algonac jr/sr high school

I.B. World School

Algonac Jr/Sr High School

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LETTER OF WELCOME FROM THE PRINCIPAL

5200 Taft Road Algonac, MI 48001 (810) 794-4911 August/September 2019

Upcoming Events

August 26 10th-12th gr Orientation

8am-noon

August 27 7th–9th gr Orientation

8am-noon

September 3 First Day of School (1/2

day)

September 10 PTSO, 6:30 PM

September 27 Hall of Fame

TBD Vision Screening-7th &

9th grades

September 27 1/2 Day-Inservice

October 8 PTSO, 6:30 PM

October 11 Homecoming

October 12 Homecoming Dance

October 18 Academic Achievement

Awards

October 23 Parent/Teacher

Conferences 4-8 PM

October 24 1/2 Day Parent/Teacher

Conferences

October 25 No School

November 12 PTSO, 6:30 PM

November 27-29 Thanksgiving Break

December 17 PTSO, 6:30 PM

December 23-January 3

Christmas Break

Some items of interest in this issue:

Picture day info………… . . . . . . . . . . . page 4

Food Service Information . . . . . . . . . . . page 6

Free SAT Prep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 6

PTSO Meetings . . . . . . . . . . . ………….page 11

Skyward/Report Card info……………..page 11

Dear Parents:

On behalf of the staff at Algonac Jr./Sr. High School, I am happy to welcome

you to the 2019-20 school year! We will begin the year with our student

orientations on Monday, August 26 (10th – 12th Grades) and Tuesday, Au-

gust 27 (7th- 9th Grade). The following will be covered at the orientations:

-Students will receive schedules

-Students can visit classrooms and meet teachers

-Students will have their picture taken for the yearbook and student

ID’s (Picture make ups will be later in the fall)

-Students will receive lockers (11th- 12th grade will have individual

lockers. 7th-10th grade will share lockers)

-Parents and students will be able to turn in emergency cards and

other district information

-Students will be able to purchase a parking pass and parking space

-Various clubs and sport teams will be represented

We look forward to seeing everyone at the orientations! We are very ex-

cited about the upcoming year and all that Algonac Jr./Sr. High School has to

offer. We feel for a smaller school that we offer many different opportuni-

ties that include IB Diploma classes, dual enrollment, TEC offerings, Blue

Water Middle College, and TEC Middle College.

Please make sure to visit the high school website at http://

algonac.k12.mi.us/schools/algonac_high_school/index.html. It will

provide you links to the student handbook, counseling page, school

improvement plan, PTO meeting dates, school calendar, staff web-

sites (please look for suggested school supplies) and other useful

information. I would also ask that you follow us at @AHSMuskrats

on Twitter for the most up to date information.

Again, we look forward to seeing everyone at the orientations and on our

first day of school, Tuesday, September 3, 2019. If you have any questions,

please email me at [email protected].

Go Muskrats!

Sincerely,

Ryan Melrose

Ryan Melrose

http://algonac.k12.mi.us/schools/algonac_high_school/index.html

http://algonac.k12.mi.us/schools/algonac_high_school/index.html

mailto:[email protected]


AJSH Welcomes Two New Teachers Mr. James Burleson, Special Education: Mr. Burleson comes to AJSH with 14 years of teaching experi-

ence at many levels. He has been married to his wife Andrea for 12 years and has 2 children, Jake and Alaina. He

enjoys running in his free time and is currently training for the Freep Marathon in October. He is excited to begin

teaching here and says he is particularly impressed with the school pride and also the resident’s love of the city.

Ms. Alexa Migliore, Math: Ms. Migliore is a proud Muskrat alumni as well as a graduate from Oakland University. She

received her Bachelors in Mathematics with a focus in secondary education. Throughout her educational journey, she has had

the pleasure of coaching and being a leader here in her hometown. Her style of teaching reflects the needs of all learners. She

encourages student-driven learning and promotes challenges that create positive thinking inside and outside the class-

room. She says that teaching has been such a blessing, and is very excited to share her passion and will continue to be an ad-

vocate for her students and the community.

