Linking Students to the World...
Thank You, Otsego! Instructional Insight
Purple Community Week Raises:
A look at intervention teams for student learning
Sports Hghlights
New milestones reached in fall sports
$19,123.32!
In the Spollight
“Tis the season for giving back
Community Connection
Fire Safety, Krazy for the Kazoo
Special Guests
Meet our nine exchange students
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From the Superintendent...
Jeffery S. Haase
districts across the State of Michigan. Please visit our website (www.otsegops.org) for weekly updates as I may ask you to write or contact our local legislators concerning pending legislation that may have impact on Otsego Public Schools.
ith the fall season ending and the winter approaching it is hard to believe that we are entering the holiday season. The school year is off to a great start as students and staff are working extremely hard to ensure that all students are achieving at their ability or above. There are amazing things happening at each building and I hope you have an opportunity to experience those with your child.
I would like to recognize two board members who are leaving the board at the end of December. Donna Weeldreyer (Secretary) and Mike Cronen (Trustee) have served on the Board of Education for a combined 18 years.Both of them have spent countless hours attending meetings and school functions for one purpose and only one purpose, which is the continuing success of our schools and students. Thank You!!
With the November election past us I would ask that each of you in our community pay close attention to what is called the “Lame Duck” session. This is a period in late November and December after the general election, where legislation is passed that could have a negative impact on school
In closing, I hope each and every one of you has a wonderful holiday season and please take time to enjoy the time with your children and families. At any time if you have concerns or questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Monsanto Fund Presents $25,000 Grant
On October 24th, the Monsanto Fund presentated their $25,000 grant to OPS that provided the funds to build our LEGO Lab and new afterschool programs that grow STEM education. (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.) We would like to thank our nominating farmers for making this learning opportunity possible! Lisa Cook Chad Drobny Kelly Drobny Matt Drobny Sally Drobny Phil Guritz Sally Guritz Jim Hess Scott Jirgens Mireka Scott Russell Scott
A Notice regarding the School Bond Qualification and Loan Program
The School Bond Qualification and Loan Program was established years ago as a vehicle for schools to receive funding at rates more favorable than those available through financial institutions. In December 2012, the Michigan Legislature amended the law through Senate Bill 770 and Public Act 437 during a lame duck session. This change was a direct result of the 2008 recession when property values decreased significantly and resulted in less revenue for school districts. This drop in property values directly affected the School Bond Qualification and Loan Program, as districts across the state would not be able to repay the loans by the mandatory repayment date. Districts participating in this program are required to recalculate their computed millage to ensure their bond and loan fund is paid by the mandatory date. In 2004, Otsego voters approved a 59.3 million dollar bond, which raised the millage rate to 7 mills. Due to the change enacted by the legislature in 2012 and the decrease in property values, the millage rate will increase to 7.5 mills in 2015 to ensure the bond is repaid on time. As required by state law, the Otsego Board of Education approved a resolution in June that allows for the millage rate to be increased. This legislative action has a direct impact on districts across the state as communities are still feeling the weight of unstable property values along with other economic struggles. It is my hope that property values will start to rise and the millage rate will stabilize. The millage rate can be recalculated every year and go down. We appreciate the community support that allows us to provide the very best education to our students.
New LEGO Teams Prepare for Competition With the LEGO Lab in place and LEGO kits at the middle school, two new after-school competitive teams are busy building and prepping for their upcoming competitions. There are three teams for the 4th/5th grade FIRST LEGO League. They have been building cars and programming them to run a course on a table. One team is set to compete at the November 22nd event in Zeeland where their robot will be asked to perform specific tasks. There are 33 students involved in the League from all three elementary schools. At the middle school, almost 50 students are on three FIRST Tech Challenge teams. Their competition is slated for the first two weekends in December. This level of competition is similar to the high school’s FIRST Robotics team where their robot will play a basketball-type game where they have to shoot balls into goals and work with other teams.
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Gage Pompileo, Hailey Kloosterman and Marah Slager test out their programming work on the robot they built with LEGOs.
