The Ram Announcer - April 2015 - Galesburg

GALESBURG-AUGUSTA COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
1076 N. 37th St.
Galesburg, MI 49053
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
LAKE MICHIGAN MAILERS, INC.
RAM ANNOUNCER
April
2015
www.g-aschools.org
**ECRWSS**
Residential Customers
G-A SCHOOLS HONORED BY GOVERNOR’S
OFFICE................Details on Page 12
Administration Offices
1076 N. 37th St.
Galesburg, MI 49053
(269) 484-2000
Primary School (Pre-K through 4)
Principal: Dr. Garth Cooper
(269) 484-2040
gcooper@gacsnet.org
Middle School (5th - 8th Grades)
Principal: Darin Schmidt
(269) 484-2020
dschmidt@gacsnet.org
High School (9th – 12th Grades)
Principal: Christie Robinson
(269) 484-2010
crobinson@gacsnet.org
GA
G R E AT
A C H I E V E M E N T S
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools
APRIL 2015 Page 16
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools
KALAMAZOO BULLDOGS RUGBY CLUB
If you are looking for a
sport rife in tradition and
history then rugby is the
sport for you. On a global
scale, rugby is the one of
the most played sports in
the world. Rugby does
however manage to retain
its uniqueness here in the
United States. To give you a
brief history of rugby in our
area, in 1988 the men’s club,
Kalamazoo Dogs Rugby
Football Club (RFC), was
revived which lead to the
formation of Western Michigan Universities Bronco
Rugby Club a few years
later in the early 1990’s. The
next step for development
of the sport would be at the
High School level, and this
is what brings us to Richland.
The Kalamazoo Bulldogs
High School Rugby Club
was founded in the spring
of 2011 with the intention
of introducing rugby to the
high school aged youth in
our communities and to
their families. The club is
based out of Richland. High
school rugby is a spring season that runs from the end of
March through May. There
are about 45 high school
clubs throughout the state,
broken up into 3 divisions.
The state is also divided into
a West and East Bracket.
These brackets combine for
the state finals. On the field
of play, each team is comprised of 15 players. At the
high school level, a match
lasts for two 35 minute
halves and an additional 20
minute 3rd period is added
to get all players time on the
field each week.
The sport of High School
rugby not only demands a
high level of fitness, it also
fosters a strong team spirit,
since a player must make
quick decisions on the field
of play and execute them
with his teammates. Rugby
is a fluid game, with very
little set play and no time
outs, so players must work
together, communicate and
execute different strategies
to gain territory on the pitch
(field), often times transitioning from offense to
defense in a seconds time
(similar to hockey). Upon
completion of the match,
both clubs, the referee,
coaches, and families get
together for a meal, which is
a tradition held at all levels
of the sport. Rugby players
have always enjoyed this
aspect of the sport, which
is also evident at the high
school level based upon
comments from a senior
from Gull Lake High School
who said that he enjoyed sitting down with the players
from the opposing club and
talking about the match and
the sport. Kalamazoo Bulldogs Rugby is a club, which
means any high school aged
athlete is welcome. Since
most players have never
played the sport, there is absolutely no experience necessary to participate.
The Kalamazoo Bulldogs
won the 2014 State Championships in D2 and made
it to the Semi Finals in D3!
This type of success is not
only due to the commitment
of our athletes, but it is also
to our families, and local
rugby communities. The
support has been absolutely
fantastic from current and
former rugby players, Gull
Lake Community Schools,
and other sponsors such as
Ruggers Up and Under and
F.L.A.G.s (Foreign Links
Around the Globe). The
other very important piece
was a home, which the club
found with Richland Town-
ship Park. The Bulldogs
have trained there since the
team’s formation. During
home matches, the sidelines
are full of spectators watching their kids, grandkids,
and friends play.
For
more
information about the Kalamazoo Bulldogs High School
Rugby
Club
contact
Matt Kaemming at 269203-5054 or via email at
mattkaemming@hotmail.
com.
Welcome New Board Member
Keith Jordan
Keith Jordan was appointed to the
Galesburg-Augusta Board of Education in January. The district is very excited to have Mr. Jordan a part of the
board as he brings a business and industry background. He is eager to help
the district meet the needs of each individual student within the district.
Keith Jordan
Current town/city: Galesburg
Occupation: Continuous Improvement Consultant,
Bronson Healthcare
Background/Profile: I worked for 20+ years in manufacturing, including leadership positions. My wife and I also
owned a retail business from 2009 to 2013. I transitioned
to healthcare in 2013.
Why did you want to become a school board member?
To offer my time and assistance to the school district.
I wanted to help insure that our children of the district
have the same advantages upon graduation as those of
neighboring districts.
Share something interesting about yourself:
I really enjoy traveling. I have visited over 40 states in
the U.S. and numerous countries abroad.
G-A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING DATES
April 20, 2015
May 18, 2015
June 15, 2015
All meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. and are held in the
high school media center.
