September pages 1-3.pub - Carrollton Public Schools

Carrollton Public Schools
P.O. Box 517, 3211 Carla Drive
Carrollton, MI 48724
www.carrolltonpublicschools.org
Volume 29, Issue 2
Non-Profit
U.S. Postage Paid
Carrollton, MI
Permit No. 6
ECRWSS
Postal Customer
The Newspaper of Carrollton Public Schools
October 2015
Sixth graders gearing up for robotics
Superintendent’s Corner
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Saving Taxpayers money
Fight the Blight
Facility Use
Elementary School News
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Settling into new routine
Team Building
Eating Healthy
Middle School News
Off to a great start
First impressions
Team Achieve
High School News
Grad Triumphs Washington
New Exchange Student
Computer Lab updates
Omni News
As I see it
Welcome new teachers
Omni Art Club
Carrollton Public
Schools will be
communicating via
email this year, so it
is very important that
a working email that
is checked often is
entered in Skyward.
By Nancy Francis
Middle School Teacher
I am very excited to be teaching a robotics class to this yearʹs 6th graders at
Carrollton Middle School.
With the help of Dow Corning and
Saginaw Valley State University, I was
able to receive a $2000 grant to purchase four Lego Mindstorms EV3 Robot
Building Sets and a laptop computer to
use in programming.
Students have built their first robot,
called Boticelli, and will be programming it to move and approach and greet
an alien this week. By the end of the
marking period, students should be
able to design and build the necessary
a/achments and program the robots to
perform various tasks.
We had our first taste of robotics last
school year with the help of Nexteer
and the YMCA. Together, they sponsored our very first Lego League for the
middle school and twelve of our 6th
grade students competed in a tournament at Freeland High School.
This year, with Nexteerʹs sponsorship,
I am thrilled to have the chance to participate again and am looking forward
to a great season.
Contact Numbers
Superintendent
989-754-1475
Administration Office
989-754-1475
Omni
989-753-3477
High School
989-753-3433
Middle School
989-753-9704
Elementary/J.B. Griffin
989-754-2425
Check us out on the Web:
www.carrolltonpublicschools.org
First Lego League is an awesome program geared toward discovery through
teamwork. Teams work together to find
solutions to presented problems and
then demonstrate what they know
through friendly competition.
Students are given a series of tasks
and then must build the necessary
a/achments for their robot to complete
each of those tasks. At the competition,
the robot must travel the field and complete the tasks within an allo/ed time.
CMS is proud to be
among the first middle schools in the
nation to host a
Heart and Sole Program. This program
is an extension of
their Girls on the
Run program. Participants include,
from left: Lexi Pruden, Miranda Fleton,
Aliyanna Carrillo,
Sheala Wade, Abigail Doran, Gwen
Lapine, Kalayia
Jones and Angelica
Ramerez
Please remember to
update your email in
Skyward so you don't
miss out.
If you have forgotten
your login to
Skyward, or need
help setting up an
email account, please
contact your
children’s school
office.
CMS students recently competed in
their first Lego
League Competition at Freeland
High School.
Front row, from
left: Gabriella Olivarez, Lindsay Luna, and Alina
Madaj. Middle row,
from left: Austin
Lutkus-Mayer and
Ja’Tel Malone.
Back row, from
left: Ty Jarvis,
Spencer Thomas,
Jacob Winters, and
Elijah McHenry.
By Paula Keysor
Middle School Teacher
Carrollton Middle School is proud to
be among the first middle schools in the
nation to host a Heart and Sole program.
This program is an extension of the
Girls on the Run 3rd-5th grade programming. Carrollton Elementary has hosted
a Girls on the Run program for several
years and CMS is thrilled to launch a
middle school program that will continue to provide positive lessons for girls
in grades 6-8.
The Heart and Sole mission is to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident, through age appropriate activities that encourage them to become
more self-aware and accepting of themselves and others. This program helps
empower girls to become strong and
reach their greatest potential.
Hopefully, the lessons and experiences they will encounter in this 20-week
program will help them throughout
their lives.
Our culminating activity will be the
Girls on the Run 5K Reindeer Run just
before the Positive Results Downtown
Saginaw Holiday Parade which will
take place on Saturday, November 21.
The 5K run will start at 11 a.m. at the
Castle Museum. It will proceed down
Washington through Hoyt Park and
The Children’s Zoo and finish on Ezra
Rust St. in front of the Andersen Enrichment Center.
It would be great to have members of
the Carrollton Community come out
and support all of the participants of
Girls on the Run and Heart and Sole as
they strive to meet their 5K goal. We
look forward to seeing you there.
This yearʹs challenge is entitled Trash
Trek.
With an emphasis on STEM education,
students in this robotics class as well as
those participating in Lego League
learn necessary skills that will be valuable in their futures.
A special thank you to Nexteer, the
YMCA, Dow Corning, and Saginaw
Valley State University for supporting
our students by providing materials
and mentors.
Monday, October 19
National Honor Society Inductions, CHS, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, October 20
Powderpuff Football, CHS, 7pm
Crowning of the King
at hal:ime
Wednesday, October 21
Home Volleyball vs
Ithaca, 7 p.m.
Friday, October 23
Homecoming Parade,
4 p.m.
Football vs Bridgeport, CHS, 7
p.m.
Crowning of the Queen at
hal:ime
Saturday, October 24
Homecoming Dance, CHS,
8 – 11 p.m.
For more information please
contact the CHS Office
at 989-753-3433.
Saving Taxpayers money and great things
happening at Carrollton Public School
CARROLLTON
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
SUPERINTENDENT
Tim Wilson
Dear Carrollton Community,
Our district recently refinanced our outstanding
bonds that were taken out a number of years ago.
By refinancing these bonds, Carrollton tax payers
will save nearly 1.2 million dollars over the life of
the bonds and individual taxpayers should see
their tax bill decrease slightly next year.
Our kindergarten through twel:h grade enrollment was up by almost 100 students this year.
The largest growth occurred in our elementary
From the desk of
Marv Kozara
Township Supervisor
Fight the Blight
campaign continues
The Fight the Blight Campaign continues to
make progress with two more blighted homes
being torn down recently. Both homes are located
in the 2800 block of North Michigan and we have
a third home near Sha/uck and North Michigan
in the plans to be torn down.
We at the Carrollton Township office have taken
full advantage of a program that targets blighted
homes and removes the home from the neighborhood.
school and we will soon be looking at limiting the
number of school of choice students that we accept because our buildings are full and we want
to keep our class sizes small.
Our a:er school program is now averaging approximately 200 students each evening. The Boys
and Girls Club of America has been providing
this program to our children for only $10 per
child per year.
Our district is very grateful for the service that
the Boys and Girls Club program is providing for
our children.
In the works... our district is now looking at adding playground equipment at our elementary
school. A fund raising campaign will soon be
ge/ing under way and we hope to be adding
equipment next summer.
We are also looking into bringing back our
Building Trades class next year with a bit of a
twist. Bill Dalton has agreed to return as a part
time teacher in which he will teach Building
Trades and Wood Shop. The twist on Building
Trades is that the district will be purchasing foreclosed homes and the class will fix them up and
then we will resell the homes.
This should help to improve our neighborhood,
provide great hands on learning for our high
school students and create affordable housing for
a family.
There are many exciting things happening in
our district and we continue to strive to provide
an outstanding and well rounded education for
every child.
Tim Wilson, Superintendent
To date, under this program (that is fully funded
with grant money) we have taken down a total of
15 homes. The cost to you, the Carrollton Township residents, is nothing.
We will continue to work with this program and
the Saginaw County Land Bank to improve our
community and neighborhoods.
Along with removing blighted homes from the
community, we have also sent out 300 notices of
code violations so far this calendar year.
We ask you at this time to check your own property and home; can anything be cleaned up or
repaired? If so, we ask that you do your part and
you join the Fight the Blight Campaign.
A new contract has been signed with Waste
Management to continue as our curb side waste
collector for trash, yard waste and recycling materials. The new seven-year contract starts on January 1, 2016.
We ask that you look for future information
about the collection process that is intended to be
for educational purposes.
Quick and easy
way to update
your information
Did you know? This year, in Skyward, you
can maintain your email address and phone
numbers and Emergency contact information.
