December 2016

DISTRICT NEWSLETTER

From the Superintendent’S deSk...

Here we are again entering another Christmas season. It appears it is going to be a white one based on the outside as I write this. As if the school year isn’t busy enough though when you add all of the special activities to your schedule one has to wonder how it all gets done. The amazing thing is that we do get the things done and manage to survive and thrive. Which brings me to the conclusion that really the truly important activities revolve around our relationships with our family and friends, the rest is just “stuff.” So enjoy the good times with family and friends and “don’t sweat the small stuff.” Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy

“May peace be your gift at Christmas

and your blessings all year through.”

-Author Unknown

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Karen Smith, Assistant Superintendent

Dear Parents of CCAE: By the time you read this newsletter, you will be close to spending the holiday time with your families once again. It is truly a time of the

year when families celebrate. Holidays are the time when we shop, play, cook, watch a TV show, or go see a movie or a game together. Whatever you choose to do, take your time and enjoy each other’s company. It also can be a time when we can make a difference in the lives of those that are not as fortunate as we are. Many of your churches participate in things like the Angel Tree Project where gifts are bought for children whose mothers or fathers are incarcerated. Some of your churches participate in soup kitchens or pantries for families that are struggling. My advice for you at this time is to take your children to any one of these ministries focused on other families that are struggling. Taking your child to see and share in your generosity by giving your time or money to others in need is an invaluable education. When my children were growing up, my husband and I took our children to deliver gifts to the homes of the children that were not going to have a gift to open up on Christmas morning. At that time my husband was going to college and I was a substitute teacher and our children like everyone else’s, wanted the trendy toys of the time but the experience for them to see real children in need put a new prospective on giving and receiving. No, our children didn’t get that expensive trendy toy but they did receive the gift of giving to others who are more in need than themselves. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, or Kwanza!

Wow! What a busy few months we’ve had here at CCAE. We’ve had Parent Teacher Conferences, Red Ribbon Week, Family Literacy Night,

NWEA Testing and our elementary athletic programs are in full swing. Time is flying by. We are already making plans for next school year. The re-enrollment forms will be sent out right after our holiday break. Be sure to return those right away to secure your spots for next year. Please remember to be careful and respectful in the parking lots when you are dropping off and picking up your child(ren). I know in the mornings everyone is on a tight schedule trying to get to work but our students’ safety must be our number one pri-ority. We appreciate your support in this matter. On another note, please remember when coming into our building to sign in at the offices. We are asking all staff members and students to not open any doors even if they know the parents. It is important for the safety of all that we have a record of and know who is in our buildings at all times. As the holiday season approaches I’d like to wish all of you a safe and healthy holi-day season. Enjoy the time with your loved ones.

Karen I. Kliewer, Dean of Students

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Vision Statement

A COMMUNITY OF INDEPENDENT THINKERS WHO CONTRIBUTE POSITIVELY TO

SOCIETY AND LIVE WITH A SENSE OF PURPOSE.

1. Students learn best when they are actively engaged in the learning process and set learning goals.

2. All students in our school need to have an equal opportunity to learn through the incorporation of a variety of

learning activities.

3. Teachers, administrators, parents, students, and the community share the responsibility for helping students

learn and maintaining mutual respect.

4. Students learn best when our staff maintains high expectations for learning.

5. A successful student links new information with existing knowledge in a meaningful way.

Mission Statement

CONNER CREEK ACADEMY EAST/MICHIGAN COLLEGIATE

INSPIRES STUDENTS TO BECOME LIFELONG LEARNERS IN A CARING, SUPPORTIVE, AND DI-

VERSE ENVIRONMENT.

CREATES RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS

EMPOWERS STUDENTS TO DEVELOP THEIR POTENTIAL

PUNCTUALITY AND CONSISTANT ATTENDANCE ARE SIGNIFICANT FACTORS IN ACA-DEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

LEARNING GOES ON EVERY DAY

THE HABIT OF BEING ON TIME IS FORMED EARLY, THE PATTERN WILL BE CARRIED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS TO COME

If your child is going to be absent, you must call the appropriate school office in the morning.

Elementary Attendance Kindergarten through 6th Grade (586) 779-8055

Middle School 7th Grade through 8th Grade (586) 777-3190

High School 9th Grade through 12th Grade (586) 777-5792

If your child is sick (vomiting, fever, coughing), please keep them home. It is very hard for children to

concentrate on doing school work when they are not feeling well. If your child vomits or has a fever during school,

their parent or guardian will be called and they MUST be picked up! This is to prevent other students and staff from

being exposed to illness.

