CCS What's Going Well - 4.2.2025

The Battle of the Books 2025 wrapped up an exciting and competitive season. This year, 116 battle teams, made up of 517 students from all seven elementary schools, participated in the event with the guidance and support of 177 coaches. The enthusiasm and hard work displayed by all participants were truly remarkable. Every student demonstrated dedication and knowledge throughout the competition. Congratulations to the top-performing teams for their outstanding achievements!

Congratulations to our amazing Clarkston students who represented our district so well at the Oakland County Spelling Bee! Aubrey Marshall (BLE) walked away with an incredible 4th-place finish out of 89 spellers across the county! Additionally, Jenna Harris (SPE) made it to the 4th round, and Luke (PKE) advanced to the 5th round! Our other elementary school representatives also gave it their all, and we celebrate their hard work in making it to this prestigious competition. Way to go, everyone! Your dedication and effort make Clarkston proud.

Academic Service Learning (ASL) connects classroom learning with meaningful community service. Across Clarkston, students are applying academic skills to real-world challenges—building empathy, strengthening community ties, and becoming agents of change.

Inspired by Independence Elementary student Liv O’Connell, who lives with a rare blood disorder, students partnered with the American Red Cross to host a February blood drive. They volunteered, created promotional materials, and practiced advocacy through Social-Emotional Learning. Thanks to this blood drive, 192 lives were saved that day.

Pine Knob Elementary students joined Drawbuckets.org to assemble disaster relief buckets. Every student helped sort and pack essential supplies, learning teamwork and compassion while supporting communities in crisis.

Clarkston High School Digital Photography students visited the Oakland County Animal Shelter to photograph adoptable dogs and design posters, using their creative skills to help pets find loving homes.

Sixth graders at Sashabaw Middle School partnered with Helping Hearts Helping Hands to raise funds for water filters in Honduras. After learning about global water access, they created PSAs and collected over $3,600—enough to provide 24 filters for homes, schools, and community centers.

Learn more about this project.
About Village Water Filters.

February was Clarkston High Schools Month of Giving, where they raised funds to support the following foundations:

• Haley's Helpers, a foundation started by Cindy Gresham to honor the memory of her daughter, Haley, who died by suicide in September of 2022. Haley was a member of the CHS Class of 2025.
• Chad Tough Defeat DIPG Foundation
• Michigan Alzheimer's Disease Center - to honor the memory and legacy of Dan Fife.
• Rogel Cancer Center Pancreatic Cancer Fund - to honor the memory and legacy of Jan Fife.
  
  

Throughout the month, students, families, and residents contributed in many ways, such as raffled-off charity baskets, a Business Giveback Program where CHS partnered with local businesses to contribute a portion of patrons' bills, student coin drives, and the two main events, Fife for a Cure Charity Basketball Games and Pie a Player.

March is Reading Month is an annual celebration that promotes the joy and importance of reading. Throughout the month, our schools organize activities like read-a-thons, author visits, and book fairs to encourage literacy and a lifelong love of books. The month fosters a culture of reading through fun and interactive experiences for students, families, and educators.

This February, the Clarkston High School Drama Club wowed audiences with four spectacular performances of Hello, Dolly! The production showcased the incredible skills of CHS students, from the talented cast and dedicated crew to the skilled orchestra members who brought the show to life. Their hard work and passion shone on stage, making for an unforgettable experience. Bravo to everyone who contributed to the success of this remarkable production!

Our 7th, 8th, and 9th-grade choirs, along with the high school concert choir and Madrigals, gave outstanding performances at the MSVMA Choral Festival, singing their hearts out! Choirs are rated on a scale from 1 (Excellent) to 3 (Fair), and we are proud to announce that all of our choirs earned Division 1 ratings. This incredible achievement is a testament to their hard work and dedication throughout the year. Congratulations to all the singers on this well-deserved recognition!

Our 7th-grade and above bands, orchestras, and jazz groups showcased their talent at their respective festivals, achieving outstanding results. Ensembles are rated on a scale from 1 (Superior) to 5 (Poor), and nearly all received Division 1 ratings, with just one earning a Division 2. Their commitment and perseverance throughout the year truly paid off—congratulations to all!

Congratulations on your regional championships!

Congratulations on your district championships!

Congratulations on your conference championship!

We have some of the best coaches!

Congratulations to Team Rush on your win!

Missy, Andersonville Elementary's therapy dog, recently turned 7! To celebrate, they had a school-wide birthday parade in her honor, making it a truly special day for both Missy and the students. We are incredibly grateful for the joy and comfort that Missy and all of our therapy dogs bring to our schools. They provide emotional support, comfort, and an extra dose of happiness to our students and staff every day!

Global Day of Play, is an annual event that encourages schools and communities to prioritize unstructured, free play for children, recognizing its importance for development and well-being. This is always a highlight of the year throughout our elementary schools!

The Sashabaw Middle School PE Department hosted its annual dodgeball tournament this winter, which is always a favorite event for the kids and the community. It was an evening filled with excitement, friendly competition, and plenty of school spirit. Proceeds from the tournament support our Physical Education Department, with a portion going to the Clarkston United Methodist Church Pantry. Thank you to everyone who participated, donated food, or came out to cheer on our incredible middle schoolers!

Clarkston Jr. High School hosted a high-energy pep rally, bringing the entire school together for fun and celebration. While supporting our athletes is always a highlight, this event was all about enjoying each other's company and building school spirit. The rally provided a perfect opportunity for students and staff to come together, create lasting memories, and embrace the joy of being part of the Clarkston Jr. High family.

Clarkston Construction students, in partnership with the Clarkston Area Optimist Club, carried on the annual tradition of setting up the ice skating rink at Depot Park. Their hard work helped transform the park into a winter destination for the community to enjoy.

Construction Tech students collaborated to preserve the historic Bailey House. Their joint efforts aimed to restore and protect this significant landmark, ensuring its historical value remains intact for future generations.

The Clarkston Construction Technology Program excelled at the SkillsUSA 2025 regional competition, with four of its eight competitors earning first place and advancing to the state competition in Grand Rapids this April. Congratulations to the gold medal team—Brendan Verbeke, Austin Godfrey, Jon George, and Duncan Ruby—along with individual competitors Avery Evans, Aidan Provencher, Justin Walsh, and Carson Strate.