Superintendent’s Advisory Council Notes (1/29/2008)
Reid
Holiday store was very successful and the representative recommended that all schools
do this activity. Reid received a $300 dollar bonus for early booking which was done in
March ’07.
Reid will not do any more fundraisering this year due to the success of their Walk-AThon and Holiday Store except for 4th/5th graders who will fundraise to help cover costs
for their year-end trips.
Third graders are going to the GB Museum soon.
Reid will apply for grants to do a peace garden at the school. There are lots of funds out
there, especially at big box stores. It is a matter of timing to apply for and receive funds.
Volunteer Coordinator
Work continues to get all volunteer hours reported.
Four schools have not reported any hours yet this school year. The same thing happened
last year but they all came through at the end of the school year.
High School
Exams are over and donut sales probably did quite well since they sold out of donuts.
There will be a prom dress sale soon.
Tenth graders have received their “My Plan” tests back.
Indian Hill
Sock Hop is scheduled for this Thursday. It is a 2 hour dance with root beer floats and
popcorn available. There is also a DJ. For the 1st hour there will be 50’s music played
and the 2nd hour will be music for dances like the chicken dance, electric slide, Macarena,
etc.
There are lots of other activities going on at the school.
Cook/Mason
Coupons are available for patrons of Damon’s to have 10% of their bill to go back to the
Cook/Mason schools if they dine there on the 2nd or 4th Wednesday of the month.
There will be a mother/daughter event in the April/May timeframe to make pottery plates.
A mother/son activity is also being planned but no details are available yet.
The daddy/daughter dance at Genesys on 2/7 will have a Mardi Gras theme with
necklaces, balloon artist, and 3 photographers available.
Family Night in May will be to go to a Lansing Lugnuts game.
The Science Fair kickoff is February 1.
Dr. Newton/Discussion
All schools have a science fair. There is so much prize money available so why don’t
more GB students participate with the opportunity of possibly getting awarded some of
that money? It is a great opportunity for students. Students excel when the idea for their
project is something of great interest to them. Elementary principals should include
information about the science fair in their refrigerator news. The application process may
be a bit cumbersome but GB just doesn’t seem to get much participation. Kettering has
so much to give away but they can’t give it all away because they don’t have enough
participants. There is over $40,000 available for prizes.
Discussion
Parents can sign up their own child even if some schools have already had their science
fairs or if teachers typically select which projects should move on to the county science
fair and their child’s project was not selected.
Middle School students don’t participate much so this needs to be promoted more. City
School participates in the Invention Fair.
Mary Nerreter will be given more information about the county science fair to
communicate to students in hopes of increasing participation.
West Middle School
Career Day is scheduled for 3/26 from 7:45 am-11:30 am. It is for 7th/8th grade students.
More speakers are needed.
Challenge Day will be held May 12-13-14. Thirty volunteers are needed each day.
Mrs. Miller has set up an after school tutoring session in the library for 1 hour on
Wednesday’s. Volunteers are needed to tutor students.
Dr. Newton
Marilyn Bandurski helps students to identify the right university for them to attend and
helps them to focus on a major/minor that relates to a student’s interest. Although it is
expensive ($600-700), it is cheaper than having a student change majors once they have
already begun college.
She will be offering a 12-day summer camp this year for 11th graders.
Perry Center
The 100th day of school is 2/7 and most teachers have activities planned.
Ronald McDonald will be here on 2/14 for an assembly about bullying.
City School
Little Caesar’s pizza kit fundraiser was just completed.
A dance is scheduled for 2/29.
Students enjoyed seeing Mitt Romney.
Three groups of students will participate in OM on 3/15.
Read-a-thon is scheduled to take place over spring break.
After school Bridges sewing class should start soon if enough students are interested.
After school art class should start soon but fees will likely increase due to higher fees for
room rental.
Cash policy is making it difficult to get funds in time for some field trips. How are other
schools handling this?
Dr. Newton
A study was done to compare rental rates of GB school facilities with other districts. It
was found that GB fees were ridiculously low so rental fees were increased this year.
Discussion
The cash policy requires funds to be turned into Central Office daily. Some schools do
not do this. Most schools make copies of all checks as they are turned in. Cash is not to
be kept in the classroom. Two people usually sign for any money going into the safe.
Receipts are written by teachers for all cash and checks as they are received. Your PTO
should have a tax exempt ID number. When arrangements are made for field trips, the
place that is charging a fee is required to provide an invoice for the cost prior to the trip.
This invoice can be used to secure appropriate funds from Central Office prior to the trip.
Dr. Newton will have more discussion with JP Adams and this topic will be discussed in
more detail with building administrators.
McGrath/Anderson
Fall fundraiser earned $6,818.
Holiday Shop earned $563.
Box Tops earned $808 last month.
PTO is short $550 so they will do the Frankenmuth fundraiser in the spring which
includes cookie dough.
They may do a walk-a-thon in the spring but they are looking for new fundraiser ideas.
A path has been added between the schools so busses don’t have to stop at both schools.
It is working out well and students really like it because they get home 10 minutes earlier.
The DARE program has been replaced by TEAM for 5th graders. There is one lesson per
month from now through May.
Everyone is collecting Nestlé’s Pure Life water bottle labels to raise money.
The Pit Stop (student store) is open.
Bridges will have 2 after school classes – Awesome Academics and?
Wednesday is McGrath night at Damon’s. Twenty % of the amount of guest checks will
go back to the school if the patron presents a coupon.
PTO is considering using GBHTV to advertise their activities and fundraisers.
