August Issue 2015 • Fennville Public Schools • (269) 561-7331 • www.fennville.org •
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*First Day for
Students is
September 8,
2015!
Picture
Day!
*See the 2015-2016
School Calendar on
the Back Page!
Elementary:
September 25
Retakes/
Elementary:
October 29
Middle School:
September 22
High School:
September 15
Orientation
and Open House
Central Office Hours:
7:30 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.
Office will be closed if there are
extreme weather conditions.
HORARIO DE LA OFICINA DEL
SUPERINTENDIENTE
Lunes a Viernes 7:30 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.
Esta oficina estara cerrada si las
condiciones del tiempo son muy severas.
Early Release
Mondays
Continue:
See Page 4
Kindergarten Orientation
September 2, 2015
4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m
6th Grade Orientation
September 1, 2015
5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
All Other Grades
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Central Office
2
Central Office:Superintendent
5 Memorial Drive
Dirk Weeldreyer
(269) 561-7331
Fax (269) 561-5792
Elementary School: Principal, Albert Lombard
8 Memorial Drive
(269) 561-7236
Fax (269) 561-7271
Middle School:
1 Memorial Drive
Principal, Kim Zdybel
(269) 561-7341
Fax (269) 561-2143
High School:
4 Memorial Drive
Principal, Jim Greydanus
(269) 561-7241
Fax (269) 561-6901
Special Education: Director, Lori Chapman
5 Memorial Drive
(269) 561-7331
Fax (269) 561-5792
Director of Teaching/Learning: Corey Harbaugh
5 Memorial Drive
(269) 561-7331
Fax: (269) 561-5792
Migrant/Bilingual: Secretary, Alice Rodriguez
5 Memorial Drive (269) 561-7331
Fax (269) 561-5792
Adult Ed/Star:
5 Memorial Drive
Mitch Overway
(269) 561-7331
Fax (269) 561-5792
Food Service:
8 North Street
Director, George Siedis
(269) 561-7231
Fax (269) 561-2356
Facilities:
5 Memorial Drive
Director, Jon Carr
(269) 561-7331
Fax (269) 561-7331
Transportation:
3 Memorial Drive
Director, John Schlack
(269) 561-8131
Fax (269) 561-5636
Athletics
Director, Frank Marietta
(269) 561-7241
Fax (269) 561-6901
Community Athletic Center:
Frank Marietta
(269) 561-2708
(269) 561-6901
Website: www.fennville.org
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The Board of Education does not discriminate on the
basis of religion, race, color, national origin, sex, disability
or age in its program, activities or employment. Further,
it is the policy of this District to provide an equal
opportunity for all students, regardless of race, color,
creed, age, disability, religion, gender, ancestry, national
origin, place of residence within the boundaries of the
District, or social or economic background, to learn
through the curriculum offered in this District.
Direct questions to Civil Rights Officer,
Corey Harbaugh
Note from the Superintendent
Dear Parents and District Residents:
Each year time seems to pass more quickly, but another summer will soon be coming to an end and the school year is just around the corner! Hopefully, you and
your family have been able to enjoy some wonderful time together during these
last several weeks!
Here at school, summer is a time of preparation and anticipation. Our custodial
and grounds employees have been working hard throughout these warm summer
months in order to get our facilities in great shape. Please check out the article
located in this issue of the Pride for more information on some of the work done
this summer.
As another year comes closer, we know excitement is building for our students as
well, and Open House is a great way to get a preview of the year ahead. For most
grades Open House will be held on Tuesday, September 1 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. However, kindergarten students and their parents are invited to their own special Open
House/Orientation on Wednesday, September 2 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. We look forward to seeing you all!
Please also take special note of the changes to the 2015-16 school calendar as described elsewhere in this newsletter. Of particular importance is the continuation of
the “Early Release Monday” schedule. Students will be dismissed 25 minutes early
every Monday throughout the school year so that teachers have ongoing collaborative work time. We have already seen great things come out of this work for the
benefit of our students!
Indeed, our staff is constantly seeking ways to improve our program, and we welcome your participation in the educational process! Many great opportunities for
involvement exist at every level. Please contact your school’s office to find out more
about ways that you can be part of the action! It is our deeply-held belief that we
educate the children of our community together, and we are grateful for all of the
volunteers and support our schools receive!
We extend a special welcome to our new families! Parents may register new students in the Central Office (located behind the Middle School) until school offices
open for regular hours beginning Monday, August 24. The first day of the 2015-16
school year will be Tuesday, September 8.
Fall is a wonderful time of year! Working together, we will make the upcoming
school year a great one! See you soon!
Dirk Weeldreyer
Superintendent
BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS
President. . . . . . . . . . .
Vice President. . . . . . .
Trustee. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Trustee. . . . . . . . . . . . .
David Johnson
Secretary. . . . . . . . . . . Juliet Michele
Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . Julio Almanza
Mark Ludwig
John Raak
Trustee. . . . . . . . . . . . . Tobias Hutchins
Tina Westenbroek
FENNVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS FOR 2015
Dates, Times, and Locations of Board Meetings
Monday, September 21, 2015
Monday, October 19, 2015
Monday, November 16, 2015
Monday, December 21, 2015
All special meetings and work sessions will be scheduled as necessary. Upon request
to the Superintendent, the District shall make reasonable accommodation for a person with disabilities to participate in this meeting. Unless otherwise posted, all regular
meetings to be held at 7:00 p.m. in the Board Room located at 5 Memorial Drive, Fennville, Michigan 49408. For questions, please contact (269) 561-7331.
central office
PESTICIDE CONTROL ACT
Fennville Public Schools utilizes certain pesticide products from time to
time at its various school buildings and facilities. Some are applied by
contractual vendors and a few are applied in accordance with the Pesticide Act of 1976. Any district, parent, guardian, or care provider desiring
information regarding these pesticides or who wish to be notified prior
to scheduled applications may complete the following request and mail
it to Jon Carr, 5 Memorial Drive, Fennville, MI 49408.
PESTICIDE PRIOR NOTIFICATION REQUEST
School:____________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian_____________________________________________
Student Name:______________________________________________
Address____________________________________________________
City:____________________________State: ____Zip Code:__________
Home Phone: _________________Work Phone____________________
□ I would like to be notified whenever a pesticide application is made.
SAFE AND DRUG FREE SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES ACT
Fennville Public Schools recognizes and abides by the standards of the
Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Act and the Drug Free
Workplace Act. These standards prohibit the unlawful manufacture,
possession, use, sale, distribution, or concealment of illegal drugs and
alcohol in school programs, school vehicles, school premises, and at
school sponsored activities on and off school property. Drugs include all
controlled substances as defined by law, as well as “look-alike” drugs, steroids, and alcohol. These standards apply to all Fennville Public School
students. We urge students, parents, guardians, and care providers to
work hand-in-hand with our district to ensure that these important standards are upheld.
NOTIFICATION ON DIRECTORY INFORMATION
In compliance with Federal regulation, Fennville Public Schools has established the following guidelines concerning student records.
1 Dirk Weeldreyer is the Records Control Officer for the District and is
responsible for the processing and maintenance of all student records.
His office is located at 5 Memorial Drive, Fennville, MI 49408 or can be
reached by calling 269.561.7331.
2 Each student’s records will be kept in a confidential file located in
each individual building. The information in a student’s record file will
be available for review only by the parents or legal guardian of a student,
an adult student (18) years of age or older), and those designated by
Federal Law or District regulations.
