The Au Gres-Sims School District

Our Varsity baseball team has the special opportunity to play at Dow Diamond on Wednesday, May 7, against the Hale Eagles. Game time for game 1 is set for 5:00. The cost to attend is $10. Tickets are available in the main office or from Varsity baseball players

On the topic of athletics, below is a very good article for athletes of all ages on “10 Tips for Raising a Good Sport”, shared from PBS Kids For Parents:

1) Explain what sportsmanship is — using kid-friendly terms. As with any behavior, the first step is to let your kids know what’s expected. Leslie Susskind, the author of “The Kids’ (and Parents’, Too!) Book of Good Sportsmanship,” describes sportsmanship as an extension of the golden rule. “It’s treating others the way you want to be treated,” she says. Simply put: if you don’t want the football moved when you kick it, don’t move it for someone else. 2) Be a role model on the sidelines. As a spectator, your job is to be a force of positivity. Cheer on success, efforts and progress. Hand out high fives as if they were Halloween candy. Congratulate both teams on a game well played. “Kids really do take the example of the coach and the parents,” says Justin Bredeman, part-owner of and coach for Soccer Shots, a franchise organization that teaches soccer to kids between the ages of 3 and 8. 3) Respect the coach‘s role. Susskind has seen well-meaning parents try to instruct from the sidelines — only to get in the way of the actual coach. Parents should “allow a coach his or her time to instruct,” she says. After all, your eyes are probably trained only on your child, but the coach is looking out for the entire team. Bredeman adds: “Kids won’t respect each other if they don’t respect the coach.” 4) Avoid comparing kids to one another. Parents have a natural tendency to measure kids against one another, but Bredeman warns that that’s not constructive. Instead, we should focus on our kids as individuals. “Emphasize progress—not compared to the teammates, but to where [the child] started,” he says. (It’s good advice to take off the playing field too!) 5) Don‘t make it all about winning and losing. Sure, trophies are cool, but the focus should be on intangibles like learning the game, figuring out how to interact with others and — especially — just having fun. 6) Celebrate success as a group. NFL players may do individual victory dances in the end zone after every touchdown, but that doesn’t mean your kid should too. Keep celebrations low-key and communal. Bredeman says he typically ends practice and games with a group high five. 7) Accept loss gracefully. When your child’s team comes up short, encourage her to congratulate her opponents for a game well played. “Some of the best lessons come from losing—not winning,” says Dan Doyle, the founder of National Sportsmanship Day. Susskind agrees: kids “need to understand you can’t always win, and that’s okay. You can always come back and try again. 8) Present consequences for poor sportsmanship. What happens when things get ugly on the field? “The best consequence is to take a kid out of a game,” says Doyle. Or, better yet, support the coach’s decision to do so. If you need to talk to your child about his attitude, Bredeman suggests doing so after things have cooled down a bit. “Get down on [his] level,” he says. “Start with encouragement, then get into ‘We want to be nice to one another.'” 9) Commit to having your child attend both practices and games. Life with kids is hectic no matter how you slice it, and as a result some parents allow kids to skip practice repeatedly. Not fair, says Susskind. Your child needs to understand how his or her absence affects the team. “If you make a commitment [to a team],” says Susskind, “you need to have the courtesy of being there.” 10) Remember that your child is not you. Your having been the star of the basketball team doesn’t mean that your child will fall in love with the sport. “This is not your chance to relive a glory moment of your past,” says Susskind. “Don’t put that pressure on your child.”

On our recent early release professional development day last week, staff began reviewing our MiStudent Voice perception data. These surveys were sent out in late February/early March to families, students and staff. Gathering and reflecting on input from our students, parents and staff is a critical part of shaping a learning environment where every voice matters. This feedback helps guide our decision-making as a district, ensuring we stay focused on what all of our stakeholders need most. We will continue this important work during our May early release day. Reviewing perception data allows us to make informed, intentional changes that have a real impact on the educational experience. In addition, next week, staff will work together to identify key areas for district-wide improvement, using a systems mindset to promote meaningful, sustainable growth for the district overall. Coming together as a team to discuss ways that we can improve is an important part of our process. Continuous improvement is at the heart of a thriving school district. By regularly assessing our practices and outcomes, we ensure that we are meeting the evolving needs of our students and preparing them for success in a changing world. The time our staff gets to spend on these days without students in the building is a vital piece of our goals.

