Incoming Superintendent Green has great expectations for the future

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Casey Hans

Below: About the new superintendent

Dr. Patricia Green starts as Ann Arbor's new superintendent on July 1.

Following is a letter to the AAPS community from Dr. Patricia Green, who starts as the district’s new superintendent on July 1:

Dear Ann Arbor Public Schools Staff, Families and Community Members,

Shortly, I will be joining the Ann Arbor Public Schools, a district that has demonstrated its ability to inspire the imagination of young minds and to open young eyes to the world beyond their normal, everyday experience. Ann Arbor is a district that enables children of all ages to develop curiosity and resourcefulness, to care for others and to create their place in a world of tremendous, global change.

Ann Arbor is a special community and I am enormously proud to join its heritage of excellence. Throughout my career, I have always believed in the concept of “Great Expectations … The Best Is Yet To Come!” in which all community members join together with the highest of expectations and strive to create the best world in which our children can learn and grow.

As educators, our children sense our expectations intuitively. A knowing glance, a raised eyebrow, a smile of encouragement, all bring meaning to a child no matter what their age. Each of us in a school community plays a dynamic role, whether we actively realize it or not, in helping our children develop the critical skills needed to create and achieve a vision for their lives. The skillful balance between academics, the arts, athletics as well as social and emotional learning help our children become caring, scholarly individuals today and in their future years.

As I prepare to join the district in July, it is clear to me that Ann Arbor Public Schools is bound together by its educational workforce and its committed and dedicated community in a constant quest for excellence. When a school district and a school community embrace great expectations together, we all help our children construct meaning from the world they inhabit today, as well as help them dream of the possibilities for the future world that they will create.

There will always be challenges, but when we join together to help children create a portrait of their possibilities from a productive, school-community experience, we enable young minds to capture the spirit of who they are and what they can achieve.

As we look toward the 2011-12 school year, let’s unleash the power of “possibility thinking” for our children, because to see a child is to see the possibilities of the future. With great expectations, the best is yet to come for all of them.

I am looking forward to being a part of this exceptional school district.

Sincerely,

Dr. Patricia P. Green

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New superintendent arrives from similar role in Pennsylvania

From AAPSNews Service

Dr. Patricia Pataky Green will join the Ann Arbor Public Schools on July 1 as the district’s new Superintendent of Schools.

Green has a five-year contract with the district, giving her the responsibilities for overseeing all education programs in the district. She is charged with maintaining and improving the quality of education and operations of the district. The school board selected her in March.

Green most recently served as superintendent of North Allegheny School District in Pennsylvania and also served as Acting Deputy Superintendent for Instruction for the Prince George’s County Public Schools, a large district in Maryland.

Before coming to Ann Arbor, she spoke about parent involvement, leadership, diversity and her philosophy on education.

Green said she advocates strong parent involvement and said that in her current role, she hosts a series of superintendent-parent committee meetings. “They set the agenda,” she said. “We’ve changed things based on the passion of the community. Sometimes as leaders we have to sit down and listen.”

She notes that a good superintendent needs input from a variety of sources to be successful. “You don’t do things in isolation,” she added. “You reach out for partnerships.” Green said in her current role, she has a variety of advisory committees in place, including ones with local police and ministerial groups. She also hosts a regular dinner for student leaders.

In the area of equity, diversity and global awareness, Green said a school district must celebrate each student and community member and what they bring to the system and must prepare students to be citizens of the world. “It has to come from the leadership of the school district and it has to be valued,” she said. “We must celebrate what you are, what you bring to the table. And we have to prepare students for their world of the future – not our world of the past.”

She said good leaders should have “kaleidoscopic vision,” including many opinions and viewpoints. A good leader also needs to know when to step forward and when to step back and allow others to take the lead, she said. “Some pieces look different depending on how you turn the lens,” Green said of her philosophy. “It looks different with new information.”

When asked for her definition of an exemplary school, Green said it is one that is “child-centered and has a high expectation for success” and one that brings arts, athletics and academics together for a well-rounded experience. “I’ve always focused on what’s best for the child with academics to match,” she said.

In terms of budget issues, she said those are the toughest things for a superintendent to tackle. “It’s a challenge across America,” she said. Green noted that she always puts academics and children first and advocates “using a scalpel, not a machete” in making cuts. She also said she advocates cutting, not eliminating programs, because “once you eliminate good programs, they rarely, if ever, come back.”

Green has served in her current post in the North Allegheny School District since May 2002. She has experience on national, state and local levels in the areas of instructional leadership, administrative and organizational management, labor management, instructional improvement and issues of diversity and multiculturalism. A main focus under her leadership in North Allegheny has been work on the district’s Strategic Plan – something that the Ann Arbor Public Schools community has used in operating the district since 2007.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from the University of Maryland, a Master of Education degree in Human Development Education from the University of Maryland’s Institute for Child Study, and a doctorate in Education Policy, Planning, and Administration from the University of Maryland.

Prior to her superintendent positions, she has worked as a teacher, principal, elementary administrator, assistant superintendent and served an administrative role in special education and pupil services.

Green has been married for 35 years to Dr. Stephen I. Green, a periodontist.

During a visit to the Ann Arbor schools last spring, Green said she enjoyed meeting staff and students. “The best part of today was talking to the kids,” she said. “That’s what it’s all about, folks. It’s about the kids. They have so much to offer … having their voice spoken often.”

The new superintendent replaces Interim Superintendent Robert Allen, who has served in the post since fall; he is the district’s operations and finance chief. Previous Superintendent Todd Roberts left his Ann Arbor post last fall for an executive education position in North Carolina.

Transportation changes detailed for the 2011-12 school year

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Casey Hans

From AAPSNews Service

Changes are planned for student bus transportation in the fall of 2011. The changes were approved as part of the 2011-12 fiscal year budget that begins in July 1. Families will be notified of these updates via SchoolMessenger phone and e-mail and additional updates will be posted to the school district website.

The district will not mail the Back-to-School booklet or high school guides for students and parents in the 2011-12 year. Bus stops and times, the “Rights and Responsibility” handbook and general school information will be posted on individual school and district websites.

Forms needed for the start of the school year will also be posted on the websites for downloading. Hard copies will be available at school buildings beginning in mid-August.

Following are changes that will be made for Ann Arbor Public Schools transportation for the 2011-12 school year:

For all students:

The district will enforce the approved walk zone. There will be walk zones to .5 miles between each bus stop.
Bus seating will be to capacity: (three students to a seat for elementary students; two students to a seat for middle and high school students.)
Some bus routes will be combined, aligning them from feeder schools to the next destination.

