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Allen Park High School
January 2015 • Issue 3
A Publication for the Parents, Staff & Community of Allen Park High School
Principal’s Message
Dear Families,
As we continue to explore this year’s theme of building relationships and making connections through pockets
of opportunity, I want to share with you an exciting endeavor for the entire Allen Park School District. In the five full days
of professional development that we have this year, we are exploring the concept of professional learning communities and
establishing these in our schools. The research is clear as stated in this quote by Rick DuFour: “The most promising strategy
for sustained substantial school improvement is developing the ability of school personnel to function as professional learning
communities.” The impact that is seen in schools that have implemented this model is significant. Student achievement soars as
teachers and students engage in a learning community that increases collaboration, problem-solving and data-driven teaching
and instruction.
The Allen Park School District, in collaboration with consultants from Wayne County RESA, is embracing this movement
that focuses on three basic principles:
• A focus on learning, not teaching
• A collaborative culture with interdependence and mutual accountability
• Results-oriented thinking that responds to student data
From my perspective, Allen Park High School has for many years been functioning as a professional learning community
because we collaborate, we focus on student learning and we are continuously looking for ways to improve through our
departmental and school improvement efforts. But, with a more systematic approach and an opportunity to focus on the right
work, we can grow and reach a new level of excellence in our school.
These targeted efforts are happening in departmental teams, or professional learning communities, that are carefully
examining these questions:
1. What do we want each student to learn?
2. How will we know when each student has learned it?
3. How will we respond when a student experiences difficulty in learning?
4. How will we extend and enrich learning for students who have demonstrated proficiency?
Responding to these questions and determining the priority standards, the common assessments and the targeted
interventions and enrichment opportunities requires a new level of trust among professional colleagues. It requires open
and honest dialogue in examining the student assessment results and scrutinizing our practice to find what is working in the
classroom and what is not. It also requires a commitment to responding when a student doesn’t learn and directing him or her
to systematic interventions and supports to gain mastery.
The work is intense but productive and satisfying. Our first two full days of professional development have allowed us to
develop our team norms, communicate about relational trust, establish common expectations for our collective work and begin
“unpacking” the power standards, or what we expect all students to know and be able to do in each subject area. A goal for the
first stage of our work will be to establish a “guaranteed and viable curriculum” that each student can be expected to acquire in
each course. A goal of the second stage will be to establish common and formative assessments that guide, inform and support
the learning process, using classroom best practice strategies as well as a results-oriented data analysis process with teachers
scrutinizing assessment data to determine areas of strengths and weaknesses. A goal of the third stage will be to establish a
system of interventions designed to respond immediately when a student demonstrates that he/she has not learned.
I believe that professional learning communities are a powerful tool for us to learn and grow from and I am proud of this
teacher-led initiative that encourages all educators to take an active role in increasing student achievement at Allen Park High
School. The relationships and connections that we develop as professional educators are bound to impact our student growth
and lead to benefits for all.
Sincerely,
Janet P. Wasko
janet.wasko@apps.k12.mi.us
We wish everyone a beautiful holiday season filled with joy, peace and hope
for the coming New Year!
http://www.apps.k12.mi.us
18401 Campaign Road | Allen Park, MI 48101
Janet P. Wasko
Principal
janet.wasko@apps.k12.mi.us
(313) 827-1230
Karen Moran
Assistant Principal
karen.moran@apps.k12.mi.us
(313) 827-1232
Ken Stephens
Assistant Principal
Athletic Director
ken.stephens@apps.k12.mi.us
(313) 827-1234
Main Phone: (313) 827-1200
Attendance: (313) 827-1250
Athletics: (313) 827-1234
Counseling: (313) 827-1236
Fax: (313) 386-8662
School Day:
7:38 a.m. - 2:35 p.m.
Office Hours:
7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
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Jag Wire
From The PTSA
Hello Allen Park Families!
Once again, we are celebrating yet another successful
event! We had a wonderful turnout at Holiday Fever sponsored
by Allen Park PTA/PTSA Council. As many of you know, the funds
earned go toward the Senior Scholarship Fund. Thank you to all
who attended, donated, rented tables, and volunteered! We had
so many fabulous parents AND students who made this event
special and successful!
The Jags blankets were a great addition to our fundraising
efforts. We will be hosting another blanket order time slot
toward the end of the school year for anyone who would like to
order one for a graduation keepsake. They also make wonderful
alumni gifts! Blankets are $25 with the Jags logo and a name. An
additional charge of $4 will be added for the graduation year.
Please let us know if you are interested.
It is never too late to join the PTSA. Parents, students,
family members, and neighbors are all welcome to join, at any
time, throughout the school year.The cost is $7 per individual.We
look forward to welcoming everyone in becoming a part of our
PTSA Family!
Please follow us on Facebook: APHS PTSA. We post
information throughout the school year and it is a great way to
keep in touch with us.
Important Dates to Remember:
Jan. 7 PTSA Reflections
Jan. 12 PTSA and Book Study meeting 6:00 p.m.– Media Center
Jan. 28 PTA/PTSA Council meeting 7:00 p.m.– Media Center
Feb. 9 PTSA and Book Study meeting at 6:00 p.m. – Media Center
Feb. 11 PTA/PTSA Founder’s Day Event 6:00 p.m.
