This Week In the Ann Arbor Public Schools

March 1, 2010

This Week’s Good News!

  • I hope everyone had a wonderful mid-winter break.
  • Huron mathematics students were recognized at the 53rd Annual Michigan Mathematics Prize Competition banquet held on February 27.  At the banquet, the top 100 students, out of the 8,000+ who took the exam, were revealed.  Huron had 11 in the top 100, second in the state only to Detroit Country Day, which makes it the top public school.   Those who finished 50th or better received college scholarship money.
    The young men and women who should be congratulated, along with their position in the top 100, are:  Dave Kim (92), Lanxing Liu (89), Jeffrey Pan (86), Christina Na (73), Steven Jin (58), Annie Song (50), Alan Xu (46) a Clague 8th grader, Derek Wu (37), Qingzhao Shi (19), Heemyung Hwang (10) and Robin He (2).
  • The Clague Math Counts team, The Cougar Mathletes, placed first in regional competition this past Tuesday.  Two members of the team placed in the top ten as individuals and the team captain, Alan Xu, placed first.  Ted Li took 8th place in the competition.   They and fellow team members, Chelsea Young and Caleb Cheng will advance to the state competition, March 20, at Grand Valley State University.  Clague was also represented by Renee Zhao, Zhonghao Zhou and Ann Jung (the team's only 6th grader) at the regional competition.  All participants did exceptionally well.
  • Special recognition is extended to Annie Song, Huron High School senior and assistant coach for the Cougar Mathletes, and former Clague Mathlete.  She volunteers her time each week to help prepare the students.  She is extremely dedicated and does a great job working with the students.
  • Two Ann Arbor Public School seniors, who are a part of the Michigan Youth Arts Festival student artists, have been honored by YoungArts, the national organization recognizing America's most talented high school seniors in the visual, literary and performing arts.   Meekyoung Lee, Pioneer, and Catrin Dowd, Community, received an Honorable Mention Award, which carries a $250 cash gift, in music.
    Meekyoung Lee, 2009 Gala Soloist, sits in 1st chair in the band/orchestra.  She sat 1st chair in the Michigan Youth Band/Orchestra and is in the Detroit Civic Orchestra.  She also won the SEMFA High School and Civic Concerto Competition.
    Catrin Dowd, 2009 Gala Soloist, is bass section leader at Pioneer High School and principal bassist of the Michigan Youth Symphony Orchestra.
    Five seniors from Michigan were selected for awards and all five attended the 2009 Michigan Youth Arts Festival as juniors and were automatically entered into the YoungArts application process.   Because of Michigan Youth Arts' rigorous adjudication processes, a special partnership between Michigan Youth Arts and YoungArts ensures that Festival artists are automatically bumped up to the National adjudication level at YoungArts - bypassing the preliminary adjudication process and ensuring they are adjudicated by the National panel.
  • Clague Middle School student Leon Pescador has been named the 2009 Middle School Student of the Year by the Michigan Council for Social Studies (MCSS)!  As the sponsor of the MCSS Student of the Year Awards, MEEMIC Insurance Company has issued a check for $250 to Clague Middle School in honor of Leon. Congratulations also to Leon's mentor teacher, Ms. Linda Prieskorn, and his mother for their many hours of work with Leon as well as with many other students, enhancing their social studies and writing knowledge.
  • Huron's Chess Club competed in the Michigan Chess Association's High School Team Tournament on Saturday, February 27th, and walked away with top honors.  Huron's three teams earned first in the upper division, and first and second in the reserve division.  In addition, a total of eight River Rats achieved individual medal honors.  Championship Division State Co-champions:  Nathaniel Bromberg, Lanxin Liu, Valerie Peng and Jonathan Zhu.  Reserve Division State Champions:  Charles Daniels, Jinwoo Lee, Chris Jones, and Ian Blaauw.  Reserve Division State Runners Up:  Ashwin Bharadwaj, Jae Seo, Matt Orr, and Stuart Larsen.  Medal Winners, Gold: Nathaniel Bromberg, Matt Orr, and Ian Blaauw; Silver: Valerie Peng; and Bronze: Ashwin Bharadwaj, Jinwoo Lee, Chris Jones, and Stuart Larsen.
  • Congratulations to Coach Ray Garrison and the Clague chess team for winning the state championship at the middle school team championships on Saturday, February 27, at Oakland University.  The team consisted of Atulya Shetty, Alexander Deatrick, Kevin Hsing and Darius Rostami.