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools
APRIL 2015 Page 1
From the Desk of Superintendent Dr. Bazzi
Superintendent’s Message
I Had a Mother Who Read to Me
Some of my favorite memories
come from reading with my mother. My mother loved to read and
shared her love of reading with
Superintendent Bazzi us as children. She read delightful stories to us for many years. I
have tried to emulate my mother’s example by spending time, sitting side-by-side, and reading to my own
son. I have enjoyed not only being a part of developing early literacy skills, but associating reading, at a
young age, with the feeling of spending time with the
people you love doing something you love. I was motivated to do this by both my mother and a poem.
“You may have tangible wealth untold; Caskets of
jewels and coffers of gold. Richer than I you will never
be- I had a mother who read to me.” Strickland W.
Gillian
Research shows that reading aloud is the single
most important thing you can do to help a child prepare for reading and learning. Why Read aloud?
Language Development: The number of words that
a child knows on entering kindergarten is a key predictor of his or her future success.
Instill a Love of Reading: Your example demonstrates
that reading is important, pleasurable and valued.
NON-DISCRIMINATION
POLICY
It is the policy of the Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools that no discriminatory practices
based on sex, race, religion, color, age, national
origin, disability, height, weight, or any other
status covered by federal, state or local law be
allowed in providing instructional opportunities, programs, services, job placement assistance, employment or in policies governing
student conduct and attendance. Complaints
or inquiries related to discrimination should be
forwarded to:
Superintendent of Schools
1076 N. 37th St.
Galesburg, MI 49053
269-484-2000
Knowledge Gained & Share: Books are a pleasure,
yes, and they are also informative. You and your child
can learn something new as you read aloud.
Literacy Skill Building: Reading aloud builds literacy skills such as vocabulary, phonics, familiarity with
the printed word, storytelling, and comprehension.
Brain Development: From birth to age three are critical years in the development of language skills.
Bonding: Is anything better than sharing a good
book?
In other words, reading that bedtime story may not
only entertain and soothe a child, it may also develop
his/her vocabulary, improve his/her ability to learn
to read, and – perhaps most important foster a lifelong love of books and reading.
We know you want the best for your child, and we
invite you to begin a parenting practice which will
benefit your child the rest of his or her life – reading
with your child at home 20 minutes a day from birth
through elementary school. Children whose parents
read with them learn to read well and are typically
proficient readers by third grade. It’s as easy as that!
Share the love of reading early in life.
In Education,
Dania H. Bazzi, PhD
Superintendent
Galesburg-Augusta Community School
GA
G R E AT
A C H I E V E M E N T S
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools
Vision Statement:
To be the preferred small-school district
in our region
Mission Statement:
The Galesburg-Augusta School District, in
partnership with the home and community, will
teach each student the knowledge, skills and
attitudes to be a productive and ethical citizen.
APRIL 2015 Page 2
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools
Special Education Millage Request on May Ballot
On Tuesday, May 5, voters in the
Kalamazoo RESA service area will
be asked to vote on a six-year, 1.5
mill property tax to help fund the
costs of special education in our
local schools. “While the costs of
special education have been increasing, the dollars available to
reimburse local school districts for
their special education programs
have been eroded significantly
over the past several years”, said
Kalamazoo RESA Superintendent
Dave Campbell
Local school districts are mandated by law to provide special education services. When current millage
dollars do not cover special education costs, local school districts
must use their general education
funds to pay for these services. In
the Kalamazoo RESA service area,
local school districts are paying $11
million for unreimbursed special
education costs out of their general education funds. That means
there are fewer dollars to support
programs for all students in our
local schools. Galesburg-Augusta
currently pays over $220,000 in unfunded special education costs that
must come from the general fund.
Galesburg-Augusta Community
Schools has had to make considerable cuts due to the lower level of
special education reimbursement
rates.
Why are the majority of districts
experiencing a shortfall? The shortfall in special education funding
comes from several sources, most
notably the drop in local property
values.
If the initiative passes, homeowners would approximately pay the
following based on the taxable val-
ue of their home, which is typically
about half of the market value:
Market Value
Example:
$100,000
Taxable Value
$50,000
Annual Cost
$75.00
If you have any questions with
regards to this ballot initiative,
please feel free to call or email Dr.
Dania Bazzi at 269-484-2000 or
dbazzi@gacnset.org.
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools
APRIL 2015 Page 15
G-A High School Athletic News:
PHYSICALS
Just a reminder to all potential Middle School and
High School student-athletes. You must have a valid
physical on file with Mr. Woodard(Athletic Director) before you may participate in athletics, including practices. A valid physical is one given on or after
April 15th, 2014 for athletics this school year and April
15th, 2015 for participation in athletics next school
year(2015-16). You may download a physical form
from the school website, g-aschools.org or pick one up
in the high school office.
Also, we have teamed up with Hometown Urgent
Care to provide physicals at the low rate of $25 per
student-athlete. You will need to fill out a voucher,
which can be downloaded from the school website or
picked up from the high school office. Please call Mike
Woodard at 484-2016 if you have any questions.
