AIRPORT COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

AIRPORT COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

www.airportschools.com February/March 2017

HOUR OF CODE...BEYOND THE COMPUTER We live in a world surrounded by technology. We know that whatever field our students

choose to go into as adults, their ability to succeed will increasingly depend on understanding

how technology works.

But only a tiny fraction of us are learning how technology works. Fewer than half of all

schools in the nation teach computer science. Airport Community Schools is proud to be one

of those schools, with STEM classes offered in all grades!

That’s why, for the last three years, our entire 5th grade joined in on the largest learning event

in history: The Hour of Code, during Computer Science Education Week. More than 100

million students worldwide have already tried an Hour of Code.

Our Hour of Code is making a statement that Airport Community Schools is ready to teach

these foundational 21st century skills. To continue bringing programming activities to your

students, we wanted to make our Hour of Code event huge.

This year, we were able to expand beyond the traditional hour coding on the

computers! With the help of Kerry Guiliano from the Monroe County ISD, and

volunteers from the middle and high school robotics teams, we were able to add

an additional day where the students had the opportunity to learn about and code

actual objects using the knowledge they gained on the computers.

The ISD has a “Maker Kit” that we were able to borrow for the day. With that kit,

the students were able to code a Sphero, Ozobots and a Dash. They were able to

look at coding applications beyond the computer by participating in a Cardboard

Challenge and creating things using straws and connectors. They had the oppor-

tunity to make stop motion animation videos, utilize a green screen and create their

own video games using Bloxels. They made a piano and bongos out of the Makey

Makey as well as using it to play Angry Birds. The students also had the oppor-

tunity to create circuits using Little Bits.

Submitted by Ms. Jenna Andrews, District Math Specialist

SUPERINTENDENT’S MESSAGE…

Many years ago, the Ford plant in Flat Rock was a black factory with big orange smoke stacks. It was a

newly opened Ford foundry that produced quite a few jobs. After his service in the Navy and some training

at the local community college, my Dad got a job there as a millwright, a skilled trade. I was very young

and as the years passed I remembered how dirty my dad would be when he came home. He worked hard in

an environment that was dirty but made a good living for me, my siblings and mom. As I got older I grew

in the appreciation of his hard work and his ability to provide a good life for our family.

That factory surprisingly closed after just a few years and my dad had to find other work. Although the

transition was sometimes tough, the fact that he had a journeyman’s card allowed him to find a good paying

job. He had a skill and training that allowed him to find work and make a good living.

Skilled trades, manufacturing jobs, and many other jobs that do not require a four-year degree are in dire

straits right now. Many of the welders, electricians, tool and die makers, and other trades are old enough to

retire. Experts and industry around the state and country are very concerned because skilled people that are

ready and willing to work are not available to replace these workers. The reasons for the shortage are

many, but one big reason is that we have pushed so hard to prepare and guide our students to college and

four-year degrees that the jobs that just require some specified training have been forgotten. There is also a

perception that these jobs are low paying and dirty. That is not the case. Many of the industries are willing

to take high school graduates that have specified training, give them more training and not only pay them

well, but pay for college. Industries are willing to train, educate, and pay workers that are skilled, show up

every day, and work hard to be the best they can be. The Ford foundry that I mentioned that my dad

worked in was a foundry, a pretty dirty place. That same Ford plant now is a very clean, healthy place

where people can make a great living to raise a family and make a good life. There are many examples of

small, medium, and large manufacturers and suppliers that need workers, provide good pay and benefits,

and provide a good working environment.

Airport has many programs that students can take advantage of that prepare them for college. In fact, we

have multiple Early College programs where students gain college credit while they are in school here at

Airport. Our mission though, states that we will create students that are college and CAREER ready. We

are working with organizations and other schools to enhance our powerful Downriver Career Technical

classes and to add programs that help kids discover career pathways that fit their interests and talents. I ask

that we all work together to erase the perception that everyone must go to college to make a good living and

create a good life for themselves. Airport will continue to prepare students that want and need to go to

college for his/her chosen career pathway. We must also help students understand that there are many jobs

that don’t require four years of college that can lead to a successful, well-paying, and clean life. Airport will

continue to support those students and the pathway that can lead him/her to a great career.

Sincerely,

John J. Krimmel, IV, Superintendent

Board of Education

President James M. Geiermann

Vice President

Margaret A.

Hoffman

Secretary

Gina H. Baker

Treasurer

Paul A. Miller

Trustees

Allen J. Burger

Janice Doederlein

Will F. Lang

Upcoming

Board of

Education Meetings

7:00PM

February 13* & 27

March 13 & 27

Wagar Middle

School

Media Center

*Feb. 13 Meeting

will be at Ritter

Elementary

FEED THE NEEDY Members of the Airport Interact Club once again volunteered at the

annual Feed the Needy event. Dozens of Interact members piled into

the kitchen of the First Presbyterian Church in Monroe to prepare a

meal for those in the community that are in less privileged situations.

The Interact Club has been volunteering at this event for several

years and the amount of members attending it has grown tremen-

dously even within the past year.

“I love to be able to give back to

the community and impact

someone’s life for the better. It is a

feeling that never goes away.” said

senior Allison Salo. “It is incredi-

ble to see how many people came

together to put something together

like this for those not as fortunate.