Middle School transportation:

No after-school 4 p.m. bus service at the middle schools.

High school transportation:

There will be common bus pick-up sites for high school students at select elementary schools, determined by the 1.5-mile walk-zone radius to each high school as well as factoring in safety.
Common bus stops will also be instituted around the outer “ring” of the district to accommodate students who do not live near an AAPS elementary school.
More specifics will be sent to families this summer about bus stop locations.
There will be no seventh-hour bus service at the high schools.

Dickinson-Kelley retires after 38 years, most recently as deputy

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Casey Hans

From AAPSNews Service

Deputy Superintendent for Instructional Services Lee Ann Dickinson-Kelley is retiring June 30 from the Ann Arbor Public Schools after 38 years of dedicated service.

In a end-of-year note to the community, Interim Superintendent Robert Allen recognized her accomplishments and thanked her for the excellent leadership and service she has provided.

Dickinson-Kelley began her career with the Ann Arbor Public Schools as a teacher consultant at Northside Elementary School then moved on to teach Language Arts/World Cultures at Forsythe Middle School where she stayed for 12 years before moving into administration.

Lee Ann Dickinson-Kelley in February 2011 during a visit to the district from the U.S. Department of Education at Pioneer High School. Dickinson-Kelley leaves the district this week after 38 years as teacher, principal and administrator.

She served as principal of Pittsfield and Angell elementary schools then moved into central administration as assistant superintendent for elementary education. During the 2010-11 school year, she has served as deputy superintendent for instructional services.

Allen said he is especially grateful for her time as deputy as he led the district during this time of transition. “Whatever Lee Ann takes on, she gives it her all and always keeps a strong focus on what is best for students,” he said.

Dickinson-Kelley implemented a balanced literacy program for primary grades years ago and oversaw its expansion into the higher grades along with other reading intervention strategies, Allen said. She chaired a committee that developed a food allergy handbook that has received national recognition and accolades.

“She has always recognized the importance of early childhood development programs and was instrumental in getting the Preschool and Family Center built, which opened in 2006,” he noted.

Two years ago, she brought Spanish language instruction to elementary students through a partnership with the University of Michigan School of Education. In addition, she developed an elementary humanities strand and brought in enrichment coordinators for each elementary cluster. She also was responsible for administering and reporting of state and federal grants as well as coordinating, designing and reporting on School Improvement Plans.

“She did all this in addition to her day-to-day duties as an administrator and manager. She is an extraordinary educator, visionary and leader,” Allen added. “She has been a pleasure to work with and her efforts have been tremendous and their effect immeasurable and far-reaching. I don’t know if we can ever thank her enough.”

Dickinson-Kelley said she was fortunate to have worked in Ann Arbor throughout her career and noted that “being an educator was not simply what I did for 38 years, but who I am. My profession chose me as much as I chose it.” She said she is looking forward to spending more time with family.

“I have been rewarded a million times over by the opportunity to do the good work and serve our community,” she said in a note to staff. “That is all I ever aspired to. I’m very thankful I can look back and say I made a small difference in the life of a child.”

Allen Elementary students, parents leave colorful legacy with tile mural

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Casey Hans

By Casey Hans
AAPSNews Service

A wall of color adorns the front hall at Allen Elementary School thanks to the artistic endeavors of every child in the school.

Fourth- and fifth-graders with Allen Elementary art teacher Debra Campbell, who helped students create the artwork that was made into tiles and used in a mural in the front hallway.

Flowers, fish, snails, trees and other gifts of nature are depicted in the all-school project, which has 396 tiles in all and was unveiled during the last week of school.

The tile mural was the idea of parents Amy and Brodie Burris and Lanette and Keoki Williams, who worked with art teacher Debra Campbell to plan and create the masterpiece. The work will be tied into the school’s 50th anniversary celebration in the fall as a special project, said Principal Joan Fitzgibbon.

“It was a huge undertaking,” Fitzgibbon said. “The important thing is showcasing the student talent and the fact that every kid is represented up there.”

Students created artwork in Campbell’s class on 8” x 8” squares. The drawings were then sent to Square 1 Art, an art fundraising company that creates the tiles and also can put student artwork on mugs, T-shirts and other items that are sold to parents, with a portion of proceeds coming back to the school.

The Allen Parent Council paid for every child’s artwork to be made into a tile and the additional fundraising sales helped to defray the cost of the tile mural, which cost about $3,800 total.

A contractor was hired to put up a board and frame and the four parents laid out the tiles, installed them and grouted them to a beautiful finish; they also painted the background wall red to make the tile mural pop, Fitzgibbon said. Having the tile on the board will allow the artwork to be moved should there ever be renovation in that portion of the school, she added.

Williams, who has children in the fifth and third grades at Allen, said it has been fun to see the students stop at the wall and find their own tiles. “The thing I’m most proud of is every child is represented,” she said. “That was the reason we funded it.”

Kindergarteners did sunflowers, first graders fish or snails, second graders butterflies, third graders flowers, fourth graders winter trees and fifth-graders branching patterns. “We just drew inspiration from different things,” Campbell said. “Kids naturally enjoy nature so that’s a hook.”

Allen student Eric said he enjoyed the trees-in-the-winter theme. “I enjoyed doing mine,” he said. Classmate Cloe, said she gained inspiration from looking at photo. “I like how everyone’s turned out really different,” she said.

Kiele, another young artist, said she “liked the idea of the branching pattern and the different ideas you could do off of it.” And student Cam said his favorite part of the project, was the ability to use bright colors individually to create the large, finished project.

Included in the Allen display are tiles in memory of Fitzgibbon’s father and also of Robert Kooistra, the grandfather of an Allen student, who had volunteered numerous hours at the school as an unofficial gardener, beautifying the school grounds. He passed away in January.

Ann Arbor Alumni site connects district with graduates and friends

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Casey Hans

Site launched in the fall, new items added on daily basis

From AAPSNews Service

Kristin Kelley Howard, a Huron High School graduate, manages the AAPS Educational Foundation's alumni website.

Are you an Ann Arbor Public Schools grad? Employee? Friend? All are welcome to visit and register at the new Ann Arbor alumni website, which has started to take off since its soft launch last fall.

Organizers at the Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation, which makes the site possible, say although the site is still developing, they’re putting the word out so that anyone with an interest in district can find it, sign up and begin networking and finding their long-lost friends.

The site is managed through the AAPSEF and is coordinated by Kristin Kelley Howard, a 2001 Community High School graduate and the daughter of Jerry and Diana Kelley, Jerry a retired AAPS principal and teacher and Diana who still works for the district in the Physical Properties and Operations Department.