PAST DUE ATHLETIC BILLS /
UNIFORMS
You MUST have all athletic bills paid and all uniforms turned in before you may participate in any
other school sponsored sport. This includes any past
participation fees that were not paid. The fee must be
paid before your student-athlete may participate in
their next sport. Please contact the high school office
at 484-2010 or middle school office at 484-2020 if you
are not sure if you are on the list.
SPRING SPORTS SCHEDULES
The spring sports schedules can be found on the
school website at g-aschools.org
From the homepage, you will need to click on the
schools tab and select either the high school or middle
PARTICIPATION FEES
school. From there, click on the athletic schedule tab
Please start planning for your athletes upcoming in the left hand column. Click on the appropriate sport
participation fee. The fee at the middle school is $25 and then click on files to access the schedules.
Please note, schedules are subject to change, so you
per sport. The fee at the high school is $50 per sport.
may
need to check back frequently for any changes.
There is a $200 family cap for the school year. If you
are unable to pay the entire fee, you MUST contact the
athletic director to request a reduction. Your child will
CONGRATULATIONS
not be able to make the request. It must come from a
parent or guardian.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
PARTICIPATE IN
DISTRICT 11
SOLO AND ENSEMBLE
Congratulations to all of the Band students that participated in District 11 Solo and Ensemble on Saturday, February 7, 2015. All students received Excellent or Superior
ratings on their solos and ensembles at the festival.
Jimmy Chadwick, Judy Smith, Allyssa Gibson, Colin
Whitman, Cherylynn Lamphear, Jacob Booth, Rachel
Blood, Logan Matties, CJ Gidman, Carter Way, Linnea O’Neil
and Sam Brooks qualified to
perform at the state level festival on March 21, 2015. Great Job
Rams!
TO THE LADY RAMS
BASKETBALL TEAM
2015 DISTRICT CHAMPS!!
APRIL 2015 Page 14
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools
G-A High School News:
Attention Parents!
Testing! Testing!
The class of 2016 is currently planning prom and are
looking to find parent volunteers to help set up and
decorate before the dance. Prom will be held at the
Hayloft Theater (in Celery Flats) on Saturday, May 9th.
We are looking to decorate the venue at 5 p.m, and will
need help tearing down the venue after at 10 p.m.
If you are interested, contact Erica Cataldo at (269)
484-2010 ext. 1036. We appreciate your help!
The students of GAHS have been engaged in several tests this year. The movement in assessing student
knowledge is slowly headed to online formatting. The
summary of tests and purpose:
Hougton-Mifflin: Exposure for all students to the dynamics of online testing, a
pilot program providing
a stipend to invest in our
building.
ACT & WorkKeys: All
juniors participating in traditional paper and pencil testing that will evaluate college readiness, interest inventory, and skills assessment.
PLAN: All freshmen and sophomores were evaluated
on basic skills to build our data base and better drive our
instruction to meet individual needs of our students.
We Have WiFi!!
Our high school building has been making advances in technology. Our technology department worked
to realign and upgrade our infrastructure to support
our forward movement. The
high school is actively pursuing availability of devices,
application of resources, and
more individual access for
our students.
Underclassmen Calendar
April 1, 2015 3rd Marking Period ends
April 6-10 – Spring Break
April 24 – 1⁄2 Day K-12 – Early Release PLC
May 14 – High School Awards Assembly – 1 p.m.
Good Behavior is Cause for Celebration! May 20 – Senior Concert & Band Awards – 7 p.m.
May 25 – Memorial Day – No School
High school students were provided a time of cele- May 29 – Graduation – 7 p.m.
bration to honor their exemplary behavior and attitude June 2 – Modified Schedule - High School
at school. Students were served a special breakfast
1st hour Exam begins @1:11 p.m.
and enjoyed music provided by their peers. Several June 3 – High School Exams – 2nd Hour @ 7:35 a.m. –
of the band students performed their solo and ensem3rd Hour @ 9:20 a.m.
ble pieces live as entertainment and a break from the June 4 – High School Exams – 4th Hour @ 7:35 a.m. –
routine. We had 225 students who modeled top-notch
5th Hour @ 9:20 a.m.
behavior.
June 5 – High School Exams – 6th Hour @ 7:35 a.m. –
7th Hour @ 9:20 a.m.
Mural is an Impresive Addition!
On February 27 an impressive mural was presented
to the community by the Athletic Boosters. The mural is sponsored by sponsored by GA Sports Boosters,
EMA, Harding’s, Galesburg Ford, and David Wayne.
If you have not had an opportunity to see the mural in
person, stop by the main office and we would be happy
to share this fantastic addition to our school. Thank you
for the incredible addition to
our school!
Class of 2015 - Dates of Interest
Senior Exams: May 20, May 21, & May 22, 1015
Senior’s Last Day: May 22, 2015
Academic Awards Assembly: May 14, 2015 – 1p.m.
Senior Concert & Band Awards: May 20 – 7 p.m.
Baccalaureate: TBD
Memorial Day: May 25 – No school
Senior Breakfast: May 29 – 8 a.m.