I love being a part of it.”

Submitted by Austin Peters,

Interact Club

PAGE 2

JIM "BASKETBALL" JONES On Tuesday, December 13th, Jim "Basketball" Jones came to

Sterling for an anti-bullying assembly. He encouraged the Sterling

students and staff to look for the good in others and treat people

with kindness and respect. He says that "being an ‘upstander’ re-

quires awareness, understanding and commitment to have each

others backs." We had such a fun afternoon with Jim's basketball

tricks and great music. We can't wait for him to return in the fall

for another motivating message.

Thanks to our wonderful Sterling PTO for providing us with this

AWESOME assembly.

Submitted by Laura Shingle,

Sterling Teacher PAGE 3

RESTORATIVE PRACTICES “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

This quote by Abraham Lincoln addresses perspective and how we view the people, events, and relationships we experience on a

daily basis. It is easy to get caught up in the negativity that surrounds the news each day whether opening the newspaper, watching

TV, or trolling social media. Do we shake our heads and feel despair at what our communities have become or do we look at the

possibilities of the impact we can have to promote change. School districts across the country are constantly looking for ways to

encourage positive change so the school climate/culture makes their communities feel safe and supportive.

Airport Community Schools is at the forefront of changing our mindset when it comes to dealing with student discipline. As you

think back to your education and reflect on how discipline was handled in the school district you attended, it may bring back thoughts

of terror, fear, or even anger. These negative thoughts typically cause people to shut down or disconnect with the reason those

emotions are present. At Airport, we have identified a need to change that perspective by using a restorative justice/practices model.

We admit there are certain disciplinary incidents that require us to take a firm approach as it relates to suspensions, however the

restorative approach is about getting and keeping kids in school. It values the roses (good) as well as the thorns (bad) within each of

our strengths and weaknesses.

Restorative practices include a process that puts repairing harm done to relationships and people over and above blaming and punish-

ing. The focus moves from managing behavior to building and repairing those relationships. Being restorative is the belief that deci-

sions are best made and conflicts are best resolved by those most directly involved. The quality of relationships between students, as

well as between staff and students, contributes significantly to the success of any school. Our aim is to foster and continually build a

culture of mutual respect and understanding at Airport by developing our use of restorative practices. In order for effective teaching

and learning to take place, good relationships must be at the heart of all that happens in each building.

Restorative practices allow for a shift in practice that results in a culture which is inclusive, builds fair process into decision-making

practices, and assists students’ learning to address the impact of their actions through an approach that allows for true accountability.

It is our goal to separate the deed from the doer and the act from the actor so students realize the value they have to our school and

community.

Through restorative practices, members of the school community will:

Have an opportunity to be heard

Understand the greater impact of one's actions

Learn to take responsibility

Repair the harm one's actions may have caused

Recognize one's role in maintaining a safe school environment

Build upon and expand on personal relationships in the school community

Recognize one's role as a positive contributing member of the school community

These goals are typically achieved through the use of proactive and responsive circles. The circles involve those who have acknowl-

edged causing harm, meeting with those they have harmed, seeking to understand each other’s perspective and coming to a mutual

agreement which will repair the harm as much as possible. Often all sides bring supporters, who have usually been affected, and have

something to say from a personal perspective. It allows the act (unaccepted behavior) to be rejected, while acknowledging the value

of each person and their potential contribution to our school/community/society.

As we near the halfway point of this school year, we have noticed a dramatic decline in discipline incidents, an increase in instruc-

tional time due to less suspensions, and an increase in student attendance compared to previous years. We are investing in our

students and valuing their “thorns” as much as their “roses.” This is our priority as a restorative district, as we see ourselves at the

heart of serving our community.

Submitted by Jenny Francisco, Restorative Practices/At-Risk Coordinator

THE LOCKER SCHOOL STORE FASHION SHOW VISITS

STERLING STUDENTS AT LUNCH!

From newly designed bucket hats to customized sports apparel, The Locker crew modeled several lines of clothing available this

year in the store or online 24/7 at www.AirportSchools.com. The elementary students had a great time cheering for their favorite

outfits. Submitted by Mrs. Millican, AHS Accounting, Business and Marketing Teacher

WAGAR MIDDLE SCHOOL’S

KYLE BARTRAM WINS THE

DECA ENTREPRENEURSHIP

DESIGN CONTEST!

High School students Cameron

Schaller, Harley Glasgow, and

Casey Hammar challenged

middle school students to design

a T-shirt as a part of their 2016-17 DECA Entrepreneurship

Promotion Project. Over 100 entries were received and Kyle

Bartram was the winner of the design contest. Marketing stu-

dents transferred the design on paper and converted it to a

design software used in their Marketing class. The front

featured the words “Airport Jets” in gold with a jet and flames.

On the back ACS was bold with Airport Community Schools

spelled out. This T-shirt will be available for sale on The Lock-

er School Store website at www.AirportSchools.com. Kyle

received a free T-shirt featuring his design. Great Job Kyle!

Submitted by Mrs. Millican PAGE 4

STERLING ENTREPRENEURS,

NATALIE KUTI AND SEAN BRYANT

WIN THE DECA

ENTREPRENEURSHIP DRAWING

CONTEST

High school students

and DECA members,

Cameron Schaller,

Harley Glasgow, and

Casey Hammar set up

a coloring contest at

Sterling Elementary.

