PNA FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

School Name: Pacific Northern Academy

Founded in 1996, PNA is an independent, non-sectarian school for preschool through eighth grade.

 

School Colors
Forest Green and Gold

School Mascot

PNA Panther

 

Head of School: Laurie Hoefer

 

Location & Campus: Just south of the intersection at Lake Otis Parkway and Abbott Road, in South Anchorage. 

Our school is located at 2511 Sentry Drive in Anchorage.  Our large parking lot and 11+ acre campus are just down the hill from Lake Otis. 

 

Number of Students: 125

 

Grade Levels: Preschool (age 3) through 8th Grade, with one class at each grade level.

 

Average Class Size: 11 students - classes are capped at 15 in Early Childhood and 18 in Lower and Middle School. 

Preschool classes have a lead teacher and an associate teacher in each classroom. Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grades have dedicated classroom teachers, while the 3rd-4th-5th pod and 6th-7th-8th pod rotate between two specialized pod teachers and specialist teachers.  All students see practicing professional teachers for music, PE, art, and Spanish. 

 

Student to teacher ratio: 9.6 to 1.

We have 21 dedicated and professional faculty members; 56% of them hold advanced degrees. 

 

Growth and development supported in all areas.

Academic, social, emotional, creative, and physical development is nurtured and our challenging academics are integrated with vibrant arts, physical education, Spanish, and technology.

 

Project Based Learning at Pacific Northern Academy 

Class work taught with Project Based Learning methods and enhanced by creative, in-depth projects, hands-on experiments, and frequent student performances.

 

Local, regional, national and international field trips.

 

Service to others and the community is integrated into the program.

 

Elective programs for students Kindergarten - 8th grade.

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Enrichment Programs

After-school such as robotics, outdoor club, chess, band, basketball, and more are provided to students on a quarterly basis.

 

Active and inclusive Parent Association.

Volunteer activities and family fun events planned throughout the year support the social community and academic program at PNA. 

 

Over 98% participation by current families in the Annual Fund.

 

Financial Aid and Scholarships granted to more than 40% of students. 

We work closely with families to make affording a PNA education as viable as possible.

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School Hours

Monday-Friday 8:30 am to 3:15 pm

 

Transportation

Parents bring students to and from school. Parent drivers also help with field trips. 

Extended Day Enrichment Program

Before-school care beginning at 7:00 am, and after-school care until 6:00 pm.  

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Break Camps

K-8 students can sign up, and Preschool students can choose contract options to have coverage during Thanksgiving, Winter Break,  and Spring Break. 

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CREATE ACADEMY Summer Camps

Weekly STEAM-based camps which are fun, hands-on with weekly focus themes such as robotics, flying machines, stop-motion animation, and more.