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June 2011 | Issue 3

Farwell Area Early College Offers No-Cost Degree

SAVE THE DATE When: Wednesday, August 31, 2011 Where: Farwell High School, Farwell Middle School 12:00 - 4:00: Sophomore, Junior, and Senior students will be able to come pick up their schedules and locker assignments, locate their classes, and have their pictures taken. Seniors will still need to have their photo taken for student identification. * Students who are not able to attend this day can pick up schedules on the first day of school, and have their pictures taken on a re-take day (yet to be scheduled).

Picture information can be found at www.lifetouch. com.

2:30 - 4:00: Incoming freshmen will have their pictures taken and will receive their schedules beginning at 2:30, followed by Freshman Orientation.

Yes, the headline is correct! Farwell Area Schools has received approval from the State of Michigan to open the Farwell Area Early College this fall. What this means is any area high school student who enrolls in the Early College will develop a plan that will end with an associates degree or the equivalent after a fifth year of high school. This means that in four years of high school plus one additional year, a student will graduate from high school with both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree.

The beauty of it is, attending Farwell Schools means the college credits and degree are paid in full by the school!

process to ensure our students are academically ready for a college curriculum by their junior year of high school. The process and support is there to make sure students who commit to the “early college” plan will be successful as long as they put forth the effort.

This opportunity is open to any high school student in our area. Any local high school student or home schooled student in grades 9 through 12 can apply for the Early College. Normally you must be an incoming 9, 10 or 11 grade student to enroll but since this is our first year, we are enrolling next year’s seniors as well.

With the state of the economy and financial aid being more difficult to access, this is a perfect opportunity for families to find a way for all of their children to enroll in college and earn a degree. Take the time to call Farwell Area Schools at 588-9917 to find out more information or set an appointment to enroll in the Early College. No longer do you have to worry how to pay for the first two years of college or an entire college degree. Don’t delay and call today!

For the past two years Farwell Area Schools, along with Mid Michigan Community College, has been hard at work planning and implementing the

The students pictured above are current Farwell High School students who are prepared to enroll in the Early College if they should choose. All the students pictured will have earned at least 16 credits and many will have 30 credits earned by the end of the 2011-2012 school year.

Farwell Preschool Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” This quote is certainly true for the Farwell Area Preschool program which began last fall. The program began due to a gap in options for families who did not qualify for the only other preschool in Farwell. Due to the foresight of

concerned community members, school board and administration, the Farwell Elementary offered the space and support for a new, high quality 3 and 4 year old preschool to develop. As a result, the preschool had a phenomenal year. Read more on page 11.

4:00 - 6:00: Farwell High School Open House 5:30 - 6:30: Farwell Middle School Open House 6:30: General meeting for the Middle School in the Jaime Performing Arts Center to review expectations and the Annual Report.

Seventh Graders Set Sail

This spring, a group of sixty 7th grade students set sail on the Appledore IV School Sail Ship for a 3 ½ hour journey down the Saginaw River and into the Saginaw Bay. Aboard this sail ship, students were engaged in a wide variety of learning experiences that covered several Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations for science. Thanks to Target Field Trips Grants and the Science Under Sail Scholarship Fund, this experience was free to all the students who attended. Read more on page 8.

High School The Learning Center Keeps Students on Track The State of Michigan’s Michigan Merit Curriculum mandates that all students must pass 16.5 required credits. These credits include 8 trimesters of English, 8 trimesters of Mathematics (Algebra II minimum), and 6 trimesters of Science (Physics or Chemistry minimum).

It is a challenging, but appropriate schedule for our modern-day students. The trouble arises when students are not successful the first time they attempt these difficult classes. They then have to “double-up” on the required classes. This causes two problems: One, these courses are hard when a student is taking them one or two at a time, but when he/she is required to take them three or four at a time, the difficulty increases. The other problem is that it takes time away from their electives or high interest courses.

This is why the Learning Center/Credit Recovery is so important at Farwell High School. The Learning Center is a program designed first to keep students on track in their current classes, and to avoid failure all together through a direct tutoring approach. In the unfortunate case that there is a failure, the program gives them an opportunity to make-up the credit(s) outside of the traditional school day. Once these credits are made up the student will be back on track towards graduation.

So far during the 2010-2011 school year, twenty-one (21) students have benefited from the learning center, and a total of forty-two (42) courses have been recovered. The learning center is also offering summer credit recovery as well. When students fall behind, the Learning Center has your back!

NEW ATTENDANCE POLICY FOR THE 2011-2012 SCHOOL YEAR Unexcused absence from school (truancy) is not acceptable. Students who are truant will receive no credit for schoolwork that is missed.

• After 5 days of truancy in a school year, a student will be considered a “habitual truant” which will result in a letter to parent(s)/guardian(s).

• After 10 days of truancy in a school year a letter will be sent home with a meeting time and date to discuss the student’s attendance with the student and his/her parent(s)/guardian(s).

• After 15 days of truancy in a school year a letter will be sent home to inform the student and his/her parent(s)/ guardian(s) that a meeting is required and legal authorities will be informed on the next absence concerning lack of parental responsibility in providing proper care and supervision of a child.

• After 10 consecutive days a student may be dropped from school and would be required to re-enroll with an administrative meeting prior to acceptance.

Absences are considered unexcused when: • The parent or guardian informs the school that a student is ill without doctor verification (ex: parent/guardian phone call to excuse a student) • The student skips class

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• The student is more than 5 minutes tardy to class.

The following are the only excusable reasons for absence from school and only with written verification that includes a parent signature.

• Personal Illness Doctor’s confirmation may be required at the discretion of the principal • Court Related Verification should be done prior to the absence if possible

Dual Enrollment Credits for Winter Semester Farwell’s dual enrollment for the winter semester was a huge success. In total, 126 courses were taken this past semester through MMCC with 117 passing for credit. Of those, 38 straight A’s were earned followed by 16 A-’s. Courses on Farwell’s campus included Biology 101, English 111, Mathematics 126, Speech 101, and Psychology 101. Other courses were taken on the MMCC campus. It was a successful year for our students as they earn college credit while still in high school.

