December Patriot Newsletter
North Pole High School
601 NPHS Blvd • North Pole, AK 99705
www.k12northstar.org/northpoleH • 907-488-3761
Greetings Patriot Families:
This holiday season take time to cherish each other and enjoy the break! As we
embark on a new semester please be sure to remind your child to finish strong this
current semester.
The mid-year mark also presents us with winter sports that are vastly underway. A
huge thanks to all of our fall sport coaches for their hard work and dedication to our
student athletes. Congratulations, to the hard work of the fine arts department which
encompasses the music department as well. Students within our art department had
a great showing at the North Pole Library where their work was put on display for a
“First Friday” gathering. There were several students that received accolades at AllState for their choir performance. District wide we were the only school that had
students selected for the All-Northwest Choir. Our Air Force JROTC program received
the highest honors bestowed upon a high school in the State of Alaska and are
currently working toward National Recognition. The drama production, Pseudolus
was a great display of all the talented students that we have here at North Pole High.
There are several clubs that are doing great works within our school and community.
Upcoming Events
December 16-17-18
Final Exams
Early Out
December 19-January 5
Holiday Break – No School
January 5: Students return to
school
This upcoming semester we will undergo the accreditation process. This process will
allow us to see what we are doing well and what we need to improve upon as an
institution. Please go to the following link and complete this quick survey:
http://www.advanc-ed.org/survey/public/4656103.
If you completed the survey at parent teacher conferences please be sure to
complete the survey again. There were some technological issues that occurred and
not all responses were recorded.
Recently, our school was featured on CBS This Morning for being honored as a Super
Bowl Honor Roll School. If you missed the airing of the special there will be
reoccurrences throughout the upcoming months as Super Bowl 50 nears.
A special thanks to each of you that sent treats to support our students during finals.
Finally, thank you to PTSA for the special holiday treats for each of our students that
will be distributed Friday before the holidays.
Happy Holidays,
Clarice Mingo
NPHS Principal
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FINALS BELL SCHEDULE
Wednesday, December 16:
Periods 1 and 4
Thursday, December 17:
Periods 2 and 5
Friday, December 18:
Periods 3 and 6
Finals will be 7:45 – 9:45 and 10 – 12 p.m.
No lunch will be served
Busses leave at 12:07
The NPHS
Science Department would like to
say
to
Environmental Resources Management
(ERM) for their donation of science glassware!
“ERM is a leading global provider of environmental, health,
safety, risk, social consulting
services and sustainability
related services.”
ERM
748 Gaffney Road, Suite 102
Fairbanks, AK 99701
www.erm.com
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CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION NEWS
Career & Technical Education: CAFE Standards
When most hear the word Café, food comes to mind. And yes, food is being served up by North Pole
High School students under the watchful eye of instructor Max Pananen. The reinvigorated Culinary
Food Program at North Pole High School in full swing teaching students the spice of life. If your club or
organization is looking for someone to cater your event, the culinary program may be able to assist
you. Contact instructor Max Pananen for more information.
To those in the automotive world CAFE has another meaning. CAFE stands for Corporate Average
Fuel Economy and is a government mandate that automakers live by. The current mandate calls for
a 54.5 mpg average fuel economy rating by the year 2025. How will they accomplish this? Already
vehicles have sophisticated computer systems controlling Fuel Injection (including GDI), Variable
Valve Timing, Cop Ignition, Forced Injection, 8-speed transmissions or Continuously Variable
Transmissions (CVTs), lower rolling resistance tires, and improved aerodynamics to meet current
standards. Even with these improvements, they are only able to get around 40 MPG out of the
smallest vehicles.
The vehicles of the future will have material changes such as the increased use of AluminumMagnesium frames, Carbon Fiber body panels, and nanotech plastics to reduce weight while
maintaining structural integrity. Other changes to the drivetrain itself, including a reduction in friction
losses, an increase in adiabatic efficiency (essentially controlling the heat in the engine), and the
implementation of HCCI (Homogenous Charge Compression Ignition) will all result in reducing fuel
consumption. Additionally, the new breed of Hybrid vehicles will assist automakers in meeting the
2025 CAFÉ standards.
Vehicles today and the ones in the future require a new breed of trained technicians. North Pole High
School’s nationally recognized Automotive training program has the tools and instruction to train the
technicians of tomorrow. In addition, the Career and Technical Department at North Pole High School
is committed to training today for the workforce of tomorrow by collaborating with traditional
academics courses through applied academics. We are committed to providing up-to-date training
and certifications, as well as articulated agreements with post-secondary institutions that provide
college credit for students pursuing a college degree in a technical field.
