With the opening of restaurants last week and the lifting of the restriction on contact sports there is an air of optimism in our fight against this pandemic. This week we saw the return of basketball games and next week middle school volleyball will see their first game action, both a welcome sight of normalcy. For our student-athletes, the return of athletics provides a reprieve from the mental and emotional stress that they have been enduring. It is important that we proceed with caution as we start to see this light at the end of the tunnel so that we continue to make progress and are not forced to take steps in retreat. Everyone wants to be back to normal, but sprinting through the darkness is ultimately not the smartest way to the light we all so desperately desire.

Regarding athletics, we are doing everything we can to ensure that our student-athletes can continue playing the sports they love (and need). That is why, the league that AGS competes in, the North Star League, is strictly enforcing a 2 supporters per participant policy. As much as we would like to have the gym filled with fans supporting our teams, it is more important that our kids be able to continue to play. It is imperative that we do our part to limit the spread of the virus so that our student-athletes can compete. In addition to the reduced number of supporters allowed entry, every guest is required to wear a mask and be seated six feet or more away from spectators from other households. We recognize that this is different and will be difficult, but it is a small sacrifice to make to ensure the safety of our athletes, coaches, officials, and community.

With the rapidly changing regulations and cautious return to some elements of normalcy, the district has received an influx of calls about the building opening back up for use by outside groups. We are taking these situations one at a time and are carefully analyzing what we can offer to bring back and when. Ultimately, we want to once again house all of those programs that have been run through AGS, however, our first priority is the safety and learning of our students and staff, so we must proceed slowly and methodically. Thank you for your patience as we work through this process to make the best possible decisions for all of our students, staff, and the community.

Have a wonderful winter weekend everybody! #AGSInThisTogether #WolverinesLead

-Mr. Ming

With the start of the 2nd semester means a fresh start for everyone! Due to the current face to face limitations of Covid, it has made it more difficult for some of our normal support mechanisms such as tutoring. Be assured that we are working on solutions and look forward to getting students and families back on campus as soon as we are given clearance through the State and it is safe for all individuals involved.

Although it may look different, something that has not changed is our recognition of students. Recently, all elementary classes recognized students for their academics and good decision making within their own classroom. Way to go Elementary! And a special thank you to Kelly Moore, Liz Schnettler, and Shirley Moore for your gracious donations to our incentive program! Just today, middle school students were also informally recognized for their semester efforts while also garnering points for their HOUSE team. A list of award winners is attached below. Keep up the great work Middle School!

Last summer, due to our involvement in the Universal Free Breakfast and Lunch program, AGS families received “food cards” in the mail. The cards were similar to a debit card and had money placed on them which was allocated for food purchases. As a district, we have not received any formal information on a similar program this year, but came across an article that discussed a similar opportunity. There are more questions than answers at this time about how this may look for us. So, why am I even mentioning it now? Because last summer when this unexpectedly happened (with no prior information provided to us) many of our families threw the paperwork away and some did not get an opportunity to take advantage of this great opportunity. As we get more information we will pass it along.

Last but not least, don’t forget that next Friday, February 19, is a popcorn Friday. Just .50 cents a bag. Profits go to the PTO and support recent things such as playground equipment and two scholarships for AGS students. Thanks for your support!

With all of the road blocks and issues that we had last week with testing and the internet - I am very happy to say that we are done and the testing window is now closed! An extra special thank you to the parents and family members that made arrangements to have their students here on campus to complete this round of testing! Now comes the job of digging into this data to celebrate our growth and look deeper into what areas need additional support. I am looking forward to sharing some of that information with you next week.