Dual Enrollment and CTE Programs Grow for 2011-2012 School Year Farwell Area Schools is committed to its students and their post-secondary future. Despite difficult economic times, Farwell will offer two CTE bus routes next year in both the AM and PM. Furthermore, we will offer multiple dual enrollment courses on our physical campus here in Farwell. In a partnership with Mid Michigan Community College, Farwell will have over 100 seniors, juniors, and sophomores take at least one college course during the next year. Farwell pays all tuition and fees and also offers a book plan to pay for the textbooks. Students may pay up to 60% of the book cost. If the student earns a B or better in the course, the entire book fee is reimbursed to the student. Students who need assistance with their percentage of the book cost can apply for additional help. The number of students involved is charted below:

• Quarantine of the Home This is limited to the length of the quarantine as fixed by the proper health officials

Grade Level

Dual

CTE

Both

• Death of a Relative This must be an immediate family member

2012

35

33

15

2013

27

25

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• Observance or Celebration of an Established Religious Holiday

2014

17

• Absence During the School Day for Professional Appointments Parents are encouraged to schedule medical, dental, legal, and other necessary appointments outside of the school day when possible. The student shall report back to school immediately after his/her appointment if school is still in session • Pre-arranged and/or other absences as approved by administration on an individual basis only.

Please refer to page 27 of the student handbook for further information

Michigan Merit In the 2009-2010 school year 25% of the students in one geometry class were special education students.

Many other students in the class were students who would be considered at risk due to their past academic and attendance histories at school. These students were taking this class in order to earn a high school diploma based on the criteria set forth in the Michigan Merit Curriculum. This class was a team taught class, with a general education teacher and a special

education teacher working together to provide instruction and support to all students in the classroom. The special education students were all successful in completing this class and earning credit, which surprised them. These students took a class they thought would be too difficult for them and they rose to the challenge and excelled. The staff and the administration are very proud of these students’ accomplishments.

Farwell Area Schools

High School

Farwell Is Reaching and Teaching Freshmen Academy Repairs Computers for Community Struggling Learners

By David Adams and Jill Albaugh This year, Farwell High School decided to participate in a three year program designed to prevent dropout and to strengthen the educational experience of all our students. Farwell is participating in a Michigan Department of Education Office of Special Education initiative entitled Reaching and Teaching Struggling Learners. The program is designed to identify, track, and provide assistance and interventions for students, particularly those at risk of dropping out. Since August, a Leadership Team of Farwell High School and Timberland faculty have been attending meetings in Lansing to help implement the first year of this initiative. The current focus of the Leadership Team is on gathering data in order to identify students at risk of dropout, determine causes for dropout risks, and develop interventions for students displaying various warning signs. This year, Farwell High School has tested all

First Year - Ana Allingham A smiling face can always calm the anxiety of a first interview. I was relieved to see that when I walked into the high school office a week before the start of the 2010-2011 school year. That face smiling at me was Sara Bell, and she gave me a sense of calm. The actual interview is a blur but when I was called back for the second interview I was confident I would be spending my first year as a teacher at Farwell High School.

One of the most exciting parts in receiving this position was the opportunity to see my room. When I walked down to my room I was not expecting to be sharing it with Kelly Cotton. At first, I was nervous about being the new person and sharing a room with someone but it turned out be the best experience. Kelly has been like a school mom and has helped me a lot to make my first year a great learning experience.

Farwell Area Schools

Freshman students, and the majority of Sophmore and Junior students, in both Math Comprehension Skills and Reading Fluency and Comprehension.

This data is being used to determine students in need of extra help in these areas. The first year of the initiative has proved quite successful and has already begun to affect how Farwell approaches students at risk for dropping out. Farwell High School has laid the foundation for a reliable and useful data system.

Now that the foundations for the data system are in place, the next year of the initiative will involve a push to implement interventions and other methods for struggling students. As the Reaching and Teaching Struggling Learners initiative continues, Farwell High School will become even more adept at identifying those students who struggle and providing the help and opportunities to not only prevent them from dropping out, but to allow them to excel and become true learners.

The Farwell High School Freshmen Academy has had the amazing opportunity to work with their new technology for a full school year. These new additions have changed the way instruction is delivered, as well as the way that the students learn. So much more is hands on and technology driven. With all of this new technology comes a price, as maintenance of the technology must take place. In an effort to offset the cost of this necessary maintenance, the Freshmen Academy has decided to take desktop computers that are no longer going to be used by staff and refurbish them. These will be for sale to the community. These desktop computers are no more than five years old. The freshmen teachers will be working on these machines and they will be in great working condition by the end of June. The price is $50.00 per computer. If you are interested in purchasing one of these computers, please contact Lynette Leslie at lleslie@farwellschools.net or Kelly Cotton at kcotton@farwellschools.net. You can set up an appointment to come in and purchase one of these machines. This is a great opportunity to update your own technology, purchase a great computer for a low price, provide your children with a computer, and help support the Farwell Freshmen Academy.

Timberland Alternative High School Moves

Timberland Alternative High School is Other highlights of Timberland include moving to a new site for the 2011-12 on-line classes offered during the day school year. The new classrooms will as well as evenings. Dual enrollment, have 21st Century technology to allow Career Technical Education (CTE), for engaged and relevant learning for Work Study, GED Preparation, and all students. The new school will Credit Recovery have also proven feature over 30 laptop computers, to be successful for a variety of interactive boards and student clicker students. Timberland also offers systems, all of which we believe will free breakfast for all students and Waking up for my first day of school allow Timberland to continue to meet a free and reduced lunch program was an amazing feeling. It was our high expectations for student for qualifying students. Lastly, the a proud moment for me to know achievement. We are very excited athletic program, part of the Michigan Athletic Association that all my hard work at Central for our students’ accomplishments Alternative Michigan University had paid off. this past year with Adequate Yearly (MAAA), has not only engaged many Every day since has been filled with Progress (AYP), one of few alternative students in football, basketball, and its challenges and great success. schools in the state. Not only is this softball, but has also brought home No two days are ever the same and a complement to our students, but championship trophies as well. that for sure makes being a teacher additionally, all the highly qualified teachers that are motivated to help For enrollment information, please anything but boring. at-risk students learn, including call 989-588-9913.

