The Au Gres-Sims School District

That is two weeks in the books on the 2025-26 school year. Over the first eight days of the school year we have been getting back into the learning mindset and re-establishing learning routines. If your home is anything like mine you have also been busy setting school year bedtimes, establishing homework best practices, and getting back in the swing of the morning habits that looked quite different during the summer months.

As you continue to tweak those habits and routines, there is one that we would like to ask of you. To keep everyone safe and our campus running smoothly, we’re asking families not to line up for pick-up before 2:50 PM. Arriving too early creates congestion and safety concerns in our main parking lot as well along Court Street.

Why it matters

• Student safety: Early lines block access to our main office, making it harder for end of the day meetings with families and potentially preventing emergency personnel from responding if needed.

• Instructional time: When cars stack up, classrooms are disrupted and students lose valuable learning minutes.

• Traffic flow: Backups spill onto local streets, delaying buses and emergency vehicles and frustrating neighbors.

• Neighbor relations: Idling and blocked driveways impact local residents and businesses; we want to be good community partners.

How you can help

• Arrive at or after 2:50pm—our dismissal line moves quickly once it begins.

• Use the designated lanes and posted signs; follow staff directions.

• Keep crosswalks, driveways, and bus areas (for student activities) clear at all times.

• If you’re early, consider a quick errand or a short loop around the block to return at the correct time.

Thank you for partnering with us to ensure a safe, efficient dismissal for every student—your cooperation makes a real difference!

AGS is proud to announce the return of the student Washington DC trip! In order to make the trip as cost effective for our families as possible we are cohorting two grades, with plans to take this trip every other school year. The trip is planned for September 13-17, 2026 for our 8th and 9th grade classes (note, this is NEXT school year...2026-27).

An informational kick-off meeting was held with parents of current (2025-26) 7th and 8th grade students on August 27, with information about the trip distributed. If you weren't able to attend, that's okay, you haven't missed your chance to go on the trip. See the attached trip information.

Locally, you may contact Mr. Dittenber with questions. We are partnering with Bennett Travel for this amazing student opportunity and our trip contact is Jeff Bennett. He may be reached by phone (231) 838-1925 or by email: jeff@bennett-travel.com

Registration for the trip is completed online, with instructions contained in the attached documents below. First payment is required with registration and is due September 23, 2025.

I can’t thank our students, staff, parents, and entire community enough for making these first two weeks so smooth, positive, and fun. Your support, energy, and commitment have set the tone for a successful year ahead. Let’s keep the momentum going—there’s so much to look forward to!

Wolverine students and guardians, you should have received an email containing The Positivity Project Family Information Letter as an attachment. This important letter provides valuable insights into:

• What The Positivity Project (P2) is

• The benefits of implementing The Positivity Project

• Definitions of Character Strengths and Other People Matter (OPM) Mindset

• Ways you can get involved and support the initiative

We encourage you to take a few moments to review the letter and learn how The Positivity Project can positively impact our school community and your child’s personal growth.

Thank you for your continued support and Go Wolverines!

Students are beginning their fall NWEA MAP Growth benchmark tests this week. These tests give us important information about how students are growing in reading, math, language usage, and science. This year, NWEA has updated the “norms,” which are the national comparisons used to show how your child’s scores line up with students across the country. Because the norms are now based on more recent data, a student may earn the same score as last year but show up at a different percentile. This doesn’t mean your child is doing worse—it simply reflects the updated comparisons. When scores come home later this fall, we’ll share more guidance on how to read the reports and what the changes mean for your student’s growth.

Chronic Absenteeism

NWEA testing is an important time at school. When students miss a test session, they not only need to make it up later but also miss valuable class time. Test results guide how we support students. Although students may not enjoy testing, the results help us make daily decisions to support their learning.

Attendance matters, too—students with 5% or fewer missed days average a 64% proficiency rate on tests, compared to just 17% proficiency on tests for those who are chronically absent, which is missing 10% or more of the school year. Keeping absences to nine or fewer days per year—about one day per month—gives your child the best chance for academic success.

Recipes for Student Success:

• Attending school each day!
• Positive attendance = all around success

Interesting Info:

“Regular school attendance is crucial for academic success, future career prospects, and overall well-being because it ensures students engage with lessons, build foundational skills, and develop positive habits. Chronic absenteeism, even a few missed days per month, negatively impacts reading and math proficiency, increases the risk of high school dropout, and can lead to long-term hardships in adulthood. By prioritizing attendance, students, parents, and schools create a positive learning environment, foster a sense of community, and equip children for lifelong success.”

Connection Corner:

Students that regularly attend school, have stronger connections with their peers and school staff. This equals an overall greater sense of belonging and community. Connections bread success socially, emotionally and academically.

FAFSA and College Outlook

Senior parents,

This year completing the FAFSA will be a graduation requirement for all AGS seniors. There will be information coming to you very quickly with details about this new requirement. Below you will find a flyer with information on an upcoming FAFSA & Scholarship night in Bay City.