Mar. 9 PTSA and book Study 6:00 p.m. – Media Center
Mar. 14 AP PTA/PTSA Council Spring Fever Event
Thank you all for your continued support!
Lisa Szymanski, APHS PTSA President
Out Of The Darkness
Community Walk Raises Money
For Suicide Awareness
For the second year, the Allen Park High School SADD
Chapter joined students from the Allen Park Community
School to participate in a community event to raise funds and
increase suicide awareness. Under the leadership of Program
Coordinator, Tanya Duffy, the community walk raised almost
$36,000. Approximately 700 people joined together to walk for
this important cause.
Seven hundred people participated in this year’s Out of the Darkness
walk at the Metro Huron Park.
Congratulations To The First Quarter
Stepping It Up Students
In the spirit of our building theme, “Stepping it Up” at Allen Park High School, we want to pay tribute to the
34 students who were selected by individual staff members for the fall award. Each staff member was invited to pick
one student in all of their classes who has shown excellent effort, initiative or improvement since the beginning of the
school year. It wasn’t necessarily the highest grade point average student, but instead could be the person who has given
110% effort.
The students listed below were honored with the first quarter Stepping it Up Award. Watch for another
opportunity for students to be recognized each quarter. Congratulations to all!
Haley Ankony
Alexcia Caperton
Cameron Johns
Brandon Macias
Matt Skarbinski
Palius Arnett
Xavier Casteel
Haily Kraj
Leanne Nutter
Jenna Smith
Josh Asteriou
Josh Ely
Alissa Ladd
Reid Paffhausen
Taylor Shaw
Owen Balestrieri
Breanna Hartleb
Michael Lane
Leah Schlesinger
Leah Watson
Dakoda Baryla
Rachel Herrmann
Tommy Lareau
Natalie Schlesinger
Dylan Wells
Katie Bizon
Noel Horvath
Paige Lawrence
Avori Secco
Kristina Yaczik
Thomas Blumenthal
Kaitlin Jenkins
David Lessard
Alejandro Serratos
58% Attendance At Parent/Teacher/Student
Fall Conferences!
Research tells us when students are involved in discussing their progress and participating in assessing their
strengths and areas for growth that there will be an increase in academic performance. The student participation in
conferences, now in its third year, has increased dramatically. We are very proud of this initiative designed to empower
our students in creating their future. Six hundred and thirty-one (631) families joined us for the fall conferences,
representing 58% of our student population.We appreciate your involvement and look forward to seeing you with your
student in the spring.
M-Step (Michigan Student Test Of Educational Progess)
Is A New Component Of The Michigan Merit Exam Testing
For The Junior Class
The State of Michigan has finally announced the assessments that will be used for the Juniors this spring. The
Michigan Merit Examination for Grade 11 will include the following components:
•
ACT Plus Writing (March 3)
•
WorkKeys, a job assessment test in Applied Mathematics, Locating Information and Reading for Information
(March 4)
•
M-Step summative assessments in ELA, mathematics, science and social studies (Beginning April 13)
The first two days are exactly the same as previous years. It is the M-Step (Michigan Student Test of Educational
Progress) that is new. It will include Michigan-developed content as well as content from the Smarter Balanced
Assessment Consortium. The testing for this portion of the MME will occur over an eight week period beginning the
first week after spring break, starting Monday, April 13. Our goal at Allen Park High School is to complete the testing in
a timely way, without waiting until the end of the school year.
The M-Step is the most time-consuming portion of the MME and will take approximately 9 hours to complete. It
is an on-line test and will incorporate several components:
English Language Arts 1.5 hours for a computer-adapted test
.5 hours for a classroom activity
2.0 hours for a performance task done on a computer
Mathematics
1.5 hours for a computer-adapted test
.5 hours for a classroom activity
JagWire • January 2015
1.5 hours for a performance task done on a computer
Published Five Times Per Year
Social Studies
.50 minutes for Part 1
Allen Park High School
.50 minutes for Part 2
18401 Campaign Road
Science
.50 minutes for Part 1
Allen Park, MI 48101
.50 minutes for Part 2
Issue #3
The above times are approximate because the tests are untimed.
The State of Michigan has provided an enormous challenge for schools in order to complete almost 16 total
hours of testing, with almost ten of those hours done on-line. We will do our best to facilitate a smooth process for
our students so that they can perform well and ask for your support in helping us to achieve this goal. As a reminder, all
three days of testing must be taken in order to fulfill Allen Park Public School District’s graduation requirements. Look
for more information in February.
How To Become A Principal’s Scholar Or
A Member Of The Principal’s All Academic Team
Every year at the annual Honors Convocation or the Breakfast of Champions Assembly, we honor students for their
exceptional academic performance. The following criteria have been established:
•
Principal’s Scholar – a student who has achieved a 4.0 GPA or higher on any of the first through third card marking
periods in that academic school year.
•
Principal’s All-Academic Team – a student who has achieved a 3.75 GPA for either the second semester of the
previous school year or the first semester of the current school year.
The recipients of these honors are invited to attend honors events held in May. We do not look at middle school
performance for the 9th graders to become a member of the All-Academic Team. Their award is based on the first
semester of high school only.
Save The Date For Our
Seventh Annual Professional Interview Day!