Look to North Pole High School for Career and Technical training….and some tasty food for those lucky
enough to be in the vicinity of the Culinary Program.
For more information on course offerings please contact a counselor or Mr. Jerry Million at 488-3761 ext.
19142.
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THE CULINARY CORNER
Greetings from the world of intestinal happiness. As this is the last newsletter of
the calendar year and the semester let me say good riddance...I mean happy
holidays! I jest but everyone needs a break around now due to school and/or
work. Some may travel abroad while others may stay here for break but
everyone will need to eat so here comes the point of this article.
We might not have all the time in the world this time of year so we need quick
meals to make and consume. Coupling that with freezers that some have that
are full of meat or fish from the fall, ideas may start to propagate. However, my
focus is on last year's catch or even farther back. The best way to rid yourself of
those old freezer burned meats is to cook them in a manner that can bring a little
life back to them but also essentially disguise them so it is less obvious how old
they are. Granted there are limits to how freezer burned something is and still be
edible. If a piece of moose or fish is completely white or gray from being in the
freezer for years your best bet is to throw it away as no amount of marinade,
sauce, or broth will be able to hide the deterioration of the flavor. The best ways
to use freezer burned foods are with lots of liquid. If you've ever had freezer
burned food it is incredibly dry and tough, a liquid is needed to help it seem
moister. Chilies, stews, crock pot recipes, certain marinades, and almost any
recipe that requires low heat for long periods of time in a wet cooking
environment are ideal. The goal is to "trick" your brain and mouth into thinking
the meat is moister than it is by surrounding it with actual liquid. These types of
recipes are great because while they do take a while to cook (and in some
instances all day) the initial effort upfront allows you to start it then walk away
and do other things. For those of us that grew up on hunting and fishing there is
no substitute for the fresh stuff but in a pinch when you have too much and
you've already made dog food for a year, you have to get creative. So drag
that old stuff out and think "how can I hydrate you?" Bon Appetit!
Max Pananen, Culinary Arts/ProStart Teacher
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NPHS LIBRARY SERVICES
……from the NPHS Library Staff!
Cayla Armatti, Librarian
Becky Dustin, Library Assistant
Stephanie Niesen, Library Assistant
Hours: 7 AM to 4 PM school days.
Books make Great
Gifts for Teens!
Best sellers
Meet the NPHS Library Staff
This month our library is featured on the
District Website. To learn more about the
library staff and library events at NPHS,
visit this link:
http://www.k12northstar.org/Page/3950#3
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Journals
Graphic Books
Biographies
Inspirational Books
Magazine Subscriptions
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ART ROOM NEWS
Art News for December
Thanks to all the students, staff and families who attended our First Friday Botanical
Drawing and Painting show at the North Pole Branch Library on Friday, December 4th. The
artwork on exhibit was produced by beginning, intermediate, and advanced students
during a residency by artist Karen Stomberg, sponsored by the Fairbanks Arts Association,
the Alaska Council for the Arts, and Rasmusen Foundation. The show was attended by 85
guests, including library patrons and community members. Students also produced a
calendar of their botanical work, which is for sale in the art room and teacher’s lounge until
the end of the semester.
Thanks to all the people who helped make the show a success. Awesome food was
provided by the NP Culinary Arts program under the direction of Mr. Pananen. Yearbook
members photographed the show for the art page. We also want to thank the librarians at
the NP Library for all their help at making the event a success. It was very exciting to have
an art show in such a beautiful location!
All of the Botanical drawings and some of the acrylic paintings in the show will be on
display at the Superintendent’s office at the FNSBSD building from December until February,
so if you missed the show you can view the art work there!
