What a fun and educational evening! We learned how to spot and eliminate mold and even made our own homemade laundry detergent. 🧼
IGAP raffled off some awesome prizes — Sir Jonathon won the grand prize and traded it with Elder Dolly for the Magnetic Mold-Meter. 💚 Everyone who came left with a prize, knowledge, and lots of smiles!
Thank you to IGAP for hosting such a meaningful, hands-on night for our community.
#TellerPride #GoAklaqs #Tellerigap
Today our students and staff showed amazing spirit by dressing up for Team Up Against Drugs Day! It was great to see everyone representing their favorite teams and showing school pride.
Tomorrow’s theme: Don’t Lose Yourself to Drugs – Traditional Wear Day.
We can’t wait to see everyone wearing their beautiful traditional clothing and celebrating our culture. 💙🐻
Teller Pride!
#tellerpride
October 29th, 2025
Parent/Guardian and Community Newsletter
✅ Tutoring & Academic Support
Coach Fred and Coach Boring are available after school to support students academically.
Please reach out to them directly to schedule and reserve a time. Our students deserve this opportunity for extra help and enrichment!
🏀 Updated Open Gym Schedule — Starting Wednesday, October 29th
We are excited to share the new open gym times to ensure fair access for all students and community members:
Open Gym Times
Monday-Thursday
Pre-K – 4th Grade: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
5th – 8th Grade: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
High School Girls & Ladies: 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM
High School Boys and Men: 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Friday
Pre-K – 4th Grade: 6:00 PM – 7:15 PM
5th – 8th Grade: 7:15 PM – 8:30 PM
High School Girls & Ladies: 8:30 PM – 9:45 PM
High School Boys and Men: 9:45 PM – 11:00 PM
For the safety of our youngest athletes, we ask that parents or guardians help supervise students during the PreK–4th grade open gym time (6:00–7:00 PM, Friday 6-7:15).
Your presence makes all the difference — thank you for helping keep open gym safe and fun for everyone!
Thank you Tara!
➡️ Please enter through the back gym door.
Thank you for helping us keep gym time fun, safe, and equitable for everyone. See you on the court! 🐻💙
Quick Reminder on Open Gym Expectations:
To keep open gym a safe and enjoyable space for everyone, all students and community members must follow our behavior expectations.
Gym list if:
Bully or harass others
Fight or intentionally harm someone
Cause disruptions or refuse to follow staff directions
Create unsafe situations inside the gym or at the gym entrance
✅ IGAP Night
Wednesday, October 29th at 7:00 PM — School Library
Our IGAP representative will be hosting hands-on, eco-friendly activities that are both fun and useful!
This week’s highlight: making environmentally-safe laundry detergent from simple household ingredients. And learning about mold in our homes.
Come learn something new, enjoy good company, and take home what you create!
We look forward to seeing you Wednesday evening!
Goodle Doc Link to the Newsletter:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lGucjokyk9P7uu3_9hOFYmA0Jo5H6D2dTTaXK2acWaQ/edit?usp=sharing
#TellerPride #AklaqStrong
👏"👏 "A huge congratulations to all the wrestlers and cheerleading participants for their incredible commitment and hard work this season. A special acknowledgment goes to our winners—your dedication truly shone through!" 👏"👏"
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Our students brought the FUN today! Wild hair, creative outfits, and lots of laughter — Teller knows how to show school spirit! 😄
This week we’re also recognizing Red Ribbon Week, reminding one another to make healthy and positive choices. ❤️
📣 Congrats again to Maria, yesterday’s spirit winner!
Who do you think rocked the wackiest look today? We definitely have some big contenders!
📅 Tomorrow: Team Up Day!
Wear your favorite team gear — Aklaqs, NFL, NBA, Team USA… show us who you’re cheering for! 🏈🏀🐻
Teller Pride! 💙
#AklaqPride #SpiritWeek #HealthyChoices
Last night was full of fun and community spirit here at James C. Isabell School! Families enjoyed:
✅ Reading stories together
✅ Creating Halloween window decorations
✅ Painting spooky wind chimes
✅ Tasty snacks for all
It was a wonderful evening of learning, creativity, and connection. Thank you to everyone who joined us — events like these show what Teller Pride is all about! 👏💙
#TellerPride #FamilyNight #LiteracyMatters #AklaqsTogether
Norton Sound Health Corporation’s CAMP Department has generously donated high-visibility safety gear for our young learners! With the dark and snowy nights here in Teller, it can be hard to see people walking outside — these items will truly help keep our students safe.
