This Week In the Ann Arbor Public Schools

January 17, 2012

• I hope everyone enjoyed the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.  I attended a very good program, The Second Achievement Gap Forum, hosted by the Ann Arbor Chapter of the Links, Inc. in partnership with the Ann Arbor Chapter of the NAACP.  The program featured a video entitled, “Beyond the Bricks,” followed by a panel discussion.  “Beyond the Bricks” is a media project and national community engagement campaign that seeks to promote solutions for one of America’s critical problems in education, the consistently low performance and graduation rates of school age Black males.  A panel discussion followed with panelists, Larry Rowley, University of Michigan professor; State Representative David Rutledge, D-Superior Township; William Hampton, NAACP President; and Patricia Douglass Jenkins, Skyline teacher.  The moderator for the discussion was Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education Joyce Hunter.  Everyone involved did a tremendous job.  It was a wonderful event.
• I also had an enjoyable and enlightening time Skyline’s Service Fair on Wednesday, January 11.  This was the first Skyline Service Fair and was a part of the Skyline celebration of Dr. King, in honor of his commitment to service to the community.  Over 15 organizations from the community attended including:
  Huron Valley Humane society
  Michigan Theater
  Glacier Hills Retirement Community
  Emergency Food Pantry
  Habitat for Humanity
  Ozone House
  SOS Crisis Center
  City of Ann Arbor's Natural Area Preservation & Adopt-A-Park Programs
  St. Joseph Mercy Hospice
  Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice
  Washtenaw-Lenawee Chapter of the American Red Cross
  Ten Thousand Villages
  Washtenaw County Democrats
  Steps For Kids
  SafeHouse Center
  Girls on the Run
  Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum
  American Cancer Society
  All of these groups are in need of volunteers.  They were very pleased to have the chance to meet with and hopefully inspire Skyline students to volunteer some of their time. During Skytime, students had a chance to take a look at all of the opportunities available and possibly make a decision to volunteer with one of these groups.
  The Skyline staff members were very excited to host this event at and help to continue Dr. King's message and commitment to service in one's community.  Many thanks and congratulations to mathematics teacher Toni Burton for her leadership in organizing the event.
• A2Tech student Lauren Barnes-Whitehead has been selected as a recipient of the 2012-2013 Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship.  This award recognizes high school seniors for their commitment to community service, academic achievement, and demonstrated leadership. Lauren plans on attending college at either Eastern Michigan University or Wayne State University.
• Huron 10^th grade student, Andy Hsiao, a member of Huron’s Interact Club, the student division of the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor, organized a tee shirt fundraiser to benefit the citizens of Japan after the earthquake and tsunami.  Through his “Fight on, Japan!” fundraiser project Andy raised over $2,500 for the Rotary Japan and Pacific Islands 2011 Disaster Recovery Fund.  Mr. Edwin R. Wier, Director of the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor wrote, “It is gratifying to see students willing to put the needs of others above their own.  Andy Hsiao and his entire student support network are to be commended for their fine work.  Andy and his fellow students truly exemplify the Rotary motto “service above self.”  We are proud of Andy and the students at Huron for their efforts on behalf of the citizens of Japan.
• Huron’s Business Professionals of America Chapter attended the BPA Regionals Leadership Conference in Dearborn, Friday, January 6, 2012.  There were seventy-six students and six Advisors—Diane Stocker-Bendersky, Karen Eisley, Christy Garrett, Scott Hunter, Dorothea Bryant and Craig Jobe, who attended.  The students placed in 39 out of the 46 events offered.  Out of the 76 students who attended, 61 are eligible for the State Conference in March.  Huron students won an outstanding grand total of 95 awards.
  Huron’s Chapter received 21 first place awards, 17-second place awards, 10 third place awards, 9 fourth place awards, 11 fifth place awards and 8 sixth place awards.  They continued the tradition of all teams successfully placing.   Additionally, they also had 18 students earn the Diplomat Torch Award – more than in any other year.  Click on the following link to view individual student wins: http://www.aaps.k12.mi.us/huron.bpa/regional_winners_-_2012
