Maintaining an open and positive dialogue about school can be the difference between your student attending school consistently or missing important learning opportunities.
Checking in matters. Attendance matters.
We have been pleased to see interest in the Alma Public Schools Aquatic Center lately, and we want to ensure it is accessible and engaging to the community. Please take a moment to fill out the APS Pool Interest Survey. The survey will be open until March 2. Your feedback is important and appreciated.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfX0MozSj1NOHXRBIlMHpHgyOiUwIO0PrarUqKgmVC2HNSIIA/viewform?usp=header
Registration is now OPEN for half day care this FRIDAY, February 27th. If you need care for your preschool through 5th grader please fill this form out. Fill ONE form for EACH child that will need care. Snack will be provided. If you have any questions please email Kimberly at almachildcare@almaschools.net
Half-Day Care Link: https://forms.gle/a8G1iAFchFXoo2hL7
This week we shared some photos of our awesome students volunteering their time to helping others! It has been great reflecting on the amazing ways our students make a difference in their school and their community – and it’s been even better getting to share these stories and pictures with all of you! Here are a few more to wrap up a great week...
Hello Luce Road Families,
Please see the Principal's update from weeks 25 and 26! Have a great weekend!
Panther Club Press: https://app.smore.com/n/dxcu5
Q: Where is the School-Based Health Center located?
A: Alma’s Donald L. Pavlik Middle School (1700 N. Pine Avenue Alma, MI 48801)
Q: What is a School-Based Health Center?
A: A school-based health center promotes the health of children, adolescents and their families by providing convenient local access to primary care, preventative care and early intervention health services in underserved communities. It is a partnership between the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, schools and local healthcare providers.
Q: What type of care does this facility provide?
A: Our services include (but are not limited to) primary health care, acute health care (such as influenza testing, strep testing, colds, etc.), first aid, well child exams, sports physicals, immunization, labs, preventative care, risk behavior assessment and behavioral health counseling.
Q: Does the child need parental consent to see the provider?
A: A consent form must be signed and returned to the School Based Health Center before a child can receive treatment. Even though this consent is signed, you will also receive a phone call before your child is seen to confirm that you are aware they are requesting an appointment and that you consent to the visit. We encourage all parents or guardians to accompany their child to the visit when possible, however, we understand that work restrictions, transportation and other factors may prevent parents or guardians from attending in person. In that event, a phone call will be made after the visit to discuss the appointment.
Under Michigan law, minors do have the right to receive certain services (such as behavioral health counseling) without the consent or notification of their parent or guardian, however minors always have the option to involve their parent or guardian in their care and are encouraged to do so.
Q: How are services paid for at the clinic?
A: We accept and bill insurance, but no fees are required during the time of service at the health center. Co-pays and deductibles will be billed, but no child is ever turned away due to inability to pay. Our staff can also assist with enrolling your child in insurance and qualifying for financial assistance.
Q: What if my student needs transportation to the middle school for visits?
A: If the parent or guardian is unable to accompany the child to the visit and the visit takes place during the school day, the school can provide transportation to and from the middle school.
Q: How is this being communicated to parents?
A: MyMichigan Health and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services have been working with Alma public schools and school board on this project for more than a year. During that time, we have held two parent meetings, attended five public open houses at the schools and have made presentations to the school board. We also sent a letter home to all parents of students who are eligible to receive care.
Random Acts of Kindness week continues! We are proud of our kind and caring students here at APS, so this week we are sharing some of the ways they give back to their community and lead with compassion. Today’s post features the Alma High School Varsity Girls and Boys Basketball teams visiting Arbor Grove Assisted Living Center. We are proud to have these students represent APS!
Throughout the month of February, the class is doing an activity called “Show the Love” for all classrooms from our youngest Panther cubs to 5th grade.
Goal: Fill our halls with hearts and positivity!
How it works:
• Each day in February, classrooms choose a staff member, student or another classroom to recognize.
• Students brainstorm the reason, and the teacher writes it on a paper heart.
• A student (secretly – and sweetly!) tapes the heart to the recipient’s door.
End-of-month recognition:
At the end of February, one classroom per grade level will be recognized for truly exemplifying “Show the Love.”
We have been pleased to see interest in the Alma Public Schools Aquatic Center lately, and we want to ensure it is accessible and engaging to the community. Please take a moment to fill out the APS Pool Interest Survey. The survey is set to close on Monday, March 2. Your feedback is important and appreciated!
Follow this link to complete the survey:
https://forms.gle/eF2zk3MyCxMgati8A
Tomorrow, Tuesday, February 17 is Random Acts of Kindness Day. Here at APS, we know character counts and kindness and compassion are a top priority every day! That’s why this week we are sharing some of the awesome ways our students show kindness in the classroom and in the greater Alma community.
In November, Alma High School National Honors Society raked leaves for community members and peeled potatoes for Alma’s annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner! What an awesome example of Panthers giving back to their community!
Our next APS Staff Spotlight comes from Pine Avenue Elementary... it's awesome 5th grade teacher Donnielle Fornusek!
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!
Good Afternoon,
February is off to a great start! Please see this week's edition of the Panther Cub Press! https://app.smore.com/n/vyah9
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!