What to do if your child is sick

Attendance

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Kindergarten

Our Kindergarten kids have come such a long way from the beginning of the school year! We are still practicing our letter sounds, and are now working on blending sounds together to make words. We are enjoying the different books we can read in our reading groups, and can’t wait to continue learning more sight words. In math we have been busy counting every day. The 100th day of school is coming up soon, so we want to be ready for it by counting all the way to 100. We will be making a special project to show 100, and will even have a 100th Day parade! The students are amazing and we enjoy watching them learn and grow daily! Have a great Christmas with your families!

-Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Kiser

First grade First Graders are learning lots of new things! It is amazing to see how they are growing! Most students are beginning to sound out words they do not know by sight. Some students are able to read books completely independently! Please make sure that your student is practicing their sight words and reading each night at home. Students should come home with at least 2 books every Friday that they can read to you. We began our Spelling tests in October. Please make sure your student practices their spelling words a few minutes every night at home. We have Spelling tests every Friday. We have introduced addition and subtraction up to 12. Quiz your student to see if he or she can answer some addition or subtraction problems! Thank you for all your support at home this year! We are looking forward to helping your students reach their goals of becoming readers, writers, scientists, and whatever else they dream!

-Ms. Kruse and Mrs. Parris

Second Grade SECOND GRADE NEWS YOU CAN USE By the time the New Year hits, we are into the second trimester. There are things your child should be doing

in each subject area. Reading: Read and comprehend main ideas, retell what happened in a story including main ideas, details about characters, setting and events, make connections to their own background knowledge, and read to self by picking good fit books. Writing: Write in complete sentences using punctuation, use capital letters correctly, write stories with long and short sentences that are fluent and organized with a beginning, middle and end, and have the reader create a mental image of the story that is being told. Math: Identify even and odd numbers, be able to add two digit numbers, be able to subtract two digit numbers,

know place value to 100’s, and identify geometrical figures Socially: Be able to follow procedures and boundaries set in the school setting, use manners, be able to follow through transitions and setbacks appropriately, become more independent, increased their attention span, and start to work out problems with their peers in a kind manner. There are great milestones to be made this year. Second graders are “big kids” and yet still young enough to learn from their mistakes. This is their time for self-discovery and a year of blossoming in all areas! ~Mrs. Chambers and Mrs. Brunette

Elementary News

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Third Grade

Our third grade team is rocking it out! The excitement for this year continues to grow as we are continuing to grow. As our communities are strengthening we have been able to learn using fun group activities. Third grade proved how grateful they were through the thanks they gave for family and friends. The children are craving multiplication sundaes, but we will eventually begin those after practicing our facts. Science has been interesting due to the many new things we learned about tadpoles through our observations. After all of this hard work everyone has been putting in, we cannot wait until this much needed holiday vacation! ~Ms. Mareel and Ms. Corbett

Fourth Grade We’re halfway through December, and into the 2nd Trimester. Where has time gone? Students are working hard at building a classroom community. Words on our Social Contract include, but are not limited to: respect, integrity, and honesty. Students are adjusting to the rigor of Fourth Grade and are putting effort and pride into their work. In Math, we are wrap-ping up our unit on 2, 3, and 4-digit by 1-digit multiplication. We recently began our unit on Greek Mythology in Reading. The students are enjoying the stories as we learn about life’s lessons handed down to us. We’re focusing on theme, character traits, and using evidence to support our claims. We are wrapping up our unit on Plants and Ani-mals in Science. We’ve begun completing some of our reading and investigations with the iPads—What a great way to integrate technology into 21st Century learning! In Writing, we are wrapping up our personal narratives. In addition to the basics of sentence struc-ture, we have worked to incorporate dialogue, similes, metaphors, and emotion/voice. As we wrap up the year 2016, please remember how thankful we are for every family member represented at CCAE. We are excited to see what 2017 will bring! ~Mrs. Marwaha and Mrs. Holtzhouse

Fifth Grade

It is amazing how much our 5th graders are learning this year! We have already seen so much growth over the first trimester and know that so much will continue to be learned throughout the year!