Howard likens it to some of the larger websites that allow people to find former classmates, but “it’s only for the Ann Arbor schools, so it’s personalized and it’s free,” she said.

“I think a lot of it is for the events, the reunions, as well as what’s going on at the schools. All kinds of news,” said Howard, a freelance web designer.

Only members at AnnArborAlumni.org have access to information about other members and posted information can also be limited by preferences when you sign up. Members can also use photo avatars, if they so choose. Home addresses are taken, but not published on the site. Registration asks for a visitor’s name, year of graduation, school and an optional paragraph about yourself.

Wendy Correll, executive director of the AAPS Educational Foundation, said the site is a welcome addition to offer information to the Ann Arbor Public Schools educational community.

“We wanted to sponsor this site as a way to bring people interested in the schools together at one, online location,” Correll said. “We wanted to have a simple place for those interested in our schools to connect. We hope to see it grow as friends, graduates and staff and retirees discover it.”

“We were fortunate to have had the Ann Arbor Convention and Visitors Bureau sponsor the site during its early stages. ”

In recent months, Howard has added a variety of feeds including ongoing news posts from local news outlets, the AAPSNews and also added a Facebook group page to encourage activity. There are links to school pages and ways for members to contact each other and search for people with whom they’ve lost touch. The site has a message board for members where they can post class notes, ask questions and suggest jobs for other alumni.

*“I’ve been adding and updating the site on a daily basis or whenever things come up,” she said.

She hopes visitors will send their feedback. “If people would send us suggestions of what they would like to see on the site we can consider adding it,” Howard added. She noted that she would also welcome any alumni who would like to help build the site and offer suggestions in that vein.

One of Howard’s newer projects is looking for scanned versions of Ann Arbor high school yearbooks, which she has started posting on the site. Eventually, she will have software installed where site members can upload their own photos and yearbook pages for others to view. For now, she has collected a 1937 yearbook from Ann Arbor High School and a number of Community High School yearbooks from the 1980s and 1990s.

There is a calendar link on the front page of the site listing all of the different events in date order. “This way, people can see all of the events in one place without needing to scroll through several different months to see what is coming up,” Howard said.

Those who are organizing and promoting Ann Arbor high school reunions can send an e-mail to Howard and she will post both information about reunions and Web links if groups have separate event websites.

Organizers are also considering using sponsorships on the site that would be related items including class reunion ads, local business sponsors and other selected groups. There are currently more than 140 members signed up for the site, but Howard is hoping that number will grow as alumni and other friends find out about it.

Howard is also seeking suggestions for alumni who could be featured on the site on a regular basis in short profiles. Eventually, the plan is to allow members to sign up for a regular newsletter.

One interesting piece that anyone visiting AnnArborAlumni.org can view is a Google map that pinpoints where current members are located (no addresses are listed.) Visitors will see that members live around the world.

Details: visit AnnArborAlumni.org. A link to Howard’s e-mail can be found toward the bottom of the page where she is listed as the site manager. She welcomes suggestions and information to be posted. “I hope visitors will share it with their friends and social media networks too,” she added.

Online county program shows high school students the WAY

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Casey Hans

By Casey Hans
AAPSNews Service

Ask Debra Destefani what high school program has worked for her. This 17-year-old Pittsfield Township resident has a ready answer.

WAY Washtenaw Team Leader Jennifer Hart and Ann Arbor student Debra Destefani at the lab at Stone High School.

She is enrolled in the WAY Washtenaw program, a 365-day, online countywide high school program that uses team leaders, mentors, subject experts and regular labs to teach students.

Previously a Community High School student, Destefani said this alternative approach is better suited to her needs, allowing her to do her project-based school work, studying in ways that work for her while she holds down a part-time job.

“I’m self-motivated,” she said. “I think maybe it’s all about mindset and attitude. I guess I can be myself – it allows me to focus on what I like and at the same time get credit for it. I felt like I would get swept away in a crowd (at a traditional school.)”

Widening Advancements for Youth Washtenaw is run through the Washtenaw Intermediate School District, with individual districts participating by purchasing seat time in the program. In its pilot year in 2010-11, the program had 240 students from 10 Washtenaw districts enrolled; in the coming year, it will expand to a full program and add more students, bringing the total served to as many as 420.

Students work in the WAY Washtenaw lab at Stone School.

There will be only one base lab for the program at Willow Run in the coming year due to budget cutbacks, but labs will also be scheduled regularly at public library sites around the county, including Mallets Creek and downtown Ann Arbor branches to accommodate students here.

The program must follow the same guidelines as traditional high schools in meeting the requirements of the Michigan Merit Curriculum. Team Leader Jennifer Hart – in a role that she said would be comparable to a principal in a traditional high school – said the alternative WAY is challenging.

“Projects are not easy – we want there to be rigor and relevance,” said Hart, a former English teacher and literary coach who oversees Destefani and many of the other Ann Arbor students in the program. “In order to receive a diploma, they have to prove they are proficient in all of the areas to pass.”

Students in the program are referred to as “researchers” and, in addition to team leaders and mentors, there are experts available in key subject areas and technicians who can help with the technical issues learning in an online, computer-based program. Before being accepted into the program, families must apply and home visits are conducted. The program carried a waiting list of students this year.

Hart said Destefani is a great success story of the program. She came into WAY Washtenaw having only earned four credits over two years, which is well below what is needed to graduate over four years. Destefani said she just didn’t go to class and fell behind. WAY Washtenaw has changed her approach and her attitude. She has already finished 6.5 credits since the fall – about one per month – and is moving along in the program so quickly, she will be on target to graduate in December 2012 – the year she would have graduated with her classmates at Community.

Hart said team leaders play many roles: principal, counselor and truant officer, among others. They are responsible for tracking students online and, if they have not logged in and worked in any given day, they are called and, sometimes, get unannounced home visits. Another team leader, Sean Fountain, said he is always on call and more often communicates with his students via cell calls or text messages.

At a recent information session for WAY Washtenaw, parents and students were eager for more information on this alternative program that targets students who either have already dropped out of high school, are at risk of doing so or are attending school but not on track to graduate with their class.

The program generally serves students who are 15 or older, and they must finish the program by Aug. 31 after they turn 20. Students who complete the WAY Washtenaw program receive a diploma from their home districts; this spring, three earned diplomas thanks to this program.

Monique Uzelac, director of instructional technology for the Ann Arbor Public Schools, has been one of the key persons setting up the program at the WISD and was involved with interviewing and hiring staff and interacting with families as they were interviewed to be part of the inaugural program.

