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Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Strategic Communications Plan:

Peninsula Clarion School of the Week

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Press Release:

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Annual Report

Scottsbluff Public Schools Bond Webpage Mock-Up

I created the first annual strategic communications plan for three different organizations including the Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska (CAPWN), Scottsbluff Public Schools (SPS) and the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District (KPBSD). The included plan lists only the main goals and does not include the specific objectives and supportive action steps and strategies.

: I worked with the editor at the Peninsula Clarion to create a weekly feature story, “The School of the Week”. The district was given the liberty to choose the topic and write the content for each article. The Clarion also agreed to feature all 44 schools, despite the fact that not all of the schools resided directly in their coverage area. The included article highlights Seward Middle School.

This particular press release covered a potentially contentious topic; the curriculum audit recommendations. Teachers had concerns that the audit recommendations would be used in individual staff evaluations or to single out particular schools. The public had concerns that the audit showed only the things that needed to be corrected in the schools. Other Alaska school districts had previously suffered very negative media coverage from curriculum audit recommendations. This press release was part of our strategy to address these concerns proactively. All media had been briefed about the results.

: The Kenai Peninsula Borough has over 50,000 residents. Previously the district printed a total of 750 copies of the annual report, and often had several hundred left at the end of the year. The new annual report aligned with the key messages of the district:

Central to communityGood steward of taxpayer dollarsThousands of diverse successful stories of students as a result of KPBSD.

The new annual report was distributed via multiple avenues to reach all 50,000 residents of the Borough.

: This was the first successful bond referendum introduction in over 50 years. A bond for the same school building has been previously defeated that same year. This bond was successful and the strategic communications plan was recognized by the National School Public Relations Association with a Golden Achievement Award.

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2010-2012

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS PLAN

PREPARED BYKELLY REISIG, MBA

KENAI PENINSULA BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT COMMUNICATIONS148 N. BinkleySoldotna, Alaska 99669

“In the private sector no one argues about the need to engage in marketing, positioning and communicating. In the education sector educators believe their images should build themselves, often with disappointing results.”

Jeremy CatoCommunications in Education

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INTRODUCTION

SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS

Open and transparent communication is vital to create a better informed public and form a fundamental appreciation of the value the district has to its constituents and the Borough’s future. The following strategic communications plan will act as a foundation on which to build KPBSD internal and external communication strategies from 2010-2012. The plan aligns itself with the district-wide goals set by the Board of Education, Leadership/Administrative Team, and District Instructional Team (DIT), as well as the following board policies:

Board Policy 1100: Community Relations: Communicating with the Public Board Policy 1112: Community Relations: Media Relations Board Policy 1230: Community Relations: Advisory Committees Board Policy 1250: Community Relations: Volunteer Assistance Board Policy 1260: Community Relations: Visits to the Schools Board Policy 1325: Community Relations: Advertising and Promotion

The development of this plan recognizes the evolution of district communications from a service to a strategic function. The district has always actively engaged in its communication efforts with constituents. In 2009, Senior Administration created a full time position dedicated completely to these efforts. As a result, this plan will create the framework to assess and create goals for internal and external district communications. The plan is created as a starting point and serves as a dynamic document that will change and adapt to meet the diverse needs of the school district, as a result of ongoing assessment and evaluation; benchmarking, focus groups, surveys, e-mail and interpersonal contact.

The conditions are in place for KPBSD to chart new waters in effective ongoing communication with families and the community. In order to make a meaningful impact, the goals of strategic communication must become embedded throughout the organization. Together the efforts outlined in this plan set the stage for a profound shift in KPBSD communications and represent an entirely new approach to engaging stakeholders. By improving public awareness and creating opportunities for involvement, the district will build upon its reputation for taking innovative approaches to raise student achievement.

§§§§§§

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VISION

MISSION

TARGET AUDIENCES

Internal Stakeholders External Stakeholders

It is the vision of KPBSD Communications to develop a high level of support from the community through proactive, as well as timely reactive, communications with all stakeholders. KPBSD communications’ efforts will showcase the educational excellence and community leadership of our students. In addition, the district will be known for its community learning centers, and its dedicated and professional staff and teachers who provide a quality 21st century education for all students. In addition, the district will be recognized as a good steward of taxpayer investment. KPBSD Communications will empower our employees to be knowledgeable ambassadors for the district. Continuous evaluation will be integral to ongoing communication efforts.

KPBSD Communications exists to help the district and the Board of Education communicate with both internal and external stakeholders. Our mission is to establish positive relationships and credibility between KPBSD and its stakeholders through the timely and accurate dissemination of information, as well as the creation of an open and equitable dialogue. The department also serves as a crucial link between the media and the district in both proactive and reactive news situations.

Board of Education Business PartnersSupport Staff Staff and Administration for all Elected OfficesTeachers Elected OfficialsSite Councils Educational Organizations (NSPRA, ASBO, AASB, AASSP)Administrators FamiliesSchool Volunteers General PublicStudents Key Communicators

Media PartnersNonprofit, Civic and Community OrganizationsParent OrganizationsPartners in Higher EducationPublic School Districts

§ §§ §§ §§ §§ §§ §§ §

§§§§§

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GOALS

District Goals

Goal One: Assess the current level of communication needs with all stakeholders.

Goal Two: Launch a Communications Advisory Group and establish routine meetings.

Goal One: Formulate a clear brand and image for KPBSD.

Goal Two: Create a district-wide system for story and photo submission.

Internal Goals

Goal One: Establish an effective employee communications system that supports district-wide information sharing, increases knowledge and awareness of district level strategies, and improves district level understanding of the individual needs of each community school. An informed and involved staff member is the best District ambassador.

