AGS NEWS

Eric Rettenmund, Principal

Megan Yelle, Assistant Principal

Lisa Wissinger, Dean of Students

Melissa Welsh, Counselor

Paige Millikin, Social Worker

Stephanie Miller, Social Worker

Barb Stinson, Secretary

Randi Thorp, Clerk

February

14: No School for Students (Teacher Work Day)

17: No School (Presidents' Day)

25: Parent/Teacher Conferences (Virtual)

28: 1/2 Day (Y5 - 12 grade)

Parents, just a friendly heads-up that you'll be able to view your child's semester grades on ParentVue by Tuesday, February 4th.

We encourage you to log in and take a look. Checking ParentVue regularly is a great way to stay informed about your child's progress and can open the door for some wonderful conversations about their schoolwork. It also helps them stay accountable and motivated throughout the rest of the school year.

We believe that open communication between parents, students, and the school is key to student success. ParentVue is a valuable tool in making that happen. Thanks for your continued partnership in your child's education!

Please click on the button below to access the FHS Newsletter. The newsletter contains important information regarding scheduling as well as deadlines for application and audition courses.

Owen was nominated by two of his teachers for the student of the month. Ms. Couch remarked that Owen "has an amazing heart and is always willing to help." Mrs. Thomas described Owen as "hard working and said he is an absolute gem!" Congratulations, Owen, and thank you for spreading kindness and positivity throughout AGS.

Mrs. Martin received several nominations for staff member of month. One common theme prevailed throughout the nominations ... "she goes above and beyond for her students." Mrs. Martin is a phenomenal educator and a true team player. Congratulations Mrs. Martin and thank you for helping to make AGS a great place to learn!

Mrs. Domerese and Mrs. Sayer awarded Finn and Ryan with Link of the Month honors for December and January. Congratulations Finn and Ryan! Thank you for your leadership, positivity, and your mentorship to fellow students.

Hello Parents,

Get your bookshelves ready! The AGS Middle School Book Fair is just around the corner, and we're so excited to ignite a love of reading in your students! 🚀

Mark your calendars! Your child will be visiting the Book Fair during school hours with their ELA class next week. It's a fantastic opportunity for them to discover new authors, dive into captivating stories, and choose books they'll treasure for years to come.

To make their book-buying experience even smoother, you can send them with cash, or you can load up their e-wallet with funds! This digital option is super convenient and lets them shop without worrying about lost money. 😉 Just click this link to add money to their e-wallet: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/andrewgschmidtmiddleschool

We can't wait to see the excitement on their faces as they choose their next literary adventure!

The 6th grade class will be selling Cookie Grams For Valentine’s Day! Cookies will be $3 each and will be for sale during lunch on February 4th, 5th & 6th or until sold out! Cookie grams will be delivered during SRT on February 13th!

SUPPORT FOR YOUR STUDENT - In addition to your student's teachers, administrators, & staff @ AGS, we have school counselors & social workers that are available to support your student's mental & emotional health needs. Please feel free to reach out if you are concerned about your student, to any of the following:

Mrs. Melissa Welsh, MA - School Counselor (last names A - M) -

mwelsh@fentonschools.org

Mrs. Stephanie Miller, MSW - Social Worker (last names N - Z) -

stmiller@fentonschools.org

Mrs. Paige Millikin, LMSW - Special & General Education School Social Worker - pmillikin@fentonschools.org

Mrs. Shayna Irvine, LMSW - Easter Seals Outpatient Therapist servicing AGS students by referral - sirvine@eastersealsmorc.org

AST is available Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:15 to 3:15 p.m. AGS Teachers are present and transportation is available for students residing within the district. AST is on an as-needed basis so students can come as much or as little as they would like. On the days of AST, students will need to sign up using a Google Form on the AST Google Classroom page before 2:00 PM to be able to stay. The purpose of AST is for students to receive help with homework/class work, ask questions from the teachers, or have a quiet place to work. However students must have something to work on. A light snack will also be provided. Please make sure to pick up students by 3:20.

