School announcements

School district risk level update and upcoming events

School District Risk Levels

The southern peninsula region of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is back in the the low-risk category when it comes to the spread of COVID-19, while the region’s schools continue under medium-risk operating procedures. .

Regions of the peninsula are put into low, medium or high-risk categories based on the number of new cases of COVID-19 identified over a 14-day period. This model is based on rates of cases per 100,000 of population.

All students are currently able to attend onsite education five days a week in district schools, including when their school region is in the high-risk category. All three of the major regions are also still under medium-risk operating procedures, even though the southern peninsula is in the low-risk category and the eastern peninsula is in the high-risk category.

As of Wednesday, the southern peninsula (from Ninilchik south) is at low-risk category with six new cases in the last 14 days. The southern peninsula is in low risk if it has had zero to nine new cases in the last 14 days, is in medium risk if there have been 10 to 19 new cases in the last 14 days, and is in high risk if there were 20 or more new cases in the last 14 days.

The central peninsula, including Kenai, Nikiski, Soldotna, Sterling and Kasilof, is at medium risk with 30 new cases over the last 14 days.

The eastern peninsula (Seward and Moose Pass) is in the high-risk category with eight new cases of COVID-19 within the last 14 days. The region is still under medium risk operating procedures. The eastern peninsula enters high risk when there have been 10 or more new cases over 14 days.

Four of the rural communities within the school district remain at low risk. The schools in those communities are Nanwalek School, Port Graham School and Susan B. English School in Seldovia across Kachemak Bay, and Tebughna School in Tyonek.

Hope School and Cooper Landing School are both in the medium-risk category.

The district is still offering free Get-It and Go meals for remote learning students, which can be picked up daily between noon and 1 p.m. Families need to place meal orders by noon on Fridays.

Homer High School

Today — ASAA Nordic Ski Championships at 11 a.m. at the Government Peak Recreation Area in the Mat-Su Valley. JV and varsity girls and boys basketball at 3 p.m. in Nikiski.

Friday —Nordic Ski Championships continue at 11 a.m. at Government Peak. Meatball Volleyball Championship at 2:30 p.m. during FOL period.

Saturday — Nordic Ski Championships continue at 11 a.m. at Government Peak. JV and varsity girls and boys basketball at noon against Seward.

Monday, March 1 — C Team boys and girls basketball starting at 3 p.m. in Kenai. Big Booster Club meeting at 6 p.m. in the commons.

Tuesday, March 2 — Site Council meeting at 4 p.m. via Zoom. JV and varsity girls and boys basketball starting at 3 p.m. against Soldotna High School.

Thursday, March 4 — JV and varsity girls and boys basketball starting at 3 p.m. in Kenai.

Friday, March 5 — In-service day, no school.

March 8-12 — Spring Break

Homer Flex School

Friday, March 5 — No school, end of third quarter. Staff in-service will be for PEAKs test training and interventions.

March 8-12 — Spring Break, no school

Homer Middle School

Thursday — Spirit week: Sunglasses and Hat Day.

Friday — Spirit week: Duo Day.

Saturday — Nordic Skiing borough competition at Skyview Middle School. Volleyball borough competition at Homer Middle.

Fireweed Academy

Both Big and Little Fireweed

Friday, March 5 — No school: End of quarter and in-service day.

March 8-12 — Spring Break

March 15 —Fourth quarter begins

March 15-26 — Artist in the Schools with Sharlene Cline at Little Fireweed

March 17 — Early release day. Dismissal for Little Fireweed is at 12:50 p.m., and dismissal for Big Fireweed is at 1:15 p.m.

McNeil Canyon Elementary

Thursday — School Spelling Bee for fourth-sixth grade. The champion will go on to compete in the State Bee on March 24.

Friday — Snow Fiesta.

Kachemak Bay Campus

The Kachemak Bay Writers’ Conference returns to Homer and Kachemak Bay Campus virtually on May 15 with a faculty of award-winning authors bringing fresh perspectives and a diversity of ideas. Participants can enjoy four days of classes, conversations, public readings and a panel discussion by writers from the Peabody Award-winning PBS show, “Molly of Denali,” as well as networking and community building activities. Early registration is open now at $80 for the general public, becoming $100 on Feb. 28. Registration for University of Alaska students will remain at $50. Academic credits are available. Visit writersconf.kpc.alaska.edu or call 907-435-7743 to register.