Goal One: Create a system of recognition for staff to be recognized at a district level for their accomplishments in order to facilitate good relations between the district office and employees.

Goal Two: Establish a system to create and maintain regular contact with student leadership organizations.

External Goals

Goal One: Establish an effective community relations network of key constituents to build collaborative relationships that build confidence in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District.

Goal Two: Establish an effective media relations program that enhances the district’s image in the community.

Goal Three: Leverage external communications through existing community and civic publications such as chamber newsletters, e-mail list servs and other targeted community publications.

Goal Four: Establish a visible presence in the community.

2010-2011

2011-2012

2010-2011

2011-2012

2010-2011

Goal Three: Create a system that unifies District strategies to promote and inform the public about each community school equally.

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Goal Five: Integrate a comprehensive crisis communications plan into the existing Emergency Action Plans.

Goal One: Create individualized plans that support and strengthen each department’s communications with its major constituents.

Goal Two: Create a system to support and strengthen the strong positive connection between individual schools and their communities.

Goal Three: Establish a long-term ongoing plan for community engagement for the Board of Education.

Goal Four: Create a culture of customer service district-wide.

Goal Five: Create a speaker’s bureau to assure that strategically targeted leaders receive communications from the District on a regular basis.

Goal Six: Create a system of recognition of volunteers as well as community and business partners.

2011-2012

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RESOURCES

I would like to extend special thanks and recognition to the following individuals and schools districts. A rising tide raises all ships and your efforts to advance school district communications benefit all.

StrategicCommunications: Engaging the community in educational success.

2007-2010 JeffCo Public Schools 2007-2010 Communications Plan.

Orange Unified School District Communications Plan.

Prairie Land Regional Division #25 Strategic Communications Plan2007-2010.

Anchorage School District. (2010). Anchorage School District Communications. Anchorage, AK.

Bagin, Richard, APR, Executive Director. (2010). National School Public Relations Association. Rockville, MD. Bailey, Bill, Director of Public Relations. (2010). Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. Fairbanks, AK. Kristin Bartlett, Communications Manager. (2010). Juneau School District. Juneau, AK.

Boston Public Schools. (2006). Boston Public Schools Communications Department. [Annual Strategic Communications Plan].

Boston, MA: Author.

Comeau, Carol, Superintendent. (2010). Anchorage School District. Anchorage, AK.

Griffith, Kathy, Director of Internal Communications. (2010). Anchorage School District. Anchorage, AK.

Embley, Heidi, Director of External Communications. (2010). Anchorage School District. Anchorage, AK. Esary, Catherine, Public Information Officer. (2010). Mat-Su Borough School District. Palmer, AK.

Jefferson County Public Schools aka JeffCo. (2007). Jeffco Public Schools Communications & Publications.

[Annual Strategic Communications Plan].Golden, CO: Author.

Kleinz, Karen H., APR, Associate Director of Communication Audits, Public Engagement Activities & Seminar Programs. (2010). National School Public Relations Association. Rockville, MD.

Orange Unified School District. (2009). Orange Unified School District Communications. [Annual Strategic Communications Plan]. Orange, CA: Author.

Prairie Land Regional Division #25. (2007). Amber N. Wecker Communications Consulting: Author.

Sawyer, Heather, Executive Director of Communications. (2010). Anchorage School District Communications. Anchorage, AK.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Plugged in at Seward Middle SchoolBy Kelly Reisig |

Story last updated at 12/13/2010 - 1:22 pm

Seward Middle School has a new leader with Principal Jason Bickling, and a fresh new approach to every aspect of their learning community.Through the integration of technology, the instructors have successfully engaged students in new and interesting ways, found money and time saving measures, and advanced the curriculum to new levels."I give the credit back to the teachers," Bickling says. "They are a great team of professionals. I am lucky to be their administrator."I would also like to add that Amanda Adams (technology support person) has played an integral role in helping our staff collaborate and integrate technology into our classrooms. We wouldn't be where we are without her support and assistance."Shelly Walker, language arts instructor, useds podcasts and digital storytelling, SMART Response, Moodle and ePortfolios to create innovative learning opportunities for her language arts students. Moodle, an open source e-learning platform, is used every day for class discussions. Students can take advantage of entirely new ways to approach classroom projects.Traditional written assignments have been augmented with the use of digital storytelling and podcasting to bring together pictures, narration and music. Walker makes this assignment even more interesting by adding additional criteria. Students must send their digital story to two peers and two adults for review. Walker cites the participation factor as a way to gauge that students are embracing the new technology."Sometimes we have to really push students in written assignments, but this year I didn't have any problem," Walker said. "Students participated 100 percent."Naomi Wade uses technology in a number of different ways in both her science and math classes. She starts class with warm-up exercises to review the previous lesson and lay the groundwork for the new lesson. She also utilizes SMART Response for short quizzes, and the students love it."I actually have students eagerly raising their hands and asking for a quiz," Wade said. "Now how many teachers get to say that? Not many!"Wade also makes the most of the SMART Notebook software. Rather than a 20-question test, students draw a question from a hat and are asked to create a digital example to illustrate how to solve the problem. She also makes her lessons available online, and records her classroom instruction so that students can review the material presented to assist them in their homework completion.Myla Liljemark has also found fun new ways to use technology in her Social Studies class. The group uses Google Earth and KPBSD's newest technology tool, Discovery Education. Liljemark accesses over 9,000 titles of streaming video and over 20,000 video clips from BBC and PBS among others. Discovery Education combines scientifically proven, standards-based digital media, and a dynamic user community in order to empower teachers to improve student achievement.The school has also found a multitude of ways to save both time and money through the use of technology. As a professional learning team, the instructors utilize the school's wiki page to share calendars for events, collaborate on student intervention, reserve rooms for class (such as the library or computer lab), and create school-wide supply and order lists. The group also participates in an on-going Moodle discussion."It's difficult for all of us to get together for a meeting, and so this is a way that we can dialogue much easier," Bickling said.The calendar function also works great for students. Instructors list their test times on the shared calendar so that students aren't faced with days where multiple tests are administered in different classes.The school is also saving money and going green.In the past parents completed a paper survey following parent-teacher conferences. The comments and information were then tabulated by hand and recorded in an Excel spreadsheet. The process was quite burdensome and labor intensive.This year parents completed the survey online, using a bank of four computers set up at the school. All of the answers were automatically tabulated within minutes. The school plans to go green with all of its future surveys and brochures."I think what has been most exciting for me is to see our staff truly eager to learn new things, share with one another, collaborate on projects, and work to make our classrooms a more fertile environment for student engagement and success," Bickling said. "From my observation, that positive learning energy is contagious and our students are getting it."

