The Au Gres-Sims School District
www.ags-schools.org
Hello AGS Community,
We are now 10 months out from the initial impact that COVID had on education and our lives and we have learned a lot. We have made it this far because we have worked together to do what needs to be done so that we can all make it through this pandemic. Sacrifices have been made, and continue to be made, for the greater good and to ensure that we are able to stay safe and healthy. I'm extremely proud that we have been able to keep our doors open for an in-person learning option since we were first cleared to do so in October. I'm proud of our community's response and their commitment to our procedures.
It is very important at this point to not let the fatigue of this pandemic and the changes that it has forced upon us overtake our greater sensibilities toward the safety precautions necessary to getting through this. I will testify to the frustration of daily life under COVID conditions and I cannot wait for the day when we can resume school without restriction. I want nothing more than to not have to worry about the number of classrooms that I walk into each day, or the people that I talk to, or the distance between me and others. I yearn for the day that I can open up the doors of the beautiful new entrance of the student activities area and show off the exquisite building that this community has invested in. I am excited for the opportunity to meet and talk with you all at Friday night football games or in the gym while rooting on our student-athletes. Until that point, however, it is important to continue to do what is necessary to make daily strides in that direction.
Now is the perfect time to refresh everyone on just what is necessary for us to continue to offer the in-person instruction that our students so desperately need and value. Everyone has a role to play to fight this pandemic and continue to teach our children. Below are reminders about what we should be doing to keep our kids safe and healthy and learning.
- Wear a mask that covers the nose and mouth - this is both to protect yourself and to protect others and is a sign of respect.
- Maintain 6 feet of social distance
- Communicate with the school if you or your child has been exposed to COVID or has symptoms. This is the best way for us to complete the contact tracing process and prevent the spread of the disease.
- Monitor and screen your child(ren) daily BEFORE sending them to school for the symptoms of COVID and keep them home if they are sick.
- Review the communication pieces that the district sends home and respond as needed. We are working hard and with intentionality to not overwhelm your email inbox but there are pieces that we are sending home that need action.
Hope is on the horizon, but it will take a commitment from everybody to get there together. The vaccination process in Michigan is taking off and that includes our little corner of the state. I'm happy to announce that the health department will be here on campus in a couple of short weeks to administer the vaccine to our staff. I will be doing my part and will be in that line to continue to do what is necessary for us to overcome this awful pandemic.
Have a wonderful weekend everybody and stay safe.
#AGSInThisTogether #WolverinesLead
-Mr. Ming
In education, we often talk about a “Growth Mindset”. Because of Covid 19, this has been very difficult. It seems like we have more conversations centered around what we can do to keep our heads above water and how we need to adapt and change. But, there have also been various positive things which have inadvertently resulted, too.
One aspect which everyone has had to grow and change is the use and understanding of technology. This has not been limited to just teachers and students, but to family members overall. The forced integration of technology in communication platforms, like Google Meets, has provided a virtual connectivity that expands educational boundaries and has provided a means to connect with friends and family during these difficult times. Students and families have also deepened their toolbox of learning resources through the use of programs such as One Tab, Calvert, and Edmentum. All of these platforms have provided adaptive learning opportunities that we can use and flourish, long after the pandemic.
Learning in general has been difficult, but it has forced all of us to change the way we do the “business” of education. It has forced all of us to become more organized and intentional with our time. It has forced us to learn how to work with different individuals in changed learning and teaching roles. It has provided flexibility in how and when we learn. It has forced us to become more independent self directed learners. It has provided the opportunity to spend more time with family and forged new bonds to support student learning. It has helped us to recognize new means of learning alongside traditional measures and pathways. It has made us more aware that education is not a “one size fits all”.
Above all, Covid 19 has reaffirmed the wisdom in the African proverb that it “takes a village to raise a child”. It reaffirms the importance of education and the development of the “whole child”. It reaffirms that basic human needs need to be met first before we can get to the education piece. It reaffirms the importance of relationships, on various levels. I hope we all realize just how much we need each other. That’s what truly matters!
From the Desk of Mrs. Socha
As you know, we had to do a bit of adjustments to our schedule due to the snow day on Tuesday. With this coming Monday now being an early release exam day, our 2nd Semester start date was pushed back to Tuesday, the 19th. This caused a change in our NWEA testing schedule for secondary. Elementary students will be testing on Tuesday and Thursday of next week. Secondary students will begin their reading NWEA on Thursday, and will finish on Friday. We will continue the following week with secondary students testing all week, except our virtual Wednesday. Upper elementary will continue with testing the following week as well.
If you chose the virtual option for the 3rd marking period, you will be receiving a call from me soon, if you haven’t already, to set up a time for your student to come on campus for NWEA testing. Kindergarten and 1st grade students will only need to come to one session, but 2nd through 11th grade students will need to schedule 2 sessions to complete all of their testing. I have decided to offer a few evening test sessions as well, in the effort to provide more options for families to bring their students to campus for these important sessions. Like before, students will be testing in an environment away from in-person classes, and surfaces will be disinfected between each testing session. We will keep students socially distanced as well. I ask that you have your student bring their charged school chromebook and headphones if possible. I will also have headphones available if needed. Students will need to wear a mask when they are on campus testing. I will be making phone calls over the next few days!
Finally, a quick note regarding our 7th hour seminar class for secondary students. Typically, students switch to a new seminar class at the end of each marking period. We use NWEA data to place students in academic enrichment classes who have been identified as needing additional support in math or reading. Since we waited until we returned to campus in October to complete Fall NWEA testing, it pushed our testing windows back a bit later than normal, so we do not have this data to switch seminar classes right at the change of the marking period. Once the data is collected, we will make some adjustments to the seminar schedule. An email was sent out today to secondary students letting them know not only of this change, but the importance of taking the NWEA seriously in order to get them the actual skills that they need to be successful. All secondary students will have personalized goals for each of their NWEA tests, and I hope that these goals will help them to monitor their own progress in their learning.Varsity Basketball Practice Begins
Boys Basketball practice begins Monday January 18th from 5:30 -7:30.
Per the new emergency order for January 16-31, all participants need to be masked and maintain 6 feet of social distance for contact sports (basketball). Permitted activities include conditioning and drill work in which social distancing may be maintained.
Mark Your Calendars
- Jan. 18: CHANGE! Early Release / Secondary Exams 4,5,6 - Changes made due to inclement weather day on 1/12
- Jan. 19: Beginning of 2nd Semester/3rd Quarter
- Jan. 20, 27: Virtual Day of Instruction, all students
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1V7bemxU4VeXycDMAeTw16i44BSTt9FJX/view?usp=sharing
Au Gres-Sims School District
Email: web@ags-schools.org
Website: www.ags-schools.org
Location: 310 South Court Street, Au Gres, MI, USA
Phone: (989) 876-7150
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuGresSims/?ref=br_rs
Twitter: @agsschools