We are again looking for community members to volunteer a morning, afternoon or all day on Wednesday, April 1,
2015 to interview our juniors. This mock interview experience provides valuable insight into the process of applying for
and obtaining a position and is an integral component of the career research paper completed in ELA 11. Please consider
contributing your time to this important endeavor and e-mail your willingness to serve as an interviewer to colleen.
nightingale@apps.k12.mi.us or christine.mckinzie@ apps.k12.mi.us.
Change Of Venue For Graduation For The Class Of 2015
As you are aware, the City of Allen Park has sold the municipal center and it will no longer be available for us to use
for our graduation ceremony.A group of people that included the Music Director, administrative team,Auditorium Manager
and Principal’s secretary reviewed some of the potential venues and have determined that the Allen Park Community
Center is the best option for graduation this year. We will be starting a new tradition, and if it works out as we believe it
should, the Community Center will be our home for the future graduating classes.
We met with the Director of Parks and Recreation, Pat Hawkins and Administrative Assistant, Nancy Knick on
Thursday, November 6, 2014 to tour the facility and make a final decision. In addition to the adequate seating and parking
capacity, we feel strongly that we should keep our dollars in Allen Park and be responsible to our community.The following
points also have led to the decision:
1. There is seating and standing capacity for 3800 people. In our previous venue, we were only able to seat 1900 and
had to use tickets for entrance. We will no longer need to issue tickets and seating will be on a first come/first
served basis.
2. There is parking around the facility for 1000 vehicles.
3. The ice will be removed one month prior to the event and we can go into the building in advance to adjust according
to our needs.
4. The stage available is appropriate for our needs.
5. The cost to rent the facility is $1500. This is only $300 above our previous price and is certainly reasonable when
comparing with other auditoriums and arenas.
6. They will look into getting some kind of curtain for behind the stage and are willing to work with us to the best of
their ability in creating an appropriate environment for a graduation.
7. There is “staging” area available for the graduates, with options of using the gymnasium, if not rented, or several
meeting rooms.
8. We will take the individual graduate pictures prior to the event, using the meeting rooms or gymnasium.
9. We asked about the possibility of using the large projector screens to highlight each student coming on stage for
their diploma. They were going to investigate moving these from the auditorium because the screens belong to the
city. In addition, we are hoping to be able to use the 1900 chairs from the auditorium for seating on the floor of the
arena.
10. Our Music Director, Kristi Kruger, will be working with the arena personnel on microphones and a sound system and
we will do our best to assure quality audio. Nonetheless, it is important to remember that the sound will be different,
based on the size of the building and its structure.
While we are disappointed that our Allen Park tradition of holding graduation at the municipal auditorium is over,
we have a viable option for the future. There is no doubt that it is an “arena” and it may not be quite as dignified as an
auditorium setting, but our goal is to make it as formal as we can to reflect the tone and decorum we wish for our
graduation and to honor the Class of 2015.
Jag Wire
Snap It! Share It! See It!
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Students have an opportunity to submit awesome
photos of their life around the school by submitting their
photographs on “Yearbook Snap.” This new application
allows the yearbook sponsor access to all of the photos that
are submitted for possible inclusion in the Imprint Yearbook.
Our school’s access code is jaguars. There are two ways to
submit photographs:
1. To submit photos using the Yearbook Snap app:
download the mobile app from the App Store or Google
Play. Enter the access code and upload the photos.
2. To submit online, go to yearbookforever.com and
enter our school name. Click on Community Upload
and enter the access code. Upload the photos.
Class Of 2015
Composite Photo
Seniors who don’t have their senior photos taken with
Palazzolo will not be included in the class composite photo
unless they participate in a separate photo session in the
media center from 11:00-12:30 on Thursday, January 8, 2015.
Specifically for those who use a different
photographer, a Palazzolo photographer will come in to
take photos of seniors who wish to be included in this class
composite. There is a charge of $20 (payable to Palazzolo)
that includes the sitting fee, a photo in the large composite
and a copy of the composite picture.
Please note - Palazzolo will not accept a photograph
from a different photographer for the class composite. In
addition, Palazzolo will not allow us to use the composite
picture for the student’s yearbook picture.
If you have any questions, contact:
Mr. Riggs, bill.riggs@apps.k12.mi.us or
Mr. Powell, robert.powell@apps.k12.mi.us.
Second Semester Parent/
Teacher/Student Conferences
To Be One Day Only!
Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences will take place
on one day only, Thursday, February 26, 2015 from 4:00 p.m.
to 8:00 p.m. A reminder that we now invite our students to
participate actively in conferences so they can share in the
process of assessing their strengths and areas of improvement.
Visit Our Career and College
Fair the Same Night as
Winter Conferences
Mark your calendars for the Career and College
Night on Thursday, February 26 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. during
Parent/ Teacher/Student conferences. All students and their
parents are welcome to attend this event.
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Jag Wire
Regular And Daily
Attendance Pays Off In
Academic Success
There is no question that daily attendance increases
student achievement. In addition, responsible, prompt and
daily attendance is an expectation that will be required
our entire lives, whether in school or career. Unfortunately,
statistics in our school, as well as across the state of Michigan,
show that students often are absent. In helping to develop
“grit” and character, we must reinforce the message that we
are accountable to reporting to work and to school on time
and every day! Our teachers and our bosses expect this!
