THIS WEEK’S EVENTS

Monday, January 25 — Tech Training 7:45 a.m. ONLY:  Google Q & A

Honor Choir at Arno 3:45-4:45 p.m.

MTSS Meeting 4:00-5:00 p.m.

Tuesday, January 26 — Metzger to Riley in AM

4th Grade Math Assessment 9:15-10:15 in cafeteria

3rd Grade Math Assessment 10:10-11:10 in cafeteria

Tech Club 3:30-4:30 p.m.

MS Orientation for 5th grade parents 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, January 27 — Hot Cocoa & snack for top readers in Winter Break Reading Challenge  10:00 K-2; 2:00 3-5 in cafeteria

Sports & Fitness Club 3:30-4:15 p.m.

5th Grade Band Rehearsal 3:45-5:00 p.m.

Thursday, January 28 —  5th Grade Math Assessment 10:10-11:10 in cafeteria

CPI Training 12:30-3:30 for specified staff; Holds training 2:00 p.m.

Dr. Hall Guest Reader

Jazz Band Rehearsal at Arno 3:45-5:00 p.m.

Math Pilot Committee Meeting 4:00-5:00 p.m.

Friday, January 29 — End of Q2 and 1st Semester

Staff Potluck Potato Bar Lunch

MISTAR WINDOW

The window for entering student marks in MISTAR opens on January 22 and will stay open through February 3 at 11:59 p.m.  Please plan ahead to ensure that your report cards are complete, accurate, and ready to be sent home by the time this window closes.  Report cards will be sent home with students on Friday, February 5.

2ND QUARTER MATH ASSESSMENT

Your grade level’s 2nd quarter math assessment should be given to students at some point this week.  Remember that there are resources available to assist you with your data collection for these assessments.  Below are some links to sites you may find helpful, in addition to Zip Grade that we explored at Tech Training last week.  If you need assistance, please let me know.  Time for scoring these assessments will be provided to you.  Please stay tuned for the details on this.

Here are some resources in which you can take your common assessment, use a web resource to insert an answer key, and then give the test on Chromebooks, if appropriate.  This could give you the kind of instant data you are looking for.

http://www.socrative.com/

http://www.fiftysneakers.com/

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2014/03/seven-good-student-response-systems.html

PBIS UPDATE

Here are the updates from the recent PBIS Team Meeting:

• ACE Awards begin this month.  Please use the laminated cards you received in your mailbox to give to two students who have gone above and beyond to be respectful, responsible, and safe this month.  The ACE Award will be given out on the last Friday of each month.  This Friday, please send your ACE Award winners to the office to be photographed and to receive a special award and medal.  The laminated cards will be returned to you to use next month.
• Special lunchtime Bobcat Bucks will be in use between Monday, January 25 and Friday, February 12.  These bucks will be given out by the cafeteria and lunch staff only and will be for recess and lunchtime.  On Friday, February 12, a special drawing will be held for two fluffy friends and ZapZone coupons!
• The next PawMart will be held on February 9.  Candy is being collected.  Please let Cathy Gorski know if you would like to be part of lunch with a teacher.
• Remember to review the PBIS Matrix on a regular basis with your students so you do not have to use the techniques described below. . .

QUALITY ASSURANCE REVIEW VISIT

It’s official now, the State has informed us of their intended visit to our district next school year (most likely late fall) to conduct a Quality Assurance Review visit.   The purpose of the External Review is to provide our district with powerful insights and feedback to enhance our improvement efforts. Although we are at just the start of looking a the process, the overview is below.  One of the biggest keys to success is the involvement of all staff in school improvement initiatives and meetings.

For that reason, I highly encourage you to participate in the final SIP meetings of this school year.   Important conversations and decisions are being made, and we would appreciate your input!   At our upcoming February meeting we will be working on our Interim Self-Assessment- a document that will be the most current for our review.  In addition, we will be forming a sub-committee Data Team to examine the building-level data we have available to us, and how it can be most useful to us for the purposes of future school improvement efforts.

Here is a list of the upcoming SIP meeting dates.  Please join us if you are able!  All meetings begin at 7:40 a.m. in the Media Center.

