This Week In the Ann Arbor Public Schools

November 21, 2011

  • The Wines Student Council held its annual Halloween UNICEF fundraiser and set a big goal of collecting $1000 and exceeded that goal by $26.00!!  Many thanks go out to all the students who participated and to all the families who made donations. Now the money will go to UNICEFf to help children around the world who are in need of food, school and medical supplies, clean water, and warm blankets.  Beth McNally is the faculty advisor.
  • For Northside second grader, Mridula Shanker, breaking world records comes naturally! After teaching herself to hula-hoop by watching videos on YouTube about a year ago, Mridula already has one Guinness World Record under her belt. And she’s got her sights set on a few more.  "I love doing it," Mridula said, although she's not quite sure why she likes it so much. She said she mostly hula-hoops by herself, although she's showed off some of her skills to her friends, too. And of course she's already planning for this year's talent show.  "I like breaking records," she says.  Mridula also holds a slew of other records — including Most Hula Hoop Rotations Around Foot While Lying Down (175), Longest Time Hula Hooping Around Foot While Lying Down (71 minutes, 35 seconds) and Longest Hula Hoop Rotation On One Leg (14 minutes, 1 second) — listed on http://recordsetter.com/ Mridula brought her Guiness award to school to share.  She was so excited.  To read the entire article on Mridula please go to Ann Arbor.com.
  • The Pioneer Men's Water Polo Team won the State Championship defeating Huron 6-5.
    The Awards below were voted on by the coaches of the Michigan Water Polo Association
      * All State Awards (Season)
         1st Team: Max Benson and Seiji Osawa
         2nd Team: Davis Argersinger
         Coach of the Year: Will Hart

      * State Tournament Awards
         1st Team: Max Benson and Seiji Osawa
         2nd Team: Davis Argersinger
         Honorable Mention: Reizo Osawa

      * East Region Awards (Season)
         1st Team: Max Benson and Seiji Osawa
         2nd Team: Davis Argersinger

  • Pioneer also had seven student-athletes that made Academic All-State with a GPA of 3.75 or higher.
  • The U.S.A. Hockey National Under-18 Team beat Switzerland, 6-2, to win the championship of the Four Nations tournament.  This is the team’s fourth straight championship.
  • The U.S.A. Hockey National Under-17 Team defeated Russia, 5-0, to win the Four Nations Tournament in their division.  This is their third straight championship.
  • The Ann Arbor Public Schools has been named as a State Academic Champion by Bridge Magazine.
    In total, Bridge Magazine recognized 60 school districts from across Michigan as State Academic Champions for excelling in academic categories ranging from fourth-grade reading to college readiness to graduation rates.
    The winning districts are named in the Nov. 15 edition of Bridge Magazine, the online news magazine published by The Center for Michigan at www.BridgeMi.com. The Bridge stories also examined winning school districts' keys to success that can be learned by other districts across the state.
    The school districts were selected based on state statistics, such as MEAP and ACT scores, collected and compiled in a database for the magazine by Public Sector Consultants, a Lansing-based research firm.
    Bridge chose to name the winning districts in November to parallel the state’s high school football championships, which culminate this month at Ford Field. Districts were split into eight divisions, just like in football, but the academic divisions were crafted by community type and socioeconomic status.
    “Restoring prosperity to Michigan depends on increasing the number of people in our state with advanced academic credentials and talents,” said John Bebow, executive director of The Center for Michigan. “To get there, we need our K-12 schools to improve. We are proud to be able to recognize Michigan school districts that appear to be well on their way to helping create a higher educated workforce in our state.”
    Published by the Center for Michigan, Bridge Magazine debuted Sept. 6 at www.BridgeMI.com. Twice a week (on Tuesdays and Thursdays) the free, online magazine publishes in-depth stories about the most important issues and challenges facing Michigan written and edited by veteran, award-winning journalists.
  • Congratulations to the entire staff for your part in preparing our students well and for the recognition our district is receiving from “Bridge Magazine” for your efforts.  Thank you, one and all, for all you do, every day, for our students and their families as well as for our district as a whole. 
  • Best wishes to each of you for a happy and peaceful Thanksgiving.

Patricia P. Green, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Ann Arbor Public Schools