The Michigan State legislature, recognizing that poor
attendance in school is a universal problem, has decided
to develop law to reinforce accountability of the home to
assure student attendance in school. The legislation MCL
388:1694a, Section 94a(9) requires the school district to
report annually students who have ten or more unexcused
absences each school year in any single course.
Though the law has us only report unexcused
absences, we would be remiss if we didn’t point out that ten
absences is excessive under most circumstances, excused
or not, unless there are extenuating medical circumstances.
Please join with us in reinforcing the message to our students
that daily attendance is an expectation and one that pays off
in school with better grades and “in life” with a paycheck.
Student Schedules And
Teachers May Change
Second Semester
Allen Park High School has a complex master
schedule. More than 120 different courses are being offered
this year. Forty of these courses are “one of a kind” classes.
This means there is only one section of each “one of a kind”
class running the entire school year. These “one of a kind”
classes include most advanced placement classes, all five
music classes, and an English publication class (Imprint). In
2014-2015, some of the other “one of a kind” classes are
Balancing Work and Family, Calculus, Speech 1, Drama 3,
Intermediate Writing, College Writing, Personal Living,Video
Production, Earth Science 1 and 2, French , Accounting,
General Merchandising, Home Repair, Autos 2 and 3, and
many of the specialized art and construction classes.
What does this mean to your student? In order
to be able to run so many different courses for 1088
students, the academic classes cannot always be linked.
This means that the students’ academic classes may not
run the same class period during the two semesters and
students may not have the same teacher during
both semesters for a particular class. The curriculum
has been aligned for every subject area so that teacher
assignment is not an issue.
We ask for your cooperation, understanding, and
flexibility with this complicated process so that Allen
Park High School can continue to offer a comprehensive
curriculum for all its students.
Science Department Implements A Curriculum
Incorporating Twenty-First Century Skills
The State of Michigan has, along with most of the United States, adopted the Common Core Curriculum and despite
the debate that exists in some political arenas, the actual standards are what we can and should expect of our students
if they are to compete in a global world. To that end, all of our high school teachers have worked very hard to imbed
classroom practices of greater analysis and inquiry to increase the level of critical thinking in our curriculum.
In the Principal’s Letter, I spoke of classroom practices that are LEARNING focused and not teacher-dominated.What
this means in short is that a student is required to take much more responsibility for his/her learning. We have adopted
school-wide strategies such as the Collins Writing Program, data and graph analysis, reading apprenticeship techniques (such
as text annotation, vocabulary in context, and connecting to prior knowledge) and Socratic Seminars, a discussion technique,
to support a student-centered classroom. These classroom practices, incorporating 21st century skills, push students to
apply what they have learned and make relevant connections to their lives and other subject areas.
In the Science Department, specifically, the physical science classes, the chemistry and physics teachers have adopted
the Modeling Curriculum, a well-developed and research-based curriculum implemented throughout the country in
thousands of classrooms. Teachers Casey King, Mary McMaster, and Jimmy Victor attended an intensive training program
this past summer in order to learn the modeling style of teaching in chemistry and physics. They completed a120 hour
graduate level, three-week workshop on their own time in order to bring Modeling Instruction to Allen Park High School.
This curriculum aligns with the 21st Century science practices and supports the Next Generation Science Standards that
emphasize engineering practices and real-life science experiences.
A quote from the American Modeling Teacher’s Association website describes the program by saying the following:
Modeling Instruction, under development since 1990 under the leadership of David Hestenes (Emeritus Professor of Physics,
Arizona State University), corrects many weaknesses of the traditional lecture-demonstration method, including fragmentation
of knowledge, student passivity, and persistence of naive beliefs about the physical world. Unlike the traditional approach, in
which students wade through an endless stream of seemingly unrelated topics, Modeling Instruction organizes the course
around a small number of scientific models, thus making the course coherent. It applies structured inquiry techniques to the
teaching of basic skills and practices in mathematical modeling, proportional reasoning, quantitative estimation and technologyenabled data collection and analysis.
It goes on to state:
One of the key components is to avoid “teaching by telling”; instead the instructor guides the students to a deep understanding
of the principles by asking leading questions and encouraging discussion among the students in class. Students used to viewing
the instructor as the “source of knowledge” are sometimes put off, at first, by this approach. But they almost always come to
appreciate being in a class where the instructor encourages them to express their own ideas by asking, “How do you know
that?” and “Why do you think that?” Research shows that students in a class where they are actively engaged consistently
outperform those in traditional classes.
As with any new style, there is a learning curve and some growing pains. I am proud to say, however, that our students
are rising to the level expected with the new science standards and they will definitely be better prepared to perform on the
new MME, called the M-Step, described in another article in this newsletter.We know that we are expecting the students to
discover a lot on their own through inquiry-based learning, but the teachers are there as facilitators to mentor and coach. In
addition, there are traditional Power Point lectures, direct instruction, class discussions, practice quizzes, unit review sheets,
and ongoing practice and samples to guide their progress in mastery.
