This is a general update edition of the CRSD Snippets, including some every exciting information regarding new opportunities for CRSD students.
Budget
Many people have inquired about the CRSD’s FY16 budget. Knowing that the state’s revenue crisis has already started to impact our community, they are concerned about the impact to our schools. Due to shrinking budgets in other state supported organizations, some of our friends and neighbors are making tough decisions regarding employment. The only specific school funding proposal that has been made public is Governor Walker’s proposed cut which would reduce our funding approximately $170,000. Legislators have indicated that they are considering other cuts as they work through this very difficult dilemma. We probably won’t know our level of funding until the session ends on April 19th. The Board of Education will have the 1st reading of the FY16 budget at the work session and regular meeting in May. Prior to the May meeting, we will also hold public meetings at each school site after the end of the legislative session in late April.
Base-camp and Treks
The board, staff, students and ASB’s have discussed an innovative change to our current junior high and high school schedules. In order to provide students with more electives and hands-on learning experiences, we are creating a schedule that includes more electives and longer block periods for core courses. We are calling our ideas a “Trek”-based schedule. An eighteen week semester will include three 4-week blocks of four classes called “Base-camp.” To facilitate a wider variety of engaging courses, the semester will also include three 2-week Treks in which students will take two extended project-based courses. Students will still earn six credits per semester. In the coming days, students, staff, and volunteers from the community will propose ideas and help plan this new concept. If you haven’t heard details of the scheduling ideas, please attend an ASB/PTO meeting, contact your school office, or stop by the district office.
Global Earthquake Forecast System
The Association of Alaska School Boards’ Consortium for Digital Learning has partnered with Trillium Learning and the Copper River School District to offer innovative learning opportunities for our students through the America Bridge Project. Student teams will interact with high level professionals from more than 20 private, governmental and educational organizations worldwide to conduct joint, collaborative research activities through project-based learning. Utilizing multi
function sensor arrays, students will collect and analyze data used for research by NASA mentors and the new Global Earthquake Forecast System. The equipment will be installed on top of the Glennallen School and accessible online by students across the district. CRSD students will be collaborating with students in Kodiak and Ketchikan. Trillium Learning’s Ron Fortunato has visited with students in Kenny Lake and Glennallen regarding participation in the project. He will be on-site once a month to continue project development and to facilitate collaborative activities with NASA’s project scientists and mentors. America Bridge projects integrate multiple disciplines and are designed to develop real-world workforce readiness skills throughout grades K-12. Each project is designed to incorporate real-time, real-world dynamic content into the curriculum, for synchronous and asynchronous blended learning delivery. Trillium Learning’s Ron Fortunato will be giving presentations at Glennallen and Kenny Lake School during parent/teacher conferences later this month. Specific dates and times will be published on the district’s web calendar. You can also learn more by visiting: http://www.trilliumlearning.com/AmericaBridge/ .
CRSD Tributaries 