Track Students go to Junior Olympic Nathionals

Algonac Jr./Sr. High School senior, Andrew Catenacci, and eighth grader, David Clemons, qualified for the USATF Junior

Olympics Nationals that took place in Sacramento, California, July 22-28, 2019.

Andrew took 5th in his heat, and 31st place in the country, running a school-record time of 50.59 seconds in the 400 meter

dash.

David competed in the 1500 meter and Javelin. In the 1500 meter he finished 15th in his heat, while running in temperatures

over 100 degrees. He finished 5th in his flight in the Javelin, but was unable to make the finals in either event.

Thank you to those that graciously donated to help get these students to Sacramento, in which they represented Algonac so

proudly.

CODE OF CONDUCT: DISCIPLINE POINT SYSTEM

Algonac Jr/Sr High School implements a discipline point system. The purpose of the discipline point system is to:

1. Improve the educational environment for students, teachers, parents and staff.

2. Inform students and parents of rules and policies.

3. Record discipline violations in a systematic way.

4. Predetermine disposition for violations, when possible.

We feel the code of conduct procedures provide consistency and structure for your student at AHS. Please go to the

Algonac Jr/Sr High School website and review the handbook with

your child. If you have any questions, please contact me at

[email protected]


AHS is on Twitter

Follow AHS on Twitter!

@AHSMuskrats

Vision Screening

Parents: St. Clair County Health Dept. will be conducting a vision screening test at AJSH in September.

Who Will Be Screened: Students in grades 7 and 9, Special Education, and those requested by parents

or teachers.

Who Will Do the Screening: The screening will be done by St. Clair County Health Department Vision Technicians trained by the Michigan

Department of Community Health.

How is the screening done: The screening is done according to the guidelines specified by the Michigan Department of Community Health.

Screening: The students are screened for visual acuity, muscle control and far sightedness. Any child who cannot pass this first screening is put

on a rescreen list.

Other Things You Might Like to Know: Students who already wear glasses will be screened with their glasses on to determine if their pre-

scription is still current.

Children rarely complain about their vision, and you may not suspect they are having a problem, but poor vision can affect academic perform-

ance, social skills and self esteem.

Look for more information with dates/times soon.


Picture Day News

Picture ID’s Required for all Students Picture ID’s are required for every

student. School pictures will be taken

on Monday, August 26 for grades 10-

12 and Tuesday, August 27 for grades

7-9. Pictures also can be purchased

for your personal use.

If you are a senior, this is still re-

quired; your senior pictures will not

be the picture used for your ID card.

Picture retake day will be in Novem-

ber.

Prestige Portraits by Lifetouch is the official

senior portrait photographer for AHS.

Having your student’s senior picture taken

through Prestige ensures they will appear in the

yearbook and also on the class composite. The

class composite is a large photograph containing

the senior portrait of each member of the class

of 2020. Each senior who is photographed

through Prestige receives a complimentary copy

of that class composite. The closest Prestige

Portrait Studio is in Shelby Township – 46855

Hayes Rd – (586) 532-9300. A letter containing

this information was mailed home to all seniors

by Prestige this past spring. The last day to be

photographed to appear in the 2020 AHS Year-book is Saturday, November 23, 2019. Prestige

photographers will be here at AHS on Thursday,

November 7, 2019 to take a headshot of any

senior who was not able to make it to the stu-

dio. The headshot is just that – a simple pose

for the yearbook. The cost is approximately

$20.

Yearbook Information: 2019-20 yearbooks are on sale!

The High School yearbooks are $70 each until the end of October.

After that they will go up to $75 until the end of February, and then

$85 through May. The Junior High yearbooks are $35.

Visit http://www.jostens.com to place your order today .

http://www.jostens.com/apps/store/productBrowse/1065158/Algonac-High-School/2016-Yearbook/2015070204372044057/CATALOG_SHOP/


COUNSELING CENTER NEWS SCHEDULE CHANGES for the 2019-20 School Year

Mrs. Blair will be available for schedule changes during orientation, August 26 and August 27 from 8am until noon.

Students will be seen on a first-come, first-served basis.

