Girdwood’s Grizzlies prepare for the new school year

Principal tells parents and students what to expect for the first quarter  

By Jon Scudder

Turnagain News

On Saturday before the start of the first week of school Girdwood K-8 School were already getting ready to start the first term of the 2023-24 school year with their Principal Kari Anderson at the front office. 

Summer is soon coming to an end for Girdwood’s Grizzlies who will be coming back to the classroom at the Girdwood K-8 School.  

Girdwood’s K-8 Principal Kari Anderson said she is looking forward to a positive year ahead and talked about what families can expect for the new school year and what’s new for the first quarter.  

Anderson, who has been an instructional leader for five years in the Anchorage School District, said there are several changes including the introduction of Professional Learning Communities, or PLCs, on Monday mornings. Girdwood K-8 School will begin at 9:30 am on Mondays, instead of 8:30 a.m., during the 2023-24 school year. 

She said the bus will run an hour later Monday mornings. School will end at 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, and school will begin at 8:30 a.m., Tuesday through Friday. School begins for first through eighth grade students Aug. 17 and preschool and kindergarten students on Aug. 24. 

“Our teaching staff will be meeting in PLCs during our late start on Monday mornings to identify instructional strategies and supports needed for each and every one of our Girdwood School students,” said Anderson.  

“I am looking forward to the opportunity for our school staff to participate in PLCs this year,” said Anderson. “Our one hour later start on Mondays will provide teaching staff with the time to collaborate, take collective responsibility, and focus on learning to ensure all students learn at a high rate.” 

“I believe the PLC process will empower educators to make important decisions and encourage their creativity and innovation in pursuit of improving student and adult learning,” Anderson said. “We are looking forward to this opportunity with our teaching staff and appreciate all Girdwood family's flexibility in our schedule shift on Mondays,” she said.

PLCs are result oriented and encourage staff to look at data to assess the effectiveness of instructional strategies to ensure students are learning. 

Another program change K-3 students can expect this fall is the introduction of the Core Knowledge Language Arts curriculum, referred to as CKLA.  

She said ASD is making a series of adjustments to its reading instruction to help students become better readers. “Reading is foundational for students’ academic journeys, future opportunities and overall success,” said Anderson. “Research shows time and again that reading proficiency by the end of the third-year sets students on a path to excel academically and unlocks a world of possibilities for their futures.”

ASD’s goal is for 80 percent of third-grade students to be strong readers by 2026. 

“These adjustments present an opportunity for educators and parents to work together to support young readers and open doors of opportunity and future success through the power of reading, Anderson said.  

To achieve that goal, she said there will be several changes in the 2023-24 school year, including a new reading curriculum taught by teachers and staff who were provided specialized training to effectively implement this new curriculum.

The district is implementing CKLA for students in grades K-3 this year. Grades 4-5 will be implemented in the following 2024-25 school year. This program will help ASD meet new state requirements. 

The Alaska Reads Act has six strategic components designed to provide support to schools, so all students read at grade level by the end of third grade. She said the new law incorporates a series of requirements for districts and teachers.

In addition, there have also been several staffing changes at the school over the summer and is excited to introduce the new staff to the community.  

 Principal Kari Anderson, Girdwood K-8 (Photo by Jon Scudder)

“Cultivating a school environment where there is a collective belief that all of our teaching staff working together can make a difference for all young people,” Anderson said. “I feel strongly in fostering a staff’s collective belief in themselves so staff will incorporate that positive esteem toward their own motivation and engagement to work with students. I feel empowered when reviewing student data that pinpoint areas of success and enjoy seeing students succeed in being healthy citizens with good values achieving academic success.

The new staff includes: Kate Hamre (first grade), Adrienne Brennan (second grade), Annika Meehleis (third grade), Lauren Fritz, (seventh/eighth grade social studies and math), Cathy Taylor (SPED paraprofessional), Autumn Wissner (speech pathologist) and Daniel Kirk (building plant operator).

Teachers which have taken different positions include Jennifer Derks (fourth grade), Joslyn Stinson (fifth grade).

Anderson also wished farewell to those staff who have moved on to other endeavors. They are Christi Davidson (first grade), Scott Hickox (seventh/eighth), school psychologist Todd Knutson, Dave Musgrave (building plant operator) Letha Straley (fourth grade), Joel Ribbens (fifth grade), Dellene Watt-Hennessey (speech pathologist); Hart Schwarz (SPED paraprofessional), and Marty Rollins, a SPED paraprofessional. 

One of the best places to find more information about Girdwood K-8 sports, activities and other optional programs is through the https://girdwood.asdk12.org website, through the teachers’ weekly newsletters or from her newsletter. There is also the Four Valleys Community Schools Program with information on their website or inside the vestibule of our school.

Anderson is enthusiastically awaiting the ‘ringing of the bell’ even after all her years. Prior to becoming a principal for ASD, she taught for 14 years; three years for a small rural K-12 district in Northern Wisconsin and 11 years at Girdwood K-8 School. 

“As an instructional leader, I value cultural competence, creating students who are stewards of their environment and community, project-based learning, peer mentoring, critical thinking, inquiry, and reaching out to the greater community for access and outreach,” she added. 

When not participating in leadership activities at the school, Anderson said she can be found enjoying the outdoors with her husband, Corey, and golden retriever, Bella. “We love hiking, traveling, rafting, snowboarding, cross country skiing, alpine skiing, kayaking, and camping.”