AMS Principal's Weekly Update

Dear AMS Students and Families,

It has been an energizing first week of school for what promises to be another wonderful school year. After a summer of construction in and around the building, the halls have once again come alive with energy and enthusiasm. It has been great to see familiar faces returning and new students and staff becoming part of the Anderson school community.

The first week is always a time of adjustment, especially for our new 6th Graders. Students are learning to navigate their schedule, the routines of lunch, getting to know their teachers and classmates, and settling into the expectations set forth at Anderson. While there are always a few bumps along the way, our students have done a tremendous job getting settled in this week. To ensure that our students are aware of our building rules and expectations this year, I did a schoolwide Zoom for 7th and 8th Graders in Advisory (6th Graders received this information at Orientation) to review our current building rules and expectations. If you would also like to review our current building rules and expectations, please click here.

One of the most rewarding parts of the first week has been seeing students reconnect with friends and teachers. The conversations in the hallways, smiles in classrooms, and excitement throughout the building are reminders of how school creates human connections. To that point, our teachers and staff work incredibly hard to develop relationships with students while creating a welcoming environment where students feel respected, supported, and ready to learn.

The first week has also been a great reminder that success in middle school is about much more than academics. We want our students to challenge themselves, build positive relationships, make good decisions, and learn from their experiences. Establishing those habits from the very beginning will help our students have a successful year. As we move beyond the first week and settle into the rhythm of the school year, I am excited to see our students learn, grow, make memories, and continue to make Anderson a place where everyone can belong and thrive.

I want to thank Carolyn Nowaske, our PTSA President, for coming in early on the first day of school to provide breakfast items for our staff courtesy of the AMS PTSA. We are so appreciative of the support we get from our PTSA! Lastly, please join me in welcoming Jimmy Sanney as a new Paraeducator at AMS. Jimmy had not been hired when I mentioned all of our other new hires in my previous update so I wanted to make sure he was recognized as a new staff member as well.

Monday - August 31

• Fall Sports Begin

Tuesday - September 1

• Yearbook Sponsored Bake Sale at Lunch
• Volleyball Open Gym for 7th and 8th Grade Girls 3:30-4:30 pm in the Gym
  
  

Wednesday - September 2

• Yearbook Sponsored Bake Sale at Lunch
• Girl's Tennis Parent and Student Informational Meeting 6:00 pm in the AMS Cafeteria

Thursday - September 3

• Bionic Bears Robotics Parent and Student Informational Meeting 6:00 pm at The Den
• BHS Home Football Game at Hurley Field 7:00 pm

Friday - September 4

• NO SCHOOL - Labor Day Holiday Weekend

In accordance with State of Michigan Law signed into law in February, 2026, and Berkley School District Board Policy, AMS enforces an Away for the Day electronic device policy to reduce distractions and irresponsible use of technology. From 8:15-3:15, including lunch time, cell phones and personal devices must be put away. Cell phones brought into a classroom must be put in the cell phone caddy in each class. Additionally, students may not use personal devices such as laptops or tablets for classroom use or any other part of the school day, including lunch, and must use their school issued Chromebook for all school use during the school day.

Students who violate these guidelines will be issued the following consequences:

• 1st and 2nd offense - the staff member will take the device and give it to the office to be returned to the student at 3:15. A Parent will be notified each time the device is taken.

• 3rd and 4th offense - the staff member will take the device and give it to the office and a parent or guardian will be notified to pick up the device.

• 5th offense or thereafter - The student will be required to turn their device into the office from 8:15-3:15 or they can leave the phone at home.
  

• Cell Phone Misuse - Any student who takes a picture or video of another student or staff member, during the school day or outside of the school day, without that student or staff member’s consent, and shares the picture or video with others through group chats or social media may be issued school discipline if it impacts the school environment.

• 30 or more tardies in a semester.
• 18 or more absences from school (10% or more of the school year).
• 2 or more suspensions from school will result in removal from attending the optional 7th Grade UP trip or the optional 8th Grade Washington DC Trip.

