This Week In the Ann Arbor Public Schools

March 19, 2012

This Week's Good News!

  •  The Ann Arbor Pioneer DECA chapter had a fantastic showing at the state conference last weekend. Kara Schulz is the DECA Advisor/Marketing Teacher.   The  students listed below won medals in their events, against very tough competition. Winning a medal at this level is an outstanding accomplishment

    2012 State Champions:
    Michael Jones - Business Law and Ethics
    Allison Dettling- Business Law and Ethics
    Allison Fitzpatrick - Buying and Merchandising
    Olivia Hill - Buying and Merchandising
    Lee Criso - Business Finance
    Nicholas Swafford - Automotive Marketing
    Hannah Wang - Principles of Finance
    Gurjeet Singh - Principles of Business Management
    Cedric Gin - Principles of Business Management

    State Champion Runners-Up:
    Sohail Rana - Automotive Marketing
    Jennifer Gu - Marketing Management
    DeAnna Crout - Retail Merchandising
    Jeno Draganescu - Retail Merchandising
    Ryan Murphy - Human Resource Management

    Occupational Exam Winners (Top five test score in the state):
    Nick Swafford - Automotive Marketing
    Cedric Gin - Principles of Business Management
    Eric Furlong - Hotel and Lodging
    Hannah Wang - Principles of Finance
    Ryan Murphy - Human Resource Management
    Michael Jones - Business Law and Ethics

    Case Problem Role Play Winners (First Place in Event):
    Nick Swafford - Automotive Marketing
    Lee Criso - Business Finance
    Gurjeet Singh - Principles of Business Management
    Cedric Gin - Principles of Business Management
    Hannah Wang - Principles of Finance
    Eric Domino - Business Law and Ethics
    Kevin Knight - Business Law and Ethics
    Allison Fitzpatrick - Buying and Merchandising
    Olivia Hill - Buying and Merchandising
    Romina Potter - Buying and Merchandising
    Lorrianne Rasmussen - Buying and Merchandising
    Ana Vereen - Travel and Tourism
    Janese Honeycutt - Travel and Tourism

  • The Community High School Mock Trial Team will be competing in the Michigan High School Mock Trial Tournament, being held in Lansing, Michigan on March 24, 2012.  Forty one (41) Mock Trial Teams competed in the Pontiac Regional competition.  Community High School won first place in the State Championship last year.
    A Mock Trial is designed to reenact much of what might take place in a trial court.  Students take on the roles of attorneys and witnesses and compete against each other in real courtrooms in front of real judges and lawyers. But while the students take on roles, there is no set script (with the exception of some elementary grade trials).  As in a debate, participants must adjust to the strategies employed by the opposing side. In general, mock trials draw upon historical events, trials of contemporary interest, school or classroom situations, or hypothetical and entertaining fact patterns.
    This year's team is coached by CHS Faculty member Chloe Root. The CHS team members include:  Shadi, Ahmadmehrabi, Cooper DePriest, Rianna Johnson-Levy, Julia Karr, Daniel Roy, Eli Sugerman, Leah Penner and Joris Von Moltke.

  • Huron High School students did exceptionally well in the Southeast Michigan Science Fair held on Saturday, Mach 11 at Washtenaw Community College.  Huron students received three of the five top awards in the fair and first place in six of the nine categories.  Huron students won a total of 41 awards.
    The top awards went to:
    Loma Baron, 1st Place Mathematics/Computer Science; 3rd Place Grand Award
    Aaron Brodkey, 1st Place Environmental & Earth Science Award;  Grand Award Honorable Mention
    Jungsoo Chang,  2nd Place Botany Award
    Shalini Lakshmanan, 3rd Place Engineering and Physics Award
    Kevin Mei, 1st Place Engineering and Physics Award, Grand Award Honorable Mention
    Cyrus Nikolaidis, 2nd Place Mathematics/Computer Science Award;  4th Place Grand Award
    Shivani Joshi, 3rd Place High School Team Award
    Sheeba Pawar,  2nd Place Mathematics/Computer Science Award,  5th Place Grand Award
    Lilia Popova, 1st Place Botany Award;  Grand Award Honorable Mention
    Kristin Vyletel, 1st Place Chemistry Award
    Nir Glazer, 3rd Place Mathematics/Computer Science Award
    Kathernne Johnson, 3rd Place Environmental & Earth Science Award