Graduation Practice: May 29 – 9 a.m.
Graduation: May 29, 2015 – 7 p.m. in the
High School Gymnasium
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools
APRIL 2015 Page 3
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools Foundation
The Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools Foundation is a non-profit organization established to promote,
receive, invest and administer funds or other tangible
gifts for students. The Foundation was organized to provide an avenue for individuals and businesses to contribute funds into the educational system in an organized
manner that can be of financial benefit to the donor and
a benefit to G-A students. All gifts are to be used solely
for the support or enhancement of educational, literary, artistic or scientific endeavors of the school district.
Currently scholarship awards are given to high school
seniors from the Galesburg-Augusta community. In the
last 30 years, we have awarded over $100,000 in student
and staff grants.
Providing Opportunities: Projects that enrich students’
exposure to 21st-century learning and promote the district’s commitment to educational excellence.
Recognizing Excellence: Opportunities to celebrate
quality education while acknowledging the significant
contributions of select individuals.
Building Futures: Endowed scholarships established
to assist those students and families desiring to access
quality programs and services both on a post-secondary
and basic education level.
The Foundation accepts contributions from individuals, families, corporations, civic groups, local businesses
and other foundations. All donations support the educational efforts of the Galesburg-Augusta Community
Schools.
Why Give?
The Foundation’s ability to continue its mission depends on the generous support of individuals and groups
in the Galesburg-Augusta community and beyond. Your
If you would like to donate, checks can be made paygenerous gift will be used to enhance the educational experiences of our students by:
able to: Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools Foundation and mailed to: 1076 N 37th Street, Galesburg, MI
Supporting Education: Venture grants designed to 49053. Remember, every dollar helps create better stusupplement the educational program and provide teach- dents and citizens in the G-A Community! Thanks for
ers and students with unique learning experiences.
your consideration.
A NOTE FROM
AUXILIO TRANSPORTATION
Auxilio Transportation Staff would like to thank
the community for all their continued support for
this school year!
As we head towards warmer weather and the
end of the school year, we would like to remind
everyone to drive safely during the early morning and afternoon when school buses are on the
roads and you see students walking to and from
school.
Auxilio would also like to encourage anyone
who is interested in learning more about becoming a School Bus Driver to stop in and talk with
us!
Congratulations to the G-A Graduating Class of
2015!
Thank you all again for your continued support!!
Auxilio Transportation Staff
You can also donate by using Amazon Smile: http://
smile.amazon.com/ch/38-3082334
2014-2015 SCHOOL CALENDAR
April 1
April 3
April 6-10
April 13
April 24
May 21
May 25
May 29
June 2
June 3
June 4
June 5
Third Marking Period Ends
Half Day K-8 / Records Day
Spring Break
School Resumes
Half Day K-12 Early Release PLC
12:30-3
Last Day of Preschool
No School K-12 Memorial Day
H.S. Graduation 7 pm
H.S. Exams- modified schedule
Half Day 9-12 H. S. Exams
Half Day K-12 H.S. Exams
Half Day K-12 Last Day of School
Stay connected to
Galesburg-Augusta
Community Schools by:
APRIL 2015 Page 4
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools
G-A Primary School News:
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools
G-A High School News:
March is Reading Month
Kids’ Gym Field Trip
Michigan to Move From ACT to SAT
The March is Reading Month theme was: “I Read!
What’s Your Superpower?”
Among the scheduled activities were “Lucky
Lunch Mondays,” “Grocery Bag Art,” “Drop Everything and Read Fridays” and “Reading Counts Roundup.” On the five
Monday’s in March, the cafeteria staff
conducted “Lucky Lunch Day” with
student names drawn at random to receive a free book or prize. The Fridays
in March saw the entire building participate in a
common time group reading activity in the mornings and our second, third and fourth grade students
were challenged to earn a combined 2,000 Reading
Counts points in the month of March.
Students in our preschool and Kindergarten classes
participated in a variety of locomotion and coordination skills activities at Kids Gym in Portage. This field
trip is an extension of Mr.
Merasco’s physical education gymnastics and tumbling units that the students
participate in at school. This
annual field trip is a highlight of the year for these
young learners!
If you’re a high school sophomore in Michigan, get
ready for a dramatic change in testing during your junior year: The ACT is out and the SAT is in.
Also: Grocery Bags
We decorated grocery bags from
Harding’s Market again this year. Hardings bagged customer’s groceries in
the decorated bags during the month
of March. This is a great way to connect
our school and community. Each child
decorated one bag, with the theme “reading.” They
chose favorite books, book covers, or phrases such as
“I love reading” or “Wacky Readers.”
Congratulations to Ann HoganStandley for being honored
as Educator of the Year by
the Galesburg-Augusta
Education Association!
Ann will be honored
at a Kalamazoo County celebration dinner
Monday, April 27, 2015
at the Fetzer Center on
the campus of WMU.
Ann has been a devoted
teacher to the students of
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools for 22 years!