In reading, we are finishing our first novel of the year, Sign of the Beaver. We will celebrate our successful completion by watching the movie adaptation. It is always really interesting to compare the differences between the book and the movie. We will be com-pleting a study with expository text when the New Year begins. We will be reading about astronomy as well as heritage to strengthen our expository reading skill set. In math, we spent a lot of time learning how to divide multi-digit numbers. Work-ing with 2-digit divisors was sure tough, but we worked hard and found success! We are moving on to the coordinate grid system and we seem to be enjoying it! Our math toolbox seems to be getting bigger every day! In science, we just finished up an interesting unit on our body systems. Learning about how our bodies work is pretty amazing! We have learned some good practices for

staying healthy, and we’ve learned about the organs that make up the different systems. We are now learn-ing about objects in space and will continue with that unit in the New Year. Social Studies will be taking us through early explorers and exploration. We will be exploring the different reasons for exploration as well as the tools and technology that made it all possible…Things sure were different back then! We continue to look forward to great things from our 5th graders! ~Mrs. Gurganus and Mrs. Verdaglio

Elementary News

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Sixth grade The sixth graders here at CCAE have been working hard during their first trimester to adjust to the high expectations of 6th grade. We have been working hard on adding details and expression to our writing as we are developing a strong community of writers. We have had a great time exploring the physical side of science. Recently, we designed and built roller coasters to explore the relationship between potential and kinetic energy. Social Studies has had us learning about The Five Themes of Geography and how to relate Geography to their everyday lives. We are becoming masters in Algebra as we prepare ourselves for middle school math. We continue to work with Mr. Jaye Hill to help our students develop into effective leaders. With the new trimester comes more responsibilities. Please help your students by logging into Powerschool and checking their grades online. If you need another copy of their access code please contact the CCAE back office.

-Mrs. Chambers and Ms. Kraatz

A message from Ms. Tucker, your Box Tops Coordinator.

Box Tops are such an easy way for parents and families to get involved in their child’s education. Just by purchasing Box Tops products, clipping the coupons and sending them into school, we earn cash that will provide many opportunities for your children. All the Families have already received a product list and collection sheets. Remember each box top is worth 10 cents, it really adds up fast. We will be turning our coupons in two times a year, the end of October and the beginning of March. Please keep cutting and sending your Box Tops in. Please do your best to collect your Box Tops over the holiday season. We appreciate your participation.

Physical Education

Physical education has been so COOL this year! We’re all doing a variety of activities while also demonstrating good sportsmanship and teamwork. We are all practicing our throwing skills. For kindergarten, it’s the first time they’ve been introduced to the proper way to underhand throw and catch. All the other grades are practicing what they already know about underhand throwing. The students will be playing a variety of games to help us practice like Food Toss, Hungry Sharks, Healthy Shopping, and some station work. We have included some food topics in with our throwing and are talking about healthy fruits and vegetables.

We are just around the corner from Jump Rope for Heart. That will be held in February so watch for your student’s packet to go home. Jump Rope for Heart raises money for children in the area that have heart defects. The students will have time during their physical education class to do a lot of jump roping to strengthen their hearts. They also get thank-you gifts for the amount of money they raise and there are also other incentives like throwing a pie in the face of a teacher at the end of the school year. It’s a CCAE tradition!

Please encourage your child to engage in some form of physical activity outside of school. Every child needs 60 minutes of physical activity a day.

Now that it’s getting cold and possibly snowy, please make sure you are sending your child to school with

appropriate gym shoes so they can participate with us ~Mrs. Olsen

Elementary News

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Art The art fun continues at CCAE this school year. We have some very exciting projects in the

works. The lowers grades have been working on color names, learning primary color, and how to mix secondary colors. One of my favorite projects was the turkey hats they made. I know it made our family dinner more exciting. Third through sixth grade did a fall leaf resist using warm and cool colors. The students colored them with oil pastels and chalk pastels. I was very impressed with the final pieces. Just a reminder, anyone who lives in Wayne, Oakland, or Macomb County has FREE unlimited general admission to the Detroit Institute of Arts. A fun, local staycation. The DIA has one of the largest, most significant art collections in the United States. Take advantage of this and go with the family. For more information visit www.dia.org/ Please feel free to contact us if needed. Remember, we are here to serve your students and it is always more effective to work together as a team for the best results. There is always a need for hand sanitizer and Kleenex in the art classroom; we will be accepting donations any time in the school year. Thank you very much for all the donations you have made so far! Thank you! ~Ms. Tucker

Music

You are cordially invited to the

Conner Creek Academy East

Christmas Concert!

Date: Monday, December 19, 2016

Time: 6:30 p.m.*

Who: Grades K -5

Where: Cornerstone Church**

(Located directly across Eastland Street from CCAE. Enter at the 12 mile entrance.)

**17017 E Twelve Mile Rd, Roseville, MI 48066

*Please have students to the church by 6:15 p.m. Please also make sure that students are seated with their class for the entire concert. Students may wear casual the night of the concert. Dresses, suits,

Christmas pajamas, jeans and a t-shirt, and shirt and tie are all acceptable options. Short bottoms are not allowed and shoulders must be covered. No tank tops please. Christmas apparel such as Santa

hats are allowed but not required.

