This Week In the Ann Arbor Public Schools

May 21, 2012

This Week's Good News!

  • CHS Senior Melissa Krienke has been named a 2012 Michigan Youth Arts Distinguished Scholar in Dance.  Over 1,000 high school student-artists in Michigan were invited to the 50th anniversary Michigan Youth Arts Festival, May 10-12, 2012. The students, chosen from more than 250,000 across the state, were selected for their artistic merit in creative writing, dance, media arts, instrumental and vocal music, music composition, theater and visual arts.
  • Ann Arbor Huron’s Business Professionals of America Chapter recently attended the BPA National Leadership Conference in Chicago in late April.
    Two Advisors—Diane Stocker-Bendersky and Christy Garrett, along with 14 students attended the conference.  Overall, they had a total of 8 students place at the national level and three students took 2nd place.
    More information on individual winners, pictures and an animoto video of the students experience can be found at the huron.bpa site. Enjoy!http://www.bpa.org/
    The national finalists include:
    Mark Adams placed second in Computerized Accounting
    Zibo Zou placed second in Database Applications
    Rohan Paul placed ninth in Digital Media Production
    Michael Bondin placed second in Financial Math and Analysis (Open),
    and also placed ninth in Insurance Concepts (open)
    William Chen placed sixth in Insurance Concepts (Open)
    Suraj Jaipalli placed sixth in Medical Office Procedures
    Anuraag Parchuri placed tenth as a Merit Scholar, and
    Brendon Hong placed fourth in Payroll Accounting.
    12 students earned the National Torch Award which is more than has won in any other year.  They are: Michael Bondin, Jesmin Cao, Lisa Ruan, Gabriela Columna, Jeannette Daida, Shuvro Guha, John Harrison, Tiana Huang, Jeffrey Lee, Abhilash Modepalli, Sheeba Pawar, and Coleen Truong.  The Torch Awards Program frames and guides a BPA member’s leadership and service to their chapter and community. Students complete activities in the seven Torch categories—Leadership; Service; Cooperation; Knowledge; Friendship; Love, Hope, Faith; and Patriotism—then log their activities in an online Torch Résumé. An Ambassador is defined as "a diplomatic official of the highest rank appointed and accredited as representative of the organization."
    Approximately 5,500 students and advisors from throughout the United States participated in Business Professionals of America’s 46th National Leadership Conference. Activities included general sessions with keynote speakers, business meetings, leadership workshops, contests, election of national officers, and tours of Anaheim sights and attractions! The highlight of the conference was the presentation of the awards to the winners of the national contests. Our Historic opening general session took place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel and Conference Center in downtown Chicago off of the Magnificent Mile. Business Professionals of America is the leading CTSO (Career Technical Student Organization) for students pursuing careers in business management, office administration, information technology and other related career fields. Visit the National BPA site http://www.bpa.org for more information.
  • Carpenter Elementary School’s Mrs. Seals' first grade class took a tour today (May 21st) to the CW 50 TV station.  They learned from Jill Washburn how the weather is reported from a real news studio.  The students and Mrs. Seals also shot a lead-in for Jim Madaus first forecast.  This lead-in will be Friday evening, May 25th, on CW 50 right before 11pm.  It is 15 seconds of being proud to be from Carpenter School in Ann Arbor and introducing Jim Madaus.  Special thanks to Mr. Andy Cotitsas, Marisa's father for arranging our special trip.
  • The 2012 Ann Arbor Art Teachers and Alumni Association Spring Art Exhibition at The University of Michigan's A2~Work Gallery is on display through June 16th. This Art Gallery is an intimate setting on State Street, between William & Liberty Streets (...not far from the Arcade entrance off State Street). Come see what your friends, colleagues, art staff, and retired art staff are up to outside of their art classrooms, where they continue practice in professional studio disciplines.  This show includes sharp edge varieties of Drawing & Painting, Printmaking, 3-D, Fiber, Clay, and Jewelry.
  • Skyline teacher Pat Jenkins was selected to receive the Meemic Foundation Grant for the "Communication, Media, and Public Policy" program.  In her honor, Skyline is being presented with a plaque as a reminder of the commitment that Ms. Jenkins has made towards education and students at Sk.  The plaque will be displayed in the Main Office for all to see and enjoy.
  • On Saturday, May 19, the track at Pioneer High School was officially dedicated to coaches Bryan Westfield and Don Sleeman.  I
    want to thank all the supporters who came to honor these two dedicated teachers and coaches for their many years of service to Ann Arbor students.
  • This past Saturday was a perfect day for the Picnic Pops, an annual concert, which is traditionally held on the lawn of Pioneer High School, weather permitting.  The weather was beautiful and all of the middle school and high school bands performed superbly.  It was a lovely day for our families to enjoy music, games, food and fun together.  I want to recognize and thank David Leach, Pioneer Band Director, and Nancy Waring, Assistant Band Director, for organizing and hosting this year’s Picnic Pops.

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