Kenai Peninsula Borough School District

FOR RELEASE 9 A.M. AKST, SEPTEMBER 13, 2010 MORE

PRESS RELEASE

Curriculum Audit Final Report Released The Final Report will be Presented at the KPBSD Board of Education Meeting

Soldotna, September 13, 2010: The Curriculum Audit Team from International Curriculum Management Audit Center at Phi Delta Kappa International will present their formal final report to the Kenai Peninsula Board of Education at their monthly scheduled meeting in Homer on September 13. This report is the final phase of the curriculum audit process, which began in January 2010. The Board of Education and KPBSD administrators requested the audit and no requirement or mandate brought about the curriculum audit.

KPBSD requested a comprehensive evaluation of the Kenai Peninsula Borough school curriculum and curriculum management processes and practices for the following purposes: To examine core curriculum and instruction (science, reading, language arts,

mathematics and social studies), and any aspects of operation of the instructional program of the District that enhances or hinders its design and/or delivery.

To ensure that the District is prepared for the rigorous standards of the future. To gain strategic insight into key policy and institutional level issues for the District.

Items reviewed in the audit included: board policies administrative regulations

long‐range strategic planning organizational and administrative

structure

job descriptions professional development of staff

the curriculum management plan curriculum guides

classroom observations that monitored

the delivery of the curriculum

student assessment and program

evaluation systems

comprehensive annual financial reports budget documents

Contact: Kelly Reisig Communications Phone: (907( 714-8888 Fax: (907) 262-9645

148 N. Binkley Soldotna, AK www.kpbsd.k12.ak.us

KENAI PENINSULA BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT

program interventions and initiatives District data and demographics

long‐range facility planning

The audit team scrutinized each of these materials and the final report reflects the various ways that the District can improve its curriculum efforts to advance the education of KPBSD students.

“We are pleased to have the findings of the audit; they allow us to establish a baseline for our improvement efforts. It would be wrong to assume that because the study contains numerous recommendations for improvement that the District is in trouble. As I visit schools I am continually impressed by the many great things going on in our classrooms,” said Dr. Steve Atwater, KPBSD Superintendent.

It is important to note that this audit is a snapshot in time. Although it is an invaluable tool as a third party unbiased source of information, it is not the only benchmark that the District will utilize to assess and improve its curriculum efforts. Some of the items noted in the report had already been identified by school District personnel and administrators. Plans were already underway to address the needs. The leadership team is in the process of working through the audit to create a comprehensive plan to implement the first steps of curriculum and curriculum-related changes. KPBSD will communicate with all District stakeholders throughout that process. MORE INFORMATION/BACKGROUND ON THE AUDIT The audit was commissioned by the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education/Governing Authority within the scope of its policy-making authority. It was conducted during the time period of April 19-23, 2010. Document analysis was performed off site, as was the detailed analysis of findings and site visit data. The Curriculum Management Audit is a process that was developed by Dr. Fenwick W. English and first implemented in 1979 in the Columbus Public Schools, Ohio. The audit is based upon generally-accepted concepts pertaining to effective instruction and curricular design and delivery, some of which have been popularly referred to as the “effective schools research.” A Curriculum Management Audit is an independent examination of three data sources: documents, interviews, and site visits. These are gathered and triangulated, or corroborated, to reveal the extent to which a school District is meeting its goals and objectives, whether they are internally or externally developed or imposed. A public report is issued as the final phase of the auditing process. The audit’s scope is centered on curriculum and instruction, and any aspect of operations of a school system that enhances or hinders its design and/or delivery. The audit is an intensive, focused, “postholed” look at how well a school system such as Kenai Peninsula Borough School District has been able to set valid directions for pupil accomplishment and well-being, concentrate its resources to accomplish those directions, and improve its performance, however contextually defined or measured over time. The Curriculum Management Audit does not examine any aspect of school system operations unless it pertains to the design and delivery of curriculum. For example, auditors would not examine the cafeteria function unless students were going hungry and, therefore, were not learning. It would not examine vehicle maintenance

