Dear Friends and Families of PNA,
Welcome back to the FUNd stuff, highlights of the fun, exciting things happening on the PNA campus. For those of you who are new to the PNA community, this is a bi-weekly update.
We are back in full swing with 116 students, there are a lot of new faces and positive energy throughout the building stemming from the fun being had while learning in the classroom.
Over the summer, the building was abuzz every week with our Create Academy summer camps. In its fourth year, we were almost full every week and we had over 600 campers come through the doors.
We have a new soccer field on the playground and also have new raised garden beds as well that were built and donated by the South and East Anchorage Rotary’s. We are planning on expanding the gardens with a beautiful cedar greenhouse that was generously donated by the Inampudi’s, a former PNA family.
Stay tuned for more updates from school and have a great week!
Peter Kling
Director of Development & Enrollment
New and Returning Faces
We are proud to introduce you to our 2019-2020 school year team of teachers. We are confident that both the returning and new faces are talented, dedicated, considerate, and inspirational in their teaching practice, and that the results your kids will see this year will be proof positive.
PNA is very proud to welcome Ms. Anna Ramsey to our administration in the preschool division, taking charge of our flourishing program for pre-kindergarten learners. A native of Sweden with over ten years experience in preschool settings in Norway and Sweden, Ms.Ramsey brings a refreshing progressive mindset to our already-fantastic program, and seeks to imbue the whole of PNA with some of that world-famous Scandinavian educational ethos. We are very lucky to have someone of her caliber join our team, and we look forward to the positive changes ahead. Welcome, Anna!
Teachers
PNA is excited to welcome Jessica Graham to PNA’s preschool program. Jessica recently moved to Alaska with her husband and dog Rey. As a graduate of the University of Alabama with a bachelors degree in Early Childhood/Elementary Education, she plans on pursuing her masters degree in reading with an emphasis on elementary education in the future. We can’t wait to watch her instill her own love of learning in her young students. Welcome, Jessica!
Ms. Ali is a new addition to our preschool team. She brings 4 years of experience in Texas and Beijing, China to PNA and is fluent in three languages. A Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of Houston, Ms. Ali wowed last year’s EK class when she guest-taught a lesson showing kids how to create their own butterfly chrysalis – a perfect demonstration of the hands-on, science-focused classroom experience that makes our preschool so special. Be sure to welcome Ms. Ali and her two young children to our supportive school community. Welcome, Saania!
A longtime teaching veteran with over 25 years of experience teaching preschool and kindergarten students, Ms. Smith brings a wealth of knowledge and drive to set PNA Early Kindergarten students on the path to starting kindergarten ahead of the game. Melissa is a Leadership Award winner and frequent community volunteer with talents in music, literacy, and kindergarten skills. Welcome, Melissa!
Mrs. McCormick returns for a third year in charge of PNA’s largest-ever cohort of kindergarten students – a full 18! Her decisive classroom management skills, unflappable warmth, and proven results mean that these 18 friends will undoubtedly have an incredible year under her tutelage. A masters-level certified reading expert with recent training in Project Based Learning and hands-on science, Mrs. McCormick is frequently lauded as a miracle worker in kids’ interest and fluency with literacy. So much so that last year’s kindergarten class has been meeting with her weekly over the summer for a “book club.” Welcome back, Mrs. McCormick!
Now entering her third year teaching full-time at PNA, powerhouse teacher and education guru Martina Henke has made the move down from middle school to 5th grade to act as the chief of the 3rd-4th-5th grades division and bring a renewed energy and dedication to it. A longtime veteran teacher, Mrs. Henke notably taught a 4th/5th combo at Rogers Park Elementary in Anchorage for many years, and brings warmth, expertise, and high expectations to the older half of PNA’s thriving Lower School.
PNA is thrilled to welcome Elizabeth Ferry to the Middle School team. Elizabeth earned a B.A. in Secondary Education (English) from the University of Maine Farmington. She recently moved from Maine, where she most previously taught English at the High School level. Prior to that, Elizabeth taught for two years in Tanzania with the Peace Corps. In addition to teaching English, Elizabeth has targeted training in classroom management, specifically with Responsive Classroom. She also has collegiate basketball playing and coaching experience and will be leading a basketball after-school enrichment program. Elizabeth is excited to be part of the PNA family. She teaches Middle School social studies, CPM 2 & 3, and 6th grade language arts.
Specialists
Wendy Laird – Middle School Spanish A native Spanish speaker, Wendy graduated from Universidad del Valle de Guatemala with a Bachelor’s Degree in Second Language Education. She taught English as a second language in Elementary, Middle School and adult education in Guatemala City for 12 years, before moving to Anchorage. She joined the PNA team in 2005 and taught for four years before staying home to raise her children. She returned to PNA last year, and we are very pleased to welcome her back again!
Mrs. Jaeger has been with PNA since its very first year and is a beloved and talented presence in the faculty. In 1998, she was awarded the quarterly BP Teachers of Excellence Award. She has traveled to Japan three times to study traditional handmade papermaking; to Reggio Emilia, Italy, to observe the renowned pre-primary school system there; and to Mata Ortiz, Chihuahua, Mexico, to observe traditional clay artists. Born and raised in Alaska, Brenda has enjoyed teaching art since 1974. Prior to coming to PNA, Brenda taught for 22 years through the Artists-in-Education Programs in four states, in communities such as Nikolski, Akiachak, Allakaket, Arctic Village and Kongiganak, in universities, and other institutions. Brenda has a B.A. in Art from Eastern Washington University, a Master of Arts in Teaching degree with a major in Drawing and Painting from Whitworth College, a Certificate in Pulp and Paper Technology from Lower Columbia College, and a Masters in Teaching degree from Washington State University-Vancouver, where she obtained her K-12 Teaching Certificate with endorsements in K-12 Art, K-12 Japanese, and 4-12 English. Brenda, who is listed in Who’s Who in American Art, is a working artist as well as a teacher. Brenda shows in Anchorage at the Georgia Blue Gallery. Her paintings are in collections in the United States such as the Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center, Dean Witter Reynolds, Standard Oil, Copper River Seafoods, Ketchikan Pioneers Home, and overseas. Her business is the Brenda K. Jaeger Art Studio. She paints and teaches private lessons when not at PNA. Welcome back, Brenda!
Postcards from the Classroom
Take a look at the exciting activities students were introduced to the first week of school!
Like What You See?
You Can Support It!
Your gift benefits today’s students and everyone’s future.
Spread the word, and don’t let PNA be Anchorage’s best kept secret. Let your friends know!
To make a donation or refer a family to PNA, Call (907) 333-1080 or click here to visit the giving page on our website.
Coming Right Up
Wednesday – September 4th
Annual Fund Kick-off
October 14th-18th
Space Week
You can also check out all of the upcoming events on our website by clicking calendar under our about PNA tab.
Just One More…
John Hardwick and Ral West
As always, our continued success is shared with the people and companies that support us.
Dr. John Botson
AkHES: Dr. Kevin Paisley
GCI
Dr. David Beal
The FUNd Stuff is a bi-monthly (or so) publication from the staff, students, parents, and teachers of PNA. Want to know more about anything we’ve highlighted here? Get in touch! (907) 333-1080 or jaho@pacificnorthern.org