March 8, 2024
March 8, 2024
Observations Around Saline Area Schools
We've had a great two weeks at Saline! Here's what we observed in our buildings the last two weeks.
Harvest
Kindergarten students “Paddling my Kayak” in music class
1st graders learning about the important contributions of Colin Powell during Black History Month
2nd graders focused on the various “e” sounds during Phonics instruction
Pleasant Ridge
Young 5s students learning about Ella Fitzgerald, the Queen of Jazz!
2nd graders working on multi-digit subtraction
Kindergarten students hearing from a special mystery reader
Woodland Meadows
1st graders in iLab building towers with Marble Run
Media students participating in a digital literacy unit involving the solar system & space
Woodland Meadows students sharing their sparkle and shine (and sequins!) and listening to a book reading of Rainbow Fish from the student leadership team.
Heritage
- 4th grade writers developing outlines as they prepare a three-paragraph essay
- 5th graders analyzing texts by showing a claim, proper support, and evidence
- iLab students coding their Spheros to move around a race track
- 5th graders dividing by decimals in math class
Middle School
- 6th graders exploring threats to ecosystems and studying frog populations in the Case of the Silent Night
- 6th grade statisticians asking survey questions and designing histograms and dot plots to show their results
- 8th grade Science students participating in an eCyber competition to develop projects that propose solutions to problems including automatic sinks, water quality, and football helmets.
High School
- SHS students and staff raising over $28,000 at the Polar Plunge in support of Special Olympics!
- Exercise Science and Sports Medicine Students participating in a debate on the best therapies to support healing
- AP Biology Students mapping the evolution of candy to model the process of evoluation
- Chemistry B students summarizing their learning with visual posters and diagrams
- SHS Robotics Team, Saline Singularity, competing at Columbia Central HS with 40 other teams in this year’s challenge “Crescendo”
Liberty
- Early Childhood Special Education students participating in a unit on Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
- Alternative Education students focused on online coursework in economic systems, math models in Geometry, and the New Deal in US History
- Young Adult students participating in a “Cook Off” preparing spaghetti, garlic bread, and fruit pizza
Safety Minute
Saline Area Schools regularly conduct safety drills with students. Teachers and administrators explain in an age-appropriate way that there are different types of emergencies that may require a different response. In all cases, students are exposed to safety protocols implemented during a drill and practice staying calm and quiet while listening for directions. All Michigan schools are mandated to complete five fire evacuation drills, two tornado drills, and three school safety and security drills annually. In addition to those required by law, Saline Area Schools conducts regular medical emergency drills. Thanks to the support of the community through bond funding, Informacast alerts are installed throughout our school buildings to provide an audio and visual notification for lockdown emergencies and drills, which can be activated by multiple methods.
Keep an eye out for future Safety Minute updates in upcoming newsletters!
Mental Health Film Screening
Washtenaw Intermediate School District is excited to present a free, virtual screening of the film, “What I Wish My Parents Knew” on March 12 at 7:00 p.m. as part of the WISD's Mental Health Parent Education Series. The film tells the stories of 10 youth who share their inner struggle with depression and anxiety and express what they wish their families would have known. It’s designed to empower families to have conversations about mental health with their children. Interested families can register for the free session online.
A2Y Chamber Teacher of the Year Nominations
The 2024 LaFontaine Teacher of the Year Program recognizes the great contribution teachers make in Washtenaw County and to the learning community. This award recognizes and honors teacher excellence. It does not attempt to select the “best” teacher; rather, to identify, from among many outstanding teachers, one teacher to serve as a visible and vocal representative of what is best in the profession. The LaFontaine Family wishes to honor the amazing teachers within Washtenaw County and recognize them for their hard work and efforts they put in every single school year. Nomination criteria and procedures are available online and due by 4:30 p.m. on March 21, 2024.
Upcoming Events
- March 9: Foundation for Saline Area Schools Blue Jeans and Bling Fundraiser, 6-10 p.m., Sheraton Hotel, Ann Arbor
- March 11: NAAPID (National African American Parent Involvement Day) at Night, via Zoom, 6-7 p.m.
- March 11: Heritage/4th Grade Orientation- Class of 2033, via Zoom, 6:30 p.m.
- March 12: Mental Health Parent Series Film Screening, 7:00 p.m., via Zoom
- March 15-17: SHS Drama Club Beauty and the Beast Production, SHS Auditorium
- March 16: Saline Spring Craft Show, 8:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Saline Middle School
- March 21: Deadline to submit nominations for A2Y Teacher of the Year
- April 6: Saline Fiddlers Hometown Show with Special Guests Kittel & Co., 7:00 p.m., SHS Auditorium
- April 30: Save the Date! School and Family Partnership Series: Creating and Maintaining Summer Routines (literacy, math, and behaviors/coping strategies), 6 p.m., Liberty School Board Room
I hope you have an excellent weekend!
Sincerely,
Stephen D. Laatsch, PhD
Superintendent
Saline Area Schools, The Pursuit of Excellence
7265 N. Ann Arbor St., Saline, Michigan 48176
734-401-4001
laatschs@salineschools.org