Elementary News

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Elementary News

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Food Service

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This year is flying by for both students and teachers and we’re proud to say MC is having a wonderful year so far! Our first trimester has come to an end and students are excited to receive report cards and begin new schedules.

This time of year brings changes to the athletic fields as well. Football, volleyball, cross country, and cheerleading had great seasons. Now we look ahead to the boy’s and girl’s basketball seasons and MC’s first season of wrestling. It is important to remember that while we strive for excellence on the playing field, we are keeping our performance in the classroom as the top priority.

Don’t forget, there are some academic incentives to keep students focused on doing well in the classroom. Each student has the ability to earn free casual dress days every Friday by maintaining a 3.0 GPA. We are also awarding other incentives to these students who worked hard and earned a 3.0. They will have the opportunity to go see a movie, go roller skating, go to Dave and Busters, win gift cards, and enjoy pizza parties. Please encourage your student to strive to be on this list.

As you may have noticed, we have also implemented a new communication program that allows us to communicate to you through voice messages, text messages, and emails. Please keep the office updated with new contact information if you are making a change.

Second Trimester Events

* Martin Luther King Jr. Day – January 16th (No School)

*Parent-Teacher Conferences/Progress Reports – January 25th

*Parent Focus Group Meeting – February 2nd – 6:00pm

*Pupil Count Day – February 8th (Free Casual Dress Day)

Wishing all students a successful academic year, Mr. Vergil Smith Mr. Russ Woodruff Co-Principal Co-Principal

*Personal Curriculum*

The Michigan Merit Curriculum requirements allows a parent or legal guardian of a student, or a student

who is 18 years of age, to request certain modifications to the state high school graduation requirements

under limited

conditions. To ensure all students are effectively and consistently engaged in school regardless of need or

disabilty, the use of a Personal Curriculum (PC) modification is allowed by state stature for only four rea-

sons:

1. A student wishes to modify the math requirements.

2. A student wishes to go beyond the academic credit requirements by adding more math, science, English

Language Arts or languages other than English credits.

3. A student with a disability needs to modify the credit requirements based on his/her disability.

4. If student has transferred from out of state or non public school with two years of high school credit.

A parent, legal guardian, or a student who has adult status may submit a PC request form to the high

school counselor.

A parent, legal guardian, or a student who has adult status may submit a PC request form to the high school

counselor. staff members, will meet and review existing performance records, the Educational Development

Plan (EDP), and the Individualized Education Program (IEP) if applicable.

From the Principals’ Desk

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English Language Arts Hello all! I am very excited about this upcoming trimester. Students in ELA have a lot of interesting and useful skills to look forward to learning and practicing this trimester. Trimester two will consist of learning a variety of reading techniques to prepare them for the M-Step test in the spring. These techniques will not only encourage students to “read with a purpose” but also improve their comprehension and retention of what they read. It may seem a bit early to start talking about and practicing skills for the M-Step test but it is a very important test and I encourage parents to start talking about the importance of it with your students. Students will be practicing these techniques using a variety of both expository and narrative texts as well as practicing how to respond to the texts using textual evidence and citations. Students will also be practicing using CER or claim, evidence, reasoning in their response to what they read. I offer tutoring every Monday from 3:10 – 4:10 in my class room. Here students have the opportunity to re-do or complete missing work from the previous week with my one-on-one assistance. I encourage you to talk to your student about attending my tutoring sessions if they are struggling. As always; if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me via phone or email. I am also willing to set up meeting times before or after school. I look forward to having a great trimester with your students!!! ~Mr. Valentine It’s finally Trimester 2!!! This trimester, we will be focusing on argumentative and persuasive essays. Students will have an opportunity to discuss arguable stances on topics such as school uniforms, social media for teenagers, cell phone usage in class, and many more. From there, students will have to persuade their audience to a specific side! There will be a lot of classroom discussions and fun activities to get students engaged. As a class, we need to make sure that we can agree to disagree; therefore, we will have specific rules and guidelines this trimester in order to disagree appropriately. For the final, students can choose a topic or a current even that piques their interest. They are to write either an argumentative or persuasive essay! As Mr. Valentine stated students will also be exposed to the CER formatting which includes claims, evidence, and reasoning in response to what they read. This trimester, we will also be focusing on finding textual evidence to back up an argument. I offer tutoring every Tuesday from 3:10 – 4:10 in my classroom. Here, students have the opportunity complete missing work from the previous week. There are only five spots per week so please make sure if you would like your child to come, they need to sign up with me. This provides a more one-on-one environment for students. Feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns! I am readily available via email or by phone. I look forward to having a phenomenal trimester! ~Ms. Bywalec