While we also appreciate the stress that students feel when trying to earn high grades, we want to remind everyone
that the physics and chemistry teachers allow “re-tests” for all of their quizzes. This means that a student who did poorly
(or not at the level they prefer) can get help from their teachers and re-test on that concept. In addition, if the entire class
did not score well on a particular problem or topic, there is additional instruction in class. Then, if a student re-tests after
acquiring new knowledge, the quiz grade, in these teachers’ classes, is completely replaced by the new score. The goal is to
learn the material to mastery of the subject and ultimately perform better on the unit test.This is the philosophy of Mr. King,
Mrs. McMaster, and Mr. Victor and I want to commend these teachers for spending the time this summer to enhance their
professional expertise and for their willingness to adopt this new model in the best interest of our students and school.
Students in Mrs. McMaster’s Chemistry class engage in
teamwork to find solutions to scientific problems. Pictured
here in the forefront are lower left, Tracy Kole, standing,
Rebecca Mesaeh and to the right, Allison Padgett.
News From The Allen Park High School
Counseling Department
Communications from the Counseling Department
Stay up to date with Counseling Department information, including college visits, scholarship opportunities for all
grades, college camps and events and much more by visiting our website at aphscounseling.weebly.com.
The Counseling Department is also using a text message service in order to provide reminders and up-to-date
information for all grades. Please follow the directions below to subscribe for your student’s class. Students are also highly
encouraged to participate in this service.
•
For all classes, enter the following phone number: 313-749-9165.
•
Enter the appropriate code in the message area of the text:
Class of 2015: @0ad66
Class of 2016: @a215f2
Class of 2017: @1fe30
Class of 2018: @counsel
This is a one-way text messaging service and all personal information is completely confidential. Counselors will never
see your phone number and will only see the log-on name you create.
Career and College Fair 2015
Mark your calendars for the College and Career Fair on Thursday, February 26th from 5-7 p.m. during Parent/
Teacher/Student conferences. All students and parents are encouraged to plan time to attend. Numerous college, university
and trade school representatives will be in attendance in order to provide information and answer your questions. In
addition, we are adding a career component to the program. Current and former students from many of the schools will
be discussing their careers and the education necessary to achieve their goals.
Tutoring Information
Do you need tutoring? There are several ways to receive assistance.
•
Individual tutoring can be arranged through Mrs. Duffy in the counseling office. A fee of $10.00 per hour is charged.
•
Free homework help is available every Tuesday and Thursday at the Allen Park Public Library from 2:45-4:45. National
Honor Society students will be conducting these free sessions.
Jag Wire 5
First Semester Final Exam
Schedule And Start Of The
New Semester Information
Please note that there has been a change in the final
exam and start of the second semester schedule. On Friday,
January 23rd, after the students have completed exams in
5th and 6th hour, they will be reporting to Jag Time to get
a copy of their second semester schedule. We will be then
running an abbreviated schedule to allow the students an
opportunity to go to all six of their new semester classes.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015 (1/2 Day)
First hour – 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM
Second hour – 9:40 AM to 11:10 AM
Thursday, January 22, 2015 (1/2 Day)
Third hour - 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM
Fourth hour – 9:40 AM to 11:10 AM
Friday, January 23, 2015 (Full Day)
Fifth hour – 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM
Sixth hour – 9:40 AM to 11:10 AM
Second semester begins at 11:15 AM and students will be
going through an abbreviated schedule for all 6 second
semester classes.They will start in Jag Time to pick up their
new schedules.
ACT Preparation
Are your students preparing to take the ACT test? They can visit the following websites to help them prepare:
•
www.mel.org
•
www.actstudent.org
There are also opportunities for free ACT prep sessions at various locations. Please stop by the Counseling Office
to pick up a flyer. All Juniors received this information in November. They can also explore college and university options at
www.collegeboard.com.
Credit Recovery
If your student is behind on credits or would like to make up a failed course, Credit Recovery will be offered at APHS
beginning January 19, 2015 and running through March 13, 2015. Please see a counselor to assist in selecting the proper
course and to complete the necessary paperwork. The cost of each course is $180.00 and students may not register for
more than 2 courses per session. The last session of Credit Recovery for the 2014-2015 school year is scheduled to begin
March 16, 2015 and finish on May 15, 2015.
Our sincere condolences go out
from the Allen Park High School
family to Assistant Principal Karen
Moran and her family on the loss of
her dear mother, Julie Myers.
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Jag Wire
News From The
Music Department
The APHS Music Department is looking forward to our
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration on January 19th. The
choirs and jazz band will be performing literature specific to
this event, and there will also be student readings, dramatic
performances and guest artists. This event is open to the public,
with free admission.
FIND US ON FACEBOOK! Simply search “Allen Park
High School Music Department.” By “LIKING” us on Facebook
you will receive automatic updates on our department.
We look forward to meeting all 8th grade musicians and
their parents at the 8th grade music orientation on February
10th at 7p.m. in the High School Band room. Join us at this
informative meeting to find out how to become a successful
member of the High School Music Department team as a
vocalist and/or instrumentalist!
For all inquiries, to donate an instrument or just to stay
tuned, please go to our Music Department web site: apps.
schoolspan.com/music.
Class Of 1964 Together Again!
What a reunion! The Class of 1964 celebrated its 50th
year reunion this past fall during Homecoming weekend. Many
members of the class joined in a celebration that included a
tour of the high school, a gathering at the PTSA Italian dinner,
and attendance at the football game. The weekend culminated
in a party on Saturday night, allowing for old friendships to
be rekindled and memories relived. Below is a picture of one
such group of friends from the Jag Football Team. You might
recognize the fourth gentleman from the left as our very own
Superintendent of Schools, Dr. John Sturock!
