School announcements

School district risk level update and upcoming events

School District Risk Levels

The eastern peninsula region of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District is in the the low-risk category when it comes to the spread of COVID-19, and has had zero new cases identified over the last two weeks.

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. According to district data, the eastern peninsula has had no new identified cases of COVID-19 for the last 14 days. It’s the first region of the peninsula to go two full weeks with no new cases.

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 still under medium-risk operating procedures.

As of Wednesday, the southern peninsula (from Ninilchik south) is in the medium-risk category with 15 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 38 new cases over the last 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

March 8-12 — Spring Break

Saturday, March 13 — Wrestling practice begins

Wednesday, March 17 — Early release at 2:45 p.m.

March 22 — Spring Sports practices start

Homer Flex School

March 8-12 — Spring Break, no school

Wednesday, March 17 — Early release Day. School will release one hour early.

March 26 —End of rotation four

Fireweed Academy

Both Big and Little Fireweed

March 8-12 — Spring Break

Monday, March 15 —Fourth quarter begins

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

Wednesday, 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.

March 23 — School Pictures. Little Fireweed from 8-9 a.m. and Big Fireweed from noon to 1 p.m.

McNeil Canyon Elementary

March 8-12 — Spring Break.

Monday, March 15 — After school skiing.

Tuesday, March 16 — Learning lab.

Wednesday, March 17 — Early release day at 1:15 p.m. (No after school K-3 ice skating)

Thursday, March 18 — Site Council meeting at 3:30 p.m.

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. Registration is open and costs $100. 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.