An optional trip is being offered for AMS 7th Grade Students to explore Mackinac and the Upper Peninsula June 2-4, 2027 at a cost of $787/student. There will be an informational parent meeting on Thursday, September 10, at 6:00 pm via Zoom for parents of 7th Grade students interested in attending the trip. Here is the Zoom Link to join the meeting on September 10. Additional information, including the itinerary for the trip, will be shared during the meeting. Following the meeting, I will be sending out all of the information shared during the meeting and the link to register. For questions about this trip, please contact trip sponsor, Nell Bielecki.

An optional trip is being offered for AMS 8th Grade Students to explore Washington DC April 28-30, 2027 at a cost of $857/student. There will be an informational parent meeting on Thursday, September 10, at 6:45 pm via Zoom for parents of 8th Grade students interested in attending the trip. Here is the Zoom Link to join the meeting on September 10. Additional information, including the itinerary for the trip, will be shared during the meeting. Following the meeting, I will be sending out all of the information shared during the meeting and the link to register. For questions about this trip, please contact trip sponsor, Abby Currie.

This year, we have placed a table outside of the vestibule at the main front entrance for familes to drop off items to students. This will help reduce distractions for our Secretaries, especially at the very beginning of the day. If there is ever a time when you need to drop something off for your child, please place it on the table and we will get the item to them ASAP.

The AMS Yearbook class will be sponsoring a bake sale on September 1 and 2 at lunch. Students who wish to purchase baked goods should make sure to bring cash on those days since only cash will be accepted.

The Berkley High School Athletic season will kick off with the annual Berkley Athletic Boosters Bear-B-Q on Monday August 17 at 6:00 pm in the BHS Courtyard. At this event, BHS Athletic merchandise will also be sold and you can also buy membership passes good for ALL 2026-2027 athletic regular season home games at BHS at the following rates:

• Adults: $40.00
• Students in Grades 6-12: $35.00
• Students in Grades 1-5: $20.00
  

Payments accepted:

Cash, Credit, PayPal and Venmo

Passes will also be sold at the first couple home football games for those unable to make it to the Bear-B-Q on 8/17. For questions, please email berkleybhsboosters@gmail.com. For more athletic information, please visit: Athletic Boosters - Berkley Athletics

Scouting America Troop 1085 is looking to recruit more members to join their scout group . Troop 1085 has been around since the 1940s in Berkley. Meetings take place on Tuesdays at 7:00 pm at Berkley 1st United Methodist Church on 12 Mile. For more information, please see the informational flyer below.

Please consider joining the AMS PTSA. With your support, the PTSA provides support for:

• Classroom activities
• Staff Appreciation events
• Media Center resources
• Viking Fest
• March Miracles
• Battle of the Books
• Breakfast and snacks during testing
• Honor Roll breakfasts
• 8th Grade Year-End Activities
• ...and so much more!

To join, simply click on the AMS PTSA Membership Page.

2026-27 Officers:

President - Carolyn Nowaske
Vice President - Angela Williamson
Secretary - Nicole Heger

Treasurer - Melissa Foreman-Lovell

MEETING SCHEDULE FOR THE 2026-27 SCHOOL YEAR.

• September 8, 2026 - 7:00 pm at AMS and via Zoom

• October 13, 2026 - 8:30 am at AMS and via Zoom

• November 10, 2026 - 7:00 pm at AMS and via Zoom

• December - NO MEETING

• January - NO MEETING

• February 9, 2027 - 8:30 am at AMS and via Zoom

• March - NO MEETING

• April 13, 2027 - 7:00 pm at AMS and via Zoom

• May 11, 2027 - 8:30 am at AMS and via Zoom

Zoom Link to access meeting via Zoom

For all athletic related questions, please contact

Berkley District Middle School Athletic Coordinator, Lori Stone

Berkley High School Athletic Director, Matt Rawlik

SPORTS OFFERED AT AMS

Fall Season (September - October)

Football (Grades 7-8 Only)

Girls Volleyball (Grades 7-8 Only) *

Co-Ed Cross Country (Grades 6-8)

Girls Tennis (Grades 6-8)

Winter 1 Season (November - Mid January)

Girls Swimming (Grades 6-8)

Boys Basketball (Grades 7-8 Only) *

Winter 2 Season (Mid January - March)

Wrestling (Grades 6-8)

Girls Basketball (Grades 7-8 Only) *

Boys Swimming (Grades 6-8)

Spring Season (April - May)

Co-Ed Track (Grades 6-8)

Boys Tennis (Grades 6-8)

Baseball (Grades 7-8 Only) *

Softball (Grades 7-8 Only) *

* These sports are intended for 7th and 8th grade only, however if there are not enough 7th Graders to field a team, spots will be opened up for 6th Graders to tryout.

