This Week
In the Ann Arbor Public Schools
September 29, 2008

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

This Week’s Good News!

  • On September 16, Noah Glaser, Dylan Cinti and Galaan Dafa, reporters for Community High's "The Communicator," won the National Scholastic Press Association's (NSPA) 1st place award for Diversity Coverage.  The NSPA's annual Individual Awards recognize the best in student journalism.  This year, there were 868 entries nationwide for five content categories including Diversity Coverage.  Cinti, Glaser and Dafa's winning article concerns the state of the Detroit Public School system after numerous closures.  Cinti, a Community senior, will accept the award at the National Scholastic Press Association Fall Conference in St. Louis, while college freshman Dafa and Glaser will cheer from Stanford and the University of Chicago, respectively.  All three would like to thank "The Communicator's" advisor, Tracy Rosewarne, for her extraordinary devotion, insight, and encouragement. 
  • Northside Physical Education teacher, Rick Dekeon, has been selected as the 2008 MAHPERD ( Michigan Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance) Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year!   Rick will be honored at the MAHPERD Awards Banquet on Nov. 6, 2008 at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids.
  • Huron teacher George Commings shared a very nice message from a former student:
    Hello Mr. Commings, Remember me? I was an exchange student from Germany in your psychology and your applied psychology class in the year 2005/06. How are you? I just wanted to write you and tell you that I am soon studying psychology at the University of Hamburg and therefore continuing a journey that basically started in your classroom. I am still thinking very often about my year in Michigan and about your class and I think my decision to study psychology was heavily influenced by my taking your class and learning some of the basics that this subject has to offer. This said, I wanted to thank you and to tell you that I will never forget the great time I had in class. I hope your biography is coming along nicely. :) With the best wishes.
  • Thank you to everyone who came out to the Mongolian Barbeque in support of the Hikone Exchange Program. I was fortunate to cook with Lloyd Carr and Ben Edmondson. It was a lot of fun and we raised $1,300  for the Hikone trip
  • Slauson teacher Rusty Fuller sends thanks to his colleagues:
    A gigantic thank you to all of you who helped make 7th grade trip week possible.  We took almost every 7th grader and had a tremendous time.  The kids were well behaved and we got the usual compliments from the Howell Staff. I've had many, many parents comment on what a super experience their kids had and how much they appreciated the staff's work and commitment.
    I realize that the trip affects everybody, especially with this "NO TEAM" model that we've had to go to.  We simply could not run the week without all of your help. Many of you went out of your way to help make things work and pick up specific jobs that needed to be done.
    I particularly want to THANK MARIA and TRACY.  They took my initial coverage framework and turned it into a weeklong plan for the off 7th graders that allowed classes to run smoothly and curriculum to continue. Until you try to put a week of blended coverage together, you have no idea how big of a job that is.  Tracy also stayed here more than usual to man the classroom and allow others to get out to camp. BRAVO, YOU TWO!    AND a big thanks to all of you who picked up extra classes. We managed to cover the week with only one district sub....a big advantage for our kids and a financial savings for the trip.
    Marilyn handled the meds for both groups, also quite a task and a big responsibility. She collected and checked off all of the necessary meds and forms and handed them off to the health officer at Howell.  Her normal team 1 task got doubled this year as she came back to do all of the SECOND GROUP meds in addition. It was a tremendous relief to have those covered.
    We had over 20 staff members put in time out at camp chaperoning groups and staying overnight.  I know that all of you value each day in your classroom, but the benefits for the 7th graders seeing you with their groups and trying the zip line and high ropes  (and dancing) is tremendous. I believe that it gives us an advantage throughout the year in working with them. A special thanks to Marilyn and Kathy Stevens who spent the entire week out there (I think Kathy was just hoping to get more attempts on the ropes course).  Judy Gagalis did a fantastic job encouraging parents to get out to chaperone (we had over 60 parents take a chaperoning block) and spend a good deal of the week with us doing activities. Maria anchored the second part of the week and had the additional joy of riding the bus out and back.  Doug played “One Man and a Truck” three times and chaperoned a whole day in between.
    Nadine took on a much bigger role this year and handled to the financial paperwork so well that we may even have money in the bank for next year's trip.
    Any ways, Many, Many, Many thanks to all of you. I know the kids don't say it enough, but if you had seen them on the dance/hayride night, you would know how much they enjoyed what your efforts provided.

Todd Roberts, Ed.D.
Superintendent