Hello Au Gres-Sims Families,
Due to gathering restrictions and extended timelines for completion, we were deprived of the opportunity to do a grand reopening to celebrate the beautification of our district. That should take nothing away from the incredible improvements that have been made to this place to make it feel warm and welcoming. Every time we host an event I hear comments from people of the public that reflect the same pride that I feel when I walk these halls. This place looks great, a place conducive to learning. Unfortunately, not everyone seems to have the same pride in what this community came together to create.
There exists a small group of students who do not seem to appreciate the efforts that so many people have made to create a special place of learning for them. They take for granted their environment or think that it is cool to destroy what the taxpayers of this area have approved. These students vandalize, deface, and break the very improvements that so many other students, staff, and community members show pride in. More than the latest social media trend, this blatant disrespect for the institution of learning embodied in our school district is a sad tribute to the reality that some students have no sense of caring about anyone but themselves, something that we all pay the consequences for.
Nowhere is this destructive trend more prevalent than in our restrooms. Just this week students have stood on toilet dispensers, ripped paper towel holders off the wall, broken stall doors off of the hinges, and yanked out the electrical wiring from the sinks that automatically turn the faucets on. A fine line exists between monitoring the restrooms and providing the privacy necessary for people to do their business, not to mention the fact that having to staff the restrooms is a waste of the time of the gifted people that we have working here.
I have felt the pride of this community from the moment I first called it home. We are a proud town with a rich history and we have shown a commitment to our schools through the beautification and renovation efforts of the 2018 bond. We have a district that we can be proud of for so many reasons. I am asking for your help. Please talk with your students about having respect for their learning environment. While a small minority of students are causing this chaos and destruction, we are all impacted by it. Talk to your sons and daughters about having pride in where they go to school and respecting the building and the people who work and learn here. Encourage your children to not stand for this destructive behavior from their peers, or at the very least report it when it is happening so that we can determine the guilty parties.
Thank you for your help and your support. We are the Au Gres-Sims School District and we have a rich past and an even brighter future. Let's work together to ensure that our building continues to look the pride that we feel when we walk these halls.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Mr. Ming
K-12 Principal's Update
If you know of someone in need, the Little Caesars’ Love Kitchen is a big-rig pizza restaurant on wheels that travels across the USA and Canada serving free Little Caesars pizza to the hungry, homeless, and disaster victims. They will be visiting the Salvation Army in Bay City at 401 10th Street on Sunday, March 20, from 11:00-2:00.
Another opportunity for the youth of our community will take place on March 15 from 12:15-1:30 at the Arenac Community Center as Blippi and the Molina Health Care System will help sponsor a pizza party for the “Arenac Children’s Play Group”. This is for children ages 0-5. You can register online using the following link- https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PPJQCXP
Next Thursday, March 17, we will have MS/HS Parent Teacher Conferences from 4:00-7:00 pm. Conferences will be held in each teacher’s classroom. Although these are not prescheduled, it would be prudent to reach out to your child's teacher/s to let them know you would like to speak with them so they can prepare accordingly.
In the sporting world, we will be starting HS spring sports next Monday. Track will have their first practice after school until 4:30 in the main gym. Softball will practice after school until 6:00 and will be starting in the cyber cafe. They will conclude practice with a parent meeting at 6:00, which will also take place in the cyber cafe. Baseball will practice from 6:00-8:00 pm starting in the main gym. They will conclude practice with a parent meeting at 8:00, which will also take place in the main gym.
On the theme of athletics, we are now accepting applications for our 2nd annual AGS Athletic Hall of Fame class. Inductees will be selected from nominations received. Nomination forms can be found online on the school website or acquired through the main office. Please pass this information along so we can honor the efforts of our proud and deserving alumni!
From the Desk of Mrs. Socha
We have just wrapped up week 2 of March is Reading Month! We have had more mystery readers, trivia questions, book fair winners, spirit days, Wordle challenges, reading minutes logged, and so much more! As I have mentioned in my last few posts, the Book Fair for our Middle and High School students will be open next week! Students had a chance to preview the Book Fair with their ELA classes today. They also had an opportunity to fill out a wish list. This wish list also includes information about setting up an eWallet for easier transactions at the Book Fair! As a reminder, the Book Fair will also be open on Thursday during our Secondary Parent/Teacher Conferences. You can find us in room 34 across from the main office! Here is the link to our district Book Fair page! You can also sign-up for an eWallet on this site as well.
https://www.scholastic.com/bf/augressimsmidsrhighsch
If you have a middle school student, be sure to ask them about their reading month book, “A Long Walk to Water.” Here is a short synopsis of the book from Goodreads: A Long Walk to Water begins as two stories, told in alternating sections, about a girl in Sudan in 2008 and a boy in Sudan in 1985. The girl, Nya, is fetching water from a pond that is two hours’ walk from her home: she makes two trips to the pond every day. The boy, Salva, becomes one of the "lost boys" of Sudan, refugees who cover the African continent on foot as they search for their families and for a safe place to stay. Enduring every hardship from loneliness to attack by armed rebels to contact with killer lions and crocodiles, Salva is a survivor, and his story goes on to intersect with Nya’s in an astonishing and moving way. Be sure to ask your middle school student about the details of this book! They are halfway through the novel at this point.
Finally, a new month means a new School and Home Connection Newsletters. Please click on the links below to view the newsletters for Elementary and Middle School for the month of March!
Athletics Update
Congratulations to the boys JV and varsity basketball teams whose seasons came to a close last week. It was a great season for both groups, making our school and community proud on the hardwood.
Though it may not feel like it, spring is around the corner. Spring Sports season starts on Monday at the high school with track, baseball, softball, and girls soccer (co-op with Standish). Inquire in the main office for more details if you are interested.
Next Week's Game Schedule
- Tue. 3/15: MS Volleyball HOME vs. Oscoda/Tawas, 6pm
- Wed. 3/16: MS Volleyball HOME vs. Hale (Parent's Night), 6pm
- Thu. 3/17: MS Volleyball AWAY @ Hillman, 6pm
Make-up Day for AGS Preschool
Please mark your calendars for this GSRP make-up day.
Important Dates
MARCH
- WED. 3/16: Early Release for all students at 1pm
- THU. 3/17: Middle School and High School Parent-Teacher Conferences
- FRI. 3/18: End of 3rd Marking Period
- MON. 3/21: 6p Board of Education Regular March Meeting
- TUE. 3/22: 5p Family Literacy Night
- FRI. 3/25: GSRP Make-up Day
- MON 3/28 - FRI 4/1: Spring Break
APRIL
- THU. 4/7: 4-6p Kindergarten and Preschool Round-up
Help Wanted at AGS
https://www.ags-schools.org/employment-opportunities--95
Job Opportunities at AGS
- Full-time Special Education Teacher (1.0, but flexible to part time if desired by the candidate)
- Cafeteria Worker/Cook (available immediately to complete the 21-22 school, with carryover into the 22-23 school year).
We are also always on the lookout for substitute teachers. If interested, please inquire with Mrs. Miller in the district administration office, (989) 876-7157.
The Wolverine Wake-up
This week's issue is packed with late breaking news stories from around the world. Remember to play along to guess this week's mystery picture to win a prize!
Au Gres-Sims School District
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