She said the program is off to a strong start and gives students a solid approach for achieving the credits they need to graduate. Depending on the topic, in one collaborative project, students can earn credits toward English, social studies and science, for example.

“In Washtenaw County, almost 650 students drop out each year,” Uzelac said. “This program has been successful at pulling students up who are falling behind and becoming discouraged and also at returning students to the classroom who have given up hope.”

And what is Destefani’s future? She loves to write essays and plans to attend college, hoping to follow in her father’s footsteps as a writer and editor.

Clemente students’ alternative history text gets published

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Casey Hans

826michigan project now available

From 826michigan staff

High school history classes often study the nations and civilizations of our past. Over the last year, students at Ann Arbor’s Roberto Clemente Development Center have been taking a good look at their own futures.

Roberto Clemente teacher Terry Carpenter with his students last fall as they began work on their alternative history book.

The students’ written predictions and reflections have been collected in the book “2020: Visions of the (Near) Future.” The professionally-bound volume published by 826michigan and printed at Dexter’s Thomson-Shore, is the result of a year-long residency with the local writing, publishing and tutoring nonprofit’s staff and volunteers.

The project began in September 2010 as an alternative history “textbook” in which students would describe imagined departures from the historical record. Read about the project here: (826michigan picks Ann Arbor as centerpiece project for 2nd year.)

Clemente teacher Terry Carpenter invited 826michigan staff and volunteers into his classroom to help encourage his students to express themselves creatively and engage with history.

“I told the students ‘if you know and understand the past, you will have more power to determine your future ,” said Carpenter. Rather than purely examining the past, the Clemente students wrote narratives and scenes from their own future as well.

826michigan Americorps Member Katie Jones explains: “students who struggled to speculate on alternative histories had little trouble creating futures for themselves. A course like Terry’s is designed to equip students with an understanding of how the present day came to be and how to channel that understanding into changing the world.”

To celebrate the release, 826michigan distributed free copies of the book to its authors and threw a party in their honor. Copies of the hardcover book were handed out during the special book release party. Students read excerpts from their favorite pieces and reflected on the transformational process. “They made me feel a lot better about my writing. I’m not scared to write anymore,” said one.

Clemente Principal Ben Edmondson congratulated the students on their recent accomplishment and the progress they have made this year. “If you believe in yourself you can create something like this. It’s been a tremendous year, I couldn’t be more proud and I’m excited to read these stories,” he added.

“2020: Visions of the (Near) Future” is available for sale at Liberty Street Robot Supply and Repair on 115 East Liberty St. in downtown Ann Arbor. Proceeds support free student programming, including in-school writing residencies, at 826michigan. Details: (734) 761-3463 or visit www.826michigan.org.

Building-level Achievement Teams offer help to individual students

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Casey Hans

From AAPSNews Service

Achievement Teams have been active and working in each Ann Arbor Public Schools building over the past two school years, put in place to monitor student progress and offer assistance when struggling students need help.

The teams are comprised of teachers, administrators and other staff who meet regularly in each school to assess the needs of individual students in their school buildings.

Achievement Teams just finished their third year of operation in the district and more than 3,226 students have been touched through the process, according to district statistics. That number includes about half who are elementary age students and the other half secondary.

The program includes a specially designed database created by the school district that allows staff and teachers to follow a student throughout his or her career in the Ann Arbor Public Schools and find methods to help the student be more successful.

“Staff in any building you walk into, K-12, would know about the Achievement Team process,” said Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education Joyce Hunter. “Anybody who pulls that child’s name up (in the database) can see what has been done from grade-to-grade. They can see what we are doing to support that child.”

The Achievement Team process was researched for more than one year before being put into place in August 2008. It is one of many ways the school district is addressing the achievement gap by looking an individualized student plans and making changes to the culture of the school district.

‘Anybody who pulls that child’s name up (in the database) can see what has been done from grade-to-grade. They can see what we are doing to support that child.’
– Joyce Hunter, AAPS assistant superintendent for secondary education

This process is part of the district’s ongoing Strategic Plan, specifically part of Strategy 2, which looks at personalized learning plans for individual students as well as other strategies which look at equity and eliminating achievement gaps.

The district is also working toward implementing an overall Achievement Gap Elimination Plan, which was discussed at the board committee level in the fall and, more recently, during a full board study session on June 15, when a first reading of the plan was presented. It is being reviewed by building-level School Improvement Teams and Equity Teams before being posted on the district website.

Interim Deputy Superintendent for Instructional Services Lee Ann Dickinson-Kelley shared achievement data and told the board that the plan would raise expectations and achievement of all students while the district focused on improvements in specific groups.

She said the Achievement Teams are part of this process and play a great role. “Students are making greater progress,” she said. She noted that the Achievement Teams are serving the general student population better and that they have reduced referrals into special education.

Dickinson-Kelley leaves the district at the end of this month, retiring after 38 years with the Ann Arbor Public Schools. She said she is pleased that many initiatives addressing student achievement are being put in place and will continue on after her retirement. “We are positioned to do very good things,” she said of Ann Arbor.

The Achievement Teams assist general education students who need extra attention during their educational careers in the Ann Arbor Public Schools. Hunter said before rolling the program out, she visited each school twice and then brought staff into a central location so that they could share information with each other.

Hunter said the number of students served by the Achievement Team varies by building – “some did a lot (with it) right away, others didn’t know how to schedule it and figured out how to do it,” she said. This spring, the district will assess how the program is being used, she said.

The district’s Informational Technology and Instructional Services departments worked together to design the special database being used by the Achievement Teams, piloting it last year and putting it into place in the 2010-11 school year.

The database follows each child needing assistance through their years in the district so that anyone can view the history, notes and other interventions done over the years.

The idea for the database is that it will carry over from grade to grade, Hunter said. “We’ll be able to see trends that might merit a closer look.”

Overall, the program has been well received in the schools. “I think it’s going well,” Hunter said. “The idea that these students are getting much more personal attention – that’s not been something we’ve done in the past. It’s going to continue on.”

School Bells: Session scheduled for prospective school board candidates

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Casey Hans

An information meeting has been scheduled for prospective candidates for the Ann Arbor Board of Education. The session will be at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, June 30, 2011 at the Balas Administration Building, 2555 S. State St., Ann Arbor.

The next Ann Arbor Public School Election will be Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011.

At this informal session, representative board members Deb Mexicotte, Glenn Nelson and Susan Baskett will talk about the roles and responsibilities of school board members. Persons interested in becoming a candidate and who would like to know more about what it means to serve on the Board of Education should consider attending this session.