• Ann Arbor Skyline High School DECA chapter attended the DECA District Career and Development Conference/Competition on Thursday, January 12, 2012 at Eastern Michigan University.  The twenty-eight students who attended won 27 medals and 15 students qualified to move on to the State Career Development Conference/Competition held in Dearborn, MI. March 9-11, 2012.  DECA is a co-curricular program for high school marketing and business students.  DECA activities are integrated into Skyline's Business Magnet Program as well as the various business electives including Marketing and Business Fundamentals.  The competitive events use interviews, tests, role-plays, case studies and written projects to evaluate marketing and management skills. Advisor Diane Fine is extremely proud of these outstanding students and hopes that all of AAPS will help to congratulate them! Many DECA students continue on to top business schools all across the country.
  Ann Arbor Skyline DECA 2012 – District Competition Results
  CHAPTER AWARDS
  Gimme 5 Award – given to chapters with outstanding recruitment activities
  TEST MEDAL – Top 5 highest test score in event
  Ramya Chinta – Marketing Management
  Blake Ebright – Human Resource Management
  Desert Klein – Principles of Marketing
  Dillon Stuart – Hotel and Lodging
  Jeff Yuen – Sports and Entertainment Marketing – Team Decision Making
  ROLE PLAY MEDAL – 1st place finish for role play event
  Samir Desai – Restaurant Management
  Courtney Maulbetsch – Hospitality Services - Team Decision Making
  Dillon Stuart – Hotel and Lodging
  Kevin Vasher – Sports and Entertainment Marketing – Team Decision Making
  Tommy Vaughan - Hospitality Services - Team Decision Making
  Jeff Yuen – Sports and Entertainment Marketing – Team Decision Making
  DISTRICT FINALISTS  (advance to DECA State Career Development Conference)
  Tharindu Caldera – Principles of Business Management
  David Cui – Principles of Finance
  Ramya Chinta – Marketing Management
  Samir Desai – Restaurant Management Services
  Blake Ebright – Human Resource Management
  Celina Stead – Sports and Entertainment Marketing
  Dillon Stuart – Hotel and Lodging
  Team of Jungil Choi and Max Xu – Buying and Merchandising Team
  Team of Addison Coleman-Brewer and Ethan Hiltner – Marketing Communications Team
  Team of Kevin Vasher and Jeff Yuen – Sports and Entertainment Marketing Team
  Team of Courtney Maulbetsch and Tommy Vaughan – Hospitality Services Team
  TEAMWORK and LEADERSHIP TEAM  For State Competition
  Team of Alex Tennant, Matt Shanley, Josh Carn-Saferstein 
• On Saturday January 14, Skyline Bands sent 53 events to MSBOA Solo and Ensemble at Livonia Franklin High School.  Each event prepared either a solo piece or ensemble piece to perform in front of a judge while also receiving comments and a rating.  Out of the 53 events, 44 received a Division One rating, this highest rating one can receive, while 8 events received a Division Two rating.  Congratulations to all those involved.
• Good deeds get recognized!  Gail Townsend, the Public Relations Director for Barnes & Noble bookstore made a recent visit to Northside Elementary School.  She had seen the article in the “Journal” about Northside’s positive behavior program and it touched something in her, she told principal Monica Harrold.  She wanted to know if Northside is the only Ann Arbor school implementing the program.  Mrs. Harrold explained that the state mandated the program for all Michigan schools in 2006.  "We piloted the program in a few classes over the past couple of years, and this year we are implementing Positive Behavior Intervention System (PBIS) school wide". Putting action to her words, Ms. Townsend presented Mrs. Harrold with three bags of gifts for Northside - including board games, card games, pad games and action figures.  Mrs. Harrold was stunned.  "Our PBIS team is going to love you", she told Ms. Townsend.  The two spoke about the possibility of other support opportunities for the store and the school.
• Skyline theater arts teacher Anne Marie Roberts was recognized by the Michigan Educational Theater Association’s Director, Erik Hart, for her service to the theater arts students of Michigan.  Ms. Roberts is a member of the Board of the Michigan Thespians and also volunteers many hours for the betterment of theater arts students throughout the state.  She also contributes time, energy and expertise to the annual Michigan Thespian Festival where approximately 1,000 students, teachers and professionals gather to create a weekend entirely devoted to the art of theater. 

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