APRIL 2015 Page 13
The immediate impact of the change: Students who
want to take the ACT after the 2014-2015 school year
will likely have to pay for the exam themselves. The
SAT will be administered in schools free of charge.
ACT, Inc. will still provide its WorkKeys assessment
for all high school students, which is currently a part
of the spring testing period. The WorkKeys test gauges career readiness. Both the SAT and WorkKeys will
be administered as part of the Michigan Merit Exam.
Education experts who have looked at the revamped
SAT test — the one students will start taking in 2016
— say it will be more aligned to Michigan standards.
Those include: requiring to back up claims, testing vocabulary in reading passages, fewer math topics but in
more depth, and testing knowledge of U.S. founding
documents.
Jump Rope for Heart Time Again
On Friday, March 6th, the first through fourth grade
students held their 14th annual Jump Rope for Heart
event to raise funds for the American Heart Association. The first thirteen years of this program we raised
nearly $78,000, making G-A one of the top schools in
southwest Michigan. Last year Galesburg Primary
raised over $7,800.
This event is sponsored by the American Heart Association which uses the money to help build healthy
environments, scientific discovery, CPR training and
education. Thanks to JRFH, heart disease deaths have
fallen an amazing 30% the past 12 years. No other disease has seen a drop like that.
The Jump Rope for Heart kickoff assembly
Also, SAT/College Board has partnered with Kahn
Academy, the free, online learning resource, to provide
free SAT preparation materials to all students starting
in 2015.
Stay connected to
Galesburg-Augusta
Community Schools by:
National Honor Society
The National Honor Society induction took place
on December 11. It was a pleasure to recognize the
students in our district who exemplify the pillars of
NHS: scholarship, service, leadership, and character.
The seventeen current members welcomed the fourteen inductees as they were sworn in to share a common vision for the Wes and Ruth Burrell chapter of
the society.
Our New Inductees: Abigail Chapman, Gina DeGraaf, Josh East, Sinque Ezbenko, Cherylyn Lamphear, Sierra Nantz, Judy Smith, Samuel Spencer, Taylor
Verburg, Courtney Way, Carter Way, Colin Whitman,
Colleen Whitman, and Grace Wood.
Senior Members: Megan Beaver, Rachel Blood, Jacob
Booth, Kirsten Cox, Holly Deleon, Katherine Dooley,
Tyler Dunithan, Carlin Goza, Casandra Klomparens,
Kennedy Mazza, Alexandrea McDaniel, Emily Midgett, Sarah Millen, Jonathon Penix, Logan Sondgerath,
Tyler Walker, and Elizabeth Washburn.
APRIL 2015 Page 12
G-A Middle School News:
Middle School Wrestlers Learn Grit
Middle School Wrestling is in full swing, and with
21 wrestlers the Rams are a strong team. The team
has brought home six medals
this year with the KVA still yet to
come. With many first year wrestlers Coach Grace and Coach
Pate have helped to develop their
wrestling skills to help build the
high school team and the middle school team next
year. The wrestling team will have faced eight teams
and wrestled at three tournaments by the end of
the season. The wrestling team motto this year was
“Champions Train, Losers Complain”. To the team
this meant working hard in practice and leaving everything on the mat, and if you lose learn from it and
become a better wrestler next time you take the mat.
Coach Pate and Coach Grace have watched these 21
wrestlers bloom into outstanding athletes. Many
schools have commented on the outstanding sportsmanship the Rams have shown before, during, and after a match. As always the Wrestling Rams will put in
the HARDWORK and represent Galesburg-Augusta
Schools with pride.
Book Drive Success!
The middle school held a book drive during the week
of conferences because our library is in need of current
materials for the students. During this book drive, we
collected nearly 500 books! Thank you to everyone who
donated or spread the word to help our students!
March Reading Madness
For March is Reading Month, we will be having
our own “March Madness.” Students will be able
to participate in selecting the G-A Middle School
“Champion” book of the year. The top books that are
checked out of the library have
been selected as the “Sweet 16”
and placed into brackets. Students will be able to review the
books and vote. Which book will
be the G-A Middle School “Book
of the Year?”
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools
G-A Schools Honored by
Governor’s Office
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools was honored at a reception held by the Governor’s office on
February 5th for first responders and volunteers that
assisted with the I-94 accident that occurred on Friday,
January 9th.
On the day of the massive pile up, The American
Red Cross, Police and Fire
authorities requested Galesburg-Augusta
Primary
School be designated as the
Emergency Response location. From late morning to
late evening, the G-A community showed their compassion, dedication, and
selflessness to help those Pictured (L-R)...Denise
affected by the accident. Armstrong, Dr. Dania Bazzi,
Our staff and community Lieutenant Governor Brian
Calley, and Dr. Garth Cooper.
reacted in such a proactive
manner that we were able to provide comfort to many
people.
Our staff and community ensured people were kept
safe, warm, comfortable, and fed; simply put, they ensured everyone was taken care of in every way possible. The American Red Cross shared that GalesburgAugusta’s level of support was certainly above and
beyond what they have seen in the past.
