Alanson Public Schools
Community Newsletter I am grateful and honored to be serving as your superintendent for Alanson Public Schools (APS). The quality of education happens when students, parents, staff and the community work together to create positive learning environments. We take great pride in our achievements and are incredibly passionate for the opportunities we are able to provide to each and every student, many thanks to you, our community, for the continued support. It’s important that our community knows who I am and why I love public education. First and foremost, I am a wife and a mother to two young children. My husband and I reside in Petoskey and are actively involved in sports, dance and community activities. I have 17+ years in public education and 11 of those have been here at APS being a teacher, principal and now superintendent! At APS, we are committed to the success of each and every student that attends our school; which includes preschool, head start, special education, elementary, middle school and high school. We are fortunate to have a strong teaching and support staff who spend their time, talent and resources for our kids to have an excellent educational experience. Yours In Education,
Rachelle Cook Superintendent K-12 Principal rcook@alansonvikings.net
Agriscience Students PLace at State Competition Alanson Agriscience students attended the Michigan Floral Associations Great Lakes Flora Expo March 1 - 3, 2019 in Grand Rapids. Students competed against other Michigan High Schools in the Student Floral Design Competition. The theme this year was “Beyond the Corsage,” where students were to create a one-of-a-kind body flower that was much more than a simple corsage. Mya Weidenhamer placed first and Amelia Perez placed second with their unique designs.
Did You KNow?
Dear Alanson Community,
Spring 2019
» We offer affordable Preschool & Afterschool Child Care until 6 pm. » Our classroom sizes are small & intimate creating more one-on-one learning for students and teachers. Classroom environments are designed for everyone. Many teachers have adapted flexible seating in their classrooms and soft lighting to create a comforting learning space. » We are proud to have a full-time counselor on staff to deal with students successes and challenges they face at school and home. » Every classroom has one-to-one devices and technology has been and will continue to be updated. Every classroom has an Elmo and Smart Board to enrich learning, too.
Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (PBIS) Our school started participating in a grant to implement Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (PBIS) in May of 2017. During the 2017-2018 school year Alanson implemented Tier 1 practices school wide. Staff teach expectations similarly throughout the building focusing on how students can be Safe Respectful Achievers. Students’ behaviors are positively reinforced by receiving tickets. Monthly Viking of the Month Assemblies are held for grades K-12. At assemblies behavior trends are shared, each grade level in grades K-12 draw a ticket from their classroom collection buckets and each teacher also picks a student who they feel has also demonstrated exemplary behavior in the focused area for that month. These students each get to pick a personal reward from a list the PBIS team has devised. Tickets are counted each month and the PBIS team sets school-wide goals to encourage excitement, school pride and positive behavior. This school year our students have earned pajama day. In the 2018-2019 school year, the PBIS team is focusing on Tier 2 supports. Tier 2 focus on helping students who need more supports then the general school population with Tier 1. The PBIS team is also leading a book study with all teaching staff to build a toolbox of classroom strategies to increase engagement in academic areas. PBIS has been a very positive initiative for our school climate. Students’ behavior has improved and staff can focus more on meeting the educational needs for students.
Career and Technical Education (C.T.E.) Career and Technical Education (C.T.E.) is available for high school students at Alanson Public Schools. All CTE students are learning real-life skills that will make them career and college ready. We are pleased to offer the following programs to our students: AGRISCIENCE AND NATURAL RESOURCES - Agriscience and natural resources courses introduce students to agriculture and its related fields.
APS Robotics
AVIATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - The aviation course is designed to introduce students to the field of aviation. The course is designed around ground school for a private pilot license. In addition, they will learn how airplanes fly, learn about weather, navigation how piston and turbine engines work and the many careers aviation entails such as airport services, aircraft maintenance, aircraft tracking and dispatch, meteorology and piloting. The Alanson robotics team (Team 6573), started just two years ago in 2017. The team is a part of FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC). FIRST, meaning For Inspiration in Science and Technology, is an organization consisting of thousands of robotics teams around the world, and where the founder Dean Kamen says, “is the only sport where every player can turn pro.” Despite our team's small size, their hard work pays off. Last year, the team managed to get all the way to the semi-finals at both of their competitions, which secured them a spot at the Michigan State Championship. This year, the team is working even harder, with hopes of winning their upcoming competition and once again qualifying for the state championship. - Samuel Lowery, Senior at APS
Saving Plastic Caps - make a big impact
Our Staff Is Viking Proud
The teaching staff has 125 years of combined teaching experience. They can teach anywhere in the world, but they choose to stay here. Why? “I love our small school because I don’t think there is any way for a student to “slip through the cracks” here, and my Alanson Public School family gives me such amazing support and encouragement.” - Beth Ristow, First Grade Teacher “Alanson is special because the staff is a family of professionals that are dedicated, hard-working, compassionate people that strive to give their best to the students. Our family is committed to ensuring that every student is the best that they can be.” - Melissa Costello, High School Special Ed.
