AMS Principal's Weekly Update 10-1-2021
Dear AMS Students and Families,
It was a great week at AMS! On Tuesday evening, we honored 30 AMS 8th graders at the National Junior Honor Society induction ceremony. As a means of offering a safe environment without the need for masks, the event was held outside and we could not have asked for a more beautiful fall evening. The students honored on Tuesday night have maintained a 3.7 G.P.A. and citizenship marks of 1's and 2's during their time at AMS. Furthermore, they maintained these grades during a pandemic that caused an abrupt change to their learning environment with many changes along the way. While they have demonstrated academic success, they have also modeled outstanding citizenship and made positive contributions to their school and community. We are very proud of their accomplishments and for that we say way to go NJHS Vikings!
While we have had a fantastic start to the school year, I would like to share a few items of concern. First, we have a fair number of students coming to school each day without a mask, coming into the office to get one before they start their day. While we do not mind giving students a mask for the occasional student who may have a broken mask or may have lost it during the school day, for a fair number of students, this has become a daily occurrence. That said, please make sure your child has a mask along with all of the other school supplies they need for the day. Starting on Monday, any student who does not come to school with a mask will be asked to call home to have a parent bring a mask up to school, just as they would for any other forgotten school supplies or items. If there are any families who are struggling to provide masks for their child, feel free to contact me and I would be happy to supply your child with multiple cloth masks.
My other concern is the number of students coming late in the morning. It is important that students enter the building by 8:05 so that they have adequate time to go to their locker and get the items needed for their first hour class which starts at 8:15. Students entering class late becomes a disruption as teachers are doing their best to get classes started. Please plan accordingly so that your child is to school on time and ready to start their first period class by 8:15.
School News
Upcoming Dates
Monday 10-4-21
First Robotics Team 4:00-6:00 in Room 114
Gaming Club 3:30-4:30 in room 113
Cross Country Home v. Hazel Park/Ferndale (Rescheduled from 9/21) at 4:30
Girls Tennis Home v. West Hills at 4:00
Tuesday 10-5-21
Football at Home v. Hazel Park at 4:30
Girls Basketball Away v. Clarenceville at 4:30
Wednesday 10-6-21
Rainbow Room Club 3:20-4:20 in Room 110
Dungeons and Dragons Club 3:30-4:30 in Room 113
Girls Tennis Home v. Derby at 4:00
Thursday 10-7-21
Art Club 3:20-4:10 in Room 110
Diversity Alliance Club 3:20-4:20 in room 114
Cross Country Home v. Farmington Steam at 4:30
Girls Basketball Home v. Norup at 4:30
Friday 10-8-21
No Scheduled Events
Teen Court
Teen Court is a juvenile diversion program through Oakland Country aimed at keeping juveniles out of the court system. The teen defendant is brought to court with same- aged peers serving as the prosecutor and jury in their case. The program is designed around the philosophy that a jury of one's peers is more influential in dealing with behavioral problems than any other method. AMS will be participating in Teen Court this year representing the prosecutor and jury. Any 7th or 8th grade students interested in participating in Teen Court this year can apply to Ms. Combs by next Friday, October 8. Interested students should write a paragraph explaining their definition of "justice." The paragraph can be hand delivered or sent via email to Ms. Combs. Ten students will be selected to serve on Teen Court. Please contact Ms. Combs with any questions. For more information about the Teen Court Program, please click on Oakland County Teen Court.
Lost and Found
Our lost and found continues to grow as the weeks go by. If your child has lost a lunch container, water bottle, clothing item, coat, or any other belongings, please encourage them to check the lost and found located just outside the gym. It is suggested that all lunch containers and water bottles be labeled so if they are lost, we can get lost items back to their owner. If you haven't already done so, please label these items ASAP.
International Trip to Greece in 2023
An international trip for middle school and high school students to Greece has been planned for February break 2023. If you are interested in hearing more about this travel opportunity, please plan to attend an informational parent meeting on October 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the AMS Media Center. For questions about this trip, please contact Mrs. Troher.
Count Day - October 6
Count day is next Wednesday, October 6! Please make every effort to make sure your child is in attendance that day. Student enrollment is directly tied to state per-pupil funding so it is crucial that every student be in attendance and counted as an enrolled student in the district.
AMS Book Fair Volunteers Needed
Volunteers are needed to help run the AMS Book Fair taking place October 21-27. All parents/family members volunteering in the classroom or during school-sponsored functions must complete the district Volunteer Release Form prior to any activities. Please keep in mind that the Volunteer Release Form is sent to the Berkley School District Administrative Offices and may take up to two weeks to process so we recommend you submit the required forms well in advance of your planned activity. The Volunteer Release Form must be accompanied with a copy of your valid driver's license or state-issued ID and a copy of your COVID-19 vaccination record. If you are interested in volunteering, please email Ms. Watson or call her at (248) 837-8212.
