Algonac
Reporter
Volume 12, Issue 2
A newsletter for the residents of Algonac Community Schools
October, 2012
Retired Educators Staff REWARD Program
Beginning in the fall of 2012,
students in the elementary schools in
Algonac began to see some familiar
faces in their buildings, but not at the
front of their classrooms. A new
program was developed over the
summer, and we are excited to have
some of our retired educators return to
the classroom to take part in a new
innovative program, REWARD Tutors
(Retired Educators Working on
Academic Rigor Daily). This program is
designed for students to receive one-onone support in certain academic areas
based on current achievement data. Who
better to work one-on-one with the
children than experienced educators who
for years were advocates for student
learning?
Prior to MEAP testing that began on
October 9th, the tutors worked with
students in grades 3-5 to provide
Inside this issue
Letter from Supt.
2
Reward School/School Audit
2
Algonac Elementary
3
Millside Elementary
4
Fair Haven Elementary
5
Pte. Tremble Elementary
6
Algonquin Middle School
7
Algonac High School
8
Hall of Fame Inductees
9
Education Enrichment Fund
10
Teacher & Support of the Year 11
Dual Enrollment
12
additional support in the areas where data
had indicated they were struggling. After
the MEAP, tutoring will be provided to
students in grades K-5 as identified by
staff and test results. The role of the tutor
is to provide academic support at a ratio
of 1:1 or 1:2 at the most.
The following retired Algonac
educators have been tutoring weekly at
Algonac, Fair Haven, and Millside
Elementary School since students
returned to the classroom in September.
They work one to three days per week, up
to nine hours total.
The retired educators working in the
REWARD Program are:
Judy and Terry Wallis
Kathy Sampson
Karen Tyburski
Joanne Sanders
Gary Moltrup
Cindy Barbosa
Jennifer Weaver
Rita Hartner
Bridget Baumgarten
Martha Szymanski
At top, Mr. Wallis works with a group of 2nd
graders on math. Below, Mrs. Szymanski
works with 3rd grader Lindsey Ingles.
School Election to be November 6
Algonac Community Schools will bring
the renewal of the 18 non-homestead mills
to voters on November 6. This 3-year renewal of the 18 operating mills that are currently assessed on all “non-homestead”
property will simply continue the current
non-homestead levy. Your positive vote
will help ensure that the district continues to
receive its full share of the state foundation
grant.
As you may be aware, the Algonac
Board of Education, by way of resolution
approved September 27, 2010, has changed
its regular school election to the November
regular election date in
even years beginning November 2012. In
order to bridge the gap to the new cycle,
some school board terms in this election
will be for 4 years and others will be for 6
years. In the future all school board terms
will be for 6 years.
Please remember to vote
on November 6!
Fair Haven Elementary is REWARD School
Dear Residents:
The 2012-2013 school year is in full
swing as our staff and students prepare to
meet the challenges of becoming a 21st century global citizen. Education is changing at
a rapid pace and Algonac Community
Schools continues to change as well.
The new year brings several new programs or initiatives to assist staff and students in student achievement. The district
has developed a program in which retired
educators tutor students in small groups or
one-to-one. The program is called REWARD, for Retired Educators Working on
Academic Rigor Daily (see page 1). This
year Algonac’s all-day Kindergarten moved
to a teacher-led, all-day program that we
expect will result in higher student achievement. The Great Start Readiness Program,
designed to better prepare 4-year-old children for school, has been expanded to serve
64 students rather than 32, as we were able
to obtain additional grant dollars. Algonac
students were able to participate in a new
Summer Academy and Fall Academic Assistance program to assist them in areas needing improvement.
Education as we know it will continue
to change, and with this concept in mind
ACS continues to explore several other programs for the near future. One-to-one technology (I-Pads) will allow students and
teachers to learn 24/7 and from any location.
Blended and online education continues to
grow as an option that parents and students
are choosing. The high school presently
offers online courses for credit recovery and
some elective courses. Three teachers offer
blended learning classes where students and
teachers collaborate online, but meet face-to
face as well. ACS offers several academic
and career tracts for students, such as Career
and Technical Education through the St.
Clair County Tech Center, dual enrollment
options through SCCCC and Baker College,
as well as the International Baccalaureate
Program for university bound students.
Algonac will also offer students the opportunity to enroll in the Blue Water Middle College in 2013-14 where they can earn college
credits and a high school diploma.
As you can see, ACS continues to be
innovative and creative in order to offer programming that will prepare our students for
the 21st century global world.
Michael E. Sharrow
Superintendent of Schools
Page 2
We are pleased to
announce that Fair
Haven Elementary has
been named a
REWARD School by
the Michigan
Department of
Education based on the
2011 MEAP scores.
Fair Haven
Elementary was
recognized for being in
the top 5% of schools
in the state of
Michigan making the
greatest gains in
student achievement.
In addition, their
overall rank was 92% - or top 8% in the state.