charts, unless buses continually broke down and children could not get to school to engage in the learning process. It would not be concerned with custodial matters, unless schools were observed to be unclean and unsafe for children to be taught. The Curriculum Management Audit centers its focus on the main business of schools: teaching, curriculum, and learning. Its contingency focus is based upon data gathered during the audit that impinges negatively or positively on its primary focus. These data are reported along with the main findings of the audit. In some cases, ancillary findings in a Curriculum Management Audit are so interconnected with the capability of a school system to attain its central objectives, that they become major, interactive forces, which, if not addressed, will severely compromise the ability of the school system to be successful with its students. Curriculum management audits have been performed in hundreds of school systems in more than 28 states, the District of Columbia, and several other countries, including Canada, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Bermuda. The methodology and assumptions of the Curriculum Management Audit have been reported in the national professional literature for more than a decade, and at a broad spectrum of national education association conventions and seminars, including the American Association of School Administrators (AASA); Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD); National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP); Association for the Advancement of International Education (AAIE); American Educational Research Association (AERA); National School Boards Association (NSBA); and the National Governors Association (NGA). Phi Delta Kappa’s International Curriculum Management Audit Center has an exclusive contractual agreement with Curriculum Management Systems, Inc. (CMSi—a public corporation incorporated in the State of Iowa, and owner of the copyrights to the intellectual property of the audit process), for the purpose of conducting audits for educational institutions, providing training for auditors and others interested in the audit process, and officially assisting in the certification of PDK/ICMAC-CMSi curriculum auditors. This audit was conducted in accordance with a contract between Kenai Peninsula Borough School District and the International Curriculum Management Audit Center at Phi Delta Kappa International. All members of the team were certified by Curriculum Management Systems, Inc. The names of the curriculum auditors in this audit included the following individuals: • Mr. John P. Rouse • Dr. Joy Torgerson • Dr. Lynn Zinn • Dr. Steve Kolb • Mr. Rodney Rich • Dr. Michelle Steagall • Dr. Carolyn Ross.

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Kenai Peninsula BoroughSchool District

The Heart of the Peninsula

Annual Report

2009 - 2010

PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor

http://www.cvisiontech.com/

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Each year, I am amazed at the many accomplishments of our

students, teachers and support staff. Our school district is brimming

with achievements, from students receiving the highest level of

academic recognition, to championship sports teams, our students and

schools are continually recognized as outstanding. This high set of

expectations that we all hold for our 44 schools is producing results.

A thriving school district is at the heart of our peninsula

communities. These results would not be possible without a strong

communitywide commitment to offering our students a quality

education. As I visit our communities, it is clear that the schools are

the central hub of activity. As the peninsula’s largest employer ,

KPBSD is one of the region’s main economic engines and embraces

our role of growing the next generation of leaders. It is clear that

KPBSD is the heart of the peninsula.

We hope that you will enjoy this retrospective of the past year. The

format of this report is new for us; please let us know what you think

by going to the communications section of our website where you

will see a link to provide feedback. Thank you for all that you do to

support our students.

Dr. Steve Atwater, Superintendent

Table of Contents

SuperintendentMessage

Last year, as a way to focus our improvement efforts, the

district set three goals. We recognized the need to more

seamlessly integrate technology into our instruction, provide

better means for staff collaboration and increase our efficiencies

through the use of quality processes. I am pleased that we took

significant strides toward meeting each of these goals.

With more than 6,000 computers and 250 smart boards now in

the district, it’s fair to say that our students are using more

technology throughout the school day than ever before. This

improvement to our classrooms allows teachers to include a

variety of learning media in their lessons.

In the area of collaboration, there are numerous examples of

our schools and teachers sharing ideas and working on

common problems. Our smallest schools are often pooling

their resources to pursue a common activity while several of

our middle schools are working directly with the local high

school and elementary schools to ensure a good understanding

of the K-12 continuum of curriculum.

Many of our schools and teachers embraced quality processes

as a way to more efficiently conduct business. Teachers utilized

quality process in their classes to make group decisions. On a

grander scale, the stakeholders of Seward High School used

these processes to create their new mission statement.

Strategic GoalsUpdate

District Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .CoverSuperintendent Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Strategic Goals Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Board President Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3Board Meeting Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3A Start to Life-Long Learning . . . . . . . . . . .4Integration of Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5High Achievement of Students . . . . . . . .6,7 Future Problem Solvers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Scholarships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Extra Curricular . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Teaching Beyond the Core . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Preparing Students for Tomorrow . . . . . . . .9Central to the Community . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Community Collaboration . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Your Best Community Investment . . . . . .11 General Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11Keeping Kids at the Center of Education ..12 Looking Ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 The Heart of Student Success . . . . . . . . . . . .12

2010-2011 Annual Report designed by the Homer Tribune



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Being in the position of serving the Kenai Peninsula as a member of theBoard of Education is a truly amazing opportunity. To be a part of thisvibrant, professional, dynamic and successful organization is a wonderfulexperience. The role of the Board in this “machine” is to see that theresources and personnel are in place to deliver the service which thecitizens of the Kenai Peninsula have come to expect. In reviewing theoperations and results of the past school year, I feel as though we all havesomething to celebrate. The smooth transition of superintendents, therelatively successful conclusion of some funding controversies with theBorough, and the receipt of another series of positive testing indicators,have all combined to make last year a great foundation upon which wehope to build a truly outstanding school system in 2011 and beyond.