Make sure if you have a schedule concern you see her then because schedules will not be changed after school starts.

Personal Curriculum Generally, to earn a high school diploma, a student must satisfy the requirements of Michigan's Merit Curriculum. However, the

District may modify those requirements, by developing a personal curriculum for a student. All students are entitled to a personal

curriculum. A parent or guardian of a student who has completed 9th grade (or the student if at least 18 years old or emanci-

pated), or a student's teacher or counselor, may request a personal curriculum by contacting Karen Blair, (810) 794-4911 ext.

1282.

A group that includes the student; the student's parent or guardian; and a teacher, guidance counselor, or person acting in a coun-

seling role, will consider the request. If the personal curriculum request is made by a student who is at least 18 or who is eman-

cipated, or by a parent or guardian, the group will grant the request and will develop a personal curriculum for the student. For

all other requests, the group will develop a personal curriculum if the group determines one is appropriate.

For most students, the group that develops the personal curriculum may make only certain modifications to the Merit Curriculum.

For students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and for certain students transferring to the

District from a nonpublic school or from out of state, the group may make additional modifications.

For all students, a personal curriculum must incorporate as much of the Michigan Merit Curriculum content expectations as is

practicable for the student;

must include measurable goals for the student to achieve while in high school,

must include a method to evaluate whether the student met those goals, and

must align with the student's educational development plan.

Before a personal curriculum becomes effective, the principal and the student’s parent or guardian (or the student if at least 18 or

emancipated) must agree to its terms. Once effective, the student’s parent or guardian (or the student if at least 18 or emanci-

pated) must communicate with each of the student’s teachers to monitor the student’s progress on the personal curriculum goals.

A student who successfully satisfies his or her personal curriculum may earn a high school diploma even if the student does not

otherwise satisfy all of the Michigan Merit Curriculum requirements. For more information on personal curricula, including

what may and may not be modified, please visit the Michigan Department of Education’s Personal Curriculum page at:

http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-6530_30334_49879---,00.html

http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-6530_30334_49879---,00.html


Algonac Food Service—Provided by Chartwells

Food Service will once again be provided by Chartwells, under the direction of Mr. Steve Bellante.

Breakfast and lunch will be served on the first day of school (September 3rd). The prices will be as followed,

Breakfast - $1.75 for paid and $.30 for reduced at ALL schools and

Lunch - $2.75 for paid at the Elementary, $3.00 for paid at the

Jr/ Sr High School, and $.40 for reduced at ALL schools. Stu-

dents may pay in advance for breakfast ($8.75 per week for

paid & $1.50 per week for reduced) Lunch ($15.00 per week

for paid and $2.00 per week for reduced) by making weekly

deposits into their students accounts. We recommend this

procedure as it speeds up the serving area which allows us to

give better customer service.

Methods of payment: E~Funds (online), pay by cash,

or by checks payable to Algonac Food Service. Please note

there will be a $25 service fee for any returned checks.

E~Funds is a debit card system, not a credit card system.

Money must be deposited in the account prior to making any

purchases. Our Skyward system has the capability of monitor-

ing what your student(s) had for lunch and dollar amount lim-

its. Parents can go to Family Access at the school website to

check on student lunch accounts.

Free and Reduced applications for 2019-20 will be emailed to each household. Please complete only

one application per family (listing each member of the family) and return it to the school office as soon as pos-

sible, or by September 16 at the latest. If you do not have email access, you may pick up an application in the

office. Please complete a form, even if you think you may not be eligible. Students who qualified for the 2018-

19 school lunch programs are still eligible until October 14, 2019. If a new application for the 2019-20 school

year is not filled out before October 14, the application from the prior year will expire and your student(s)

will become full pay.

If you have any questions regarding the Family Application for Free and Reduced Price Meals, please

contact Steve Bellante, Director of Dining Services, at (810) 794-8875 or Central Office, at (810) 794-9364,

Ext. 1004.

