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I have a lot of favorite places — some of them that I visit rarely and then wonder why I waited so long to experience them again. These places are either so peaceful, or so exciting, or even so joyful, that just being in that environment is pure pleasure.

That’s how I feel when I go through the doors at Star of the North Secondary School. The school gives me all those emotions — the peace that comes from the very atmosphere of the place and the excitement and joy that comes from the teachers and students.

There is never the chaos of raucous kids you find in a more traditional school, and things seem slower paced and more focused. There is all the warmth of a family gathering and an overwhelming feeling of harmony and contentment.

The school’s head teacher, Annie Keep-Barnes, in talking about the school, gives a clue as to why this is. “Our kids are great. People think they know who we are and who our kids are, with fights and drug busts, but it’s not. It’s a peaceful happy place for kids to go to school.”

It is upsetting, she said, that people have a misconception about the school and spread the erroneous information that it is a place for “bad kids.”

To the contrary, Star of the North Charter School is a model of success for those students who find a regular school tumultuous, traumatic, or simply too big to adapt to. Some come from a home school setting while others are just so shy and introverted they don’t feel secure in a larger school.

Others, who are attending the high school side, may have a reason to forego a traditional setting, such as the necessity of holding down a job that requires a more fluid schedule. Keep-Barnes said three students joined recently because they were heading into the military and wanted to finish their education sooner than they could in a regular high school.

“There are so many kids who don’t fit into a larger school, or don’t want to fit in to a larger school. Some of them have such struggles, but here everyone knows their name,” Keep-Barnes said. Students, she said, thrive in an atmosphere that is orderly, peaceful and small.

Approximately 100 students in grades 7-12 attend the school, which has eight on staff and is in its eighth year. The school, under the Star of the North umbrella and charter, actually has two segments: the North Pole Campus for younger students and the Career Education Center (CEC) for high school attendees. While Annie Keep-Barnes supervises things on the North Pole Campus, Mark Rippy serves as head teacher at CEC. Together, the two campuses emphasize student independence, adult guidance and advocacy and individual achievement.

Inside the attractive bright blue building just down Badger Road, the school office and entryway are in the middle and give view to bright, colorful and open rooms. Even Annie Keep-Barnes’ office has two walls of windows that overlook classrooms.

There are few distractions in the building, which allows students to concentrate on studies.

“They really ‘own’ their learning,” Keep-Barnes said of the high school students, who work independently but have ready access to teachers and tutors.   This unique center of education is open to any student in the district and, by plan, is not only on the borough bus route but also utilizes the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District bus system. Also, unlike most charter schools, it participates in the school lunch program and doesn’t require parents to volunteer hours.

“We’re a real public school. Every student in Fairbanks has access to this school, if there’s room,” Keep-Barnes said.

A little history

Annie Keep-Barnes was recently feted as one of the Girl Scout’s Women of Distinction, an honor she told me was very humbling. I can’t think of anyone more deserving. She has done so much for education, she truly loves her students, and she has created a wonderful school.

There is another reason I am so fond of Annie, however. She is a good friend of my daughter, Janelle McCrackin. Around 1995 Annie, Janelle, Terri Austin and Barbara Smith — all teachers — founded Chinook Charter School — the first charter school in the state, which became a model for similar schools all over the United States and Europe. It was an incredible feat, which required great sacrifice of time and money. (Google “Chinook Charter School” and you can find articles about their journey.)

Since then, Annie has started Star of the North, Barb Smith heads up Chinook and, although retired, Terry is also still involved in the school. Janelle has hauled my son-in-law Casey and my two grandkids and moved to Seattle, where they own a toy store, a children’s clothing store and also have a business making Montessori materials.

It is interesting that all four originators of Chinook are still in the business of nurturing and teaching children.

Rotary and NP Grange fundraisers

Twice last weekend, I got out of nuking frozen dinners by attending two important fundraisers. The first was the brisket feed at North Pole Grange which was held in conjunction with North Pole Art Society’s First Friday event. It brought in enough money to pay for the Grange’s last fuel delivery.

Then, Saturday night, my husband and I attended the Rotary’s Walk on the Wild Side halibut feed at the Refinery Lounge. It raised around $6,000, which will go toward a basketball court at Jimmy O’Connor Park.

Thank you, North Pole residents, for what you do to support our community. You’re the greatest!

Delta Relay

As long as I’m handing out accolades, I will update you on the American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Delta. Last week I told you about their chair auction.

Lou Ann, one of the organizers, informed me that it was a great success, raising $1,420. So far, the Relay for Life of Delta has collected an impressive $58,000.

“What a wonderful community we live in,” she ended her note. I agree.

Star of the North yard sale is today

Today is the Star of the North Charter School fundraiser yard sale 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the school parking lot. The bright blue school is located just down Badger Road from the Hurst Road intersection.

Take a ride on a fire truck

Also today, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., is the North Pole Fire Department’s annual open house. It’s a great opportunity to tour the fire station, get some information, enjoy free food and take a ride in a fire truck. If you have kids or grandkids, they would love it. And, admit it, you older “kids” would love to take a turn around the block in one, too.

Library fun

May 20 begins sign-up week for this year’s summer reading program: Catch the Reading Bug. The program promises fun and prizes for preschoolers through sixth grade. It begins the week of May 28 and runs through July 18.  A similar program for grades 7-12 is called Metamorphosis.

For my favorite fellow seniors

This is an e-mail joke I got a couple days ago:

A woman very quietly confided to her friend that she was having an affair. The friend turned and asked, “Oh! Are you having it catered?”  And that pretty much sums up the definition of ‘OLD!’