TCS News to Know
For the Week of April 15, 2024
Dear Families,
Flowers are blooming, birds are chirping, and the sun is finally shining! Along with the much warmer weather comes summer clothing! As we transition from long pants and sweatshirts everyday into shorts and t-shirts, we need your help!!!
Please help remind your students of school dress code expectations. Current styles often make it difficult for parents to know what is appropriate for school. Here are some basic guidelines:
- All undergarments should be fully covered.
- All shirts should be able to fully cover a student's midriff.
- Shorts should have at least a 3 inch inseam or be at approximately a fingertip length when a student is standing straight with their arms extended down.
- Clothing items cannot contain profanity or advertisements for alcohol, tobacco products, etc.
The best rule of thumb is that if you are wondering, "Is this appropriate for school?" then it is probably best to not wear it! Save those outfits for evenings and weekends!
If your student does not have items that are school appropriate, we can help! We have a large selection of clothing items in our Free Store that students can go through at any time! We appreciate your help with this!
2024-25 Kindergarten Registration
This is happening on this Wednesday, April 17th! Be sure to let any future Tekonsha Indians know so that they don't miss out!
This Week in State Testing
Be sure to check out the schedule below to be prepared for your child's testing days!
- Monday, April 15 - PSAT 9 for all Freshmen
- Tuesday, April 16 - PSAT 10 for all Sophomores
- Wednesday, April 17 - Science M-Step for Juniors and 8th Grade
- Thursday, April 18 - Social Studies M-Step for Juniors and 8th Grade
- Friday, April 19 - Mi-ACCESS
Books, Books, and More Books!
We are excited to be adding tons of wonderful new books to our second and third-grade classrooms! The Calhoun Intermediate School District received a classroom library grant and Tekonsha Elementary was chosen as one of the recipients of $4,500 towards new classroom libraries! The funds from this grant allowed Mrs. Rader and Ms. Calhoun to add to their current classroom library by purchasing many new texts as well as items to create an even more welcoming library area within their classrooms. In addition to new books, the second and third-grade classrooms have also received new rugs, bookshelves, and pillows. We can't wait for the students to enjoy their new books and reading areas!
CACC Students Go to State Competitions
Students that are part of Career and Technical Education pograms at the Calhoun Area Career Center (CACC) have the opportunity to participate in different competitions that align with their programs and test them on specific content and/or skills that they have been learning. This year, we had a number of students compete locally, but we had six different students that qualified to advance to their respective state level competitions!
SkillsUSA
Senior Jonathan Fisher and Junior Abbi Winger traveled to compete at the state level competition for SkillsUSA in Grand Rapids on April 12-14. Jon and Abbi both qualified in the area of Collision Repair Refinishing. They had a successful experience, with Abbi finishing 4th and Jon finishing 5th in their event!!!
Fisher and Winger are both students in the Calhoun Area Career Center Collision Repair Technology program. Jon said that he didn't compete last year, so he felt pretty good about going to state this year. Prior to leaving for the event, he commented, "I feel prepared. I'm just going to go do my best." Abbi said that she was nervous before the competition, but that this is what she wants to do for a career. We are very proud of their accomplishments!
HOSA
Senior Alyssa Aldrich and Juniors Haley Eisenberg and Reagan Henry will travel to Traverse City this weekend to compete in the HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America) state competition on April 18-19. All of the students first competed at their regional competition held in Kalamazoo in January.
Alyssa Aldrich, a student in the Health Occupations program at CACC, competed in the event Health Career Display Board, with a presentation on phlebotomy. This was her second year qualifying for state competition. Because of this, she will receive a special cord to wear at graduation. When asked how she felt after her regional competition, Aldrich shared, "My favorite part was getting over the anticipation of what could happen and then doing well!"
Haley Eisenberg, a student in the Health Careers Prep program at CACC, also competed in the event Health Career Display Board, with a presentation on paramedics. This was her first year competing. Part of her competition involved a five minute presentation on her poster to the judges. She shared that the best part of the regional competition was that it forced her to step outside of her comfort zone. "I have not done anything like that before!" she stated.
Reagan Henry competed in the event Mental Health Promotion. For her competition, she had to give a speech to a panel of judges. Henry is a student in the 21st Century Health Program at the CACC. As part of her project, Reagan and her partner (another CACC student from a different school) made a podcast in which they interviewed an employee of Summit Pointe, Community Mental Health. As a follow up, Reagan and her partner decided to do a fundraiser to support Summit Pointe. They designed and sold t-shirts that promoted, "A life beyond addiction." They were able to donate $400 back to Summit Pointe! Reagan shared that what she is looking forward to most at state is, "just being there. I think it will be a good experience!."
Junior Emily Rizo also qualified for the state competition for her Health Career Display Board on the topic of technology addiction. She opted to not participate at the state level, but we are still proud of her regional accomplishments!
We wish all three students the best of luck at their state competition this weekend! All costs and expenses for the competition were paid for by the CACC.
Experiencing Michigan History
Tekonsha Elementary 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students enjoyed a class field trip to visit the Michigan State Capitol and the Michigan History Museum on Friday, April 12. They learned in the museum that Michigan passed its first law requiring children to attend school in 1871! Based on the smiles, they had a great day!! Special thank you to the Tekonsha PTO for the funding to make this trip possible! (To see even more pictures of their adventures, go to the Tekonsha Community Schools Facebook page!)
Properties Matter!
Second graders in Ms. Barb Calhoun's class enjoyed learning about properties in their science lesson last week. They conducted their own investigations to describe and classify different objects by their observable properties. They then analyzed these to determine which materials have properties best suited for an intended purpose!
