This Week
In the Ann Arbor Public Schools
May 27, 2008

To: The Staff of the Ann Arbor Public Schools
From: Todd Roberts, Superintendent

This Week’s Good News!
  • Congratulations to the staff member who are retiring from the Ann Arbor Public Schools this year and thank you for your years of dedicated service to our district. The following staff members were honored at this year’s retirement dinner on May 20. We wish them many happy years.
    Connie Allen, Custodial/Maintenance; Joyce Awosika, Teacher Bach; Jeanette Carroll, Teacher Pioneer; Larry Cattell, Mechanic Balas; Candace Chow, Teacher Huron; Christine Dailey, Teacher Haisley; Mary Dickie, Teacher Carpenter; Linda Edwards, Teacher Pittsfield; John Eggleston, Jr. Carpenter Balas; Lynne Everett, Teacher Dicken; John Francis, Teacher Mitchell; Robert Galardi, Deputy Superintendent HRS; Brenda Garr, Teacher Huron; Corrine Grace, Teacher Northside; June Griffenhagen, Teacher Tappan;Carroll Hart, Teacher Eberwhite & Northside; Vicky Henry, Teacher Community; Fran Hipes, Finance Supervisor Balas; Sandra Hooker, Teacher Bryant; H. John Iler, Teacher SISS; Rose Jones, Teacher King; Lettie Kempf, Teacher Bach; Jane Levy, Teacher AA Open; Mike Mouradian, Teacher Community; David Orr, Teacher Tappan; Dianne Pohrt, Teacher Huron; Carol Rafko, Teacher Haisley; Susan Remington, Teacher Angell/Haisley; Linda Troesch, Teacher Huron; Robin Wax, Teacher Pioneer; Rae Ann Weymouth, Media Specialist Lawton and Carolyn Williams, Teacher Pioneer.
  • On April 17 several Ann Arbor Public School children, including Community High Students, Carly Kirchen, senior, and Jacob LaBelle, freshman, were invited to attend the 2nd National Human Rights Conference in Chicago. Both students were given scholarships to attend the conference which was focused on “Building a People Centered Human Rights Movement” and gave a presentation as part of the Youth Summit. The students presented a video and spoke about their new organization, “Youth 4 Youth Justice” and its commitment to being an integral part of the human rights movement in the United States.
    The Youth Summit brought together youth from all parts of the United States to talk about social justice, share their work and organize responses and actions on issues as diverse as waging a war against poverty, demanding healthcare and the right to housing and work, preventing the extermination of indigenous Americans, stopping the dehumanizing of migrants, fighting for our environment and many more important issues around Standing Up for Justice, Peace and Human Rights for all.
    The conference was sponsored by dozens of organizations that stand for human rights including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Poor Peoples’ Economic Human Rights Campaign, Women’s’ Law and Policy Project, the Hip Hop Congress and the U.S. Human Rights Network. Youth have always played an integral part in social justice movements in the United States and we are very proud that Community Students are working on these broad community issues and that their work has been recognized.   Thank you Carly and Jacob for representing the values of our school in a national conference and working for a better world through human rights for all.
  • Pioneer senior, Paulina Seromik, has been working with the elections programs since she was a junior in Claire Dahl’s Advanced Placement US History class. She took the required course with the City Clerk's Office and worked as a student election inspector for the 2006 Michigan Gubernatorial Election. She worked again for the 2008 Michigan Presidential Primary and, in the last election (School Board) where she was a Precinct Captain! She was responsible for the poll located at the Assembly of God Church, had four adult workers under her supervision and had a fabulous experience. She will be attending University of Michigan in the fall, but will, of course, be working with the election commission to be a captain for the 2008 Presidential election in November. The City Clerk's Office, most specifically Howard Scheps, has been instrumental in getting many students from Pioneer engaged in the election process. We have worked the polls since the 2000 Presidential campaign. Ms. Dahl says that she will have an "army” of students, certified by the State of Michigan, working the polls at the 2008 presidential election. It is great to see the students partnering with the city and enjoying civic engagement. 
  • Fifteen Stone High School seniors received college scholarships from the Ann Arbor Rotary clubs/Strive program at a banquet held on May 19th at Washtenaw Community College. The scholarship recipients are: Valerie Pafford, Nicole French, Halima Abdullah Al Basir, Chemeka Mayers, Michelle Ford, Zachary LeMalle, Sadie Gonzalez, Marlon Silva, Sa-Qwane Roquemore, Samantha Cunningham, Caitlin Whitehead, Sarah Demeter, Shayna Chauncey, John Lymon and Tierra Tafoya.
  • The Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor presented scholarships to graduating seniors at its meeting on May 19. The scholarships are awarded based upon the student’s character, leadership, service to the community and academic performance.
    The Hunter/Clague Scholarship: Lilia Epstein-Katz, Community; Clifton Miller, Huron and Mei Mei, Pioneer.