We are extremely proud of the Fair Haven students and staff for their
dedication and hard work! Shown above L-R in the back are Fair Haven staff
members Erin Machala, Carol Beaulac, Mary Axtell, Wendy Lucka, Lori Baker,
Amy Ignasiak, and in the front Betsy Schuman, Tamie Rawlings, Nancy Raffoul,
Nicole Beindit and Cheri Soultaire.
Report on
2011-2012
Financial Audit
All school
districts are required
by law to hire an
independent auditing
firm to conduct an annual audit of
their finances. The auditing firm of
Plante & Moran recently announced
that through innovative and creative
budget savings, as well as
concessions by all employees,
Algonac Community Schools
finished the 2011-2012 fiscal year
on solid financial ground. The
district used $250,000 from its fund
balance in order to
balance the 2011-2012
budget. This leaves the
district’s fund balance
at $3,840,000 which,
with Michigan’s slow
economic recovery will probably be
needed in the near future.
Emergency
School Closing
Information
Information regarding emergency
school closings is available every day
on the district website or by calling
the School Closing Hotline at 810 794
-8882.
All major television and radio
stations will broadcast information
regarding emergency school closings.
Announcements usually start at 6:30
a.m. In the event weather conditions
are questionable, please do not call
your child’s school, but use the Website or Telephone Hotline.
www.algonac.k12.mi.us
School Closing Hotline
810 794-8882
Remember, roads are driven and
assessed by school personnel as early
as 4 a.m. and a decision to close must
be made by 6 a.m. Please understand
that our decision is made with the best
interests and safety of all students in
mind.
Reporter
1st graders explore
Native American drum design
First grade students at Algonac
Elementary had the opportunity to
look at examples of Native American symbols and talk about how this
―picture language‖ is similar to Ancient Egyptian hieroglyph writing.
They discussed how these drums
would be used for special ceremonies. The first graders traced a large
circle and carefully cut it out. We
talked about how important the circle shape is in art and ancient cultures. Students brainstormed about
circle/sphere objects: sun, earth,
eyeball, wheel, clock, peace sign,
balls, some fruits, pizza, etc. Then
they designed the center of their
drum with an animal or Native
American design. Next it was time
to punch holes and tie on the colorful feathers; we used our problem
solving skills to tie some unique
knots. We listened to drumming
music while we worked and I bor-
Algonac Elementary School
1300 St. Clair Boulevard
rowed a drum from the music teacher
to motivate the students. This lesson
integrated language arts, visual arts,
music, social studies and math.
Algonac, MI 48001
810 794-4991
Melissa Hanners, Principal
3rd graders receive
dictionaries
On Wednesday, September 26, all third
grade classrooms at Algonac Elementary were
visited by representatives of the Algonac Rotary
Club when all the students received their very
own dictionary.
Third graders began examining all the new
words that were at their fingertips. Students were
excited to learn that their dictionaries also contained information about the fifty states and the
solar system. Rotarians Stella Ruhlman and
Deena Reynolds worked with the third graders
to help them discover the potential of their new
resource.
Thank you, Algonac Rotary, for supporting
the students of Algonac Elementary!
Shown above is 1st grader, Emily
Hotchkiss, working on her drum
during art class.
Australian Outback comes to A.E.
Grab your
passport and come
on an adventure to
the Land Down
Under. Wildlife
Encounters visited
Algonac Elementary School on Friday, September 28
and showcased live
animals from Australia. The presenter, Rick, shared
information about
their survival, natural history, geography, natural behaviors and conservation education.
Wildlife Encounters works with "Mutual of
Omaha’s Wild Kingdom" and they
are currently airing on "Animal
Planet" promoting awareness and
Volume 12, Issue 2
enthusiasm for wildlife conservation education, both at the
grass roots community
level and on a national
scale. At Algonac Elementary, students were
able to meet a red kangaroo named ―Roo‖, a
blue-tongue skink,
sugar glider, king toad,
scorpion, python, and
a bird-eating tarantula.
Fifth grader Matthew
Marcath explained, ―I
really liked Roo the
kangaroo because I
have never actually
seen one for real and
so close.‖
Pictured is 1st grader David Clemens as
he holds a giant python for all to see.
Page 3
While exploring his new dictionary, 3rd
grader KC Kacarka takes time to learn
a few new things.
Millside Elementary School
1904 Mill Street
Algonac, MI 48001
810 794-8880
Valerie Turpin
Principal
Algonac Rotary
continues tradition
On Wednesday
September 28, Mrs.
Johnson and Mr.
Bryson of the Algonac
Rotary Club visited
Millside's third grade classrooms. The
purpose of the visit was to continue the long
-time Rotary tradition of providing every
third grader with their own dictionary.
Mrs. Johnson explained what the
Rotary is, what the members believe in and
what type of support they give to Algonac
Schools and the community.
Thank you, members of the Algonac
Rotary Club, for your continued support!
Shown above, students demonstrate their
bravery as they assist Rick in displaying the
long python.