Math

Time has gone by so fast and I can’t believe we are about to ring in the 2017 New Year! It seems like just yesterday we were welcoming your young scholars back from summer vacation. The 7th graders just fin-ished taking their final exams, which covered operations with fractions, as well as adding, subtracting, mul-tiplying, and dividing rational numbers. This trimester we will continue with rational numbers while also focusing on ratios and proportions. The 8th graders will be focusing on the Pythagorean Theorem as well as operations with integers before Winter Break. 7th and 8th graders are still receiving small group academic intervention from their math teacher every day. Tutoring will continue to take place on Tuesdays for 7th and 8th grade and Wednesdays for 8th grade only. Please encourage your child to attend to make up any missing work or receive additional support. As the school year progresses, we will still practice classroom proce-dures and revisit expectations, ensuring that your child has every opportunity to be successful. As always, please contact with any questions! Mrs Fifield fifieldk@connercreekeast.org or Mrs. Jeffrey (Derington) at deringtonk@michcol.org. Keep up the good work and Go Cougars!! -

Middle School News

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Middle School News

Social Studies

The 7th grade World History students wrapped up trimester 1 with a large research project on globaliza-tion. For trimester 2 they are beginning their studies with a look at Christianity, Judaism, and Islam before moving into Egyptian and Chinese history.

The 8th grade American history classes also completed a research paper, this one looking at global leaders and how they are chosen. They currently are exploring George Washington's presidency and will shortly move on to look at American Expansion.

Again, if there are any concerns please feel free to email me at youngbloodk@michcol.org. Thanks and have a happy holiday season!

~Mr. Youngblood

Counselors’ Corner

News from the Counseling Department:

-Please remind your Seniors to bring in their college/university acceptance letters.

-Please have conversations with your 12th grade student about their transition plan after high school.

-Mentorship is scheduled to begin after holiday break.

-DYM presentations will be held sometime after the new year, please be on the lookout for opt out permission slips. DYM is focused on making our school at-mosphere safe and comfortable for all.

-Career cruising will be a process for the rest of the school year for grades 7-11th. If you have questions or would like to see your student’s report, please contact one of the counselors.

-In order to walk across the stage for graduation all Seniors must complete two community service projects (through MC).

~Mrs. Walter and Mrs. Fockler-LaBute, Counselors

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Middle School Student Council

Student Council has gotten off to a great start this year. Our students campaigned and voted on their elected members with Sierra Hall winning the position of President. With the guidance of Mr. Youngblood our elected officials conducted several meetings this first trimester and organized a successful Middle School dance which will take place the last day before the holiday break.

For Trimester two the Student Council will be conducting a fund raiser in order to provide money for some future activities.

Senior News

Senior News: A third of senior year is over, which means the busiest time of year is right around the corner. Because of this, here are a few reminders the senior sponsors would like to provide to help you plan:

All students are required to complete their community service projects to participate in the graduation ceremony. If you have questions regarding this please contact Mr. Niedballa or Mrs. Fockler-LaBute.

Senior Mock Awards will be during school, 5th and 6th hour on Thursday, December 22. This is an event just for the seniors. Dress attire will be announced in school.

The second installment ($100) of senior dues is due February 1st. Any payment made after the deadline will be assessed a $20.00 late fee. After the February deadline, seniors will not be allowed to attend senior events until their dues are paid in full.

Prom ticket sales will be April 17 through April 21. Tickets will be sold for $80 for a single ticket or $150 for a couple. NO TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AFTER APRIL 21st. All students must turn in a prom contract when purchasing their tickets, as well as a guest pass contract if he/she is bringing a guest. Students will not receive their tickets without contracts. Prom tickets are NOT included in Senior Dues. Please note that administration holds the right to revoke attendance to Prom based on inap-propriate behavior and money will not be refunded. Prom is June 1st at San Marino Club. Check in is between 7:00 P.M. and 8:00 P.M. with no entry after 8:00 P.M.

Senior Honors Night and Senior Pinning is Thursday, May 18th at the high school at 6:00 P.M. Each stu-dent will be receiving three tickets for pinning in the mail sometime in April. Unfortunately no extra tickets can be given, nor can lost tickets be replaced. Tickets are required to attend the event. Dress: Business/Church Attire

Graduation rehearsal, which is MANDATORY for all seniors participating in the graduation ceremony, is scheduled for June 7th from 10:00-2:00 P.M. Seniors meet for senior breakfast at 10:00 A.M. at The Gazebo in Warren. Students will have the option to drive or be bused from the breakfast to the church rehearsal. Dress: Business/Church Attire

Graduation is scheduled for Thursday, June 8th at 7:00 P.M., at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Rose-ville. All graduates must report at 6:15 P.M. Please note there are no tickets required for the event. Also balloons and food are NOT allowed in the church. Graduate Dress: NO denim or tennis shoes allowed. It is suggested that females wear dresses/skirts with a smaller heel and males wear a shirt and tie. Please remember, all classes must be finished by May 31 in order to walk at graduation.