The 1964 JAGS Football
Team, from left to right:
Dan Millner, Jack Adams,
Dennis O’Connell, Dr.
John Sturock, Tom Firek,
and Doug Horuczi
Veterans Win The Hearts Of Allen Park High School
Once again, Allen Park High School as well as the community of Allen Park, came together to honor our veterans.
This year on Veterans Day, Allen Park High School hosted over 50 veterans and active duty servicemen and women at
a special assembly at the Allen Park Center for the Arts with music, performances and speeches to pay tribute to these
brave men and women.
Prior to the assemblies, many veterans participated in our “Adopt a Veteran” morning program, going into the
classrooms to speak directly with the students. Their stories profoundly touched the students as they learned about the
sacrifices the veterans have made to keep our country safe.We were very proud that 27 teachers hosted 19 veterans and
military personnel who participated in 84 class visits.They represented the Army, the Air Force, the Marines and the Navy
and included veterans who served in World War II, Korea,Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Throughout the entire day, there were more than a few tears shed, by veterans, students and staff and the heartfelt
experience brought the generations even closer together. Students now have even more respect for the hard-fought
freedom that we enjoy in this country. Watch for more details on Veterans Day in our next edition of the Jag Wire.
Mr. Robert Gump is a favorite visitor at the annual Veterans Day Adopt a Jag Program. He served
in the US Navy and Marines during World War II and the Korean War.
From left to right: Kalyn Spangler, Gabrielle
Sikora and Danielle Oliveri do an outstanding
performance of “Travelin’ Soldier” by the Dixie
Chicks at the Veterans Day Assembly.
Updates On The
Little Free Libraries Literacy Outreach Progject
The Little Free Library project that we began last year is moving forward. Twelve libraries have been built by the
Construction Trades students and are currently being painted by the Art Department students. Each Little Free Library is
painted in the style of a unique artist. Once the painting
LOCATIONSPONSOR
and weatherproofing are complete, the Construction
APHS
APHS PTSA
Trades students will finish by shingling the roofs. We
Bennie Elementary
Class of 2014
have mailbox posts that were donated by Home Depot
Arno Elementary
Interact Club
and books to fill the libraries from our book drive last
Lindemann Elementary
Interact Club
year. The ASD students have labeled the books with a
APMS
Student Council
sticker that says “This book is free and may only be
APCS
APCS
borrowed or traded.”
The Visionary
The Visionary
We thank our sponsors for their contributions
Zeal Credit Union
Zeal Credit Union
and look forward to installing the Little Free Libraries in
The Marten Home
ASD LINKs Program
our community when complete and weather permits!
Cabrini High School
Robotics
Location to be determined
Kiwanis Club
Mark Your Calendar For The Advanced Placement
Parent/Student Information Night On February 3
All parents and students are invited to our Advanced Placement Information Meeting on Tuesday, February 3 at 6:00
p.m. in the Allen Park Center for the Arts. The meeting will take approximately an hour and will show the array of offerings
that we have in order to make selections for next year. There will also be a panel discussion and an opportunity to ask
questions of staff, students, and parents familiar with the Advanced Placement program. All are welcome!
Calendar
Allen Park/
Melvindale School
District Art Exhibit
Peace Exchange Runs
December 2 Through
January 5
For the third year, Allen Park High
School and Melvindale High School joined
together to collaborate on an artistic peace
exchange. The goal of this project is to
foster good relations that promote peace,
collaboration and a spirit of unity between
the two schools. Each student created a
“friendship gift” to exchange with a student
from the other school.
The art went on display at the
Downriver Council for the Arts on
December 2nd. On this day, the student
artists from both schools paired up and did a
series of activities to get to know each other,
planting the seeds of friendship. In addition,
they actually set up the art exhibit as the
exhibit curators. On December 11th, there
was an opening reception to celebrate their
creativity and offerings of peace with each
other as well as with family and friends. The
exhibit will run through January 5th and is
open to the public.
Dec. 2-Jan. 5Allen Park/Melvindale Peace Exchange Art Exhibit –
Downriver Council of the Arts
December 13 7:00 PM - Sadie Hawkins’s Dance
December 15 7:30 PM - Adult Booster Meeting – Media Center
December 162:45 PM – NCA School Improvement Stakeholders
Meeting – Media Center
December 17 Progress Reports Available Online
December 19 Winter Recess begins at the end of the day
January 5
Classes resume
January 7
7:00 PM - PTSA Reflections - APCA
January 12
6:00 PM – PTSA/Book Study Meeting – Media Center
January 12
7:00 PM - Board of Education Meeting – LGI
January 13
7:00 PM - Music Boosters Meeting
January 14
6:30 PM – Junior Parent Meeting - LGI
January 19
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration - APCA
January 19
7:30 PM - Adult Boosters Meeting – Media Center
January 21-22 High School Exams – half day for students
January 23
Full Day – Final Exams and First Day of 2nd Semester
January 26
7:00 PM - Board of Education Meeting – LGI
January 27
6:30 PM - 8th Grade Parent Orientation – APCA
January 27
7:00 PM - PTA/PTSA Council Meeting – Media Center
January 30
Report Cards distributed
February 7
8:00 AM - ACT Test
February 9
6:00 PM – PTSA/Book Study Meeting – Media Center
February 9
7:00 PM - Board of Education Meeting – LGI
February 10
7:00 PM - 8th Grade Parent Music Orientation
February 11
Student Count Day
February 11
6:00 PM - PTA/PTSA Founder’s Day Event
February 13
No School for Students
February 16-17 Mid-Winter Recess - No school
February 20
Progress Report Period Ends
February 23
7:30 PM - Adult Boosters Meeting – Media Center
February 24
2:45 PM - NCA School Improvement Stakeholders
February 24
4:00 PM - Energy Essentials - Media Center
February 26
4:00-8:00 PM - Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences
February 26
5:00-7:00 PM – College and Career Fair
Jag Wire
Kudos To Our
Government Students!