All you have to do is: log into your Skyward
account,
•
Choose Online verification
•
Click on b. Family Information then make
the appropriate changes,
•
Click on the complete step bu/on and go
to next step, complete any necessary
changes on this screen then next step
again.
Once all updates are complete click on
“Submit 20215/16 Online Verification” bu/on.
We hope this makes it more convenient for
you to keep your information current since
this is how we will primarily communicate
with parents again this year.
Any questions or concerns feel free to contact your students school office.
Another great way to keep up-to-date on
things happening at CPS...
Check us out on Facebook.
Simply search for Carrollton Public
Schools and “Like” us.
Facility use at Carrollton Public Schools
Interested in using the facilities at Carrollton
Public Schools? You are in luck, the building use
application is now available online. Just visit:
www.carrolltonpublicschools.org/school/community
Applicants must:
• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Officially represent the organization or group
listed on the application.
•
Guarantee orderly behavior while using the
facility.
• Agree to make prompt monetary restitution
for any damage due to their use of the facility.
• Allow a minimum of fourteen (14) working
days for approval of request.
Questions or in need of more information?
Please call 989-399-8864.
2014-2015 Board of Education
William Feriend, Vice-President
Troy Lapine, Secretary
Stephen Schwerin, Trustee
Anthony McDonald, President
Loren Fischer, Treasurer
Angela Carter, Trustee
Ray Mejia, Trustee
In compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educa$on Amendments of 1972, Sec$on 504 of the Rehabilita$on Act of
1973, the Americans with Disability Act of 1990, and the Ellio--Larsen Civil Rights Act of 1977, it is the policy of the Carrollton Public School
District that no person shall, on the basis of race, color, religion, na$onal origin or ancestry, sex, disability, height, weight, or marital status be
excluded from par$cipa$on in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to, discrimina$on during any program, ac$vity, service or in employment. For informa$on, inquiries, or to file a complaint, contact the Superintendent of Carrollton Public Schools at PO Box 517, Carrollton, MI
48724, 989-754-1475.
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This newspaper is distributed to residents of Carrollton and
to our Schools-of-Choice families. We welcome your comments, questions, and ideas.
If you live outside the distribution area and would like to
subscribe to The Community Connection, send your name
and address, along with $3 to: Community Connection,
P.O. Box 517, Carrollton, MI. 48724.
Contact Information:
Kelly Baker, Co-Editor: kskania@carrollton.k12.mi.us
Lindsay Bryce, Co-Editor: 989-399-8864 or
lindsaybryce@carrollton.k12.mi.us
District News
MI-Great Buddy Walk 2015 a successful event
By Kate Foster-Dupuis
Elementary School Teacher
Buddy Walk Coordinator
The MI-Great Buddy Walk® at Carrollton High
School Stadium on September 26 was another
huge success.
This year’s event was able to raise funds, over
$9000, to help support the National Down Syndrome Society and the Exceptional Horseback
Riders of Saginaw County. The MI-Great Buddy
Walk® is a registered walk with the NDSS’s
Buddy Walk® held nation-wide.
The Buddy Walk® was developed by the National Down Syndrome Society in 1995 to celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October and to promote acceptance and inclusion
of people with Down syndrome. The Buddy
Walk® has grown from 17 walks in 1995 to nearly 300 Walks planned for 2015 worldwide.
In 2014, nearly $13 million was raised nationwide to benefit local programs and services, as
well as the national advocacy and public awareness initiatives of NDSS that benefit all individuals with Down syndrome.
The MI-Great Buddy Walk® could not have
been such a huge success without the help of its
Danica List (Back
row wearing her
gold crown) was
crowned as the
2015 MI-Great
Buddy walk Queen.
Her family (pictured
here) and her loved
ones raised over
$1000 in her honor
to benefit NDSS
and the Exceptional Horseback Riders of Saginaw
County.
main sponsors Carrollton Community Education, Saginaw Community Foundation, Bellsmith
Graphics, Bee Inspired, The Zilwaukee/
Carrollton Eagles, and the generous donations
by many people, businesses, and organizations.
Thank you to The Saginaw Community Foundation for handling all financial transactions for the
MI-Great Buddy Walk.
Gold sponsors of the walk either donated money or items for raffle or the silent auction worth
more than $250. Silver sponsors either donated
$100 or more either in money or donated items
to the silent auction.
Thank you to everyone who contributed, volunteered, and participated in the walk, to help
the 2015 MI-Great Buddy Walk® be another successful walk.
For more information check us out on Facebook or at www.migreatbuddywalk.com. We
look forward to seeing you again next year.
Gold Sponsors
SG Photobooth - Stefanie Geilhart
Art Sample Furniture via Zilwaukee
Carrollton Eagles donation
List Trucks & Equipment Sales. Inc.
Vonde/e Roofing Inc.
Bell Landscaping
Beyer Roofing Company
Peter Walsh
Silver Sponsors
Billy’s Contracting Inc.
Horacemann Insurance
Tom and Lori List
Dennis Ri/er
Sara Bauer
Tammy and Ma/ Bishop
Old City Hall Restaurant
Linda and Jerry Burton
Jackie Casassa
Linda Dorey
Amigo Mobility Center - Kate Hofmann
(Amazon Kindle)
Michelle Ma/heis - Thirty-One Gi:s
Copus Orthodontics D.D.S.
Gina Meylan D.D.S. - Family Dental Center
Lauren and Avery Ford
Team One Credit Union - Kimberly Scofield
Tara Lundstrom - The Li/le Cupcakery
Co-Op Care Giver Opportunity
Open to students enrolled at CHS or Omni Alternative High School for the 2015-16 school year.
The co-op student(s), under the supervision of the
Lead Caregivers and Center Director, shall be responsible for overall care and supervision of children, ages 2 weeks through 5 years old, in the Carrollton Child Care Center. The student(s) will receive on-the-job training and credit for hours
worked.
CHS students should contact Ms. Titsworth with
questions regarding the co-op. Omni students
should contact Ms. Norton. Questions regarding
the duties and requirements of the caregiver position should be directed to Mrs. Bryce at 989-3998864.
Essential A"ributes: Ability to cooperate with
teachers, students and administration. Basic understanding of and desire to learn more about early
childhood education. Ability to keep all student
and parent information confidential. Shall be of
good character with high moral and ethical values.
Have access to reliable transportation.
Minimal Qualifications: Must be at least 18 years
of age. Enrolled at CHS or Omni Alternative High
School for the 2015-16 school year. Available to
work 5-24 hours weekly, within the hours of 7 a.m.
- 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Ability to li: a
minimum of 50 pounds. Excellent oral and wri/en
communications skills are required. Ability to
work well with diverse staff, parents and students.
Must be willing to receive additional training to
improve job skills. Must be willing to meet Michigan child care licensing requirements for caregivers. Must satisfactorily pass: Law enforcement
background check with fingerprinting and personal and professional reference background check.
Must possess or be willing to complete training to
become Adult/Infant/CPR/First Aid Certified
Compensation: $8.25 per hour.
This is a contracted position with PCMI and will be
assigned to CPS. Candidates should send cover
le/er and resume to: Lindsay Bryce, Community
Education Director at:
lindsaybryce@carrollton.k12.mi.us.
The position will be open until filled. Priority will
be given on a first-come, first-served basis. Interviews will be scheduled, upon receipt of cover
le/er and resume.
Cambria Suites, Traverse City - Deb Kresnak
Survival Fitness- Ma/ Jarecki
Great Lakes Loons
Spring Hill Suites, Saginaw—Nicholas Hamilton
Posh Salon - Angela Kowalski and Staff
The Sawmill Golf Club - Jerry Blake
Garber Management Group- April Henery
Michigan Pipe and Valve -Theresa Jaime
(Lions Tickets)
Fernco, Inc - Mark Cooper (Red Wings Tickets)
Dave Krantz
Garber Management Group
Julie A Csongradi
William & Kristine Hartl
Zachary Electronics Inc.
Raymond A Zolinski
Ziggy Enterprises LLC
Carrollton’s 5 Star
Child Care Center
is now hiring!
