AMS Principal's Weekly Update 10-28-22
Dear AMS Students and Families,
There were some great happenings this week at AMS! We had a high level of participation by our students and staff during spirit week. Throughout the week, students wore sports team apparel, college gear, PJ's, and Viking spirit wear. Spirit week will conclude on Monday when students show off their best Halloween costumes. There will be a costume contest in each first period class capped off by a schoolwide costume contest during the end day Halloween assembly.
On Tuesday, the Berkley Middle School top 7 Cross Country athletes competed in the COMSAC championship meet at Cranbrook. The boys’ team took 3rd place overall out of 16 teams with 110 runners for the boys’ race and the girls’ team placed 4th overall out of 16 teams with 115 runners for the girls’ race.
The 4 AMS participants had the following impressive placements:
17th Place- Chris Short 12:30
3rd Place- Paige Rohda 12:33
23rd Place- Bridgette Conger 14:05
34th Place- Jaden Reithel 14:25
We are proud of ALL the members of the Berkley Middle School Cross Country Team on an amazing season winning 5 of the 6 regular season meets.
On Wednesday, we held our first music performance of the year with the Orchestra's Orchtoberfest concert. This year, the combined AMS/Norup 7th and 8th graders performed along with the combined BHS orchestras in the BHS West Gym, a change from previous years in the BHS Auditorium. Both groups had outstanding performances playing a variety of musical pieces, some of which had a Halloween theme. Well done by all the student musicians along with Mrs. Kilbride and Mr. Moy (Norup and BHS Director).
Lastly, on behalf of our entire staff, I would like to thank AMS parent Lindsey Tocco and the AMS PTSA for stocking the staff lounge with lots of snacks and treats. We are very fortunate to have such a supportive school community who often give their time and resources to support our school, our students, and our staff.
Upcoming Dates
Monday - October 31
Halloween Assembly (see costume guidelines below)
Gaming Club 3:20-4:20 Room 113
Homework Club 3:20-4:20 Room 115
Tuesday - November 1
8th Grade U of M College Visit 7:45 am-11:30 a.m.
First Robotics 4:00 in Room 114 (Changed from Monday)
Ski Club Informational Meeting at 7:00 pm in the AMS Cafeteria
Wednesday - November 2
Picture Retake Day
Rainbow Room 3:20-4:20 Room 217
Dungeons and Dragons Club 3:20-4:20 Room 113
Homework Club 3:20-4:20 Room 115
Football Home v. Royal Oak at 4:30
Greece Trip Informational Parent Meeting 6:30 AMS Media Center
Thursday - November 3
Art Club 3:20-4:20 Room 110
First Robotics 4:00 in Room 114
Friday - November 4
Drama Club 3:20-4:20 in the Media Center
Yoga 3:30-4:15 Room 114
School News
NWEA Student Reports Now Available in MISTAR
Parents can now access their child’s Fall NWEA MAP Growth Student Progress Report in the MISTAR Parent Portal. To access your child's fall NWEA score report, log in to the MISTAR Parent Portal. Click “Documents” on the left-side menu, then click on the icon under DOC to open the Student Progress Report. At the bottom of your student’s report there is a quick reference guide that will help you read and understand the Student Progress Report. Here are some common questions when reviewing the report.
- What is this report? A summary of how your student is performing academically, as measured by the most recent MAP Growth test.
- What is MAP Growth? A test that adapts to your child’s responses in real time to measure your child’s skill level. Family Guide to MAP Growth
- Why is my child taking MAP Growth? It helps us meet the unique academic needs of your child. MAP Growth scores help teachers check student performance by measuring Achievement and Growth. Teachers use results to tailor classroom lessons and to set goals for students.
- What do Achievement and Growth mean?
- Achievement – How well your child has learned skills in a subject compared to similar students nationwide. Similar students have the same starting RIT score, same number of weeks of instruction, and in the same grade.
- Growth – A measure of your child’s personal progress over the year.
Halloween Costume Guidelines
Next Monday, October 31, students and staff are encouraged to dress up for Halloween. That said, we also have costume some guidelines which allow for students to be creative, while also making sure that students and staff feel safe. Below are the costume guidelines for Monday:
- NO COSTUME MASKS (They obstruct vision and for safety reasons prevent others from identifying students). A mask can be put on temporarily during the 1st hour costume contest and the building costume contest at the end of day assembly if a student is voted to represent their grade; otherwise, no costume masks.
- NO FAKE BLOOD, GORE, or INAPPROPRIATE ACCESSORIES such as fake swords, knives, guns, or anything that resembles a weapon. This is to ensure that everyone feels safe
- HATS can be worn as part of a costume only.
- General dress code guidelines will still be in effect.
New 6th Grade Elective Rotation Electives Begin October 31
6th graders who have the elective rotation (Art, Computers, Family Consumer Science, and Gym) will begin their 2nd term elective on Monday, October 31. If you are unsure which elective is scheduled for term 2, please login to either the MISTAR parent or student portals or check Schoology as we get closer to October 31. Grades for term 1 elective rotation classes will not be posted to report cards until January.
