The Au Gres-Sims School District

Wednesday night the districted hosted an Open House to showcase the capital projects that we have completed, are in the process of completing, and that we have planned for the future. During this event community members had the opportunity to learn about the needs of our buildings and the process by which we keep them safe and looking good for our students and staff. I'd like to thank the community members who took the time to do the gallery walk and engage in discussion around how we can continue to maintain the wonderful facility that we have here at AGS.

Currently, the district is engaged in projects that simply cannot wait for a voter referendum, things like air control units for the kitchen and innovation labs, new roofing for a large part of the elementary school, and new bleachers for the stadium. We are paying for these projects out of fund balance, which can be thought of as the district's savings account. Like a personal savings account, however, the district's fund balance must be at a minimum level, a number dictated by the state. The projects that we are doing will reduce our fund balance, but still leave the district above the threshold line. We cannot, however, afford to use this strategy for our future projects, with the remaining funds in our savings account being needed to keep us at a safe financial place.

The future projects of the district are very important, however, and attention to them is necessary to prevent them turning into bigger and costlier fixes. We want to keep our building looking and feeling great for our current students and all future Wolverines, which is why it is essential to address our facility needs before they become a much larger issue. The district has already determined that in November 2026 we will put forward a proposal to be considered by our community, one that will provide the funding we need to maintain our facilities.

The Open House we had this past week was an opportunity to share all of this information and to answer your questions and we thank those who were in attendance. For those who couldn't be, we understand, but we still encourage you to engage with our process, to seek out information from the source, and to support our school district moving forward.

Hey AGS Nation,

This week, we focused on the P2 strength of Social Intelligence. Social intelligence helps us understand others, read the room, and respond in positive ways. In the classroom, it helps students build friendships, work well in groups, and communicate respectfully. It also helps students recognize their own feelings and the feelings of others, which leads to a kinder, more supportive learning environment.

Outside of school, social intelligence helps us get along with others, solve problems, and build strong relationships. Whether it’s working with a team, making new friends, or handling everyday situations, social intelligence helps us connect with others and succeed in life.

Keep observing your surroundings and making a positive impact Wolverine!

Our elementary students have recently completed their winter benchmark assessments using the NWEA MAP Growth test. These assessments help us understand how each student is progressing in reading and math and identify areas of strength as well as skills that may need more support. Families will be receiving individual student reports soon, which show growth over time and how your child’s performance compares to national norms. Teachers use this data right away to help guide classroom instruction, form small intervention groups, and tailor lessons to better meet students’ needs. The results also help us identify students who may benefit from additional support outside of the classroom, such as targeted interventions or extra practice at home. We encourage families to review the reports when they arrive and reach out to teachers with any questions. Working together helps ensure every student continues to grow and succeed.

At the secondary level, teachers are also reviewing results from curriculum-based assessments and classroom checks for understanding to fine-tune instruction in similar ways. This helps teachers identify which skills students have mastered and where additional review or reteaching is needed, adjust pacing, and provide targeted supports for students who may need extra help. Across all grade levels, these ongoing checks allow us to be proactive and responsive so we can address learning needs early and keep students on track for continued success.

Strive for Fewer than Five: Attendance Matters

As we approach mid-winter break, we want to remind families how important it is for students to be in school both in the days leading up to the break and when we return. These days are full of active learning, new instruction, and opportunities to review key skills, not “down time.” Missing school before or after a break can create gaps in learning and make it harder for students to stay on track. We appreciate your partnership in helping students finish strong before the break and jump right back into learning when we return!

Below are some great reading strategies to help support your children at home.

Just a few more weeks until the staff of the clinic will be ready and we will be able to open our doors to our beautiful new school-based health clinic. Paperwork went out a few weeks ago and we are still collecting it in the main office.

There will be a Parent Advisory Committee meeting for the the Health Clinic on Tuesday, February 16 at 6pm in the Elementary Library. We are looking for more parent participation and would love to have you. If interested, contact Mr. Ming (mingc@ags-schools.org) for more details, or just plan on showing up that night.

As the weather remains bitterly cold we’re even more motivated to keep it warm with the winter sports action going on indoors.

GO WOLVERINES!

SCHEDULE

Tues. 02/03

• 4:30p JV Boys Basketball HOME vs Hale
• 6:00p V Boys Basketball HOME vs Hale
• 7:30p V Girls Basketball HOME vs Hale

Thurs. 02/05

• 5p JV Boys Basketball AWAY @ Posen
• 6:15p V Boys Basketball AWAY @ Posen
• 7:30p V Girls Basketball AWAY @ Posen

Fri. 02/06

• 7p V Boys Hockey (CO-OP w/Tawas) HOME vs Legion

Sat. 02/07

• 3p V Boys Hockey (CO-OP w/Tawas) HOME vs New Boston United

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.

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Shop your Wolverines Sideline Store

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.

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!

• February 13, 27
• March 13, 27
• April 10, 24
• May 8, 22

Important dates for February for the Au Gres-Sims School District

FEBRUARY

• 6 - 9 Mid-Winter Break
• 16: 6pm Regular School Board Meeting in the Elementary Library

• Feb. 21 - Arenac Community Funds - Trivia Night (see attached flyer for details)
• Feb. 21 - Family Winter Fun Fest (see attached flyer for details)

• Mar. 6 - Arenac County Celebration Fund - Casino Night Fundraiser & Reverse Raffle (see attached flyer)

Stay tuned while the crew films their next exciting episode!