Carrollton Public Schools’ Early Childhood Center Preschool and Child Care
programs have been awarded a 5 star
rating by Great Start to Quality, Michigan’s quality rating and improvement
system for child care and preschool
programs. The child care center is currently looking for individuals who have
both the heart for working with infants,
toddlers, and preschool age children,
and a commitment to quality and professional development. Staff and student co-op positions are available - a
great experience for a student on the
education career path. Contact Lindsay
Bryce, Community Education Director,
at 989-737-9532
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Elementary School News
Elementary
School
Principal
Students and staff settling into the routine
Sarah Coates
Fall is in full swing and the staff and students at
Carrollton Elementary are seling into the routines of the school year.
This year we are implementing some new routines based around the principles of PBIS, which
stands for Positive Behavior Intervention Systems.
These principles focus on being proactive with
students by teaching appropriate behaviors in
school.
Our school has started by identifying specific
behavior expectations for common areas in the
school, such as the hallway, lunchroom, bathrooms and playground. During the first month of
school, teachers have taught schoolwide lessons
about behavior expectations using the same
books.
You may have heard your children talking about
Decibella and her 6– inch voice. One of the common strategies we are using is voice levels of 04. All of our students have practiced using different voice levels in areas of the building.
Examples would be a level 0 voice in the halls or
level 2 voice, which is a partner talking voice in
the classroom. The children are doing great with
this. As the year goes on we will continue to visit
those lessons to build a positive culture in our
school.
Other things we are doing to promote this positive culture is continuing on with the Cavalier of
the Month program and the Golden Spatula. The
Golden Spatula is an award that is earned by
classrooms for modeling great behavior in the
lunchroom.
We are very proud of our school and our students, and these are just a few of the ways we celebrate being a Cavalier.
I encourage all of you to “like” Carrollton Elementary School on Facebook to see some of the
great things going on in our school where We Believe in Our Cavaliers.
Help your child have
their best year yet
By Mark Hawley
Elementary School Teacher
Students in the Multi-Age Classroom at Carrollton Elementary School work together on a
team building project. The students work as a group to use straws to transport items one-byone to another table in the classroom.
Team building in the Multi-Age Room
By Tammy Aspin
Elementary School Teacher
The Multi-Age classroom is starting the year off
right. We are working on our team building skills.
Team building in our classroom helps to create
trust, cooperation, and fun memories. The students
are able to reach a common goal by listening and
collaborating with one another.
The students in the Multi-Age room at Carrollton
Elementary strive to have mutual respect and understanding for one another.
Our students are having a great time working together and making learning fun.
The Carrollton Elementary teachers want this
to be your child’s best year at school. Here are a
few tips to consider:
• Read everyday! You can read to your child
or have your child read to you... either
way ...Read!
• Create a consistent a;er-school routine. Help your child complete their homework.
• Be positive! Always speak positively about
school, learning, and your child’s teacher.
• Encourage! Give your child the opportunity
to excel in all areas of their academics.
• Be sure that your child is geing plenty of
rest and is ready for school each day.
• Teach your child to be responsible for their
actions and to take pride in all they do!
• Stay involved! Make it a point to ask your
child about their day.
• Communicate... Please know you can contact us with any questions or concerns.
Kindergartners learn about apples and eating healthy
By Krystal Hauser and Krystal Aspin
Elementary School Teachers
Our kindergarten students have been doing a lot
of learning about apples both in our classroom at
Carrollton Elementary School and outside of it.
We recently paid a visit to Leamanʹs Applebarn
in Freeland. While we were there we learned how
to pick apples from a tree, how to make apple cider, the life cycle of an apple, and so much more.
In our classroom we have been learning about
healthy foods through our Harvest of the Month
program and our school wide fresh fruit and vegetable snack.
Our kindergarten friends tried homemade applesauce and apple cinnamon oatmeal. We also
tasted three different kinds of apples to see which
was our favorite.
The students enjoyed testing out the apples and
apple creations. It was a great way to make learn-
The students in Mrs. Hauser and Mrs. Aspin’s Kindergarten Classroom have been learning
about apples and other healthy foods. Left, the students try homemade applesauce. Right,
an employee at Leaman’s Applebarn shows the group apple trees during a recent field trip.
ing about healthy foods fun and exciting.
We are very proud of our students for trying
new things and we look forward to sampling other
new fruits and vegetables this school year.
Another great way to keep up-to-date on things happening at
Carrollton Elementary School…
Check us out on Facebook.
Simply search for Carrollton Elementary School and “Like” us.
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Elementary School News
Being to school on-time is a great predictor for student success. At
the Carrollton Elementary School, when an entire class is on-time
(before 7:45 a.m.) to school they can put a piece on their class Mr. Potato Head.
Once the class has filled their potato head they receive a certificate to
hang outside of their door.
Congratulations to Mrs. Rauschenbergerʹs, Mrs. Brooksʹ and Mrs.
Newberryʹs classes for earning the first ʺNo Tardy Tatorsʺ certificates
this year. Keep up the great work. You are seing great examples for
all of the students at Carrollton Elementary School.
Mrs. Rauschenberger’s Class
Mrs. Brooks’ Class
Mrs. Newberry’s Class
Two local churches offer Trunk or Treat
Carrollton families, are you looking for a safe
and fun Halloween experience in your backyard? You are invited to Trunk or Treat events at
Bethlehem and Messiah Lutheran Church.
The First event is at Bethlehem Lutheran on the
corner of Weiss and Hermansau. They present
their version of Trunk or Treat on October 24,
from 4 – 5:30 p.m. At this event they distribute
candy from the trunks of cars (generally 25 – 30);
you enter off the Weiss St. parking lot.
Additionally there will be treats, games, and
prizes for the children. This year they will have a
steel drum band, “The Gratitude Steel Band”, that
will perform live!
Admission to the event is one can of food per
Tickets on sale now!
at the Carrollton Township Hall
New Year’s Eve
Birthday Party & Celebration
of Carrollton Township’s
150th Anniversary
December 31, 2015
9 p.m.p.m.-1 a.m.
$30 per person/$50 per couple
child, which is used in their food pantry for our
community.
On Halloween evening, October 31, 6 -8 p.m.,
Messiah will host their Trunk or Treat, an event
held totally within their building. Messiah is located on N. Michigan, just a block north of Schust.
Admission is free, and parents should bring their
children through the east entrance (classroom hallway), where candy will be distributed to the kids.
In the fellowship area, visitors will find a place to
relax, enjoy some popcorn or donut holes, and
coffee or hot cocoa. These are great events for the
community to come together. Both churches look
forward to seeing everyone for a great night of
safe fun.
Important
Numbers
District Aendance Office
989-754-6750
District Transportaon Office
989-754-6750
989-737-9808
Helping your child to be school ready
By Sean Williamson
Elementary School Teacher
As human beings we all have basic needs both
physiological and psychological.
This idea is known as the hierarchy of human
needs and was developed by psychologist Abraham Maslow.
Physiological needs are those that sustain our
bodies and include food, water, and sleep while
psychological needs include affection, security,
and self-esteem.
Maslow’s theory suggests that basic needs must
be met before we can engage in higher/growth
needs. As human beings we will search out those
basic needs until satisfied and only then are we
able to aend to learning and other higher needs
behaviors.
Balanced diet, plenty of sleep, feeling loved, and
having good self-esteem are necessary both at
home and at school before learning can take
place. Today modern school systems help to provide for students but parents and families continue to be the main source for their basic needs.
Teachers spend a great deal of time engaging
students in higher needs activities making the as-
People need to satisfy base level needs before
moving up the pyramid to self-actualization at
which point they can be receptive to learning.
sumption that students’ basic needs have been met
and that they are “school ready.”
Unfortunately this is not always true. As partners in education it’s important for parents to look
a;er their children’s physiological and psychological needs so all students can come to us “school
ready.”
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Middle School News
Middle
School
Principal
CMS staff and students off to a great start
Marc McKenzie
The beginning of the year is off to a great
start. If you have a twier account, please check
us out at @CMScavaliers.
If not, now is a great time to get one. There are
a LOT of pictures since the start of the school year
of class projects, milestones and extra-curricular
activities. We also put important dates of upcoming events on twier. If you haven’t checked it
out, please do so.