Young entrepreneurs

from Sterling present-

ed contest entries

featuring what an

entrepreneur might

look like. The winner

of the Entrepreneur-

ship Drawing

Contest received a

free T-shirt

designed by

Wagar student,

Kyle Bartram!

Sean Bryant in

2nd grade and

Natalie Kuti in 4th

grade were select-

ed as the winners

of the coloring

contest.

Visit airport high school as a

Jet for a day!

Friday, March 24th

7:30 a.m. – 2:14 p.m.

Activities include: Guided class-to-class tours with a student.

Panel discussions with Jets from schools like yours!

Information about different sports Airport offers.

Learn about our Advanced Placement Courses.

Scavenger hunts, games, prizes and more!

Call the counseling office to reserve your spot!

734-654-6208

Visiting students must provide their

own transportation. PAGE 5

SUCCESSFUL BLOOD DRIVE National Honor Society has had some great things going on in

the past month and has even more exciting things planned for

future months. In December, we hosted a blood drive. With

the help of the American Red Cross, the whole school, and

everyone who donated, we collected a lot of blood, saving

many lives that day. We learned that one blood donation can

save up to three lives. We hope to hold another blood drive

before the end of this school year and be able to continue this

wonderful service project in the coming years.

In January, the Honor Society had a blessing box collection

within the high school. We asked classrooms to collect non-

perishable items for the homeless during this harsh winter sea-

son. Food, clothing, and personal hygiene items were available

to the homeless free of charge. We plan to keep the collection

box at the high school for now. This was very successful.

There will be more great service projects happening within the

National Honor Society in the coming months!

Submitted by Alison DeBoodt, NHS

GENEROSITY The Wagar National Junior Honor Society did a phenomenal job

with the Canned Food Drive and the Community Giving Tree

this year! A majority of the 8th grade members worked very hard

throughout the week, especially the last day. The community was

also very generous with bringing in gifts. We were able to give

40+ families Christmas, thanks to all of the gifts and the 2,969

cans we collected! Thank you Wagar students and the communi-

ty of Carleton!

Submitted by Jillian Fell NJHS Historian

UPCOMING BREAKS At a recent Monroe County Superintendents meeting, a county-

wide spring break calendar was established. Some changes were

made to the spring break schedule because of state testing

conflicts beginning in the 2017-2018 school year. These spring

dates are also consistent with Wayne and Lenawee counties.

Below are the countywide Christmas and Spring breaks for the

next couple of years:

2017-2018

Christmas - 12/22/17 resume on 01/03/18

Spring - 04/02/18 resume 04/09/17

2018-2019

Christmas - 12/22/18 resume on 01/03/19

Spring - 04/01/19 resume on 04/08/19

WAGAR ROBOTICS AT

STATE FINALS On December 17, 2017, Wagar Middle School’s robotics team,

Da Cows, participated in the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC)

Michigan state finals competition in Battle Creek, Michigan.

The team competed well winning 3 matches during qualifying

and then competing with the #4 alliance during elimination

rounds. Da Cows were ultimately beaten by the state winning

alliance, but competed strongly losing by only a few points and

even pushing one round to a tie. The robotics team appreciates

the support of sponsors Ford Motor Company, DTE, Fedco, and

the Michigan Department of Education.

Submitted by Mrs. Jorgensen, Robotics Coach/Advisor

WAGAR 7TH AND 8TH GRADE QUIZ BOWL COMPETITION On December 7, 2016, two teams from Wagar Middle School participated in the Monroe County Quiz Bowl Competition at the

Monroe County Intermediate School District.

The 7th grade team members were Cheyenne Denno Nowitzke, Mccoy Dickenson, Alec Ford, Griffin Linn, Marissa Manley, and

Mara Szuper. Their team was coached by Julie Bennett and

Myrtle Bruck.

The 8th grade team members were Mackenzie Bucki, Payton

Bucki, Logan Fiedler, Eli Krimmel, Ryan Pierce, and Travis

Simon. They were coached by Myrtle Bruck.

The 7th grade team lost their first match and went on to win their

next three matches during the first round of competition on

December 7th. They returned for the championship round on

December 9th, where they finished in 2nd place in the County.

The 8th grade team won two matches and lost two matches during

the first round of competition. Each team member received a

Monroe County Quiz Bowl pin and a certificate of participation.

On December 20th, a luncheon was held at Wagar to honor both

quiz bowl teams and their coaches. Mr. Bondy and Mr. Duvall

presented each of the team members with their quiz bowl certifi-

cate and pin.

Submitted by Myrtle Bruck, Wagar Teacher PAGE 6

KINDNESS WALL AT WAGAR Mrs. Moore’s 8th grade advisory class wanted to help Wagar

Middle School students become a little kinder over the holidays.

The students designed a “Kindness Wall”.

On the way to lunch, students could look at the wall and find

many ways they could change the world by just doing one kind

act. The students took a piece of paper with the kind act to

perform and put up a smiley face with their name on it as a

promise to perform this kind act.

Mrs. Moore’s class hoped that by the start of Christmas break

the wall and the school would be full of smiles!