  • Following a blind audition, the Pioneer High School A Cappella Choir has been selected to perform at the Michigan Youth Arts Festival's opening ceremonies, the Welcoming Celebration, on Thursday, May 10, 2012, at Western Michigan University.  The A Cappella Choir is one of four choirs state-wide that were selected to collaborate on the world-premiere performance of Strung with Glory, by Mischa Zupko, as part of the 50th Anniversary of the Festival.  The work will feature choir, orchestra, dance and theatre, and be performed as the finale of the Festival's opening ceremony.  Composer Mischa Zupko will be on hand to work with the student-artists, and the performance will be conducted by Western Michigan University Professor of Music, Bruce Uchimura.

  • This year German students from Ann Arbor's middle and high Schools entered the 28th annual state-wide German Day competition at the University of Michigan.  They showed great enthusiasm, initiative and creativity for this year's topic "Fairy Tales."  Approximately 1200 students attend the UM German Day every year.  The following students received awards:
    Slauson Middle School
    Rohan Kapoor - 1st place - Musical performance
    Hannah Cooper, Linda Daniels, Josh Edinger, Nathan Thomas & Trevor
    Wells - 1st place - Video
    Arthur Mengozzi - 2nd place - Spelling Bee
    Max Meza - 2nd place - Reading
    Rainey Pesheck - 3rd  place - Art
    Chris Davalantes - 3rd place - Poetry Recitation

    Tappan Middle School
    Sofie Aaron -1st place -  Musical performance
    Abby Dittmar - 1st place - Poetry Recitation
    Kelly Xu and Grace Schickling - 2nd place - Website Design for German Fairy Tales
    Hava Kaplan and Luena Maillard - 2nd place - Skits
    Sanelma Heinonen - 3rd place - Speaking
    Noe Barrell - 3rd place - Spelling Bee
    Maddie Teece - 3rd place - Reading
    Carter Preston, Sam Millman, Mark Urbaniak, Garrett Wojtowicz, Collin and Laura Stroud  - 4th - Commercial Skit

    Pioneer High School
    Level 4 Speaking: 2nd place -  Dana Rupp
    Savory Cooking: 1st place - Sophie Martin and Lehna Smallwood
    Web Design:  1st place - Lisa Quian
    Speaking: 1st place - Lisa Quian
    Level 4 Skit: 1st place - Mari Pando Girard, Leon Sunstien, D'Arcy Cook, Reina Larkin
    Level 3 Reading: 1st place - Juliette Killough
    Level 3 Speaking:  2nd place - Mikhail Guseynov
    Level 2 Reading: 1st place - Lisa Quian
    Level 1 Spelling Bee: 1st place - Alex Maynard

    Several other students participated in the events of music, art, poetry, speaking, reading, skits, spelling bee and baking  for this year's topic "Fairy Tales."

  • I want to recognize and thank all of the AAPS art teachers for all of their hard work in organizing and hanging student artwork in the windows of downtown businesses for the annual “Art Walk” on Sunday, March 18.  It was a lovely event and truly enjoyable to walk around downtown on a beautiful afternoon and see how talented our students are.  There was quite a crowd and I heard many complimentary remarks from the onlookers.  Great job everyone!  This is truly a unique and fun event.

  • My office received the results of the 2011-1012 immunization data for Washtenaw County and our district had a 97% reporting rate.  An immunization rate of at least 95% is required to assure continued state funding for each school district.    I want to recognize and thank the AAPS Office Professionals, Nurses and Administrators for their hard work and diligence in compiling and entering this data.  Great job everyone!

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