Page 4
Millside students present Broadcast News!
This year Millside
students are becoming
newscasters! Each week
one student from each
grade 1 through 5 will
have the opportunity to
practice his or her speaking skills as they report
the Friday announcements.
First graders will be
responsible for the Pledge
of Allegiance. Second
grade students will have
the task of finding and sharing a ―Fun
Fact of the Day.‖ The third grade’s
role is to interview a staff member and
share what they have learned. The
fourth grade will be in charge of reading the Millside Mission Statement. In
fifth grade, the student will share news
about what is happening at Millside.
Karyn Diebel, a Millside parent,
volunteers her time to videotape the
broadcast. Teachers show the broadcast in their classrooms in place of
morning announcements.
It is really impressive to see how
our young students are able to show confidence and great speaking skills as they
report the news. We are happy to introduce Broadcast News to Millside Elementary and to report that students are
doing a fantastic job!
Shown above, Hannah Lalewicz, Shelby
Woods, Andrew Roland, Tyler Schultz,
Emma Saddler get ready to go live with
Broadcast News!
Australian animals visit Millside
On Friday, September 28, The
Australian Outback came to Millside
Elementary. Teachers and students
welcomed presenter Rick from Wildlife
Encounters and his entourage of Australian animals.
The students learned about characteristics of the animals as well as their
habitats. A favorite, the blue-tongued
skink, smells with its tongue and uses
its blue tongue to intimidate predators
(as seen in the picture at right).
Another big hit with the students
was "Sweet-n-low" the Sugar Glider.
Students learned that Sugar Gliders are
nocturnal marsupials that live until they
are about six years old in the wild and
up to twelve in captivity.
Millside students proved their
bravery when they didn't flinch at the
sight of the tarantula, the cane toad, or
the python!
Hands down, the highlight of the
assembly was Roo, a Red Kangaroo. Roo
entertained everyone with jumping, running and his playful disposition while
boxing with Rick!
Reporter
Students take summer reading challenge
Gold medals were earned by seventeen students from Fair Haven Elementary, not in the Olympics, in the
Summer Reading Challenge!
To earn gold each child had to read
at least 1,200 minutes during the summer. Older students also were required
to complete two essays.
Winners were Trevor Shaffer, Cal
Meleski, Zander Paquette, Valerie
Cramer, James Mitchell, Devi Boghian,
Anna Campbell, Gracie Anthony,
Emily Kochan, Anthony Robinson,
Jarred Paquette, Jenna Holt, Jaycee
Scagel, Catie Dusenberry, Courtney
Cramer, Renette Woychowski, and
Fiona Dusenberry.
Congratulations to all of our
medalists!
Pictured below are the proud first
grade winners Trevor Shaffer, Cal
Meleski, and Zander Paquette, along
with Mrs. Rawlings, Principal.
FHE named
REWARD School
Fair Haven Elementary is a REWARD
School. The Michigan Department of
Education named Fair Haven Elementary as a
REWARD School based on 2011 MEAP
scores.
The staff and students are very proud of
this designation and have a beautiful new
banner in our foyer proclaiming our
accomplishments!
school physical education for five
years in Farwell, Michigan.
Scott and his wife, Sarah, have
two children that are enrolled in the
district. Camden is in 1st grade at
Algonac Elementary and Cole is in pre
-school at Point Tremble Elementary.
Mrs. Lisa Haas has also joined us
this year as a para-professional. Mrs.
Hass has lots of experience with children as a former teacher, substitute
teacher, and busy mother of two girls.
We are happy to have both of
these new faces on our team.
Skinks, snakes and smiles come to F.H.
An assembly about Australian
animals and their adaptations to habitat, sponsored by the Fair Haven PTO,
was enjoyed recently by our students.
Pictured at right are first grader,
Sarah Zultak, and second grader,
Devin Boghiam, holding a bald python. At far right is Katlyn White,
fifth grade, in a close encounter with a
blue-tongued skink.
Volume 12, Issue 2
8361 Broadbridge Road
Box 260670
Fair Haven, MI 48023
586 725-7911
Tamie Rawlings, Principal
Fair Haven welcomes new staff
Mr. Scott Thaler is the new
elementary physical education
teacher who will service Fair Haven,
Millside and Algonac Elementary
School.
Mr. Thaler grew up in a small
town north of Grand Rapids called
Kent City where he was active in
baseball, football, basketball and
golf. He earned his bachelor's degree from Towson University in
Baltimore, Maryland, and taught
elementary physical education there
for two years. Before moving to the
Algonac area, he taught middle
Fair Haven Elementary
Page 5
Pennies to benefit
abused children
A plethora of pennies was raised by Fair
Haven students to benefit the Child Abuse and
Neglect Network of St. Clair County.
Thanks to the generosity of the Fair Haven community,
over $400 dollars
was raised. Wow,
that’s over 40,000
pennies! Griffin
DeGowske and
Trisha Nemeyer
pose here with
plenty of pennies.