    The Carpenter Scholarships: Jasmine Ridley, Community; Alexander (Zack) Brooks, Huron; Derin Masha-Adegboye, Pioneer.
    The Naylor Scholarships:  Evan Gardner, Huron and Nick Tselios, Pioneer.
    The Ray & Eleanor Cross Foundation Scholarships: James Mills, Community; Jonathan Siden, Pioneer; Katie Huff, Huron; and Payam Entezami, Pioneer.
    The scholarships resulting from the collaboration between members of the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor and the Ray & Eleanor Cross Foundation: Jennifer Aguilar, Roberto Clemente; Alana Smith, Huron; Mark Relson, Pioneer; Carly Kirchen, Community; Caroline Clites, Pioneer; Payam Lahiji, Huron; Ashley Green, Pioneer; Rachna Chaubal, Huron; Laura Wellman, Pioneer; Kayla Barfield, Roberto Clemente; Aliya Amin, Community; Nick White, Huron; Lilly estenson, Pioneer; Elijah Brown, Huron; and Max King, Pioneer.
  • Huron student Ben Thompson presented at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, May 11-16. He received a first award of $1,000 from the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence and a $1,000 scholarship award from the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance. Ben's work was part of a Community Resource (CR) class in Neural Networks that he completed first semester.
  • The Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation is one of the supporters of the Trailblazers program. This program pairs a Pioneer senior with an elementary student. Throughout the school year the Pioneer students visit the elementary school to tutor and mentor. Last Wednesday, the elementary students came to visit their senior mentor at Pioneer. It was a joyous event. The seniors greeted their students as they arrived by school bus. They toured the building and participated in planned activities and then met in the cafeteria for lunch and a goodie bag made by the Pioneer mentors. 
  • Thank you to Nancy Schleicher for organizing a wonderful Portfolio Day at Scarlett on May 14. Eighth grade students put together a portfolio and then get to interview professionals in various occupations as well as be interviewed. As usual, I was extremely impressed with how well prepared the students were as well as the number of professionals who gave their time to meet with students.
  • Thanks also to the Clague Counselors, Kathy Moran, Heidi Luter and Bill Johnson for organizating a wonderful Career Day for the Clague eighth grade students. The counselors, in turn, would like to thank the parent volunteers, Linda Meneghini, Marcia Gilchrist and Chris O’connor, who helped organize and assisted with lunch for the presenters and staff.
  • Community students participated in the Relay for Life held at Chelsea High School to benefit cancer research on behalf of two children who are fighting leukemia, teacher Anne Thomas’ daughter and Dean Peter Ways’ nephew.  Peter’s description of the event is priceless:
    "The Relay for Life was a huge success. Team Go Team (Community's team, organized by Chloe Smith, Hannah Raischl and Shoshana) has raised $4500 as of this morning and the money is still coming in. Judith (DeWoskin) will be wearing her hair down for a week – the $2000 mark - and if the organizers get their way, I will be performing an Elton John song when we reach $5000. (I need a venue, a music coach, and costume help!!) The money all goes to cancer research and was raised on behalf of Emma (Anne's daughter) and Nick (my nephew).
    I arrived at the Chelsea High School track at 8am today and began to look for our people. I saw a large group and figured it was multiple teams walking together for warmth. I kept looking for Team Go Team and finally I saw a couple of the bright blue shirts in the large group. As I got closer I began to realize that the large group was us. That's when I wanted to cry. Without question the largest presence, the biggest group, the most soul, the nosiest... our beautiful kids in the closing laps of the 24 hour Relay for Life!   The entire event raised $80,000 and there were 27 teams, so Team Go Team had a huge fundraising presence as well. Walking around the track with our kids, arm in arm, singing... what a wonderful moment. The Team Go Team organizers estimate 75 walkers, many staff and parent participants, and lots of donations this past week aided in the success. They wanted me to thank John Boshoven who showed up for a late night shift and then came back for an early morning shift. Anne Thomas came with her whole family. Thank you so much to Chloe, Hannah, and Shoshana, and to all who made this happen!!!!"
  • Tina Pagnucco, Speech Pathologist writes, “I would like to applaud and congratulate 2 exemplary staff members at Haisley Elementary School, Angie Christiansen and Courtney Crowley for their amazing PI self contained classrooms at Haisley Elementary School! All children that participated in their classrooms made enormous progress in spite of significant handicapping conditions and limitations. Their fundamental belief that all children can learn and their ability to teach children has been a tremendous experience to be a part of their team! Angie started the PI classroom when Ann Arbor first brought back their students from the county program, New Horizons in Ypsilanti. Courtney did her student teaching with Angie and went on to have the upper elementary classroom. As one classroom closes and changes ensue, I wish them luck in their new endeavors: Angie goes to a kindergarten and Courtney becomes our teacher consultant and resource room teacher. Haisley Elementary School and the community are fortunate to have them continue as part of their staff!”
Todd Roberts, Ed.D.
Superintendent