Two four-year terms, expiring Dec. 31, 2015 will be on the Nov. 8 ballot (All terms begin Jan. 1, 2012.)

The filing deadline for open seats on the AAPS board is 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2011, File at the Election Division of Washtenaw County Clerk’s Office, 200 N. Main St/, Ann Arbor. (Candidates wishing to withdraw will have until 4 p.m. Aug. 19 or their names will automatically appear on the ballot.)

Petitions may be picked up from the Washtenaw County Clerk Office, Election Division. Filing must be done at the Clerk’s Office (not AAPS). For more information, call 222-6730 or visit online.

Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2011 is the last day to register to vote for the November General Election..

An AAPS candidate forum will also be planned for sometime in August, date yet to be determined.

3 join AAPS Educational Foundation Board

Three new members have joined the Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation Board of Directors. Martin Bouma, Barbara Eichmuller and Collyer Smith join the board this summer and serve for 3-year terms.

Bouma is a local Realtor and President of The Martin Bouma Group. He has one child in the Ann Arbor Public Schools at Haisley Elementary and his youngest will enter kindergarten there this fall. He believes very strongly in the importance of a healthy public school system: “A strong public school system is an integral part of the local economy – having the ability to attract the talent necessary for continued economic growth in Washtenaw County. With all of the challenges to our local school systems (state funding cuts, losing students to private schools, economic disparities, etc.) it’s more important than ever that local leaders stay in the forefront of promoting a strong school system.”

Eichmuller is an associate broker with the Charles Reinhart Company. She attended Pattengill, Tappan and Pioneer. On joining the board, Eichmuller calls for the involvement of individuals to support our schools: “I believe it is critical that at this point in time when funding for education is being cut from all directions that citizens at large participate in funding programs however and wherever possible. We must have high quality educational programs to attract new business and new jobs to the Ann Arbor area.”

Smith works for the Bank of Ann Arbor and is a longtime supporter of the Educational Foundation. His son is a high school student with dual enrollment at Community and Pioneer High Schools. According to Collyer, “You can talk about public education, or be engaged in it. My preference is engagement.”

18 AAPS students earn special scholarships

Eighteen Ann Arbor Public Schools students have been awarded scholarships administered by the Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation. At senior banquets, athletic events and end-of-year ceremonies, these students were recognized for their accomplishments:

Haley MeLampy, Pioneer High School, Evy Eugene Mavrellis Student Leadership Award
Kieana Watts and Darrel Nubin Jr., Haisley Elementary, Peter Stamos Memorial Scholarship
Zach Juliar, Pioneer High School, Dorothy M. Russell Scholarship
Max Brown, Community High School, Rick Burgess Memorial Scholarship
Tiffany Cole, Pioneer High School, Alex Tons Scholarship Award
Chi Tran, Huron High School, Taylor Calhoun Outstanding Cheerleading Scholarship
McKinlee Ward and Margaret Peggy Wu, Huron High School, Sunshine Awards for women’s Soccer and Tennis respectively
Michelle Garcia, Pioneer High School, Kacee Cronk Scholarship
Garrett Wood and Gilad Eisbruch, Community High School, Jill Donellan Award
Christina Allen-Pipkin, Huron High School, Lisa Ann Gallagher Award
Alissa Pace, Pioneer High School, Robert E. Lewis Jr. Award
Noam Zimet, Pioneer High School, Clara Goodrich Award
Ellen Shen, Ellen Sauer, Dyami Bomia and Adira Cohen, Women’s Symphony Fund Scholarships for Summer Music Camps

The Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation maintains these funds, and the award process, as a community service. Most of the awards memorialize outstanding students and faculty of the Ann Arbor Public Schools.

DFCU donates another $10,000, pledges money for new accounts

DFCU Financial has committed to another $10,000 to the Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation for 2011. This follows an initial $10,000 donation earlier this year as part of the credit union’s commitment to support public education in the communities where it has branches through its Schools and You program.

From May 16 to Aug. 30, 2011, DFCU Financial will donate $25 for new deposit accounts opened or loans closed at one of its five Ann Arbor area branches. Loans must close prior to Aug. 30, 2011; accounts must remain open until August 30, 2011. Maximum donation is $50 per member. Details at their website.

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July events at Nicola’s Books

Nicola’s Books is a sponsor of the AAPSNews website. We publish activities from the store on a monthly basis. For details of events, visit their website.

Weekly Story Time at 11 a.m. on Saturdays – An experienced teller spins yarns for the 7 & under set.
Saturday, July 16, 2 p.m. – Author Jim McGavran will have a reading and discussion of his new book “In the Shadow of the Bear: A Michigan Memoir.” In this alternately frank and lyrical memoir the author returns, after a 40-year absence, to the site of his childhood summer vacations at Little Glen Lake in northwestern Lower Michigan’s Leelanau peninsula.
Monday, July 18, 7 p.m. – Local author Harry Dolan introduces his second mystery featuring David Loogan, “Very Bad Men”. David Loogan is living in Ann Arbor with Detective Elizabeth Waishkey and her daughter, Sarah. He’s settled into a quiet routine as editor of the mystery magazine “Gray Streets”-until one day he finds a manuscript outside his door. It begins: “I killed Henry Kormoran.”
Tuesday, July 19, 7 p.m. – Michigan author Bonnie Jo Campbell, National Book Award and National Book Critics Circle Award finalist for “American Salvage”, will be at Nicola’s with her new novel “Once Upon a River. Sixteen-year-old Margo Crane, a beauty whose unflinching gaze and uncanny ability with a rifle have not made her life any easier. After the violent death of her father, in which she is complicit, Margo takes to the Stark River in her boat, with only a few supplies and a biography of Annie Oakley, in search of her vanished mother. But the river, Margo’s childhood paradise, is a dangerous place for a young woman traveling alone.
Wednesday, July 20, 7 p.m. – Local author Gregory Fournier will be here for a reading and signing of his novel “Zug Island: A Detroit Riot Novel”, a Huck Finn-meets-heavy-industry tale about a suburban white kid who gets a crash course in race relations. Set in 1967 against a backdrop of industrial blight and urban decay, the book follows Jake Malone and Theo Semple as they stumble in and out of rhythm on Detroit’s mean streets to discover that the face of racism comes in every shade of color.
Thursday, July 21, 7 p.m. – Scott Sparling will be at Nicola’s with his debut novel featuring train-hopping, drug-dealing lowlifes, “Wire to Wire.” While riding a freight car through Detroit, Michael Slater suffers a near-fatal accident–a power line to the head. After recovering, he tries to lead a quiet life in the desert, but his problems just follow him. Slater returns to his native Michigan to seek out his old train-hopping pal, only to find that the Pleasant Peninsula of his youth is none too pleasant
Saturday, July 23, 2 p.m. – Local author Carrie Harris will be at Nicola’s for a launch party to celebrate the release of her new book for children ages 12 & up, “Bad Taste in Boys.” Someone’s been a very bad zombie. Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steriods are having an unexpected effect, turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless flesh-eating zombies. It’s up to Kate and her friends to save the their town and stay hormonally human.
Tuesday July 26, 7 p.m. –Nicola’s Books hosts a panel discussion with Jacqueline Carey, Jim Hines and Sarah Zettel on current trends in science-fiction and fantasy novels. All panelists have new books coming out.
Book releases:
•    Jacqueline Carey will release the final Naamah book, “Naamah’s Blessing”, on June 29.
•    Jim Hines will release his new Princess novel, “The Snow Queen’s Shadow” on July 5.
•    Sarah Zettel’s new book, the first in a new series, “A Taste of the Nightlife: A Vampire Chef Mystery”, will release on July 5.