Being a special education teacher foreign language. at Farwell allows me the opportunity to co-teach with a diverse group of general education teachers. This year Trevor Blain – Dropout Challenge Award Winner I have had the privilege to co-teach with Lynette Leslie, Kelly Cotton, Pam Farwell High School is proud to recognize Helfer and Amber Hubble. I have also Trevor Blain as one of Mike Flanagan’s (State had the amazing privilege of working Superintendent) Dropout Challenge Winner. with Jen Peters who is a signing aide. Trevor’s perseverance and determination She has taught me a great deal about to be successful with his academics in a improving student’s success in the challenging and rigorous curriculum has classroom and has always provided allowed him the opportunity to exceed an open ear to allow me to talk about expectations and succeed with credit-based college transition. The Michigan Department life as a special education teacher. of Education (MDE) has awarded him an Closing out my first year and looking iPad in recognition of his success and to assist him with his future endeavors. back I can say I am proud to be an Eagle.

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High School

Fine Arts & Design Musical Notes From the Band Room Web Design Students Step Up To The Challenge This past school year has brought some exciting experiences to our Instrumental Music students. The year started in the summer with a nice donation by the Band Boosters allowing the Music Department to purchase some new electronic instruments.

The purchase of those instruments opened up new opportunities not available to our students using traditional instruments. The advanced band students used the new electronic instruments to compose several pieces of their own, as well as performing alongside the traditional wind and percussion instruments. This beginning of more modern musical training will be expanded on in the upcoming school year.

Our High School students took part in several musical experiences outside of our district this year. Students went to Beaverton High School and successfully performed for judges in solo and ensemble festival. A group of High School students and Middle School students traveled to Battle Creek to experience the amazing musicians of the Brass Band of Battle Creek. Our students were able to talk with, observe and listen to the best brass players in not just America, but also Europe. These professional musicians gave classes to our students which made a huge impact on our musicians. Chris Lubs, a junior Euphonium player, summed it up as he stated in utter amazement “I just played with Steve Mead!” (Steve Mead is one of the worlds leading Euphonium players). Our students watched the BBBC rehearse on one day and then were able to see the concert on the next day.

This year we had a high number of students successfully audition for MSBO District 9’s All Star Band. These students spent many hours in preparation for the audition itself and then spent even more hours by themselves rehearsing the music so they were prepared for the final event. All of their prep payed off when all of our students and the other students from 20 other schools came together in West Branch for the large group rehearsals and performance. The students rehearsed together for 6 hours total and then performed a concert for parents family and friends under the direction of Guest Conductors.

Drama A big thank you goes out to everyone who helped support drama at Farwell High School this year. A lot of hard work went into both of the plays and the cast of each play did a great job.

Special recognition should be given to Seth Sprague, as he became the first actor to be involved in all eight plays in the Jaime Performing Arts Center during his high school career.

Congratulations to Seth and all of the other actors and actresses for a fantastic year.

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The fall play has already been chosen and tryouts are here and gone. “Mind Over Matt” is a comedy about a man and all of his egos that make him do weird and wonderful things. The conflict between all of his egos cause Matt to make a bad situation even worse. This promises to be one of our more entertaining shows in quite some time. Come see how it all turns out! Show dates are still to be determined, but will be some time at the end of November. Hope to see you all there.

Three Farwell High School web design students were given the opportunity to use their skills for a community project. These students were initially asked to update the Clare County Fair website and then eventually redesign the site to provide modern graphics and updated layout.

Using Dreamweaver and Photoshop, a top-selling web design and photo editing program, students created and submitted proposed web sites for the Clare County Fair.

One site was selected and now the students are working to modify and upload the site to the Internet.

“I enjoyed the project but found it frustrating at times because we had to constantly modify it,” Web Design student Brandon Weber commented. Greg Shimmons designed the graphics while Weber created the site’s pages.

“It was great because it meant more than just getting a grade. We had to make sure everything was accurate and detailed because a real client would be using our work,” Shimmons said.

“Once the site is up, Greg and

Woodshop The students in the woodshop had another successful year and many fine pieces were turned out. Some of the highlights included a new desk for Mr. Thompson and a new shed for the preschool. Hopefully many people in the community got the chance to check out some of the kids work at the fine arts show. We had many compliments on how talented these kids are.

We are planning something new for this next year during Fine Arts Week.

Brandon will be able to see the results of all their hard work,” Mrs. Russell, Web Design instructor commented.

“This is a great opportunity for them to actually see what goes into publishing a site for a real client.”

Web design has been taught at Farwell High School for several years now. Students are taught

HTML coding, Microsoft Front Page, Dreamweaver, and Flash Animation in order to produce quality web sites.

“The classroom gives the students the skills, but having an actual business to design for is the ultimate education,” Russell concluded. “It’s a great chance for them to experience the entire creative process. I’ve already had students asking if they can help with the Fair’s website next year.”

We had many people asking if they could buy some of the projects during the week of the show. Unfortunately, everything was spoken for this year.

For this next year however, we will be having a silent auction during Fine Arts Week. People will be able to bid on pieces that they are interested in. Details will be released later, but plan on this occurring on either the Friday or Saturday of the spring play production. We are also hoping to have a drawing to give away one of the projects. Thank you for all of the interest in our woodshop program.

Farwell Area Schools

High School

Yearbook and Graphic Design Students Team Up Farwell High School is fortunate to have several students who excel in computers and graphic technology.

Throughout the year, students were asked to use their skills to assist others, both at the high school and in the community.

This year, the Yearbook class and Graphic Design class worked together to help all students experience the tradition of senior pictures. While creating the senior pages for the Yearbook, the editors noticed some students had not turned in photos.

After compiling a list, the two elective classes worked together to offer all students the chance to have senior pictures taken and published in the yearbook.

Using their incredible computer talent, students in the Graphic Design class took simple pictures

of the listed students and created senior pictures for them, free of cost! Design students used photo touch-up skills to change skin tones, whiten teeth, correct flaws, and modify clothing colors. They also masked the students into a variety of backgrounds to provide a wide array of settings. The students’ pictures matched their personalities and were of professional quality. These seniors were then offered a free CD of their copyright-free senior pictures to take to any photo publishing company to make copies. The photos were also submitted to the yearbook, blending in with other professional photos students had taken. “This was a great opportunity for me to expand my skills and actually produce a product for a real client,” Graphic Design student Markeita Ellenwood stated.

“The project was very successful,” reported Graphic Design teacher, Alice Russell. The students hope to provide this service again next year for any student who wants senior portraits but doesn’t want to spend the money often required for professional photography.