Student Breakfast $1.75

Elementary Student Lunch $2.75

Jr./Sr. HS Student Lunch $3.00

Adult/Staff Breakfast $2.25

Adult/Staff Lunch $4.00

Reduced Breakfast $ .30

Reduced Lunch $ .40

Ala carte milk $ ..60

FREE SAT prep: Kahn Academy

Parents and students, Kahn Academy is an excellent free resource to provide help in math, science and other subjects. It also provides free support for PSAT and SAT testing that is required for all high school students. All you need to do is go to the website below and have your student create an account. After an account is created and PSAT testing is complete, students will receive an individualized prescriptive plan to help them prepare for the SAT. It also provides free practice SAT tests. Don't miss out on this excellent resource. Call the office if you have any questions.

https://www.khanacademy.org/

https://www.khanacademy.org/



Mission Statement

It is the mission of Algonac Jr/Sr High School to provide

a supportive, rigorous, and internationally minded

learning experience for students of all abilities.

Upon graduation, Algonac Jr/Sr High School students will pos-

sess the ability to:

Succeed in a post-secondary educational setting

Compete, thrive, and philanthropically contribute

within the emerging global society

Exhibit exemplary moral behaviors

International

Baccalaureate

Mission Statement

The International Baccalaureate aims to

develop inquiring, knowledgeable and car-

ing young people who help to create a bet-

ter and more peaceful world through in-

tercultural understanding and respect.

To this end, the organization works

with schools, governments and interna-

tional organizations to develop challenging

programmes of international education and

rigorous assessment.

These programmes encourage students

across the world to become active, com-

passionate and lifelong learners who un-

derstand that other people, with their dif-

ferences, can also be right.

Attendance a Key to Academic Success

Research has indicated there is a direct correlation between school success and attendance.

Parents are asked to inform the school by phoning the Attendance Line (810-794-4911) Option 1, each day that his/her

student is absent.

Students can lose academic credit for excessive absences.

Students receive an after-school detention for having four (4) tardies to class and an out-of-school suspension for any

tardy over four (4).

Rigorous Schedule Important for Seniors

Colleges are evaluating a student’s course rigor based on classes taken and grades earned in 9th through

11th grade. However, that does not mean that the senior year is not important — it is! Colleges and universi-

ties will ask the student to list the courses they will be taking during their senior year. A student may not be

admitted if they are not taking a challenging senior year.


-High School Football begins August 29th.

--Middle School Football begins September 13th.

-7th and 8th Grade girls volleyball starts September 3rd.

If you are interested in playing a sport, and have not made contact with a coach, please call Mr. Landrum at 810-794-4911 extension 1260.

-The 2019 Homecoming game is October 11th vs Yale.

-The Pinkout game is October 18th.

-The Hall of Fame Game is September 27th vs North Branch.

-Senior Night for Band and Football is October 25th.

-If you are playing a Fall sport, please remember that you must have a physical turned in to the school before practice or tryouts begin. Blank physical forms can be picked up in the office, or by going on the athletics page and clicking on forms on the right hand side.

Algonac Community Schools offers a full and varied athletic program, which is open to all students. The success of the athletic program depends upon the cooperation and understanding of all involved. With the exception of local rules as defined in the Algonac Community Schools Athletic Handbook, athletics are governed by the policies of the Michigan High School Athletic Association. Algonac High School participates in 16 inter-

scholastic sports. All participants are required to obtain a copy of the Athletic Handbook at the office of the Athletic Coordinator before involving themselves in the athletic program.

News from the Athletic Department

Hall of Fame: Algonac Community Schools Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the 2019 Inductees:

John Bishop, Class of 1962

Jesse Maxwell, Class of 1999

Cathy Piotrowski, Class of 1999

Christopher John Vance, Class of 2005

1986 Men’s Track Team

The Induction is scheduled for Friday, September 27, 2019

4:45 Reception and Hors’d’oevures

5:45 Presentation/Induction

7:00 Football Game (presentation of honorees during halftime)

Cost: $5 per person includes admission to the game. To RSVP, contact Crystal Harris, 810-794-9364 (ext 1003) or Jana Woods

(ext 1007)) by September 20th.

