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Frequently asked questions

Administrative

 

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NCLB FAQs
Click to visit Department of Education and Early Development's FAQ pageThe state of Alaska's Department of Education & Early Development (EED) also has a Frequently Asked Questions page about education in Alaska. [ Visit EED's page… ]
Click to visit the Municipality's Newcomers' Guide to AnchorageIf you're relocating to to the area, check out the Municipality's Newcomers' Guide to Anchorage

Students & Schools

 


The Anchorage School District is committed to providing
equal educational and employment opportunities, services and benefits
to all students and employees.



Where can I find an employee's e-mail address?

In May 2004, a searchable employee directory was added that includes all district employees, excluding substitutes and temporary staff. It displays the person's e-mail address, phone and fax number, department and work location.

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How big is the Anchorage School District?

The Anchorage School District has 88 schools and the official enrollment figure for the 2004-2005 school year was 49,454. For more information about enrollment figures, visit our Demographics Department.

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Is it true the Anchorage School District allows RVs to camp at schools during the summer?

In an effort to decrease vandalism and other criminal activity at schools during the summer, the Anchorage School District invites citizens with RVs to camp on school grounds. For more information about this program, please contact Melody Haakenson at 907-348-5170 or haakenson_melody@asdk12.org.

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Where do I find schedules for swimming pools?

While the pools are located on school grounds, they are operated by the Municipality of Anchorage's Parks and Recreation Department.

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How old does my child have to be to enter kindergarten?

A child needs to be 5 by September 1 to be enrolled in an ASD school that fall. If the family is moving into the district and the child is not yet 5, but was enrolled in a public school where they came from, then the child can be enrolled at an ASD school. If the child was enrolled in any other kind of school (private, parochial, etc.) that does not qualify them to be enrolled here and they need to meet the age criteria. For more information, contact Elementary Education.

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Does ASD have any preschool programs?

The only preschool program ASD offers is through our Special Education Department. The Preschool Special Education Program provides services for children ages 3 to 5 who experience developmental delays or other disabilities. Children can be referred for evaluation by parents and various community agencies at age 2 years 6 months to ensure services by age 3. Children may continue in the program until kindergarten. The preschool curriculum emphasizes development of communication, cognition, social, self-help, pre-academic, and fine and gross motor skills. Parent involvement is part of the program philosophy and family/community visits are planned into the teachers' weekly schedules. Contact our Special Education Department for more information.

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Which school will my child go to?

Use our school locator tool to find the neighborhood school you child can attend. Also available are locator books and boundary maps for Anchorage and Eagle River. If you have questions about school boundaries, please contact our Demographics Department at 907-348-5190.

Requesting a zone exemption:
Elementary Attendance Zone Application
Contact Elementary Education with questions: 907-742-4254
Secondary Zone Exception Application
Contact Middle School Education at 907-742-4249 or
High School Education at 907-742-4256

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What do I need to do to transfer my child to another school?

When transferring your kids, you will need to bring to the school a copy of their transcript and a copy of their health record showing their immunizations. You can tell their current school that these records are for enrollment purposes only. After they are enrolled in a school here, the Anchorage school will contact the former school to have the official records sent directly from school to school. It's important for high school students to not have a lot of time between withdrawing from their former school and enrolling here. Each of the days they are out of school is counted as an absence and our high schools have a strict attendance policy. Depending upon the school, that is anywhere from 8 to 15 days. When a student reaches the maximum number of absences in any class they may not earn credit in that class.

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How do I obtain a copy of my child's shot record and/or TB skin test?

When a student is transferring within the district, the parent/guardian should ask the school nurse. They will be asked to fill out a records request, and then the nurse can print out the needed information. Administrative Assistants and School Secretaries also have the ability to print these records.

For a student who has graduated from or left the district, a request needs to be made to the Student Records department located on Hillcrest Drive next to West High School. The telephone number is 907-742-4607.

Current elementary, middle, and high school student shot records can be obtained at the school. Parents need to fill out a request for records, submit it to the school nurse, and she will then print out the information and give it to the parents. Administrative Assistants and School Secretaries also have the ability to print out these records.

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How do I get a copy of my transcript?

Academic records for graduates are available from the registrar of the graduating high school for two years following graduation. Records may then be obtained from Student Records. Academic transcripts are maintained and released in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Transcripts may be requested online, in-person, by mail or by telephone. Visit Student Records' web page for more information.

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How do I get a copy of my SAT/ACT/PSAT scores?

Our Student Records Department has PSAT, SAT and ACT test scores on the transcripts for some students, but only if the student provided us with his/her correct social security number and put the correct social security number on the test at the time the test was taken. Test scores are posted from a data file purchased from the testing company, so we can't be certain that all information is provided. We are under no requirement to maintain these scores, but do so as a convenience to the students. For contact information, visit Student Records' web page.

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How do I get a copy of my GED?

The Anchorage School District does not have records of GED's. Students who received their GED in Alaska may contact Jean Cariotti at the Alaska Department of Labor and Work Force Development, P.O. Box 25509, Juneau, Alaska 99802-5509. The telephone number is (907) 465-4685 and the fax number is (907) 465-4186.

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Where can I find reunion/alumni information?

Most of the high schools have alumni and reunion information on their Web sites. The links below will take you to their alumni pages:

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What is Everyday Mathematics?

Everyday Mathematics is a comprehensive pre-kindergarten through 6th grade mathematics curriculum developed by the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project, and published by Wright Group McGraw-Hill. Over 175,000 classrooms and 2.8 million students are currently using EM, and it is being adopted by a steadily increasing number of schools each year. The UCSMP Everyday Mathematics Center is an NSF-funded center established to support educators, parents and students who are using, or will soon be using, Everyday Mathematics.

Check UCSMP's Parent Homeroom for more information:

About Everyday Mathematics Glossary
Student Achievement Papers and other resources
FAQ Family letters & Student work

Read about other schools and districts that are using Everyday Mathematics and the results they are experiencing on the SRA/McGraw Hill Web site.

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Does ASD regulate or provide homeschooling?

The Anchorage School District does not regulate, oversee or track students who are independently homeschooled. Some families who homeschool their children that we have talked to told us that they relied heavily on Internet research to begin homeschooling and to support their children's education.

ASD programs that are closely related to independent homeschools:

  • Frontier Charter School is the newest public school option for full-time homeschooling in Anchorage.

  • Family Partnership Charter School. This Anchorage School District school is based on a homeschool format. Students receive most of their instruction at home from parents, but families contract with ASD teachers to provide some of the instruction.

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