Auto CAD Students Assist Local Law Enforcement Agencies Two Farwell High School students enrolled in the advanced Computer Aided Drafting class were asked to draw floor plans of the high school for local law enforcement agencies. “The idea is to provide more security in the event of an emergency such as bomb threats or shootings.

Having an electronic version of the school’s floor plan will better help law enforcement agencies know the structure they are dealing with,” school police liaison officer Erica Vredevelt stated.

Greg Saupe and Joe McCaslin, both juniors at Farwell, have taken several CAD classes. They have experience with Real CAD, Solid Works, Google Sketch Up, and 3-D Home Design programs. Greg and Joe were asked to measure, draw, and label the entire building, including exterior and interior doors and windows, classrooms, offices, closets, and storage areas, as well as the location of all fire equipment and security cameras. Although the school has floor plans from renovations done in 2005, Saupe and McCaslin will provide updated drawings that will be available to the local agencies electronically.

“I like the idea of drawing something other than just classroom assignments. I don’t mind doing mechanical drawings, but architectural drawings are my favorite,” Saupe commented.

“The guys work really well together, and I’m amazed how quickly they formulated a plan and started work. They took the assignment seriously and it shows,” CAD teacher Alice Russell noted. “They have a natural aptitude for

Farwell Area Schools

technology and excellent reasoning skills. I’m sure we will be hearing more about these young men in the future.”

Both Saupe and McCaslin plan to attend Michigan Tech to pursue degrees in technology and engineering. They are both dual enrolled at Mid Michigan Community College for their senior year. “I’ve taken four Computer Drafting classes at Farwell; now I’m ready to see how well I can do in a college class. The best part is the credits will transfer to Michigan Tech,” McCaslin said.

Great Year in The Art Room It was a great year in the Farwell High School art room, thanks to the hardworking and dedicated students who took part in the visual art classes.

This year, we tested some new digital media in the form of filmmaking and digital illustration. We tried some things out and learned a lot in the process, and we hope to improve those areas with new approaches in our next school year. We are hoping to see what can happen with the aid of other teachers to transform the filmmaking into an inter-disciplinary lesson with other school subjects, especially in the area of scriptwriting.

A grant allowed us to add a new piece of digital equipment, the Wacom tablet and stylus. With a little research, this should positively transform our ability to produce finer levels of computer generated drawing and painting.

The school art show in May, during Fine Arts Week was a great success, with many fine art works displayed.

On May 7th, we also entered the work of three of Farwell’s best artists, Dallton Blain, Calvin Collis and Crystal Yorks in the Jack Pine Conference Art Show and Competition, hosted by the 515 Art Gallery on the main street in Clare. Their art will be on display at the gallery through July 7th. Also during Fine Arts Week, we held the Souper Dinner, which, with the help of many, raised over $600 toward the purchase of new equipment for the art room. Originally, this money was planned for use toward the purchase of a new kiln. However, the donation of a kiln has opened up the use of this money for other purposes; possibly for more Wacom tablet/stylus sets, if that proves to be a good investment.

Yes, all-in-all, a very good year.

Next year, Farwell CAD students plan to add to the drawing to include exterior landscaping, parking lots, and signage. They also plan to create drawings of the middle school, elementary school, and Jamie Performing Arts Center.

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High School

Technology in the Classroom It is no secret that technology is a part of our student’s everyday lives and therefore must continue to be a part of their future endeavors. The challenge for teachers these days is keeping up with the demand to incorporate technology in the classroom in a new innovative way, which enhances student learning.

Students in Mrs. Hubble’s advanced English 11 course have done just that. The project consisted of reading the novel, Boy’s Life by Robert McCammon and creating a Prezi presentation incorporating key points and concepts learned while reading the novel. Students enjoyed learning the in and outs of a new program called Prezi, which is an online presentation board in which students can creatively share pictures, videos, information

and more with classmates. Many of the students were using the program for the first time and found it to be a very interesting and exciting way to share information with classmates.

“Prezi’s are a fun, new way to present information,” commented FHS Junior, Hannah Reger, “They are very unique with so many ways to lay out all different types of material. I really enjoyed using the Prezi site to make a presentation for my class. Prezi’s are much more interesting to use than a plain PowerPoint and they keep the attention of their audience much longer.” Overall, the project was a success and helped students to learn a new way to use technology in the classroom.

Several Farwell High School students joined forces with the Farwell VFW members to clean up a stretch of US10. They spent the afternoon walking the 2 mile section west of Farwell picking up and bagging garbage.

High School Sports The Eagle Advantage Farwell Students Never Have to Pay Fees To Play Sports What is it that defines success within a school’s athletic programs? One could argue that at Farwell High School there are many different success stories. Just last spring our girls won a district softball tournament and our football team made school history this year by winning its first ever playoff game. It could also be that our wrestling, basketball, softball and baseball teams posted some of their best records in recent history during the course of their respective seasons.

However, all of these successes seem minor when we look at the bigger picture; our athletes and their families. To this day our athletes have never had to pay a fee in order to participate in our athletics here at Farwell High School which is one of the greatest successes of all.

“Pay to Play” as it is sometimes called, is the money an individual wishing to participate in a school sport has to pay the athletic department to help defer the cost of that athletic season. Some of the things that a school has to pay for during a sports season include busing, officials, facility use, facility maintenance, uniforms, and other miscellaneous expenses necessary to run athletic events. Farwell is one of the only schools in the Jack Pine conference that still does not ask its students to pay any fee to participate in its athletics. Schools such as Clare, Houghton Lake, and other schools in the area charge each athlete hundreds of dollars depending on the number of sports during a school year that a student may participate in. Charging students to participate in athletics has many downfalls.

The idea of asking a student to pay a fee to participate in school athletics has many negative affects. For one, many families do not have extra income that can be used on extra-curricular activities. This forces many students who wish to participate to watch their friends from the stands. Also, research has also shown that when students participate in extra-curricular activities, it increases their academic achievement as well as decreasing their disciplinary problems.

This is why Farwell is making every attempt possible to keep our athletics free to students.

Farwell High School therefore offers a great advantage over most other schools in our area. Not only are our athletic programs making great strides and winning titles, our athletes are able to participate in high school athletics without the worry of having enough money to be able to do so. Go Eagles!!