View more district achievements at “This Week in the Ann Arbor Public Schools” published through the superintendent’s office.

Open house for Ann Arbor student-built home 1-5 p.m. Sunday

Posted on June 17, 2011 by Casey Hans

The Ann Arbor Student Building Industry Program Open House is scheduled for Sunday, June 19, 2011 from 1-5 p.m. at the newest student-built house at 2370 Earl Shaffer Court.

The house is in the Sumerset neighborhood, located between Nixon Road and Pontiac Trail just north of Dhu Varren Road on the southern edge of the Foxfire Subdivision. (Take Birchwood drive north off Dhu Varren and make an immediate right onto Earl Shaffer Court.)

“It truly has been a great year and I am so very proud of our young people and all they have accomplished,” said Instructor John Birko. The program celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2009-10.

For more about the Ann Arbor Student Building Industry Program, visit their website or see this previous article in the AAPSNews. Take a virtual tour of the student-built neighborhood here.

Carpenter memories: New yearbook offers students a year in review

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Casey Hans

By Casey Hans
AAPSNews Service

Students at Carpenter Elementary School will receive a special memento of their school year this week, as each get a copy of a new, student-produced yearbook.

Carpenter fifth-graders work on the school's first yearbook, editing individual class pages and photos. Each student received a copy of the book this week.

The 60-page book features individual class pages and special photo spreads of events either taken by the fifth-graders who produced it, their advisers or from photos submitted by staff, students and families. They even left room for students to have their friends sign the books.

The project was coordinated by fifth-grade teacher Natasha York and art teacher Meredith Giltner and parent Pam Powell who worked as the yearbook adviser for the school’s first Yearbook Club.

“They’re learning desktop publishing. They’re learning photography. It’s a great teamwork thing,” said Powell.

A Carpenter student prepares to print a proof as the club is in final production for their yearbook.

She said the project also taught fifth-graders how to deal with teachers by making appointments and interacting with them on the project as they planned the book. It also connected the older students with younger students at Carpenter as they took photos.

“This was our big adventure this year,” said York, who leaves Carpenter at the end of this school year to become the new principal at Thurston Elementary School in the fall. “My big thing was for them to connect with other kids in the building. They have to get to know all the kids for this project.”

“Miss York had the idea – we really wanted a yearbook,” explained Emily. Added Maryam: “We got to put it together ourselves – it’s really fun.” Kaleb said his favorite part of the project was running around the school, taking candid photos of fellow students.

Student worked in teams and were each assigned a classroom, where they visited, coordinated with individual teachers and took headshots of each student. They then laid them out and had the teachers proof the pages to ensure that they had put the correct names with the photos.

Students worked in teams to collect photos and information for the book.

Events such as the school’s spring Field Day, class trips and all major school events are part of the book. “We wanted it to be representative of the entire school,” Powell added.

Students wrote and obtained a grant from the Ann Arbor Youth Council, an award from the Ann Arbor PTO Thrift Shop and an ad from the shop, which helped to increase the budget. Malloy, an Ann Arbor printer, offered to print and bind the books for $2.19 each, which fell within the project’s budget. Powell said there is even a bit of seed money for others to take the project over next year.

“It gives them a nice focus and the teamwork is important,” added Powell. “They’re really working together.”

Huron freshman’s T-shirts bring hope, dollars to friends in Japan

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Casey Hans

Sale of shirts spreads to other schools, raises more

By Emily Hsiao
AAPSNews Service

When Huron High School freshman Andy Hsiao heard about the Japan earthquake and tsunami two months ago, he had a different reaction from many people. Instead of fear and desperation for the people of Japan, he had ideas about how he could help.

Huron High School students wearing the T-shirts of hope: Katie Yeatts, Mariam Souweidane, Jack Petersen, Tanner Ward, Gary Huang, Alex Weigel, Kevin Mei, Owen Veeser and Andy Hsiao. (Courtesy, Kevin Masini)

Hsiao, who has friends and family in Tokyo, immediately turned to them for advice: “What do you need? What do the people in Sendai need?” His sister emailed Rotary clubs in both Tokyo and Sendai, an area devastated by the tsunami, asking them what foreigners specifically could do to help.

Pioneer's student council holding up their message of hope "Go Japan!" to the victims of Sendai and other afflicted areas. (Courtesy, Pioneer High School Student Council)

Tokyo replied with a project sending messages of hope over Twitter to victims and Sendai – just a month ago – confirmed that what they need is not blankets, first-aid kits, or food, but funding.

His T-shirts are in Japanese. They read, “Ganbare, Nihon!” which roughly translates into “Fight on, Japan!” Ascott Printing in Ann Arbor printed the shirts locally at a discount. The goal of the T-shirts, according to Hsiao, was to not only benefit Japan through funding, but also show the Japanese how much people here in the United States are supporting them.

The shirts were marketed through social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter and caught the attention of students at Huron, Pioneer, Community and Skyline high schools and alumni. He even got a few orders from Arizona, Tokyo, Florida and Okemos.

Soon, the T-shirts became a community effort throughout Ann Arbor. Daniel Huang, Aaron Brodkey, Emily Gucwa, Danny Langa, Stephanie Liu, Hoai An Pham, Ben Walsh, Gary Huang and Davis West were among the first who volunteered to pitch in. Each of them, in turn, recruited more students to help. In the next two months, the Pioneer Student Council and students from Huron, Skyline, and Community sold T-shirts at each of their respective schools.