Pte. Tremble Elementary School
9541 Phelps Road
Algonac, MI 48001
810 794-3022
GSRP
Ext. 1617
Childcare 794-8895
Algonac Childcare
has openings
The caring and experienced staff at the Algonac
Childcare Program can provide a safe and nurturing environment for your child starting
from infant to school age. From Infant Care to Toddler Care, Daycare, Preschool and Latchkey, the
Algonac Childcare Program can help solve your
childcare needs.
ABC Preschool/Daycare is still accepting registration for children 3 and 4 years old and fully potty
trained. There is much research and documentation
that shows getting an early start in preschool participation will give your child a much better chance of
success later in school. All teachers at ABC Preschool have their CDA’s or Associates degree in
Early Education and are ready to help your child to
get better prepared for Kindergarten.
The ABC Childcare Program is a State of
Michigan Licensed Program, meeting all health,
safety and educational standards and codes. All staff
members are first-aid and CPR certified.
We have openings in all of our programs, so
give us a call to find out about our caring programs
and reasonable rates. For more information call 810
794-8895, or better yet, stop
to see us at 9541 Phelps Road,
right next to Algonac High
School.
Playing in the pudding
during sensory time in
the Infant Room is
Chloe Grace.
The latest news from GSRP
The GSRP preschool is off and
running! We are excited to
announce that our program has
doubled in size! We are now
serving 64 children thanks to the
Great Start Readiness Grant and
devoted parents who realize how
important preschool is for our
youngest learners. Each of our
friends attends four days a week
for three hours each day. Our
highly qualified staff works
diligently to
tailor instruction
to best meet the
needs of each
child while
preparing all of
them for
kindergarten.
There is much
research to
support the fact that when children
participate in high quality
kindergarten readiness programs,
the likelihood of success in school
greatly increases.
How high can I build my tower?
wonders Evelyn Rupersburg in
the Toddler Room.
Page 6
Our program
focuses on
teaching children
how they learn
best in a
developmentally appropriate
manner, which is supported by
brain research. We are learning to
be a friend as well as how to use
our words to ask for things and
express our needs. The really hard
things to learn are listening and
waiting our turn.
Each day in GSRP we work
on fine motor skills, gross motor
skills, oral language, early literacy
skills, how to make choices, and
how to think through a plan for the
day.
Mason Compton shows off with his
building blocks in the Toddler Room.
Reporter
AMS has Summer Reading Challenge
Algonquin Middle School students
were given the opportunity to read all
summer long and log their minutes read
on the Scholastic website. The students
could read any books of their choice.
Mrs. Forest and Mrs. Carrier are
happy to announce the top grade level
winners of the Scholastic Summer
Reading Challenge: 8th grade winners
were Jenna Stone and Alina DeVoogd,
and 7th grade winners were Connor
Lewis and Daniel Brejnak. These
students will be awarded a Barnes and
Noble gift card.
Parent Connect
meetings scheduled
Parent Connect meetings will be
held at 9:00 a.m. on the following dates:
November 13th, January 15th, March
12th, and May 14th.
All parents are encouraged to attend!
Algonquin M.S.
welcomes new staff
Algonquin Middle School
welcomes the following new staff
members for 2012-2013: Mrs.
Michelle Barnabe (Title 1
Paraprofessional), Ms. Sneha George
(Choir), Ms. Veronica Lach (6th Grade
Math), Mr. Jeff Smith (7th Grade Social
Studies), and Ms. Deanna Welch
(Special Education).
We wish to extend a warm
welcome to all!
Michelle Barnabe
Title 1
Paraprofessional
Volume 12, Issue 2
Sneha George
Choral Director
Algonquin Middle School
Congratulations to all of our super
readers! Reading is succeeding here at
Algonquin Middle School! Algonquin
students who participated in this
summer program helped contribute
minutes to the newest world record of
minutes read across the world:
9185 Marsh Road
95,859,491 minutes read this summer!
AMAZING JOB!
Abraham Leaver, Principal
Algonac, MI 48001
810 794-9317
AMS student presents at RESA Conference
Pictured here is Julie Demorest,
Algonquin 8th grader, sharing her digital
presentation with interested groups of
educators at the 21st Century Learning
Symposium hosted by St. Clair County
R.E.S.A. at Marysville High School.
Julie’s presentation highlighted more
effective methods for teachers and students to
deliver content in a digital format. The goal
for the presentation was for teachers across
the county to utilize Julie’s example this year
in their classroom.
Julie also demonstrated a new website
which included more than 60 new
technological tools for use in the classroom.
The conference sessions helped the
teachers develop new ideas and means to
advance their students in technology, helping
them work more efficiently.
Great job, Julie!
Veronica Lach
6th Grade Math
Deanna Welch
Special Education
Jeff Smith
7th Grade S.S.
