December 2015

TCAPS Families, Staff and Friends,

It has been a great first half of the school year. We have had winning Titan and Trojan sports teams that have been recognized for performance both on and off the field. We have had our students lead fundraisers and volunteer in our community. We have experienced student achievement successes and been nationally recognized for closing the achievement gap. And, we continue to work hard on behalf of our entire community to fight for resources to support the best education possible for our students.

Whether it is looking within our own district to find efficiencies and opportunities, raising awareness about the TBAISD fund balance and our philosophy about how area resources for education should be spent, or helping our community understand how the fix for Detroit Public Schools could impact students locally, we want our parents and community to feel engaged and empowered with information about our schools.

Here are a few resources if you are interested in learning more. The first is a link to a recent Interlochen Public Radio interview that includes an extended version at the bottom of the page. The interview goes into greater detail about many of these issues. The second is a link to meeting notes and a proposal shared at the last joint TC-TCAPS committee meeting, including possible options to relocate the administrative offices to another building or location at no cost, or at a financial benefit, to the district.

An informed public is a strong public. I thank each of you for the role you play in your child’s education and appreciate the time so many of you take to learn about our schools. Together, we can make our community and our world a better place.

I wish each of you a joyous holiday season.

Sincerely,

Paul A. Soma
Superintendent Traverse City Area Public Schools
@SuptSoma

Central High School is Hosting a “Can the Principal” Food Drive

Canned goods begin to pile up in the CHS principal's office.

Central High School is holding a “Can the Principal” food drive to stock the food pantry at Traverse City High School with cans or non-perishable items. The goal is to fill Dr. Rick Vandermolen’s office with so many cans that he will not be able to get to his desk. Teachers, parents, students, staff and community members are encouraged to help others in need this holiday season by "canning" the principal!.

Battle of the Books to Kick Off in Traverse City

Finally, the competition students and parents have been waiting for! The Battle of the Books, sponsored by the National Writers Series, is a quiz-bowl style competition for 4th and 5th grade students in the Grand Traverse region. Students choose teams of 4-6, and are assigned ten pre-selected books that they have to read in preparation for their first battle day. The two teams that emerge from the quiz-bowl will compete in the championship battle. New York Times bestselling author Tui Sutherland will attend the championship battle to award a trophy to the winning Battle of the Books team! The championship will be held on March 20th, from 2:30 PM - 5:00 PM at Lars Hockstad Auditorium. To learn more, visit: www.battleofthebooksgt.com.

Grant-Funded Solar Panel Pilot Project Offers Hands-On STEM Learning for Students

Solar panels are installed on the roof at Traverse Heights Elementary School.

TCAPS partnered with representatives from the Michigan Environmental Council and the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities to place solar panels on the roof of Traverse Heights Elementary School. The data collected from the solar panel array will be used in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) lessons and provide hands-on learning opportunities for students. The pilot project was funded through grants from the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Traverse City Light and Power, the Hammersley Foundation and the Groundwork Center’s Jenny Payne Solar on Schools Memorial Fund. Additional support was provided by Cornerstone Architects and Nealis Engineering through in-kind contributions.

December Local Harvest of the Month: Carrots

Carrots are a root vegetable, grown underground. They are rich in beta-carotene - a nutrient our body converts into Vitamin A. They are also a good source of Vitamin C (when fresh), B-Vitamins, and antioxidants. This month watch for the “Rainbow” or multi-colored local carrots making an appearance in our school cafeterias. Try these great recipes below!

• Carrot Fries
• Lemon Roasted Carrots

TCAPS Calendar Reminders

• December 17 - Board Coffee Conversation
     Topic: School Funding 2.0: How Taxes and Fund Balances Work
• December 23-January 1 - No School, Winter Recess 
• 2015-2016 District School Year Calendar

So You Want To Be A Writer? Students Interview Area Writers

On Dec. 4th, four area writers, Mardi Link, Elizabeth Buzzelli, Fleda Brown and Bob Downes, discussed the writer's craft, from both an artistic and practical perspective with two students from the TCAPS Front Street Writers program. The 45-minute conversation covered topics ranging from inspiration to technique, work ethic, marketing, as well as making a living. These writers will be among the many writers participating in the first Traverse City Local Author Expo scheduled for this weekend. The writer interviews were produced by the students of the Broadcasting Communications Class and Front & Central at Central High School.

TCAPS Students “Shop with a Hero”

TCAPS elementary school students got into the holiday spirit as they shopped with a hero to pick out toys for children in need.

Approximately 70 students from Westwoods Elementary School and Silver Lake Elementary School helped shop for Toys for Tots at the annual “Shop with a Hero” event at Meijer.