Here at the middle school students have completed NWEA testing for the fall. NWEA tests
grade level proficiency in four different categories:
1. Reading
2. Mathematics
3. Language usage
4. General Science
We will test students again in the spring before
M-Step begins. These tests measure the growth of
our students here and what grade level they are
currently performing at.
Our middle school volleyball team is finishing
up a successful season. Our girls have done a
fantastic job of being student athletes here at the
middle school. We stress to our students that
before they step on the floor, they should have
taken the proper steps and are prepared in class
to be successful.
We have our Student Council and National Junior Honor Society groups formed for the
year. These groups are o;en involved in service
learning projects such as fundraisers and helping
out in the community. Be on the lookout for communication on helping them achieve their goals.
We held our first rec night at the beginning of
October and it was a ton of fun for everyone involved. Our next scheduled rec night is Friday,
November 6.
Our rec nights include a DJ, pizza sales, open
gym, table tennis, and lots of fun. The proceeds
from rec nights go right back into our student
account here at CMS and back to the students.
Thank you for a great start to the school year,
we look forward to a great year.
Exploring new ways to learn Spanish
By Gloria Cerón
Spanish Teacher
1st Marking Period 2015-2016
I always dreamed with having a classroom
where students were engaged and willing to learn
Spanish.
I knew that grammar drills, or endless hours of
listening and repeating are not the best way to
became proficient in a language.
A foreign language learner needs to hear lots of
spoken language made meaningful through real
life experiences. In the classroom, I’m looking for
replicate authentic situations, so students find
something significant to work with.
At the beginning, they may feel a lile overwhelmed, but it is amazing how their listening
and reading skills evolve, allowing the learner to
understand, reproduce, and create words, phrases,
and sentences in the target language. Cooperative
Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA
and have no discipline referrals.
Students in Senora Cerón’s Spanish class
work together on a group lesson.
learning is a must, the students engaged in active
participation, practicing Spanish in meaningful
contexts, and communicating what they want to
express.
First impressions of eighth grade
By Janet Dowe
Middle School Teacher
The year is off and running. Many students had
different ideas as to what 8th grade would be like
and how their first week of school went. Here are
a few first impressions from the 8th grade class.
Brianna Moore-The first week of school, I did
not know that it would go this easy for me, but
now I know next week it is going to get harder for
me but I’m ready for the challenge.
LaDena Breamsy- I did not want to come back,
but I am looking forward to this year because of
the first fun new week of school.
Lily Orozco- I’m kind of worried about all the
work I will be geing later in the year.
Jaidin Bradshaw- School isn’t as bad as I
thought it would be.
Dequavious Curry- My first week was OK. I expected some of the teachers to be a lot meaner.
Once I realized they weren’t it was somewhat of a
relief.
Nathan Kowalski- The teachers aren’t that mean.
I need a lile bit more time remembering my
schedule. All my classes are fine, French might be
a lile harder.
Jesse Carmona- The first week of school went
beer than I thought it would. The teachers are
nicer than last year and more testing than last
year.
Antoine Napier- Overall, my first week of school
went great.
Alexis Curtis- My first impression is that 8th
grade is going to be really hectic! The hallways are
always crowded. It just seem like it’s going to be a
crazy year.
Carrollton offers Preschool through:
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ll
g
ch iste to
ild r
to you
da r
y
o
e t at
e
r
F
th
ies y
l
i
fam ualif
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To learn more please visit: www.michiganpreschool.org
or call 844-492-7707.
6
Jennifer Anguiano
Mitchell Ballard
Landon Boensch
Kaliyan Carey
James Curtis
Sophia Dark
Joshua Dietrich
Kaitlin Dietrich
Karlie Dietrich
Michael Enciso
Dearia Gaines
Aliyah Godina Brown
Desirae Gomez
Adriana Hall
Zionee Hill
Alexis Jaramillo
Ty Jarvis
Catarina Juarez
Jamie Kocks
Taylor Lile
Lindsay Luna
Austin Lutkus-Mayer
Alina Madaj
Luc Marker
Jose Martinez
Elijah Mchenry
Steven Meacham
Gabriella Olivarez
Taryn Pitre
Veronica Prui
Angelica Ramirez
Spencer Read
Logan Romo
Kaiya Rown
Michael Rowland
Seneca Sanada
Graciella Sanchez
Mykenzi Siemienkiewicz
Mckenzie Smith
Autumn Berdovich
Kelsie Bracke
Emma Brooks
Kameron Brown
William Clark Jr.
Trevor Culpepper Jr.
Alexis Curtis
Kyle Dalton
Victor David
Isabella Dietrich
Kiyonu Evans
Steffani Evans-Osmond
Jamya Goodman
Donovan Goodrow
Giana Jackson
Kiera James
Samantha Krease
Allison Krenz
Tyler Lintz
Breanna Manor
Brady Mason
Carter McDonald
Taylor Mckinstry
Liliana Orozco
Emma Partlow
Benito Rivera
Tamia Shivers
Madison Shye
Ahlonnda Shumpert
Tunisha Smith
Chloe Sopcak
Kylie Spiekerman
Caden Sumption
Dalessa Sylvester
Autumn Turner
Raymond Uhrich
Jose Valdez, Jr.
Kyle Vanderelzen
John Willis III
Congratulations
and keep up the
great work!
Middle School News
Students pleased with updates to CMS Computer Lab
By Deborah Schneider
Middle School Teacher
In September, students came back to school to
find their new classrooms, new lockers, and new
teachers. Many were also excited to find new
computers in the middle school computer lab.
When asked how the new equipment would
benefit them, students had several responses:
• Faster web speeds
• Less time to boot computers and load websites
• No lag time
• Quicker sending of documents and emails
• No wasted time fixing computer problems
• Enough computers for all students
A class called Technology Research is directly
benefi%ing from these improvements. Students
spend their class time learning about the use of
technology in school and in their personal lives.
This year, we are following the curriculum outlined on a website called 21 Things for Students.
The class is paperless, which means all assignments are submi%ed electronically through a
shared folder in each student’s school Google account.
The first unit explores the basics of using
shortcuts and the multiple ways to do one thing
The students and staff of CMS are enjoying the new technology in their building. From left:
Dearia Gaines, Jamie Kocks, and Madison Byrd work on some of the new computers.
when using a computer. Shortcuts use the Ctrl
bu%on and one other key. Each one means something different. As one student said, “There are a
ton of them!”
Here are some of the examples of the shortcuts:
Ctrl T = new tab
Ctrl N = new window
Ctrl A = select all
Ctrl Z = undo
Ctrl C = copy
Mentor program
pairs juniors with
eighth graders
Eighth grade teachers Allison Metiva-Wajer and
Christine Dinninger, along with English 11 teacher Traci Cornelius, are collaborating on a new
mentor program for middle school and high
school students.
Throughout the course of the school year, 8th
grade students and 11th grade students will be
communicating back and forth regarding concerns and issues students have about high school,
giving advice and tips for being successful in high
school, ge%ing to know one another, and practicing writing skills.
Each month students in 11th grade will be given
a topic to ponder and write a response to. The 8th
grade students will be able to read and respond to
what the juniors said. They can ask questions,
respond with their own thoughts, or get more information about concerns they have. Students in
the two grades will correspond with each other
roughly twice a month with the possibility of
meeting face-to-face during the school year.
Dinninger and Metiva-Wajer began contemplating and gathering information about a middle
school-high school mentor program last year and
approached Cornelius at the beginning of the current school year to see if she would be interested
in giving the program a try.
The goal of the program is to introduce 8th grade
students to 11th grade students in the hopes that
when they begin high school their freshmen year
the students will know someone with whom they
Ctrl V = paste
There are also several other shortcuts that students have been practicing, such as F12 (Save As)
and === + Enter to draw a line across a document.
The Snipping Tool is new to many of the students.
It is a useful tool for a selective screenshot.
All of these skills will be needed throughout
high school, college, and into the work world.
Do you want to learn more? Ask a Technology
Research student for a quick tech tutorial.
Ms. Stader’s
Middle School
Art Students
are hard at
work using
their own creative designs
to create
postcards.
Converting words into pictures
By Ms. Stader
Middle School Art Teacher
We are off to a great start in the art room at
Carrollton Middle School.