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Farwell Area Schools

High School

Summer Football Camps Now that the school year has ended, everyone is excited about summer vacation. Here in Farwell there is a lot for students to get involved with. We will have the weight room open for high school students on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:30– 9:00am starting June 7. In July, we will be traveling to Mt. Pleasant on the 14th & 21st at 6:00pm for 7-on-7 passing. On July 24, there will be a one day linemen camp for 9-12 grade athletes. On July 25-28 we will have “Flight School” which is the camp for 7-12 grade football players.

The camp will run from 4:00-9:00pm and includes dinner. The varsity football team will be going to Grace Adventures on July 29 and returning home July 30. The dead period will be August 1-7 where the coaching staff will have no contact with the athletes. The first day of practice will be August 8 at 7:59 am. All of the camps will occur at the Kerwin Paesens Athletic Complex. The conditioning that is on Tuesdays and Thursdays will take place in the High School. To ensure a successful fall season, make sure to get your student athletes involved in the activities that are being offered this summer. If you have any questions concerning the different football camps please go the football website (www.farwellfootball.com). I hope everyone has a great summer.

Spring Sports End On A High Note Spring is always an exciting time for sports at Farwell, and this season was no exception.

This year, the Farwell Track team hosted an Eagle Invitational, the first one they’ve held in some time. Not only did they host it, they won it as well!

Farwell Schools Gets A New Logo In today’s world, it’s easy to get lost in the sea of media. Brands come and go all the time, without the general public having any idea they existed in the first place. So how do companies and businesses stand out and get noticed?

There are many ways, but one of the most important is having an identity that people recognize and associate with a quality product.

Ok, ok. I know that Farwell is technically a “school” and not necessarily a “business” with tangible products to sell. But we do have a product, don’t we? Our product is a quality education, one in which students excel and experience new technology everyday. And shouldn’t people know about it?

Of course they should! Which is why we’re taking huge strides to make sure that everyone knows how amazing Farwell is. And to help with spreading the word, we came up with a new logo. Pretty snazzy, yeah?

The thing is, Farwell has never had a symbol. Ok, I know, we’re the Eagles.

Of course. But we’ve never had our OWN eagle. We’ve never had something that people look at and say, “Oh, I’ve seen that around. That’s Farwell’s Eagle.”

Now we do.

Now, we have a logo that symbolizes the strength and character that truly embodies Farwell Schools. As Farwell continues it’s efforts to create the ultimate curriculum and learning environment for it’s students, this logo will continue to show our community and the surrounding communities that Farwell will not be beaten.

I’m sure your eyes have already wandered to the bottom of the page where the new Eagle Logo sits. And I hope you’ve started seeing it around the community already. Pretty soon, you’ll see it on the new basketball and football scoreboards. And as items such as helmets and jerseys need to be replaced, they’ll feature this new logo too. This unity of imagery on all things Farwell will only strengthen the Farwell “brand,” and it will definitely make us stand out in the crowd.

Go Eagles!

The Farwell Track team ended it’s season by heading to the State Finals.

Farwell took their 800 by 4 relay with Olivia Ringwalt, Jenna Hamming, Ashley Gaskill, and Allison Theisen. Trevor Staley qualified for the Pole Vault. Also, Olivia Ringwalt qualified in the 300m hurdles and Jenna Hamming in the Open 200. Jenna Hamming took 4th in the Long Jump.

The Golf Team also had an exciiting season, advancing to the regional tournament. The Eagles placed 4th at Regionals after shooting a 339.

For the Eagles, Matt Ruckle shot an 83 to lead the team, while Nicholas Saupe shot an 84, Matt Zenz shot an 85, and Sean Robison shot an 87.

Farwell

Area Schools Farwell Area Schools

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Middle School FMS Students Soar to Great Heights This year, forty-nine Farwell Middle School students engaged in extended learning opportunities, which enabled them to achieve beyond their grade levels. Piloted by eighth grade math students in past years, extended learning opportunities at FMS have exploded this past year. Three 5th grade, four 6th grade, nineteen 7th grade, and twenty-three 8th grade Math and English Language Arts students have “skipped” forward into the next grade’s class. These students remain a part of their

graduating class, but move forward at an accelerated pace, with the possibility to earn High School credit in the 8th grade, and College credit before graduating High School.

Impressed with the choices found at FMS, State Representative Joel Johnson met with Farwell Middle School students during a celebration on May 20. The students pictured with Mr. Johnson are among those who participated in an extended learning opportunity.

FMS Students Get Healthy On May 16th, almost 500 Farwell Middle School students and staff participated in its first annual 5k run/walk. Every participant completed the 3.1 mile long course, with many finishing in less than 30 minutes.

Throughout the day, participants were supplied with fresh fruits and veggies, water bottles, and Frisbees sponsored by a Shaping Positive Lifestyles and Attitudes Through School Health (SPLASH) grant. SPLASH is an initiative of the Michigan Nutrition Network Collaborative Partner Program which is focused on bringing quality nutrition and physical education to Michigan’s schools.

We are already looking forward to next years run, and will extend an invitation to all interested parents and community members to join us!

Seventh Graders Set Sail

(Standing, from left) FMS Principal Catheryn Gross , Renn McCormick, Brandon Degeer, Zach Thompson, Ryan Livingston, Erik Seybert, Maria Murphy, Alex Osmond, Bria Colosky, Joe Elsea, Kate Saupe, Kendra Robison, Jessie Theisen, Tyler Ruckle, Alysha Luster, Clay Forfinski, Trenten Johns, Nate Grzybowski, Logan Pelch, Noah Wilson, Ieasha Noble, Dylan Bidwell, Mackenzie Vansickle, Debra Veasey, Quentin Woods, Ryan Wilson, Abigail Averill, Tanner Jenkins, Archie Burbank, State Representative Joel Johnson, (Kneeling, from left) Emerald Blain, Abigail Sprague, Elisabeth Stieler, Shaina Tiszai, Garrett McQuiston, Alex Dailey, (Seated, from left)Tamara Mackie, Karrisa John, Maire Schram, Aubree Hooper, Nicole Waugh, Desiree Cantrell, Shawn Marshall, Chad Moss, (Not pictured) Hannah Averill, Adam Torr, Morghan Silvestro, Cody Higgins, Selena Deleon, Shane Wiley, Caleb Brown

(Continued from the front page) Before boarding the ship, students received an overview explanation about watersheds, which they connected to their watershed studies from earlier in the year. Each group member received a clipboard, pen and journal for gathering, recording and analyzing various data throughout the day. There were three main areas for exploration: navigation, observation, and weather.