Page 7
Algonac High School
IB World School
AHS Marching Band competes
At Chippewa Valley Invitational
5200 Taft Road
Algonac, MI 48001
810 794-4911
Brian Brutyn, Principal
Jamie Thiede, Athletic Director
Parent Portal now
offered for e2020
Algonac High School is offering a
new service this school year to parents
whose students are enrolled in Education2020 on-line classes. Education2020’s Parent Portal gives parents
the opportunity to access their student’s
progress report for their e2020 courses at
their convenience.
Since e2020 course progress is not
available in Parent Connect, this service
gives parents a great opportunity to track
progress in any additional courses in
which their student is enrolled. Parents
can monitor progress in their student’s
elective on-line classes as well as any
courses their student is taking for credit
recovery.
If interested in this service, parents
should e-mail the On-Line Coordinator,
Jennifer Brutyn, at [email protected].
Note Parent Teacher
Conference times
Monday, November 19 (6 Hours)
1:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Break: 4:00 – 4:45
4:45 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Tuesday, November 20 (7.5 Hours)
7:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Break: 11:00 a.m. – 11:45a.m.
11:45 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.
Break: 2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Parents will be able to pick up student report cards during these times.
Page 8
On Saturday September 29th the
Algonac High School Marching Band
travelled to Chippewa Valley High
School for the Chippewa Valley Invitational, a band competition run under the
sponsorship of the Michigan Scholastic
Marching Band Association. The band
competed in Class B, and won first place
with an overall score of 77.8 (out of a
possible 100).
The AHS drumline was honored
with an Award of Excellence, given
when a score in a particular category
meets or exceeds 80% of the possible
score. The
drumline was
awarded 17.0
points out of 20
points possible.
The band
also received
valuable feedback from 5 different judges
as they prepare for the upcoming MSBOA
Marching Band Festival, where the band
has earned straight First Division ratings
every year since 2006.
Cheerleading Fundraiser
a big success
The Varsity,
JV and Middle
School Cheerleaders would
like to thank the
entire community for helping
to make their
recent fundraiser,
Drive 4UR
School, a big
success. The
event was sponsored by Bill
MacDonald Ford in St. Clair who supplied eight different models of Ford cars
and trucks for test drives.
The community was invited
to come out and take a noobligation test drive on Saturday, September 15. For every
person over 18 years of age who
took a test drive, Ford Motor
Company agreed to donate $20
to the cheerleading program.
The event was a huge success
that exceeded their goal.
On behalf of all the
Algonac cheerleaders, we would
like to thank everyone who participated in this wonderful
event....your support was truly
amazing!
Shown above, cars are lined up and ready for a
test drive while cheerleaders hold a car wash in
the background. Below the cheerleaders and
parents offer refreshments to the crowd.
Reporter
Hall of Fame inductees honored
On September 7, 2012, two teams
and five individuals were inducted into
the Algonac Community Schools Hall of
Fame.
The 1951 Track Team enjoyed its
best season since 1933. They won all of
their dual meets and finished 2nd in the
Class C state finals behind Ann Arbor
University School. Ten out of 19 members qualified for the state meet. At
States, Jim DeBoyer took 2nd
place in the 100,
220 and long
jump. The 880
relay team, consisting of Jim Martin, Sid Schafer,
Don Pioch and Jim
DeBoyer took 2nd
place. Jack Kinnally also took 2nd place in the 880.
Barry Aspenleiter is a member of the
class of 1956. He earned nine varsity letters in football, basketball and track. He
was captain of the 1955 Hall of Fame
football team when they won their 28th
straight game as part of two winning
streaks of 25 and 28 games. He received
the Mallendar Cup in 1956 as the most
valuable athlete. He
went on to play
three years of football at Eastern
Michigan University. At Western
Michigan University, where he received his master’s
degree, he was a
graduate assistant
for the Bronco football team. He spent 36 years as a teacher
and coach in Petoskey., coaching football
for 26 years track for 24 years and wrestling for 8 years. He was elected to the
Petoskey High School Hall of Fame in
2005 and chosen as Teacher of the Year
in 1991. He was also elected to the Michigan High School Coaches Hall of Fame in
1987 and was EMU Coach of the Year in
1974.
The 1960 Baseball Team earned its
fifth league championship in seven years.
One of their strongest opponents was St.
Volume 12, Issue 2
Stephen’s led by pitcher Jim Gosger,
who went on to play for the NY Mets. In
a memorable game, Gosger and
Algonac’s Ralph Richardson engaged in
a pitching duel. Ralph struck out 13 and
Algonac won the game 2 – 1. In the final
game Algonac defeated Marysville to
win the championship.
Ed Yax is a member of the class of
1971. He received six varsity letters –
two in football, two in basketball and two
in baseball. In his senior year, he received the Mallendar Cup, Larry Sears
Baseball Award and Dr. Black Sportsmanship Award. He went on to play
baseball for SC4 and graduated from
Central Michigan University.
Rachael Petre is a member of the
class of 2001. She was a three sport star
winning eight
varsity letters,
and was a member of six championship teams.