Students are learning to convert their words
into pictures. They are using pictures as a way
to communicate about their identity. We are
taking these pictures and making a postcard
feel comfortable and can seek out if they need
help.
As Mrs. Cornelius said to her students, when
discussing the mentor program, “How cool would
it have been if you had known a senior when you
entered high school as a freshman?”
Students will be using the on-line learning system Moodle to post to forums, watch videos, and
interact with one another. Using an online program to communicate with each other helps prepare students for both high school and college.
design.
We learned about how to create four different
types of value using ink pen. The four types are
stippling, cross-hatching, hatching, and scribbling.
Throughout this school year be on the lookout
for this postcard! When I catch a student doing
something positive I will write a quick note and
send it home.
Many high school teachers use online learning
programs in their classes, and most colleges have
online systems for turning in papers, doing assignments, ge%ing notes, and communicating .
All three teachers are excited about the prospect
of this program and the impact it could have on
students as they begin looking forward to their
high school career.
Juniors will also be able to contemplate choices
they made and offer advice for success to incoming freshmen.
Carrollton resident to join Sport’s Hall of Fame
The Saginaw County Sports Hall of Fame will
hold its 2015 induction banquet Sunday, November 1 at Horizon’s Conference Center.
Among the 2015 inductees is Jack Tany, a resident
of Carrollton Township. Tany, a graduate of Saginaw St. Mary Cathedral High School, has been
writing about local sports for four decades, including 12 years as a sports editor for the Saginaw
Township Times newspaper.
He wrote and published the book, “Glory, the
History of Saginaw County Sports” which chronicles
sports achievements in Saginaw County from 1894
-2000.
Tany serves on a number of boards throughout
the area, including the Great Lakes Bay Sports
Commission, Saginaw Valley State University’s
Athletic Advisory Board, and the Saginaw Valley
State University Cardinal Athletic Hall of Fame.
Other 2015 inductees include Bob Andrzejewski,
Alice Buchalter, Carl Diener, Nane%e Gibson, Cap
Pohlman, Ron Stanley, and Chesaning High
School’s state champion football teams of 1998 and
2001.
Tickets, which are $45 each, can be obtained by
calling Sharon Bade at 989-239-9874. Tickets can
also be purchase at the Castle Museum of Saginaw
County History, and Horizon’s Conference Center.
7
High School News
Welcome to the 2015-2016 School Year
High
School
Principal
Carrollton High
School students
work on projects
in one of the 3
computer labs
that were upgraded over the
summer. The
computers were
donated to CHS
by Northwood
University.
Shawn Thelen
We would like to take this opportunity to welcome everyone to the 2015-16 school year.
Carrollton High School is excited to have 162
new ninth grade students, foreign exchange student Takashi Oba (Kurt) from Japan as well as
three new staff members to our school family. We would like to welcome Ms. Rachel Stevens, Mrs. Melissa Keenan and Ms. Cheri Ayayi. Please check out the Connection article introducing Takashi and our new teachers.
As you can expect, Carrollton High School
fosters the intellectual, technical, cultural, physical and social development of all of its students. The high school community promotes
citizenship and excellence through a safe environment conducive to lifelong learning, personal growth, respect for others and critical thinking. We want students to set career goals
whether they plan to go straight to work or
“Tentave”
Choir Calendar
•
Music Booster Meetings (Band/Choir Parents and Supporters) 6 p.m., Wednesday,
CHS Library, 11/11, 12/9, 1/13, 2/10, 3/16,
4/13, 5/4
Homecoming Parade (6-12 Grade optional
with permission slip) 4 p.m., Friday, October 23
Fall Choir Concert Silent Auction and
Bake Sale (6-12 Grade) – 7 p.m., Wednesday, October 28, Cavalier Center (Doors
open at 6:30 p.m.)
Cookie Dough Sale (6-12 Grade optional)
Monday, November 2- Monday, November 30, Delivery at CMS Cafeteria on Saturday, December 16, 9-12
Holiday Choir Concert and Bake Sale (612 Grade) – 7 p.m., Wednesday, December
16, Cavalier Center (Doors open at 6:30
p.m.)
U of M Vocal Arts Day (H.S. Audition
only!)- Saturday, January 9, Ann Arbor, MI
6th Annual Michigan Music Conference
(Seniors)- Friday, January 22- Saturday,
January 23
•
•
•
•
•
•
* All underlined performances
are mandatory.
Thank you from the CHS
Classes of ‘75 and ‘76
The CHS classes of 1975 and 1976 want to
thank Jodi Robison Fleishman (ʹ76) from Total Entertainment for her professional yet
personal DJ Service at their recent 40th class
reunion.
She customized the music for games and
dancing to give the event a fun, 70ʹs vibe.
We highly recommend her for your DJ
needs, 989-792-1078. Thanks again Jodi!
8
a%end college. Students are encouraged to use
the opportunities available to them to reach
their goals.
This year I’m happy to share a technology update at our school. We have upgraded our 3
computer labs and our library computers.
Our main computer lab was upgraded with 35
new computers and new carpet. Our other labs
and the library were updated with donated
computers from Northwood University. One of
our new labs is pictured above.
As this school year begins, we encourage parents to become involved in their student’s education. Becoming involved is proven to be beneficial to a student’s education. This can be done
by routinely asking your student about their
school day, their homework, and their general
progress.
Furthermore, there needs to be a consistent
line of communication between the school and
the home. You can expect Carrollton High
School to use the following methods of communication: parent emails, Skyward (class grading,
report cards, progress reports, a%endance) parent-teacher conferences, and student messenger
phone calls.
Again, we are looking forward to this school
year. Please feel free to contact the High School
Office with any questions, concerns, or ideas
that you may have, 989-753-3433.
Carrollton Class of 2014 graduate
triumphs in Washington D.C.
By Allison Metiva-Wajer
Middle School Teacher
Ronald E. Owens, III isn’t your typical 19 year
old. The 2014 Carrollton High School graduate
didn’t spend his summer flipping burgers or hanging out on the beach. Instead, Owens, a Michigan
State University sophomore, interned in Washington, D.C for Congressman Dan Kildee and Senator
Debbie Stabenow.
This superb opportunity is atypical for incoming
college sophomores. In fact, Owens is the youngest
ever selected for MSU’s D.C. Study Away Program.
All other students have been upperclassmen or
graduates. Yet, he was able to prove he was worthy and mature enough for the prestigious program through his professionalism, dedication, and
tenacity.
Owens was fortunate enough to visit Washington while on spring break. While taking in the
sights, Owens was also networking. He met with
important staffers for both Congressman Dan Kildee and Senator Debbie Stabenow and shared with
the both of them his interest in a summer internship. Because of his persistence, Owens secured
interviews and was hired as a result.
Owens spent the first six weeks of summer in
Congressman Kildee’s office where he analyzed
draQed talking points, researched and analyzed a
bill, advised the congressman through recommendation, constructed memos, and completed other
work such as writing le%ers and emails.
AQer working with Congressman Kildee for six
weeks, Owens spent an additional six weeks working for Senator Stabenow. There, he analyzed education, transportation and postal legislative policies, craQed memos for senior staff, and acted as an
administrative assistant. Owens feels that from this
experience, he learned about working with diverse
people, thinking critically and analytically under
pressure.
Because of the internships, Owens was able to
get an insider’s view of D.C. Some of Owen’s more
memorable moments include: a%ending interviews
with Congressman Kildee, seeing President
Obama at the Congressional Baseball Game, being
on the floor in the House of Representatives, Senate, and Library of Congress, witnessing Secretary
John Kerry testify to Congress about the Iran Nuclear Deal, touring the White House, and being on
the steps of the Supreme Court as marriage equality was enacted.
Owens is currently in Lansing on MSU’s campus
where he is working to complete his degrees in
Political Theory & Constitutional Democracy, Social Relations & Policy, and Public Relations. His
classes focus on sorting out values and principles,
determining the rights and responsibilities of good
citizens, analyzing current and historical social
relations, and identifying issues that surround inequality and discrimination. He also spends his
time on campus as the Campaign Manager and
President for Spartans for Hillary [Clinton] and the
political director for College Democrats at MSU.
Owens expects to graduate in May 2018.