Yearbook Reminders
Last chance to preorder your copy of the 2014/15
Yearbook before they arrive.
Yearbooks are $60. Deposit $30 to secure your yearbook for early release, $30 due when yearbooks arrive.
Parent Ads are available once again this year. A
great spot to highlight your senior’s extracurricular
sports and/or activities. Also include a congratulatory
note with a picture or two of your senior. Prices: 1⁄4
page $25.00, 1⁄2 page $50.00, 3⁄4 page - $75.00 or full
page $100.00.
Yearbook needs “Looking Back” pictures of the class
of 2015. Any group or classroom pictures would be
appreciated. Also need an 8th grade dance group picture.
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools
APRIL 2015 Page 5
G-A Primary School News:
Primary School Garden
Do you like to garden? Would you like to instill
and nourish a love of gardening in children? Then
please consider volunteering at the vegetable garden
at G-A Primary. You will work with teachers and other volunteers to guide a small group of elementary
aged children through the process of starting, growing, and maintaining a vegetable garden in the raised
beds at the primary school. This would be a once a
week after-school program during the spring and fall,
and would meet once a week throughout the summer to water, weed, and harvest the garden. If you
are interested, please contact Kim Stone via e-mail at
kstone@gacsnet.org.
Afterschool Clubs a Big Hit
Third grade teacher Stacey Ryder has organized two
separate after school clubs for the students here at G-A
Primary School. The first is called the American Girl Club
and involves activities such as crafts, simple cooking,
simple sewing, making a timeline of the time period of
the doll of the month, science, and special projects. The
second club is a Lego Club. The Lego Club will help children build problem solving skills, encourage kids to discover how things work, and motivate kids to learn math
and science concepts. Both clubs have a full 30 student
roster which is very impressive. While several teachers
have also volunteered to help with the club activities,
Mrs. Ryder, who is in her second year of teaching here at
G-A Primary, and 19th year of teaching overall, has done
a tremendous amount of work to get these groups going
and insure their success! Thanks also go out to the Galesburg-Augusta Community Foundation which provided
grant money to support the clubs.
Preschool and Kindergarten
Registration to be Held
Preschool registration night was held on March 12th
and our Kindergarten roundup was held on March
19th. Registration is now open for any student who
will be aged three or four on September 1st to enroll in
one of our preschool programs. We currently offer half
day sessions, four days a week for three-year-olds and
full-day sessions, four days a week for four-year-olds.
Registration packets can be picked up at the Primary
School office or accessed on the school’s website. Kindergarten registration is now open for any student that
will be five years old on September 1, 2015. For more
information please contact the Primary School office at
269-484-2040.
APRIL 2015 Page 6
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools
G-A Primary School News:
APRIL 2015 Page 11
G-A Middle School News:
G-A PRIMARY SCHOOL
STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN
FOURTH ANNUAL
LEARNING FAIR
Galesburg-Augusta Primary School held the
Fourth Annual Learning Fair on March 12th, with
students from grades PreK-4 presenting displays
that demonstrated their learning on topics of study
from a variety of fields. Projects ranged from natural science (tornados, volcanoes, the four seasons
and the solar system), to social studies (the histories of Galesburg and Augusta, firefighting and
ancient pyramids) to sports/hobbies (fashion and
Star Wars). Ninety-four students participated in
this year’s event by creating displays on a variety
of research topics with an additional twenty others
creating original artwork to be displayed. All four
of our preschool classrooms collaborated on creating our Learning Fair logo globe, with each room
submitting a group project as well. Once again, the
support from parents, relatives and the community
was amazing in helping the students create their
projects and celebrate their accomplishment!
The event is a collaboration of efforts between
Principal Dr. Garth Cooper, the Primary School
teaching staff and parent volunteers, led by Mrs.
Jen Blake and Mrs. Wendy Lockner. This year, Mrs.
Blake and Mrs. Lockner even created a Learning
Fair weebly site that parents and students could
access online for information and project suggestions, plus links to online resources. The event was
kicked-off on February 18 with an all-school assembly featuring guest presenter Randall DeJong from
Zoetis in Kalamazoo, who put on an exciting display of science “magic” that inspired the students
to participate in this year’s Learning Fair.
This year’s Fair expenses were funded by a combination of sources including a small portion of an
environmental science grant the school received
from the Kalamazoo Community Foundation and
the Adults For Galesburg Augusta Kids (AFGAK)
parent group that supports student activities at
Galesburg-Augusta Primary School. In addition,
one family personally donated $200 to support the
event!
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools
G-A School
Board Members
Jessica Gutherie
and Diana Walker
checking out 2nd
grade student
Owen Pfeiffer’s
“Natural Disasters”
exhibit.
Third grade student
Leiahna Cody with her
project on Dragons!
Preschool student
Ella Carley
showing off her
contribution to Mrs.
Bell’s preschool
classroom project!
First grade student
Claire Newton with her
project on moldy bread!
Dr. Volcanus, aka
second grade
student Erich Lear,
proudly displaying
his Learning Fair
project!
