them in the teaching/learning process.

On Friday evening many of the teachers were given a tour of the area by Gary Bekoalok. Gary took them to the old site of Shaktoolik and explained about the erosion. He then took them to the ancient village when the residents lived over 1,000 years ago in earth dugout dwellings. The visitors enjoyed getting out in the country and seeing the flora and fauna of the area.

Saturday morning was a favorite of the participants. They were able to choose among four different sessions that were presented by area speakers. Annie Conger and Bernadette Alvanna-Stimpfle (Nome) and Nita Towarak (Unalakleet) spoke to the teachers about the history of Norton Sound. They spoke of the changes the area has seen in education and life in general. Jerry Ivanoff (Unalakleet) represented NSEDC and informed the group about the function of NSEDC and how they can help in education with things such as scholarships. Mary Huntington (Shaktoolik) and Yvonne Ivanoff (Unalakleet) lead a session called “From Student to Teacher”. They spoke about being students in bush Alaska and then becoming educators. Paul Ongtooguk, originally from Kotzebue now an instructor at UAA, gave the group some very valuable tips on teaching native children.

On Saturday evening the community and the teachers enjoyed a native potluck in conjunction with the wedding reception of Floyd and Kristin O’Connor. After everyone enjoyed the wedding cake, entertainment was provided by the King Island Dancers, sponsored by NSEDC, BSNC and Kawerak. Many of the teachers remarked that they would like to learn more from all of the presenters. Hopefully it will be possible to hold such a conference again for teachers of the area.

Jim Kaiser, stained glass artisan from Girdwood, spent 9 days with the students and community of White Mountain as a part of the school’s 1% for art in the school. Jim created two large panels, which he installed above the front entryway and above the high school entryway. Jim also spent time working with the students creating a smaller window panel, which will go in each classroom. Adults had the opportunity to work with Jim in the evenings creating stained glass panels for the library windows.

click for more pictures

Bering Strait School District had a great Ed Conference this year.  Stebbins (WBB) and St. Michael (SMK) hosted the entire faculty of BSSD for a week of learning and sharing.  Keynote speakers, Lauren Giovingo and Holly Adkins, shared about “Response to Intervention“ and how schools work as teams to meet the needs of all our students.