Owens hopes to return to D.C. next summer as a
congressional staffer and later to a%end graduate
or law school. With his degree and acquired skills,
Owens wishes to work for a non-profit organization before running for political office. Owens
states that his main goal is “to serve my country
and the wonderful people I represent to the best of
my ability.”
Owens would like to thank Carrollton Schools
for paving the foundation for his success. Because
of the teachers, diversity and vital opportunities
such as NHS, Leadership program, and student
representative to the board of education, Owens
has learned to speak professionally and publicly
while furthering his reading and writing skills.
Owens leaves us with this: “I strive, with force, to
be the best person and the hardest worker so that I
can change the world.” Those words are good advice for all of us.
Carrollton Public Schools is so proud of Ron Owens! Everyone here wishes him continued success
with all of his endeavors!
High School News
CHS welcomes new staff members
This fall, we have had the opportunity to welcome three new teachers to our staff at Carrollton
High School.
Mrs. Keenan teaches Algebra and Geometry, Ms.
Ayayi teaches French I, French II and Online Research and Ms. Stevens is the Band Director for
both the High School and Middle School.
Here are Mrs. Keenan and Ms. Ayayi’s introductions, Ms. Stevens was featured in last month’s
Community Connection.
Melissa Keenan
My name is Melissa Keenan and I have been
teaching math for eight
years.
I received my
Bachelorʹs Degree from
Central Michigan University and my Masterʹs Degree from Walden UniverMelissa Keenan
sity. I am married and have
two daughters. In my spare time, I enjoy traveling and spending time with my family.
I am excited to be a member of the Cavalier
community and I look forward to working with
you to achieve our academic goals.
Cheri Ayayi
Bonjour et merci pour l’opportunité d’être Cava-
lier chez CHS! Hello and thank you for the opportunity to be a Cavalier at CHS. I am Cheri Ayayi,
and I am thrilled to be
part of the high school
team.
Over the years I have
taught French, Spanish
and English as a second
language at primarily private institutions in the
Saginaw area as well as
out of state. A graduate of
Cheri Ayayi
Michigan State University,
my first degree is in criminal justice.
Always feeling a pull toward teaching however, I
went back to school at Saginaw Valley State University to obtain my K-12 teaching credentials in
French. My travels to Europe, West Africa, and
Canada have enriched my understanding of the
French language and its diversity of speakers, as
well as offered tremendous opportunities for cultural understanding of the francophone world. I
aim to bring that knowledge to my students in the
classroom.
Finally, coming from a family of educators in the
Saginaw area, it is no surprise that I am a teacher
here at Carrollton High School.
I look forward to ge%ing to know the members of
the Cavalier community in the coming year.
Athletes making CPS proud as Fall
Sports season rolls on
By Ron Dressler
Athletic Director
By the time you read this update, only a couple
of weeks will remain in the fall sports competition. As of now, the teams are working hard to
improve and pointing toward post-season
MHSAA tourney competition.
Our Boy’s and Girl’s Cross Country teams have
seen a surge in team size this year and have run
very well in competition. With two returning varsity boys (D’Anthony Goodwin & Brandon
McDonald), it was pleasant to see the team grow to
nine with seven new runners.
It was also great to see four female runners join
to comprise a girl’s squad (this the first time in a
number of years). We also have four middle
school male runners competing, all of whom
placed in the top twenty at a recent meet. The future looks bright with D’Anthony Goodwin
ranked second in the TVC West and twenty-first in
the state with a 16:44 time.
The records for the football teams both stand at 2
-3 just past the mid-point of the season. The Varsity defeated St. Louis (previously undefeated) in a
thrilling come from behind 21-20 victory on September 18th. They followed this up with a tough
34-28 overtime loss to Valley Lutheran.
The JV are on a 2 game victory roll and look to
finish the season on a long win streak. They
looked dominant with a 32-6 victory over Valley
Lutheran High School and previous 28-12 victory
over St. Louis.
The Girl’s Volleyball teams have not recorded
many victories at this point in the season but have
shown flashes of good things to come. The varsity
has come close in numerous sets (games) but have
been unable to finish.
With only 3 seniors, injuries, and new varsity
coaches, they are experiencing growing pains but
continue to work through areas of inconsistency
with good spirits. The JV squad has shown some
outstanding play at times against quality opponents. The record doesn’t show this but improvement is evident.
We look forward to seeing what the remainder of
the season will bring.
New exchange
student at CHS
By Roxanne Kingham
High School Teacher
This fall, CHS welcomed a new foreign exchange student to the Carrollton family. Kurt
Takashi Oba arrived
in Michigan August
20 and has come a
long way to be with
us this year.
Kurt is from Sendai, Miyagi, Japan,
where he lives with
his family, his mom,
dad and one older
sister. If you get a
chance to talk to
Kurt, you will notice
Kurt Takashi Oba
that he speaks very
fluent English. Kurt actually began taking
English classes when he was three years old.
Becoming a foreign exchange student is not
an easy process. The process involved a
wri%en test and then a face to face interview.
Both the test and the interview were based on
English fluency. The work was not over
though; Kurt arrived in America on July 25
and a%ended a camp in Sea%le Washington to
polish up his English even more before coming to Carrollton to join his host family. The
host family he is staying with is CES Teacher
Mrs. Jan Zelinski’s.
Back home, Kurt’s life is much like any normal teenager. He enjoys hanging out with his
friends, talking with them on his iPhone, participating in sports and going to games.
Kurt says he is looking forward to experiencing American life as he spends this year
with us. He is enrolled here At Carrollton
High School as an 11th grader and loves his
classes. Kurt’s teachers say that he is a great
student. He works hard and has a positive
a%itude. Kurt is on our Cross Country team,
coached by Mr. Marcos Salinas. Mr. Salinas
shared that Kurt is running third on the team,
with a 6 minute mile. He also shared that
Kurt is always smiling, just enjoying the experience of being here and participating.
Now that you know a li%le bit about Kurt
and his story, please take some time to say hi,
talk with our guest and get to know him
yourself. He can’t wait to meet you.
Fundraiser in the works for the Derrick Nash Foundation
By David Jaworski
Football Coach/High School Teacher
Carrollton High School football is off to a 2-2 start
to the 2015 football year. AQer beating a tough
Standish-Sterling team week 1, they dropped two
straight to Michigan Lutheran Seminary and Merrill.
However, they were able to get their first home
victory game of the year over 10th ranked in the
state St. Louis. Remaining on their schedule are
home games against St. Charles, Ithaca, and Bridgeport, and then away games against Valley Lutheran
and Breckenridge.
Carrollton returned many starters on both sides
of the ball. Returning on offense are senior Jeff
Lapan, and junior Logan Keller. At fullback, junior,
Chaq Tolbert is back and is off to a great start
through four games. Both wide receivers, senior
Nate Naples and senior Jailen Patrick are back and
also 3rd year starting quarterback Logan Fischer is
back.
Defensively the Cavaliers return middle lineback
Chaq Tolbert, junior defensive tackle Donovan
Moncada-Clark, defensive end Jeff Lapan, senior
defensive end Santino Rodriguez, corner Nate Naples and safety Jailen Patrick. They have also go%en
many contributions this year from other juniors
and seniors up for their first year on varsity football.
Over the summer, tragedy struck the Carrollton
Football family and Carrollton and Saginaw as a
whole. Derrick Nash sadly passed away on June 22,
2015 at the age of 20. Derrick was a tremendous
athlete, but an even be%er person and a true inspiration for all.
Derrick never allowed cancer to beat him and
never allowed his spirits to be broken. This year,
Carrollton football will be fundraising for the Der-
rick Nash Foundation that was started by his mother, Decolia Monroe. Carrollton will be wearing an
alternate jersey for that game, and the athletes are
going to find sponsors to sponsor them and that
jersey.
Sponsorships are $100, and all proceeds from the
jersey sales will go to the Derrick Nash Foundation.
The foundation was started to provide financial
assistance to keep parents and children together
when a child is sick in the hospital.
Carrollton will also be raffling off jerseys at the
game and again, all proceeds will go to the Derrick
Nash Foundation.
If you or anyone you know would like to sponsor
a player’s jersey, or would like to make a donation
of any amount to the Derrick Nash Foundation,
please contact Head Football Coach, Nathan Wo%a,
at 989-753-3433, or you can visit h%p://
thederricknashstrongfoundation.org/ for more information or to donate.
