Our next APS Staff Spotlight comes from Pine Avenue Elementary... it's awesome 5th grade teacher Donnielle Fornusek!
Congratulations to the Alma High School Big Band and Alma High School Jazz Ensemble for their performances at the CMU Jazz Festival on Friday Feb. 6! Each band performed three selections for a panel of judges and several students were featured as soloists. Bands from over 50 schools across the state come to perform at this festival that takes place over 2 days. Students also have the opportunity to hear performances from CMU bands, CMU faculty, and a guest artist. This year’s guest artist was Andy Hunter who also presented a workshop for students where he discussed some of his philosophy about creating music.
The AHS Jazz Bands competed in class B along with 11 other bands. The Alma High School Jazz Ensemble was selected as 1st runner up for Outstanding Band in Class B. The AHS Trombone section of Luca Lebron, Luke Bonacci, and Bryce Hutchinson was selected as the Most Outstanding Section in Class B. Luca Lebron was selected as the Most Outstanding Soloist in Class B and Zach Thelen was selected as 1st runner up for Outstanding Soloist in Class B.
Congratulations!
APS knows language skills are valuable for a multitude of reasons. That’s why we offer courses and opportunities that teach and challenge our students. Different levels allow students to hone their skills, and our dedicated language teachers make learning enjoyable. APS even offers travel opportunities that really give students the chance to put their skills to the test!
Students in Michigan must have 2 credits of a foreign language to meet graduation requirements. At Alma, there are benefits to going beyond this requirement. Students who take Spanish III and above are eligible to travel abroad on a trip to a Spanish speaking country. Students use their language skills, learn about another cultures and create amazing memories!
Andrea Palmer and Kelsey Hasso are Spanish teachers at Alma High School. Let’s hear what they have to say about the benefits of learning a language:
“Learning another language helps students learn how to study and how to communicate better with others. It opens their eyes to cultures within our own community, within our country, and the world.” - Andrea Palmer
“Learning a language is about far more than mastering vocabulary or grammar. It is an exploration of new traditions, perspectives, and social norms, and a step toward becoming an informed and empathetic global citizen.” - Kelsey Hasso
In addition to in-person Spanish classes, Alma students can take online courses in other languages like France and American Sign Language! With options to choose from, your student is bound to find a language learning opportunity that is right for them! Ask your student how language courses can enhance their education and set them up for success!
Do you want to support the Panthers and see some great live theatre? Come out and see Alma High School Drama Dept.’s production of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. You have three opportunities to catch it — February 13th at 7 p.m. or February 14 at 2 p.m. or 7 p.m.! Tickets are $8 and can be purchased from Mr. Murphy or any Drama Dept. student!
But first, let's meet the cast! The Drama Dept. shared some awesome cast intros on their Instagram (@almahighschooldrama if you want to follow them for future updates and behind-the-scenes content!). Take a look before showtime! (Due to image sharing limitations, most of the cast was featured in an earlier post. If you do not see your student here, check out our earlier post!)
Do you want to support the Panthers and see some great live theatre? Come out and see Alma High School Drama Dept.’s production of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. You have three opportunities to catch it — February 13th at 7 p.m. or February 14 at 2 p.m. or 7 p.m.! Tickets are $8 and can be purchased from Mr. Murphy or any Drama Dept. student!
But first, let's meet the cast! The Drama Dept. shared some awesome cast intros on their Instagram (@almahighschooldrama if you want to follow them for future updates and behind-the-scenes content!). Take a look before showtime! (The rest of the students involved will be included in a second post due to image sharing limitations. If you don't see your student in this post, check out the follow-up post!)
At Alma, we track attendance by district, building, grade and student. We also look at attendance over the course of the year, trimester and month. These graphs represent the attendance levels for January.
** Regular =Over 95%
At Risk =90-95%
Chronic=Under 90%**
Congratulations to the Alma High School Boys Track & Field team! These athletes were honored for the 2nd consecutive year at the MITCA Clinic with the Academic All-State award for having the highest team GPA (3.9575!) in the state for Division 2. We are so proud of our hardworking Panther student athletes!
Did you know the Alma High School pool is open to community members? Swimming is a great way to have fun and get exercise, especially when the winter weather limits outdoor activities!