3 If not satisfied with the accuracy of the records or the District’s compliance with the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act, a parent, guardian, or adult student has the right to request a change or addition to a
student’s records, and to:
A. Obtain a hearing with District Officials, or
B. File a complaint with the U.S. Office of Education
Family Policy Compliance Office
US Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave, SE
Washington, DC 20202-4605
4 The District has established the following information about each student as directory information and will make it available upon a legitimated request unless a parent, guardian, or adult student notifies the
Records Control Office in writing within 10 days from the date of this no-
3
tification that they will not permit distribution of any or all information:
A. Name, address, and telephone number;
B. Date and place of birth;
C. Photograph;
D. Major field of study;
E. Participation in officially recognized activities and sports;
F. Height and Weight, if a member of an athletic team;
G. Date of attendance, date of graduation, and awards received;
H. Any other information the District considers would not be harmful or an invasion of privacy, if disclosed.
5 A copy of the Board of Education’s policy and the accompanying District regulations are available at the Fennville Public Schools. There will
also be a person available to answer any questions concerning the policy or regulations.
The Fennville Public Schools prohibits discrimination on the basis of
race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin or ancestry, age, sex,
height, weight, marital status, or handicap. Inquiries regarding this policy may call 269.561.7331. Equal Opportunity Employer. Auxiliary aids
and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.
Annual Notification Letter
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires that each
year notification is given regarding asbestos activities such as
response actions and inspections. The purpose of this correspondence is to meet those requirements and familiarize you
with the asbestos-related activities that have been conducted
at the school during the past year.
Management Plan – The existing Management Plan was developed and finalized 1988 and updated in July, 2015 in the
Facilities Director’s office and is available for review; Jon Carr,
5 Memorial Drive, Fennville, MI 49408 (269) 561-4832. There is
no asbestos related construction work planned for this school
year. We have been removing fire doors from the high school
over the past year which may have become damaged to prevent
any disturbance of the core materials and continue to monitor
the doors for potential damage. There is only no friable asbestos material in the high school and middle school except for a
small amount of pipe insulation that is enclosed within the hard
ceiling in the middle school and not accessible to the students
and staff.
Periodic Surveillance – The AHERA (the EPA law governing
schools) regulation requires surveillance of the condition of asbestos containing materials every six months. This monitoring is
current and being conducted (in January and July each year) by
an EPA trained consultant, Villa Environmental Consultants, Inc.
The AHERA regulation requires a three-year re-inspection (detailed review) of the condition of asbestos containing material in all school buildings. The most recent re-inspection was
performed in July, 2015 with the next re-inspection due in July
2018. This monitoring is being conducted by Villa Environmental
Consultants, Inc.
Questions regarding asbestos-related issues may be directed to
Richard P. Villa, Villa Environmental Consultants, Inc., 508 West
Main Street, Benton Harbor, MI 49022. Phone number is 269927-2434.
4
central office
Welcome New Staff
An Introduction to Special
Education in 2015
written by Lori Chapman,
new FPS Director of Special Education.
What do you see in your mind’s eye be collaborawhen you think of the words “Special tion between
Education”?
a general
Baby Boomers probably think of a e d u c a t i o n
room down a school hallway that teacher and
Lori Chapman
kids disappeared into each morning, a specialized
rarely seen again for the rest of the instruction teacher working on lesday. Students from earlier gener- son plans and discussing multiple
ations perhaps remember a time ways to present the day’s topic. Perwhen children with disabilities did haps it’s a social worker role playing
not attend school but were kept at a new social skill with a student or
home or sent to live in an institution. an Occupational Therapist providing
A Gen-Xer or Millennial may have a sensory tools to help a child be able
to focus on schoolwork. Maybe it’s
totally different picture.
the speech therapist helping a stuSpecial education has changed tre- dent learn to describe a game or a
mendously in each decade since its classroom lesson about how words
beginning. Michigan has been the that sound alike can have different
frontrunner in providing education meanings.
for students with handicaps, providing funds for it as early as 1955 Chances are if you walked into any
and mandating special education public school building the workings
programs in 1971, four years before of specialized instruction would not
the federal government made it be obvious. Many disabilities are
invisible! Students with a math dismandatory.
ability do not look any different from
Special education and specialized math prodigies, for example. Special
instruction have evolved over time educators and general educators
from the teacher in the classroom both work with students with and
down the hall to a flexible and fluid without disabilities. These teachers
program that is truly individualized are more aware than ever that all stuand sometimes difficult to point out dents have unique learning profiles,
to an observer. Specialized instruc- challenges, and gifts. Those of us
tion has become the norm in all kinds with training in special education are
of classrooms as teachers learn more helping all students, either directly
about how students learn and adapt through the provision of specialized
their teaching to meet the needs of instruction, or indirectly through our
an ever more diverse population.
work alongside general educators
So what does specialized instruction and other school staff. Our task is to
help students, families, educators
look like in 2015?
and the community understand,
Specialized instruction may look appreciate, and provide approprilike a small group of middle school ate opportunities for all students to
students working with a parapro- learn at high levels and prepare for
fessional learning how to organize productive and successful lives after
notes and study for an exam. It could graduation. More and more, all edulook like a child working at a comput- cation looks like special education.
er, practicing letter sounds. It might
be a high school student working Now, what do you see in your mind’s
at the local grocery store learning eye when you think of “Special Eduimportant vocational skills. It could cation”?
Corey Harbaugh joined the Central Office staff in July as the
new Director of Teaching and
Learning, an administrative position focused on the two most
important jobs of our District:
the work of teachers to teach,
and the work of students to learn.
Harbaugh’s most important job
will be looking at teaching and
learning practices and data for
opportunities to help improve
both, resulting in higher student
achievement for all students.
Corey Harbaugh
Harbaugh spent the last twenty years in the Gobles school
district, including six as principal of the combined middle
and high school buildings. Harbaugh also has a great deal of
experience in teacher training, serving as both Co-Director
and Technology Director of the Third Coast Writing Project at
Western Michigan University for fifteen years, and as a Regional
Educator for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in
Washington D.C. Harbaugh runs a teaching training program
on Holocaust education each summer in Farmington Hills for
teachers from across Michigan, and has run training programs
all over the country.
Harbaugh is a published author and poet, including a piece
for the National Public Radio series “This I Believe.” His recent
chapter on Holocaust education was published in April in the
book As the Witness Fall Silent: 21st Century Holocaust Education
in Curriculum, Policy, and Practice (Springer).
Early Release Mondays Return
In an effort to continue our local school improvement
efforts in the areas of curriculum and instruction, Fennville
Public Schools will be continuing our Professional Learning
Communities (PLC) work this year.
Students will be dismissed 25 minutes early every Monday
during the 2015-16 school year. This means that elementary
students will be dismissed at 2:20 p.m., with middle and
high school students dismissed at 2:25 p.m. This early
release will only take place on Monday afternoons. We
recognize that this schedule may cause extra arrangements
for parents, but we are hopeful that the consistency of the
“every Monday” schedule will help ease the burden.
Research on Professional Learning Communities has
shown that regular weekly meeting times, with sufficient
opportunity for teacher dialogue and data analysis, are
required in order to achieve optimal results. This initiative is
widely recognized as a leading force for meaningful, lasting
change in schools. We are excited about the progress that
has been made under this model and look forward to more
great things to come.
If you have any questions, please contact your school’s
principal or the Central Office.
Elementary School
Welcome New Music Teacher
5
Kindergarten Orientation 2015
Date:
Time:
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Arrive with son/daughter by 4:30 p.m.
We will conclude at 6:30 p.m. with food provided in
the cafeteria for students.
