About Me

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My journey with the Alaska Gateway School District began in the fall of 2012. For the first two years, I was teaching the kindergarten through 2nd grade groups in Tetlin. For the next two years, I taught the same ages at another village school in Northway. In the fall of 2016, I transferred to Tok School to teach 4th grade for two years. This year I requested the third grade, as I always enjoy taking on a new grade level of students. Before moving to Tok, my background consisted of four years living in Botswana, Africa, with my husband where I taught mostly English as second language learners in grades kindergarten through fourth. Previously, we were long time Alaska residents. Most of our years in Alaska were spent living in the interior bush community of Galena, where I taught an alternative program for teens, 7th and 8th grades, Title 1 reading, and kindergarten. For a number of years before obtaining my teacher certificate, I was part of the classified support staff in addition to serving on the local school board. It has been great to be back in Alaska, and Tok has been a good fit for us.

Saturday, February 11, 2017

Week 26

Weekly Greetings!

Each week seems to pass so quickly! Last week was no exception. Wednesday was the school Spelling Bee, and the three 4th graders from our class did really well. One student won the 1st through 5th grade competition, and two of our three participating went on to the older grade bee after lunch. It was a great event, and it was wonderful to see the parent support there also.
 In Science, we closed out the unit on our universe with an activity packet and Magic School Buss DVD. In doing the universe unit, the class has learned about our place in the universe, how we fit in the solar system, and understand how we are integrally connected to space. 
 In addition on Thursday, we will participate in another AK Teach activity that will tie in nicely to the unit we just completed. Over the Internet, we will join Denver Museum planetary scientist Ka Chun Yu, PhD on a virtual tour through space. The program description says we will start from the surface of the Earth, using stunning visualizations, and Dr. Yu will narrate our tour into lower Earth orbit, fly past the International Space Station, beyond our familiar 8 planets, ice balls and asteroids, and into deep space. It will really blend in nicely as a cumulative review.

The class was also able to experience the "Reality Sandbox" from UAF that allowed them to explore landforms in a topographic map format. Our thanks to Mr. Dunning, who organized getting it to Tok.
 I hope you all got the letter that went home on Friday about the Valentine's Day party planned at the end of the day on Tuesday. I sent home a list of names if your child would like to give out any Valentine cards that afternoon. Wednesday, there will be a homecoming assembly at 2:00pm if you are free to attend. Also, if you would like to order books from the book order I sent home last week, I will need the orders returned by Thursday. There will not be any school on Friday, so that will be the last day for this week. Thursday is going to be an early out at 2:00pm too, due to all the basketball action starting Wednesday night at the school. 

It is looking like an exciting week, and I am thankful to be a part of all the enriching activities offered at the Tok School!

Kind Regards,

Julie Brown
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