Academics

<p>A recently converted storage space in Buckland School in the Northwest Arctic Borough School District.  Principal Cherita Williams spent part of the summer of 2023 prepping a new library space in order to promote literacy, and even more importantly, a love of books and reading in her school. When Principal Williams arrived in Buckland School,&hellip; <a class="more-link" href="https://ouralaskanschools.edublogs.org/2024/02/09/is-it-library-time/">Continue Reading ‘Is It Li

<p>When the Alaska Council of School Administrators (ACSA) first started the work of blogging about the great things happening in classrooms and schools across Alaska five years ago we wanted to balance the dialogue about education in our state. It can be so easy to get stuck in the logistics of how schools are funded&hellip; <a class="more-link" href="https://ouralaskanschools.edublogs.org/2024/01/31/five-years-of-celebrating-the-stories-of-alaskas-incredible-education-commu

<p>“All boats rise and fall on the same tide.” Dr. Randy Trani has had a strong belief in this quote, throughout his lifetime. He strives to implement this on a daily basis at the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District (MSBSD), for all students. A recent online lunch and learn meeting provided Dr.Trani the chance to share&hellip; <a class="more-link" href="https://ouralaskanschools.edublogs.org/2023/12/21/tide-rising-for-all-children/">Continue Reading &#8216;Tide Rising f

<p>The updated Alaska school library standards are not just about books. They are based on the six foundations of Inquire, Include, Collaborate, Curate, Explore and Engage. Some or all of these foundations can apply to and enhance ALL educational experiences, including the Sudoku board found in the Valdez High School Library. VHS Library Associate Pamela&hellip; <a class="more-link" href="https://ouralaskanschools.edublogs.org/2023/12/20/sudoku-and-the-library-standards/">Con

<p>When Mark John, Cultural Advisor of Calista Education and Culture (CEC) and Elder from Toksook Bay, talks about his work with CEC, he stresses the importance of engaging youth and documenting knowledge and place names for future generations. Mark John has been working with colleagues at CEC to document Yup’ik place names for decades. The&hellip; <a class="more-link" href="https://ouralaskanschools.edublogs.org/2023/11/08/ayagyuaput-pitekluki-caliukut/">Continue Reading &#8

<p>Uvlaalluataq! (Good morning in Iñupiaq) Maayong Buntag! (Good morning in Bisaya) Hi! My name is Juvy Magsanay Pamunag, a J1 teacher from the Philippines. I am from Mindanao region, and I speak Cebuano colloquially known as “Bisaya”. This is my 2nd year teaching in the Northwest Arctic Borough School District, and I teach ELA and&hellip; <a class="more-link" href="https://ouralaskanschools.edublogs.org/2023/05/10/cultural-exchange-at-the-heart-of-teaching-success/">Continue

<p>Students from Rural Alaska don’t often get the opportunity to participate in college tours. Weather, distance, and logistics are a challenge when your hometown is accessible only by small plane or boat. Thanks to the support of the Rural Alaska GEAR UP Partnership, 19 students from villages served by Lower Kuskokwim School District got the&hellip; <a class="more-link" href="https://ouralaskanschools.edublogs.org/2023/04/19/college-tour-time/">Continue Reading College Tour

<p>The Our Alaskan Schools Blog turns four this month! In 2022, we presented 21 stories from classrooms, schools, and communities around the state. It was a dynamic year of transition across the state, as educators shifted from a pandemic stance to new stances infused with all we’ve learned from the challenge of the past few&hellip; <a class="more-link" href="https://ouralaskanschools.edublogs.org/2023/01/26/year-four/">Continue Reading &#8216;Year Four for the Our Alaskan Sc

<p>This year, Delta Elementary School (DES) in Delta Junction, Alaska was honored as a National Blue Ribbon School for the second time. This was a very special honor for us because of the effort we put in over the last few years to not allow our school to simply survive the challenges the pandemic presented,&hellip; <a class="more-link" href="https://ouralaskanschools.edublogs.org/2023/01/06/delta-elementary-school/">Continue Reading &#8216;Delta Elementary School Honored for

<p>&#8220;We come to school every day to learn, take responsibility for our actions and treat everyone with love, kindness, and respect.” Denali Elementary was recently named ESEA Distinguished School for 2022-23 and we are so excited about it!  We have 300 students preK through 5th grade &amp; are located in Fairbanks, the 2nd largest city&hellip; <a class="more-link" href="https://ouralaskanschools.edublogs.org/2022/12/22/denali-elementary-named-2022-23-esea-distinguished-s

<p>To be awarded the $50,000 grant, the students need your support. The finalists of the competition are selected by vote. You can cast one vote per day until May 6th, by following this link. https://customculture.vans.com/2022/gallery &#8212;&#8212;&#8212;- To inspire creativity and bring attention to diminishing arts education budgets, Vans Shoes, created the Vans High School Custom&hellip; <a class="more-link" href="https://ouralaskanschools.edublogs.org/2022/04/26/wrangel

<p>For the past two years, four Alaskan school districts involved in a federal Teacher and School Leader (TSL) grant have been working to implement Visible Learning strategies. Visible Learning refers to a body of education research led by Dr. John Hattie that reflects data on what truly works to elevate student learning. The core message&hellip; <a class="more-link" href="https://ouralaskanschools.edublogs.org/2022/04/22/making-learning-visible-in-alaska/">Continue Reading ‘

<p>Alaska’s teachers are some of the most devoted professionals in the country. Almost 1,000 educators from across the state of Alaska chose to spend two or three weekend days in January learning, collaborating, and reinvigorating their practice at the RTI/MTSS Effective Instruction Conference 2022 (and RTI Rural Schools Pre-Conference).    What educators took away from the&hellip; <a class="more-link" href="https://ouralaskanschools.edublogs.org/2022/02/02/the-2022-alaska-rt

<p>Alaska’s PK-12 school system is embracing the teaching of computer science like never before. Educators across the state, and their students, have recognized that navigating the digital world is not just about being a consumer of digital content, it’s about the skills needed to create that content. And to become a creator means knowing the&hellip; <a class="more-link" href="https://ouralaskanschools.edublogs.org/2021/09/03/alaskas-momentum-in-teaching-computer-science/">Co

<p>As schools look to re-engage their students following a year of online learning, the Alaska Academic Decathlon for high school students and Pentathlon for students in middle school offers small group learning opportunities that extend beyond the boundaries of the classroom.</p>