In basketball, she
was a three year
varsity starter,
team co-captain,
First Team All
League, set a school record for field goal
percentage (59%), led the team in points,
MVP of MAC Gold Division, AP First
Team All State and Detroit News Second
Team All State. She was also Blue Water
All Area and Blue Water All Star Game
MVP. In track, she was a four year varsity team member, team captain, state
qualifier. She had a 45-2 record over four
years. She holds the school record for
most career points scored. In addition to
her sports accomplishments, she was
class Valedictorian, Detroit Free Press
Scholar Athlete, editor of the school
newspaper,
Mallendar Cup
Award, Jeffery
Lang Memorial
Award. Rachael
graduated from
Adrian College
where she was
team captain of
the basketball
team and Honorable Mention
Page 9
All Conference. She
was also on the
Women’s Track team.
Alumni, community members and parents, Craig Ford
(1964) and Carol
(Avers) Ford (1965), were active in
sports in high school. Craig played football, basketball and track and Carol was
a cheerleader. Their children, Brian,
Dena and Jason all participated in sports
at Algonac. In providing service to the
sports programs, Craig helped out the
basketball team doing statistics while
Carol kept the scorebook. Carol continues to do the scorebook today. She was
also a cheerleading coach. Craig and
Carol also became actively involved
with the track program. Craig was
known as the ―cone man‖. He placed the
cones on the track at the cut in point
coming off the second curve. He was
also an exchange zone judge where he
would cheer every athlete from every
school. Coaches from other schools
wanted to know who the guy was on the
curve cheering on their runners. After his
death, the track team members purchased a cone and placed it on the spot
where Craig often stood. The cone is still
placed during the big meets as a reminder of what a great supporter Craig
was. Carol Ford has been a fixture at the
finish line. She has been a timer since
the mid 80s and is now the head timer
for all of the home meets, including the
annual 48 team Classic and 32 team
MHSSA state regional hosted by
Algonac. In 2005, Craig and Carol Ford
donated two trophies to the girls’ track
team. These trophies are given each year
to the two girls scoring the most points
during the season – one in running
events and one in field events.
Education Enrichment Fund 2013
raffle tickets are available
Tickets are now available and
selling fast for the 2013 series of
Algonac’s Education Enrichment Fund
travel raffle.
The first drawing in the new series
will take place on January 8, 2013,
when a Caribbean Cruise valued at
$2,300 will be given away. Tickets are
$100 each and entitle the purchaser to
be eligible in 12 monthly drawings.
Many new and exciting trips are being
offered this year—Punta Cana, Costa
Rica, Cedar Point Resort and Waterpark, and New York City to name a
few. Second prize each month is $125
in cash, and third prize is dinner for four
at the Salt Docks Restaurant valued at
$100.
Don’t forget, only
300 of these tickets
for the 2013 travel
series will be sold.
Be sure to call soon
while they are still
available! Call the
Board of Education
office at 810 7949364 to get your
ticket now or contact
any building principal.
Remember, all proceeds go to the
Education Enrichment Fund to support
teacher grants for educational
opportunities not normally available
through regular general fund
expenditures.
As always, thank you for your
support!
Staff recognized for
perfect attendance
As part of the
opening-of-school
breakfast festivities for
staff on August 30,
several employees and
three board members
were presented with
Barnes & Noble gift
certificates in recognition of their
perfect attendance during 2011-2012.
They are: Gail Gendron, Charlene
Kenny, Ricky Sachs, Jenny Bloom,
Jenifer Cartwright, Amanda Gibson,
Evan Humphrey, Karen Rochon,
Michael Sharrow, and board members
Sharon Stiltner, Ed Stanulis, Tim
Idzikowski and Mike Baranowski.
Annual Notification of Rights
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
(FERPA) affords parents and students over 18 years of
age (―eligible students‖) certain rights with respect to the
student’s education records. They are:
1) The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the Algonac
Community School District (the ―District‖) receives a
request for access. Parents or eligible students should
submit to the school principal a written request that
identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The
principal will make arrangements for access and
notify the parent or eligible student of the time and
place where the records may be inspected.
2) The right to request the amendment of student’s
education records that the parent or eligible student
believes are inaccurate, misleading or in violation of
the student’s rights of privacy. Parents or eligible
students should write the school principal, clearly
identify the part of the record they want changed, and
specify why it is inaccurate, misleading or a violation
of their privacy rights. If the District decides not to
amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the District will notify the parent or
eligible student of the decision and advise them of
their right to a hearing regarding the request for
amendment. Additional information regarding the
hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or
eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.
3) The right to consent to disclosures of personally
identifiable information contained in the student’s
education records, except to the extent the law author-
Page 10
izes disclosure without consent.
