The Au Gres-Sims School District
www.ags-schools.org
Hello Au Gres-Sims Families,
With the closing of third quarter it is once again time to ask ALL parents to complete a form for their child's learning option for the quarter. I have included the link to the form in this newsletter and I will be following up with a separate email and phone call next week. Our goal is to definitively know the learning format of EVERY AGS STUDENT by Wednesday, March 17th. Even if your student is maintaining the same learning plan, we ask that you please fill out the form for each of your AGS students. As a reminder, we have two learning options, an in-person hybrid (4 days per week, with Wednesday being a virtual day) and 100% virtual.
LEARNING PLAN INTENTION FOR 4TH QUARTER FORM
Thank you for very much for your assistance with this. Have a great weekend AGS Families!
-Mr. Ming
Emergency Broadband Benefit Program
Next week our Middle School and High School will have virtual conferences from 4-7 pm on Thursday, March 18. These conferences will be scheduled individually in 15 minute increments and will be held either via a Google Meet or phone. Teachers will be contacting select families for these conversations, but we have also left open slots if you would like to speak with your teachers although they have not contacted you specifically for a conference. If you would like to set up a time to meet, please email them or contact them during their prep to set up a time.
For those families struggling with the internet, here may be a source for you. There is a program called the Emergency Broadband Benefit The Emergency Broadband Benefit is an FCC program to help households struggling to pay for internet service during the pandemic. This new benefit will connect eligible households to jobs, critical healthcare services, and virtual classrooms.
About the Emergency Broadband Benefit
The Emergency Broadband Benefit will provide a discount of up to $50 per month towards broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on Tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute $10-$50 toward the purchase price.
The Emergency Broadband Benefit is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household.
Who Is Eligible for the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program?
A household is eligible if one member of the household:
Qualifies for the Lifeline program;
Receives benefits under the free and reduced-price school lunch program or the school breakfast program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision, or did so in the 2019-2020 school year;
Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year;
Experienced a substantial loss of income since February 29, 2020 and the household had a total income in 2020 below $99,000 for single filers and $198,000 for joint filers; or
Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating providers' existing low-income or COVID-19 program.
When Can I Sign Up for the Benefit?
The program has been authorized by the FCC, but the start date has not yet been established. The FCC is working to make the benefit available as quickly as possible. Please continue to check this page for program updates.
More Information for Broadband Providers
The program is open to all broadband providers, not just those currently offering Lifeline services. Participating providers will receive reimbursement from the program for delivering qualifying broadband services or devices to eligible households. Broadband providers can find more information about how to participate here. For more information go to the following website: https://www.fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit
From the Desk of Mrs. Socha
We are continuing to celebrate reading in the month of March! We have dressed up, logged more reading hours, answered trivia questions, listened to whole school novels, shared wishes for our friends and ourselves, earned Book Fair gift certificates, started graphic novels, chose personal animal totems, had a family storytime (from yours truly) and so much more! We have so much more planned for the last 2 weeks and we are excited to be able to celebrate the entire reading month of March!
The Middle and High school Book Fair will be open on campus starting on Monday, but the online store is already open! Online orders can be shipped directly to your home, but will still help to support our school! For those shopping at the Book Fair on campus, a great feature of the Book Fair is the eWallet, which you can set up by clicking on our online Book Fair page. This cashless payment option allows you to set up an account for your student and preload a specific amount of money into your child’s eWallet to spend at the Book Fair. You can even send the eWallet link to friends and family and they can add money to the eWallet too! Then, when your child checks out at the Book Fair, I find their eWallet in the system and we use that as the payment. It is super easy to set up and use! Be sure to check it out!
Online students - we will have the Book Fair open for you on Wednesday from 10:00-12:00 for you to shop in person if you wish. A special reminder to everyone that the on-campus Book Fair will be open next week only, but the online Book Fair will be open until March 23. We hope everyone is enjoying National Reading Month!