Tuesday, February 2

Tuesday, March 1

Tuesday, April 5

Tuesday, May 3

Key Components of a Typical External Review Schedule:

1. Evening Before Review (or early morning of the review): Team meeting for orientation (2-3 hours)

2. Activities During Review System Overview and Standards Presentations •

-Superintendent provides general orientation to team •

– System personnel provide brief presentation on the system’s adherence to each of the five standards and highlight key artifacts related to the Standard Interviews •

3. Team interviews system leadership and improvement team, Governing Body Members, parents, building administrators and community members. Additional time may be allocated for interviews with support staff and students. (Each interview lasts approximately 45 minutes.)

4. Artifact Review • Team reviews system artifacts (this occurs on an ongoing basis)

Observations at Schools Selected for Visits

-Principal and/or designee provides an instructional tour of the school • Team conducts classroom observations • Team makes general observations throughout the review

5. Professional Deliberations

-Team meets to examine the data collected and reach consensus regarding the team’s findings

6. Meeting with the Superintendent

– Prior to the delivery of the Exit Report, the Lead Evaluator meets with the Superintendent to review the team’s findings and discuss the team’s required actions

7. Exit Report

– Lead Evaluator provides Exit Report to system’s stakeholders at the conclusion of the review

DRAMA PERFORMANCE AT APHS

Students in grades 4 & 5, along with Mrs. Quisenberry’s class,  were able to enjoy a fun performance at the high school this past Thursday.  The high school students were performing “Team Justice and the City Hall Supervillains”,  which coincided as a grade for their final exam.  The performance was funny and creative, a job well done- and a good model to encourage our young actors and actresses.  Thank you for remembering that our partnership with the high school is mutually beneficial to all of us.  We are fortunate to have the opportunity to collaborate with them so frequently.

SCHOOL BOARD APPRECIATION MONTH

Thank you for your photos that will be used for a slide show “thank you” to our School Board.  Below is a message from Dr. Sturock in honor of School Board Appreciation Month.

Dear APPS Staff and Community Members,

January is School Board Recognition Month – a time to salute the work of our elected School Board Members and to celebrate public education. The theme, “School Boards Lead” reflects our combined commitment to leadership and accountability assuring that ALL children succeed.

As a state, Michigan has faced many challenges, but the key to a brighter future is a strong public education system. Public education is the backbone of American society, and local school boards are deeply rooted in U.S. tradition. It’s the foundation on which our democracy was built. The Allen Park Board of Education continues to do the most important work of the community – that of educating our youth.
School Board Members in Allen Park Public Schools develop policies and make tough decisions that help shape the future of our education system. Their job is to ensure schools are accountable to the community and strongly advocate for continuous improvement in student learning. They bear responsibility for an annual budget of $35.6 million, 3,800 students, 428 employees and six buildings. They are citizens whose decisions affect our children and build our community.

Showing appreciation for the important work of school boards should be a year round process, but too often we neglect to recognize the dedication and hard work of these men and women who represent us. We are asking all members of the community to take a moment and thank a School Board Member.

At the Board of Education Meeting on January 25, Allen Park High School and Allen Park Community School staff and students will play the lead role in honoring the Members of the Board of Education this year. APHS and APCS Art, Industrial Arts and Life Management students are creating a special gift for Board Members and the Allen Park High School Jazz Band will perform a few musical selections.
Thank you to the men and women who dedicate countless personal hours to ensure the needs of our community are met by our public schools. We salute the public servants of APPS whose dedication and civic responsibility make local control of public schools in our community possible. We applaud them for their vision and voice to prepare today’s students to be tomorrow’s leaders.

The men and women serving the Allen Park Public School District are: Mr. Guy DesJardins, Dr. Janine Hall, Mr. Paul Klenczar, Mrs. Margaret Marten, Mr. Gordon Miller, Mr. Rick Moynihan and Mrs. Julie Sheppard.

Sincerely,
John J. Sturock, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

     

DONATIONS NEEDED

Our Bennie family is always so generous when we ask for donations for all sorts of things!  We are thankful for your generosity in the water collection for our friends in Flint.  Currently, we are collecting donations for the following things.  Please include this information in your newsletters, texts, or eblasts.

• Bags of wrapped candy from families of Kindergarten and 1st Grade students for Paw Mart by February 1st
• New or gently used books for Bingo for Books through the month of February.  Chapter books especially needed!
• New or gently used small stuffed animals for Bingo for Books “Book Buddy” prizes through the month of February

          

                          

FAMILY FUN NIGHT

Thank you, Bennie PTA, for a wonderful evening this week at Family Fun Night!  Our Bobcats and families had a great time playing games together on a cold winter evening!  Thank you to Anne, Valerie, and Maureen for representing our staff at this family event!