Submitted by Mrs. Moore, Wagar Teacher

MOON DANCE Mrs. Mossburg’s 8th Grade Science class has been studying astronomy this

semester. They have learned a lot about the planets, satellites, and stars. One

student, Lakelyn Jacobs, was inspired about their lesson on the moon and how

the Moon and Earth will eventually become locked together in a continuous

dance.

In the past 4.6 billion years the Earth’s gravity has caused the Moon’s rotation

to slow down. To compensate for the loss of momentum in the system, the

Moon drifted away from the Earth to its current position, about 370,000 kilome-

ters away. The Moon also has the same impact on the Earth. The same tidal

forces that cause the tides on Earth are slowing down the Earth’s rotation bit by

bit. And the Moon is continuing to drift away a few centimeters a year to com-

pensate.

Over the course of tens of billions of years, the Earth will become locked to the

Moon so that as the Earth rotates the moon will appear to be in the same spot in

the sky day in and day out.

Submitted by Mrs. Mossburg, Wagar Teacher

ATHLETIC BOOSTERS 150 CLUB

NOVEMBER WINNERS $250 - Allen & JoAnn Meiden

$25 - Lyman McLaughlin

$25 - Paul Miller

$25 - Marcee & Justin Nye

$25 - Beverly Weddle

DECEMBER WINNERS $250 - Marge Hildebrand

$25 - Cheryl Pinter

$25 - Dan & Deb Fahnestock

$25 - Larry Mathewson

$25 - Sharon Alford

VARSITY SPORTS SCHEDULES

Basketball—Boys

Fri 02/03/2017 Jefferson High School Away 7:00PM

Tues 02/07/2017 Flat Rock High School Away 7:00PM

Fri 02/10/2017 Milan High School Away 7:00PM

Tues 02/14/2017 Riverview High School Home 7:00PM

Fri 02/17/2017 S.M.C.C. Home 7:00PM

Tues 02/21/2017 Grosse Ile High School Away 7:00PM

Fri 02/24/2017 Huron High School Home 7:00PM

Thurs 03/02/2017 Ida Public Schools Home 7:00PM

Basketball—Girls

Thurs 02/02/2017 Milan High School Home 7:00PM

Mon 02/06/2017 Riverview High School Home 7:00PM

Thurs 02/09/2017 S.M.C.C. Away 7:00PM

Mon 02/13/2017 Grosse Ile High School Away 7:00PM

Thurs 02/16/2017 Huron High School Away 7:00PM

Thurs 02/23/2017 Carlson High School Away 7:00PM

Bowling—Boys and Girls

Fri 02/03/2017 Huron High School Away 3:30PM

Mon 02/06/2017 Summit Academy Away 3:30PM

Mon 02/13/2017 Jefferson High School Home 3:30PM

Wed 02/15/2017 Open Host Away 3:30PM

Mon 02/20/2017 Crossover Match Home 3:30PM

Competitive Cheerleading

Sat 02/04/2017 Monroe High School Away 10:00AM

Wed 02/08/2017 Grosse Ile High School Away 6:30PM

Sat 02/18/2017 Trenton High School Away 10:00AM

Ice Hockey - Southgate Ice Arena (Home)

Sat 02/04/2017 Holt High School Away 8:00PM

Tues 02/07/2017 Huron High School Home 6:50PM

Sat 02/11/2017 Grand Rapids Union HS Home 5:10PM

Tues 02/14/2017 Jefferson High School Home 6:50PM

Sat 02/18/2017 Bedford High School Away 6:30PM

Fri 02/24/2017 KBH United Home 7:00PM

Wrestling

Sat 02/04/2017 Huron League Invite Home 10:00AM

Baseball

Wed 03/29/2017 Belleville High School Home 4:00PM

Sat 04/01/2017 Hamilton Invitational Home 10:00AM

Mon 04/03/2017 Jefferson High School Away 5:00PM

Soccer—Girls

Wed 03/29/2017 Adrian High School Away 4:30PM

Fri 03/31/2017 Jefferson High School Home 4:30PM

Softball Wed 03/29/2017 Belleville High School Home 4:30PM

Mon 04/03/2017 Jefferson High School Home 5:00PM

Wed 04/05/2017 Monroe High School Away 5:00PM

AIRPORT GIRLS BASKETBALL

DUELING PIANO FUNDRAISER Saturday, March 18, 2017

Flat Rock Elks

26917 N Telegraph

Dinner Served 6:00-7:30PM

Steak or Chicken Dinner $25

Dueling Piano Show

8:00-11:00PM

50-50, Silent Auction, and

Basket Raffles

Contact: Lori Mossburg—734-777-2765

or lmossburg@airport.school PAGE 7

GO JETS

Upcoming meetings

are February 7th

and March 7th.

ASH-CARLETON LITTLE LEAGUE

2017 REGISTRATION

Ash Township Hall

1677 Ready Rd.

Carleton, MI

Boys and Girls 4-12 T-ball $30 Ages 7-12 $50

February 8, 2017—5:30-7:30PM

February 18, 2017—9:00AM-12:00PM

$15 late fee per registration after March 18, 2017

Players Clinic: March 18th at Airport High School – TBA

Registration forms will be available online:

http://www.eteamz.com/ashcarletonlittleleague/

All families will now be required to fulfill one volunteer obliga-

tion. A post-dated check in the amount of $50 dated June 30,

2017 will be required at the time of registration. One check per

family is required. Post-dated checks will be returned at the end

of the season to those who complete their volunteer requirement.

