It has been quite a year at Haisley School!  As this will be our final all school newsletter for this year, let’s take a moment to review our school’s past and upcoming enriching experiences during the 2009-2010 school year:

• Haisley Family Picnic • Anti-Bullying Curriculum 

• Lifeskills Instruction • Make a Good Intelligent Choice Program

• 31 pre-student teachers and student teachers • 7 EMU Autism Playgroup Specialists 

• Corky Comics • Staff Challenge Program

• Hands on Museum at Haisley • Staff Crisis Training by REMS Grant

• Care Baskets for Haisley Families • Emergency Call-Out Drill

• Dads and Doughnuts • Implemented Read 180 and System 44

• Third Grade World Language • Staff Technology Training

• Constitution Day • Six fire drills

• Farmers’ Market Fieldtrips • Two Severe Weather and Lock-Down Drills

• Kindergarten Apple Orchard Trip • Staff Equity and CARE Training

• Halloween Parade • Author Maria Dismondy Assembly

• School Fall and Spring Picture Days • Fifth Grade Sight Assembly

• Jumpin Allstars Jump roping Assembly • Candy Drive for Operation Gratitude

• Food Gatherers Food Drive • Pajama Day

• Rotary Food Drive • MEAP and MEAP Access Testing

• UM Athletic Dept. Partnership • AAPD Partnership

• H-Team Performance • Thanksgiving “I Am Thankful” Assembly

• Dr. Martin Luther King Assembly • Title One Family Night

• Science Olympiad • Placemat project for A2 Breakfast Program

• Fifth grade Winter Survival • Leslie Science Fieldtrips

• Fifth grade Hospital Fieldtrip • Student art exhibited in town locations

• Detroit Ben Carson Fieldtrip • Haisley Winter Sing

• Fifth grade Cluster Concert • AAPS Literacy Specialist Parent Workshop

• BIGS (Big Brothers/Big Sisters) • Awarded AAPS Educ. Foundation Grant

• NAAPID • Awarded A2 Community Foundation Grants

• Fourth grade Disability Day • “Let’s Get Active” Program

• Hearing and Vision Screening • Forsythe Music Concerts

• “Super Scholars” Program • Book-a-Thon

• Third grade Planetarium fieldtrip • Haisley Oratorical Club

• New Book Fair • Enrichment Facilitator Math Presentations

• Used Book Fair • Haisley Helping Haiti Relief Efforts

• Fourth grade Lansing Fieldtrip • 400 pairs shoes sent to Haiti

• Culture Celebration of Africa • Pennies for Peace Effort

• Jazzistry workshops and assembly • International Potluck

• Fourth grade Gravel Pit Fieldtrip • Response to Intervention Conference

• My Access Writing for Fifth Grade • Achievement Team Training 

• FASTTMATH • Reading Buddies

• Art teacher featured at State Convention • Instrumental Music Concert

• Pioneer High Health Science Interns • Pioneer Health Science Health Mini-Fair

• Fifth grade Camp Storer • Safety Patrol

• Student Council • Ice Cream Social

• Class end of year picnics • State Assessment Writing by Haisley staff

• Third/Fourth/Fifth Pool trip • Fifth grade skating trip

• Disability Awareness Workshop • Awarded MI Council for Arts Grant

• DOME Theatre • Staff United Way Drive 

• Power Center Fieldtrips • Sphinx Fieldtrip

• Health Exploration Fieldtrip • Fifth Grade Band Saints’ Parade

• Fifth grade Homework and Math Clubs • Girl Scouts Humane’s Society Food Drive

• Lowbrow Astronomer Visit • National TV Turn Off Week

• Valentine’s Day parties • Math Night

• Ann Arbor Public Library Assemblies • Family Reading Night

• PTO Parent Coffees • PTO Staff Appreciation Breakfasts

• Positive Behavior Intervention Training • Autism Awareness Month and Staff Breakfast

• Volunteer Tea • Incoming Kindergarten Interviews

• Third grade Pond fieldtrip • Haisley Walking Club

• Haisley Walk-a-Thon • AI swim trip

• Moms and Muffins • Grandparents’ Coffee

• Second grade Library fieldtrip • Field Day

• Cobblestone Farm Fieldtrip • Ice Cream Social

• Class picnics at parks • Fifth Grade Middle School Orientation

• Summer “Think Stretch” Program • Summer Title One Program

While not every single child or adult experienced every single effort, it is clear that our year has been filled with much fun learning! These types of opportunities are attributes of a positive and functional learning community. And, the word is getting out! Since our building is quite full we are not designated to be one of the schools open to the School of Choice Program. However, we are already hearing about new families who are moving into our attendance area, who desire to join our Haisley School family. They are excited about becoming Haisley Huskies!  