A huge Quyaanaqpak to Ms. Jolene and the CAMP Department for supporting our community’s safety and well-being. Your partnership means so much to us!
Go Teller Aklaqs! 🐻💙
#CommunityStrong #SafetyFirst #TellerPride
This week we inspire students to be brave, confident, and drug-free!
Join us for fun dress-up days all week long:
👚 Monday: PJ Day
Get comfy! Wear your favorite pajamas to school.
💥 Tuesday: Red Ribbon Clash & Wild Hair Day
Celebrate being drug-free with bright, bold, & crazy styles!
🏆 Wednesday: Team Up Against Drugs
Wear your favorite team gear — Aklaq spirit, NFL, NBA, or any sports team!
🧵 Thursday: Don’t Lose Yourself to Drugs
Wear traditional clothing with pride and honor our culture.
👻 Friday: Scare Drugs Away
School-appropriate Halloween costumes encouraged!
Let’s show our school spirit, stay safe, and support each other in making healthy choices.
Go Aklaqs! 🐻💙
#RedRibbonWeek #TellerStrong #AklaqPride
Theme: Spooky & “Respect Nature” (Qiksiksrautiqaġniq)
Our K–12 classes have been working hard to create spooky, creative doors that honor the Inupiaq value of respecting nature — now we need YOUR help!
👇 How to Vote
• Look through the posted door photos
• LIKE the picture of the door you think should win People’s Choice!
• You can like more than one — but choose your favorites wisely! 👀
• Voting closes after judging on Tuesday, October 28th
🏆 Award Categories:
• Spookiest Door
• Most Creative Door
• Best Representation of “Respect Nature”
• People’s Choice Award — YOU decide!
Let’s celebrate our students’ creativity, teamwork, and pride in who we are and where we live. 💙🐻
#AklaqPride #TellerStrong #RespectNature #HalloweenFun
We’re excited to roll out a new schedule that gives everyone fair access to gym time!
📅 Open Gym Times
• Pre-K – 4th Grade: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
• 5th – 8th Grade: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
• High School Girls & Ladies: 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM
• High School Boys & Men: 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM
➡️ Please use the back gym door for entry.
Thank you for helping us keep open gym fun, safe, and welcoming for everyone. See you on the court! 🐻💙
#AklaqPride #TellerStrong
✅ Open Gym Expectations
We want open gym to remain a positive community activity. If a student or community member chooses to:
• Bully or harass others
• Fight or intentionally harm someone
• Create disruptions or ignore staff directions
• Cause unsafe situations inside or near the gym
They may be added to the gym list and lose open gym privileges for the day.
Let’s show respect, teamwork, and pride every time we come together on the court! 🏀👏
#AklaqPride #TellerStrong
🎃 Halloween Carnival — Friday, October 31st! 👻
Get ready for a frightfully fun celebration!
Students may wear costumes to school on Friday — but please remember: No weapons of any kind, real or fake. This includes (but is definitely not limited to):
❌ Guns (toy or real), sickles, knives, daggers
❌ Bows, arrows, crossbows
❌ Swords, katanas, brass knuckles
❌ Bullets, grenades, potato guns, slingshots, rubber chicken slingshots
❌ Anything dangerous or that looks dangerous
Let’s keep it spooky and safe! 🛑✨
🎪 Halloween Carnival Activities
✨ Games & prizes
🧟 Family-friendly spooky fun
🍬 Candy & treats
🕜 Doors open: 1:30 PM — all are welcome!
🎟 Admission:
• Adults — $2.00
• Children & Students — FREE
(Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Teller Traditional - Thank you!)
🙌 Volunteers Needed!
Volunteers get in FREE — come sign up in the office or talk with any staff member.
Let’s make this a Halloween to remember! 🐻💙 #AklaqPride #TellerStrong #HalloweenCarnival
📅 Wednesday, October 29th
🕖 7:00 PM
📍 School Library
Our IGAP representative will be hosting hands-on, eco-friendly activities that are both fun and useful! 🌍✨
This week’s highlight:
🧼 Make your own environmentally-safe laundry detergent using simple household ingredients!