Instructional Insight RtI Teams Building at OPS tsego Public Schools is committed to helping all students achieve at high levels. We have implemented Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) with early releases to help teachers look at data and identify essential learning targets; those are content standards or skills that are the building blocks for future learning. We often refer to them as our “got to knows” versus “nice to knows.” To strengthen our work in PLCs, we are putting a more targeted focus on RtI, Response to Intervention. This work helps teachers use data to identify students who aren’t yet proficient on standards that need to be met in each subject. Training: Otsego’s RtI teams are taking part in county-wide training sessions, spearheaded by the Allegan Area Educational Service Agency (AAESA); here, teams brainstorm how they can create just-in-
time intervention for students on those essential learning targets. This will create a system to help ensure learning. Pieces in Place: RtI has been ramping up at all of the elementaries. At Dix Street Elementary, it is all hands on deck! Each afternoon, there is a block of time where every staff member and student is grouped with students at their learning level. Staff either focuses on closing learning gaps or challenging students to excel beyond the target. For example, students who are in need of extension might be grouped with the Principal, Mr. Rollandini, to learn about economics or the library aide, Mrs. Davis, working in the computer lab. This allows the group sizes to be smaller for those in need of reading intervention. Although the elementaries have been
Directors of Instruction, Melissa Koenig & Heather Kortlandt intervening on reading and math for years, the new push is to have grouped common intervention time so that no matter what grade level the student, their individual needs are being met. At the secondary, the high school Math Lab, which was designed under the RtI model, has proven to boost success rates in Algebra I. We want to continue to grow these programs across buildings and across the district. Going Forward: Supt. Jeff Haase has unveiled a 3-year plan with specific steps mapped out for each year to guide our focus. Our goal is to increase student achievement for all learners through a highly effective professional learning community and by implementing a K-12 response to intervention.
Students in the Spotlight - Awards Granted for Character, Leadership Young Person Role Model HS Junior Mackenzie Warning received the Allegan General Hospital Spirit Award for inspiring others to never give up, “To receive this award was a true honor,” Mackenzie says, “Accepting this award opened my eyes to bigger and better things to do with my life and to make this community an even better place.” Mackenzie has many struggles stemming from a birth defect Mackenzie Warning where she only has one lung that works at 80% capacity. She has had 32 surgeries in her young life. Mackenzie volunteers at local events, hands out backpacks for kids at local churches and loves to coach young girls at cheer camps. She also mentors elementary children with learning disabilities. Her message to other young girls: “Always look further than yourself. Whenever you have the chance to help others, do it. It’s a great feeling to help others.”
DAR Good Citizen Award HS Senior Allie Thiel was chosen by the high school staff to receive the 2014 DAR Good Citizen Award for Otsego High School, “I was very surprised, I thought it was awesome,” Allie says. This award through the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) goes to someone who demonstrates Dependability, Service, Leadership and Patriotism, “I think those are very important and I strive to fulfill those,” Allie Thiel she says. Allie is the Vice President of National Honor Society, Secretary of the Allegan County TAG Team, involved in cross country, track & field, basketball and run club. She also a freshman mentor, helps at summer basketball camps and coaches a Rising Stars basketball team at the middle school. Allie has a “passion for sports” and will be pursuing a career in Business Administration with a sports emphasis.
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Students’ Commitment to Citizenship s much as the core subjects are a part of our students’ education, so are lessons in giving back. The fall season is when community service projects kick into high gear and every Otsego student has the opportunity to make a difference OPS Holiday in our community. Community service Causes: efforts in Otsego result in impressive numbers. In 2013-14, students raised Otsego Christmas almost $23,000 and donated more than Basket Project 13,000 food items. The high school food drive is just Christian Neighbors wrapping up as the middle school food Salvation Army drive begins. OHS Student Council Toys for Tots organizes that drive that benefits the Otsego Christmas Basket Project. Very Wings of Hope soon, the National Honor Society will Hospice begin to collect money for the same cause. NHS students buy toys for local children to have something to open at Christmas. These chldren might be some of our classmates as our elementary schools also participate in this cause by identifying families who could benefit from this effort. The middle school’s food drive is one of the largest single drives for Christian Neighbors collecting thousands of items. All three elementary schools participate in the Salvation Army Red
Kettle campaign ringing bells outside local businesses; they also put together plates of homemade cookies for Wings of Hope Hospice to take to families they are currently serving. This year, Dix Street will collect new, unwrapped toys to provide to Nulty Insurance Agency, an official drop-off location for Toys for Tots. Washington Street Elementary’s Student Council is deciding on their annual service project for this season; last year, they collected hygiene essentials to put into stockings for local families. If you’d like to get involved in any of these causes, contact the buildings.