8th Grade Washington DC Trip Registration Information
What happens at Saturdays for Success?
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Saturday tutoring, homework help and small group work for students in grades 6-12 for math and language arts
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Money Management class for students in grades 6-12
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National Honor Society High School student volunteers available to assist
To register, please complete this registration form and turn it in to the AMS office
MSTEP Score Reports
This past spring, most students took the M-STEP (Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress). Berkley Schools received student results in late August. Over the next few days, we expect families to receive their child’s test scores in the mail from the Michigan Department of Education. The purpose of these state summative assessments is to see how close our students are to reaching Michigan’s high standards in various subjects. While looking at your child’s test scores, we encourage you to remember that state standardized test scores are just one measure of student progress. They certainly don’t tell the whole story of your child’s learning. We also collect data in the classroom and through the NWEA test three times a year, and share that with you as well. It’s also important to also remember all of our students have lived through varying educational experiences over the last 18 months, and they took these tests just as many returned to in-person learning last spring. The Michigan Department of Education has developed a parent guide to understanding your child's assessment results to help parents understand how to interpret their child's score report.
NWEA Testing
Between now and October 15, students will take the NWEA assessment in reading and math in those classes, respectively. The NWEA assessment is given 3 time per year, fall, winter, and spring, and helps measure student growth. The results provide teachers with information to help them deliver appropriate content for each student and determine each student’s academic growth over time. Additional information for parents on the MAP Growth Assessment can found by clicking NWEA Parent Toolkit
October Lunch Menu
As a reminder, school lunches are being offered this year free of charge to any student who wishes to get a school lunch. To view the school lunch menu for October, please click on the AMS October Lunch Menu
Athletics
Football - For questions about Football, please contact Coach Steve Hanna or Coach Ron Fritz. Below is the schedule for the upcoming season and all games start at 4:30:
September 29 - Away v. West Bloomfield
October 5 - Home v. Hazel Park
October 13 - Home v. East Hills
October 20 - Home v. Farmington Power
October 28 - Away at Clarenceville
November 3 - Away at West Hills
Cross Country - For questions about Cross Country, please contact Coach Beth Hanna or Coach Athena Troher. Below is the schedule for the upcoming season and all meets begin at 4:30:
September 22 - Away v. Detroit Country Day
September 30 - Away v. Farmington East
October 4 - Home v. Hazel Park/Ferndale (Rescheduled from 9/21)
October 7 - Home v. Farmington Steam
October 14 - Home v. Farmington Power
October 21 - Home v. Farmington Warner
October 27 - League Meet at Cranbrook (Top 7 Compete)
Basketball (Girls) - For questions about 7th grade basketball, please contact Coach Chelsea Worlds or Coach Andre Price For questions about 8th grade basketball, please contact Coach Scott Rowlett. Below is the schedule for the upcoming season and all games start at 4:30.
September 21 - Away v. Norup (8th Grade Only)
September 23 - Away v. Farmington Steam
September 27 - Away. Farmington Power
September 30 - Home v. Royal Oak
October 5 - Away v. Clarenceville
October 7 - Home v. Norup
October 12 - Home v. Farmington Warner
October 14 - Home v. Farmington East
October 19 - Away v. Ferndale (7th Grade Only)
October 21 - Home v. Oak Park
October 26 - Away v. Hazel Park
October 28 - Away v. Farmington Power
Tennis (Girls) - For more information about tennis, please contact Coach Robert Hall. Below is the schedule for the upcoming season and all matches begin at 4:00:
September 20 - Away v. Bloomfield Hills
September 22 - Away v. Detroit Country Day
September 27 - Away v. Bloomfield Hills
September 29 - Home v. Derby MS
October 4 - Home v. West Hills
October 6 - Home v. Derby
October 11 - Home v. Detroit Country Day
October 13 - Away v. Berkshire (@ Birmingham Country Club)
October 18 - Away v. Cranbrook
October 20 - Away v. East Hills
October 25 - Singles Tournament @ West Hills and Bloomfield Hills Locations
October 26 - Doubles Tournament @ West Hills and Bloomfield Hills Locations
For all athletic related questions, please contact AMS Assistant Principal and Middle School Athletic Coordinator Mr. Cowdrey (248) 837-8202.
Clubs and Activities
Below are club and extra-curricular opportunities being offered to our students throughout the year. Clubs are continuously added, so make sure to check the updates each week:
First Robotics Team - First Robotics Team meetings take place every Monday from 4:00-6:00 p.m. in room 114.. AMS parents Kevin Schokora and Martin Wekerle will serve as the coaches this season. The First Robotics Team costs $100 for the season (financial assistance will be considered for families who may need assistance). If you have any questions about the First Robotics Team, please contact Kevin Schokora.