Junior and Senior Parents,

I will also be organizing several college visits this fall to different colleges based on student interest. There will be permission slips that will need to be returned once those trips have been established to allow your student to attend.

The future of the AGS clinic is dependent on the resources to run it. We have partnered with Sterling Area Health Center as our medical provider for this project, and the plan has been for them to provide the staffing of our beautiful new health clinic. This has been the model follow by school based health clinics around the state for over a decade; the school physically houses the clinic and has the patients (students), who are seen by the medical professionals who are administered through a medical agency.

Unfortunately, that model is current at-risk due to the failure of the Michigan Legislature to pass a school budget bill for the 2025-26 school year. While both the House and Senate proposals contain continued funding for school health clinics, the mechanism by which they do that is very different. One of those proposals could potentially change the model as it currently exists, shifting the responsibility of hiring and running the health clinic from medical providers to the school...and at a significantly higher cost.

AGS has joined a host of other school districts in advocacy efforts to the Legislature to preserve the targeted funding of school based health clinics. We will update you when we know more.

Get ready to cheer loud and show your pride — the fall sports season is officially underway! Whether you're hitting the field, court, or sidelines, it's time to bring the energy, the teamwork, and the heart. Let’s make this season one to remember. Go Wolverines!

SCHEDULE

Mon. 9/8

• 5p V Boys Soccer (CO-OP w/ SSC) AWAY @ Ogemaw Heights
• 6p MS Volleyball HOME vs Tawas

Tues. 9/9

• 6p V Girls Swimming (CO-OP w/ SSC) AWAY @ Oscoda
• 6p JV Volleyball HOME vs Hale
• 7:15p V Volleyball HOME vs Hale

Wed. 9/10

• 6p MS Football HOME vs Hale
• 5p V Boys Soccer (CO-OP w/ SSC) HOME vs Bullock Creek

Thurs. 9/11

• 6p JV Volleyball AWAY @ Tawas
• 7:15p V Volleyball AWAY @ Tawas
• 6:30P JV Football HOME vs Whittemore-Prescott

Fri. 9/12

• 6p Varsity Football HOME vs Cedarville (Hall of Fame Game) **KICK-OFF 6P.M.**

Sat. 9/13

• TBD JV Volleyball AWAY @ Oscoda

The Middle School/High School Handbook has been updated to reflect changes in the process for athletic eligibility. A copy of that process is provided as an attachment below. Eligibility will now be pulled every week, starting with the 3rd week of the semester. These changes have been shared with the coaching staff and will be communicated with their student athletes.

Join Marathon Kids for a fun and free after school activity on Tuesdays starting September 9 from 3:15-4:15 pm in the MPR. Parents are responsible to provide transportation following.

Click the link to sign up online. https://app.marathonkids.org/club-profile/16232/enroll/true

Questions? Contact Julie Schnettler 989-329-5888

Boys and Girls ages 9 -14

Thursday, September 11, 2025

Registration: 5:00p.m.

Competition Starts: 5:30p.m.

Au Gres Soccer Fields

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This Labor Day, we’re offering 25% OFF all Sideline Store purchases of $100+ with code DEDICATED25.

Shop the Wolverine Exchange Sideline Store Now

The PTO plays an important role in supporting our teachers and students with many of the extras that make AGS so great. Consider joining this wonderful group and helping to make this school year a special one.

Next Meeting: Monday, September 8 ~ 3:30p.m. - 4:30p.m. in the Elem. Science Lab

EVENTS:

• Homecoming Carnival: Friday, September 19 ~ 5:00p.m. - 6:30p.m.
• Holiday Bazaar: Saturday, November 1 ~ 9:00a.m. - 3:00p.m.
  
• Breakfast with Santa: Saturday, November 29

POPCORN FRIDAYS: The PTO pops the corn on selected Fridays throughout the school year in the elementary building. Volunteers are needed to make this happen, with a report time of 8:00a.m. Your son/daughter's teachers will be reaching out to you at different times throughout the year.

Please consider volunteering!

• September 12, 26
• October 10, 24
• November 7, 21
• December 12
• January 16, 30
• February 13, 27
• March 13, 27
• April 10, 24
• May 8, 22

Important dates for September and October for the Au Gres-Sims School District

SEPTEMBER

• 8: Picture Day ~ bring your smiles!
• 15: 6p Board of Education Regular Meeting
• 17: 1p Dismissal - Professional Development for Staff

OCTOBER

• 15: 1p Dismissal - Professional Development for Staff
• 16: 4p-7p MS/HS Parent-Teacher Conferences

October 18 - Halloween in the Park ~ more info to follow

The Crew is gearing up to bring you new episodes again this year!

Stay tuned!

We are also always on the lookout for substitute teachers. If interested, please inquire with Mrs. Freehling in the district administration office, (989) 876-7150 and she will put you into direct contact with Laurie Crane at ESS-WillSub