AMS has athletic eligibility guidelines and expectations. To view the guidelines and expectations for student-athletes, please click on Middle School Athletic Eligibility

The first step in participating in any sport is registering on Final Forms. Final Forms is the registration platform used for athletics where families must submit student physicals, as well as sign all the necessary forms required to be eligible to play a school sport. For directions on how to navigate Final Forms, please click on Final Forms Registration Information. All documents must be signed and submitted before the first day of tryouts. Failure to do so results in your child not being able to try out for any sport.

Athletic Fee Information

Middle School

1st & 2nd sport: $125 each (3rd sport is free)

Reduced rate*: $50/sport

Free rate*: $30/sport

Family Max: $585 across the district, regardless of how many students or sports are involved.

* Families who qualify for free or reduced meals also qualify for reduced ARF rates. If you believe you may qualify for reduced fees, please fill out the Education and Nutrition Benefits Form in the Online Back to School packet.

FinalForms

Athletic Resource Fee payments are moving to FinalForms from MiStar. This is being done to consolidate all necessary registration requirements in one place. Please do not complete the payment portion on FinalForms until rosters have been finalized. Payment is due prior to the first contest.

TEAM INFORMATION

Middle School Cross Country is open to students from AMS and Norup in Grades 6-8. Practice will begin on Monday, August 31 at 3:45 pm at Hurley Field. To view the calendar for Cross COuntry, click on 2026 Cross Country Calendar. For questions about Cross Country, please contact Coach Beth Hanna. All students planning to participate must have a physical completed on or after April 15, 2026 and uploaded into Final Forms prior to attending the first practice. Below is the schedule for the season with meets being away meets starting at 4:30 pm.

Middle School Girls Tennis is open to students from AMS and Norup in Grades 6-8. For questions about Middle School Girls Tennis, please contact Coach Sarah Brooks. There will be an informational parent and student meeting on Wednesday, September 2, at 6:00 pm in the AMS cafeteria. All students planning to try out must have a physical completed on or after April 15, 2026 and uploaded into Final Forms prior to attending tryouts. Below is the schedule for the season with matches starting at 4:15 pm.

SCHEDULE (Home Games in Bold)

Volleyball is open to 7th and 8th Grade AMS Girls. For questions about Middle School Volleyball, please contact Coach Theresa Cabalum (7th grade) or Coach Steve Hanna (8th grade). All students planning to try out must have a physical completed on or after April 15, 2026 and uploaded into Final Forms prior to attending tryouts.

Tryout Information

• Open Gym for 7th and 8th Grade on Tuesday, Septermber 1, from 3:30 - 4:30 pm
• 7th Grade: Tuesday, September 8 (3:30-5:30), Thursday, September 10 (4:00-5:30), and Friday , September 11 (3:30-5:00)
• 8th grade: Wednesday, September 9 (3:30-5:30), Thursday, September 10th (3:30-5:00), and Friday, September 11th (4:00-5:30)

Below is the schedule for the season. Home games for 7th Grade start at 4:15 pm and 8th Grade starts around 5:15 pm (immediately following the conclusion of the 7th Grade games) and away games start at 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm respectively.

SCHEDULE (Home Games in Bold)

Middle School Football is offered to students from AMS and Norup in Grades 7- 8. The first practice will take place on August 31 at the Norup field. For questions about Middle School Football please contact Coach Scott Rowlett. All students planning to come out for the team must have a physical completed on or after April 15, 2026 and uploaded into Final Forms prior to the first practice. Below is the schedule for the season with games starting at 4:30 pm.

SCHEDULE (Home Games in Bold)

Interested in joining the Boys Golf Club?

• Goal: Have fun and get better at golf!