Incoming Kindergartners and their parents are invited to attend Kindergarten Orientation for the 2015-16 School Year. Students will get
a chance meet their teacher and Principal, tour the school, eat in the
cafeteria, and learn about bus safety and more.
*Parents--please come prepared with income and family size informaBrianna Clark
tion to fill out school lunch application for free or reduced lunches.
Brianna Clark brings a great deal of experience and enthusiasm as
both a teacher and an artist to Fennville Public Schools where she
will serve elementary students as the music teacher.
At the conclusion of regular school year on June 8th, teachers
Clark comes to Fennville from Grand Rapids Public Schools where last and staff were already gearing up for Summer School 2015.
year she taught choir classes at the middle school level. She began The Elementary Summer School program began on June 29th
her teaching career as vocal music teacher and theatre director for for over 120 students in grades K-5. Students attending the
Whitehall Schools, then served the Reeths Puffer School District as a summer program received individual support in reading and
math including instruction with reading fluency, comprehension,
general music teacher.
word study, and various math concepts. Additionally, students
Beyond her work in the classroom, Clark has also worked onstage attending received both breakfast and lunch at no cost. Stuand offstage in multiple theaters going back to her undergraduate dents attending during either the morning or afternoon session
days at Ball State University. Clark has acted, directed, supported, and rotated through different teachers targeting different areas
and performed in both musical and theatre productions in Michigan of reading and math skills. Throughout the summer, students
and Indiana and continues to direct and support youth theater in the that attended were able to keep their skills sharp in reading
communities of Whitehall and Montague.
and math along with making some individual gains that will
help them transition into this fall. The program concluded on
August 6th with a mini celebration and some fun prize drawings that rewarded good student attendance throughout the
summer. Thank you to all of the parents that supported their
Now Enrolling!
son/daughter during the summer program!
Summer School 2015 Recap
Preschool
Fennville Elementary
Open to ALL 3 & 4 year olds
Kindergarden
readiness
Kindergarten readiness
Full day
Half day
Flex days
Nature based
Nature-based available
Free
Reduced
Scholarships
Tuition
One Building! Many Choices! We Can Help!
Contact Fennville Elementary
269-561-7231 [email protected]
OR enroll online at michiganpreschool.org
Salvador Jiménez-Florez
Students in the 2015 Summer Migrant Program made traditional
Mexican masks as part of their work with visiting artist Salvador
Jiménez-Flores. The masks represented the goals, dreams, and
wishes of each child, and the students then used the masks in
writing and theater activities during the program.
6
middle school
Building 21st Century Skills Out of Legos
Normally middle school students might be slow to admit spending a week of summer vacation
building things out of Legos, but this summer a talented group of Fennville Middle School
students took building with Legos to a whole new level.
Using Legos, computer parts, sensors, gears, and wheels, the students spent a week building
robots that could follow directions and even complete a series of tasks on an obstacle course.
The students were taking part in a robotics camp at the Allegan County Area Technical and
Education Center taught by Allegan Tech Center teacher Bill Cain and Fennville teacher Chad
VanderMeulen, and supported by Amy Oliver and Pam Rickli from the Instructional Services
Department of the Allegan Area Educational Service Agency.
Throughout the week of camp, the students worked with a partner to build, explore, and
program a Lego robot called the EV3. Each day the students were given a different challenge
and encouraged to explore the many sensors and functions of their robot. Students had to
solve the problems that came with every task and challenge, especially when the robots
weren’t doing exactly what they were supposed to do. In solving the problems that came
up, students had to use many of the same real world science, technology, engineering, and
math skills that professionals have to use when working in the field.
On the final day, the student teams competed against each other on five obstacles that pushed
the students to put their problem solving and newly acquired programming skills to the test.
It was a great opportunity for them to have fun and learn about Lego Robotics while learning
and using the skills that scientists and engineers use to solve the challenges of the 21st century.
Helping Kids Get Along At School:
What Parents Can Do To Reduce Student Cruelty And
Improve Peer-To-Peer Relationships
Workshop Presenter:
Marcia McEvoy, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist
McEvoy Consulting, LLC
Grand Rapids, MI
In this workshop, parents will be presented
with information about how to work
collaboratively with the school to reduce
cruel behaviors such as teasing, exclusion,
name
calling,
bullying,
ridiculing,
threatening, intimidation, and harassment.
Our District’s plan to address even mildly
hurtful behaviors will be discussed. Parents
will learn how to help their kids become
more empathic, compassionate, and “every
day heroes” when they witness upsetting
behavior. Through a series of lively role-plays,
parents will also learn how to help their
child respond in a resilient way to everyday
slights and hurtful interactions. These target
hardening skills can be used at school and
at home with siblings. Parents will also be
given tips on how to modify aggressive
tendencies in their own children.
Date: September 17, 2015
Place: Fennville High School Auditorium
Time: 6:30-8:00
About the Presenter:
Dr. Marcia McEvoy is a licensed psychologist
who has worked in a variety of professional
settings including public schools, community
mental health, a child guidance clinic, and
two universities. She has been a clinician,
prevention specialist, lecturer, author, and
university instructor. She presently owns
her own private consulting business. Dr.
McEvoy is an expert in the area of aggression
prevention, including the prevention of youth
suicide. She is the co-author of a book entitled
Preventing Youth Suicide: A Handbook for
Educators and Human Service Professionals.
She is currently co-authoring a book on the
prevention of school-based aggression, with
an emphasis on bullying, mean teasing,
intimidation, and harassment. She has trained
thousands of school personnel, parents, and
students on this topic, and is sought as a
Please join us for this informative and enter- consultant to schools all over Michigan and
taining presentation!
the Midwest.
Light Refreshments will be served.
Junior National
Honor Society
Comes to Fennville
Middle School
With the new school year
comes a new extra-curricular
opportunity for 7th and 8th grade Fennville
students dedicated to excellence: Junior National Honor Society (JNHS).
JNHS is built upon the five pillars of Character,
Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Citizenship, and the organization both recognizes
these traits and helps students further develop them. JNHS provides opportunities for
outstanding students to receive recognition
for their academic diligence, build resumes,
help others (an individual and group service
project are required during the year), create
connections, and qualify for scholarships.
To qualify for JNHS, students must maintain
at least a 3.0 grade point average and demonstrate excellent character and leadership.
Mandatory bi-monthly meetings will be held
after school for the first semester and monthly
meetings will be held during the second
semester. In September, interested students
can pick up an application from the middle
school office or Mrs. Blake (mblake@fennville.
org) and an induction ceremony will occur in
early October.
For more information, please visit https://
www.njhs.us/.
middle school
7
7th Grade Camp Changes
In previous years, 7th grade FMS students attended Camp Pendalouan
(www.pendalouan.org) in the spring, but this year students will attend
from October 26-28. The cost is $110, which includes transportation,
meals, lodging, and all activities for those three days. Students will
have some opportunities to raise money, including:
A T-shirt design contest and sale will be held in September. The students will design shirts and the students will sell the winning design
on t-shirts, sweatshirts, and long-sleeve shirts. Prices begin at $15.
Profits will go toward the individual’s fund. These shirts will also be
sold in the Middle School office.
amongst the students whose parents helped with this fundraiser.
Creative approaches:
• Donations and flat payments are always accepted.
• Some students have collected pop cans and used the returns to
help pay for camp.
• Students can also work (mow lawns, babysit, clean, plant flowers,
etc.) to help pay for their own trip.
