Jennifer Ketring

K8 March E-Newsletter

SCHOOL NEWS & UPDATES

Science Night

Science Night 2022 was a success! All of our students and classes participated with individual and collaborative projects.

  • The K-1 class demonstrated their collaborative “Tornado in a Bottle” project.
  • The 2-3 class shared their “Cardboard Challenge” creations which included a mini bowling alley, leprechaun lighthouse, tree and more.
  • The 4-5 and middle school students presented individual projects on a range of topics based on their research and experimentations.
  • The afterschool STEAM program created a diagram of a steam engine that was presented alongside the 4-5s study of the transcontinental railroad.Job well done! Thank you to all the families who were able to join in the evening to ask questions, vote and recognize the students’ work.

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Jennifer Ketring

K-12 March E-Newsletter

SCHOOL NEWS & UPDATES

CLS Business Plan Project: Nautical Nut Balls

Students in our High School’s Community, Leadership, and Service (CLS) class have been busy developing a business plan and product to raise funds for the upcoming CELP field study. They shared the following update about their project.

“Recently, we reached out to local business owner, Nate Boucher, to see if he could give us some ideas to raise funds. He came to our class and gave an introductory presentation in Business 101. During a brainstorming session we came up with the idea of creating a nutritional snack that we could sell at local stores. In our market research, we decided that we would move forward by selling chocolate almond balls. We sourced ingredients with the idea that many folks in our area prefer goods that are local, organic, and affordable. We did a couple of test batches and think we’ve dialed in a recipe that folks will enjoy. We’re being trained in proper food handling and are currently in the midst of marketing and advertising. We’ve named the product Nautical Nut Balls and plan to launch them this Saturday morning (March 5) at a bake sale in front of Surf Supermarket. Hope to see you there.”

High School students are using the certified kitchen at the K8 site to produce their Nautical Nut Balls. Be sure to stop by Surf Supermarket this weekend and try them for yourself!

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Jennifer Ketring

K8 February E-Newsletter

 SCHOOL NEWS & UPDATES

This month we hosted a celebration recognizing and learning about the Chinese New Year. One of our parents, Ling Su, guided the students in a Mandarin lesson that included learning a few phrases: Happy New Year (Xin Nian Kuai Le) and Wishing Prosperity (Gong Xi Fa Cai). Action Network staff, along with our retired K-8 Director, Sigrid Hillscan, joined us in the kitchen to prepare a special Chinese lunch for the students to enjoy outside. Students also made paper lanterns, honed their chopstick skills, and practiced writing calligraphy.

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Jennifer Ketring

High School February E-Newsletter

SCHOOL NEWS & UPDATES

This month we hosted several special guests in our outdoor classroom, including the new librarian, Mellisa Hannum, from the Coast Community Library who brought a book cart and made sure all of our students are signed up for a library card, and Blake More who led students in writing exercises as part of the Poetry in the Schools program.

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Jennifer Ketring

K-12 February E-Newsletter

SCHOOL NEWS & UPDATES

Land Donation at K8

Our K8 site is growing! We are excited to announce that our school recently finalized a boundary line adjustment behind our K8 site. This was made possible from a generous land donation made by a neighbor in honor of his parents, Lee & Alice Devens. One of our parents and GC members, Jessica Price, helped us facilitate this donation. A huge THANK YOU to the Devens family and Jessica!

This land will allow us to expand our environmental education programs with on-site nature-based learning. Plans for this new space include fencing the flat area, cleaning up the brush and trees, developing trails and creating seating areas.

We are scheduling 2 Family Work Days to help us get started cleaning up this space. Please join us Saturday, February 12 and Saturday, March 12 from 10:00 – 1:00! Bring tools for cleaning up tree limbs, weedeating and clearing brush. Contact Todd at torenick@pacificcharterschool.org or Jen at jketring@pacificcharterschool.org with questions.

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Jennifer Ketring

K-12 Health & Wellness in the New Year

We want to enter the New Year and 2nd semester with a healthy school community. As such, we will be conducting COVID testing for students and staff throughout the week when we return to school. With the new Omicron variant, coupled with folks traveling and visiting family and friends during the Winter Break, we feel this is an important step to ensure a safe and healthy environment for everyone.

The COVID test is a quick and painless self-administered nasal swab (we can help younger students). All students MUST be registered in ordered to receive a test on-site. Please help us be prepared by registering your student as soon as possible. Thank you!

If we have a positive case in one of our classes, we will respond in the following ways:

  • Conduct contact tracing and identify who was in close contact (within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes) with the person who tested positive.
  • Contact families whose student was in close contact.
  • Conduct follow-up testing with students and staff who were in close contact.
  • Respond accordingly with quarantine or isolation protocols, depending on the case and vaccination status of close contacts.

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Jennifer Ketring

Scholarships for Graduating Seniors

Below is an ongoing list of the most relevant local, county and state scholarships, categorized by due date. However, due to Covid-restrictions and changes, please note that availability and due dates are subject to change. This list is by no means all there is. YOU can definitely find many more by putting the effort in. Call the office for questions or more information.