Come learn something new, enjoy good company, and take home what you create! 💚
We look forward to seeing you Wednesday evening!
#IGAP #TellerStrong #EcoFriendly #CommunityNight #AklaqPride
October 25th, 2025
Parent/Guardian and Community Newsletter
Dear Parents and Guardians,
What an incredible first quarter here in Teller! We finished strong despite facing major challenges — including two powerful storms and two principal transitions. Yet, this community continues to stand tall and support our students every step of the way. It’s clear why the phrase “Teller Pride” means so much here.
Last Friday, October 24th, we held our Advisory Education Committee (AEC) meeting, where great conversations sparked exciting ideas for the months ahead. We are committed to continuing to involve our families and community as we celebrate student success.
Here are some upcoming school events to add to your calendars:
📌 Family & School Events
• Family Literacy and Halloween Craft Night — Monday, October 27 at 7:00 PM
• IGAP Night— Wednesday, October 29th at 7:00 PM
• Thanksgiving Potluck — November 26 at 5:30 PM
• Christmas Program — December 18 at 6:00 PM
• Quarter 2 / Semester 1 Celebration — January 9 at 3:00 PM
We are also working on several exciting collaborations with:
⭐️ IRA
⭐️ Nome Tribal Office
⭐️ Norton Sound Behavioral Health
⭐️ Mary’s Igloo
⭐️ Teller Traditional Council
One idea still being developed includes a cultural exchange with Nome Elementary — possibly involving each school hosting the other overnight to learn and connect together in the spring. More information will be shared as planning continues!
✅ Tutoring & Academic Support
We realized tutoring wasn’t advertised as much as it should have been — and we want to change that!
Coach Fred and Coach Boring are available after school to support students academically.
Please reach out to them directly to schedule a time. Our students deserve this opportunity for extra help and enrichment!
🏀 Open Gym Update
We are adjusting open gym times to ensure equal access for all grade levels. I know change isn’t always easy, but our students have earned this space, and we want it to be fair and consistent for everyone. I was told equity and sharing is a strong value in Teller. It checks out with the Inupiaq Values too.
There is so much to look forward to here at James C. Isabell School, and we are grateful to have you as partners in every success. Thank you for the warm welcome this first quarter, and for your patience as I settle into this role. It is truly an honor to serve what I believe is the best community in the world.
With love and gratitude,
Mr. Reid Jackowick
Principal
James C. Isabell School — Teller, Alaska
🏀 Updated Open Gym Schedule — Starting Monday, October 27th
We are excited to share the new open gym times to ensure fair access for all students and community members:
Open Gym Times
Pre-K – 4th Grade: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
5th – 8th Grade: 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
High School Girls & Ladies: 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM
High School Boys & Men: 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM
➡️ Please enter through the back gym door.
Thank you for helping us keep gym time fun, safe, and equitable for everyone. See you on the court! 🐻💙
Quick Reminder on Open Gym Expectations:
To keep open gym a safe and enjoyable space for everyone, all students and community members must follow our behavior expectations.
Gym list if:
Bully or harass others
Fight or intentionally harm someone
Cause disruptions or refuse to follow staff directions
Create unsafe situations inside the gym or at the gym entrance
Past Information
Cell Phones Revisited
Students are not allowed to have cell phones during the school day. Please review the student handbook.
The cellphones shouldn’t be in the lockers, this is still a learning distraction
1st violation student gets the cell phone back at the end of the day with gym list, 2nd violation student’s parent or guardian has to pick up the cell phone and sign the document that they are picking up the cell phone, 3rd violation student needs to turn in their cell phone at the beginning of the day or they have to keep their belongs in the office.
Upcoming Dates and Events
October 27th: 7:00pm, Family, Literacy, and Halloween Craft Night
October 27th: 6-10, Starting the new gym times
October 29th: 7:00pm, IGAP night, fun activities for the community
October 31st: 1:30-3:00, Halloween Carnival, 3pm-3:45, Zombie Game
November 6th: 3:30-5:30, Quarter Parent Conferences
November 18th: 12:00-1:00, AEC Meeting, Small room in elementary wing, community welcome
November 26th: 5:30, Community Feast/Potluck
November 27-28th, No School, Thanksgiving break
December 10th: 7:00, Family Literacy Night
December 18th: 6pm, Holiday program
December 22nd-January 2nd: No School, Christmas and New Years Break
January 9th: 3:00, end of the quarter celebration
January 14th, 7:00, Family Literacy Night
February 7th: Read for Free Run 5k Run/Walk (with t-shirts!)