— Mr. Joe Arness,KPBSD Board of Education President

BOEMembers

Joe ArnessLiz DowningSunni Hilts

Sammy CrawfordMarty Anderson

Lynn HohlBill Holt

Tim NavarrePenny VadlaDestini Riley

Date Time Location

August 17, 2010* 9 a.m. Kenai Central High School

September 3, 2010 7 pm Borough Assembly Chambers

September 13, 2010 7 pm Homer High School

October 18, 2010 7 pm Borough Assembly Chambers

November 1, 2010 7 pm Borough Assembly Chambers

December 6, 2010 7 pm Borough Assembly Chambers

January 10, 2011 7 pm Borough Assembly Chambers

February 7, 2011 7 pm Borough Assembly Chambers

March 7, 2011 7 pm Borough Assembly Chambers

April 4, 2011 7 pm Borough Assembly Chambers

May 2, 2011 7 pm Seward High School

June 6, 2011 7 pm Borough Assembly Chambers

June 7, 2011* TBA TBA

*Board Planning Sessions

Board Meeting Schedule

Board PresidentMessage

The KPBSD will begin offering two new ways to increase publicinvolvement in Board of Education meetings. Live audio streaming will beavailable via the district website at www.kpbsd.k12.ak.us.Members of the public may also submit questions pertaining to the board

agenda prior to 5 p.m. on the day of the scheduled meeting. Questions andcomments may be submitted via e-mail to [email protected]. “The board views this undertaking as an opportunity to provide a way for

the public to listen in to our meetings, as well as a mechanism for folks to maketheir feelings known regarding specific agenda items,” explains Joe Arness, KenaiPeninsula Board of Education President.



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A Start to Life-Long Learning

“My son loved it. Mrs. Granger was awesome and the kids loved her. Intalking with other parents they were so thankful to have the program there,so that the kids are prepared for kindergarten. I am hoping that when mydaughter is old enough that there will be room for her to attend. I knowthere is already a waiting list for next year.”

—Liane Glick, Parent of Tustumena Pre-K Student

According to Pre-K Now, “If children enter school unprepared, theymay never catch up to their peers.” The KPBSD Pre-K classrooms offeran opportunity for children to start school with the skills that will set thestage for lifelong learning and future academic success. Approximately 90 preschool children were enrolled during the

2009-2010 school year in the following neighborhood schools:• Hope• Mountain View• Nikiski North Star• Paul Banks Elementary• Soldotna Elementary• Tustumena• William H. Seward Elementary School

A preschool program is slated to open at Redoubt Elementary for the2010/2011 school year. “The district recognizes the pressing need to prepare our youngsters for

school and uses part of its federal funds for eight preschool programs.Although we have a high level of interest in these programs, we arelimited by our funding source to only offer preschool to about 10 percentof our students,” explains Dr. Atwater, KPBSD Superintendent.

“I feel very privileged that both my children got to go through a programlike this. My son attended Nikiski and my daughter attended SoldotnaElementary. We weren’t sure whether to start my daughter in preschoolthis year. Because of the preschool program, my daughter is on par withwhere she needs to be to start in the fall. Both my kids loved their preschool and thrived in it. I’m very happy to hear Redoubt is getting aprogram. I have already spoken with parents who say they plan to enrolltheir children in the new preschool.”

— Chrissie Morrison, Parent of Nikiski North Star and Soldotna Elementary Pre-K Students



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Integration of TechnologyThroughout the Curriculum

KPBSD Superintendent, Dr. Steve Atwater, ranked technology as a toppriority for the 2009-2010 school year. The district advanced several newtechnology initiatives in addition to the 800 plus computers that were replaced as part of the district’s annual technology replacement plan:• Wireless access points were added into 38 buildings.• Almost 1,000 additional laptop and smaller netbook computers were

added in schools districtwide. • Over 250 interactive white boards were installed in district classrooms

this school year. • Twenty-eight, on-line courses were available for students by highly

qualified teachers. • Differentiated professional development was provided throughout the

year for all teachers utilizing SMART Board technologies and GoogleApplications in their instruction. • Discovery Education, a digital video-based learning resource that offers

integrated simulations, explorations, ebooks and virtual labs, wasimplemented districtwide.• Discovery Education Health, a comprehensive library of health and

prevention content, was added districtwide. • Discovery Education MediaShare, a powerful web-based content

sharing system that allows students and teachers to share user-created orlicensed digital content, was also added districtwide.



High Achievem Striving for excellence is at the heart of our instruction. We are proud of our KPBSD students. They continue to rise to the level of our expectations, and thatcontinual push for excellence makes our district stand above both the state and the nation.

Two landmark studies by University of Texas atAustin researchers concluded that “students whosuccessfully participated in one or more AP tests andcourses, significantly outperformed their non-AP peers.These comparisons were made among peers with similarlevels of academic ability and family economic status.Students who took one or more AP tests and courses hadhigher college GPAs, earned more credit hours and weremore likely to graduate in four years or fewer.” (Hargrove,Dodd and Randall. 2007. The University of Texas atAustin). At the KPBSD, the total number of studentstaking Advanced Placement courses has risen by 153 (33%)students since 2005.

Future Problem SolversTustumena recently competed and placed 12th out of 128 teams in the 2010 International Future Problem Solving Competition. The school competed in

the Junior Global Issues Alternate Division. The competition, held at the University of La Crosse-Wisconsin, brought together dozens of teams from all overthe world, including Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore and the United States. Future Problem SolversInternational (FPSPI) stimulates critical and creative-thinking skills and encourages students to develop a vision for the future. FPSPI features curricular andco-curricular competitive, as well as non-competitive, activities in creative problem solving. FPSI involves over 250,000 students.