Superintendent
Bazzi observing
Isabelle Feltch’s
erupting
volcano!
FITNESSGRAM RAMS
Every student enrolled in Physical Education at GA Middle School, participates in a comprehensive assessment called the FitnessGram. The FitnessGram is
used to assess physical fitness and physical activity
levels for children. The assessment includes a variety
of health-related physical fitness tests that are used to
determine students’ overall physical fitness and suggest areas for improvement when appropriate.
Students are tested in areas of muscular strength,
muscular endurance, aerobic capacity, and flexibility.
Students are challenged to maintain, or improve their
scores in the tested areas by the end of the marking
period, semester, or school year.
The FitnessGram is more than a tool that compares student scores to standards. The FitnessGram
is aligned with the curriculum to teach students goal
setting, and what it means to be physically fit. Using
the assessments in class equips students to self-assess their physical activity and fitness levels in the future, building a foundation for physically active and
healthy adults.
Ultimately, the FitnessGram is an educational tool
that helps students learn—as part of a high quality,
standards-based physical education curriculum—how
it feels to become more physically fit, and how to value a physically active lifestyle.
The Physical Education department at G-A Middle
School would like to recognize all of our students for their
outstanding efforts so far this school year. We would like
to congratulate and distinguish the following students:
Gage Hardin, Toby Lear, Madison Thompson,
Gavin Miller, Cameron Rupert, Macy Sierengowski,
Anthony Kuras, Morgan Wallace, Lance Wheeler,
Asia Mench, Hannah Waterbury, Nick Good, Dominic Pickett, Aubree Sedore, Ellie Danger, Emma Fleck,
Faith Waterbury, Madison Binfet, Madison O’Steen,
Audrey Clemence, Jeremy Leeson, Megan Earles, Tyler Goodrich, Riley Baird, Alli Durnell, Auddie Terry,
Riley Sanderson, Alex Rios, Bo Brady, Avery Labrie,
Dylan Coburn, and James Nixon III.
These students scored within or above the “Healthy
Fitness Zone” standard in at least three out of the
four components of fitness categories. WAY TO GO
RAMS!!
Fifth Graders in Harmony Thanks to the G-A Education Foundation
This year in music, the
fifth graders are learning
to play the ukulele with the
help of Meagan Brummel,
our Pre-K to 5th grade music teacher. 15 of the ukuleles were purchased with
the help of the G-A Education Foundation which
provides grants to teachers
to fund special classroom
projects. The students are
using what they have been
learning in music and applying it to the instrument,
including note and rhythm
reading. They most enjoy
playing well known pop
songs such “Best Days
of My Life” by American
Authors and “Yellow Submarine” by the Beatles.
Thanks to the G-A Education Foundation for providing our students with
this awesome experience!
APRIL 2015 Page 10
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools
G-A Middle School News:
teams and lost in very competitive games against
strong teams. “I am really impressed with the hard
work and improvement the girls have shown each day.
We are practicing and playing ball together six days a
week to continue the tradition of a winning girls’ basketball program.” mentions Coach Merasco. “This is
a talented group of ladies that I am sure will continue
to grow and improve, I will be excited to watch them
play as High School players.”
Cutting-Edge STEM Programs to Come to G-AMS
Thanks to generous grants managed by KRESA and
WMU, our middle school will bring Project Lead the Way
to our students next year. Middle school is the perfect
time for students to explore and learn that there is more
than one way to reach a solution. PLTW GatewayTM
provides engineering and biomedical science curriculum for middle school students that challenges, inspires,
and offers schools variety and flexibility. Through topics
like robotics, flight and space, and DNA and crime scene
analysis, middle school students engage their natural
curiosity and imagination in creative problem solving.
PLTW’s Gateway program is a strong foundation for
further STEM learning in high school and beyond, challenging students to solve real-world problems, such as
cleaning up oil spills and designing sustainable housing
solutions. Using the same advanced software and tools
as those used by the world’s leading companies, students
learn how to apply science, technology, engineering, and
math to their everyday lives.
G-AMS will begin with Foundation Units in 2014-15,
with the possibility of expanding to Specialization Units
in the future.
Foundation Units - Design & Modeling
Students apply the design process to solve problems and understand the influence of creativity and
innovation in their lives. They work in teams to design a playground and furniture, capturing research
and ideas in their engineering notebooks. Using Autodesk® design software, students create a virtual image of their designs and produce a portfolio to showcase their innovative solutions.
Automation & Robotics
Students trace the history, development, and influence of automation and robotics as they learn about
mechanical systems, energy transfer, machine automation, and computer control systems. Students use
the VEX Robotics® platform to design, build, and
program real-world objects, such as traffic lights, toll
booths, and robotic arms.
G-A Primary Literacy Night Offers Interactive Displays
Join us at the G-A Primary for our
2nd annual Literacy Night, which
will be held on Tuesday, May 5th
between 5:30pm-7pm! Families
will be able to take part in interactive literacy displays, word and letter games, a make your own bookmark station, an Author’s Chair,
and much more! Each child that attends will also receive a book bag,
summer writing journal, as well as
a “new to them” used book, once
their superhero punch card is complete!