Senior Spotlight
We are in the final two months of school for our seniors, so we want to honor them! We will be featuring a handful of seniors each week to recognize and celebrate all of their accomplishments!
Danielle Griffith
Danielle Griffith is the daughter of Stacey Stuart and Ryan Griffith. Her sister is Addison Griffith. She has attended Tekonsha Schools for the last three years. Her favorite teacher is Mr. Young, sharing, “he helped me a lot through school and he's been there when I need something,and he's funny.” In high school, Danielle has been involved in basketball and volleyball. After graduation, she plans to begin a career as a nail technician. Her advice to underclassmen is “Stay focused and never let others put you down and always work hard for what you want.”
Ashton White
Ashton White is the son of Jeff White and Lynn White. HIs siblings are Parker White and Jackson Carpenter. He has attended Tekonsha Schools for seven years. He identified his CACC instructor, Dr. Britt, as his most influential teacher. He shared, “I have selected this teacher because he cares and sees the potential in all of his students and he is both very wise and has a good heart.” During his high school career, Ashton has played on the basketball, baseball, and football teams. He has also been on Student Council, serving as the president this year. He is also an honor student for the Class of 2024, and was this year’s Snocoming King. After graduation, he plans to either obtain an associate’s degree or attend a trade school. His advice to underclassmen is, “cherish and enjoy all that High School has to offer everyday. I would say that again and again, because one day High School will be over for you and you won't be able to do it again.”
Caleb Emison
Caleb Emison is the son of David and Cassie Emison and Elizabeth Emison. His siblings are Peyton Blair, James Blair, Ryan Wunder, Emily Wunder, and Sarah Wunder. He has attended Tekonsha Schools for the last three years. He picked Mrs. Groholske as his favorite teacher because, “I’ve known her the longest and her classroom is calming.” While at Tekonsha, Caleb has been actively involved in planning class events, such as floats, dances, and even the senior trip. He also has played on the baseball and wrestling teams. His goal after graduation is to provide for his family and loved ones! He said he’s not sure of the exact path he’ll take to get there, but he also hopes to travel while he is still young. His advice to underclassmen is, “Work hard. Turn in your work. Ask questions. Don't be rude. Understand that it's not that deep, and it's high school so have fun. It'll be gone before you know it.”
Alyssa Aldrich
Alyssa Aldrich is the daughter of Brian and Brandie Aldrich. Her siblings are Chris and Andrew Aldrich and Kaitlyn Coe. Alyssa has attended Tekonsha Schools for all 13 years of school. She listed Mrs. Groholske as her most influential teacher, sharing, “I selected Mrs. Groholske because I have had her as a teacher through most of my schooling and she has helped me in numerous ways and always has a fun way of teaching which helps me learn.” While in HS, Alyssa has been involved in volleyball, track, softball, the National Honor Society, and yearbook. She has also been active with HOSA through the CACC. She is the Class of 2024 Valedictorian. After graduation, her plans are to continue her academic career through Kellogg Community College in hopes to earn her associate’s degree. As of right now, she plans to pursue dental hygiene! She has this advice for underclassmen, “Classes that you take can be difficult but it is important to always apply yourself and you can succeed. Whatever you decide to do now will set you up for your future, not only academically but also morally and socially. Always try to work towards being the best version of yourself.”
Brayton Wintersteen
Brayton Wintersteen is the son of Gary Wintersteen and Jennifer Walker. His siblings are Brooke and Bry Wintersteen. He has attended Tekonsha Schools for all 13 years of his educational career. Brayton selected Mrs. Runyon as his most influential teacher, stating that she is always positive, goofy, and very helpful! During high school, Brayton has been involved in Football, basketball, track, and band, serving as the percussion co-leader. After graduation, Brayton plans to enter the workforce. His advice to underclassmen is “Enjoy it while it lasts, it’s gone quicker than you think.”
PROM!
The 2024 Tekonsha Prom is just around the corner! A Starry Night is the theme for this year's prom, which will be held on Saturday, May 11 from 8 pm to 11:30 pm at Country Happenings on M-99 in Homer, MI. The prom will be for only sophomores, juniors, and seniors. All guests that are not a Tekonsha student must have an approved guest pass on file in the office by Friday, May 3. Tickets are $25 each.
PTO Pancake Breakfast Coming Soon!
Mark your calendars to come to this fun PTO event! Last year, we had a great turnout for the first annual PTO Pancake Breakfast, and we are looking forward to another great day this year! April 27th is also the day of the Tekonsha Baseball/Softball Invitational, so you can get some breakfast and stay to cheer on the teams!
Concession Stand Helpers Needed!
Baseball and softball concessions are in need of some volunteer workers! If any of the dates below could work for you, please click on the link to sign up! Any questions can be directed to Sara Griffith at griffiths@tekonsha.k12.mi.us.
- 4/16
- 4/18
- 4/19
- 4/25
- 4/27
- 4/30
- 5/10
- 5/14
Summer Ball Registration is Open!
The Tekonsha Summer Ball Association has a new director and they are now registering students for summer ball! Thank you to Phillip Miller for taking on this position, and to all of the parents that showed up to the meeting last night. Registration is available by returning a paper form linked below OR by an online register accessed through the QR code below or the link below. All registrations need to be completed by Friday, April 19th. There will be another informational meeting held on April 21 at 6:00 pm in the HS library.
PDF Registration Form - https://tinyurl.com/36ayfe49
Online Registration Form - https://forms.gle/qoTmzfpPCC2ytWFx9
Menus for the Month
Tekonsha Community Schools
Website: www.tekonshaschools.org
Location: 245 South Elm Street, Tekonsha, MI, USA
Phone: 517-767-4121
Facebook: facebook.com/TekonshaCommunitySchools