Parents are very appreciative of the health notices that the district issued. It is also a good
opportunity for teachers to put classroom health concerns on their School Fusion page.
Dr. Newton
Fall fundraisers tend to generate more money because participation drops in the spring
when everyone is burned out from all the fundraising. Schools will be more successful if
they plan their big fundraisers for the fall.
GBHTV is now back on channel 18 and may also be on channel 902.
Brendel
They did a walk-a-thon in the fall and raised $8,000 but this amount was much less than
the Frankenmuth fundraiser in the previous year when they raised $14,000.
PTO president Katherine Livengood has moved to Germany so Bob Durst is the new
president.
A Mom-to-Mom sale is scheduled for 2/23.
The Holiday Store raised $688.
Market Day met their monthly goal to be able to receive a shipment.
Donuts with Dad and Muffins with Mom have been cut to help balance the budget.
Discussion
Reid made $15,000 for their walk-a-thon and they suggested that each child raise $50.
Parents were told that if the goal was met, there wouldn’t be any more fundraisers for the
school year.
Myers made $17,000 in their walk-a-thon.
Indian Hill held a raffle during the same time as their walk-a-thon. Four students won a
date to go to a movie with Mrs. Stone (principal).
Reid did the same thing and students went on a date with Mrs. Kruse (principal).
Indian Hill had football players who were former Indian Hill students come to help kick
off their walk-a-thon.
Reid had GB police come to their walk-a-thon and use their bull horn to encourage
students throughout the walk.
Indian Hill also had a carnival after the walk-a-thon and parents were stationed at the
entrances of the subdivision to explain that the walk-a-thon was taking place and to
collect funds from anyone entering the subdivision.
Myers
Ronald McDonald came and did a bullying assembly that was very successful, even for
the 5th graders.
The PTO sponsored staff luncheon was re-scheduled due to a snow day.
Science Fair participation is mandatory for 4th/5th grades and optional for 1st/2nd/3rd
graders.
Dessert with Dad is scheduled for 2/4. They will have ice cream sundaes at night.
Make-It/Take-It was a big success before the holidays.
A Box Tops competition between classrooms was held using a football theme and $1,300
was raised.
Market Day profits average about $200/month.
Roller-skate Night is 2/14.
SCRIP has generated $1,098 so far this year.
The 12-year-old author from Bay City who wrote the “Fred the Mouse” series will have
lunch with some students soon.
Scrapbook night is scheduled for 2/1.
Book Fair sales increased by holding the fair prior to the holidays rather than having it
during conferences.
East Middle School
Eighth graders go to the high school for orientation this week.
Teen Time and 7th/8th grade dance are on 2/8.
Lock-In at Genesys is 2/29 and 200 students are needed to participate to break even.
The principal is having power lunches with 7th grade students to find out what can be
done to improve their 8th grade experience.
There is a concern that there are not enough healthy choices for lunch.
Discussion
The district policy does not allow for soda pop to be sold except in athletic areas during
events and in teacher’s lounges.
Some teachers are selling candy in the classroom to earn money for field trips.
Next year everything being sold must have some nutritional value.
There is a meeting scheduled in March for the Nutrition Committee to meet. It includes
representatives from the high school. It was suggested that middle school and elementary
students also be included as a part of this committee.
Dr. Newton
Strategic Plan re-write teams meet every Thursday. Strategy #3 focuses on raising
student achievement. Strategy #5 addresses family and how to involve them to help
students achieve their goals.
Area superintendents have been meeting to discuss a mega-athletic conference. Next
year the Big 9 will only have 5 schools left in it. The proposal is that the mega-league
would include all Genesee County schools and some other schools from outlying counties.
Football would not be a part of the mega-conference. This proposal would save a lot of
money spent on transportation when competing with schools located across the state.
Metro League schools are happy with their league now and don’t show much interest.
They are reminded that a few years ago the Big 9 was very happy and comfortable, too,
but things change. There is a big meeting on Thursday that will have representatives
from the Grand Rapids area (OK conference) and Detroit area mega-conferences to
discuss advantages and disadvantages of mega-conferences.
Gerta Wiseman Klein (sp?) is a holocaust survivor who will be returning to GB on 2/25
to speak to students. She is a very emotional and inspirational speaker, promoting
tolerance of others. Other schools will be invited to come and see her, including Holy
Family. This is likely her last visit as she is 85 years old now. She participated in the
death march during WWII with 400-500 other people. She lived in abandoned factories
with 7-8 others for a time. She spotted a US Army jeep and was helped to freedom.
Gerta married one of her liberators. A documentary about her life won an academy
award, she’s been on “Oprah”, and she is very articulate. Her presentation may be
televised on channel 18. Some elementary students will be invited to attend her assembly.
GB students read her book and the tape, “One Survivor Remembers” is available to
borrow from Dr. Newton’s office. She was the graduation speaker one year at GBHS.
She’ll also speak at the Flint Youth Theatre while she is in the area.
ACLU and GBCS lawyers continue to meet about the computer usage policy. No update
was available. Dr. Newton met with Mrs. Weiss’ students to discuss this policy. It is not
the district’s intent to deny anyone their 1st Amendment rights, only to protect students
from bullying and any sort of dangerous activity that may occur.
The district is currently suing the Genesee County Drain Commission for water hook up
fees for the 2 new middle schools that were in excess of $1 million. In Oakland County
the same service would have cost the district less than $75,000 so the district feels the fee
charged by the Genesee County Drain Commission is excessive.