The BOGO Scholastic Book Fair
will also be open in the library, so
make sure to stop by and visit Mr.
Russell and purchase some new
summer reading materials for your
student! A few of our local libraries
will be there as well to share information about some of their summer reading programs!
And before you leave for the
night, swing in to the cafeteria for
a complimentary hotdog dinner
with your family!
If you would like to help in any
way with this event, please contact Laura at ga.afgak@gmail.com.
Thank you!
G-AMS Behavior All-Stars Are 24 Karat Solid Gold
G-A Middle School students recently celebrated
Positive Behavior with our first semester Gold Club
Reward. An amazing 217 students participated in a
wide range of activities throughout the school including board games, open gym, a movie, art projects, and
technology time. They were able to select activities and
rotate to different locations during our half day reward.
These students are wonderful examples of outstanding
citizenship and great role models at G-A Middle School.
Congratulations first semester Gold Club Members!
APRIL 2015 Page 7
G-A Primary School News:
Eighth Grade Girls Have a Bright Future!
This year’s eighth grade basketball team consists
of 12 dedicated players that have been working very
hard since the season started the first week on January.
The team members are Lexi Reist, Skylar Bollinger,
Sam Thomas, Kenzi Daniel, Macy Sierengowski, Victoria Dack, Madison Thompson, Kelcey Bullard, Sam
Verburg, McKenzie Phillips, Natalie Voss and Abby
Snyder.
They have had impressive wins against rival KVA
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools
Stay connected to
Galesburg-Augusta
Community Schools by:
APRIL 2015 Page 8
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools
Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools
G-A Middle School News:
G-A Middle School News:
Miss Champion’s Fifth Grade
Science Class Study Volcanoes
Miss
Champion’s
fifth grade science class
has been learning about
plate tectonics and volcanoes. For the last couple of weeks, the class
researched, built, and
erupted their own volcanoes. The students built
the framework out of
cardboard then used Paper Mache and paint to
create his/her volcano
masterpieces. The fifth
graders took turns erupting his/her volcano with
different combinations of
ingredients in order to see
how they reacted.
The fifth graders had
an absolute blast with this
activity! A big thank you
goes out to the parents
who donated supplies;
we couldn’t have done
this without you!
The Washington’s Came to the Middle School for Story Telling
This year, the Galesburg-Augusta Community
On February 12, the Galesburg-Augusta Middle
School had the privilege of having world known story Schools Foundation donated money that allowed the
tellers, Von and Fran Washington, present A River to fifth and sixth graders to attend two Education for the
Cross to the fifth and sixth graders.
Arts programs.
A River to Cross is a story based on the true history of the William Bright Conner family of Covert,
Michigan. The Conner family traveled from the south
in 1849 to escape southern slavery. At one point in the
story, our students were so wrapped up into the story
that a student actually shouted out “Shhh...” when a
character screamed. The student didn’t want the family to be caught by the guards.
Von and Fran Washington are a part of the Education for the Arts program sponsored by KRESA. The
assembly was made possible by a generous donation
from the Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools
Foundation.
Stay connected to Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools by:
MS Student Poetry to be Published
“It is difficult to get the
news from poems yet men
die miserably every day
for lack of what is found
there.”
William Carlos Williams, Asphodel, That
Greeny Flower and Other
Love Poems: That Greeny
Flower
Congratulations to Mrs.
Fotis and 56 of her eigth
grade writing students!
These students have been
accepted to be published
in A Celebration of Poets,
sponsored by Creative
Communication. This is
a tremendous achievement of which the entire
G-AMS community can
be Ram Proud!
The following students
will have their poem
published! The AB means
they were absent for the
picture.
Alec Beatty
Alex Eaton
Alex Monk
Chris Rios AB
Austyn Spence
Jonathan Robinson
Brooke Miller
Josh Miner
Champaign Mueller AB
Markus Lamphear
Jon Depalma
Michael Whitney
Levi Root
Noah Fouch
Madison Liskovec AB
Qwin Fleckenstein
Pam Crosslan
Skylar Bollinger AB
Samantha Perry
Toby Lear
Aubrey Feist
Lexi Reist
Devon Cote AB
Gabe Valadez
Katie Hogan
Josh Davidson AB
Rose Vincent AB
Allyssa Haan
Victoria Dack
Brianna Haan
Sammi Nearpass
Hana Gonzales
Patrick Wallace
Annie Dowdy
Aden Bajo
Cameron Wing
Cameron Rupert
Kenzi Daniel
Jade Levering
Lydia Johnson AB
Kaylee Saggio
Kelcey Bullard
Logan Moses
Macy Sierengowski
McKenzie Phillips
Abby Snyder
Chloe Page AB
DJ Brannon
Dylan Maher
Eric Swager
Jarret Briley
Logan Williams
Matt Lucas AB
Max Thompson AB
Samantha Thomas
APRIL 2015 Page 9