Student Botanical drawings by Margaret May, Ann Harrison, and Geo Yi.
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SPANISH NEWS
The students in Spanish are celebrating the ‘’Navidad’ and preparing for the final exam.
Level I:
During the month of November and December the students watched a cultural video about
the La Navidad en México, prepared ‘piñatas’ and learned the songs Gatatumba and
Navidad. They sang these songs to the front office staff, Counseling Office and other classes
at North Pole High School.
Semester finals are upon us. The final will consist of a verbal exam and a written exam. For the
verbal exam each student will present a PowerPoint presentation on December 14th or 15th.
The written final exam will cover the following: preliminary lessons, chapters 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Level II:
The students watched a cultural video about the La Navidad en México, prepared ‘piñatas
cards and learned to sing the songs Gatatumba and Navidad. They sang these songs to the
front office staff, Counseling Office and other classes at North Pole High School.
For the Level II students the final exam will consist of a verbal exam where each student will
interview the teacher on December 14th or 15th. The written final exam will cover the following:
Spanish I Review, chapter 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Pictures of the classes’ piñatas’ are on the following page.
¡¡Muchas gracías!!!
Sra. KaBe
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JROTC NEWS
NPHS JROTC Drill Team Named Best in the Interior!
Our first drill competition of the season occurred on Saturday, December 5th, at West Valley High
School. There were eight schools competing in this competition; four from the Fairbanks School
District and four from the Anchorage School District.
Our NPHS Air Force JROTC drill teams competed in the following categories:
Color Guard:
1st Place
1st Year Color Guard:
5th Place
Unarmed Regulation:
2nd Place
Armed Regulation:
2nd Place
Unarmed Exhibition:
1st Place
Armed Exhibition:
2nd Place
NPHS earned more top three finishes than any other team at the drill competition and was thus
awarded the Marine Corps League Interior Top Drill & Ceremonies Trophy. This is a traveling trophy
awarded to the best interior drill team during the annual Interior Drill Competition. Additionally, Cadet
Alyssa Longley earned a medal for finishing 2nd out of more than 180 cadets in an individual drill tapout competition.
Our next drill competition will be in Eagle River on January 16th.
Left Photo: Cadet Longley receiving her Individual Drill Medal
Middle Photo: Cadet Jason (team commander) receiving the Interior Drill Trophy
Right Photo: JROTC Drill Team with the trophies earned at the Interior Drill Competition
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Ready……Set……Go……FAFSA Workshop!
When: Saturday, January 16th
Where: NPHS Library
Brought to you by UAF and NPHS Counseling Department
All students are expected to contribute towards the cost of their college education.
How much you and your family will be expected to contribute depends on your
financial situation—and is what is referred to as your Expected Family
Contribution or EFC.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form used by the
U.S. Department of Education to determine your Expected Family Contribution
(EFC) by conducting a “need analysis” based on financial information, such as
income, assets and other household information, which you (and your parents if
you are a dependent student) will be asked to provide. The form is submitted to,
and processed by, a federal processor contracted by the U.S. Department of
Education (ED), and the results are electronically transmitted to the financial aid
offices of the schools that you list on your application.
To be considered for federal financial aid, you must complete and submit a FAFSA.
Additionally, most states, colleges and universities use the FAFSA to award other
types of institutional financial aid, including state- and college-sponsored financial
aid, such as grants, educational loans, and work-study programs.
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Staff Spotlight
Sarah Boss – Language Arts Teacher
Sarah Boss grew up in California. She attended the University of Nevada, Reno on a music
scholarship where she earned education degrees in English and Spanish. She earned a master's
degree as a Reading Specialist and later taught as an Adjunct Professor for the University of
Alaska, Southeast Reading Specialist Program. She has previously taught in both rural
and inner city schools in both Nevada and Alaska. In her free-time she enjoys traveling, roadtrips, movies, and reading. Now, Sarah, her husband, and two children are happy to be exploring
Fairbanks and North Pole.
