This Week
In the Ann Arbor Public Schools
November 24, 2008

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

This Week’s Good News!

  • Congratulations to the Pioneer women’s swim and dive team, coached by Denny Hill, for winning their ninth straight state championship.
  • Congratulations to the Huron women’s swim and dive team, coached by Jennifer Wilkening, who came in second in the state.
  • On Saturday, November 29, at a 6:00 p.m. ceremony, the Pioneer Natatorium will be officially dedicated “Hill Pool,” in honor of Denny Hills’s 40+ years of service to the Ann Arbor Public Schools.
  • Pioneer Women's Golf Team was named to the All-State Academic Team with at 3.74 grade point average.  This is an outstanding accomplishment for a group of women who also finished 7th in the state championships.
  • Community High School's Theatre Ensemble recently presented a fantastic play the last week of October and first week of November, "The 1940s Radio Hour". The production featured Community High students and was directed by Phil Walker.
  • On November 5th two hundred 8th grade students from Clague Middle School traveled to Washington D.C. This was an exciting time for the students considering it was the day after a historic election. The students were so excited to see: the Mall, all the memorials, the Capitol, the White House, Natural History Museum, Native American Museum, Air and Space, Anticosta Museum, Holocaust Museum, National Art Museum, Botanical Gardens, National Cathedral, George Town, a river tour on the Potomac and Arlington Cemetery. Every student that wanted to go was able to go thanks to fundraisers and contributions from many generous parents. This was a community effort. Clague staff had many compliments about the fine students as they were so well behaved and respectful. It was truly a great experience for the 8th graders. They returned on November 9th at 6:30 in the morning exhausted however very satisfied and energized by this experience.
  • Clague Middle School would like to congratulate Lorenzo Johnson, sixth grade student, who was the only middle school participant in a University of Michigan production of  "Measure for Measure".  He did a fabulous job in the play.  His role included a singing part and we are very proud of his performance.  Lorenzo is the son of Michael (Thurston) and Joanna (Stone) Johnson.
  • Clague Middle School had a great turn out for their "Bring Your Parent to School" day on Tuesday, November 18, 2008.  Over 90 students had parents in attendance.  Parents attended from one class to all day.  More than a couple dozen parents had lunch with their child in the cafeteria.
  • Youth for Understanding USA (YFU) USA has nominated Pioneer High School for a Global Classroom Award sponsored by the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET). This award recognizes schools and educators who take an enthusiastic role in promoting international youth exchange. YFU USA nominated Pioneer because the school creates a unique climate of support for exchange student by making global issues a focus of the entire school. The school helps make the exchange a truly thrilling one for international students, the student body and the community at-large.
    CSIET will announce the winning schools on December 1, 2008. Each winning school will receive a $1,000 scholarship for one of its students to study abroad and will be invited to Hartford, CT to attend the 2009 National School Conference.
  • The Michigan Association of School Personnel Administrators has announced that the AAPS Human Resources Department has been chosen as a co-recipient of the 2008 “Best Practices in Human Resources” Award. This award is given to the school district that has developed an outstanding solution to a personnel problem or to the development of a creative and innovative program specifically in the areas of human resources or personnel services. The MASPA Board was impressed with the Teacher Evaluation Support Group which has been implemented in the Ann Arbor Public Schools. This system has assisted in the development, maintenance and retention of highly qualified competent and professional staff.
    Congratulations to Dave Comsa, Cynthia Ryan from the HR Department and to the Teacher Evaluation Support Group, Shelley Bruder, Gary Court, Jennifer Hein, Michael Madison, Tamber Woodworth and Cynthia Leaman.
  • Thank you all, for all you do, every day, for our students, their families, your colleagues and our community.

Best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving.

Todd Roberts, Ed.D.
Superintendent