8th Grade U of M College Visit
We are excited to provide all AMS 8th grade students the opportunity to visit The University of Michigan next Tuesday, November 1. Buses will depart from AMS at 7:45 a.m. from the AMS parking lot and will return around 11:30 a.m. Bus transportation and a pizza lunch will be provided to all participants at no cost thanks to the sponsorship and generosity of the Berkley Education Foundation. Students will be given a permission slip from their 1st hour teacher, but in case they misplace it, I have included the 8th Grade College Visit Consent Form for you to print and sign consent If your child has not already turned in their permission slip, they must turn it in to their 1st period teacher by Monday. Students who do not turn in a permission slip will not be permitted to attend.
8th Grade Washington DC Trip Update
There are eight spots remaining for the 8th grade Gettysburg/Washington DC trip. Please register soon if you are considering attending the trip. The roster is now open for both students and adult chaperones. To register, please click on Washington DC Trip 2023. If you have any questions, please contact the DC trip coordinator, Abby Combs.
Picture Retakes - November 2
Picture retakes will take place on Wednesday, November 2. Students who wish to do picture retakes must bring their original pictures with them to school. Students who need a replacement ID may also get that on the day of picture retakes. Anyone who still needs to order pictures can go to www.kaiserstudio.com and use the school code 22ANDER23.
Friday Bake Sales
Starting on Friday, November 4, there will a bake sale every Friday at lunch to support a field trip to the Detroit Zoo for students in Mrs. Black and Mrs. McDermott's class. Proceeds will go to support the cost of bus transportation.
Drama Day Opportunity #2
We hope those students who were able to attend the first Saturday Drama Day had a great experience. If you missed it, or if you would like to participate for a second time, the BHS Drama Department will be hosting a second Saturday Drama Day for Berkley middle school students on Saturday, November 5 from 10:30 am-3:00 pm on the BHS Auditorium stage!. This fun workshop is free of charge and will dive into the theatrical arts to help middle school students make their way on to the stage! Please register in advance to attend so that there is an adequate number of materials made for the day. Students should plan on being at BHS from 10:30 - 3:00 p.m. and should come with a bag lunch.
Free After School Yoga Class
AMS will be offering a free 10 session Yoga/Mindfulness class after school starting on Friday, November 4 taught by instructors from the Born Yoga Studio in Birmingham. Yoga will take place on the following 10 Fridays starting at 3:30 in room 114: November 4, 11, and 18, December 2, 9, and 16, January 20 and 27, and February 3 and 10. Participation is limited to 20 students and will be granted on a first come, first served sign-up basis. Participation is free thanks to the support from the Berkley Education Foundation, 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 complete the Yoga Sign-Up Form to have your child added to the participation list.
Pre-Order Your 2022-23 AMS Yearbook
Pre-order your yearbook for the 2022-23 school year. Families can save $10 off the regular price by ordering by November 11. To order a yearbook 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.
Ski Club Informational Meeting
There will be a Ski club informational meeting on November 1 at 7:00 pm in the AMS Cafeteria for any 6-8th Graders interested in skiing or snowboarding on Friday evenings at Mt. Holly from the beginning of January through the end of February. Ski club forms will be available at the meeting and on the BSD website later that week. Ski tuning and waxing will be available again this year. Please bring skis and boards to the meeting along with $25. All tuning and waxing needs to be paid for at the meeting. For any questions about Ski Club, please contact former AMS Assistant Principal, Jim Cowdrey, at 248-928-4925 or by email at jimcowdrey@yahoo.com
Athletics Information
Below is the latest middle school sports information:
* Students trying out for Girls Swimming or Boys Basketball must have a completed physical on or after April 15, 2022 to participate in tryouts. Students who participated in a fall sport do not need to resubmit their physical since we already have fall sport physical information on file.
Girls Swimming - Tryouts will take place on November 2 at BHS for any girls in 6-8th Grade interested in joining the middle school swim team.
8th Grade is from 4:00-4:30 pm
7th Grade is from 4:45-5:15 pm
6th Grade is from 5:30-6:00 pm.
Team rosters will be posted by Thursday, November 3. For any questions about the middle school swim team, please contact Coach Erin Roddis. The schedule for the upcoming season will be forthcoming next week.
There will be sample suits to try on in order to determine the team suit size you will need to order. If your swimmer would like to try on suits they must come early to tryouts to try on suits before practice. Please fill out the google form in order to be included in emails with updates. Click here to access the form.
Basketball (Boys) - Tryouts will take place November 9, 10, and 11th after school in the gym.
7th Grade will take place from 3:30-5:00
8th Grade will take place from 3:30-5:30
For questions about 7th grade basketball, please contact Coach Andre Price. For questions about 8th grade basketball, please contact Coach Scott Rowlett. Below is the schedule for the season. All games start at 4:30 p.m. for 7th grade and 5:30 p.m. for 8th Grade.