T-ball players are exempt from this obligation.

1961 AND 1962 CLASSES

AHS classes of '61 and '62 and guests will gather for a winter

luncheon at Monroe's Cracker Barrel on Wednesday, March 15th

at 12:30 PM.

For more information contact: Joe/Ruth Kuderik—734-587-5138

or ihpoller@hotmail.com.

PAGE 8

Escher Tessellations by

Brianna Kosocki 5th Gr.

Amate Painting by

Kane Wilhite 7th Gr.

Hokasai Parody by

Peyton Baldwin 8th Gr.

Dream House by

Davis Henson 6th Gr.

Aboriginal Painting by

Ashlyn Bondy 7th Gr.

Amate Painting by

Mara Szuper 7th Gr.

Monochromatic Painting

By Jack Craanen 8th Gr.

Chinese New Year Scroll

By Kane Wilhite 7th Gr.

Mosaic by

Hunter Cousino 8th Gr.

WAGAR MIDDLE

SCHOOL ART

Submitted by

Amy Thompson,

Wagar Art Teacher

PAGE 9

Australian Opera House by

Angelina Somma 6th Gr.

Mandala Compass Design

By Skylar Gerweck 5th Gr.

Mexican Sun/Moon by

Alex Cadle 7th Gr.

Mexican Sun/Moon by

Thomas Gessner 7th Gr.

Zentangle Van Gogh Landscape

By Logan VanBuskirk 8th Gr.

Zentangle Van Gogh Landscape

By Nicholas Waligora 8th Gr.

CAN YOU CROCHET? Amy Thompson’s 8th grade Advisory Class

crocheted many beautiful scarves. Mrs. Francisco,

Restorative Justice Coordinator, will be assisting in

passing the scarves out to other Airport Community

School students.

Submitted by Mrs. Thompson, Wagar Teacher Form Birdhouse by

Elizabeth Ferrante 6th Gr.

Line Design by

Jocelynn Jondro 5th Gr.

WATERSHED MODELS The second graders in Mrs. Dyl's class have been learning about the

roles of water on the Earth's surface. They have learned how water is

an important natural resource and how people impact earth sys-

tems. Using prior knowledge about the Earth's land features, the

students engineered a model of a watershed. A watershed is the land

area that collects water and delivers it to a specific area like a lake or

ocean. The shape of the land affects how and where the water

flows. They had to show how pollution affects the streams, rivers,

ponds, lakes and oceans in our communities. They had to predict

which way the water would travel when it rains or when snow

melts. The students made it rain with the help of a spray bottle full

of water. The students worked collaboratively in teams of 3-4 and

discussed what occurred. Afterwards they had to present their dis-

coveries orally to the rest of the class. The students were then evalu-

ated on their speaking and listening skills during the presenta-

tion. All students thought like scientists and did well presenting their

discoveries about the watershed model.

Submitted by Carri Dyl, Ritter Teacher PAGE 10

2ND ANNUAL CHRISTMAS AROUND THE

WORLD AT RITTER ELEMENTARY

The Young 5’s, kindergarten and 1st grade students at Ritter Elementary

celebrated the holiday season by learning about Christmas around the

world. The children had passports that were stamped as they entered each

classroom and learned about 5 different countries. They also completed a

fun activity or art project related to that country. This year the students vis-

ited Germany, Greenland, Kenya, Israel, and Brazil. It was a great time had

by all!

Submtted by Dina Gratz, Ritter Kindergarten Teacher

MARSHMALLOW CHALLENGE The students at Ritter School learned cooperatively how to

engineer a model tower structure to support holding a marsh-

mallow in the air. The structure was made out of uncooked

spaghetti, masking tape, and string. The students in grades

K-4 participated in the activity led by Bernie Cousino from

C.T.E. The students loved this challenge and worked well

with creative prototype structures.

Submitted by Carri Dyl, Ritter Teacher

ABILITIES DAY Ritter second grade students in Mrs. Dyl's class and Mrs. Marino's class had the opportunity to

learn from Kim Gambino from the local Monroe Home Care Shoppe about what it would feel

like to have a disability. The day was called Abilities Day. The kids learned what they would

be able to do if they didn't have full use of their body. From blurry vision, crutches, walkers,

wheelchairs, slurred speech, dizziness walking across a beam with flippers on, to using a mo-

torized wheelchair, the kids learned that their lives would be very difficult if they didn't have

full use of their bodies and weren't able to do things as they normally do. The kids were

amazed at how difficult the tasks were to do. They discussed the importance of respecting

people that don't have all of the same abilities that they may have. They learned to be more

helpful when needed. They learned that people can be born with disabilities or that they may

be caused by sickness or injuries. I'm very proud of our second graders for taking this day

seriously and thankful to the Monroe Home Care Shoppe for providing this free experience to

our students. Thank you to our parent volunteers! Without you, this day would not have been

possible. Submitted by Carri Dyl, Ritter Teacher

WAGAR FLAG “You may have noticed the American flag not

flying in front of Wagar Middle School. The flag

pole lines were broken in a wind storm and we had

to get replacement ropes and a lift to fix it. Airport

Schools take great pride in flying the great flag of

the United States of America in front of all our

buildings every day.”