AFTER SCHOOL ATHLETIC ELIGIBILITY

Students must maintain passing grades in all of their classes during the current semester. This will be determined by bi-weekly eli-

gibility. If not passing, the student has one week to bring his/her grades up to the required standards. Complete information is avail-

able in the office of the Athletic Director. Students who violate the attendance contact will no longer be able to participate in after

school activities or functions such as sports and dances during that semester. Athletes who are written up for discipline will face

the following consequences: 1st Incident: Warning, 2nd Incident: Missed practice, 3rd Incident: Missed game. Subsequent incidents

during that semester will involve missing practice and then games.


POSITIVE BEHAVIOR

PBIS is the Positive Behavior Intervention System. It is used to promote and reward positive behav-iors throughout the school. Below is the matrix of our expected behaviors of the students in the dif-ferent areas in the building.

The focus for our first month will be Hallway behavior. Staff will be given tickets they can give to any student. A drawing will be held each Friday for passes to the front of the lunch line, parking up front for upper classmen, and the couch seats for the football game. The big prizes at the end of the month will be homecoming tickets for high school students and MJR gift card for 7th and 8th grade.

Muskrat of the Day. Teachers submit names of students they feel should be recognized in the an-nouncements. At the end of the week, one name will be randomly picked to be Muskrat of the Week. The student will be rewarded with a T-shirt.

HALLWAY CAFETERIA

BEFORE/ AFTER

SCHOOL

CLASSROOM PARKING

LOT

SCHOOL

EVENTS

RESPONSIBLE

Go directly to class Display a hall pass Display appropriate

dress code

Throw away trash Maintain appropriate

voice levels

Have all materials

upon arrival to and

departure from

school

Attend class daily Be on time Be prepared Utilize time appro-

priately

Display parking pass Respect property of

others

Practice sportsman-

ship Use appropriate

language Display appropriate

dress code

ACHIEVERS

Get to class in a

timely manner Use appropriate

language and volume Maintain/improve

facilities Lead by positive

example

Maintain/improve

school facilities Lead by positive

example

Maintain/improve

school facilities Return items to

appropriate location Lead by positive

example

Take accountability

for absences Be academically

honest Give full academic

effort Be supportive of

peers Maintain/improve


example

Maintain/improve


example

Be respectfully

competitive Display pride Remain supportive

of peers Maintain/improve

school facilities

TOLERANT

Be respectful of

other students, staff

and adults

Use positive lan-

guage and interac-

tions with peers and

staff

Use positive lan-

guage and interac-

tions with peers and

staff

Be open-minded to

others

ideas/opinions

Park in appropriate

lots and spaces Follow anthem

etiquette Display respect

toward officials,

adults and peers

SAFE

Maintain movement

to the right of the

hallway Use designated

entrances/exits

Ask permission

before leaving Wait your turn in

line

Utilize time appro-

priately Follow classroom

expectations Maintain appropriate

speeds Exercise patience

Exercise patience Exhibit self-control


Algonac Jr/Sr High School Dress Code Students are required to dress in an appropriate manner as not to interfere with the health, welfare, or safety of either themselves or the

other students. Dress which disrupts the instructional and learning process will not be allowed. Algonac has an official dress code policy. Please

comply with the following:

Students must recognize that brief and revealing clothing are not appropriate apparel in school. The following guidelines on brief clothing are

examples and do not cover all situations.

Hats are acceptable in the hallways and the lunchroom. Teachers have discretion on whether the hats will be acceptable in the classroom.

Failure to follow a teacher’s rule will result in points for misconduct.

Any head-ware that obstructs the face, such as hoodies are forbidden.

No tank tops, halter tops or strapless garments.

Shorts/skirts must extend to mid-thigh.

Garments that are see-through, cut low, or expose one’s midriff are not acceptable.

Sleeveless garments must extend to the end of the shoulders and fit closely under the arms.

Undergarments must not be visible.

Students shall not wear pants that, when fastened, sag or fit below the waist. All pants must fit around the waist and be properly fastened.

Students shall not wear clothing items that contain messages that are vulgar, offensive, obscene, or libelous; that denigrate others on the

basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability; that promote alcohol or drug use or violence or

gangs; or that are otherwise contrary to the school’s educational mission.