• The club will be maxed at 24 students, on a first-come, first-served
• basis - the first 24 to email Coach Dan Darland dwdarland@outlook.com
• The club will have two kickoffs at 4pm at the Royal Oak Golf center
• Wednesday September 9th
• Thursday September 10th
• The golfer will attend one of the two sessions
• Students will be divided into two groups of 12-students for practices. One group will meet on (mostly) Tuesdays and the other on (mostly) Wednesdays.
• The full complement of players will meet on Thursdays at Red Oaks Golf Course to play 9 holes of golf (one round may be at Rackem)
• The season ends on October 15th
• The cost is $150, which includes 2 group sessions with a local Golf Pro

If interested, please contact Dan at dwdarland@outlook.com. The first 24

students will be on the team. The completed registration form and check

will be collected on the first day of practice.

Below are club and extra-curricular opportunities offered to students throughout the year. Start dates for most of our clubs are now listed below. If you are interested in a specific club, please check back each week for any additional club information and updates.

Students are eligible to be inducted into NJHS in the spring of 7th Grade by earning a cumulative GPA of 3.7 through 6 terms (Terms 1-4 from 6th Grade and terms 1 and 2 of 7th Grade) and earning citizenship marks no less than a 2. For questions about NJHS, please contact NJHS sponsor, Ms. Ng. Meeting dates for current 8th Grade NJHS members take place once a month during 8th grade lunch on the dates listed below:

9/24/26

10/22/26

11/19/26

12/17/26

1/21/27

2/25/27

3/18/27

4/22/27

5/20/27

The AMS Peer to Peer Program is a school-wide program designed to increase academic, independence, and social engagement opportunities for students with autism and other disabilities. This is achieved by inviting multiple peers without disabilities to pair up with students with disabilities during a variety of school activities. Peers model typical academic and social behavior while students with disabilities can practice and use skills in natural settings by learning from peers in a positive and dignified manner. Authentic relationships form as students actively participate in activities together.

To learn more about Peer to Peer, please watch this Peer to Peer Informational Video. More information, please contact Ms. Girson or Mrs. Millard. Students interested in becoming a peer for the 2026-2027 school year can complete the Peer to Peer Sign-Up Form.

Jazz Band is open to 6-8th graders who currently participate in band, but it is also open to students who play instruments such as the guitar, bass, piano, or drums. Jazz Band will begin on Tuesday, September 8 and will meet every Tuesday and Thursday thereafter from 8:00-8:35 am. Students who participate in Jazz Band do not report to Advisory on those days. For questions or inquiries about Jazz Band, please reach out to AMS Band Teacher, Keri Pruse.

Orchestra Performance Club is open to 6-8th graders who currently participate in Orchestra. Orchestra Performance Club will begin on Tuesday, September 8 and will meet every Tuesday and Thursday thereafter from 8:00-8:35 am. Students who participate in Orchestra Performance Club do not report to Advisory on those days. For questions or inquiries about Orchestra Performance Club, please reach out to AMS Orchestra Teacher, Audrey MacDonald.

The Bionic Bears Robotics Club is gearing up for another exciting FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) season, and we invite all interested middle school students to join us! No robotics experience is necessary—there's a place on the team for everyone, including students interested in engineering, programming, art, media, gaming, public speaking, fundraising, marketing, and more.

Parent & Student Information Meeting
Thursday, September 3 • 6:00 PM
The DEN – 2119 Catalpa Dr., Berkley

Meet the coaches, learn about FTC, watch our robots in action, and see how you can become part of the team. Annual club fee: $100.

Important: 8th-grade band students attending Middle School Band Night on September 3 should attend their first robotics meeting on Tuesday, September 8 instead.

Regular Meetings Begin:
Tuesday, September 8
5:00–6:00 PM at The DEN
(Meetings continue Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.)

Parent Mentors Needed - Our team depends on parent volunteers to operate. We are seeking 8 full-time mentors and 6 part-time mentors to help throughout the season. No robotics experience is required! Part-time mentors can assist with competitions, outreach events, and fundraisers, primarily on Saturdays. Without enough mentors, we will be unable to run the club this season.

We look forward to welcoming both returning and new members for another fun and rewarding robotics season!

The Dungeons and Dragons Club is for students who have previous experience playing Dungeons and Dragons and those who wish to learn. Meetings will begin on Monday, September 14, and every Monday thereafter from 3:20-4:15 pm in Room 111. For questions about the D&D Club, please contact Mr. Stoia.