  • Forsythe Middle School has received 3rd Place School of Distinction in the Healthy School Environment Recognition Program (HSERP).  Our school will be recognized on April 29th, 2010 at the Eat Healthy + Play Hard = Smart Students Conference, April 28-30, at the Hyatt Regency in Dearborn, Michigan.  A highlight of April 29th will be the HSERP recognition ceremony, which will take place after breakfast with the Michigan Surgeon General, Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom.  Forsythe Middle School has collaborated with the University of Michigan Healthy School's Initiative for the past five years. Our school has worked with Susan Aaronson from University of Michigan.  She has coordinated 6th grade Healthy School workshops and screenings.  Sixth grade teachers provided the Healthy School ambassadors an opportunity to work with their 6th graders during Advisory time.
  • This year Mitchell had 102 students, grades K-5, participate in its Fourth Annual Science Fair.  Judges from the University of Michigan awarded the top trophies to the following students:  Kindergartner Zoe Williams for "What Happens During Hibernation?"  First grader, Katlyn Payne for "Bald Eagles to the Wild," Second grader, Lynn Trang for "Do Dormant Trees Grow in Warm Winter?"  Third graders, Zamaya Scott and Kiara Jones for "The Effect of Color on Memory," Fourth grader, Cheryl Tam for "Mysterious CO2," and Fifth grader, Breanna McSwain for "Why do my Lungs Burn?"
    Congratulations to these future scientist.
  • Logan 5th grade teacher Hyeuo Park and his students received $415.63 from the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation's Youth Council. Mr. Park and his students received mini-grants for the following activities: Healthy Living, Coat Drive, H1N1 Play, Food Drive and Vegetable Garden.
  • Mitchell students have collected $300 to help the people of Haiti.  The Mitchell Student Council held a Bake Sale at Movie Night with a matching contribution from the Mitchell PTO.  Also, First Grade Teacher, Ms. Koutoulas organized the "100 Ways to Help Haiti" project on the 100th day of school.  Students collected 100 pennies, nickels, dimes or quarters to contribute.  All of the money has been donated to the Clinton/Bush Haiti fund.
  • Allen Elementary School held a coin drive for Haiti and in two weeks raised $575.00    Allen children donated their money to the Red Cross.
  • Carrie Dworkin's fourth grade class at Burns Park Elementary showed their love for others on Valentine's Day in a very special way this year.  They celebrated the day by creating fleece blankets for children in the Michigan foster care system. The kids worked on 'no-sew' blankets after a discussion about the foster system led by school psychologist, Wendy Thompson.  There was even time to share some treats at the end of the activity.  If you are interested in a similar project for your class, the following Michigan organizations accept blanket donations and provide easy to follow instructions:  MOTT Children's Hospital: Departments of Child Life and In-Patient Psychiatry, Project LINUS and the SleepTight Foundation.
  • Haisley students are happy to share the final results of their Haisley Helping Haiti Dollar Drive!  A total of $1000.00 was raised through students' efforts in making and selling Valentine's cards and by collecting donations.  These helpful dollars are being donated to the Save The Children Fund/Haiti Relief Fund. This effort followed students' efforts in collecting, cleaning and banding together 400 pairs of shoes for the Soles 4 Souls Organization.  These shoes were in turn shipped to Haiti. We thank our fifth graders who led the shoe collection effort under the direction of teacher, Mrs. Susan Haines.
  • Congratulations to the Logan students and staff for raising $1,702.33 in their "Pennies for People" campaign.  Logan P.E. teacher, Judy Hart, presented the American Red Cross with a check for their ongoing Haiti Relief /Assistance program.
  • Pattengill fifth grade student, Nia Blair in Ms. Kimmey’s class, organized a collection of money and supplies for 109 health kits for the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) to send to Haiti.  In addition, the students collected food and donated the supplies to Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Ypsilant for distribution from their food pantry.
  • Don Sleeman - Pioneer Cross Country Coach is a finalist for 2009 National Cross Country Coach of the Year.  This honor is given by the National Interscholastic Coaches Association.

Todd Roberts, Ed.D.
Superintendent