The District will disclose personally identifiable
information contained in education records without
consent as permitted or required by law, including
under the following circumstances:
(a) To school officials with legitimate educational
interests. A school official is a person employed
by the District as an administrator, supervisor,
instructor, or support staff member (including
health or medical staff and law enforcement personnel); a person serving on the School Board; a
person or company with whom the District has
contracted to perform a special task (such as an
attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist);
or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting a school official in performing his
or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate
educational interest if the official needs to review
an educational record in order to fulfill his or her
professional responsibility.
(b) Upon request by the parent or eligible student, to
officials of another educational agency or institution in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
(c) Directory information will be disclosed unless a
parent or eligible student notified the school principal in writing within 10 days from the date of this
notice that he/she wishes to exercise his/her right
to refuse to let the District designate any or all
information about the student as directory information. Directory information is defined as informa-
tion which would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed, and includes, but is not limited to the student’s name,
address, telephone listing, electronic mail address,
photograph, date and place of birth, major field of
study, dates of attendance, grade level, enrollment
status, participation in officially recognized activities
and sports, weight and height of members of athletic
teams, degrees, awards and honors received, the
most recent previous educational agency or institution attended and other information that is generally
found in directories, yearbooks and athletic programs.
(d) Names addresses and telephone numbers of high
school students will be made available to recruiting
representatives of the armed forces and service
academies of the United States to be used to inform
students of educational and employment opportunities unless a parent or eligible student notifies the
school principal in writing he/she does not want this
information to be accessible to such recruiting
representatives.
(4) The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department
of Education concerning alleged failures by the District to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The
name and address of the Office that administers
FERPA is:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.,
Washington, DC 20202-4605.
Reporter
Teacher of the Year and
Support Person of the Year Named
At the opening of school breakfast
on August 30, Superintendent Sharrow
introduced Dawn Bowser as Teacher of
the Year, and Barb Rymar as Support
Person of the Year for 2012.
The Teacher of the Year program
honors outstanding educators who have
exhibited creativity, enthusiasm, and a
genuine desire to make a difference in
the lives of their students. The two other
finalists were Miechelle Landrum and
Karen Tyburski.
The Support Person of the Year
program honors outstanding support
personnel for the job they do every day
to make our school district a better place
for everyone—students, staff, and the
public we serve. The two other finalists
were Judy Muir and Kathy Doan.
Dawn Bowser was hired in 1987 to
teach the K-1-2 classroom at Harsens
Island Elementary. In 1996 she went to
Pte. Tremble Elementary to teach 2nd
grade where she remained until 2009.
At that time she was transferred to
Algonac Elementary to a 2nd grade
classroom where she remains today.
Barb Rymar was hired in 1986
as a school/kitchen aide. She
worked in many positions including
Cook Helper, Pre-School Classroom
Aide, Summer School and Atlas
aide. She was laid off in 2006, and
in 2010 returned to a Special
Education Paraprofessional position
at Algonac Elementary where she
has remained.
Congratulations to all on your
dedication and professionalism!
Shown above in the center is Teacher of
Year Dawn Bowser. At her left are
Nominee Miechelle Landrum and Board
President Lee Bristol. At her right are
Nominee Karen Tyburski and
Superintendent Sharrow.
Shown at left in the center is Support
Person of the Year Barb Rymar. At her
left are Nominee Kathy Doan and Board
President Lee Bristol. At her right are
Judy Muir and Superintendent Sharrow.
Annual Notification of Rights
Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA)
PPRA affords parents certain rights regarding our
conduct of surveys, collection and use of information
for marketing purposes, and certain physical exams.
These include the right to:
Consent before students are required to submit to a
survey that concerns one or more of the following
protected areas (―protected information survey‖) if the
survey is funded in whole or in part by a program of the
U.S. Department of Education (ED) –
1) Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or
student’s parent;
2) Mental or psychological problems of the student
or student’s family;
3) Sex behavior or attitudes;
4) Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;
5) Critical appraisals of others with whom respondents have close family relationships;
6) Legally recognized privileged relationships, such
as with lawyers, doctors, or ministers;
7) Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the
student or parents; or
8) Income, other than as required by law to determine program eligibility.
Receive notice and an opportunity to opt a student out
of –
1) Any other protected information survey, regardless of funding;
2) Any non-emergency, invasive physical exam or
screening required as a condition of attendance,
Volume 12, Issue 2
3)
administered by the school or its agent, and not
necessary to protect the immediate health and safety
of a student, except for hearing, vision, or scoliosis
screenings, or any physical exam or screening
permitted or required under State law; and
Activities involving collection, disclosure, or use of
personal information obtained from students for
marketing or to sell or otherwise distribute the
information to others;
Inspect, upon request and before administration or use –
1) Protected information surveys of students;
2) Instruments used to collect personal information
from students for any of the above marketing, sales,
or other distribution purposes; and
3) Instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum.
These rights transfer from the parents to a student
who is 18 years old or an emancipated minor under State
law.