Submitted by Superintendent Krimmel

PAGE 11

BRIDGES! This January, Eyler kindergarteners turned into ENGINEERS!

Students were introduced to the engineering steps of designing,

building, testing, evaluating, and redesigning in an effort to create

a bridge to keep their “Billy Goats” safe from the “Big Bad Troll”

who lives under the bridge. Students worked in small groups

where they had to make tough decisions as a team as to what mate-

rials they wanted to use to build their bridge, and even the overall

design of the bridge. Students worked together over two days to

design, build, test, and modify their structures. At the end, all stu-

dents presented their bridges and asked and answered questions

about their design process. This was a great learning opportunity

for all, even the teachers! Submitted by Jesse Spicer and Lanette

Carmack, Eyler Kindergarten Teachers

EYLER PTO FUNDRAISER In September/October, Eyler PTO participated in a fundraiser from

the Kleinhenn Company. The children who sold 5 and 10 items or

more were put into a drawing for a Toys R Us gift card and a R2D2

remote control robot. The winners of these two prizes were Piper

DeBerry who won the Toys R Us gift card and Dylan Blake who won

the R2D2 robot! Soon a limo ride will be planned for all those that

sold over $200 individually or $300 per family!

Congratulations to both winners and a big “Thank You” to all the

children and families who supported Eyler PTO by selling and buy-

ing from this fundraiser. This is one of our biggest fundraisers of the

year and the profits go to our PTO to help Eyler School and the chil-

dren. Submitted by Mrs. Bodner, Eyler Secretary

KINDERGARTEN ROUND-UP Airport Community Schools will be hosting Kindergarten Round

-Up sessions on April 4 and May 11, 2017, at Sterling Elemen-

tary.

Your child must be:

5 years of age by September 1, 2017 for Kindergarten

Or, 5 years of age by December 1, 2017 for Young 5’s

Kindergarten

Registration for Round-Up will start in March 2017. Watch for

further details on www.airportschools.com. If you have ques-

tions, please call Jenny Tanner at 734-654-4037.

MARK YOUR

CALENDAR

Half Days of School

March 8, 2017

April 5, 2017

Winter Break

February 17-20, 2017

Spring Break

April 14 –23, 2017

FUTURE CARTOGRAPHERS Mrs. Dyl's second grade students

are studying about map making

in social studies. They designed

maps pretending to be cartogra-

phers in our local community.

Cartographers are map makers.

They designed various maps of

their bedrooms, classrooms, and

South Rockwood.

Submitted by Carri Dyl

PAGE 12

DISTRICT LIBRARY NEWS Featured Resource

TeachingBooks.net is an easy-to-use website that adds a multimedia dimension to the reading experiences of

children's and young adult books. This online database is developed and maintained to include thousands of

resources about popular fiction and nonfiction books If your student is reading a book and would like more

information about that book or the author, this would be a great site to check out. To read more, use the provid-

ed QR to the left. For home use you will need the password. Passwords for all of our library resources are

available in every library.

What’s New?

The secondary libraries have achieved SL21 qualified for the second time in a row. School

Libraries for the 21st Century Measurement Benchmarks (SL 21) are a tool to help measure the quality of School

Library programs within individual school buildings in Michigan. This certification is issued from the Library of

Michigan which is a division of the Michigan Department of Education.

The high school book club, The Page Turners, is presently reading Station Eleven so that they may participate in a

virtual book discussion during the One Book One Community read coming up this spring. For more information

about One Book check out their web site at www.monroeccc.edu/onebook.

The middle school is gearing up for the Battle of the Books. Teams have been formed and students have started

reading their books.

Fifth and sixth grade students are enjoying their new Chromebooks in their Language Arts classes. Many classes are

using eBooks via our Destiny Library Catalog. Destiny is a web entity and students may stay connected to their library

account and read eBooks from home. Students might want to download the Destiny Quest app to their mobile devices.

Destiny is not only our library catalog but it also provides access to eBooks, audio books, web resources and

more. More information is available at any Airport district library.

Submitted by Lisa Brakel, District Media Specialist

Destiny Quest

PAGE 13

COLLEGE

ADVICE Six Airport High

School and Upward

Bound alumni paid a

visit to the Upward

Bound Holiday Party

on December 19th.

All six are currently

attending Monroe

County Community

College, and two of

them have also had

experience living on a college campus. They volunteered to sit on a panel to answer questions and offer words of advice and encour-

agement. The high school students asked many questions about living on campus vs. commuting, how hard college classes are (and

what the work load is) compared to high school classes, how to balance work and classes—and much more. The alumni group is also

considering creating an MCCC Upward Bound Alumni group on campus to help incoming students make the adjustment to college.

Stay tuned for more information on that soon!

Submitted by Mr. Friedline, Academic Skills Coordinator

Photo (l to r): Upward Bound Alumni: Jordan Stumpmier, Lauren Rae,

Sierra Langton, Eryn Brooks, Madyson Twork, and Courtney Rae

CARLETON BRANCH 1444 Kent Street,

Carleton, MI 48117

Telephone: 743-654-2180

FAMILY STORY TIME Mondays, 6PM

TODDLER STORYTIME Tuesdays, 10AM

These lively programs are designed to advance pre-reading skills includ-

ing listening and comprehension. Creativity is encouraged with fun and

simple art experiences that help develop fine motor skills.