Before Christmas break, I shared some information about a partnership that we were fortunate enough to take part in with an organization called Engage Michigan. This program, which is fully funded through the Michigan Department of Education, provides academic coaches to selected students to help to identify any obstacles that are preventing engagement, and help the student with necessary skills needed to be successful in a remote learning environment. The coaches will monitor the student’s pace and progress, and will support the student to stay engaged. Not to be confused with tutoring, these coaches will help students develop a plan to stay on track with their academic work. The organization has been making initial calls since the end of December, and are now starting to enter the phase of the actual coaching process. If you receive a call from this organization, we ask that you highly consider utilizing this important support tool, as we recommended your student as someone who we felt could benefit from this amazing resource. If you have already been contacted and have agreed to take part in the program, please know that you will be contacted by your assigned coach in the very near future. If you have already opted in and would like to contact someone from the Engage Michigan organization, please let me know and I can provide you with a contact name and number to reach out directly to their coaching coordinator. According to the representative that I spoke to this week, they have been attempting to contact over 50 families who have been recommended for the program without success. Please be sure to reach out if you have been contacted in order to take part in this fantastic program!

Are you feeling stressed out in your current situation and looking for some relief? The human mind seeks certainty and control, yet these may be impossible in the current environment. Practice acceptance of your circumstances as well as the emotions you experience. Making peace with what is out of your control can create mental energy for you to plan more productively for what is within your power.

What kinds of things can I control during this uncertain time?

Steps you take to stay healthy

• How you cope

• How you treat others

• What you eat and drink

• How much help/support you seek

• Time you spend worrying

• How you support your community

• Amount of news you consume

Worry often focuses our attention on the future: an unknown outcome, or danger or distress that we anticipate. One way to manage these worries is to focus on one worry at a time, and identify whether it is about something you can control or not. Once a worry is categorized, you can approach it more effectively:

1. Worries about things you can control can help motivate you to make a plan or take action.

What steps can you take right now, to help you prepare for this situation? Who can I contact for emotional support?

2. Worries about things you cannot control are exhausting. Use a coping skill to manage these worries instead. What are you feeling right now? On a 1-10 scale, how intense is your emotion? Which coping skills will you use to help relieve or tolerate your distress?

• relaxation, deep breathing

• meditation, mindfulness

• physical activity, getting outside

• distress tolerance, riding waves of emotion

• music, hobbies, creative arts

• social support and connection

• distraction: books, movies, TV

Being able to manage stress is a lifetime skill that develops over time. The more you practice managing stress the better you will become at it. We, as adults (parents, teachers, counselors, clergy, etc.), can help nurture these skills in children and teens so they can be better equipped to face stress in their lives.

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” - Martin Luther King

All across the state ground has been made to slow the spread of COVID. Sports offer a reprieve for our students from the stress of the pandemic, but we must remain cautious and diligent if we want to continue to provide this opportunity for our students.

With that in mind, the member schools of the North Start League are adhering to a strict 2 people per participant plan until further notice. This means that for each player or coach, only two fans may be in attendance. All people attending Au Gres-Sims sporting events are required to wear a mask that covers their nose and mouth.

Thank you for helping to keep our students and coaches safe, enabling them to continue participating in athletics.

Middle Girls Volleyball - Game Action for Next Week

Date Opponent Start Time

Fri 2/19 Surline Middle School (West Branch-Rose City) 6:00 - HOME

Boys/Girls Basketball Schedule - Game Action for Next Week

Date Opponent Start Time

Tues 2/16 Posen 6:00

• Girls tip-off at 6pm with the boys to follow
• Game will be live streamed through Facebook live, available on the AGS website

Fri 2/19 @ Hale 6:00

• Girls tip-off at 6pm with the boys to follow
• Game will be live streamed through the Hale website (https://www.haleschools.net/)

• Feb. 17,24: Virtual days of instruction for all students
• Feb. 15: Regular Board of Education meeting, 6pm

The student-written Wolverine Wake-up has moved. You can find the fully student-produced edition on its new Smore platform.

February 12, 2021: Issue 14 (click here)

Email: web@ags-schools.org
Website: www.ags-schools.org
Location: 310 South Court Street, Au Gres, MI, USA
Phone: (989) 876-7150
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuGresSims/?ref=br_rs
Twitter: @agsschools