10 Signs of Anxiety in Teens
Worry and stress are a normal part of life. You may be concerned about being accepted by peers or about grades or about an upcoming test. You may wonder what to do about a family or personal situation, about college, or about finishing high school. Being a teenager isn’t easy and going through some rough times is common. However, there is a difference between normal worrying and having an anxiety disorder. Having an anxiety disorder means that your worries might be excessive or irrational AND it interferes with what you want to do or what you need to do to get through your day successfully. The following are ten signs of anxiety in teens*:
1. Frequent or excessive worry about school, friends, following rules, or about getting the approval of teachers and parents. Although it may be normal for teens to be concerned about different parts of life, if you have excessive worry every day for 2 weeks or more, you may have anxiety.
2. Physical problems such as headaches, stomachaches, or tiredness with no physical cause.
3. Problems sleeping. This could be having a hard time falling asleep, waking up throughout the night, or waking up early. When teens feel tired either when they first wake or throughout the day, they may not be sleeping properly.
4. Treating yourself unkindly, being overly critical of yourself or doubting your abilities. Low self-esteem.
5. Continually wanting or seeking reassurance or approval from teachers, parents, or other adults in your life.
6. Continually checking and rechecking schoolwork or other chores to make sure they have been completed correctly. Although double-checking work is always a good idea, if you never feel satisfied with work and must check and recheck your work, this could be a sign of anxiety.
7. Avoidance of social activities, a withdrawal from friends or not wanting to go to school.
8. Other mental illnesses. Some common co-existing conditions may be ADHD or depression. If you have been diagnosed with either ADHD or depression, watch for symptoms of anxiety as well.
9. Inability to stop the worry despite reassurances from school personnel or parents.
10. Irritability, mood swings or use of alcohol or drugs to cope with moods.
Anxiety is a condition that is becoming more common among all age groups, but particularly teens. If many of these indicators describe you or a teen you know, he/she may have an anxiety disorder. Treatment may be necessary. Next week we will look at just the physical symptoms and effects of anxiety.
*Taken from the TrailstoWellness.org
Athletics Update
****Baseball/Softball will not be starting until the week of 3/22. Practices will start right after basketball ends.
Middle School Volleyball Schedule
Middle Girls Volleyball - Game Action for Next Week
WE HAVE SCHEDULE CHANGES FOR NEXT WEEK (different from the prior published schedules)
Date Opponent Start Time
Tues 3/16 vs. Hillman 6:00 - HOME
Wed 3/17 vs. Oscoda/Atlanta 6:00 - HOME (Changed from Thursday 3/18)
The Saturday, 3/20 tri has been moved to Monday, 3/22 at 6pm
High School Boys and Girls Basketball Schedule
Boys/Girls Basketball Schedule - Game Action for Next Week
WE HAVE SCHEDULE CHANGES FOR NEXT WEEK (different from the prior published schedules)
Date Opponent Start Time
Mon 3/15 vs. Midland Calvary - 6:00 - HOME
- Girls tip-off at 6pm with the boys to follow
Thur 3/18 vs. Whittemore-Prescott - 6:00 - HOME (Changed from Wednesday, 3/17)
- Girls tip-off at 6pm with the boys to follow
Fri 3/19 vs. Charlton Heston Academy - 6:00 - HOME
- Girls tip-off at 6pm with the boys to follow
- Games will be live-streamed on Facebook live and accessible through the AGS website
High School Girls Soccer Information
The co-op team will be practicing in the evening from 5:30 to 8:00pm, starting on March 22. Practices will be held at Central Elementary School due to basketball districts (directions below).
Anyone interested in playing may sign up in the main office at AGS.
If any interested player has questions, they may call Coach Bentley at (989) 313-1690 or contact him via email at kbentley@wadetrim.com. More information is also available on the SSC Lady Panthers Soccer Facebook page.
Mark Your Calendars
Next week we welcome in the month of March! Spring is on its way!
- Mar. 17, 24: Virtual Wednesday learning days for all K-12 students
- Mar. 14: "Spring Forward" - Daylight Savings Time begins...don't forget to move your clocks forward 1 hour!
- Mar. 15: Regular Board Meeting, 6pm
- Mar. 18: Secondary (grades 6-12) Parent-Teacher Conferences from 4:00-7:00pm - scheduled virtually
- Mar. 22: Start of MHSAA Spring Sports (high school)
- Mar. 29-Apr 2: Spring Break
This week it's fresher than a new pair of slacks. We're not sure what slacks are either, but ask your grandma, she'll know.
March Is Reading Month
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