PTA UPDATE

Our Bennie PTA is busy coordinating some wonderful events in the coming months for our Bobcats.  In addition, the PTA is holding the final push in the membership drive for this school year.  We currently have 122 PTA members, which is fewer than last year.  Our PTA sponsors so many wonderful things that benefit all of our students and families.  Please remind your families to consider a $7.00 membership that does not commit them to anything unless they wish to be involved!  The class with the highest membership enrollment through April will be treated to a sundae bar!

** Special Update!

The classroom  teacher that has the most members signed up between Monday, January 25th and Wednesday, February 10,  will win $75 in scholastic dollars to spend at the February book fair for their classroom libraries.

For more information on our PTA, please click this link:  Bennie PTA Membership Info

Coming Up from the PTA. . .

Book Fair Week of February 8-12 during school hours and evening conference hours (2/10 & 2/11 5:00-7:30 p.m.)

Sky Zone Family Day  February 16  10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.  Sky Zone Video

Bingo For Books March 4

Science-Technology-Engineering-Art-Math (STEAM) Assembly for students March 9

M-STEP PARENT REPORT VIDEO

The Michigan Department of Education recently released a video to help families learn more about the new M-STEP assessment, and the parent reports for last year’s results that you have received for students in grades 3-5.  Please take a few minutes to watch this video even if you do not have students taking the assessment.  In addition, feel free to share this video in your parent communications, as well.

https://youtu.be/AM55xZ-ZuNU

NEWS FROM THE ALLEN PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY

This information comes to us from the AP Public Library.  Our Media Specialists have already received the library cards for those classrooms who have requested them, and are introducing students to the MeL.org databases.  In the past, many classes have taken a walking field trip to the library with their classes.

We – the teen and tween librarians at the Allen Park Public Library – are writing to briefly tell you about a few great resources we have for you and your students/families.  Here they are:

1. We have online databases to help with school assignments. Please remind your students and families that these are available for homework help. They will need their library card to use some of them; others are available directly via the library’s home page. The relevant links are as follows:

a. For parents/teachers: http://www.allenparklibrary.org/parentteacherdatabases.asp

b. For teens: http://www.allenparklibrary.org/teendatabases.asp

c. For tweens: http://www.allenparklibrary.org/tweendatabases.asp

2. We have an online Assignment & Project Form. If teachers can fill it out and send it to us BEFORE they hand out a big assignment, it helps us to have the right resources available for students. The link is here: http://www.allenparklibrary.org/projectrequestform.asp

3. We are happy to provide teacher/classroom library cards. Let us know if you would like one – they provide access to online databases from a school computer. Plus, you can check out materials for your classes.

4. We have an upcoming event that some parents may be interested in. Would you like some tools and resources for selecting books for your tween or middle schooler (ages 9-13)? Come to one of our informational presentations by Tween Librarian, Jenny Hannibal. We have two sessions: Tuesday, January 26 at 6:45 pm or Saturday, February 6 at 10:15 am. Please pre-register for a free session at the circulation desk.

5. We would love to hear your ideas. What else can we provide, or do, to support you and your students? We’d appreciate your feedback.

Thank you for your attention, and have a fabulous day,

Jenny Hannibal and Brandi Swinehart, librarians

jhannibal@allenparklibrary.org (youth/tweens) and

bswinehart@allenparklibrary.org (teens/computers/knitting)

Allen Park Public Library

8100 Allen Road *** 313-381-2425 *** www.allenparklibrary.org

DRESSING FOR THE WEATHER

This week’s forecast looks like our Bobcats should be able to spend some time outside!  Please remind your students to dress for the weather with winter boots, a warm coat, hat, and gloves each day.  This way, when students are either waiting outside in the morning, or playing at recess, they will be bundled up and warm.  As a reminder, students will wait outside in the morning and/or go outside for recess when the windchill is above 20 degrees.  We use several websites to confirm temperature information each day.  Thank you for being understanding that this is a decision based on the most current information, and we do our best each day to make the right decision for our Bobcats.  Here’s hoping the remainder of winter is mild!

It’s a great week to be a Bennie Bobcat!