This Week In the Ann Arbor Public Schools

January 3, 2011

This Week’s Good News!

  • Happy New Year.  I hope everyone had an enjoyable winter break and found time to rest and rejuvenate.
  • Stone High School Principal Sheila Brown is proud to announce that there has been a steady increase in the number of Stone High School’s graduating seniors who are attending college. Washtenaw Community College reported in their latest round of data that Stone High School had 20% of its graduating class registering for WCC in both 2005 & 2006. That number rose to 23% in 2007, 33% in 2008 and a record high of 41% in 2009.  Stone incorporated a Grad Coach position last year to further infuse the culture of college into its students and families.  Brittiany Sanford, Grad Coach and Daphne Slater, Senior Counselor, have done a terrific job of working with the students and their families to help make the transition to college more accessible. Congratulations to the staff and students of Stone High School for this achievement.
  • In addition, the Ann Arbor Rotary Club honored the following Stone High School seniors for their progress in the Strive Scholarship program on December 15th; Shanika Brandon, Tamico Taliaferro, Michael Simmons, Rusty Moccardine and Aiisha Hester. Stone staff members are very grateful to Wendy Correll and the Ann Arbor Rotary for all of the hard work they have done with Stone High School over the years. This is an example of a great partnership.
  • Huron students involved in the Google On-Line Advertising program were treated to a tour and lunch of the Ann Arbor Google Office on Dec. 15.  These students have been working diligently this semester to advertise for the non-profits who are awarded Google Grants.  Each semester students work with 3 to 4 local non-profits to assist them with on-line advertising as they learn to use Google AdWords.  This semester students are working with Washtenaw Shelter Association, U of M Crohn's and Colitis program and GlobaLens, a division of the U of M.  Huron teacher Karen Eisley and her students want to recognize and thank Google for hosting them at this event each semester.
  • Warm the Children and Helping Hands @Eberwhite are the recipients of the proceeds from another successful Flea Market at Eberwhite on December 7th. The sale raised $1,515 of which $1.000 bought warm clothing through Warm the Children and $515 was put into a fund to help families in need at Eberwhite.  This year the Green Team joined in the efforts by providing each child with a reusable Eberwhite bag.  The Flea Market, sponsored by Linda Joseph's Kindergarten class, promotes the ideals of community service while supporting our Green School status through Reducing, Reusing, Recycling, and a fourth "R", Regifting.
  • The Pioneer High School Freshmen teams donated more than 120 toys to Toys for Tots including 2 bikes, an air hockey table, and a remote control truck.
  • Thurston Elementary School donated 456 pounds of food items to Food Gatherers during its November food drive.  This amount helped Food Gatherers distribute more than 16,000 pounds of food a day throughout Washtenaw County.
    Thurston Principal Mrs. Patricia Manley shared the following story:
    “The Vegetable Party” written by 4th grader Kara Greer Kozma
    At the beginning of the year Dr. Murphy told the 4th grade that if they ate 2 servings of vegetables at every lunch from September to December, that there would be a party.  All 75 4th graders ate 2 servings of vegetables every day, and earned the party.
    The vegetable party was held on December 17, 2010.  It began with a Twister tournament in the gym.  There were 15 Twister games in the gym.  After playing Twister, the 4th graders went to the lunchroom.  The adults went around with carts, upon which were trays and platters full of vegetables.  It was a wonderful party!
    There were snap peas, peppers, carrots, tomatoes, and cucumbers.  There were fruits, like apples, oranges, grapes, and pineapple.  Because it was a Friday, the 3 classes were allowed to intermingle with one another.  There was also salsa and chips.  The party was a wonderful success!
  • The December 2010 edition of the “MEA VOICE” has a very nice article that features music teachers Linda Carter and Abby Alwin, Orchestra Teacher at Clague Middle School.  Almost thirty years ago Abby entered Carter’s music class as a third grade student and today Carter is assisting Abby with her students at Clague.  It is a wonderful story of student and teacher success.

Robert Allen
Interim Superintendent