Algonac Community Schools developed and
adopted policies in 2005, in consultation with parents,
regarding these rights, as well as arrangements to protect
student privacy in the administration of protected information surveys and the collection, disclosure, or use of
personal information for marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes. Algonac Community Schools will
directly notify parents of these policies at least annually at
the start of each school year and after any substantive
changes. Algonac Community Schools will also directly
notify, such as through U.S. Mail or email, parents of
Page 11
students who are scheduled to participate in the
specific activities or surveys noted below and will
provide an opportunity for the parent to opt his or
her child out of participation of the specific activity
or survey. Algonac Community Schools will make
this notification to parents at the beginning of the
school year if the District has identified the specific
or approximate dates of the activities or surveys at
that time. For surveys and activities scheduled after
the school year starts, parents will be provided
reasonable notification of the planned activities and
surveys listed below and be provided an opportunity
to review any pertinent surveys. Following is a list
of the specific activities and surveys covered under
this requirement:
Collection, disclosure, or use of personal
information for marketing, sales or other
distribution.
Administration of any protected information
survey not funded in whole or in part by ED.
Any non-emergency invasive physical examination or screening as described above.
Parents who believe their rights have been violated
may file a complaint with:
Family Policy Compliance Office
US. Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave. SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-5901
Algonac Community Schools
Board of Education
Leroy Bristol .............. President
Edward Stanulis Vice-President
Sharon Stiltner ........... Secretary
Michael Baranowski .. Treasurer
Andrew Goulet ............. Trustee
Bud Hulewicz .............. Trustee
Timothy Idzikowski ..... Trustee
Michael E. Sharrow
Superintendent of Schools
Phone: 810 794-9364
FAX: 810 794-0040
Website: www.algonac.k12.mi.us
School Closing Hotline 794-8882
Athletic Hotline ........... 794-4913
Transportation ............ 794-3555
Food Service ................ 794-8875
Special Education ....... 794-9337
Childcare/Latchkey .... 794-8895
Notice of Nondiscrimination
The Algonac Community School District
does not discriminate on the basis of race,
color, national origin, sex, age, religion,
height, weight, marital status, political affiliation or belief, or disability in its programs
and activities. All inquiries regarding nondiscrimination should be directed to Alan Latosz,
Assistant Superintendent, 1216 St. Clair
Boulevard, Algonac, Michigan 48001 (810 794
-9364).
This edition of the Algonac Reporter
was published by the Algonac Community
School District, communicating important
information of concern to all citizens in our
community. For additional information,
please call Nancy Jeannette at 810 794-9364,
extension 1006.
Substitute
Teachers
Needed
The Algonac School
District is in need of substitute
teachers at all grade levels.
Ninety (90) college-accredited
hours from a 4-year university
are required. Apply today at:
www.algonac.k12.mi.us
Go to:
Employment
Substitute Teachers
click on PCMI Services link
Algonac Community School District
1216 St. Clair Blvd.
Algonac, MI 48001
Non Profit Organization
BULK RATE
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT NO. 38
Algonac, MI 48001
Postal Patron
Algonac Community School District
Local
Dual Enrollment information—
For all parents of students grades 8-12
Historically, school districts have allowed students to attend courses at local colleges or universities
in addition to their own high school in an effort to meet students’ needs and interests. This is called dual
enrollment.
The Michigan Postsecondary Act (P.A. 160 of 1996) and its amendments provide for local school
district assistance to students covering tuition and fees for courses at Michigan public or private colleges or
universities. Students are required to meet eligibility requirements in order to qualify. To be eligible,
students must:

Be enrolled in a high school class in a school district in this state

Be in at least 11th Grade or, if in a lower grade, be approved by the district

Have taken and achieved a qualifying score in:
o All subject areas of the Michigan Merit Exam or other state approved readiness assessments, OR
o In the subject area of the eligible course a student would like to take

Not be enrolled in high school for more than 4 school years. Under the law, adult education
students are not eligible.
Eligible students may take courses in subjects for which there are no endorsements such as history,
political science, psychology, computer science or foreign language, as long as they have taken all sections
of the MME, ACT PLAN, or College Board PSAT. State endorsement is not required in any specific area
for this participation.
Approved assessments and qualifying scores are:

Michigan Merit Exam – students who score at levels 1 or 2 (Exceeded the Standard or Met
the Standard) in Mathematics, Reading, Writing or Science

ACT & PLAN Assessments
o Mathematics 18
o Reading 17
o Science 19
o English 21

PSAT Assessment
o Critical Reading 44
o Writing Skills 49
o Math 45
Eligible dual enrollment courses include:

A course offered by an eligible postsecondary institution that is not offered by the school district including Advance Placement and online courses

A course offered by the school district but determined to be unavailable to the eligible student
because of a scheduling conflict beyond the eligible student’s control
Courses that are a hobby, craft, recreational or a course that is in the areas of physical education,
theology, divinity, or religious education are not eligible for tuition support.
For further information regarding dual enrollment, please contact your high school counselor.
Sincerely,
Michael E. Sharrow,
Superintendent of Schools