Art Club - There are two Art Clubs offered this year; one 1st semester and one 2nd semester. Art Club will take place every Thursday after school from 3:20-4:10 in room 110. Each semester will be limited to 30 students. Currently, the first semester Art Club which started this week is full. There will be another opportunity around the middle of January to sign-up for the second semester art club. This year, Art Club will have a focus on drawing. All skill levels are welcome. Students should bring a sketchbook and their own drawing materials. Special papers and advanced drawing mediums will be available for those that want to explore. For any questions related to Art Club, please contact Ms. Reid.
Rainbow Room - The Rainbow Room is an inclusive after school club offering for LGBTQ+ students and LGTBQ+ allies. All students are welcome to attend. The Rainbow Room Club takes place every Wednesday from 3:20-4:20 in room 110. For any questions about the Rainbow Room, please contact Ms. Reid.
Diversity Alliance Club - The AMS Diversity Alliance Club is an inclusive club for students who are allies for diversity and social justice within our school and community. The Diversity Alliance Club takes place every Thursday from 3:20-4:20 in room 114. If you have any questions about the Diversity Alliance Club, please contact Mr. Ross.
Gaming Club - The Gaming Club takes place every Monday from 3:30-4:30 in room 113. Students will have the option to play video games, board games, card games, or any other game related activities. If you have any questions about the Gaming Club, please contact Mr. Morris.
Dungeons and Dragons Club - The Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) Club takes place every Wednesday from 3:30-4:30 in room 113. Students with previous experience and those wishing to learn are welcome to attend. The first meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 29. If you have any questions about the D&D Club, please contact Mr. Morris.
Join the AMS PTSA!
Please consider joining the AMS PTSA. The PTSA helps support programs, classroom needs, and opportunities for our students throughout the year. While your assistance with PTSA sponsored events is always appreciated, your membership does not obligate you to volunteer for events. Joining the PTSA has never been easier. Join online by visiting the AMS PTSA membership page.
Receiving Parent Notifications Through Schoology
If you would like to receive email update notifications through Schoology, please follow the steps below:
- Click the dropdown menu located in the upper right corner where your child's name is listed and choose settings.
- Click on the Notifications tab
- Change email summary to "On" and set your preference for frequency of receiving notifications
- Change overdue submissions to "On" to get notified when assignments are late or missing.
Berkley High School National Honor Society Free Peer Tutoring
Did you know that students from the BHS National Honor Society offer free peer tutoring? If you child is in need of tutoring, please email me and I will email you the list of tutors. It is as simple as looking through the list, identifying a tutor that meets your child's needs, and contacting them.
AMS Event Calendar
Please click here for a printable version of the AMS 2021-22 Event Calendar. Please keep in mind that due to continued uncertain times, events are subject to change and events may be added or removed.
Yearbook Orders
Families can order yearbooks for the 2021-22 school year for $35.00. To order a yearbook online, please visit the Jostens AMS Yearbook Order Page. On the first page fill out the required fields but leave the homeroom field blank as students do not have a homeroom at AMS. Yearbooks will arrive around the first week of June and will be distributed to students before the end of the year.
Amazon Smile
Did you know that for every purchase you make on Amazon, a small percentage can go to benefit the AMS PTSA? All you have to do is a quick setup on the Amazon phone app and any future purchases will automatically generate a small donation to the AMS PTSA. To setup AmazonSmile on your existing Amazon phone app, please follow the directions below:
1) In the upper left hand corner select where you see the 3 horizontal lines
2) Scroll down and select settings
3) Select AmazonSmile
4) Add Anderson Middle School PTSA to your list of charities and make sure that the "generating donations" is turned on.
5) Your app should now be defaulted to AmazonSmile and any purchases you make will automatically generate a donation to the AMS PTSA.
To set up on a computer, simply go to the Amazon Smile website, go into the same settings above, and setup the AMS PTSA as your charitable donation.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram
Follow AMS on Facebook and Instagram. To find us, click in the search and type andersonmiddleschoolvikings to access our page. Both pages have a Viking as the profile picture.
AMS Spiritwear
Anytime is a great time to purchase AMS spiritwear. Ordering is simple through our online store with many options to choose from. To shop for AMS spiritwear, please visit the AMS Online Spiritwear Store. Currently, there is a promotion to receive free shipping on all orders over $60.00. To get free shipping, use the code FALL60-FS at checkout.
Have a great weekend!
Sincerely,
Michael Ross
AMS Principal
