This Week
In the Ann Arbor Public Schools
February 16, 2009

To: The Staff of the Ann Arbor Public Schools
From: Todd Roberts, Superintendent

This Week’s Good News

• Thank you to all staff members for welcoming parents into your buildings for NAAPID.  We had a very good turnout throughout the district and were well represented at the NAAPID at Night event as well.  Congratulations to all who performed and presented.  It was a rewarding day for all.
• The Skyline High School Theatre received a one rating at the Michigan Interscholastic Forensic Association Region 3 competition.  Placing third in the region has qualified Skyline Theatre's one act, The Imaginary Cuckold, for the MIFA State Finals. Student Jonathan Jue-Wong was given an excellence in performance and student Richa Saran, a superior performance.
• As part of our annual Science Day/Science Fair activities, Thurston Principal Patricia Manley suggested to the organizers that they hold a mini-health fair where Thurston students would be able to have their vital signs checked by the Huron Health Occupations Students.  She was able to work out the plan with Lynn Boland, the Huron Health Occupations teacher, who was also very excited about this collaboration.
  The Huron students were awesome.   Thurston students were given a check list and rotated between blood pressure, pulse, temperature, using the AED and being able to see and feel the difference between a healthy and unhealthy lung.  The Huron students were very professional and impressive in their white lab coats.  Thurston students felt comfortable with them, asked questions and got excited about comparing their pressures, pulse and temperature with their peers.   Nearly half of the school was able to participate during this a.m. session.  Thanks again to the Huron Health Occupations students and their teacher Lynn Boland for an awesome experience for Thurston students.
• Dianne Dudley sends good news about Diane Grady.  “I want to draw your attention to the amazing art teachers in our schools, especially Diane Grady. She encouraged her students to participate in an art contest, promoting the National African American Parent Involvement Day that was founded 13 years ago by Ann Arbor’s Roberto Clemente School Principal, Joseph Dulin. Since its inception, NAAPID has been celebrated in school districts in 47 of the 50 states in this country.
  The Ann Arbor Public Schools, Lincoln Consolidated Schools, Milan Area Schools, Willow Run Community Schools and Ypsilanti Public Schools were all invited to participate in the NAAPID poster contest. Two of the poster contest winners were Diane Grady's art students at Eberwhite elementary. Her commitment to our schools and community are outstanding.”
• Jeff Kass sends his review of a new book.  “Huron Language Arts teacher Sarah Andrew-Vaughan has co-written a wonderful book with EMU professor Cathy Fleischer, titled "Writing Out of Your Comfort Zone." It is an exciting and dynamic exploration of a new way to imagine a language arts class based around genre studies and an Unfamiliar Genre Project. Every teacher of English and/or Language Arts should read it because it's filled with ideas and practical applications for how those ideas can be used in the classroom. Even more important, its foundation is an imaginative and pedagogically sound vision. It is published by Heinemann and can be found at their web site.”
• Clague parent Deborah Kanter sends kudos for orchestra teacher Abigail Alwin.  “Ms. Alwin's orchestra program and teaching has proved a real highlight in my 7th-grader's time at Clague.  I saw this recently at the Ensemble & Solo Competition--Clague had a huge number of entries that day. Ms. Alwin encouraged students of all levels to enter, aided them in finding music, and in rehearsing and preparing for the competition in general. She did this on top of her regular teaching and work with the school's orchestras.  While my son has modest talents in this area, Abby Alwin truly inspires him to practice regularly, to aim high, and to work as a team with his classmates.  Clague and the AAPS are fortunate indeed to have Ms. Alwin working with our kids.”
• Lawton Principal Ruth Williams sends kudos to the Transportation Department.  “I wanted to say how impressed I was with the drivers and the person in charge of monitoring the going and coming of buses at Hill Auditorium on February 12.  It was obvious that time and commitment had gone into preparing for getting so many schools to and from the performance in such an orderly and safe manner.  Please let all of them know how much I appreciate the job they do everyday.”

Todd Roberts, Ed.D.
Superintendent