9
Omni News
Omni Alternative High
School students work on
the computers in one of
the two labs
that were upgraded over
the summer.
The staff and
students are
enjoying the
new technology and are
putting it to
good use.
Omni
Principal
Tiffany Peterson
The 2015-16 school year is off to a great start at
Omni! Thank you to all of our supportive families. We appreciate you!
Our students and teachers, as well as support
staff, are se$ling in and making strides to make
this the best year yet! We welcome you to visit
our classrooms, tour our building, and see the
great things that are happening at Omni Alternative High School.
As you know, today’s world is driven by technology. It is woven into nearly every part of our
lives – whether in the workplace, on social media,
and
most
importantly
in
the
classroom. Therefore, our staff is commi$ed to affording our students experiences, where technology is
a key component in the learning process.
We are proud about the current technology in
our building, and we are striving to increase its
capacity. Our two computer labs have been outfi$ed with 30 new, upgraded computers. Our students use our labs each hour to complete classes
online and our teachers use the labs intermi$ently
to complement learning in the classroom.
We have two mobile labs that currently contain
netbooks, which we are looking to upgrade with
Chromebooks. These mobile labs are an important resource for students and teachers in every content area as well as electives.
In addition, teachers are finding creative ways to
incorporate iPads and mobile phones, into their
lessons. We know that in this age of technology,
allowing students to be active learners and problem solvers, using technology, invites them into
the learning at a deeper level as well as keeps
them engaged throughout the lesson.
According to an article I read by Ashley Wainwright, today’s students NEED technology in the
classroom. Here are the reasons why:
1. If used correctly, technology will help prepare
students for their future careers, which will
inevitably include the use of wireless technology.
2. Integrating technology into the classroom is
definitely a great way to reach diversity in
learning styles.
3. It gives students the chance to interact with
their classmates more, encouraging collaboration.
4. Technology helps prepare students for the
real world environment.
5.
Integrating technology in education everyday
helps students stay engaged.
6. With technology, the classroom is a happier
place.
7. When mobile-technology is readily available
in the classroom, students are able to access
the most up-to-date information quicker and
easier than ever before.
8. The traditional passive mold is broken.
9. Students become more responsible.
10. Students can have access to digital textbooks
that are constantly updated and o:en more
vivid, helpful, creative, and a lot less expensive than those old heavy books.
At Omni Alternative High School, it is our goal
to stay current with technology and afford our
students the opportunity to be career and college
ready.
We believe that incorporating technology as
much as possible is one key way to accomplish
that goal. We know that technology is everevolving, so staying up-to-date allows our students to explore new concepts and ideas.
At Omni Alternative High School, we are building for the future. Believe. Achieve. Succeed.
Students celebrate the Day of the Dead
By Monica Valtierra
Omni Teacher
Early Childhood Center
at Carrollton
Public Schools
4YearOldPreschoolProgram
Mustbe4beforeSeptember1,2015
3YearOldPreschoolProgram
beginningat33months
Infant/YoungToddlerProgram
ages2weeks-33months
Schoolreadinesscurriculum
Open7a.m.-6p.m.,
MondaythroughFriday,year-round
ProgramslicensedbyDHS
5starqualityrating
Visitcarrolltonpublicschools.org
orcall989-754-0381.
“Day of the Dead,” or
“Dia de los Muertos,”
is a Mexican tradition
in which the living
“celebrate” the life of
the dead by spending
time at cemeteries,
making shrines, and
displaying skulls and
skeletons.
It is observed over
Omni students recently celebrated the Day of The Dead. Part of the
the first two days of
celebration included beautiful and unique face paintings.
November. Our students at Omni have
painting of skulls not only through drawing, but
researched the festive holiday and have discovalso painting of faces.
ered, unlike the United States, Mexicans consider
My students were excited to embrace this culturdeath to be a joyous time (celebrating the life of
al difference and found it astonishing that the
the deceased) rather than a time of mourning.
dead come back to visit the living during this fesIn our English class, we have illustrated the
tival of “Dia de los Muertos.”
Art Club Mural Project in the works
By Jasmine Stader
Omni Teacher
The Art Club at Omni met for the first time this
year October 2. Together we developed a project
idea to celebrate our school and itʹs students.
Our club this year will be designing a mural to
be painted on the wall right outside of the office.
The mural will be large in scale and include a
myriad of images to represent Omni.
Our final united image will be designed and
painted by the students of our school. We take
pride in our school and who we are as individuals. We will be displaying our spirit through our
project this year.
Any Omni student who is interested in encouraged to join. Please feel free to see me for more
information.
Another great way to keep up-to-date on things happening at Omni...
Check us out on Facebook
Simply search Carrollton Omni Alternative High School and “Like” us.
10
Omni News
New staff members at Omni Alternative High School
Benjamin Banks
Hello my name is Mr.
Banks and I am the new
Algebra One instructor
at Omni Alternative
High School. I have
lived on the east side of
the City of Saginaw for
most of my life.
I love working on old
cars and traveling by
car, because that is the
Benjamin Banks
best way to see what the
true America looks like. I have worked as a substitute teacher for a number of years in Saginaw
County, and because of this I was able to conclude
that the Carrollton Public Schools District is one of
the best in the county.
I am proud to be a part of your team and I hope I
can live up to your expectations.
Matthew Peterson
It is with great pride
that I introduce myself
as a new staff member
at Omni Alternative
High School. Although
this is my first year at
the school, this will be
my second year in the
district and I am eager
to work with a few of
the staff members and
students that I was able
to meet last year.
Matthew Peterson
Last school year, I
taught physical education at Carrollton Elementary School and this year, I will be teaching both
online learning and physical education at Omni.
This is Omni’s first year having a physical educa-
tion course and I am very excited about the opportunity. In this course, students will learn about life
-long fitness by playing team sports such as basketball, soccer, so:ball and also learn and practice
the five components of health-related fitness. Students will be introduced to various body weight
exercises, cardiovascular endurance, as well as
speed and agility practices.
I am looking forward to a great year in Cavalier
Country.
Jasmine Stader
Hello, my name is Jasmine Stader and I am
pleased to be the new art teacher at Carrollton
Middle School and Omni
High School.
I am a true Michigander having lived in all
major directions of the
state.
I went to college in
Marque$e which is the
northern part of the Upper Peninsula. I grew up
in Grand Haven which is
the West side of the state.
I recently lived by the Jasmine Stader
Michigan-Indiana
border. Saginaw now completes the compass satisfying the East direction.
I am a dog lover and I recently adopted a greyhound mix. I enjoy being outside, rock climbing,
and reading.
I cannot wait to be apart of your community and
learn what Carrollton is all about!
Kelly Szelogowski
Hello! My name is Kelly Szelogowski, and I’m
one of the new teachers at Omni Alternative High
School. I am a Bay City resident, where I graduat-
ed from John Glenn High
School.
This past May, I graduated from Saginaw Valley
State University with a
Bachelor’s Degree in Science from the College of
Education.
Specifically, my degree is
known as an Integrated
Science degree. This means
Kelly Szelogowski I have taken coursework in
all major sciences: Biology,
Chemistry, Physics, and Earth Science.
I am teaching 3 different science courses at Omni. In addition to teaching, I spend a majority of
my time coaching. I coach the Christa McAuliffe
Middle School pompon squad in Bay City.
I am excited to be a part of the Cavalier family.
Monica Valtierra
Hello! My name is
Monica Valtierra and I’m
pleased to be an English
and Health Educator at
Omni Alternative High
School. I am a graduate
of Nouvel Catholic Central High School and
Saginaw Valley State
University.
For the past seven Monica Valtierra
years, I had the opportunity to teach English,
Physical Education, and Publications in Las Vegas,
Nevada. I’ve worked with many diverse populations and cultures.
I am eager to start this new experience and give
back to our community the knowledge to empower all students.
Keep up the hard work CHS Athletes
By Ron Dressler
Athletic Director
November 2-24
Omni canned food drive
November 6
Omni Rec Night, 4 p.m.
November 12
District-wide Early Dismissal, 11:30 a.m.