On the cover
Classroom Collaboration
hanks to a week of Purple Community Events - swim and cross country meets, soccer, volleyball and football games - the Otsego community came together for a common cause - fighting cancer. Purple is the signature color used for the Van Andel Institute’s Purple Community events where money is raised for research. Through t-shirt sales, jersey sponsorships and business and community support, Otsego Public Schools will be donating $19,113.32 to Van Andel Institute; 100% of our donation will go directly to research. Student representatives will travel to VAI later this month to present the check.
Third graders across the district saw how subjects intertwine when they learned about the Day of the Dead, a Mexican tradition where families celebrate those who have passed away. As they learned about the holiday in Spanish class, they created a traditional Day of the Dead sugar skull in art class. The skulls are molded, painted, then decorated with gems or beads. Students then wrote an informational piece about Day of the Dead in Spanish class. Having the lessons in two classes is further fostering their interest in other cultures, “Art and Spanish are constantly looking for ways to collaborate together to provide the most learning experiences for our students,” says elementary Spanish teacher From left: Dix Street 3rd graders Samantha Robinson, Ayden Streeter, Grace Blanchard and Cedo Tyree show off Dana Shaltry.
Art and Spanish join forces for the Day of the Dead
Purple Pride
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their sugar skulls.
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Community CONNECTION Fire Safety Fun
Make a Difference Day
The Alamo and Otsego Fire Departments were frequent visitors at Otsego in October, the time of year for Fire Safety and Prevention Week. (Top:) Alamo Township Fire Department firefighter Brian Ekema came to visit students at Alamo Elementary and show them the truck and equipment used in a fire emergency. In the photo, he’s showing students how the thermal imaging camera works. (Middle) Washington Street Elementary students took a ride on the fire trucks to the Otsego Fire Department. They saw the fire house, the equipment on the truck and even tested out the hose! (Bottom:) Dix Street students gave firefighters high fives as they learned what to do in a fire. They also toured the fire truck in the school parking lot. OPS greatly appreciates the partnerships with our local fire departments to help our students better understand fire safety.
For the 12th year, Washington Street Elementary families gathered on a Sunday afternoon to rake Otsego residents’ lawns who are unable to do it themselves. About 20 staff, parents and students helped out.
Creative Arts Festival
More than 1,000 pieces of student artwork were on display at the Otsego Historical Museum for the Creative Arts Festival.
Biology Students Help in Cleanup Effort The kids agree they had fun helping out a good cause and being with their friends, but also learned a lot in the process, “Just how much stuff was along the river and the size of some things,” says Maxx Jirgens who was one of four guys who discovered a giant metal tank. “There were a lot of things that I wouldn’t expect to see littered around the river,” says Sam Hunt, “Pieces of tarp wrapped around trees and barbed wire.” The kids volunteered for several hours; while they made a difference in the area they were assigned to, “It was more than we could get ourselves,” Jacob Brylowski says. The students say this is definitely something they would volunteer for again. Read more at www.otsegops.org/ news/kzoocleanup.