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

  • The Italian Catholic Federation is offering several $400 scholarships to graduating seniors. For more information visit www.icf.org.
  • Rotary Club of Gualala – two year scholarships of $3,000 ($6,000 over 2 years). More information at the Gualala Rotary Club website.
  • Marie A. Calderilla Scholarship: Silicon Valley Community Foundation is offering twenty (20) $20,000 awards to graduating high school seniors planning to attend a college in San Mateo Community College District (Canada College, San Mateo Community College and Skyline Community College). Visit the Silicon Valley Community Foundation Website for more information.
  • Stifel, The Fabric of Society scholarship started in 2008 and offers one $2000 scholarship. The program highlights 50 high school seniors from around the country as they reflect on school, work, and their communities. Visit the Fabric of Society Scholarship Facebook Page for more information.
  • California Retired Teachers Association Division 55 Hilmer Finne Music Scholarship Fund is awarding $1000 to a Mendocino County public high school senior who plans to attend college to pursue a career in music. More scholarships can be found on the Community Fund of Mendocino County website.
  • The California Association of Collectors is offering three scholarships (1) $2,500.00, (1) $2,000.00 and (1) $1,500.00 to graduating seniors and High School Juniors. Students must write 700-1000 word essay on “The Importance of Establishing and Maintaining Good Financial Credit During Your College Years.” For more information www.cacesf.org.
  • James G. Cummings Foundation of Ukiah offers three scholarships of $8,000 each for the study of marine technology. James G Cummings Foundation, 519 South School St, Ukiah, CA 95482; 707-964-6782.

APRIL

  • Druidic Scholarship Award is offering twenty (20) $2,000 scholarships to Graduating Seniors. NOTE: Need letter of recommendation from local Druid member. Return application to your counsellor and they will obtain letter for you. More information about the Druidic Scholarship can be found by visiting the Druid website
  • Gualala Arts Young Artist Scholarship. The Young Artist Scholarship program is open to graduating seniors who reside in Gualala Arts’ region, from Fort Ross to Elk, and intend to pursue a career in some field of art. Individual scholarships have ranged from $500 to $2,000. More information about the Gualala Arts Young Artist Scholarship.
  • Knights of Columbus is pleased to offer an educational grant of $1,000 to a PA senior. You can write Knights of Columbus, PO BOX 816, POINT ARENA, CA 95468
  • The North Coast Section Foundation Scholarship is a prestigious program recognizing two (2) student athletes based on excellence in athletics, academics and character. One male and one female statewide winner will each receive $5,000 as well as a visit to the State Capitol in Sacramento where they will be honored in front of the legislature. Visit the the NCS website for more information.
  • The Robert Miller Scholarships are available to graduating seniors who want to make their career in the Central Coast grape and wine industry and plan to attend Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo ($1,000) or Alan Hacock Community College ($500). More information on the Robert Miller Scholarship is available on the California Wine Growers Association Website.
  • The California Wine Grape Growers Foundation is offering two $8,000 scholarships to students planning to attend a CSU or UC, and four $2,000 scholarships to students planning to attend a California Community College. The student’s parents or legal guardians must be employed by a California Grape Wine Grower. More information available on the California Wine Growers Association Website.
  • Joshua Perez Memorial Scholarship – Offering one $500 scholarship. More information can be found in the counseling office.
  • Sanctuary Forest is offering scholarships to local high school graduates college-bound seniors with a demonstrated interest and an active involvement in environmental issues.! There are six $1,000 scholarships available through Sanctuary Forest, thanks to generous donations from the Dimmick family (producers of local lumber for four generations), the Maria & Robert Kelly Stewardship, the Humboldt/Mendocino business community, Humboldt/Mendocino Redwood Company, and friends of Sanctuary Forest & Rondal Snodgrass. More information can be found here.

MAY

  • Gualala Community Center Scholarship Program is offering $1,000 to two graduating seniors living in the coastal corridor between Manchester and Timber Cove. Contact the Gualala Community Center for current scholarship information.
  • Mendocino County Deputy Sheriff’s Association is offering three $500 and one $1,500 scholarships. 
  • Warren Jones Memorial CITYART Scholarship application is available online. $500 in scholarship funds is available to graduating high school seniors who attend school in Southern Mendocino County (including homeschool students) and are interested in furthering art studies or pursuing careers in the arts. The goal of the Warren Jones Memorial CITYART Scholarship is to acknowledge students with outstanding art talent and to aid them in further study in their field. Art is broadly defined to include painting, sculpture, music, drama, dance, writing, performance, media, film and/or video. Applications for the scholarship can be downloaded at www.godmeat.com/cityart.htm.
  • Point Arena Lighthouse – $ 2,000 in scholarship funds for local graduating Seniors and previous graduates to support post-secondary education. More information can be found on the Point Arena Lighthouse website.
  • Gualala Lions Club – two $2,000 scholarships for graduating seniors. More information can be found in the counseling office. Visit the Gualala Lions Club webpage here.