GRAND MONDAYS 6:30PM Join us as local musicians play Carleton’s lovely grand piano.

Feb. 6 - Janet Burkardt Mar. 6 - Kevin Burke

Feb. 13 - Philip Stone Mar. 13 - Tree-C LeBlanc

Feb. 27 - Kevin Burke Mar. 20 - Judy Weisbecker & Students

Mar. 27 - Philip Stone

SAVVY COOK BOOKERS Fridays, Feb. 3 & Mar. 3,12:00NOON

Calling all cooks and readers. Join us at our Favorable Fantastic Fridays

Cookbook Book Club. Oct.-Spirit Food, Nov.-Pillsbury & Kraft

ingredients

NORTH COUNTY BOOK CLUB 7-8PM Feb. 27 —The Woman in Blue by Elly Griffiths

Mar. 27—Station Eleven by Emily St. John

Mandel

Guided discussion. Copies are available at

the library. New members are always

welcome.

TECH HELP FORUM Thursdays, Feb. 2 & Mar. 2, 2PM

Bring your own tablet, e-reader, cell phone

or laptop to this two-hour session to get help

and share information.

NEWPORT BRANCH 8120 N. Dixie Hwy, Newport,

MI 48166

Telephone: 734-586-2117

LIBRARY BOOK CLUB Tuesday, 6:30PM Feb. 7—The Headmaster’s Wife by Thomas Greene

Mar. 7—The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon

All meetings are open to all readers.

TODDLER STORYTIME Thursdays, 10AM

These lively programs are designed to advance pre-

reading skills including listening and comprehension.

Creativity is encouraged with fun and simple art

experiences that help develop fine motor skills.

HISTORICAL FICTION CLUB Thursday, 6:30PM Feb. 2—News of the World by Paulette Jiles

Mar. 2—Moon in the Palace by Weina Dai Randel

TECH HELP FORUM Feb. 15 & Mar. 15, 4PM

Bring your own tablet, e-reader, cell phone or laptop to

this two-hour session to get help and share information.

NEWPORT GRUB CLUB BOOK CLUB Tuesdays, 6:30PM Feb. 14—Take Ourselves to Dinner

Mar. 14—Pi Day

Join us as we discuss cookbooks. Bring a dish to share

with the group.

HOURS:

Monday & Thursday 12 noon-8PM

Tuesday & Wednesday 9AM-8PM

Friday & Saturday 9AM-5PM

SOUTH ROCKWOOD BRANCH LIBRARY 5676 Carleton Rockwood Rd.

S. Rockwood, MI 48179

Telephone: 734-379-3333

MONROE COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM

Please register for all events.

All branches closed

February 20—Presidents Day

FAMILY STORYTIME Wednesdays, 6PM

These lively programs are designed to advance pre-reading skills including listening and comprehension. Creativity is encouraged

with fun and simple art experiences that help develop fine motor skills.

PRESCHOOL STORYTIME Mondays, 10AM

Program is for children 3-5 years of age. This storytime will enhance the child’s listening and social skills. A craft will be done

each week to develop the child’s motor skills.

KRAFTY KRAFTERS Thursday, Feb. 2 & 16, Mar. 2 & 16, 6PM

Join us with your kraft projects: knitting, crocheting, quilting, etc. We can enjoy being krafty together.

HIGH TEA PARTY FUNDRAISER Sunday, Feb. 26, 1PM

The Friends of the SR Library present High Tea Party fundraiser. $25 per table. We will provide entertainment, hot tea and

condiments and hors d’oeuvres in the Community Room. Hostesses will provide table decorations, place settings, etc. Tables are

round and seat up to 8 individuals.

HOURS: Monday 10AM-1PM

Tuesday 1PM-6PM

Wednesday 1PM-8PM Thursday 2PM-6PM

Friday 1PM-5PM

PAGE 14

HOURS: Monday 12PM-6PM

Tuesday 10AM-8 PM

Wednesday 10AM-6PM Thursday 12 PM-8PM

Friday 10AM-5PM

Saturday 10AM-2PM

New Location

RITTER PTO

We hope everyone had a great holiday and enjoyed their time off

with friends and family. It’s hard to believe that this school year is

already half over. During the month of December, we had a very

successful Santa Shop. We were able to help 32 Ritter families this

holiday season with money raised from the Santa Shop. In addi-

tion to raising money at the Santa Shop, we raised money on both

of our Five Below and Buffalo Wild Wings Fundraisers.

We have our biggest fundraiser coming up on Saturday, February

11, 2017. This is our yearly school carnival. All Airport families

are welcome to join us from 11-3PM at Ritter Elementary. We

will be raffling off a La-Z-Boy recliner, Go-Pro and an island raft

float. We will also have some fun classroom baskets to raffle off.

There will be a silent auction room, face painting, balloon making,

a petting farm, bounce house, jail, lots of fun games and food

available. Wristbands will be available to purchase at the door for

$6 or presale for $5. This is sure to be a fun filled family day and

we look forward to seeing you!