On a cold Saturday morning, 17 OHS students volunteered to help clean up an area of the Kalamazoo River in Otsego. It was extra credit for Mrs. Alkire’s AP Biology class, but it turned out to be worth more. “It saddened me when we were seeing just how much junk there was in there,” says Jane Webb, “little things that can easily be thrown away.” The clean-up effort was called Krazy for the Kazoo organized by the Kalamazoo River Watershed Council. It was one of 7 cleanup locations along the Kalamazoo River that Saturday. “It think it’s always really positive for students to get out and do something that benefits the community,” says Mrs. Alkire.
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Welcome to Otsego! Meet the nine exchange students who currently call Otsego home
Julian Stark, Germany “My impression is really good so far. I found really quick friends and the students accept me, so I like it very much…. The people are much friendlier.”
improve my English, learn more about the culture of the United States and to meet new people.” Carlos Peraza Moreno, Spain “I’ve enjoyed my two months in the school. I played soccer and I enjoyed it a lot. Since the first day I felt part of the team and that’s something that I really appreciated.”
Karl Meyer, Germany “I really wanted to experience a different culture and America was the most interesting. I have a great time in America; and the people at OHS are very friendly.” Pedro Cavallari, Brazil “It’s been awesome, the people here are really nice and I had no trouble at all to understand my classes or the culture.” Julia de Belleruin, Spain “I want to learn about other cultures, learn more English and have a new experience. The teachers help me always and I have friends.” Federica Lorenzini, Italy “I have always loved the Untied States
Front L-R: Julian Stark, Karl Meyer, Pedro Cavallari. Middle L-R: Julia de Belleruin, Federica Lorenzini, Guillermo Gallego-Lorenzo, Carlos Peraza Moreno. Back L-R: Anna Cagigal, Fabio Peikato
and always wantd to come here. I’m having a really good time, the teachers are nice, the students are nice and the school offers a good amount of activities.” Guillermo Gallego-Lorenzo, Spain Wanted to do a scholar year here “to improve my grades,
lamo students were able to give the Otsego community a glimpse of the LEGO Lab now housed at Alamo Elementary with a LEGO float in this year’s Homecoming parade. The LEGO Lab is a unique feature for Alamo; each classroom (Preschool - 5th grade) has time built into the week for students to expand their learning with LEGOs. The LEGOs are used in writing, math, science and more!
or the 2nd year, Otsego’s exchange students will help out with a Family Fun Night at Washington Street Elementary to share their cultural traditions. In December, WSE will host Holidays Around the World, where families will learn about holiday traditions and foods from Brazil, Germany, Italy and Spain, “Our families really enjoyed it last year,” says Principal Heather Badders, “It’s a great way to connect with our exchange students and for our families to gain a new cultural experience.”
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Fabio de Carvalho, Brazil “The weather is very different; I live in a big city back home. I live near the beach there.” On why he came: “English is the first language in the world and I want to improve it; also I think it’s an amazing culture and I wanted to know more about it.”
LEGO Lab on Display for Homecoming
Washington Street Elementary to host Holidays Around the World
Anna Schlich shares German traditions with WSE families at last year’s Fun Night.
Anna Cagigal, Spain “I have been dreaming to be an exchange student since I was a little girl. I really like this culture, the education system, the food, the people; and I think America can teach a lot of things to the rest of the world.”
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Learning Life Skills at the Clothes Closet Mrs. Bush’s Level II 6th graders are learning some of life’s tough realities through a hands-on Life Skills class. This fall, the students began working at the District’s Clothes Closet, a free service to district families who need assistance in getting clothes for their children. These students actually helped create the Clothes Closet as third graders at Dix Street Elementary. Tuesday through Thursday, the students come into class, fill out their time sheet, then discuss the tasks of the day. They fold clothes, sort them into size and gender and have to make decisions about what to keep, “This is to integrate the idea of job skills, responsibility of money, time management, working together,” explains OPS Social Worker Anna Starr who is working with this group for this Life Skills project. Each Friday, they are paid $50 (in play money) and must go through their budget to pay the bills like rent, electricity, food, etc. At the end, they get $2 for entertainment. The students have a small store they can buy from where items are anywhere from $2-$5; so they also learn the tough lesson of saving. See a video and read more online at www.otsegops.org/lifeskills.