Chronic Absenteeism

Spring brings a welcome change as the days grow longer and the weather warms, offering students a natural boost in both energy and mood. The increased sunlight helps regulate sleep patterns and supports vitamin D production, which is important for growing bodies and developing minds. With more opportunities to play and learn outside, students often become more active, which can improve focus, reduce stress, and support overall mental health. This seasonal shift encourages healthier routines and can positively impact academic engagement and emotional well-being.

In middle school, math becomes more abstract—but it’s also more connected to real life than ever before! From ratios and percentages to equations and geometry, students in grades 6–8 are developing critical thinking skills that prepare them for high school math and real-world problem solving.

This week, we’re focusing on ways families can support math learning at home by making it meaningful, practical, and interactive.

How to Support Math at Home:

Connect Math to Money
Let your child help with budgeting, tipping, and discounts.
“If lunch costs $23.50 and we want to leave a 20% tip, how much is that?”
Calculate sale prices when shopping: “This shirt is 30% off—what’s the new price?”

Use Ratios & Proportions in Cooking or Projects
Ask them to scale a recipe up or down based on serving size.
Measure ingredients and talk through ratios (e.g., 3 parts water to 1 part rice).
“We’re doubling this recipe—how do we adjust ¾ cup?”

Play with Data & Graphs
Look at weather patterns, sports stats, or graphs in news articles.
“What’s the average temperature this week?”
Create simple graphs together using data collected at home (screen time, snack choices, etc.).

Encourage Logical Thinking
Try brain teasers, Sudoku, logic puzzles, or strategy games like chess.
Ask open-ended math questions that promote reasoning:
“If you had $100, what’s the best way to spend it and still save 20%?”

Highlight Real-Life Geometry
Point out angles, symmetry, and area in everyday objects like buildings, tiles, or sports fields.
“Let’s estimate how much paint we’d need for this wall—what’s the area?”

Choose one real-life math activity this week—whether it’s calculating tips, analyzing sports stats, or figuring out a budget—and talk through it together. Ask your middle schooler how they would solve it before reaching for a calculator!

Let’s help our middle schoolers see that math isn’t just something you learn in class—it’s a tool they can use every day. 🧮✨

Getting outside offers a ton of mental health benefits—many of which kick in faster than you might think. Here's a breakdown of why nature is basically therapy with better lighting:

Top Mental Health Benefits of Getting Outside

1. Reduces Stress

• Nature helps lower cortisol levels (that’s your stress hormone).

• Even just looking at green spaces can trigger a calming effect in your brain.
  
  

2. Boosts Mood

• Sunlight increases serotonin, which improves your mood and focus.

• Natural light also helps regulate your circadian rhythm, which improves sleep and overall emotional balance.
  
  

3. Decreases Anxiety and Depression

• Outdoor activities—especially in green or blue spaces (like parks or lakes)—have been shown to ease symptoms of anxiety and depression.

• Walking in nature can have similar effects to meditation by quieting the part of your brain linked to negative thoughts.
  
  

4. Improves Focus and Creativity

• Time outside helps “reset” your attention span.

• Exposure to natural settings is linked to improved problem-solving and creative thinking—great for shaking off mental blocks.
  
  

5. Encourages Mindfulness

• Being outside makes it easier to live in the moment—whether it’s listening to birds, feeling the wind, or watching the clouds move.

• That kind of mindfulness lowers rumination and overthinking.
  
  

6. Increases Physical Activity

• Even a light walk is a mood-booster—and being outside makes movement feel easier and more enjoyable.

• Physical activity is closely tied to better mental health outcomes.
  
  

7. Social Connection

• Parks, trails, beaches—they all increase opportunities to engage with others or feel part of a community, which combats loneliness.