7
We applaud our students and the Social Studies
Department for always encouraging our students to
participate in the democratic process. Approximately 30
senior students helped work the polls on Election Day in
November and we received a note from one of the regular
election workers stating that our students were polite,
courteous and competent with the system.
Impact on Government is a course that prepares our
students to be active citizens and become involved in their
community, the elections and public policy. Congratulations
to the Social Studies Department for their commitment to
this relevant and important curriculum.
Student Council News
In October, student leaders met with Mrs. Wasko
at the Principal’s Leadership meeting. With Mrs. Wasko,
the leaders discussed the importance of making personal
connections and they viewed a motivational DVD called
“Model! Connect! Involve!” Additionally, they discussed the
new homeroom format, Jag Time, and shared their ideas
about what is working and what can be improved.
At the November Student Council meeting, the council
participated in leadership activities and brainstormed with Mrs.
Moran about possible assembly topics. Each class participated
in the Dearborn Ham fundraiser. In addition, in November, the
Downriver League began preparing for the regional and state
conferences.The Downriver League also assisted the National
Honor Society in their holiday charity work.
In December, the Senior Class hosted a successful
Sadie Hawkins’s dance.
During January and February, the Student Council
will continue to strengthen their leadership skills and will
begin preparing for Spirit Week in March.
Fall Sports Banquet
Announces Prestigious
Student Awards
The Robert D. Kelly Award is a distinguished
award presented to the top academic athlete each season.
One athlete from each sport was nominated.The winner of
this fall’s Robert D. Kelley Award and a $1000 scholarship is
Alec Keaton!
The other nominated student athletes are as follows:
Madison Cox Sideline Cheer
Emily Lovasz
Girls Cross Country
Brittney Wysocki Girls Swim and Dive
Leah Watson Girls Golf
David Porter Boys Tennis
Logan Tkach Boys Soccer
Felicia Bozman Volleyball
Ethan Kubik Football
The 110% Award is presented to a student-athlete from
each varsity sport. This award is given to the athlete who:
•Demonstrates school spirit, team pride and enthusiasm
•Encourages others on the team to always give their best effort
•Is always striving for a total team effort and team improvement
•Faithfully attends all practices and games, unless excused
•Is a good representative of the High School sports program
•Conducts themselves in a well-behaved, respectful manner
•Unselfishly gives of themselves to the total team concept
•Motivates themselves and others on the team to high
achievement
•Continues to be a good student-athlete throughout the
school year
This year’s fall winners were:
Ben Lewis Boys Cross Country
Leah Watson Girls Golf
Halie Howard Sideline Cheer
Matt Brooks Boys Tennis
Courtney Murray Girls Cross Country
Morgan Black Girls Swim and Dive
Zachary Pace Boys Soccer
Felicia Bozman Volleyball
Tyler Beggs Football
PRSRT STD.
U.S. Postage PAID
Allen Park, MI 48101
Permit # 30
Allen Park High School
18401 Champaign Rd.
Allen Park, Michigan 48101
Sponsored
by the
PTSA Board
Members
President:
Lisa Szymanski
Vice-President:
Brendan Siddall
Treasurer:
Michele Skarbinski
Secretary:
Bethany Fink
Membership:
Louisa Hoback
Policy of Compliance with Federal Law
the past 16 seasons. These facts continue to make it the most successful football program in
the downriver area.
The Boys Tennis team, led by Coach Bill Riggs, defeated Fordson, Lincoln Park,Taylor
Kennedy and Belleville amongst others in dual meets and the team came in 6th place in the
league. Trevor Hanlon was the MHSAA Regional Finalist in four singles. Daniel Blaikie, Munir
Joarder, Jacob Garibay and Cameron Chabot earned All-League Academic honors. Brett Dice
and Jacob Riggs earned All-League Athletic honors and were also selected to the NewsHerald Dream Team.
The Girls Swim team, led by Coaches Whitney Baker Waskiewicz, Pat Baker and Paul
LaCroix, defeated Walled Lake Northern, Belleville, Lincoln Park and Grosse Ile in dual meets
this year.Theresa Duffy, Brittany Wysocki, Sarah Klein, Molly Bender and Courtney Newsome
earned All-League Academic honors. Morgan Black earned both All-League Academic and
Athletic honors. The team also had Molly Bender qualify for the 100m backstroke event for
the MHSAA State Final meet.