• 7th grade students will also have a small class trip in the spring. In
order to fund the spring trip, we’ll collect box tops and parents can
volunteer in the concession stand during volleyball and basketball
games. More information will be sent in the fall, but start saving the
box tops now! Please contact one of the following 7th grade teachers
with questions or concerns.
A tailgate will occur during a Varsity football game. Parents will be
responsible for setting up tables, providing food, serving the food,
and cleaning up. Customers will pay $5/plate. Profits will be divided
Alex Best
Melissa Blake
Brock Walsh
Lori Zimmerman
[email protected]@fennville.org [email protected]@fennville.org
(269)561-7341 ext. 3114
(269)561-7341 ext. 3109
(269)561-7341 ext. 3110
(269)561-7341 ext. 3163
high school
New College Advisor at
FHS to Help Blackhawks
Get to College
Fennville High School is serious about
getting students to college af ter
graduation, and Elyse Hogan is here to
help. Hogan will work with FHS counselor
Elyse Hogan
Tara Coffindaffer in providing services
to students all the way through high school that will make the
transition to college easier for both students and families.
Hogan will work with students based on their high school
graduation year. With seniors she will help in in the process of
filling out and submitting college applications and identifying
and applying for financial aid. With juniors Hogan will help
students begin the college search process. With younger students
she will help in a variety of ways, including career and college
explorations, the creation of Educational Development Plans, and
the development of college readiness skills that need to start as
successful academic behaviors early in a high school career.
According to principal Jim Greydanus, bringing Hogan to Fennville
is part of the bigger plan to make college more accessible to all
Fennville students.
“This is part of a bigger picture to help get our kids ready to enter
our economy after high school,” Greydanus said. “We know all
students will need additional training after high school, and we
want college to be an option for every student who wants to go. “
“It’s also why we have increased college opportunities in our
high school program, from earning credits in the Allegan
Technology Center programs, to early college and dual-enrollment
opportunities, AP courses in our high school, and classes offered on
campus through Davenport University and Lake Michigan College.”
Hogan comes to Fennville through a Michigan College Access
Network grant written as a joint venture with Saugatuck High
School. Hogan will work in Fennville three days per week and in
Saugatuck the other two.
New HS Athletic Director
and Assistant Principal
As a coach and an athlete, Frank Marietta knows
what it takes to win. But when it comes to his
work with students and student-athletes, Fennville High School’s new Athletic Director and Assistant Principal knows it’s his job to think bigger.
Frank Marietta
“I came to Fennville to think ‘win/win’ as much
as possible,” Marietta said. “My job is to help students grow and build
capacity as students and for athletes to grow and build capacity as athletes. At the end of the day, it’s about success. I came to Fennville High
School to help all our students shine.”
Marietta joins the Fennville district from Reeths-Puffer Schools in Muskegon where since 2008 he’s been a teacher, coach, and assistant athletic
director for the middle school program. Earlier in his career Marietta
worked in various roles in and out of the classroom at schools in Oxford,
Montabella, Okemos, and Mt. Pleasant. He has worked as a youth mentor
in summer camps and through church organizations. He also served for
a time as a teacher at an Aboriginal school in Western Australia.
“My time in Australia taught me a great deal about how to work with
people from all different backgrounds,” Marietta said. “I learned a lot
about how to read cultural clues and the complexity of a culture very
different from my own. I also found myself talking with kids on the other
side of the world about Michael Jordan and the NBA, so that part was
very familiar and a lot of fun.”
When it comes to Fennville, Marietta knows he’s stepped into a proud
and strong tradition in his new role.
“There is already a strong tradition of athletics here and a great sense of
community, so a lot of my work will be to keep my focus on the Blackhawk
way and to remember what we stand for in all we do,” he said.
During his first weeks in the district Marietta will work to meet as many
people as he can and learn the specifics of the Blackhawk way.
“I am looking forward to meeting the people who make up this school
district,” he said. “Fennville already has so many great things to offer the
kids that go to school here and so much to be proud of. That said, I also
want to take every opportunity I can to help kids, coaches, and teams
take the next step, but always with character and integrity.”
high School
8
Fennville High School Honors Night 2015
WOLFGANG WADE SCHOLARSHIP
Sydney Dejonge (1@ $3,750; renewable for 4 years = $15,000) $15,000.00
Aaron Overhiser
(1@ $1,600; renewable for 2 years = $3,200) $3,200.00
JANICE AND EDWARD HUTCHINSON SCHOLARSHIP
Allison Chappell
(1 @ $5000; renewable for 4 years = $20,000) $20,000.00
Preston Brewer
(1 @ $3,450; renewable for 2 years = $$6,900) $6,900.00
MARY WARK SCHOLARSHIP
Maribel Cuellar
(1@ $3,750; renewable for 4 years = $15,000) $15,000.00
Angelo Patterson (1@ $3,750; renewable for 4 years = $15,000) $15,000.00
Rayanne McCoy
(1 @ $1725; renewable for 2 years = $3,450) $3,450.00
CeJhay Svay
(1 @ $1725; renewable for 2 years = $3,450) $3,450.00
DONALD H. AND THELMA DICKINSON SCHOLARSHIP
Mitchell Leonard (1 @ $3,500; nonrenewable) $3,500.00
DONALD AND MARYANN MOELLER SCHOLARSHIP
Cody Valentine (1 @ $2000; nonrenewable) $2,000.00
BILL AND ROSE DALTON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Jacob Templeman (1 @ $1000; nonrenewable) $1,000.00
ROBERT AND LOUETTA CRANE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Judy Almanza (1 @ $1000; nonrenewable) $1,000.00
Bradley Gooding (1 @ $1000; nonrenewable) $1,000.00
PERRIGO FOUNDATION
Lashoune Allen (1 @ $1000; nonrenewable) $1,000.00
AMERICAN LEGION
John Hitsman (1 @ $1000; nonrenewable) $1,000.00
RUTH PSHEA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Catlyn Mayou (1 @ $1000; nonrenewable) $1,000.00
ALFRED PSHEA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
not given (1 @ $1000; nonrenewable) $0.00
TREVOR & MARIE NICHOLS ART/MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP
Eddie Martinez (1 @ $5000; nonrenewable) $5,000.00
FREDERICK “LADDIE”MESYAR SCHOLARSHIP
Ernesto Flores (1 @ $500; nonrenewable) $500.00
HELEN F. KITCHEN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Amerika Del Toro (1 @ $600; nonrenewable) $600.00
LEON & JOSEPHINE (WADE SHEPARD SCHOLARSHIP FUND
($48,000 total with $31,500 allocated for the class of 2014
and $16,500 for the class of 2015) Class of 2015 = 22 @ $750; renewable for 2 years = $1,500
1 Amerika Del Toro 1 Adam Esparza $16,500.00
2 Angela Mendoza 2 Codie Harrison 3 Catlyn Mayou 3 David Hernandez 4 Destinie Pixley-Ward
4 Ernesto Flores 5 Dolores Ponce 5 Felipe Suarez 6 Elizabeth Garcia 6 John Hitsman 7 Megan Phillips 7 Lashoune Allen 8 Naomi Herscovici-Scherman 8 Luis-Fernando Martinez 9 Ruth Herscovici-Scherman 9 Miguel Bernabe 10 Victoria Willey 10 Preston Brewer 11 Yesenia Solis 11 Tyus Grigg Class of 2014 = 21 @ $1500
1 Danielle Beissel - GVSU 1 Ryan Schmuck - GVSU $31,500.00