*SAT Data Source: College Board District Highlights Reports *ACT Data Source: ACT High School Profile Reports *AP Data Source: Discovery ED Database

Number of Students Enrolled in All AP Courses

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SAT Reading SAT Math ACT English(Writing)

ACT Math ACT Reading ACT Science ACT Composite

% Higher Than the State of Alaska Average 2.1% 1.5% 11.37% 7.5% 10.4% 8.1% 10.2%

% Higher Than the National Average 5% 1.6% 10% 9.9% 13.1% 8.4% 10.3%



ment of Students

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Activities• 3 individuals took the top 3 spots in ceramics and sculpture out of 141 entries from 22 schools statewidein 10 categories.• 2 schools placed at state in Duet Acting, Reader’s Theatre, Dramatic Interpretation, Expository Speakingand Policy Debate.• 1 school was recognized for their sportsmanship in Drama, Debate and Forensics.• 4 students were recognized as All State First Chairs in Band.• 1 student was recognized as an All State First Chair in Mixed Choir.• 6 students were invited to take part in the Alaska Solo & Ensemble Music Festival as command performers.• 5 students were selected for National Honor Choir.

Photo courtesy of Ivy O'Guinn

The 2010 KPBSD graduating class of seniorsreceived $2,708,613 in scholarship offers.

Scholarships

Sports• 57 teams placed at state in Girls Basketball,Boys Basketball, Girls Cross Country, BoysCross Country, Football, Hockey, Boys NordicSki, Girls Nordic Ski, Soccer, Softball, Track &Field, Volleyball and Wrestling. • 47 students competed and placed individuallyat State in Cross Country and Wrestling.• 43 students were Alaska Top Finishers, TopState Performers and Outstanding Competitorsin Cross Country, Football, Hockey, Soccer,Softball, Track & Field and Volleyball.• 31 students were chosen to be on Good SportTeams in Cross Country, Football, Hockey,Soccer, Softball and Volleyball.• 6 teams were recognized for theirsportsmanship in Football, Softball, Swimming,Track & Field, Volleyball and Wrestling.• 3 teams were recognized for their academicGPA in Football, Hockey and Track & Field.• 27 students were chosen for All-Tournamentin Football, Soccer, Softball and Volleyball.• 22 students were named Players of theMatch/Game in Football, Hockey, Soccer,Softball, and Volleyball.• 4 KPBSD students took Player of the Year,Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player ofthe Year and Lineman of the Year in Football.• 25 students were chosen for All State inFootball and Hockey.• 1 team and 2 individuals set new state recordsin Track & Field.



8

Teaching Beyond the Core

Over 700 students participated in one or more of the following Career and Technical Education Courses during 2009-2010:

Accounting Commercial Publishing Architectural Design Auto Shop-Small Engine Repair Building Trades Cabinet Making Certified Nursing Assistant Child Development Commercial Communication Computer ApplicationsConstruction Culinary Arts Desktop Publishing Digital Electronics Digital Photography Electricity/Electronics Emergency Trauma Technician Employability Skills Engineering Fashion/Textiles Foods Home Economics Industrial Drafting Design Industrial Safety Keyboarding Marketing Medical Terminology Metals Processes Occupational Technology Power Mechanics Project Lead the Way Courses Welding Woodworking

Students from Homer High School, Kenai Central High School, Nikiski Middle/High School, Nanwalek School, Nikolaevsk School, Seward HighSchool, Skyview High School, Soldotna High School, Susan B. English School in Seldovia and Port Graham School took part in 17 drafting, welding,construction and manufacturing academies. Students received hands-on experience from experts in the industry.

“Last summer we hired two students as generalhelpers. One student had been through twoacademies, the other student hadn’t. It only tooka few days to see that the person that wentthrough the academies had a lot more experienceworking with various tools, materials andequipment and also had better work ethics.” Hewent on to say, “the academy experience for thatperson paid big dividends, because after a fewweeks I decided to hire him full time, and endedup laying off the other worker.”

— Eric Engebretsen, Bay Welding Services



9

Preparing Students for Tomorrow

Alden

Ford

Vitaly

Fefelov

After graduating from Nikiski Jr./Sr. High in2000, Alden attended Whitman College inWashington and received a B.A. in Theater. Hemoved to NYC in 2004 and started his ownphotography business taking headshots, portraitsand wedding photos. In 2005 he began takingimprovisation classes at the Upright CitizensBrigade Theater, and in 2006 formed his improvand sketch comedy group, Sidecar, with twofellow performers. All three are now regularperformers at UCB, and Sidecar has toured allover the country (including three trips to Kenai)to perform and teach improv comedy. They alsohost and perform in a weekly comedy show inBrooklyn. In the spring, Alden directed Sidecar'ssecond TV Pilot, “Illuminati Brothers,” whichwill premiere this summer at the 2010Independent TV Festival in Los Angeles and theNew York TV Festival in NYC. Alden continuesto write, act, direct and take pictures, andcurrently lives in Brooklyn with his dog, Tashi.

Alan

Logan

Alan graduated from Seward High School in2008. In addition to his rigorous academiccoursework, he was actively involved inextracurricular activities. He participated inwrestling, soccer and football throughout highschool. Logan received a number of scholarshipoffers, but ultimately decided to attend MIT. “Iapplied to MIT out of idle curiosity, and I wasadmitted. In the two years since, I haveprogrammed a robot to use sonar to build mapsor navigate obstacle courses. I used an electronmicroscope to see crystal defects barely ananometer across. The coursework ischallenging, but the classes at Seward High, plusa few AP courses, were certainly adequatepreparation.” Logan has maintained a 5.0 GPAand is currently in his second year. Logan has amajor in Electrical Engineering and ComputerScience with a minor in Materials Science. Heplans to stay at MIT through the completion ofhis PhD. He returns to Seward each year in thesummer. Logan explained that his culturaladjustment to a metropolis on the east coast wasminimal but does admit, “the lack of amountain skyline” did bother him a bit.