“As a teacher in Alanson, I am surrounded by dedicated, supportive educators who work tirelessly to meet the needs of their students. I am fortunate to work in such a caring school environment. “ - Kathy Liederbach, Middle School Teacher
“Alanson Public Schools is special because it’s a small school where as a teacher, I’m given an opportunity to build relationships with families that also enhance a sense of community in the Village of Alanson. I take ownership and pride in helping mold our Alanson youth into future contributing members of our community. I love our school! I have enjoyed my sixteen years teaching here. I love that our school focuses on the individual needs of students based on data to make decisions that meet the needs of learners, academically and emotionally.” - Natalie Cantrall, Second/Third Grade Teacher
APS Stretch/Preschool We believe the role of our STRETCH program is to provide a safe and nurturing environment to all our children. The primary goal is to meet the individual needs of each child. We provide a positive environment where children have the opportunity to experience a variety of learning activities to encourage emotional, intellectual, physical and social development. We promote a child’s self-esteem, self-direction, independence and socialization. We believe that children mature as a result of their interactions with adults, other students and their environment. Our preschool program is offered during the school year from 8 am to 3 pm. Our STRETCH after school program is offered to children 7 to 8 am (free) and 3:05 pm to 6 pm (nominal tuition required). This is open to children ages 3 up to 5th grade. For more information, please contact STRETCH director, Tonia Keller, at tkeller@alansonvikings.net.
Elementary students (kindergarten through fifth grade) collected 1,366 pounds of plastic caps and lids from their homes, businesses and community members over the past five months, to create a buddy bench for the playground. This program, called the A.B.C. (A Bench for Caps), is a cap and lid program specifically designed by school children for school children. A buddy bench fosters friendship on the playground and helps to stop bullying. These benches, located on playgrounds across the country, give students a safe space to eliminate loneliness and foster friendships. “The project has really shown what a tight-knit community we are in Alanson,” fourth grade teacher and project coordinator Erika Lynch states. “We expected the kids to collect enough caps for one bench, we were shocked when we had enough for three benches and a friendship table. This is going to make a great addition to our elementary playground.” “This wouldn’t have been possible without our community members, families and students,” Lynch noted. The project required some additional funding for production costs. Donations, grant money and cap donations were received by Vernales Restaurant, the colleagues of McLaren Northern Michigan, Snow Country Decorating and the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation.
USPS Mktg. Mail U.S. Postage Paid Petoskey, MI Permit No. 110 ECRWSS
7400 North Street Alanson, MI 49706 *********ECRWSSEDDM**** To Current Resident 7400 North Street Alanson, MI 49706
Viking Viking A Athletics thletics
Viking Viking Alumni Alumni Spotlight Spotlight Our OurViking Vikingalumni alumniare aremaking makingus us proud proud in in the the world. world. Meet Meet 2009 2009 APS APS Graduate, Graduate, Nick Nick Robbins. Robbins. Nick Nick attended attended North North Central Central Michigan Michigan College. College. From From there there he he spent spent ten ten years years in in the the Army Army National National Guard Guard with with deployments deployments to to Afghanistan Afghanistan and andKuwait. Kuwait.He Heisisnow nowemployed employed by by Google, Google, as as aa data data center center operations operations engineer engineer in in Northern Northern Virginia. Virginia.
We We are are proud proud to to offer offer aa variety variety of of athletic athletic programs. programs. Our Our Freshman/JV/Varsity Freshman/JV/Varsity Sports Sports that that are are offered offered include: include: Basketball Basketball Volleyball Volleyball Baseball/Softball Baseball/Softball Golf Golf Track Track Cross Cross Country Country Football Football For For more more information information on on our our athletic athletic program, program, please please contact contact our our Athletic Athletic Director, Director, Glen Glen Pemberton, Pemberton, at at gpemberton@alansonvikings.net. gpemberton@alansonvikings.net. View View our our schedule schedule at at alansonvikings.net. alansonvikings.net.
SAve The Date! Wednesday, Wednesday, April April 24 24 Friday, Friday, May May 31 31 Kindergarten Kindergarten Round-Up Round-Up 5:30 5:30 to to 6:30 6:30 pm. pm. Dinner Dinner served! served! Future Future kindergartners kindergartners are are encouraged encouraged to to come, come, meet meet the the teacher, teacher, see see the the classroom classroom and and meet meet their their classmates! classmates!
Graduation Graduation at at 66 pm pm in in the the High High School School Gymnasium. Gymnasium. Congrats Congrats to to the the class class of of 2019! 2019!
The The Alanson Alanson School School Board Board consists consists of of seven seven elected elected members members that that serve serve four four year year terms terms without without monetary monetary compensation. compensation. Four Four of of the the members members are are graduates graduates of of APS APS and and three three members members still still have have students students in in the the school. school. As As aa team, team, they they work work together together for for the the success success of of all all the the students students and and staff. staff. Meetings Meetings are are held held on on the the third third Wednesday Wednesday of of every every month month at at 6:30 6:30 pm pm in in the the school school library. library. Anyone Anyone isis welcome welcome to to attend. attend.