AMS Principal's Weekly Update 11/5/21
Dear AMS Students and Families,
This week, we took another step towards getting back to normal. On Thursday, our Spanish 2 students had the opportunity to take our first field trip in almost 2 years. The DIA re-opened its doors for field trips starting in October and our Spanish 2 students had the opportunity to explore all the great pieces of art work, while utilizing their Spanish skills. The students had the task to go on a scavenger hunt in the DIA. They started with the exhibit of “El Día de Los Muertos”. Students learned about the importance of “Las ofrendas” and saw the different altars that paid tribute to people and their lives. Students continued their scavenger hunt throughout the museum and then concluded the field trip with lunch at Los Galanes and a trip to a local bakery. Overall, the field trip was a great cultural experience for our Spanish 2 students and we look forward to offering other field trip opportunities throughout the year.
I have good news to share as it relates to our construction. Today, the parking lot was paved and starting on Monday, the lot will be fully operational. You will notice two concrete islands in front of the new addition which create a loop for drop offs. Starting on Monday, families may begin dropping off their child in the rear lot by the main entrance arch and will continue through the new loop to exit the parking lot. As for the addition itself, significant progress has been made in the last 2 weeks. At this time, we are tentatively planning on beginning to use the new space starting on Monday, November 29, the day we return from Thanksgiving break. I must thank our community again for their support in passing the sinking bond that allowed for this beautiful space to be built. Our students and community will benefit greatly from this new space for many years to come!
Upcoming Dates
Monday 11-8-21
First Robotics Team 4:00-6:00 in Room 114
Gaming Club 3:20-4:10 in room 113
Anime Club 3:20-4:10 in room 100
Homework Club 3:20-4:10 in the Media Center
Tuesday 11-9-21
PTSA Meeting 7:00 p.m. in the AMS Media Center
Wednesday 11-10-21
Rainbow Room Club 3:20-4:10 in Room 110
Dungeons and Dragons Club 3:20-4:10 in Room 113
Homework Club 3:20-4:10 in the Media Center
Ski Club Meeting 7:00 p.m in the AMS Gym
Thursday 11-11-21
Veterans Day
Homework Club 3:20-4:10 in the Media Center
First Robotics 4:00-5:00 in room 114
Friday 11-12-21
Fall Dance 3:30-5:00 p.m. in the Gym
7th Grade Upper Peninsula Trip
In addition to the 8th grade Washington DC trip planned for spring of 2022, we will also be offering an optional trip for 7th graders to visit the Upper Peninsula and Mackinac Island June 1-3, 2022. There will be an informational parent meeting on Monday, November 15 at 6:00 p.m. in the AMS Media Center. To learn more about this trip opportunity, please visit the AMS UP Trip website. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Sutherland.
Fall Dance - November 12
The AMS Fall Dance will take place next Friday, November 12, from 3:30-5:00 in the AMS Gym. Admission costs $5.00 and includes pizza and juice. Additional snacks will also be sold for $1.00. We hope to see everyone at the dance next Friday!
8th Grade Yearbook Quotes
A sign up sheet is located outside the art room for 8th graders to submit their 8th grade quote for the yearbook. Quotes will be collected and photos will be taken on Monday and Tuesday of next week during 8th grade lunch in the art room. Students can submit a quote either on their own or in a group of no more than 6. Quotes can be original or borrowed. Borrowed quotes must be credited to the source. All must be positive and school appropriate.
Teen Court
Training for those students selected for Teen Court will take place on Monday, November 15 at 3:15 in Ms. Comb's room, room 106. If you have any questions about Teen Court, please contact Ms. Combs.
Homework Club
Did you know that students can get assistance with homework 3 days a week at Homework Club? Homework Club is held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 3:20-4:10 in the media center. During this time, students can work independently on homework or can receive assistance from staff. Currently, very few students are taking advantage of this opportunity so we are hoping to see more students attend to receive any additional support that they may need.
Ski Club Meeting
November 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 November, please click on the November Lunch Menu
Athletics
Girls Swimming - The first practice for girls swimming began on November 1. The schedule will be forthcoming next week. For any questions related to girls swimming, please contact Coach Erin Roddis.
Boys Basketball - Tryouts will take place on November 9,10, and 11 from 3:30-5:00 in the AMS gym for 7th and 8th grade boys interested in playing basketball. Participants must have a physical completed on or after April 15, 2021. For questions, please contact 7th grade Coach Andre Price or 8th Grade Coach Scott Rowlett
For all athletic related questions, please contact AMS Assistant Principal and Middle School Athletic Coordinator Mr. Cowdrey (248) 837-8202.
Student Clubs and Activities
Below are club and extra-curricular opportunities being offered to our students throughout the year. Clubs are continuously added throughout the year, so make sure to check the updates each week:
Student Council - Below are the meeting dates through December for those students who wish to be part of Student Council. All meetings will take place from 3:20-3:45 in room 208:
10/7/2021
10/21/2021
11/4/2021
11/18/2021
12/2/2021
12/16/2021
If you have any questions about Student Council, please contact Mrs. Russell.
(NEW) Yoga/Mindfulness - AMS will be offering a 10 session Yoga/Mindfulness class after school starting on Tuesday, November 16 and taught by certified Yoga instructor Natalie Fons-Welke. Yoga will will take place on Tuesdays in room 114 from 3:30-4:30. Participation is limited to 20 students and will be granted on a first come, first served basis. Participation is free, however participants will need to purchase a yoga mat (which can be purchased at Five Below for $5.00). If your child is interested in participating, please email me directly to have your child added to the participation list. To learn more about the after school yoga class, click on the Yoga Mindfulness Overview.
First Robotics Team (not affiliated with the Robotics class at AMS) - First Robotics Team meetings take place every Monday from 4:00-6:00 p.m. and Thursday from 4:00-5:00 in room 114. AMS parents Kevin Schokora and Martin Wekerle will serve as the coaches this season. 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. Currently, the first semester Art Club is full. Art Club takes place every Thursday after school from 3:20-4:10 in room 110. Each semester will be limited to 30 students. 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 3:20-4:10 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 diverse populations of students and student allies for diversity and social justice within our school and community. Due to low turnout, we will be temporarily pausing the Diversity Alliance Club meetings and will plan to relaunch this club soon.
Gaming Club - The Gaming Club takes place every Monday from 3:20-4:10 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 3:20-4:10 in room 113. Students with previous experience and those wishing to learn are welcome to attend. If you have any questions about the D&D Club, please contact Mr. Morris.
Anime Club - The Anime Club takes place on Mondays from 3:20-4:10 in room 100. Anime is a style of animation originating in Japan that is characterized by stark colorful graphics depicting vibrant characters in action-filled plots often with fantastic or futuristic themes. If you have any questions about the Anime Club, please contact Mr. Stoia.
Homework Club - Homework club takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 3:20-4:10 in the media center. Students have the opportunity to work independently or receive extra help with homework. Students who choose to attend homework club must be working on school work or school related work.
General Information
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. The next PTSA meeting will take place next Tuesday, November 9, at 7:00 p.m. in the AMS Media Center.
Berkley African American Parent Network
The Berkley African American Parent Network (BAAPN) is a parent run organization that works in partnership with the Berkley School District and Oakland County Schools. The BAAPN network is a way for parents with African American children in Berkley Schools to connect with each other. BAAPN is committed to supporting student engagement, high academic achievement, and increased parental involvement. For more information, please visit the BAAPN Website.
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 smile.amazon.com, 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.
Sincerely,
Michael Ross
AMS Principal
Direct Line: (248) 837-8201
Email: michael.ross@berkleyschools.org