The navy-colored T-shirts were spotted frequently around town. Students immediately wore them to school, encouraged friends to buy them, and even bought extras for siblings and friends. Those who did not want a T-shirt donated their money towards the cause.

“It’s great to see how much people care about the Japan and the citizens of Japan,” says Hsiao. “It’s especially great that the entire community volunteered to not only buy, but help sell and spread the word. Even when the economy is down, people are still willing to help those in need.”

In all Ann Arbor high schools, 443 shirts have been sold so far, raising $2,436.50. One hundred percent of the profits from Hsiao’s T-shirts will go to the Rotary Japan Disaster Recovery Fund, which will then be allocated to Rotary clubs in afflicted areas. Each individual community will use the money as they see fit to rebuild their lives.

Pioneer and Huron students also sent in photos of themselves with their “messages of hope” to Japan via Tokyo’s Twitter project.

Hsiao’s T-shirt fundraiser was one of the many community efforts Ann Arbor college and high school students put together for victims of the Japan disaster. Huron High School student Kaily Daida encouraged students to buy and fold thousands of paper cranes, Eastern Michigan University students Christine Gallarin and Joanna Rew designed their own T-shirts of hope, and University of Michigan students put together fundraiser after fundraiser to gather as much funding as possible. The profits from their efforts went to the Japanese Red Cross.

Anyone interested in purchasing a T-shirt can contact Andy Hsiao via e-mail at andyh1996@gmail.com. He is doing a third and final order of the shirts.

Emily Hsiao is a 2009 graduate of Huron High School and attends the University of Pennsylvania where she is studying in the Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business at the Wharton School. Hsiao was active in the Rotary Interact Club at Huron and has continued her relationship with Rotary both here and abroad, which is how the family connected with the Rotary Fund for Japan. Andy Hsiao is her brother.

Survey on coyote sightings sets the pace for Skyline biology conference

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Casey Hans

By Casey Hans
AAPSNews Service

Teacher David Coupland offered his ninth-grade biology students at Skyline High School a unique opportunity this spring involving a topic much on the minds of area residents: The apparent prevalence of coyotes in populated areas such as Ann Arbor.

Two teams took the challenge: Michael Rochell, Joel Frison, Shannon Cowley and Zena Shunnar did a web-based survey of the community about coyote sightings and analyzed the data and Alexandra Lund, Danielle Sarns and Jeremy Glick studied the evolution of the coyote.

Ninth-graders at Skyline High School do a presentation about results of a survey on coyote sightings to parents on June 9.

All presented their findings at Skyline’s first Conference on Evolution of Michigan Wildlife as part of the ninth-grade ACIS I Biology classes. Their findings can also be found online at the Google Site page: https://sites.google.com/site/washtenawcoyote/home and include their survey analysis and a Google Earth map plotting the sightings.

Of the more than 200 residents responding to the survey, most said they had seen no direct effects from coyotes, though many said they wouldn’t let their children walk their dogs or let their cats out to roam at night. “They’ve been able to coexist well with humans,” noted Rochell, who plotted the coyote sightings on the Google Earth map. “A lot of people said they’re alright (with the coyotes) as long as they’re not hurting me,” added Shunnar. A total of 14 of those responding said they had lost a pet to a coyote.

The evolution project is a joint effort between Skyline and the University of Michigan Exhibit Museum of Natural History and is led by Skyline teacher Johnna Coleman with support from Kira Berman, education director at the U-M Exhibit Museum. Groups of three to four students chose an animal to research and produced an online interactive poster called a “glog” (www.glogster.com), presenting their projects to a group of parent judges on June 9.

Students share their findings about Michigan wildlife with visiting parents during the school's first Conference on Evolution of Michigan Wildlife.

The glogs selected to be among the best will be linked to the Exhibit Museum website.

Coleman said the project was designed to make learning more authentic for students, especially involving the collaboration with U-M. “We’re trying to get them to be more analytical,” she added.

A total of 425 ninth-graders took part, studying a variety of species including the least weasel.

Jonathan Shiplett, Hannah Gauss and Savannah Middleton were on a least weasel study team. Their study history of the species covered four continents and a timeline over 7 million years. “Due to forests disappearing, it reduced in size … to allow it to get into the holes of rodents,” Shiplett explained. He said he was most impressed with the least weasel being able to take down much larger animals five to 10 times its size.

Parent Kathy Shay served as one of the 50 judges for the June 9 Conference on Evolution of Michigan Wildlife at Skyline. She said she was impressed with the students’ work, but noted that some were better prepared than others; some communicated well, shook hands and introduced themselves, she said.

“I think it’s really positive,” she said. “It’s an opportunity to learn to communicate about what they’re learning. I think it’s a great idea and I really like being invited.”

Coupland said he was impressed with all of the student work, but that the coyote project broke some scientific ground. “As far as know, this data’s never been collected,” he said. “They did some science that’s not been done before.”

Freshman Joel Frison said the group stepped up for the coyote project because they thought it would be fun to work together. “It’s a big topic and a lot of people have been talking about it lately,” he said. “It was a lot of hard work, but it was definitely worth it.”

Agrarian Adventure, Chartwells, bring garden produce to cafeterias

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Casey Hans

From AAPSNews Service

Chartwells, the district’s food service provider and The Agrarian Adventure, the nonprofit volunteer organization that operates the Tappan Agrarian Garden, partnered last week to serve homegrown items directly from the garden.

The small pilot project was a first in the Ann Arbor Public Schools: Produce that had been planted by students was harvested and enjoyed in middle school cafeterias.

Seventh graders studying an Edible Ecology unit in science harvested the crop earlier in the week, which included lettuce and radishes. Students were able to sample the fresh product on Thursday and Friday. About 150 pounds of lettuce and 50 bunches of radishes were cleaned and served.

Students were encouraged to sample the school-grown food and it was also used in preparing some of the school meals, said David Lahey, director of Chartwells Food Service for the Ann Arbor Public Schools.

Lahey said Chartwells set guidelines in place under which it would use the homegrown food from Tappan and that they approached the project with great care and caution. The produce was harvested by Agrarian Adventure volunteers and students, and then was transported to Chartwells’ facility at Pioneer High School where it was cleaned and triple washed before being used in the school lunches.

Each student had a chance to try it, Lahey said. “We’re hoping to do it again in the fall.”

Radishes and lettuce were the crops picked, cleaned and served last week from the Tappan Garden.

“This is a huge deal at the national level,” said Elissa Trumbull founding board member of the Agrarian Adventure. She said it is unique that a “contracted, externally managed food service provider has served school-garden grown food in the school lunch program.”

A change in Chartwells corporate policy allowed the pilot project to take place.