~Advisors, Mrs. Hull and Mrs. Matti

Family Focus Group

If you are looking to help initiate change in our school please attend the next Parent Focus Meeting. It will be held on Thursday, February 2nd in room 304 at 6PM.

Student Activities

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Ninth Grade In Math, Algebra 1B will be starting off the trimester working on solving linear systems. Algebra 1A will be going over function characteristics. Finally, Basic Math will be spending the trimester solidifying the math basics needed to solve math equations with confidence. Algebra 1A is working on writing linear functions using slope and y-intercept. They are also studying properties of the different families of functions (linear, quadratic, exponential, absolute value and piece-wise). Currently they are working with linear functions and identifying them based on increasing, decreasing or constant slopes, and also giving a numerical value to represent the steepness using the slope formula. In English, Expert 21 students have begun a unit about a very influential decade: the 1960s. We will be reading many primary and secondary sources including social studies articles, song lyrics, and the “I Have a Dream” speech, all the while honing our reading skills and learning new strategies. In January, we will be beginning reading Romeo and Juliet. ~Mrs. King In Physical Education, students will be starting a basketball tournament. Teams have already been selected, and preseason games are complete. During the Winter months net sports will also be introduced. A focus on physical strength and endurance will continue to be the main goal throughout the 2nd Trimester. We are so glad that the freshmen get science this trimester. Mr. Niedballa will be teaching this Physical Science class. There will be an emphasis on Earth Science material since it is often found on standardized tests like the PSAT and SAT. Students will be doing many hands on activities and labs. Parents please make sure that you have signed the Lab Safety Contract so that your child can participate in these lab activities. Mr. Niedballa is available most days after school for tutoring so don’t wait until your student falls behind before getting some tutoring. If you have any concerns or questions please contact Mr. Niedballa at niedballam@michcol.org.

Tenth Grade In Biology class, students wrapped up trimester one by examining body systems in rats. The 10th graders were fearless, and dove right into dissecting. Some students even learned that they were so good with a scalpel, perhaps they should pursue a medical career! As trimester two ramps up, we will be learning about biology on a more global scale by discussing ecosystems around the world, and how species affect each other and their habitats. Perhaps the most dangerous species of all is our own, but we are trying to change that by implementing a recycling program throughout the entire school. So far we have recycled over 14 extra-large bins full of paper! ~Ms. Kranson

In Math, students have continued a deeper understanding of Geometry. Students have shown growth in understanding previous Algebra knowledge by applying it to the geometry content. We will look into the properties of triangles, quadrilaterals and circles and understand how they can be applied. One main focus in geometry this year is going to be making connections. The students will start to see how they can apply topics to everyday life. We have some fun projects planned out to continue to get us through this next trimester. ~Mr. Amicone, Mrs. Groh

In 10th grade English students will do a nonfiction unit which will include reading The Pact as well as other informational texts. Students will focus on using evidence from text to support their claims in writing. In addition, students will continue to have weekly vocabulary words and daily grammar practice. ~Mrs. Matti

As we hit the middle stretch of the school year in US History, your sons and daughters are learning about the Second Industrial Revolution and inventions in the late 1800s and early 1900s. I hope their success continues as we begin to discuss how America transitioned into an Imperialist nation and close in on World War I, World War II, and beyond. It is my sincerest hope that you and yours are well and looking forward to the rest of the second trimester as much as I’m looking forward to covering this material with your sons and daughters. ~Mr. Difatta