Submitted by Carrie Allsbrooks, Secretary

STERLING PTO

Happy New Year to all our Sterling Families! Hope everyone

had a safe and happy holiday. Sterling’s Secret Santa was a lot

of fun. PTO is happy to be able to provide this shopping oppor-

tunity for $2 per item. This gives more kids the chance to

purchase gifts for their family members. A big thank you to

Linda Ward for her dedication to organizing this event for the

past several years. This is Linda’s last year. Also, thank you to

everyone that volunteered.

Homemade Christmas is a craft event that PTO puts on for K-4

students at Sterling. Each student was able to make an orna-

ment/Christmas craft to give to a special person of their choice.

Suzette Laming is the master crafter behind this event, thank

you for your time and creativity! 2017 is going to be a great

year. PTO has some fun family events planned!!

The carnival will be held February 25, 2017, 11AM - 2:00PM.

Join us for games, bounce houses, cake walk, food, and fun!

Set up will take place Friday, February 24. Volunteers are

needed for set up and running the activities the day of the

carnival. Contact the school office (734) 654-6846 or

sterlingjetspto@gmail.com if you are interested in helping.

Look for flyers and/or e-mails with more information on the

following exciting events that will take place in the future:

Science Alive Assembly – February 24, 2017 (during school

hours)

Book Fair - February 27-March 3, 2017 (Books for breakfast

will be this week!)

Cosmic Bowling – March 10, 2017

Mom to Mom Sale – March 25, 2017 contact Sterling’s

school office or sterlingjetspto@gmail.com to reserve your

table or for more information.

Your support is needed and greatly appreciated! We encourage

you to attend PTO meetings every second Monday of the

month (February 13, March 13, April 10, and May 8) at 4PM

in the media center at Sterling Elementary. Nominations for

new board members will be in April (election forms will be

sent home) and voting will take place at the May 8th PTO meet-

ing. If you would like to volunteer for any event, please con-

tact: sterlingjetspto@gmail.com Stay safe and warm!

Submitted by Julie Boitnott, President

EYLER PTO

Welcome to 2017! There are so many exciting activities coming

up at Eyler. It is going to be a very busy winter and spring and we

are all excited. We had our first Family Movie night of the year on

December 9th! The kids and their families got to enjoy ‘Finding

Dory’ with free popcorn provided by the PTO, and concessions

were also available for purchase during the movie.

The PTO offered students the opportunity to do their Christmas

shopping for family and friends at our annual Secret Santa Shop

held December 12-16. This was a great way for the students to

give the ones they love something special! Thank you to all of the

volunteers who helped run it! We couldn’t have done it without

you.

The Eyler Carnival will be held on

Saturday, March 11th from 11-2PM.

The carnival will have a pirates and

mermaids theme this year. We are

looking forward to the carnival and in-

vite all parents to participate in the plan-

ning process. We need a lot of help to

make this carnival a success! Please

attend the February 1st and March 1st

PTO meetings at 3:45PM to help out.

Look for information to come home in

Friday’s folders and Eyler Family

Letters, as well.

Please make sure to look for Mr. Krause’s weekly emails and

check the attachments for any upcoming PTO provided events.

We are always looking for volunteers to help in all of the fun

activities we provide for the students.

Submitted by Nichole McMahan, Eyler PTO Secretary

SAVE THE DATE FOR STERLING’S

ANNUAL CARNIVAL!

CARNIVALS

Ritter Elementary—February 11

Sterling Elementary—February 25

Eyler Elementary—March 11

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

STERLING GIVES BACK Sterling Elementary has been focusing on the Core Democratic

Values this school year. The CDV’s are the fundamental

beliefs and principles that unite all Americans. So far, students

have participated in a community book project and Scholastic’s

Great Bedtime Story pajama drive. Families donated new

pajamas to Paula’s House of Monroe. This gives children the

opportunity to have new books and pajamas to celebrate the

season of giving. Thank you for your generosity Sterling

families!

Submitted by Mrs. Gilkerson,

Sterling Teacher PAGE 15

Postal Customer

Airport Community Schools

11270 Grafton Road

Carleton, MI 48117

Editor: Gayle Lambrix 734-654-2414

Central Office

Administrators

Superintendent John J Krimmel IV

734-654-2414

Chief Financial Officer

Brenda Pyle 734-654-3420

Director of Operations

Dan Fahnestock

734-869-7210

Director of Technology Aaron Gurgul

734-654-3000

Non-profit Presorted Standard U.S. Postage PAID Carleton, Michigan Permit No. 12

This newsletter is also available on the district’s website: www.airportschools.com

NHS AND KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS TEAM UP Airport High School’s NHS Members, and the kindergarten classes at Eyler Elementary have teamed up this school year in an effort

to provide service hours for NHS members and to give the kindergarten students an opportunity to build relationships and learn from

others. Each Friday, a group of NHS members visit Eyler for an hour and work in small groups with the kindergarten students. Here,

Alyssa Lang and Kallie Korody are pictured with Mr. Spicer’s class at Eyler. The students love having our NHS visitors each week

and the NHS students do a wonderful job branching out and working with the younger students. This is a bright spot in our school

week!

Submitted by Jesse Spicer, Eyler Kindergarten Teacher