“It was phenomenal,” she said of the tasting. “It’s a really good opportunity. I hope it inspires other school garden projects. It’s going to be good for the kids and good for the schools.

“We’re paving the way – that’s how I see it,” she said of the Ann Arbor effort.

Lahey said Chartwells set up policies for using produce from school gardens and Trumbull said that the same care and standards that are used in local farms are used at the Tappan garden.

Lahey said that there are school gardens throughout the Ann Arbor Public Schools and that Chartwells is looking into using produce from those gardens at those specific schools in the future. He said they would also be looking to work with the organizers of the Green Adventures Camp, run through AAPS Community Education and Recreation in the summer, to possibly use produce from that off-site garden.

The Tappan garden is run and kept going by AA volunteers, but many students and teachers participate in the venture throughout the school year. Students not only learn about gardening and healthy eating, but teachers also use the garden for a variety of lesson planning and inspiration for students.

Trumbull said she wants to recognize the support of the Agrarian Adventures partners: the Ann Arbor Womans’ Farm and Garden Association, MSU Student Organic Farm and the AAPS Farm-to-School Collaboration.

The Agrarian Adventure is seeking volunteer to water the hoop house and garden during the growing seasons on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, and Saturdays. Visit www.agrarianadventure.org for more information and to volunteer.

Cancer survivor continues push to raise money for research

Posted on June 13, 2011 by Casey Hans

2011 Relay for Life Ann Arbor
What: An annual 24-hour relay to raise money for cancer research. The goal for this event is to raise $100,000 for the American Cancer Society.
Where: Community Park on the campus of Washtenaw Community College, 4800 E. Huron River Drive.
When: Saturday, June 25 starting at 10 a.m., running for 24 hours. Thirty nine teams with 485 participants will have members on the track for the full 24-hour period and are taking pledges. A survivor celebration lap takes place at 10:15 a.m. and, at dusk, a luminaria ceremony will be conducted at the site.
New: Sign up to be part of a Cancer Prevention Study, that will allow the ACS to draw a blood sample from healthy individuals and survey you over a 30-year period to determine cancer tendencies.
Details: Visit online for information.

By Casey Hans
AAPSNews Service

When Amy McConnell visited her doctor in 1994 and had a biopsy on her breast, she could hardly believe her diagnosis. At age 28, McConnell was told she had breast cancer and subsequent surgery showed that she had involvement in two lymph nodes.

Amy McConnell, a breast cancer survivor for 17 years, walks in a past Relay for Life. She will walk in the 2011 Relay for Life Ann Arbor on June 25 at Washtenaw Community College. The fundraiser benefits the American Cancer Society and cancer research.

Now 45, the Ann Arbor Preschool & Family Center secretary is celebrating her 17th “birthday” of being cancer-free. She will go to Washtenaw Community College on June 25-26 as part of a Balas Administration Building team walking in the 2011 Relay for Life Ann Arbor, a fundraiser that benefits the American Cancer Society.

The event begins at 10 a.m. June 25 on the college campus on Huron River Drive and runs for 24 hours, where 39 teams, including the Ann Arbor Public Schools team from Balas and two from Pioneer High School, will raise money for breast cancer research.

“When I was diagnosed, I never wanted to know this much about cancer,” she said. “Going through cancer brought a different life knowledge.” She recommends to others facing cancer to “try to have a good outlook – cancer’s not contagious. Truly learn how to laugh. It will help you heal and mend.”

The hardest part of her cancer diagnosis and journey was the loss of her hair as she began six months of chemotherapy.

“That was probably the most traumatic,” she said. Once she realized her 3- and 5-year-old daughters were looking to her reaction to her health, she picked herself up and moved ahead. “Every day, I had to decide it was going to be a good day and I wouldn’t cry in front of my girls,” she said. “

Laughter and support of friends and family got her through, she said. “Seventeen years ago, a lot of people didn’t even want to use the word ‘cancer’, she said. “It was a secret. The only way I could deal with it was to make light of it. It helped as I went along. I had to minimize it – it probably helped me to deal with it and heal faster.”

McConnell has two daughters from her first marriage and another daughter with her husband, Phil McConnell, who is retired from the Ann Arbor Public Schools. Amy McConnell said she did genetic testing before having her third child to determine whether she carried a gene predisposing her to breast cancer. She does not have the gene, so said she still does not know why her cancer developed.

That is part of the reason she walks in the Relay for Life each year: to raise money for cancer research. This is her first year walking in Ann Arbor; in previous years, the Whitmore Lake resident has participated in Brighton’s Relay for Life in Livingston County.

Her older daughters are now 20 and 22. “They do the Relays with me – they’re my biggest fans,” said McConnell, who is a Huron High School graduate. And her younger daughter, who is 9, started coming to Relays with mom when she was a newborn. “She grew up knowing mommy was sick at one point and is better now,” she said. “We brought her up knowing what was going on.”

The 2011 Relay for Life Ann Arbor has already raised about $63,000 toward its $100,000 goal and that number is updated real time on the ACS website. “We’re very much on target to meet or surpass our goal in Ann Arbor this year,” said Alex Garnepudi, an American Cancer Society staff partner for the Ann Arbor event and also an Ann Arbor resident and University of Michigan graduate.

The Relay for Life Ann Arbor has taken place since 2005, after a larger Washtenaw County Relay was split into smaller community events. Garnepudi said the local approach is important. “What’s really special is that Relay comes to each community,” he said. “We want each of these communities to be able to fight back (against cancer) while keeping their local feel.”

Ann Arbor’s is one of 5,166 Relays held around the world in what has become the American Cancer Society’s signature event. It was started in 1985 by Dr. Gordon Klatt, who took pledges and walked a track in Tacoma, Washington to raise money for cancer research.

McConnell said the Relay gives the community a way to give pause and reflect. “It’s setting aside the time to say, yes I’m good, I’ve moved on. But it deserves its due. It’s a time to gather together and honor those who we have lost or those who have survived.”

On a related note, two transportation staff members from the Washtenaw Intermediate School District are working on two quilts that are being raffled by McConnell to raise additional money that will be donated to the Balas Relay team. Contact her at the preschool at mcconnea@aaps.k12.mi.us for ticket information.

Amy McConnelll is walking with a team from the Ann Arbor Public Schools Balas Administration Building. The team’s fundraising site is here. McConnell’s personal page can be found here.

This the the second year the Balas team has participated in the Relay for Life. They have 19 people signed up but are still looking for others to join the team, especially for people to walk in the early morning hours between 1-5 a.m., said Thelma Monroe, coordinator of the Balas team. Contact her via e-mail.