At the navigation station, students were taught how to use the various sails, tie knots, and read longitude and latitude charts. After that came

the observation center where students viewed and identified local wildlife and focused on how pollution problems along the river may affect that wildlife. Next, at the weather study station, students identified the difference between true and apparent wind speeds, and calculated relative humidity for that day using weather instruments that they have studied in class this year. Additionally, students took part in using scientific equipment to collect various samples of plankton and water to test and analyze. Excellent discussions of their discoveries capped off an enriching day of learning.

FMS Students get High School Credit During their 7th and 8th grade years, FMS students are enrolled in Spanish class with teacher Brian Olovson. Señor Olovson begins the study of Spanish language and culture by developing the communicative modes: interpersonal, interpretive, and presentational. While in class, students are expected to communicate on a variety of topics in Spanish and use English as infrequently as possible. The study of cultural practices, history, and the geography of Spanish-speaking peoples is integrated in the development of basic grammar structure, vocabulary, and conversational skills in the present tense. In addition, the course strives to heighten the student’s bicultural awareness of the Hispanic cultures within the United States and around the world through

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textbook readings, music, supplemental materials, and the study of current events.

Starting with the class of 2012, the State of Michigan requires all students to either complete two years of a world language, or achieve a specific linguistic proficiency in a language. Farwell Middle School’s goal is to align the 7th and 8th grade years with high school trimesters 1A and 1B of Spanish. Upon completion of their 8th grade year, students will take an assessment developed by the Spanish teachers of the Clare-Gladwin RESD. Successful completion of this assessment results in the student earning High School credit in World Languages.

Farwell Area Schools

Middle School

FMS has a Poet in It’s Midst Farwell Middle School eighth grader, Ieasha Noble, loves poetry, and while she certainly enjoys reading it, her real talent lies in writing it.

This writing ambition has earned Ieasha a Gold Key from The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for her poem All A Dream. These awards were founded in 1923, and are the longestrunning, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in the U.S. The Gold Key award is the highest level of achievement on the regional level, and her poem has been sent to New York City for national competition. Additionally, because of this award, Ieasha is now eligible to apply for various scholarships to further improve her writing talents.

Though she expects to pursue a career in Forensic Pathology, Ieasha plans to continue writing poetry for the rest of her life.

Foreign Language Day

All A Dream

By Ieasha Noble Leaves falling silently crashingcrashing softly on the wet layer of ground, You’re raking them loudly in a pile, I watch as every swish makes a different pattern.

It seems as if the perfect day A gentle breeze moves the warm fall aroma around Mom’s watching the kids play, and I I watch- watch you rake, getting faster every moment.

Slowly but surely a little droplet strides down making a small implant of water on my face Then with such a motion and a great gust of wind burst open the doors to a perfect day. letting in that door the rain rain so cold it’s warm the kids run in circles screaming You’re upset at all the day’s work, gone up in the tornado of leaves fleeing around the yard now I watch everything and silently as I watch slowly the picture retracts

retracting finally it destroys the house and the picture leaving shreds and pieces of what’s to come Tears, hatred, lies and uneventful truths Soon enough it’s black everywhere nothing to me is visible but oneYou, my father, stands there staring into my eyes I wonder why a tear has torn down Your face why you are on your knees apologizing begging for forgiveness from me then I lastly realize it’s all a dream You left us for good You will never come back never to apologize or cry to me never to fall to your knees for us you’re a blazing thought leftleft in the darkness of our minds wrenching at us every day but not a thing will ever lead us to forget you turned that perfect day day of love and truth into an effusive twister of hate and for that you shall not deserve forgiveness

The storm takes over turning skies grey making everything all gloom The sky starts to twirl and twist unleashing a long skinny twister

I know that a perfect day does exist I know that I will never forget what you did but I will forget you completely I know that I will not allow you to ruin my life

The twister approaches as I keep

I loved you, until I lost you!

Junior High Honors Students The Foreign Language Day Competition is a Central Michigan University tradition dating back more than a quarter century, and on April 29th, ten Farwell Middle School Spanish students, accompanied by Señor Olovson and a parent chaperone, were among the participants – the only middle school aged competitors among 30 participating schools!

Competing students performed songs, dances, poetry, interpretive readings, and created displays and posters. FMS students Sarah Breeden (7th grader) and Felicia Beebe (8th grader) participated in the poster competition; Ieasha Noble and Mackenzie Vansickle (both 8th grade) competed in the interpretive reading competition, with Ieasha reading a poem which she wrote then translated into Spanish, and Jarika McDaniel (7th grade) participated in the song competition.

Additionally, Foreign Language Day participants observed foreign language classes, viewed displays, had the opportunity to purchase CMU merchandise, and tour the CMU campus, including the Foreign Language Department facilities.

Señor Olovson thanks the parent chaperone and is proud of all of the students who attended and competed. ¡Bien hecho!

Farwell Area Schools

On May 17, Mid Michigan Community College hosted the Jr. High Honors Luncheon, which recognized academically exceptional 8th graders from area middle schools. Farwell Middle School students receiving this acknowledgment include Bria Coloski, Trenten Johns, Kendra Robison and Jessie Theisen.

Bria plans to study at the University of Michigan, with the goal of becoming a Neurosurgeon. She is active in sports, including track, volleyball, basketball, and golf. In July 2010, she won the State Jr. Golf Tournament with a score of 36 on a 9-hole course.

Trenten is undecided about his career path, but has been on the “All A” honor roll every year in middle

school. He loves playing football as a Right Guard, and is also very involved in track and baseball.

Kendra would like to pursue a career in Dentistry at the University of Michigan. She is very active in student council, and is on the basketball, volleyball, softball and golf teams.

Jessie is looking forward to a career in Sports Medicine. Jessie loves sports, and it shows in her active involvement in basketball, volleyball, softball and track.

Students and their parents enjoyed lunch and an awards ceremony, at which each of the honored students received a $250 scholarship for MMCC.

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Elementary School Foreign Language at Farwell Elementary At a time when other schools are looking at eliminating foreign language programs, Farwell Elementary is looking for ways to expand our Spanish and Chinese classes. At Farwell Elementary we are growing our programs because research shows that learning a new language at an early age has a positive effect on intellectual growth. Students who learn a foreign language at an early age improve their understanding of their native language.

