August 14, 2025 Andrew Scrivo

The new school year is upon us! As we begin a new year, we are excited to partner with you in creating a strong foundation for our students’ success — both in and outside of the classroom.

Parental engagement is one of the most powerful tools we have to support our children’s education. When families are connected to their schools, students are more likely to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. We encourage you to:

Stay engaged and informed – Communicate openly with your child, their teachers and school staff.

Build healthy foundations – Prioritize routines, good sleep, and time together.

Connect with resources – Reach out for support when you need it; you don’t have to parent alone.

Get involved – Volunteer your time, spread good news about school happenings, and join local support groups like the PTA, Site Based Council and Seward Education Advocates. Every contribution matters!

Upcoming Back-to-School Events:

Friday, August 15th 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Seward Middle and High School

11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Explore community resource materials, meet staff, and connect, High school

5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Community resource personnel at booths (i.e. Teen Rec Room, Seaview, etc.), High school

5 p.m., Spaghetti Dinner for all families, High school

6 p.m., 6th-grade Orientation at Seward Middle

Friday, August 15th, Elementary student class assignments posted on Elementary School front door

Tuesday, August 19th 5 p.m.-6 p.m. Seward Elementary School Open House for Pre-K through 5th grade

All students and families are welcome to visit anytime within the hour to meet teachers and explore classrooms.

Wednesday, August 20th, First Day of School

8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Seward Elementary School class hours

7:40 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Seward Middle School and High School class hours (see bell schedule below)

Bus schedule and bus riding etiquette posted in a separate Seward Folly article

Become an Approved KPBSD Volunteer:
https://kpbsd.org/departments/assistant-superintendent/instructional-services/hr/volunteer/

Apply for Free or Reduced Lunch:

https://www.schoolcafe.com/KENAIPENINSULABOROUGHSD

Approval for Free or Reduced meals serves 2 primary purposes:

1) Provides families the financial benefit of receiving school meals at a reduced rate or even free. We do not want a family’s financial situation to determine a student’s access to breakfast or lunch. 

2) Schools receive additional funding based on the overall percentage of approved applications. These funds can be used for additional staff to provide academic support for our students, pre-school programs, additional academic resources, etc…

New Cell Phone Policy:

Seward High School Principal, Dr. Burns, is cutting back on unnecessary Chromebook use and introducing a new cell phone policy to limit distractions. High school students will keep their phones in a designated spot during class and can only use them at lunch or between classes. These changes are meant to help students focus, connect with each other, and get the most out of their learning. Thanks for supporting these expectations at home.

Thank you for being an active part of our Youth360 family. Together, we can make this a school year filled with growth, connection, and opportunity for every student.

Here’s to doing more together.

Andrew Scrivo

Program Director- Youth360

Program Coordinator- Sources of Strength, Seward High

Seward Prevention Coalition

andrew@spcalaska.org

(907) 491-1018