Veronica Hudson – Attendance Secretary
Veronica is originally from Massachusetts and has lived in North Dakota, Northern New York, and
Nevada before moving to North Pole nine years ago. She graduated from SUNY-Plattsburgh while
living in New York. This is her eighth year with the school district but the first here at NPHS. She and
her husband have 6 grown children and 7 grandchildren in Alaska and the Lower 48. As the
curator of an extensive textile collection, she has been known to occasionally use these textiles
to make quilts.
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Students of the Month
ANE/ELL
Joseph Barfield
Metals/CAD/Drafting
Donovan Seniva
Automotive
Shane Stapp
Office Practice Specialist
Jimmy Culley
Counseling
Bevyn Cover
Performing Arts
Ryan Taylor
Integrated Programs
Cheyanna Rood
Physical Education
A.J. Cameron
JROTC
Valerie Frank
Science
Leona Sawyer
Language Arts
Paul Andres
Social Studies
Nicholas Aspelund
Library Assistant
Alyssa Breuninger
Spanish
Sean Croome-Preece
Math
Paul Andres
Visual Arts
Emily Burton
Congratulations
LEONA SAWYER
North Pole City Council
Student of the Month
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Hello Senior Parents!
Senior News
Though graduation seems far away, now is the time to start preparing!
Caps, gowns, and tassels must be ordered by December 19 in order to avoid a
late fee. Orders can be made online at www.highschool.herffjones.com. There
are also two upcoming opportunities for you to order in person. Jen Winkelman,
our Herff Jones representative, will be at NPHS’s Financial Aid Night (please
come!) on November 30. In addition, she will be available at Portraits Studio on
Saturday, December 5 and 12 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Portraits Studio is located
at 246 Illinois Street in Fairbanks (it is on the backside of the strip mall with Garden
Island convenience store and Pizza for Less). After December 19, a late fee of
$20 will be charged.
Our graduation ceremony will be at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 18 at the Carlson
Center. Seniors are also required to come to rehearsal on the morning of the 18th.
We will soon be looking for parent volunteers to help at the Carlson Center on
the 18th. Watch for much more upcoming information!
If you have questions, please direct them to one of the following individuals. We
would be happy to help!
Kathy Doyel, Graduation Coordinator
Audra Forsman, Senior Class Advisor
Jen Winkelman, Herff Jones Representative
Volume 30 Issue 4
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
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IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS
HOMEWORK CLUB: meets Monday – Thursday, 2:30-4 p.m. – Room 192
The SPECIAL OLYMPICS PARTNERS CLUB has been having a weekly lunchtime meeting on
Tuesday in Mrs. Hopper’s room (159). This is a club that promotes social interaction, friendship
and teamwork among students of all abilities here at North Pole High School. This club was
started by Mrs. Hopper last school year, and is supported by Special Olympics Alaska.
The club has seen a consistent attendance of about 15-20 members, with
hopes of growing even larger. Our weekly meetings have been focused on
identifying activities and endeavors that the club wants to pursue in the future.
Hopefully the New Year will see the club going out into the community
for social, recreational, and sports opportunities on a monthly basis.
Partners Club has enjoyed a Thanksgiving pie party supplied by the wonderful Culinary Arts
program headed by Mr. Max Pananen, a birthday party for one of its members, and has plans
for upcoming Holiday celebrations. We are planning a gingerbread house building and a
Holiday dinner lunch. Come and join us and see what the fun is all about.
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North Pole High School
601 NPHS Blvd
North Pole, AK 99705
The Patriot Newsletter is published monthly during the school year
Submit articles by email to [email protected]
PATRIOT STRONG!
The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, religion, creed, sex, age,
national origin, physical or mental disability, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, sexual orientation, gender
identity or veteran status.
The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District does not discriminate on the basis of sex in violation of Title IX of the Education
Amendments of 1972 in the educational programs or activities which it operates.
The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District does not discriminate on the basis of disability in violation of Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This includes admission or access to, or treatment or employment in its programs, services, and activities.
Individuals requiring further information should contact the designated compliance director:
Ms. Doreen Oliver
Employment and Educational Opportunity Director
520 Fifth Avenue
4th Floor, Suite A, Room 410
Fairbanks, Alaska 99701
(907) 452-2000 ext. 11466
Fax (907) 452-3172
[email protected]
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