There has been a lot of media coverage on our Chinese program, but we have also developed a Spanish class in the elementary building that our students in grades 1-4 are able to enjoy. This is an exciting opportunity for our students to explore another language in a fun environment. This new program has been extremely popular with the students.

Our Chinese immersion program is entering into its second year by offering immersion for both kindergarten and first grades. Our plan is to continue to expand to the next grade level each year until we get to sixth grade. Research has shown that children who learn in an immersion setting through sixth grade are fluent in that language.

This would allow them to test out of

Exciting Year Ahead It’s early June and as I sit in my office I am amazed at how quiet it is in the building. Just two weeks ago students were finishing up their school year with field trips and other fun activities that the month of May brings. During this quiet time I have been reflecting on what a great year we had at Farwell Elementary.

I took a walk through the school and remembered the sounds from a few weeks ago. As I stepped out of my office I could hear the sounds of students learning Spanish across the hall. This has been an amazing

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the two-year high school graduation requirement for foreign language while in sixth grade.

A new program that we have started for our Chinese immersion program is an after-school Chinese club. We started this club to be able to provide a Chinese language experience to students that have siblings in the Chinese immersion classrooms. This allows the students in the immersion classrooms to have someone at home they can use their new language with. By being able to use a language at an early age more often, they will be able to learn it

new program where our students learn Spanish in grades 1-4. Foreign language is learned quickly at this age and the children love it. I think they forget that they are learning because they are enjoying it so much.

A few steps away from Spanish and I am in the third and fourth grade wing. At the end of the hallway is music class. I can still hear the fourth graders playing guitars. This is an exciting new program that was started this year with a grant from the Clare Community Foundation.

As I walk past the third grade area and into the second grade area the

more quickly.

I look forward to starting an afterschool Spanish program in the upcoming school year.

There are only a few positions available for the immersion classrooms. If you feel that giving your child an immersion language education is beneficial, Farwell Elementary is the school for your child! When combined with low class sizes and an immersion language setting, it’s easy to see the “Eagle Advantage!” If interested, contact Principal Tim Moore at 588-9916 for more information. one constant sound is that of children learning in the classrooms as I pass.

Arriving in the kindergarten wing I can hear sounds I am not familiar with. I have heard the sounds before. I have heard these same sounds from this same room. I cannot understand the sounds I hear because I don’t speak Chinese. If only I were a kindergarten student in this school I could understand! As I make my attempt to speak Chinese, 5-year-old students who have spent their first year at Farwell Elementary being immersed in a foreign language consistently correct me. It is truly amazing to see how fast they learn a new language!

ONE TO ONE COMPUTERS When you have trouble programming the remote control for your television do you do what I do and call your child over to have them help you fix it? The children of the grade school generation have grown up with technology and an awareness of how to use it. This is why it’s essential to get it into their hands as early as possible.

Next year at Farwell Elementary we will have laptop computers for every child in third and fourth grade.

Some students do not have access to computers at home and this is a great way to get their hands on a computer. This access to computers will be another advantage students at Farwell Elementary have in their education. Students who work with computers at an early age have improved motor skills, enhanced mathematical thinking and increased levels of critical thinking and problem solving. These are all skills that will be very important to a child’s education.

The future of our children will not be limited to what occurs in Clare County. It will be restricted only by what occurs in the world. Having computer skills is a priority in today’s job market and the need for these skills will only increase in the future. At Farwell Elementary we are committed to educating our students to the world they will see when they graduate.

The sounds of the school have faded, but not my optimism for an exciting upcoming school year. There are so many reasons to be optimistic for next year. We have several new programs that have been added to an already great and established educational environment. We are very fortunate to have such highly qualified staff here at Farwell Elementary that care about your child’s education. I am looking forward to my second year as Principal at Farwell Elementary.

I miss the sounds of the students in the school; however, one question remains; do the kids miss school?

Farwell Area Schools

Elementary School

Farwell Preschool (continued from Front Page)

Smaller Class Sizes Are Important For Success At Farwell Elementary we believe that class size is very important in your child’s education. Our School Board is committed to keeping our class sizes down so students have the opportunity to get the most out of their education.

There are many benefits to having your child in a classroom with a reduced number of students. These benefits are enhanced during students early years.

Studies have shown that the biggest impact occurs during grades K-3.

Teachers who have smaller classes spend less time with discipline and more time teaching their students. With this additional amount of time teachers are able to recognize the needs of individual students and customize instruction accordingly.

Another advantage that small class sizes bring is enhanced communication with parents. Research has shown that communication between teachers and parents greatly increases when class sizes are small. This communication is an essential part of a child’s education.

In between routines such as dramatic play, sensory tables, Smart Table and computer skills development and yoga, our students developed many of the academic goals necessary for future success. The preschool used several state of the art curricular designs and melded them together to ensure the students had the skills necessary to easily transition into the elementary grades. Besides learning Zoo-Phonics, a step normally learned in the kindergarten year, students also developed upon their math, literacy, language, cognitive, socialemotional, physical, art, science and social studies objectives.

Students also eagerly participated in the Chinese language acquisition program offered at the elementary.

The children proudly sang songs in Chinese to their families at the wellattended Family Fun Night program.

Also, as research supports, most of the learning was accomplished through hands on activities such as field trips to the “Larger Than T-Rex” exhibit at the Midland Center of the Arts museum and the Saginaw Children’s Zoo. Projects such as homemade clay volcanoes and bird watching assignments also helped to develop their interest in learning as well as the skills necessary for students to be successful in their

Farwell Area Schools

coming years.

Being located in the elementary building allowed the preschool to participate in the many great programs that the school has to offer.

One such example was ensuring even more one-on-one attention for students through the high school Career Technical program and the middle school’s Service Learning classroom, where older students helped preschoolers extend their abilities through letter writing, art projects, skill games and puzzles.

Now that the year is completed, we will cherish the students we had as a part of our extended family and proudly send them forth knowing that they will step forward to upcoming challenges and academic ventures with much more ease.

We look forward to the coming year, knowing that the trail that has begun is a bold and brazen one that is ever expanding.

If you are interested in learning more about the program, please call the elementary school at 989-588-9917 and schedule a visit. We will be planning to have enough space for all students who need preschool.

Open enrollments will be accepted throughout the summer.