Link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vjTXStWqXPiAHB2vTnWuvZ8rrPhl-5zf8nP1aM2rh9Y/edit?usp=sharing
Team photo — and this group is ready to take on the season! 💪
Watch out… because here come the Aklaqs!
Proud of the energy, teamwork, and Teller Pride this team brings every time they hit the court. Let’s go, Aklaqs! 💙🏐
#TellerPride #GoAklaqs #VolleyballSeason #TeamAklaq #TellerAlaska
The volleyball photos are here, and they perfectly capture the hard work, dedication, and determination of our incredible Aklaqs! 💪
Every serve, spike, and dive shows the pride and teamwork that make this team so special. We couldn’t be prouder of their effort on and off the court.
Aklak Pride! 🐻💙
#TellerPride #GoAklaqs #VolleyballSeason #Teamwork #Dedication #TellerAlaska
📢 No School Thursday & Friday — Enjoy the Long Weekend, Aklaqs! 💙🐻
Today marked the end of the quarter, and that means there’s no school for students tomorrow (Thursday) or Friday this week. 🎉
🏐 Volleyball practice will still take place as scheduled.
Please take this time to rest, recharge, and enjoy your long weekend — you’ve earned it! Stay safe, have fun, and come back ready to start Quarter 2 strong. 💪
Happy long weekend, Aklaqs!
#TellerPride #GoAklaqs #LongWeekend #QuarterBreak #TellerAlaska
Today we celebrated the end of Quarter 1 — and most importantly, we celebrated our students for their hard work, resilience, and Teller Pride through an incredible start to the school year!
This quarter brought two new principals, two big storms (one even canceled school!), and plenty of challenges that most schools never face. Yet our students stood tall through it all. 💪
👏 Some achieved 100% attendance — not missing a single day!
📚 Others earned Honor Roll or High Honors through dedication and effort.
After the celebration, everyone enjoyed some delicious ice cream, generously donated by Ms. Paula — thank you for thinking of our students here in Teller! 🍦💙
Let’s carry this same energy, pride, and commitment into Quarter 2.
Way to go, Aklaqs! 🐻💙
#TellerPride #GoAklaqs #Quarter1Celebration #HonorRoll #StudentSuccess #CommunityStrong #TellerAlaska
Join us for a fun-filled Halloween Family Night and Family Literacy Night — a perfect evening for families to connect, create, and celebrate learning together!
🗓 Date: Sunday, October 27th
🕖 Time: 7:00 PM
📍 Location: James C. Isabell School
We’ll have:
🎨 Painting activities
🧁 Light baked goods and treats
📚 Family-friendly fun and literacy games
Come enjoy an evening of creativity, community, and a little Halloween spirit! 👻
Everyone is welcome — bring your family and your Teller Pride! 💙🐻
#TellerPride #GoAklaqs #FamilyNight #LiteracyNight #HalloweenFun #CommunityStrong #TellerAlaska
📢 AEC Meeting — Community Welcome! 💙🐻
Join us for our next Advisory Education Committee (AEC) Meeting at James C. Isabell School!
🗓 Date: Friday, October 24th
🕛 Time: 12:00–1:00 PM
📍 Location: Elementary Wing, Special Education Room
👥 Everyone is welcome!
Discussion Topics Include:
Swearing in of new AEC members
Review of AEC meeting norms
Community concerns and updates
Child Find activities and outreach
Student presentation to the AEC
Halloween Carnival update
Substitutes and transportation updates
Athletics: Volleyball game (Halloween weekend in Unalakleet) & tournament fundraiser
Upcoming Literacy Night in November
School goals handout
Budget form handout and discussion
Open forum for community input
Setting the next meeting date
Come share your voice, stay informed, and help support the success of our students and community!
Teller Pride! 💙🐻
#TellerPride #GoAklaqs #AECMeeting #CommunityStrong #TellerAlaska #EducationMatters