High School News

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Eleventh Grade As the second trimester begins this year, most of the focus for our junior class shifts to the SAT in April. In Mrs. V’s class, juniors will analyze and solve SAT-style word problems while reviewing tons of math content from pre-Algebra to Trigonometry. Mrs. Hull will have her students reading The Scarlett Letter while they prepare for the writing and language portion of the SAT. Ms. Cito’s Chemistry B course will focus on chemical bonding, stoichiometry, and organic chemistry. And, Mr. Knight’s College and Career Readiness course will allow students to hone their test-taking skills in all SAT subject areas. With all this time spent readying for the SAT, there’s no doubt in the junior students’ minds that they will be ready by April 11th. If you need to contact any of the above teachers, please do so using the following emails: Mrs. V. (Geometry and SAT Math) -> vandenbroeker@michcol.org Mrs. Hull (English 11 and College Writing) -> hullj@michcol.org Ms. Cito (Chemistry and Scientific Reasoning) -> citod@michcol.org Mr. Knight (College and Career Readiness) -> knightc@michcol.org In Online Learning: Students are off to a great start in their online classes! Most students have already taken at least one class online, so they are familiar with the program OdysseyWare. Students should be finishing about 8% of their online classes per week to stay on track. If they are behind in their progress, then their Powerschool grade will reflect a lower grade than what Odysseyware is showing based on zeros for the missing assignments. Students are encouraged to take notes! They may use these notes on any assignment or assessment and can receive extra credit at the end of the course. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Difatta at difattam@michcol.org.

Twelfth Grade In online learning, students should be finishing about 8% of their online classes per week to stay on track. If they are behind in their progress, then their power school grade will reflect a lower grade than what Odysseyware is showing based on zeros for the missing assignments. Students are encouraged to take notes! They may use these notes on any assignment or assessment and can receive extra credit at the end of the course. For those who are struggling, tutoring after school is available Monday through Thursday. Students are encouraged to make use of these additional resources to ensure their academic success.

In College Algebra, students are reviewing basic skills acquired in Algebra 1 and 2, such as solving and graphing linear equations, inequalities and absolute values. It is necessary that these skill are fine tuned and mastered before they begin working on college level problems. This semester they will also be revisiting other math topics which will appear on college math placement exams. Topics are introduced at a basic level but quickly brought up to the senior level with challenging questions and discussions. If you need extra help on assignments or to study for upcoming tests, please come to Mrs. Simich’s tutoring on Mondays. Mrs. Simich also uses the Remind 101 app and the class code is @MrsSimich. Make sure to contact her for help if you need it.

In Senior English class, students will be reading Frankenstein, improving our grammar and composition, and preparing for our final paper by completing a mock one as a class. Each student is given a calendar with upcoming events. All of the students have been issued a copy of the book Frankenstein, there is a $2 fee if the book is lost. Students have been issued a binder that we will use in class, this binder is to stay in class. We look forward to a successful final two trimesters with this group from which we have heard and seen so many positive.

We are looking forward to a great year. Go class of 2017!!

High School News

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High School Athletics

Boys’ Basketball Schedule 2016-2017

DATE TIME OPPONENT LOCATION

WED DEC 28

12/4 MT CLEMENS NEW HAVEN

THU DEC 29 TBD NEW HAVEN NEW HAVEN

**FRI DEC 30 TBD RIVER ROUGE RIVER ROUGE

FRI JAN 6 5:30/7 OLD REDFORD MC

TUE JAN 10 5:30/7 BRADFORD BRADFORD

FRI JAN 13 5:30/7 UPREP MC

SUN JAN 15 TBD ECORSE HARPER WOODS HS

TUE JAN 17 5:30/7 STAR INTL. MC

FRI JAN 20 5:30/7 CPA CPA

TUE JAN 24 5:30/7 HENRY FORD ACADEMY HFA

FRI JAN 27 5:30/7 SUMMIT MC

*TUE FEB 7 5:30/7 MACOMB LITHERAN NOR

MC

FRI FEB 11 TBD CONF. QUARTERS SUMMIT/HFA

WED FEB 15 TBD SEMI FINALS CPA

FRI FEB 17 TBD CONF. FINALS CPA

THUR MAR 2

5:30/7 LAKEVIEW HS LAKEVIEW

Boys’ Basketball The 2016-17 Michigan Collegiate Cougars basketball season has begun. Led by 2 return-ing starters, Jordan Davis and Jaylen Branch, MC is primed to make a good run at both the Charter School Conference. regular season. and Conference Tournament titles. After the first two weeks of competition, The Cougars are 3-0 with impressive wins over Troy Athens and Detroit Public Safety Academy.

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Majorettes and

Drumline

The 2016-17 marks the start of the brand new Majorette squad and MC Drumline. Majorettes named their 2016 captains as Betticia Childs and Anasia White. They are coached by Camille Muse and Angela Hughes. Drumline consists of many talented young men and women and are conducted by Matthew Matlock.

High School Athletics

18

High School Athletics

Wrestling We are looking forward to another great season on the mats. We are proud to host a few events here at MC and are looking forward to competing at a high level. Wrestling is an individual sport so everyone

has their goals set for what they want to achieve this season and we set a few team goals we would like to get this year as well.