2 Cassidy Bell - GRCC 2 Julio Almanza - CMU 3 Gabriella Echavarria - GRCC 3 Matt Johnson - GVSU 4 Gabrielle Post - LMC 4 Ryan Nolan - GRCC 5 Lakota Himmelein - FSU 5 Adam Harris - Olivet College 6 Dalia Alvarez - WMU 6 Newton Cortes - GRCC 7 Allison Knikelbine - WMU 7 Austin Benefiel - LMC 8 Taylor Van Oss – LMC 8 Derrick Bradley - GRCC 9 Lexus Wilson - GVSU 9 Trevor Coon - GRCC 10 Nadia Martinez Estrada - FSU 10 Pedro Mendoza - Ashworth College
11 Jonathan McHaney - GRCC V.F.W. POST 7911 $500.00
Kira Zugel (1 @ $500; nonrenewable)
GREATER FENNVILLE CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE SCHOLARSHIP $500.00
David Hernandez (1 @ $500; nonrenewable) $500.00
Missie Latham (1 @ $500; nonrenewable) CHUCK SYMONS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP $1,000.00
Hope Judge CLASS OF 1963 SCHOLARSHIP $1,000.00
Missie Latham (1 @ $1000; nonrenewable) HUSTLE AND HARMONY SCHOLARSHIP Allison Chappell (1 @ $500; nonrenewable) $2,000.00
Aaron Overhiser (1 @ $500; nonrenewable)
CeJhay Svay (1 @ $500; nonrenewable) Sydney Dejonge (1 @ $500; nonrenewable) SAUGATUCK/DOUGLAS GARDEN CLUB $2,000.00
Maria Dorado (1 @ $2000; nonrenewable) MYRTIE AND ETHELYN PAINE MEMORIAL
SCHOLARSHIP $28,000.00
Mitchell Leonard (1 @ $28,000; nonrenewable scholarship
at Hope College)
Total scholarship amount given:
$183,100.00
Awards
William A. Sexton Varsity Club
Award
Allison Chappell
Sydney DeJonge
Wesley James Leonard Athletic
Award
Sydney DeJonge
Mitchell Leonard
MHSAA Scholar – Athlete Award
Mitchell Leonard
Allison Chappell
Preston Brewer
Sydney DeJonge
Daughters of the American
Revolution DAR Good
Citizenship Award
Aaron Overhiser
Michigan Competitive
Achievement Award
Anthony Boylan
Preston Brewer
Allison Chappell
David Hernandez
Mitchell Leonard
Jose Martinez
Catlyn Mayou
Aaron Overhiser
CeJhay Svay
LaShoune Allen
Ladders of Hope Volunteer
Service Award
Rowan Brown
US Marines Scholastic
Excellence Award
Sydney DeJonge
Preston Brewer
Art Department Award
(received art supplies from Mrs.
Stratton)
Aurora Almanza
Band Awards
Jose Martinez- John Phillip
Sousa Award
David Hernandez – Gilmore
Band Award
Missie Latham – Directors Award
Duane Joostberns Social
Studies Prize
Allison Chappell
Outstanding Vocalists for
Choral Dept. (received $200
scholarship money from Choral
Department) $400.00
Hope Judge
Luis Martinez
ACATEC Awards
Bradley Gooding – Student of
the Year
Joseph Groenewoud – Perfect
Attendance
Brittany Hughes – Perfect
Attendance and Student of the
Year and National Technical
Honor Society
Fennville Marching Band
Performance Schedule Fall - 2015
August 27 - - - September 11September 18September 25October 2 - - - October 3 - - - -
Home Football Game - Halftime
Home Football Game - Halftime
Home Football Game - Halftime
Competition @ Grand Haven HS
Home Football Game - Halftime
Competition @ Hastings HS
October 6 - - - October 10 - - October 16 - - October 17 - - October 24 - - -
MSBOA Marching Festival
Goose Festival Parade
Home Football Game - Halftime
Competition @ Allendale HS
Competition @ Jenison HS
Fennville senior and percussion section leader Taylor
Lopez has his mind on
both the past and the
future as he prepares
for the upcoming
marching season just
a few weeks away.
Fenn
Gettin
for
S
For the past his thoughts
return to last February when
Lopez and the rest of the band
achieved perfect scores at the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association concert festival in Jenison,
the highest rating a Fennville band
has received since 1998.
“When we received the highest scores
in Jenison last February, I had a great
feeling of pride and accomplishment,”
Lopez said. “I had the feeling that we
had really done something special
and that we had come so far.”
But Lopez isn’t satisfied with letting
last February be where the progress
ends.
“We can’t rest on where we were last
February,” he said. “We have to continue the hard work it took to get there.
We’ve gone through a lot of changes
during my time in the band. We’ve
progressed and we’ve made mistakes,
but I think we’re ready for a big year.”
On Wednesdays through the summer
months, Lopez and other members of
the Fennville drumline have gathered
at the high school to rehearse and
to make sure they are ready for the
opening of marching season on August 3, when the entire band returns
to school for band camp.
“As a senior it’s my turn to be a leader,”
Lopez said. “I’m working to make sure
the drum line is the best section in the
band. Last year we got so much closer
to being the best Class C drumline in
our competitions, and I think we can
get there this year.”
Fennville Director of Bands Paul
Andrews likes the leadership and example his senior band members have
been providing in the band program
as he prepares for fall. Andrews knew
he had to replace five hardworking
seniors who graduated in June, but
also knew the next group of leaders
would step up now that it’s their turn
to lead.
“We’re still a young band program
and we still have room to grow, but
High School
nville Band
ng in Rhythm
Marching
Season
Fennville Senior Tours Europe
as Ambassador of Jazz
Fifty miles from the English Channel in northern France, in the historic town of Elbeuf, on the banks
of the Seine River, it occurred to
Fennville High School senior Cameron Obbink as he played a Duke
Ellington song on his saxophone,
that he was now a United States
Ambassador of jazz, that very
American music he had come to
Europe to play.
Obbink was traveling and performing with the Blue Lake International Jazz Orchestra, and the
realization of his responsibility
swelled in him like air swelling in
his lungs between the notes of
the song.
we have a really good core group of musicians,” Andrews said.
“My seniors are now kids who have traveled all the way through
high school with me, and they are starting to really understand
that hard work pays off.”
9
“I realized I had a responsibility to
be a role model because what I did
would reflect well or badly on so
many things,” he said. “It wasn’t just
my behavior as an American teenager, but it was my quality as a musician
to represent American jazz, to be part
of an ensemble that could entertain
an audience at a professional level.”
For Andrews the secret to the growth has been finding the right
balance between challenging his students and providing them
Obbink soon found that he liked
opportunities to be successful.
the role of ambassador. “We were
“I’ve pushed kids to take steps to grow, but not asked them to playing for actual audiences who
take leaps,” he said. “I have looked for steady progress, and that cared about what we played. Amerhas definitely resulted in the band growing and getting better. ican jazz is very popular in the small
It even comes down to music selection and the challenge of
towns in France and Italy where we
the marching drill. This season we’ll be memorizing sixty-three
played, and people held us up to
separate sets of drill. That would not have been possible a couple
high standards and expectations for
of years ago.”
an entertaining performance. And
As for the music in this year’s show, Andrews can’t help but smile when we interacted with our hosts
when he thinks of the show his band will present to audiences at in France and Italy, our manners were
football games and marching competitions.
important. We engaged in conver“This year the band will be playing a show called ‘Funk’. The sation instead of just being on our
music will get everybody excited. It should be a great show and phones. It was a real eye-opener.”
a great season.”
