2011-12 WELCOME LETTER

Welcome to the 2011-2012 School Year in the North Slope Borough School District. Schooling on the North Slope is in many ways like schooling everywhere and it is unique. No matter where you are in the world, students perform better if their teachers have high expectations for their learning and if their parents value and support their being in school. Attendance is critical. Students who are in school regularly learn more than those who are plagued by high absenteeism. Students everywhere learn more if their schools and teachers begin with the end in mind and are mission driven in their programs and teaching. In the North Slope Borough School District our mission sets us apart from Anchorage, Seattle or other communities. We are pursuing a curriculum development effort based on that mission. We are doing this work, not because it is easy, but because it is the right thing to do. We owe it to our students to do this work; they are worth the commitment.

The Mission of the North Slope Borough School District is:

Learning in our schools is rooted in the values, history and language of the Inupiat. Students develop the academic and cultural skills and knowledge to be:

·      Critical and creative thinkers able to adapt in a changing environment and world;

·      Active, responsible, contributing members of the their communities; and

·      Confident, healthy young adults, able to envision, plan and take control of their destiny.

Ours is a mission-driven system. This mission is the foundation for every decision I make as the superintendent and I ask teachers to make it the cornerstone of their teaching and their daily work with our students. One way for teachers to initiate incorporation of the mission is for them, personally, to be involved in their communities. Parents and community members can help by inviting teachers to community events and getting to know them so they better know their schools’ families and communities.

Welcome to the 2011-2012 school year in NSBSD. I know working together we can and will make a difference for our students.

Sincerely,

Peggy Cowan

Superintendent