At Su Valley Junior and Senior High School the new school year is underway with 177 students in attendance. 59 of those are 7^th and 8^th grade Junior High students.

According to secretary and registrar, Deb Maynard that is about the same number as last year but there are five new students. While there are no new teachers there is a new schedule, a new class, a new sport and a new club.

The school district required seven classes a day, instead of six periods as in prior years. Last spring, science and math teacher, Mike Matthews asked kids what other classes they would like and they said a cooking class. As he said, “I cook a little bit,” so he took it upon himself to offer a Culinary Arts Course. Twelve students are enrolled. They plan a menu, shop for the menu at Cubby’s, cook the meal and eat it. So far they have had grilled salmon served with rice and low bush cranberries picked by the students. They’ve made twice-baked potatoes, a yogurt parfait and cranberry pecan muffins. Nutrition and budget is also a part of the course. Matthews said that if a student misses a class they have to bring something they baked from home when they return to class. There is a lot of planning and preparation involved and Matthews is hoping that the students will take over more of that.

The new club is the Moose Club, an extracurricular activity being led by Physical Education teacher, Steve Harrison. It is just getting off the ground but the purpose of the club is to teach kids how to handle moose from the area road-killed moose program. The students will learn safe food handling techniques and how butcher and process the meat. There has been a lot of interest from students and it should get going by October. The processed moose meat will be donated to the local food banks.

The new sport is high school wrestling. Wrestling was offered several years ago for a short time. There is interest to start it again and a willing and able person to coach it– Bryan Kirby, who teaches Industrial Arts. The two other sports offered this fall are cross-country running coached by former Su Valley student, Caitlin Hunt. There are four students on the team. High School volleyball is just getting underway with long time coach Chad Valentine overseeing 29 girls. This season he’ll have help from his daughter Noelle Valentine, also a Su Valley graduate and former player.

As for the administrative department…if you’ve tried to phone the school using 733-2241 then you know that number is no longer in service. The number is 733-9300 and it has been that number for three years. The old number would still connect you but as of this week that is no longer the case.

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In 1.2 and 3 A competition, graduating senior, Nick Nysewander-Kellard, ran to second and third place in the 200 and 100 meter races, respectively. Known as the fastest sprinter to come out of Su Valley High school, he finished his high school years with personal bests.  Although he didn’t win, he still broke the Su Valley records he set last year. Both of his state records set last year were broken by Pat Brown of Eielson High School this year.

In other boy’s events, Christone Susky took 6^th in the 300 meter hurdles.

In women’s 1-2 and 3A action, 9^th grader, Alya Loper took 4^th in the high jump. She also finished 8^th in the 400 meter run.  Junior Makayla  Kelly finished 8^th in both the 100 and 200 meter races.

Lauren Thatch took 8^th in the 300 meter hurdles. Freshman Emily Hartley took 6^th place in the discus throw and and threw the shot put hard enough to take 3rd. Rekia Hueton took 4^th in the shot put with a throw just a couples of inches short of Hartley’s.

Co- Coach Bruce Gunderson said the athletes did as well as expected and they all had good performances. He said the boys lost their strong relay team last year with graduating seniors. He says both the girls and boys teams are still young.  For track fans, there are a number of athletes to watch over the next few years. Gunderson says there are strong distance runners coming up in the ranks.

Grace Christian took top honors in the 1-2-3A girls competition overall with Seward squeaking by Grace Christian in boys competition.

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The only committee report came from revenue sharing committee chair Howard Carbone.  He reported that 8 applications have been received for the revenue sharing grant of $22,200.

Sunshine Transit asked for $4700 for operating funds, the Talkeetna Cemetery Association asked for $3600 to repair the cemetery gates, KTNA applied for $1000 for microphone recording equipment, the Northern Susitna Institute asked for $9400 for program start-up costs and Roger Robinson asked for $1000 which would go to help install a composting toilet at the mouth of the well-used Clear Creek area.

Larger requests are: $10,000 for a farmer’s market to be started, $10,100 for starting a youth and elder work education project through Homespun Productions, and Steve Harrison asked for over $22,000 to start a moose club at the Su Valley High School. The program would help students pick up roadkill moose, butcher and provide meat to community members in need.

The total funds requested amounted to  more than $62,500.  The amount available in this round of grant money is $22,200.  The project has to benefit residents in the Talkeetna Council area.

The committee meets soon to discuss which projects should take priority.  The top contenders will get forwarded to the Council’s Board of Directors and then on to the Borough for final approval and acceptance of funds.

Elizabeth Hartley, comptroller for the Borough confirms that the project, or projects, need to be completed by the end of 2011. Funds not used get returned to the state.