$2,000 Donation helps The Clothes Closet A local family recently donated $2,000 to the Clothes Closet. The money will be used to purchase items that need to be new like socks, underwear and sometimes shoes or the right size coat or winter wear. The donors wish to remain anonymous. Clothing Requests To request clothes for your child: visit www.otsegops.org. Look under the “Announcements” section on the home page.
Sports Highlights! Academic All-State The girls’ team is the State Champ for Academic All-State with a 3.965 team GPA
All-State Finalists
The boys’ team was 3rd with a team GPA of 3.936
Megan Aalberts, 4th place (18:34)
Otsego Cross Country Girls’ Team placed 2nd in Division 2. The boys’ team placed 11th.
Tops in Tennis The Otsego Boys’ Tennis Team placed 8th at State, putting up their best results in school history. Junior Luke Ford (left) made it to the semi-finals and has been named to the Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Association (MHSTeCA) All-State Boys Tennis Team for the third year in a row. In addition, Coach Chuck Parker received Regional Coach of the Year honors and has been named the MHSTCoA Coach of the Year for Division 4.
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Jacob Starr, 19th place (16:16)
Otsego Teacher Inducted into the Portage Central Athletic Hall of Fame WSE 3rd grade teacher, Sara Schuemann, received her award on October 16 & 17th. She played basketball and softball in high school and went on to play softball at GVSU, “As I played in high school, I never dreamed that I would someday have a plaque in the Athletic Hall of Fame being recognized alongside the great athletes in Portage Central history. I am truly humbled and honored by this recognition.”
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Contact Us
Administration/Business Office 269-692-6066 Superintendent Jeffery Haase 269-692-6076 Alamo Elementary 269-692-6150 Dix Street Elementary 269-692-6099 Washington Street Elementary 269-692-6069 Otsego Middle School 269-692-6199 Otsego High School 269-692-6166 Special Education 269-692-6233 Community Education / B.A.S.E. 269-692-6225 Learn ‘n Grow Preschool Alamo 269-692-6152 Dix Street 269-692-6099 Washington Street 269-692-6092 Athletics High School 269-692-6163 Middle School 269-692-6225 Transportation Department 269-692-6245 Carrie Barnhart, Supervisor OPS Foundation www.opsfoundation.org
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2014-15 School Year Calendar
On the Web
Go to www.otsegops.org for these stories and more from OPS!
NOVEMBER 24&25 All students 1/2 day Elem. Conferences, MS/HS Exams 26-28 Thanksgiving Break
Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp A record number of students attended this prestigious camp this summer to prepare for a great musical year ahead!
DECEMBER 22 - JANUARY 2 Winter Break (school resumes, Jan. 5) FEBRUARY 11&12 MS/HS Conferences 13 No School, Mid-Winter Break
The Science of Weather! The Kalamazoo Air Zoo visitied a classroom to do fun experiments that showed students the science behind certain weather events
MARCH 4 & 5 All students 1/2 day Elem. Conferences, MS/HS Exams 6 No School
Honoring Veterans OMS & OHS students write about what veterans mean to them in an annual VFW essay contest. Read about the winners and their inspirations.
connect with ops! www.otsegops.org
OPS Connection is published 4 times per year with printing by Premiere Printing Corporation, 720 N. Main St., Plainwell. It is distributed to all residents of the Otsego Public School district. Residents in the district who live north of “F” Avenue receive their newsletter via the Community Shopper’s Guide. Residents who live south of “F” Avenue and residents with Allegan and Gobles addresses receive their newsletter via the U.S. Post Office. Changes of address, suggestions, questions and contributed articles should be signed and sent to Holly McCaw, OPS Connection editor, Otsego Public Schools, 400 Sherwood Street, Otsego, MI 49078-1281. For more information, call Holly at (269) 692-6073. The Board of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, including sexual orientation or transgender identity, disability, age, religion, height, weight, marital or family status, military status, ancestry, genetic information, or any other legally protected category, (collectively, “Protected Classes”), in its programs and activities, including employment opportunities.
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