All students are required to wear shoes.

No pajama or slipper wear.

No shorts or pants with rips or cutouts above the knee that display skin.

Students shall not wear any clothing that administration feels is inappropriate or distracting.

The following measures may be taken in regard to inappropriate clothing:

1. The student will be given the opportunity to correct the problem.

2. If no proper clothing is available, the student will call his/her parent and request that proper attire be brought to the student or that the

student be given permission to go home to obtain the proper clothing.

3. Students who choose not to comply, may be sent home as an out-of-school suspension and discipline points will be earned. All missed

class time will count as an unexcused absence. This includes repeat offenders.

No pajamas or slippers.

A Message to All Kids Returning to School in September……

If you see any of the following:

Another student struggling to make friends

Another student being bullied

A student who is shy or not with the “in” crowd

A student who eats lunch by themselves

Please, be a leader! Say hi; smile at them; ask if you can sit with them at the lunch table; include them in ANY

activity. You never know what that person might be facing outside of school. Your kindness will make a dif-

ference in someone’s life!


School News New Attendance Policies for the 19-20 School Year: 1. Seniors who end up on attendance contract in either the 1st or 2nd semester will not be able to par-

ticipate in graduation ceremonies.

2. Medical documentation must be turned in within two weeks of a student absence. Documentation

turned in after that time frame will not be accepted.

PTSO Meetings 2019-2020

September 10, 2019

October 8, 2019

November 12, 2019

December 19, 2019

January 14, 2020

February 11, 2020

March 10, 2020

April 14, 2020

May 12, 2020

PTSO Meetings All parents are invited

and encouraged to attend

the monthly Parent/Teacher

Student Organization meet-

ings which are held in the

Library. These meetings allow parents to find out about

the happenings at school and volunteer to assist in various

ways. The group meets with Mr. Melrose, Algonac Jr/Sr

High School principal.

All meeting dates for the upcoming 2019-20 school

year are listed in the box directly to the left of this article.

Hope to see many of you at our first meeting on Tuesday,

September 19, 2017 at 9:00 a.m.

Family Access to Skyward

Skyward is the Student Information System (SIS) for

Algonac Community Schools, which allows us to maintain/edit

students within the school.

Progress Reports will be available on Skyward’s Family

Access. Please contact the school office if you wish to receive a

printed copy. Report Cards will continue to be distributed to

students quarterly.

In order to obtain access to Skyward, you will need to

complete a form at the school. The secretary will give you access

and issue your ID and password. Forms will be available at the

orientation to be held on August 26 (grades 10-12) and August 27

(grades 7-8).

The first Student Council meeting will be at

2:20 on Friday, September 6th. It is open to any

student in grades 9-12.

Homecoming will take place on October 11th.

The parade starts at 4:30 pm. and the game is

at 7:00 p.m.

The Homecoming Dance will be on October

12th from 7:30 –10:30 p.m. Tickets are $10

and will be available in the cafeteria at lunch

and at the door. Guest passes will be available

in the Student Services Office and need to be

submitted to Mr. Landrum NO LATER than

Monday, October 4th.


5200 Taft Road

Algonac, MI 48001

Check out the AHS

Athletic Department Website:

www.algonac.k12.mi.us


Athletic Department

for schedules, directions to

games, stats and the athletic

handbook.

2019 Fall Sports Schedules are

available online at

www.highschoolsports.net

Just a reminder that we do not interrupt

classes to give students messages unless

it is an EMERGENCY. Please consider

this when phoning in to have a message

given to your student.

Thank you for your cooperation in this

matter.

Parking Permits

We will have parking permit applications available during ori-

entation. Parking permits are available to juniors and seniors

only at this time. As the school year progresses, they may be-

come available to sophomores who are driving to school. Cost

for the parking permit is $20. Checks may be made payable to:


Attendance Line

Dial Algonac Jr/Sr High School at (810)

794-4911, and PRESS OPTION 1,

which is the Attendance Line.

Please leave the following information when

reporting your student absent and be sure to

speak clearly:

1. Name of student

2. Reason student is absent

3. Parent/Guardian name

algonac jr/sr high school

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