Obbink’s next musical challenge will
Taylor Lopez agrees as his thoughts turn towards the future of be to return to the Fennville High
School Marching Band in his role
the band.
as drum major for the fall marching
“My favorite part of marching band is after we play and we’re
season. Obbink is looking forward to
waiting for results,” Lopez said. “The climax of the event is when
continuing the success he had in Euawards are handed out and the person says Fennville over the
rope with the Fennville band this fall.
loudspeaker. That’s when our hard work will pay off. This year we
“I spent the summer working to get
should hear Fennville called out many times.”
to a professional standard of music,
“And we’re playing funk music. It doesn’t get much better than
and that’s the same approach I want
that.”
to bring back to the school band,” Obbink said. “I learned a lot this summer
about working with an ensemble to
get to a better sound. I want our fall
show to be enjoyable and held to a
high standard for the audiences we
entertain.”
After high school Obbink plans to
continue his growth as a musician,
attending a nearby university such
as Western or Central Michigan or
Grand Valley State to study both
computer science and music education. He plans to hold onto that
piece of his experience in Europe he
brought back to Fennville with him
after his tour in July, though he can’t
exactly put it into words.
“I can’t even describe it,” he said. “I
can’t explain the beauty of cathedrals
or the sense of tradition and history
that seems so much older than our
fast-paced world in the United States.
All I can say is that it was an experience and because of that experience
I’ve picked up so many things that are
now a part of me.”
As American jazz great Louis Armstrong was reported to have said
about jazz when a reporter asked
him to define it, man, if you’ve gotta
ask, you’ll never know, Obbink will
work to help the Fennville Marching
Band find that unexplainable joy that
comes from a great performance.
“Being a successful ensemble has to
start with the drive and hard work of
each musician,” he said. “But when
the ensemble comes together, when
the band becomes a family and everybody is doing his or her part, the
music becomes so amazing you can’t
even put it into words.”
high school athletics
10
Fennville Fans: The Class of the League
As the new SAC league begins this fall, new Fennville Athletic Director
Frank Marietta is encouraging all Blackhawk players and fans to become
the “classiest team in the league” in the way we compete and represent
our school and community at both home and away games.
“As our teams compete, we want to be champions both on the fields
and courts, and also in the stands,” Marietta said. “Other schools and
communities notice when fans represent their school and community
with pride and character. We want to win, we want to cheer the loudest,
but we also want to do everything with integrity and character.”
With the expansion of the SAC league, Marietta believes it’s a great time
to show all of Southwest Michigan what it means to be a Blackhawk.
“Our teams and fans will be visiting some new schools and communities this fall season, and fans from new communities will be visiting our
District for the very first time. We want them to be impressed with everything about Fennville.”
N ew and E x panded
Southwest Athletic Conference
Schedules Begin This Fall
Fennville teams will face off against new conference foes starting with
the fall athletics season, thanks to the eight-team expansion of the
Southwest Athletic Conference. The expanded conference of twenty
teams is now the largest small-school conference in West Michigan, and
will allow more teams in our area to compete at the championship level.
Below you’ll find conference alignments for fall sports. Driving directions
to each school can be found on the Fennville.org website, on the high
school page, under the athletics section.
SAC SPORTS DIVISIONS
Football Divisions
Lakeshore
Fennville
Coloma
Watervliet
Constantine
Delton
United
Central
Gobles
Bangor
Hartford
Lawton
Schoolcraft
Galesburg Augusta
Valley
Bloomingdale
Eau Claire
Marcellus
Decatur
Saugatuck
Martin
Volleyball Divisions
Lakeshore
Bangor
Coloma
Fennville
Saugatuck
Hartford
Gobles
Watervliet
Central
Marcellus
Decatur
Eau Claire
Lawrence
Martin
Bloomingdale
Valley
Schoolcraft
K. Christian
Constantine
Lawton
Hacket
Galesburg Augusta
Delton Kellogg
Soccer Divisions
East
Hackett
K. Christian
Gobles
Marcellus
Lawton
Delton
Schoolcraft
West
Fennville
Hartford
Bangor
Coloma
Saugatuck
Bloomingdale
Cross County Divisions
East
Bloomingdale
Constantine
Delton
Galesburg Augusta
Gobles
K. Christian
Hackett
Lawton
Marcellus
Schoolcraft
West
Bangor
Coloma
Decatur
Eau Clarie
Fennville
Hartford
Lawrence
Saugatuck
Watervliet
Fennville Cross Country
The Fennville Cross-Country team begins the season with eight runners, four boys and four girls, but Coach Jeff Sexton knows the team
can grow once the school year begins.
“We hope to finish in the top half of the league this season, and I’ll be
looking for some new freshman to join the team in the next weeks
to make our team that much stronger,” Sexton said. “The teams grow
when kids start to figure out that it can be fun to run competitively.
Part of my job in getting new runners is to convince them that it is.”
Sexton is excited to compete in the new league with the new schools
of the SAC. He says his team has done training over the summer.
“The kids on the team are excited,” Sexton said. “The kids I have so far
are Dylan Aalderink, Cliff Morse, Jacob Morse, Braden Griffin, Hannah
Schneider, Lindsay Cossey, Esmeralda Suarez, and Desiree Garcia.” high school athletics
Fennville Boys’ Soccer
Soccer coach Kyle Nevenzel comes into the season with the challenge and the opportunity to build his team again. The Blackhawk
boys’ soccer team graduated a core group of seniors last year, and
this season the team has important holes to fill.
“We had a solid group of players graduate last year, so this year I get
to see who will step up into important roles for our team,” Nevenzel
said. “It’s always exciting to see at the beginning of every season
from a coaching standpoint who develops into leaders in key positions.”
Nevenzel said his team will be young, but his players are on board
with the challenge of the season.
“The players are enthused and ready to go,” he said. “We have a
challenging schedule this season and that means measuring our
program with some of the better teams in the area. That’s an extra
motivation. But our players and our community loves soccer, and
the kids sure enjoy playing in front of fans.”
11
Fennville Cheer
In her 2012 senior picture, Tiffany Strickfaden
wore her Fennville cheerleading uniform
to make a statement about how much she
loved her sport, her school, and her town.
Strickfaden is now back on the home team
sidelines with that same love as the new
coach of the Fennville Varsity Cheer Team.
“I’ve always wanted to be a cheerleading
coach, and I couldn’t imagine doing it anywhere else,” Strickfaden said. “I love Fennville,
and in my coaching I try to reflect the love
I have for how great our school is and how
great our community is so my athletes grow
up with those same feelings.”
The 2015 fall team consists of twelve students and Strickfaden has seen them gel as
a team right away in practice.
2012 graduate Tiffany
Strickfaden is now Coach
Strickfaden, back on the
sidelines with the Blackhawk Varsity Cheer Team.
“I am excited by how well my team members want to work together and
help each other accomplish the tasks I put in front of them,” she said.
“They work really well as a team. I don’t see separation in them, and
that’s what it means to come together in support of all Fennville stands
for in all we do.”
During the fall sports season Strickfaden’s team will do all they can to
help the success of our teams, especially on the sidelines during football
games.
“During games the fans will see us cheering and keeping our energy up.
In our way, we’re helping the team and the crowd stay enthusiastic for
the game, and that kind of spirit of coming together is what Fennville
is all about. It’s something to be proud of and celebrate all the time, no
matter the score of the game.”
Community athletic center
Hours of Operation
Summer Hours
Weekday Mornings:
Weekday Evenings:
Saturday:
Sunday: 6:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
(Closed Friday Afternoon and Evening)
8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
School Year
Weekday Mornings:
Weekday Evenings:
Saturday:
Sunday:
6:00 am. – 10:00 a.m.
3:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
(Closed Friday Afternoon and Evening)
8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Inclement Weather
When school is closed or closes early due to inclement weather or
other emergencies, the Fennville Community Athletic Center will be
closed as well.
The Fennville Community Athletic Center also will be closed when a
TORNADO WATCH OR WARNING is issued. In case of a two-hour delay,
the Fennville Community Athletic Center will be open from 8:00 a.m. –
10:00 a.m.
Holiday Hours
September 7, 2015
November 26, 2015
November 27, 2015
December 24, 2015
December 25, 2015
December 31, 2015
January 1, 2016
March 27, 2016
May 30, 2016
July 4, 2016
September 5, 2016
Closed – Labor Day
Closed – Thanksgiving
6:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
6:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Closed – Christmas Day
6:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Closed – New Year’s Day
Closed – Easter
Closed – Memorial Day
Closed – Fourth of July
Closed – Labor Day
Fennville Fire Chief Sarah Bushee reminds all Community Athletic
Center users to be sure to sign in and leave their membership cards
at the front desk at check in, to sign in and out of the center, and
to pick up cards when they exit. In an effort to make the safety and
security of all of our guests and our facilities our number one priority,
we need to keep track of our users and guests in the CAC.
Thank you for helping take care of our facilities, and for helping us
take care of you.
12
high school Athletics
On August 10 mlive.com sports reporter Cory Olsen joined the
Blackhawk Varsity Football Team for the first practice of the season, a
midnight practice under the lights of George S. Bruder Stadium on the
Fennville High School campus. His story about the team and additional
photos can be found online at mlive.com. (Photo by Cory Olsen).
Fennville Athletics Provide
Life-long Lessons
Athletics are an integral part of the educational process of Fennville
Public Schools. If our athletic program is to be successful, it must encourage individual fitness, develop a knowledge and appreciation of
sports, teach athletic skills and cultivate a competitive nature with
good sportsmanship. To this end, the athletic program is designed to
stress that:
The student-athlete learns the value of teamwork, self-discipline, hard
work and personal sacrifice, all of which prepare the student-athlete for
success in a democratic society.
The student-athlete learns in a positive manner to cope with the competitive nature of society. The student-athlete learns the value of success, realizing that s/he will not always win, but s/he can succeed when
they continually strive to improve.
The student-athlete learns to be a good sport. Through participation
in athletics, the student-athlete must develop
emotional control, honesty and cooperativeness and learn to be modest in victory
and gracious in defeat.
The student-athlete learns the importance of having a sound physical body.
To enjoy life and to be a contributing
citizen, one must develop good health
habits and must maintain a high degree of physical fitness.
Members of the Fennville volleyball program take a break from team
camp this summer for a little team bonding at the beach.
Fennville Volleyball
New varsity volleyball coach Christy Haynes is excited to get started
in a season of firsts. It’s her first season coaching the varsity squad in
Fennville and the first year of what she plans to be new successes for
her program. But she knows where it all starts.
“The girls have come to tryouts willing to work hard,” Haynes said. “And
that’s where it2 starts. I am seeing that girls want to win, but first we
have to work hard to improve our skills. The girls are already going at
it hard.”
Sixteen girls showed up for varsity tryouts, and from that group and the
jayvee group she’ll work with other coaches in the program to create
the high school teams. Haynes is thinking about each decision for what
it means for her program.
“I want Fennville Volleyball to be visible in our community,” she said. “I
want the girls to think about service, and I want them to reach out to
the young girls in our school system as role models. Fennville Volleyball is always going to be about enthusiasm, teamwork, and hard work.
That’s how we’re going to build.”
And so far the new coach likes what she sees.
Community
13
Free School Breakfast
Gosling Run Time Change:
After ten years of running in the afternoon, the
Gosling Run race time will be moving to 10:30
a.m. beginning in 2015. Mark your calendars for
October 10, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. Late registration/
packet pick up beginning at 8:30 a.m. Stretching
will begin at 10 a.m. Look for entry forms this fall!
Hope to see you there!
Breakfast is offered to all students in the elementary school, middle
school, and high school for no charge every school day. Breakfast service is located in the school cafeterias. There are a variety of items on
the menu, such as pancakes, scrambled eggs, waffles, cereal, muffins,
and fresh fruit. Check your school breakfast menu on the Fennville
district website for daily choices. Elementary menus are sent home
with students monthly, and breakfast and lunch menus are posted
in all school cafeterias. Breakfast is a key component to academic
success: studies have shown that students who eat breakfast perform
better on tests, pay better attention during class, and receive higher
all-around grades.
“Se Habla Español”
Si usted necesita el servicio de traducción,
o información en español, por favor llame
a Alicia Rodríguez en la oficina central, al
269-561-7331, ext. 1120. Si los estudiantes
requieren servicios en español en la clase, hay
servicios para ayudar su estudiante.
FOR PARENTS
One of the best ways to stay informed about what’s happening in our
schools is to check out the Fennville Public Schools page on Facebook
and hit the “LIKE” button. On the Facebook page you’ll find information
about our Open House and other school events. It’s updated frequently
and all year long. You’ll even find many back-to-school supply lists created for students in our elementary and middle schools. If you are not
a Facebook user, stop by one of the school offices to pick up the supply
lists you need.
Summer Renovations
The maintenance crew spent much of the summer updating and renovating school facilities to make sure our buildings and grounds always
reflect the high expectations the Fennville community has for care and upkeep of school property, and also the tremendous support provided
to the District in 2013 through the establishment of the Sinking Fund. The Fennville Athletic Boosters also provided a generous donation to
support the installation of new fencing.
This summer in the high school building corridors were painted and carpet was installed in multiple hallways. At the middle school the
sinking fund allowed for the installation of two exterior doors.
The yearly cleaning, sanitizing, and maintenance of student lockers took place in all the buildings, and grounds around the District were
maintained and updated, including the transition of an area outside the elementary building into a green space for outdoor play and learning.
14
Transportation
Transportation Information for Parents
Welcome to the 2015 - 2016 school year at Fennville Public Schools. It is a pleasure to serve your
school transportation needs. Families will receive
they can do. For their safety, all
students must remain seated,
facing forward, and be reasonably quiet. Silence is required at
railroad crossings.
We have made only minimal changes to our
school bus routes to assure an efficient and safe
start to our school year. If you have any questions,
the Transportation Office phone number is 269-561-8131.
We cannot stress enough how important it is for
students to be on their best behavior.
a mailing with specific bus and route information
shortly
Below are some easy to follow rules for safe student transportation. Please be on the lookout for this important information!
1. Parents are responsible for their children until they are aboard the
school bus.
2. Students must be waiting at their assigned bus stop. The bus will
not stop for tardy students.
3. Students ready to board the bus must wait until the bus is fully
stopped and has the RED overhead flashers activated.
4. Students may ride only their assigned bus to and from their assigned
bus stop. To ensure student safety as our first priority, we cannot accommodate occasional or last minute changes in your child’s bus stop.
If you have an emergency, contact the office to make arrangements
to have your child remain at school until you or your designee can
come to pick up the child.
5. Parents are responsible for making sure someone is at the bus stop
to receive young children.
Discipline on The School Bus
Disturbances on board the bus can distract the driver. Insubordinate behavior will not be tolerated and the bus driver is authorized
to suspend a student’s riding privilege immediately for any form of
disrespect or serious misconduct.