A parent preference Google Form is included below. Please fill it out if your child plans on attending AST.

AST Google Classroom code for your child: rzzjgqy

Please email Mrs. Sayer for more information.

Mrs. Sayer: mailto:esayer@fentonschools.org

I'm excited to share that our students had a blast playing "Win It to Win It" games during lunch today! It was a huge success, and I want to thank all the parent volunteers who helped make it happen. We'll continue to have fun games and activities like this as incentives for students to meet school and cafeteria expectations. I'm looking forward to this new addition to our Fun Fridays in the cafeteria!

During second semester our district has started the process of adding additional security features to our schools including, high visibility placards, emergency pull stations in student areas as well as linked security lighting in our buildings. The implementation is taking place between now and February, and we will be having training with our staff, students and administrators as well as educating our community on the importance of these features and what the use for them is. Below is a picture of a smart classroom with some of the features that we are adding to help keep our students and staff safe. If you'd like to learn more about these added features please take a look at the link to the LockOut USA - https://lockoutusa.com/

The AGS PTO meets on the second Thursday of each month at 1:00 PM in the AGS conference room. The PTO helps to support school assemblies, teacher supplies, 8th grade honors/dance, library books, scholarships for field trips, and much more! Thank you for supporting our PTO.

Next Meeting: February 13, 2025

The Varsity Tutors Platform gives your student more opportunities to learn at their own pace. 24/7 on-demand chat tutoring and on-demand essay review are live tutoring resources to help your student with any questions about homework, classwork, or test prep. Live group classes, recorded classes, and celebrity-led StarCourses allow your student 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. And college prep & admissions resources ensure that

your student has the best resources available to secure their future.

Link: https://varsitytutorsforschools.zendesk.com/hc/en-us

The middle school health curriculum is delivered by PE/Health teachers in SRT class throughout the school year. This will begin in in the next couple of weeks and will continue until the end of the year. The teachers will teach approximately 4 lessons/units for 30 minutes during SRT. Attached below is a health letter that contains more information. Additionally, a health waiver form is attached. The waiver is only required for those who choose to OPT OUT of the district mandated health class. Students will receive a copy of the letter and waiver 2 weeks prior to taking health class. If you choose the OPT OUT option, please return the waiver before health class begins. You may print the form attached to this email and return it to the main office at any time or complete/return the form when your student receives it 2 weeks prior to class. There are also additional copies in the main office. We will be posting updates in the AGS NEWS, including a schedule of when the class will be taught in your child's SRT.

Please contact the main office (810 591 7700) with any questions. Thank you!

Attachments:

Health Letter .png

Health Waiver.png

Below is the code to join PhotoCircle. You'll want to download the app & then request to join the group for this year's yearbook album where you may submit photos to be considered. The link is also posted in the comments for those who have issues with the posted link below.

Submission Guidelines: Please only add photos of AGS events, sports & activities. Please add a caption to each picture with a short description of what the picture is of & who the students are in the picture. PLEASE DO NOT ADD NON-AGS RELATED SPORTS & ACTIVITIES TO THE ALBUM. This causes many wasted hours to the yearbook design process when things such as youth sports, sleepovers & parties are added. Thank you!

Please email Ms. Fleury with any questions or concerns regarding the yearbook. mtodorovsky@fentonschools.org

Photo Circle Link: only click this link once you have downloaded the app.

https://join.photocircleapp.com/NZB1CW0AYY

Below are a few updated photos showing the progress of our new main office addition. During this time, the entrance off of Shiawassee may be closed. There will be more details in the FAPS newsletter and on the FAPS website as the project continues. We are excited about improving the facility for our staff, students, and families.

To help keep our schools and community safe, you can use this confidential tip line to report any suspicious or threatening behavior.

Email: erettenmund@fentonschools.org
Website: http://fentonschools.org/andrew-g-schmidt-middle-school/
Location: 3255 Donaldson Drive, Fenton, MI, USA
Phone: 810.591.7700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fenton-Area-Public-Schools-110556712352619/
Twitter: @fentonschools