The Boys Cross Country team, led by Coach Paul Vockler, finished in 2nd place in
league play. The team won their first ever jamboree in league competition and finished strong
winning the Larry Steeb Invitational late in the year. Matthew Skarbinski, Ryan Lafferty and
Jared Rieden earned All-League Academic honors while Alec Keaton and Ben Lewis earned AllLeague Athletic honors. Austin Goulasarian and Alex Rieden earned both All-League Academic
and Athletic honors. Also, the entire team earned All-State Academic honors. At the MHSAA
Regional meet, Alec Keaton raced the fastest to become the Regional Champion and the team
qualified for the MHSAA State Final meet for only the 2nd time in school history. At the State
Final meet, the team finished in 21st place and Alec Keaton earned All-State honors by finishing
in the top 20 of the entire state! Following the season, Alec Keaton, who also broke the school
record this year, became the first male in school history to make Team Michigan a prestigious
elite team that competed against Ohio, Indiana and Illinois at the end of the season.
The Girls Volleyball team, led by Coaches Chris Bozman, Dave LaFace and Megan
Johnson, defeated every single team in the Downriver League this year. Erin Fish, Alyssa
Lange, Natalie Schlesinger, Audrey Newstead, Miranda Martin, Erika Beals, Kendall Hamilton
and Rebecca Mesaeh earned All-League Academic honors. Alyssa LaFace earned All-League
Athletic honors and Felicia Bozman and Karley Watters earned both All-League Academic
and Athletic honors. The team won the News-Herald Tournament, their 3rd consecutive
Downriver League Championship and also won the MHSAA District Championship for
the 2nd year in-a-row. They then continued proving they are the best team Downriver by
advancing to the “Sweet Sixteen” Regional Final for the 2nd year in-a-row!
8
Academy Publishing School Newsletter Program ™ 800-644-3541
2014 APHS Fall Sports Season
The 2014 fall sports season at Allen Park High School wrapped up another successful
and record breaking year. Community Service is a focus of the entire Athletic Department
and each team participated in the Military Appreciation Night held in September raising
money for the Wounded Warrior Project.
The following is a recap of this fall’s 2014 athletic season as they competed in the
Downriver League:
The Girls Golf team, led by Coach Brad Cruts, fielded a team for the first time since
2007 and had big wins over Southgate, Belleville twice and Edsel Ford both times. All-League
Academic honors were earned by Olivia Nightingale, Breana Posey, Paige Nightingale and
Leanne Nutter and Leah Watson earned both All-League Athletic and Academic honors.
The Boys Soccer team, led by Coaches Brian Trionfi, Eric Beleski and Bobby Carter,
defeated Taylor Truman, Lincoln Park, Carlson and beat Taylor Kennedy and Southgate both
times in league play this season. The team hosted a special Cancer Awareness Night in
conjunction with Gibraltar Carlson and won a big game against Redford Thurston in the
MHSAA playoffs. Rei Hysi, Logan Tkach, Riley Arble, Dominic Merandi, Erick Rosales and
Nicholas Wysocki earned All-League Academic honors while Zachary Pace earned All-League
Athletic honors. Jonathan Seloom earned both All-League Academic and Athletic honors.
The Girls Sideline Cheer team, led by Coaches Julie Goodwin and Laura Hickman,
had 24 members this season. This year’s team once again won top honors at camp in the
summer and worked hard on all the necessary gymnastic skills needed for a cheerleader.
Madison Cox, Korin Jaroslawski, Emily Kusulas, Alexis Leszczynski, Analicia Montaner, Amanda
Gledhill, Isabelle Ciarrocchi, Olivia Grabb, Megan Kusulas, Delaney Millner, Stephanie Rinna
and Averi Stoddard earned All-League Academic honors.
The Girls Cross Country team, led by Coach Tim Collins, finished in 5th place
in league play and improved throughout the season. Emily Lovasz, Ammy Rosales, Allison
Cayo, Courtney Murray and Haley Powell earned All-League Academic honors while Amber
Castoreno earned both All-League Academic and Athletic honors.
The Boys Football team, led by Coaches Tom Hoover, Mike Dawson, Tom Danosky,
Kal DeLuca, Tom Mall and Alex Kropp defeated Wyandotte, Southgate and Carlson this year
amongst others on their way to an 8-1 regular season. Rachel Caswell, Alex Rinna, Sean
Stephens, James Whiteford, Devin Durocher and Ryan Fish earned All-League Academic
honors while Mark Mullins, Antonio Reviere, Manny Andrade and Tyler Beggs earned AllLeague Athletic honors. Ethan Kubik earned both All-League Academic and Athletic honors.
The team also qualified for the playoffs for the 5th consecutive season and the 14th time in
Jag Wire
In compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, it is the policy of the Allen Park
Public Schools that no person shall, on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, gender, age, disability, height, weight, or marital status be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination during any program, activity or
service or in employment. Inquiries related to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 should be directed to: Mr. Mike Dawson, Principal, Allen Park Middle School, 8401 Vine, Allen Park, Michigan 48101, (313) 827-2200. Inquiries related to Title II of the Americans with
Disabilities Act,Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, should be directed to: Ms. Janet Wasko, Principal, Allen Park High School, 18401 Champaign, Allen Park, Michigan 48101, (313) 827-1230.