Vitaly is a 2010 graduate from NikolaevskSchool. He still describes his acceptance and accompanying scholarship opportunity toGeorgetown University very humbly. “Even nowI’m at a loss for words. I had doubts that I couldpull anything like this off. Now that I have, itseems surreal, almost unbelievable. I couldn’thave done it without the help and encouragement from my parents. Even when Igot nothing the year before they encouraged meto apply again, and apply I did. Like my dadsaid “Worst thing that can happen is that theysay no, but unless you try you’ll never know.” Only 10% of transfer students who applied

to Georgetown were accepted. Vitaly receivedseveral offers from other schools as well. Vitalywill study Languages, Foreign Service orInternational Business, and finish with a lawdegree. Long-term, he plans to see andexperience the world, and perhaps later returnto the Kenai after his schooling and some yearsof work in his area of study. “KPBSD has an excellent learning curriculum,

and Nikolaevsk School has helped me excel in theareas I chose to study. KPBSD and NikolaevskSchool laid down the foundation for my learningexperience. Everyone has encouraged me tocontinue on my education to the post-graduatelevel. I will miss a great many things aboutNikolaevsk School. The serenity of NikolaevskSchool is an anomaly on the Peninsula: smallschool atmosphere, favorable teacher-student ratio,and excellent faculty, not like the hecticatmosphere in a large school,” said Vitaly.Vitaly’s advice for other KPBSD students?

“Everyone thinks there’s a secret to getting in.There’s no secret; I just applied. Every universityhas their own prerequisites for acceptance. I spentendless hours working into the night, working onessays, gathering paperwork and making phonecalls at 4 am in the morning. Basically, I waspersistent and wasn’t about to give in.”

Will McDermid, of Soldotna High School, wasrecognized as a National Merit Finalist.Approximately 15,000 students nationally arefinalists. More than 1.5 million students enteredthe 2010 National Merit Program by taking thePreliminary SAT/National Merit ScholarshipQualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The 2010National Merit Finalists, including Will, representless than one percent of US high school seniors andare the highest scoring entrants in the country onthe qualifying test. Will McDermid is the son ofWilliam and Elizabeth McDermid of Soldotna.

Mark Walsworth, of Homer High School, wasrecognized as a National Merit Finalist.Approximately 15,000 students nationally arefinalists. More than 1.5 million students enteredthe 2010 National Merit Program by taking thePreliminary SAT/National Merit ScholarshipQualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The 2010National Merit Finalists, including Will, representless than one percent of US high school seniors andare the highest scoring entrants in the country onthe qualifying test. Mark Walsworth is the son ofMark and Naomi Walsworth of Homer.

Kaitlyn Cashman, of Homer High School, was named a2010 National Scholar Award recipient in the NationalHispanic Recognition Program (NHRP). NHRP, establishedin 1983, is a College Board program that provides nationalrecognition of the exceptional academic achievements ofHispanic high school seniors and identifies them forpostsecondary institutions. This year, the National HispanicRecognition Program recognized 5,000 students selectedfrom a pool of over 20,000 individuals. The award is basedupon the student’s PSAT/NMQST/PAA test score, ethnicityand cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or above.



10

Central to the Community

Community CollaborationMultiple organizations worked together on a project at Sterling Elementary.

The local chapter of Safari Club International funded the purchase of a set ofarchery equipment for the school. The Alaska Department of Fish and Gamehelped pay for shipping and provided training for the teachers and communityvolunteers in the National Archery in the Schools Program. Christine Ermold,Sterling Elementary Principal, worked with local AmeriCorps volunteers to offera Ladies Archery Group.

A RAVEN AmeriCorps volunteer developed a summer archery program thatwas based upon Sterling Elementary’s PE archery program. The summer program allows for a broader range of ages to participate.

KPBSD school facilities are at the heart of each community and often

the central hub of activity. Seward High School, for example, is

utilized for dozens of different events ranging from small birthday

parties to communitywide art and theatrical productions. A wide

variety of groups, businesses and individuals utilize SHS:

• Alaska National Guard

• Alaska Native Education Project

• Alaska Ocean Film Festival

• AMSEA

• Chugachmuit Native Group

• Community Connectedness & Volunteer Fair

• Harlem Ambassadors

• Holland America/Princess Cruises

• Houston Middle School

• Karate for Youth

• Kenai Peninsula College

• Nordic Ski Group

• Providence Medical Center

• PTSA

• QS2

• Resurrection Bay Baptist Church

• Sand Lake Elementary

• Seward Arts Council

• Seward Chamber of Commerce

• Seward Community Band & Choir

• Seward Community Schools

• Seward Parks and Recreation

• Seward Teen & Youth Center

• Sunny Cove

• Tanaina Elementary

• Trailside Elementary

• Travel Club

• Tsunami Swim Club

• USA Wrestling

• West High School

• WINS

• Youth Outreach Group

Photo courtesy of the Redoubt Reporter



11

KENAI PENINSULA BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICTGENERAL FUND - FY10 Budget

Revenues: Current FY10 BudgetLocal Contribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$33,813,342Local In-Kind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$9,170,034State Foundation Funding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$64,062,959State Quality Schools Grant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$250,195Rental of School Facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30,000Federal-Through the State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$450,000Erate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$646,000Earnings on Investments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$420,000Other Revenues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$50,000Fund Balance Appropriation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$4,524,843

Total Revenues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$113,417,373

TRS On Behalf Revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$12,116,503PERS On Behalf Revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$811,329Total On Behalf Revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$12,927,832