“The kids are always so excited for it and they love seeing everyone in their uniforms. There are a lot of people who can’t afford Christmas and these kids are here to help out other area kids who are less fortunate,” said Michigan State Police Trooper Rich Hall.

Students write letters expressing why they would like to participate in the "Shop with a Hero" program.

Every year, the local Meijer store donates thousands of dollars to help purchase toys for the local Toys for Tots. Students who want to participate write letters expressing why they want to help shop for someone less fortunate. The chosen students are then partnered with members of local law enforcement, fire departments, EMTs and the United States Coast Guard to shop for area families in need. Each toy picked out by the students is matched by Meijer.

This year, there were 14 heroes who volunteered, each equipped with holiday wish lists from the Father Fred Foundation and the Salvation Army, so the students knew what type of toys to buy.

“I love being a part of it,” said Hall, who volunteered his time for the event. This was his 5th year participating as a hero.

Traverse Heights Elementary School's Annual Father Fred Foodraiser & Walk

Approximately 200 students from Traverse Heights Elementary School participated in a school-wide foodraiser walk to benefit the Father Fred Foundation pantry.

Students receiving high fives after dropping off their food donation to the Father Fred Foundation food pantry.

West Middle School “Elves” Spread Holiday Cheer

WMS staffers show off socks given to them by their holiday elves.

During the month of December, staff members at West Middle School are getting into the holiday spirit by participating in a holiday “elf” exchange. It works similar to a Secret Santa gift exchange where participants are assigned to a colleague and act as their holiday elf. Each “elf” leaves gifts for their staff member to find.

The elf visits four times over the course of four weeks. During the first week, the elf leaves a pair of holiday socks. During week two, the elf sprinkles someone with sweet, sugary treats. On week three, the elf leaves a fun gift of their choice. And finally, on week four the elf delivers a note of holiday cheer to let people know who has been leaving them gifts.

“The purpose is to boost morale in these last weeks of school. We are so blessed here at West to have an incredibly loving and caring staff. Having a secret elf visit is just the frosting on the cake,” said Maureen Bauer, WMS teacher and organizer of the holiday elves. What a great way to kick off the holidays!

Traverse City Area Public Schools received an adorable holiday card from the safety dogs at Interquest Detection Canines of Michigan. These highly trained Labrador Retrievers detect and deter prohibited items at TCAPS high schools and middle schools. Happy holidays to you too, Tyson, Sydney, Dash, and Murphy!

Westwoods Book Tree

Creativity at its finest! Westwoods Elementary School created a book tree in the library for students to enjoy.

8th Annual UpNorth Media Turkey Trot

Turkey Trotters help raise $20,000 for area charities.

Thank you Turkey Trotters! The 8th Annual UpNorth Media Traverse City Turkey Trot was a huge success raising $20,000 for area charities. Before the big meal, football, and pumpkin pie the Turkey Trot offers the best way to get a little exercise with a couple thousand of your neighbors and give back to our community. This year, 2,365 participants ran or walked the 5k/5-mile routes throughout downtown Traverse City, finishing at Thirlby Field. A portion of the proceeds from the event support TCAPS' Learning, Enrichment and Athletics Program (LEAP). Participants also donated non-perishable food items to the Traverse City High School pantry. Many thanks to other event sponsors including Meijer, Sheren Plumbing & Heating, Hillshire Farms Company, Peegeo’s, Pure Water Works, z93, Belle Photography, Ford Insurance, Boone Street Auto Wash and to the many volunteers for making this year a success.

All Star Driver Education

Partner In Education All Star Driver Education is offering a Holiday Break Class for students. If your student is ready to get behind the wheel, they can attend the class at Bethlehem Lutheran Church from December 19th through January 2nd. This is a great chance to get your driver’s education completed while not in school. The next round of regular classes at Traverse City Central and West Senior High schools will begin January 11th. To register or for information, call All Star Driver Education at 1-800-967-7719 or visit them online at: www.allstarde.com.

TCAPS Partner In Education Program: An opportunity to support schools, teachers, programs, teams and clubs!

The TCAPS Partner In Education (PIE) program works to connect community members, businesses and organizations to our schools through sponsorships, financial contributions, in-kind donations or givebacks. Your sponsorship or donation can benefit the school, teacher, program, team or club of your choice. Sponsor space is available at all TCAPS schools, Thirlby Field stadium, electronically via our e-newsletter and new this year, the TCAPS Food Truck! Contact Karyn Hertel at 231-933-5654 / hertelka@tcaps.net or visit www.tcaps.net/PIE to learn more.

Share This Newsletter With A Friend