Game Day is offered every Monday in Room 113 during 6th and 7th Grade Lunch. Game Day provides a peer-to-peer experience where students can have lunch together while enjoying a variety of different games. No sign-up is needed and students may attend on any Monday of their choice.

School meals (breakfast and lunch) will be free to all students for the 2025-26 school year. The cafeteria is open from 7:30-8:05 a.m. for breakfast and early drop-off (entry cut off at 7:55) and students must enter through the cafeteria door off the parking lot.

Click to view the September Lunch Menu

Food Allergen Information can be found below

Breakfast Allergen Information

Lunch Allergen Information

PLEASE NOTE: AMS does not allow food delivery services such as GrubHub or DoorDash. Any order that is attempted to be delivered to AMS will be refused.

Additionally, AMS also offers A La Carte snack items which include soft pretzels, cookies, chips, and drink options. Purchases can be made by either adding money to a student's MISTAR account or with cash. Cash purchases receiving change will have change applied to their MISTAR account for future purchases. Other payment options such as debit cards, Venmo, Apple Pay, or Google Pay are NOT accepted at this time.

Please take the time to review the designated pick up and drop-off zones below. Some things to highlight include:

• CATALPA: No stopping, standing, parking, drop-off or pickup
• ROBINA: Drop-off and pickup zone; no parking on the street
• BUS PARKING ONLY: Buses may drop students in the designated bus parking
• AMS PARKING LOT: Drop-off and pickup zone; parking in parking lot spaces only
• Berkley Public Safety will be enforcing the traffic rules

Did you know that students from the BHS National Honor Society offer free peer tutoring? If you child is in need of tutoring, please contact me for the list of available tutors. It is as simple as looking through the list, identifying a tutor that meets your child's needs, and contacting them to arrange tutoring.

Berkley Schools has partnered with Varsity Tutors for Schools, an online platform with access to free learning tools. The Varsity Tutors Platform gives students more opportunities to learn at their own pace, to get support on subjects they might be struggling with, to explore subjects they are learning in class and to support their curiosities.

The platform includes the following:

• 24/7 on-demand chat tutoring and on-demand essay review to help students with any questions about homework, classwork or test prep.
• Live group classes, recorded classes and celebrity-led StarCourses allow students to learn more about the subjects they’re interested in and add a touch of fun.
• Assessments and self study practice problems provide opportunities to drill skills towards mastery.
• College prep & admissions resources ensure that students have the best resources available.

How to Access Varsity Tutors

Sign into the Varsity Tutors platform through the student Clever portal. To learn how to log into Clever with your child’s Berkley Schools Google account, follow these directions.

Learn More & Get Started!

• Varsity Tutors Berkley Schools Launchpad
• Frequently Asked Questions

The Michigan Child Protection Registry is a do-not-contact service that families can easily and quickly sign up for at www.ProtectMIChild.com in order to keep their children safe while on their devices at school and at home. This is a free Registry offered through the State of Michigan that stops adult advertisements from reaching kids through e-mail, text, Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Discord, Twitch and TikTok. This Registry is an excellent resource for making sure kids aren’t being exposed to ads for alcohol, tobacco/vaping, online gambling, pornography or marijuana.

All parents, guardians, or family members interested in volunteering, chaperoning, and/or driving other students for school-sponsored functions or field trips must complete the appropriate forms prior to the event or activity. To access volunteer information, please click on BSD Volunteer Information and Forms.

For both MISTAR and Schoology, there is a specific site for the Berkley School District. To ensure that you are logging into the correct sites, please use the following links below:

Schoology

MISTAR Parent Portal

For any tech related issues, parents and students should put in a tech ticket and it will be routed to the appropriate department to get resolved ASAP.

To view the AMS event calendar for the 2026-2027 school year, please click on AMS Event Calendar 2026-2027. Please keep in mind that due to various circumstances, event times and dates are subject to change and events may be added or removed.

Anderson's spiritwear vendor, 1st Place Spiritwear, offers a variety of colors and designs along with a variety of products. To shop for spiritwear , please visit the AMS Online Spirit Wear Store.

Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Michael Ross

AMS Principal

Email: michael.ross@berkleyschools.org
Website: https://www.berkleyschools.org/schools/anderson/
Location: 3205 Catalpa Drive, Berkley, MI, USA
Phone: 248-837-8200