Revenue Plus On behalf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$126,345,205

Expenditures: Current FY10 BudgetCertified Salaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$47,126,302Non-Certified Salaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$14,623,369Employee Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$24,422,177

Subtotal - Salaries and Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$86,171,848

Professional-Technical Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,782,036Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$801,009Utility Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,306,721Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5,747,534Purchased Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$2,966,984Supplies and Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$4,747,611Other Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,908,044

Subtotal - Other Expenditures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$19,259,939

In Kind Audit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$42,000In Kind Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$76,494In Kind Custodial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$108,094In Kind Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$6,344,440In Kind Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$2,599,006

Subtotal - In-Kind Expenditures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$9,170,034

Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,711,714

Total Expenditures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$116,313,535

Prior Year Encumbrances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$3,570,258

Expenditure Total Less Prior Year Encumbrances . . . . .$112,743,277

TRS On Behalf Expend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$12,116,503PERS On Behalf Expend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$811,329Total On Behalf Expend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$12,927,832

Total Less Prior Year Enc and Plus On Behalf . . . . . . . .$125,671,109

Other Financing Uses:Transfers Out - Special Revenue Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$674,096Total Expenditures and Transfers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$126,345,205

Excess (Deficiency) of Revenues and

Other Financing Sources Over

Expenditures and Other Financing Uses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$0

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is the largest employer in the borough, and our payroll puts more than $5 million in gross monthly payroll intothe local economy each month. Seventy-seven percent of our budget is spent onsalaries and fringe benefits for our more than 1,200 employees.The education of the over 9,000 KPBSD students is funded by the federal government, the State of Alaska and local taxpayers. At just 4.5 mills, the borough’smill levy is one of the lowest in the state. In addition, the many visitors who flock tothe Kenai each year also help fund education through sales tax revenues.

• This district’s financials are audited annually by an independentauditing firm.• This year marks the 20th year in a row that the Kenai PeninsulaBorough School District has been awarded the Association of SchoolBusiness Officials International Certificate of Excellence in FinancialReporting. The program recognizes excellence in the preparation andissuance of a high-quality Comprehensive Annual Financial Report(CAFR). The KPBSD is one of 474 school districts in 32 statesnationwide that received this distinction.• This year marks the 10th year in a row that the district has won theAssociation of School Business Officials International Meritorious BudgetAward. KPBSD is the only school district in Alaska to receive the award.

“The District has historically used its funds to provide the best possibleeducation for our students as an investment in their futures, and the future ofthe Kenai Peninsula. Current measurements of student performance show ahigh return on this investment in our students.”—Dave Jones, Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Support

Your Best CommunityInvestment



12

Looking AheadAs we begin the new school year, all of us at KPBSD are excited

to again help our students take another step up the academic ladder.

I know that our dedicated staff and stakeholders will do all that

they can to ensure that this is the case.

We will continue to advance the use of technology in our schools,

but will do so in a way that recognizes the shortcomings of

over-dependence on this medium. Studies are showing that reading

skills are more readily gained through books and not computers. We

will work hard to individualize instruction to meet the varied

learning styles of our students and will expand our distance

delivered courses for our secondary students throughout the district.

The need to prepare our students for life after school is an

on-going challenge that requires us to be mobile to ensure that

while in school they receive all that they need to succeed once they

graduate. With this in mind, we will hold an employers’ summit in

September to gain insight on what the business world expects of its

employees. The one-day event will help us to determine whether

what we are doing to prepare our students is adequate. Another

item of immediate interest to the district is the upcoming vote in

October on the borough’s bond referendum that if passed, will

provide funding for school roof replacement.

Please make a point of spending time at our schools, and when

you can, encourage our students to embrace their studies. We all

view our students as the best in Alaska. Let’s work together to

ensure that this is true. Have a great year.

Dr. Steve Atwater, Superintendent

Keeping Kids at the Centerof Education

Equal Opportunities, Individualized Attention &Smaller Classroom Sizes:

The Heart of Student Success“We wanted to put the money back into the classroom, as close

to the students as we could,” explains Sean Dusek, Assistant

Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction. “This was the

philosophy that was at the heart of the district’s decisions in

2006, when the State of Alaska and the Kenai Peninsula Borough

increased available funding.”

As a result, a 3-part plan was introduced. This is often referred to as

programmatic staffing.

• The first part added staff and teachers to ensure smaller class sizes

districtwide. Pupil to teacher staffing ratios were reduced at the

elementary and small school levels.

• The second part utilized funding to ensure that all schools of

similar size would have the same additional course offerings for all

students. “We wanted to level the playing field and ensure that a

student at Seward, for example, will have the chance to take music,

just like the student at Nikiski does,” explains Dusek.

• The third, and final piece, provided additional staff to address the

individual needs and learning styles of each student in the district. In

this part, additional interventionists were added to the staff. The

interventionists help to proactively identify and address learning

delays at the elementary level. The interventionists work closely with

all students to prepare them for their life after high school.

The district just completed the second year of the plan. Many of

the elementary schools have enthusiastically shared a multitude of

individual student accomplishments that were the result of the work

of interventionists in the classroom. Students who started the

school year far below grade level made tremendous strides in

achievement. Some students ended the year in the top quartile of

their class! “We can’t always point to specific achievements like

our success with interventionists, but research has shown time and

time again that differentiated instruction facilitated through small

classroom sizes and increased course offerings that answer to each

student’s individual needs, along with more individualized attention

from staff, have positive educational outcomes. We are very

pleased with these initial results,” said Dusek.



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