Team Captains:

Dominique Harris

Tracy Hubbard

Roderick Fletcher

Tanell McCalebb

DATE OPPONENT TIME

12/21 VS. U OF D JESUIT, MUMFORD, PHN 6:00PM

12/28 @ SUMMIT DRAGON HOLIDAY DUEL 6:30AM/9:00AM

1/7 @ FITZGERALD SPARTAN CLASSIC* 6:30AM/9:00AM

1/11 VS JALEN ROSE ACADEMY (PEP- ASSEMBLY) 12:00PM/ 1:30PM

1/14 @ WAYNE MEMORIAL TEAM TOURNAMENT* 6:30AM/9:00AM

1/18 VS. NOTRE DAME PREP, DAKOTA, LUTHERAN WEST-LAND*

6:00PM

1/21 COLLEGIATE CLASH TEAM TOURNAMENT 6:30AM/9:00AM

1/25 SPOTLIGHT TRI @ ALGONAC (MAIN EVENT) 4:00PM/5:30PM

1/28 COUGAR CLASSIC TEAM TOURNAMENT 6:30AM/9:00AM

2/1 @ U OF D JESUIT AND GPN 4:00PM/5:30PM

2/9 TEAM DISTRICT @ MC 5:30PM

2/11 INDIVIDUAL DISTRICT @ RICHMOND 6:00AM/ 8:00AM

2/15 TEAM REGIONAL @ CLAWSON 4:00PM/5:30PM

2/18 INDIVIDUAL REGIONAL @ RICHMOND 6:00AM/8:00AM

2/24 TEAM FINALS @ CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY TBD

3/2 INDIVIDUAL FINALS @ PALACE OF AUBURN HILLS TBD

DESEAN ADAMS

TRACHON ADAMS

HERMAN BELL

DESHAWN BROADUS

JAMILL COLLINS

JALIN CROSBY

TREVON DANIEL

DIONDRE DEGREE

RODERICK FLETCHER

SEAN GOSS

JATODD HAITHCOX

DOMONIQUE HARRIS

TRACY HUBBARD

JUANEZ LINDSAY

TANELL MCCALEBB

JUAN MINER

PARIS MURRAY

REGGIE MUSE

DASHAWN POUGET

LAMAR GILLIAM-

RAINEY

DARIUS REED

ELIJAH RICE

ELLIOT ROBINSON-BEY

DOUGLAS ROGERS

ANTONIO SMILEY

EBON SMITH

DENNIS SNIPES

ANTHONY TAYLOR

ANDREW THOMAS

ROBERT WOOLFOLK

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MISSION:

To provide students at CCAE & Michigan Collegiate Schools with the best possible education while pro-

moting fiscal responsibility to the administration, the staff, & the students.

VISION:

CCAE will be recognized as an exemplary public school academy. This will be evidenced by the perform-

ance of our elementary, middle, & high schools as follows:

CCAE Board of Directors will be the standard by which other charter school boards are measured. CCAE Board of Directors will foster strong community partnerships. CCAE will meet or exceed state regulations including AYP. CCAE 11th graders will achieve an average ACT score of 19. CCAE will obtain 99% graduation rate from HS. CCAE will provide hardware and software that is not older than 5 years old.

CCAE scores will be greater or equal to the state and/or residing school district for all schools.

CONNER CREEK ACADEMY EAST 16911 EASTLAND ROSEVILLE, MI 48066

BOARD OF DIRECTORS REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULE 2015-2016

January 25, 2017

February 15, 2017

March 22, 2017

April 26, 2017 (Budget Hearing)

May 24, 2017

June 28, 2017 (Re-Organization Meeting)

The principal office for the Board of Directors of Conner Creek Academy East is located at 16911 Eastland, Roseville, Michi-gan. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. through 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The phone number for the principal office of the Board of Directors is (586) 779-8055.

All meetings of the Board of Directors are held in the school building of Michigan Collegiate, located at 31300 Ryan Rd,

Warren, MI 48092, beginning at 7:00 p.m. unless noted otherwise above, or as posted on the front entrance door on the day

of the scheduled meeting.

Minutes for all meetings of the Board are available for public review at the office of the Board no more then five business

days following the meeting at which the minutes were approved. Notice of any special meeting of the Board is posted in ac-

cordance with Michigan Open Meetings Act at the principal office of the Board no less than eighteen hours prior to the spe-

cial meeting.

Persons needing special assistance to attend a meeting of the Board are asked to contact the Board office at (586) 779-8055

no later than 3:30 p.m. three business days prior to the meeting that person wishes to attend. Conner Creek Academy East is

an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in any of its programs or employment practices on the basis of re-

ligion, sex, race, creed, culture or ethnicity.

Conner Creek Academy East Board of Directors