November 13
District-wide No School
November 18
Omni Picture Day
November 25-27
District-wide No School
See page 12 for more important dates.
Many of you have probably heard the MHSAA
(Michigan High School Athletic Association) radio
broadcasts centering on student athletes and their
connection to all-around involvement and academic
success. The basic premise is that student athletes
have a high level of participation in other school activities and leadership roles as well as above average
results in classroom achievement.
During my first year as Athletic Director, I paid
special a$ention to this declaration by the MHSAA.
The involvement in leadership roles, clubs/
organizations, school spirit, community service, and
positive role-modeling was clearly evident in our
student athletes.
Many served as class officers, took the lead when
service opportunities arose, promoted school spirit,
Share Carrollton’s History Event
Monday, October 19
4 p.m.—6 p.m.
JB Griffin Multipurpose room
Bring any stories or memorabilia you would like to share with the
Carrollton Township Then & Now 150th Anniversary History Book
committee.
Stories, information and pictures may be used in the book being
created to commemorate Carrollton Township’s sesquicentennial.
The committee is also seeking more individuals willing to help
create the history book. For researchers, writers, editors,
photographers, artists and history buffs, this is a great opportunity
to be part of history.
If you won’t be able to make it on October 19, but have
something to share, please contact Lindsay Bryce at 989-7379532 or lindsaybryce@carrollton.k12.mi.us
and led by example with respect for others. The
MHSAA seemed to be right on with this part of their
statement.
Yet, I wanted to check the academic achievement
levels of our student athletes to see if it was also truly as positive. Needless to say I was very pleasantly
impressed by the results. I compiled the cumulative
GPA (Grade Point Average) of all fall Varsity sports
teams.
The results were as follows (out of a possible 4.0
GPA): Boys’ Cross Country = 3.326; Girls’ Cross
Country = 3.516; Football = 2.85; Sideline Cheer =
3.06; and Volleyball = 3.12.
These cumulative GPA’s are excellent and rise
well above the average of the general student
body. Well done! Keep up the hard work, dedication to your sports and education, and shining example to others as demonstrated in the past. We are all
proud of your accomplishments!
We would love
to hear from you
Have you ever thought about submi$ing an article to the Community Connection?
We love to hear from Community members,
CHS Alumna, and current students. If you have
an interesting story, picture, or announcement you
would like to include in an issue of the Community Connection, we would love to hear from you.
Please feel free to send your article and/or pictures to lindsaybryce@carrollton.k12.mi.us.
We are also accepting Partners in Pride advertisements. We accept ads from local businesses as
well as those in surrounding areas.
The Community Connection is delivered to every home in the Carrollton area, to all of our schoolof-choice students, and also to many others. We
reach over 5000 households eight times each year.
If you are interested in placing an ad, please contact Lindsay Bryce at 399-8864.
We look forward to hearing from you!
11
January
The complete listing of the Calendar of Events
is available on our website:
www.carrolltonpublicschools.org
October
19
21
23
24
28
29
30
1
4
11-13
14
15
18
19
20
26
Board of Education meeting, CHS Library, 6 p.m.
National Honor Society Induction Ceremony, CHS, 7 p.m.
CMS PTSO Meeting, 5 p.m.
District-wide Early Dismissal, 11:30 a.m.
Omni support day, 9 a.m.
Homecoming Parade, 4 p.m.
Homecoming Dance, CHS, 8 p.m.
Choir Concert, 7 p.m.
Omni End of Marking Period
Omni No school - Teacher work day
November
27
29
February
1
4
5
10
11
2 - 24 Omni canned food drive
6
K-12 End of Marking Period
Omni Rec Night, 4 p.m.
11
Seniors Club luncheon, St. John Paul II Parish Center, Noon
12
District-wide Early Dismissal, 11:30 a.m.
Parent-Teacher conferences, 12:15 - 3 p.m.
Parent-Teacher conferences, 4 - 7:30 p.m.
13
District-wide No School
16
Board meeting, CMS Library, 6:30 p.m.
18
Omni picture day
CMS PTSO Meeting, 5 p.m.
23
CES Food Drive Begins (Ends Dec. 18)
25-27 District-wide No School
December
9
10
16
Seniors Club luncheon, St. John Paul II Parish Center, Noon
Band Concert, CHS, 7 p.m.
CMS PTSO Meeting, CMS, 5 p.m.
Holiday Choir Concert, Cavalier Center, 7 p.m.
21
Board of Education meeting, CMS Library, 6:30 p.m.
23-31 District-wide No School, Winter Break
District-wide No School, Winter Break
District-wide School resumes
Omni Exams
Omni end of semester
Omni No School, Teacher work day
District-wide No School
Child Care Center Closed
Board Organizational Meeting, CMS Library, 6:30 p.m.
Blood Drive, CHS, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
CMS PTSO Meeting, 5 p.m.
District-wide Early Dismissal, 11:30 a.m.
Night of Ensembles, CHS, 6 p.m.
District-wide Early Dismissal, 11:30 a.m.
District-wide No School
12
15
17
18
24
CMS Warm up to second semester, 7 a.m. - 7:30 a.m.
CES Ski Trip
District –wide Early Dismissal, 11:30 a.m.
CMS Choir Movie Night, 6 p.m.
Count Day
Seniors Club luncheon, St. John Paul II Parish Center, Noon
CES Ski Trip
CMS Valentine's Day Dance, 3p.m. - 5p.m.
6th grade Honors Assembly, 9 a.m.
7th grade Honors Assembly, 10 a.m.
8th grade Honors Assembly, 11 a.m.
Board of Education meeting, CMS Library, 6:30 p.m.
CMS PTSO Meeting, 5 p.m.
CES Ski Trip
Choir Concert, Cavalier Center, 7 p.m.
March
1
4
10
21
25-31
Kindergarten Registration/Preschool Information Night, 5-7 p.m.
Mid-Term of Marking Period
Parent-Teacher Conferences, 4- 7:30 p.m.
Board of Education meeting, CMS Library, 6:30 p.m.
District-wide No School, Spring Break
April
1
4
18
22
District-wide No School, Spring Break
School Resumes
Board of Education meeting, CMS Library, 6:30 p.m.
District –wide Early Dismissal, 11:30 a.m.
Advertise with the Carrollton Community Connection
The Community Connection is delivered to all
Carrollton Residences, all Carrollton Post Office
boxes, all school of choice households, and a number of other leaders in the surrounding communities. Overall, the newsle$er reaches 5000+ homes.
This is your chance to advertise your business or
event. To start the 2015-2016 school year off right,
we are offering a deal on our advertisements. Buy
one Ad at regular price, get the next issue for 40%
off.
Buy one Business Card size at $75, get an ad in
the next issue for $45. Or Buy one Double Business
Card size at $125, get an ad in the next issue for
$75.
These are full color ads, your design or ours.
You can either provide a print-ready copy, or
provide us with the information you would like
and we can create one for you.
There are 6 remaining issues scheduled for the
2015-2016 school year. If you are interested in
advertising, please contact Lindsay Bryce at 989399-8864 or lindsaybryce@carrollton.k12.mi.us,
or Kelly Baker at kskania@carrollton.k12.mi.us.
We look forward to working with you.
The deadline and mail dates for the 2015-2016
school year are as follows:
Article/Ad Deadline
October 30
December 18
February 5
March 4
April 8
May 20
Mail Date
November 20
January 15
February 26
March 25
April 29
June 10
The College of Education at
We have the
right angle
There is a nationwide teacher shortage,
and SVSU is ready to provide high
quality training to candidates who want
to meet the challenge.
Candidates are especially needed to
teach Math, Science, and Special
Education.
for education.
12
To speak with Craig Douglas,
Dean of the College of
Education, call
989-964-4195 or email him
at cdouglas@svsu.edu
The Carrollton Seniors Club
is open to anyone 55 years or
older.
Club meetings begin at
Noon and are held at The Lutheran Church of the Messiah,
4640 N. Michigan Ave., Saginaw, MI. and include BINGO
and card games, as well as
50/50 raffles.
If you have questions, please
call the Community Education Office at 989-399-8864 or
Ginny St. Onge, Club President, at 989-754-6285 or 989964-8360.
2015-2016 Meeting Dates
November 11
December 9
February 10
March 9
April 13
May 11