11/21/22 Home v. Norup
11/30/22 Home v. Farmington Power
12/1/22 @ Hazel Park
12/5/22 Home v. Ferndale
12/7/22 Home v. Farmington East
12/12/22 Home v. Farmington Warner
12/14/22 @ Norup
12/19/22 @ Bloomfield Hills MS
1/9/23 @ Royal Oak
1/11/23 Home v. Berkshire
1/18/23 Home v. Farmington STEAM
1/19/23 Home v. Oak Park
For athletic related questions, please contact AMS Assistant Principal, Carman Smith.
Student Clubs and Organizations
Below are club and extra-curricular opportunities being offered to our students throughout the year. Check back each week for additional club information and updates.
National Junior Honor Society - Students are eligible to be inducted into NJHS in the spring of 7th Grade by earning a cumulative GPA of 3.7 through 6 terms (Terms 1-4 from 6th Grade and terms 1 and 2 of 7th Grade) and earning citizenship marks no less than a 2. Students who meet these requirements will receive a notification in the spring of their eligibility to be inducted. For those 8th grade students currently in NJHS, meetings will be starting next week. All meetings will take place during 8th grade lunch starting at 12:45 in the Media Center. The dates for meetings through December are:
Thursday, November 10
Tuesday, December 13.
For questions about NJHS, please contact NJHS sponsor, Mrs. McDermott
Student Council - Student Council is open to any 6-8th grade students interested in helping to organize and promote school events throughout the year. If you have any questions about Student Council, please contact Student Council sponsor, Mrs. Alderman
First Robotics Team - First Robotics Team meetings will continue on a flexible schedule between Mondays and Thursdays at 4:00 p.m. in room 114 If you have any questions about the First Robotics Team, please contact AMS parents and team sponsors, Martin Wekerle and Rob Calvano.
Drama Club - Drama Club is open to any students interested in learning more about acting and drama productions. Meetings will take place every Friday from 3:20-4:20 in the Media Center. For any questions about Drama Club, please reach out to Mrs. Aytes.
Art Club - 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. Art Club will take place on Thursdays from 3:20-4:20 through the end of the semester. At this time, all 25 spots have been filled. We will have an additional signup for second semester in January. For questions about Art Club, please contact Ms. Reid.
Rainbow Room - The Rainbow Room is an inclusive after school club offering for LGBTQ+ students and LGTBQ+ allies. The Rainbow Club will take place every Wednesday from 3:20-4:20 in room 217. For questions about Rainbow Room, please contact Ms. Reid.
Gaming Club - The Gaming Club will take place every Monday from 3:20-4:20 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 will take place every Wednesday from 3:20-4:20 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 will take place on Mondays from 3:20-4:20 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 - 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. Homework Club will take place on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:20-4:20 in room 115.
Ski Club - Ski Club takes place every Friday from 3:30-10:00 at Mt. Holly from early January through the end of February. Students in grades 6-12 can snowboard or ski. Mr. Cowdrey, former AMS Assistant Principal, will continue as the sponsor for Ski Club. More specific information will be shared in November.
General Information
Breakfast and Lunch Information
For the 2022-23 school year, a middle school lunch will cost $3.25 full pay and $.40 reduced price. Please click AMS October Lunch Menu to view the lunch menu for October. Additionally, AMS offers a breakfast program this year with mostly cold breakfast items being served. The cafeteria will be open from 7:30-8:05 a.m. (entry cut off at 7:55) and students must enter through the cafeteria door off the parking lot. The breakfast cost will be $1.50 full pay and $.30 reduced price.
AMS 2022-23 Event Calendar
To view the AMS event calendar for 2022-23, please click on AMS Event Calendar 2022-23 Please keep in mind that due to various circumstances, events times and dates are subject to change and events maybe added or removed.
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 on 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. The next BAAPN meeting will take place January 19, at 7:00 p.m. at AMS. Berkley High
BHS 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 to arrange tutoring.
Parent Volunteer Information
All parents, guardians, or family members interested in volunteering for school-sponsored functions or field trips must complete the Parent Volunteer Form prior to any activities. If you have interest in volunteering during the school year, it is recommended to complete the volunteer form early to avoid delays in processing the form. Please return completed forms to the AMS office.
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, Instagram, and Twitter
Follow AMS on social media! To find us on Facebook and Instagram, click in the search and type andersonmiddleschoolvikings to access our page. To follow us on Twitter, search @AMSViking. All social media pages have the AMS Viking as the profile picture.
AMS Spiritwear
Anytime is a great time to purchase AMS spirit wear. Ordering is simple through our online store with many options to choose from. To shop for AMS spirit wear, please visit the AMS Online Spirit Wear Store.
We look forward to seeing all of the unique and creative Halloween costumes on Monday. Have a great weekend!
Sincerely,
Michael Ross
AMS Principal