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Five students were selected to be inducted – Zena DeLoach, Jeannie Jurasek, Morgan Michels, Sierra O’Connor and Dominuque Scruggs.  All girls are 10^th graders.  Jeannie wasn’t present at the ceremony, but remains on the selection list.

According to MJ Corso, honor society advisor, the selection is normally a secret up until the day it occurs.  This past Monday morning, the inductees and those graduating, met at 6:30 for a festive breakfast at the Talkeetna Roadhouse.

The ceremony at the high school included the color guard of Girl Scout group 293 and music by the steel drum group that is headed to state competition.  A number of people spoke – Paxson Matthews as President of the society was the leader of the induction ceremony.

Corso said this year’s group, 16 members total, is bigger than ever.  However, the society has a number of graduating seniors this year and will drop back to 10 members next year.

The national honor society gets involved with events, and organizations, from the Denali Arts Council to the annual easter egg hunt.  The society is hoping to have a fundraiser this spring in the form of a car wash to be held at the high school when the weather allows.

MJ Corso listed the members (not in order): Paxson Matthews, Laura Stahl, Jennifer Crosby, Cory Ambrose, Sierra O’Connor, Zena DeLoach, Dominuque Scruggs, Morgan Michels, Ethan Reinhart, Skyler Hamler, Madison Maynard, Taylor Asher, Michael Jurasek, Lee Blocynziski, Teslin Matthews

The school is now the second LEED certified school in the state, the first high school and the northern most LEED school to date.Robert Scott, project manager, said he worked through the school construction with the intention that the school would receive its LEED certification.  However, he said that the process takes time and needs to be audited, verified and certified. He said that people were calling it LEED certified when it wasn’t yet officially certified.

The LEED certification is a national program that has become a benchmark for design and construction of high performance green building.  It promotes sustainable development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.  The certification is obtained AFTER submitting an application documenting compliance with all the requirements of the rating system.  The certification is granted only by the Green Building Certification Institute.

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The Mat Su School District originally awarded a contract a couple of months ago, but one company disputed the process and the bid process started over.  School District spokesperson Catherine Esray says that John’s General Contracting from Wasilla won the final bid this time around.  The total to move and re-set all 18 portables comes at a cost of almost ninety thousand dollars.

Herman Thompson, Upper Susitna Seniors President, said he noticed the first couple of portables gone on Monday.  There were portable sightings along the highway on Tuesday.

The school district expects the 18 portables to be completely moved and reset by April 16^th.  All portables are staying within the Mat Su School District and all are headed to the lower valley schools.

Herman Thompson said the seniors are still discussing the possibility of operating an RV campground and dump station where the portables used to stand.  He admits that there are many factors, and discussion and research on the topic will continue before a final decision is made.

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SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AT SU VALLEY— Local PTSA member Jody Fitzgerald addresses the Mat-Su School Board during their regular meeting on Wednesday, January 20 at the newly built Su Valley High School. Photo by Diana Haecker

The Mat-Su Borough School Board held their regular meeting at the new Su Valley Highschool on Wednesday. The board heard from community members thanking the board for their cooperation to build the new state-of-the-art facility. But they were also hearing questions and concerns regarding furnishing and completely equipping the school with all supplies needed.

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First quarter:

Susitna Valley vs. North Pole JV (boys’ finals)-first quarter

Second quarter:

Note: sorry, I missed the first couple minutes due to the stinkin’ pause button on my recorder. My bad.

Susitna Valley vs. North Pole JV (boys’ finals)-second quarter

Third quarter:

Susitna Valley vs. North Pole JV (boys’ finals)-third quarter

Fourth quarter:

Susitna Valley vs. North Pole JV (boys’ finals)-fourth quarter

First quarter:

Susitna Valley vs. Tri-Valley (girls)-first quarter

Second quarter:

Susitna Valley vs. Tri-Valley (girls)-second quarter

Third quarter:

Susitna Valley vs. Tri-Valley (girls)-third quarter

Fourth quarter:

Susitna Valley vs. Tri-Valley (girls)-fourth quarter

The epitome of students taking great care KTNA photo

Students and staff headed back to school this week in a jumble –figuring out where classrooms where, how phones worked, missing library shelves and a myriad of other minor details.  Anyone else walking into the school would think it the happiest school on earth.

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Photos by Diana Haecker

The move into the new Su Valley Junior/Senior highschool building is coming along. Furniture arrived this week and is being unpacked and assembled. Bob Bechtold  is one of the Mat-Su Borough’s project managers and explains the unique features of the new school building. 

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