Staff News

We wish the best to our retiring staff member, vocal music teacher, Mrs. Mary Smith.  Mary has provided wonderful music instruction to our students for many years. For too many times to count, our students have graced our Haisley stage sharing their developing music skills. We have so many wonderful memories of our students, from their delightful kindergarten singing, to their advanced fifth grade musicals. Mary Smith has supported their musical growth throughout the years!

We also wish to thank the diligent service of our three long term substitutes, Mr. Paul Brown in PE, Mrs. Vera Gates in Title One, and Ms. Meredith Buhalis in the Media Center/Computer Lab. They clearly stepped up to the plate to make sure our students did not lose a beat of their curriculum instruction. This past week, we also welcomed back our regular Media Specialist, Mrs. Kristin Stoops, upon her return from her maternity leave. We are all eager to meet her new baby, Charlie!

We Wish to Thank

Haisley staff has certainly been eating well lately! In recognition of April’s Autism Month, our parents provided a yummy breakfast for our staff.  The good food did not end in May, as our PTO families, under the direction of Jen Franke, is providing us a delightful Staff Appreciation Breakfast every Thursday this month. 

Our PTO, under the direction of Jada Kavanagh, is also providing helpful hygiene kits for our fifth graders just prior to their going off to Fifth Grade Camp. It can not be said we don’t consider the whole child here at Haisley! We thank our PTO and all of our Haisley families for their efforts. We will formally do this during our annual Volunteer Tea/Breakfast on Friday, May 21st at 8:00 a.m. in our Multi-Purpose Room. If for some reason you did not receive an invitation to this special event, in honor of your volunteering, please give us a call in the office, and we will get one out to you right away!

Being Responsible

We recently learned that AAPS has thus far recycled 473,550 pounds of paper this school year.  We are proud of this accomplishment, considering that our Haisley School Family contributed 20,300 pounds of that amount! This resulted in the savings of many trees, kilowatts of energy, air pollution gallons of oil, precious water, and cubic yards of dumpster space. 

We also contributed 169 pounds of food for the annual Rotary Club food collection, which yielded over 14,000 pounds overall!  Haisley families know how to meet a goal and to make a difference! 

Our required six fire drills, two severe weather drills and two lock down drills are nearly completed. The lock down drill would be used if there was an intruder in the building or there was another reason we had to take cover inside the building.  These drills are required by the state and help us to be prepared in case of an emergency. 

School Improvement Update

As with every other public school in our state, the updating of our school improvement plan is a continual process, one that involves much work on the part of our staff and also involves our Haisley SIT. This year, the state of Michigan has changed the format. In addition to four goals based on review of MEAP and report card data, the new plan will include a Vision statement, Mission statement and Belief statements. Our School Improvement Team will work on developing both our Vision and Belief Statements at our meeting on May 20. This plan will be a work in progress as we will have an opportunity to review it again in the beginning of our coming school year to reflect on end-of-year report card data and updated strategies that are developed.

Opportunities Continue

Please note that the AAPS Head Start and Great Start Readiness Preschool Programs are currently holding open enrollment for the 2010-2011 school year, now through August 18. But, do know that space is limited, so early appointments are strongly encouraged. To schedule an appointment, please call 734-994-2303.  There is free preschool for eligible low-income families. 

Recently, our staff heard a presentation from “Unite for Sight”. They shared with us two resources families can access to receive free eye exams.  The numbers to call are 877-KIDS-NOW or 800-766-4466.

826 Michigan continues to provide free tutoring for students Monday through Thursday during the school week.  They are located at 115 E. Liberty St. in Ann Arbor.  Don’t be fooled by the sign on the door that says “Robot Repair Supply”!  These tutors are knowledgeable, empathetic and effective. They will support your children with their math homework, editing and revision of writing projects, reading response letters, Social Studies and Science assignments and projects, and just about anything you can imagine or assign.  This free drop in service is provided for any student eight years and older. 

It is with pleasure that I end this last newsletter of the school year. It truly has been a memorable year.  We’ve had our accomplishments and our challenges, but those of us who maintain an optimistic attitude and work together to find solutions to our challenges, will continue to remain positive role models for our children.  When I look out at our children’s faces when we gather together for all school assemblies, I know that we are heading in the right direction.  They are engaged and enthused.  They are happy to be at Haisley School.  And, our students are what it’s ALL about. 

Have a wonderful end of the school year!