Currently, for kindergarten next year we have 18 students per classroom. If your child is in a class with a larger number of students at a different school, perhaps its time to enroll your child at Farwell Elementary. With “school of choice” you are able to enroll your child in any school. We will be enrolling children throughout the summer. We welcome the chance to show all of the positive experiences occurring at Farwell Elementary.

We have great staff and great programs at Farwell Elementary! There is always room for more. If you believe that class size is important, use your “school of choice” option and enroll them at Farwell Elementary today. Let them “Soar with the Eagles!”

Strings To Success Have you ever seen a kid’s size guitar? They’re adorable. What’s even more adorable than a kid’s size guitar? Seeing an adorable kid playing that adorable guitar. And that’s just what some 4th graders at Farwell Elementary are doing.

Strings To Success is a guitar learning program that allows 4th grade students to gain musical knowledge before they are able to join the Band in 5th grade.

This program gives students a head start in learning musical theory and comprehension, and in training their ears to recognize different sounds and chords.

The Strings To Success program aids students in other areas as well. Studies have shown that students who participate in some sort of musical recreation will excel in other areas of learning. Basic skills such as following directions are taught and applied in musical theory, just as in other areas of learning.

This program also teaches students the value of patience and practice, as it takes time to learn a new instrument. Students begin to understand how practice doesn’t just make perfect, but it also makes permanent.

Should a 4th grader who is learning guitar decide to pursue band once they get into middle school, they will have a head start at learning a different instrument. Many of the theories behind music ring true for all instruments, so once a child knows how to play one instrument, it will be exponentially easier for them to learn a second, or even third instrument.

Please contact the Elementary office for more information on how to get your child involved in the Strings To Success program.

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Farwell Area Schools The BEST value the BEST education The title on this article is a bold statement and it is meant to be. For quite a while our district has been working hard to improve what we do and how our students perform. A few years ago it became very apparent that the rapid rate of change in our nation and the world mandated that we change what we do, raise our expectations for our students, and prepare our students to be the very best when compared to students across our nation and even the world.

This vision, embraced by our Board of Education and by the commitment of our staff, has made it possible for me to say there is no better place to educate your children than our school.

Beginning at the board level, we are committed to providing the very best. We continue to provide class sizes that are the lowest in the area. Currently, Kindergarten class size averages 18 students and first grade through 4th grade averages 22 students per classroom. The middle school average is less than 25, as is the high school.

Our school district is the only district in the area that provides foreign language to every student in grades kindergarten through 8th grade. At Farwell Schools we offer Spanish and Chinese. Every one of our students have the opportunity to earn their required two high school foreign language credits before entering high school, and many will have earned them by the time they enter 5th grade. As stated in previous articles, the benefits of a second language are so much more than just earning high school credits.

Learning a second language at a young age helps to expand the child’s learning capacity, actually increasing their IQ. The other benefit is that English, Spanish and Chinese are the three most commonly spoken languages worldwide and, therefore, will open up many opportunities for our students as they enter college or the workforce.

We have a committed staff that works well together as a team to do what is best for your children. Two years ago the middle school began planning to start our advancement process. To prepare all of our students to take advantage of our early college concept, which has students taking college courses as early as their 10th grade year, the middle school developed processes and procedures to advance students at their own rate as fast as they can learn.

No longer is a student sitting in a class waiting for their classmates to catch on to a concept. Our students who catch on fast are advanced and taught at their level. This year we had 49 students advance a grade level in at least one subject area. So far, for next year, we have over 80 students placed in an advanced class and many are placed in two or more classes. The concept is simple. Let’s say your 6th grade son or daughter is sharp in English but at grade level in math. We verify they are ready for the advancement and then place them in a seventh grade English class learning 7th grade concepts as a sixth grade student.

This simple process has proven to be an excellent motivator for our middle school students. Students see the value in trying their best. They are rewarded with advancement, not just extra work to keep them busy or free time until the others catch up. We believe we may have a few 7th grade students capable of high school courses and are in the process of developing the proper procedures and safeguards to accommodate these advanced students. As you can see, excellence and high achievement are not just words. Our staff and our students are committed to the highest of academic achievement. We will have many 8th grade students who have earned as many as three high school credits before they step foot in the high school as freshmen.

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The instructional staff has embraced the idea that it is their job to prepare our students to be successful at the next level. The Elementary staff knows that middle school success is how they are measured. The middle school staff knows that success in high school is their mission. The high school staff is focused on ensuring our students are not only prepared for college, but also actually performing successfully in college prior to graduation from high school. For the past two years we have been very aggressive in promoting taking college classes to our students while in high school. Our students who just graduated have taken advantage of what we offer. Of the 88 graduating seniors, 62 have successfully completed at least one college course and many graduated with more than 12 college credits. This verifies that 70% of our students are college ready, not many schools can say that. During this same period the high school has been busy with research, planning and grant writing in pursuit of what is called a middle college or early college. Their persistence has paid off. Farwell Area Schools is one of only three local school districts in Michigan that has been awarded status as an Early College. This is a huge benefit to our students and their families.

The Farwell Area Early College is a partnership with Mid Michigan Community College where our students have the opportunity to earn an Associate’s

“...a student will graduate after five years of high school with both a high school diploma and an Associate’s Degree and all books and tuition are paid for by our school district.”

Degree if they commit to a fifth year of high school. What this means is, by starting their college career as a junior in high school they are able to complete 64 credits and earn an Associate’s Degree by the time they complete one more year after their senior year. The beauty of this is that by committing to the extra year, a student will graduate after five years of high school with both a high school diploma and an Associate’s Degree and all books and tuition are paid for by our school district. With the cost of college, this is basically a full scholarship for two years of college. This is available to any student who attends Farwell Area Schools.

We were just awarded this status a few weeks ago so we are just getting the word out and enrollment is open now! Contact our high school or central office ASAP to ensure the program is not full before you check it out. This process has proven to be very beneficial. Our students are more successful than students from other schools due in part to their preparation, and part to the extra support they receive from our high school staff as they are taking their college courses. As parents planning on paying, or helping to pay, for college, the financial benefit to you is impressive. If you live in Clare County the actual value of the 64 credits earned is over $10,000. If you reside in Isabella County the actual value of the 64 credits earned is over $16,000.

When I stated that the educational value of attending Farwell Area Schools is the best in the area, you now can understand how I can make such a bold statement. Come check us out. It is only a value for your son or daughter if you take advantage of it.

Farwell Area Schools 12