The pool is currently open Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. APS offers a variety of unique experiences for community members to enjoy the pool, including opportunities for seniors through the SilverSneakers Fitness Program and for youth through the club swim team. The Aquatic Center has water aerobics classes every weekday (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 10 am – 11 am and Wednesday and Friday from 9 am – 10 am) and swim lessons in the summer.
The APS Aquatic Center makes exercise/recreational swimming and lessons accessible to the community by keeping costs as low as possible. Daily entrance cost is $3 or $2 if you are over the age of 60. For community members who plan to visit the pool regularly, there are a variety of membership plans to choose from (linked here: https://almaschools.revtrak.net/rw-aquatics/?fbclid=IwY2xjawPvHZpleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHSFchXtxk492F-PyVDioh3M-HkA8pFQ-YLNCOpdC_Hh0ioFFRP2zGxCDkw_aem_GYNiCZn1e7br-MkYxlGELg or accessible through the Alma Public Schools Aquatic Center Facebook page).
For more information about the pool, including schedule changes and updates, make sure to follow Alma Public Schools Aquatic Center on Facebook!
The newspaper has been up and running for five years, some years “employing” as many as 25-30 middle school students. These dedicated young journalists write, report, edit and proofread. Some create digital art and animations and take photographs. The website management team is tasked with taking all the content and compiling it on the site. Each edition of the paper includes fun extras like fun facts, a pun and a weekly poll!
Let’s hear from awesome APS teacher Beth Masters who makes it happen!
“Involvement in a student led organization such as our digital paper has more benefits than I can possibly list. It is a creative outlet for students to refine and to express their talents. It gives them a sense of belonging. It creates a lasting bond with some of their peers. It gives them an opportunity to lead, organize and manage a project. It gives them an audience for their talents to be celebrated. It's a fun group of great kids, and I'm honored that I get to be part of it.”
Check out the latest edition of The Panther Press!
https://sites.google.com/almapanthers.net/the-panther-press/newspaper
Want to learn more about the opportunities Alma High School’s CTE program has to offer? Stop by the Alma Campus GI-TEC Open House on February 12 from 5-7 p.m.! Take a tour, see live demonstrations and interactive displays, meet instructors and more!
CTE Coordinator Alicia Crowe gives us a glimpse of what to expect:
- Check out our Anatomage Table (a 3D anatomy experience) in Health Science Careers or even try your hand at giving an injection! CPR manikins will be on display for you to try.
- See if you can identify the tools used for auto repairs and see what it takes to run an auto shop. Experience the underside of a vehicle up close. You may even see some specialty vehicles or meet a student that has worked on your vehicle!
- Do you know the difference between MIG, TIG and Stick welding? Our students can surely show you and explain what each weld is used for. Check out our water jet cutting table, our virtual welder and see the amazing projects that our students have completed.
- Have you ever seen a robot draw a smiley face or stack Lincoln logs? Do you know what a sea perch is? Come and see how our students program robots and try your hand at navigating a sea perch in the water!
- Do you love animals? Come and snuggle a bunny or watch the live cam in our barn to see our new baby lamb, Wooly Nelson! Our Ag students will also be testing your food knowledge – with samples!
- Learn about crime scene investigation and defensive tactics in our Criminal Justice class. Students have some other fun surprises waiting for you as well!
- Our firefighting students will be ready and waiting to show you all about their equipment, explain the elements of the class and explore the ins and outs of the firetruck!
- We will also be showcasing our new Construction Trades program that will be coming to the Alma Campus in the fall of 2026!
Do any of these opportunities sound exciting to your student? Stop by the Alma Campus GI-TEC Open House!
Alma Public Schools knows helping students develop empathy and learn how to process their emotions in positive, healthy ways is crucial. That’s why APS has Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) classes for K-5th grade students.
Led by Kristie Hancock, students learn how to manage big feelings and tackle challenges with confidence through engaging games and activities. Younger students’ lessons center around identifying feelings and developing coping skills, while older students learn about conflict resolution and self-reflection.
“SEL gives students the tools to handle emotions, build strong friendships and grow confidence—skills that support success both inside and outside the classroom,” said Hancock. “Students put SEL skills into practice all day long – in the classroom, at recess, at home and with friends – to solve problems, build relationships and make positive choices.”