Please understand that the bus drivers have been instructed that they
cannot allow unauthorized persons to board the bus. Drivers cannot
have a meeting with you at the bus stop. If you have questions or
concerns to discuss with the driver, please call the bus garage to make
an appointment or to request that the driver give you a phone call.
Thank you for your continued support of our safe transportation
operations.
Route # 1. . . . . .
Route # 4. . . . . .
Route # 5. . . . . .
Route # 6. . . . . .
Route # 9. . . . . .
Route # 10. . . . .
Route # 11. . . . .
Route # 12. . . . .
Mrs. Phelps
Mrs. Boerkoel
Mrs. Fernandez
Ms. Reeves
Mrs. Oetman
Mrs. Goodell
Mrs. Liebbe
Mr. Merleau
Route # 15. . . . . . Mrs. DeJonge
Route # 16. . . . . . Mrs. Schlack
Route # 17. . . . . . Mr. Ekhardt
Route # 19. . . . . . Mr. Schut
Route # 20. . . . . . Ms. Sackett
Head Mechanic – Jerry Oetman
Director of Transportation
John Schlack – 269-561-8131
We could attempt to list all of the things your child can’t do on the
bus but it’s much easier for them to understand if we explain what
alumni
Class Of 1950 Class Reunion
JULY 23, 24, & 25, 2015
Seven members of the Class of 1950 enjoyed three days of reunion activities this summer, returning to Fennville for 65th class reunion events
from their homes in Florida, Vermont, and different parts of Michigan.
At times and at different events the class members were joined also
by spouses, children and grandchildren, beginning with a July 23 pizza
dinner and white elephant gift exchange at the Holland home of Jean
Franken.
On Friday, July 24 class members met at Fennville High School to tour
Alumni Hall and found that the memorial to Fennville graduating classes was nicely presented and brought back fond memories. From the
high school the group had lunch at Crane’s Pie Pantry, then headed to
Fenn Valley Winery for a wagon tour of the vineyards. The day concluded with fellowship at McKellip’s and a delicious dinner at Salt of the
Earth restaurant in downtown Fennville.
Top Row. L to R: Virginai (Galbreath) Stone, LaVerne (Schumacher) Wise,
Norma (Crane) Hungerford, Jean Ffranken. Bottom Row. L to R: Elinir
(Earl) Schultz, Dawn (Dinneen) Dornan. Missing: Lois (Holton) Conatser.
The group met one more time on Saturday, July 25 for a farewell breakfast in Holland. And while it would have been nice if more classmates
had been able to make the reunion, the old friends and classmates had
a wonderful time and talked about so many good memories of their
years in Fennville.
food service news
15
Do You Qualify for Free or Reduced Meals?
Lunch Balances and Deposits
Apply Online or by Paper Application!
Each student has his/her own lunch account; a lunch account is accessed using the student’s identification number or name. Lunch accounts must be prepaid, they are not to be used as a charge account,
rather, much like a checking or debit account. Student lunch account
balances transfer from the end of the last school year.
Consult the chart below to see if your family may be eligible for free or
reduced meals:
Please remember that lunch accounts need to be prepaid or the student
must have cash. We appreciate your diligence to be assured your child’s
lunch account does not go into arrears. If you would like to know your
child’s account balance go to www.sendmoneytoschool.com or call/
email, George Siedis at (269) 561-7331 ext. 4262 [email protected].
There are several different methods of suitable payment, please use
whichever is easiest for you.
*
*
*
*For each additional household member, add this amount.
If you think you may be eligible, there are two ways to apply:
Parents can go online to complete the annual Free/Reduced Meal Benefit Application! Simply go to the Fennville Schools website at: www.
fennville.org and click on Food Services. Go to www.Lunchapp.com.
to complete your family application. Once there, follow instructions to
complete your student’s meal benefit application online.
If you do not wish to complete your application online, complete the
paper application that will be available before and during the beginning of the school year.
Please make sure to include all household members and income on the
application. Only one application per family needs to be submitted.
A letter will be sent to your home stating the meal benefits for all students listed on the application. If you do not qualify now for free and
reduced benefits, you may fill out an application at any time during the
school year if your family size and/or income changes.
PRICES FOR 2015-2016
ElementaryMiddle/HighSchool
Breakfast: Free for all students
Breakfast: Free for all students
Lunch: $2.25
Lunch: $2.45
Reduced Lunch: $.40
Reduced Lunch: $.40
Milk: $.75
Milk: $.75
Parents may use the online payment method using a Credit/Debit card
for a small fee. Simply go to www.SendMoneyToSchool.com. You can
do this easily from the Fennville School website on the Food Services
page. You will need to have your student’s ID number used for their
lunch account, which can be obtained by contacting the Food Service
Director listed above.
Students can bring payment to their classroom giving it to the teacher, make sure the check or cash is in a sealed envelope with the students first and last name, grade, teacher, amount of deposit, and clearly
marked as ‘Lunch Money’ on the outside of the envelope.
Payment may be dropped off at the school office in an envelope clearly
marked, as stated in the above option.
Payment may be sent through the mail to the Fennville Public Schools
Food Service Department.
A student may make payment at lunch or breakfast, handing the payment directly to the cashier.
If you would like to deposit money into more than one child’s account,
just make sure to note that on the envelope and designate amount
wished in each child’s account. One check or cash amount may be split
between students.
Regardless of the payment method used, you may go online at any time
to see your student’s lunch balance, make a deposit, and see what they
are purchasing in the cafeteria. To do so, sign up for a free account on
www.sendmoneytoschool.com using the directions noted above.
The Fennville School Food Service Department offers healthy food
choices to all students. We strive to help students make smart nutritional Choices. All menu and ala-carte items offered in the cafeterias are
evaluated for their nutritional value.
Si necesita ayuda traduciendo, por favor llame a Alicia Rodriguez a 269561-7331.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the basis of race, color,
national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status,
sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment
or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited basis will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.)
If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://
www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing
all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office
of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at [email protected].
Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800)
845-6136 (Spanish).
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
FENNVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
2015-2016 SCHOOL CALENDAR
August
31
September
1
7
8
October
20
21 22
November
5
6
25-27
December 21-31
January 1
4
29
February 16
17
19
22
March
15
17
31
April
1-8
11 May 30
June 9
10
Professional Development for Staff 8:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Professional Development for Staff 8:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Open House 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
LABOR DAY – NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS OR STAFF
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
6-8 Parent-Teacher Conferences 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
K-12 Parent-Teacher Conferences 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
K-5 Parent-Teacher Conferences 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
9-12 Parent-Teacher Conferences 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
End of First Marking Period
NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS – Professional Development for Staff
THANKSGIVING BREAK – NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS OR STAFF
HOLIDAY BREAK - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS OR STAFF
HOLIDAY BREAK – NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS OR STAFF
School Resumes
End of Second Marking Period – HALF DAY FOR STUDENTS
Students dismissed at 11:05 a.m.
Full Day for Staff
K-8 Parent-Teacher Conferences 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
K-8 Parent-Teacher Conferences 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS OR STAFF
NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS – Professional Development for Staff
9-12 Parent-Teacher Conferences 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
9-12 Parent-Teacher Conferences 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
End of Third Marking Period
SPRING BREAK – NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS OR STAFF
School Resumes
MEMORIAL DAY – NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS OR STAFF
LAST DAY OF SCHOOL – HALF DAY FOR STUDENTS
Students dismissed at 11:05 a.m.
Full Day for Staff
Half Day for Staff
Fennville Public Schools
5 Memorial Drive
Fennville, Michigan 49408
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