December Newsletter

As December moves along so quickly, I want to take a moment to extend my warmest wishes to you and your family. This time of year brings excitement and joy for many, but it can also be challenging and stressful for others. What I truly love about Lincoln Consolidated Schools is the remarkable sense of community we share. Let’s continue to support one another with kindness, compassion, and love. If you or someone you know needs assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out—we are here for you.

As 2024 comes to a close, I reflect with gratitude on all that we’ve accomplished together. I’m equally excited about what lies ahead. We are nurturing several promising opportunities and partnerships that align with our shared purpose of bringing to life the competencies outlined in our Portrait of a Graduate. We will keep you updated..

As we close this calendar year, I want to express my heartfelt appreciation for the privilege of serving such an incredible district filled with the best kids in the world. On behalf of our entire staff, thank you for the honor of entrusting us with your amazing kids.

Wishing you a joyful, peaceful, and fulfilling Holiday Season and a bright start to the New Year!

Bob

Lincoln Consolidated Schools extends heartfelt gratitude to Secretary Allie Sparks and Treasurer Thomas Rollins for their years of exceptional service and dedication to our district.

Allie Sparks has been a cornerstone of the Lincoln community, serving at every level—from Bessie Hoffman to Brick, Bishop, the middle and high schools, and finally on the school board—always with a caring heart and a steadfast commitment to equity. Her positive spirit and ability to uplift others have left an indelible mark on thousands of students and families. Notable accomplishments during her time on the Board include earning the prestigious Level 4 Board Member Award with an Advocacy Skills specialty and playing a key role on the Equity Planning Committee, advancing actionable equity throughout the district.

Thomas Rollins has brought visionary leadership to his role as treasurer and president of WASB, always with a commitment to fiscal responsibility and thoughtful planning. His guidance through challenging times, including the pandemic, has helped steer the district toward a stronger future. He is particularly proud of helping lead the district through the Deficit Elimination Plan and leaving this school district better than what it was when he started through the actions of the Board, including the 2018 Bond and 2024 Sinking Fund passage.

Thomas will be stepping down on December 31st. The Board will soon invite members of the community to apply for this vacancy. More information on how to apply will be shared at the beginning of January.

Both leaders leave behind a legacy of service, inspiration, and unwavering support for the students, staff, and families of Lincoln Consolidated Schools. Their impact will continue to shape the district for years to come.

We are thrilled to introduce Alisa Soos as our newest Board of Education member. Alisa has been a valued part of the Lincoln community since 2004. She and her husband of 20 years, Nathan, are proud parents to two wonderful boys, Jackson (15) and Benjamin (11).

Alisa brings a wealth of experience and dedication to the Board. She serves as a nurse manager at Trinity Health Saint Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, where she has cared for members of our community for the past 18 years. Her commitment to service extends beyond her profession—she is an active member of the Brick PTO and a frequent volunteer at Lincoln Schools events. Alisa also supports food security initiatives through her work at the Trinity Health Ann Arbor Farm.

As a dedicated supporter of Lincoln students, Alisa is a familiar face at school activities. Whether it’s a football game, enjoying the band, choir, swim, lacrosse, theater, basketball, soccer, robotics, or cheer, our students shine. Alisa’s pride in our students is evident.

Alisa shared, “I’m excited to learn more about the school board and serve this community to the best of my ability!” We are excited to have her energy, passion, and commitment as part of the Board of Education team. Welcome, Alisa!

Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD) is currently focusing on enhancing the educational experiences of its students through the integration of experiential and applied learning.

As such, WISD has partnered with an education market research firm, Hanover Research, to conduct an Applied and Experiential Learning Survey from 12/9-12/20. The survey is intended to gather detailed insights from a broad spectrum of the district's community, including students (Grades 6 -12), parents, educational staff, and community members. The insights collected from this survey will highlight current perceptions, programming needs, and potential gaps in the district's educational offerings and will be instrumental in guiding the district's future educational strategies and investments, ensuring that they are both effective and reflective of the community's educational aspirations.

The survey should take less than 10 minutes to complete. WISD will receive survey results from Hanover Research in aggregate form only (i.e., no personally identifiable information will be collected or reported).

To participate in this survey, click this link or paste the following URL in your browser: https://hanover-research.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_e3ONWgnaVAckeGO. The deadline to complete has been extended to January 10th.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Lincoln Human Resource Department is looking for parents to be involved in the district hiring process by assisting on interview committees. If you are able to help participate in the interviews for potential Lincoln employees, please sign-up on this form. It will be shared with Building Administrators who will reach out to you when your services are needed. We appreciate your commitment to Lincoln's success!

The Talent Together teacher certification program application for Cohort 3 is NOW OPEN! This program is for anyone who would like to earn a bachelor's degree and teacher certification, just certification, or do an add on endorsement to their existing certification. This is at no-cost to the aspiring teacher, and is a grow-your-own approach to earning a teaching certificate. Please go to mitalenttogether.org to fill out the application form. Cohort 3 applications will be due by January 5, 2025 with a Fall 2025 start date for the program.

We are excited to welcome Jessica Crowley as Lincoln Consolidated Schools’ new STEM Coordinator, a position made possible through the Toyota Driving Possibilities initiative and our collaborative STEM Ed Institute partnership with the Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD), Eastern Michigan University (EMU), the Toyota Foundation, Ypsilanti Community Schools (YCS), and Lincoln Consolidated Schools (LCS). This partnership reflects a shared commitment to advancing STEM education and creating meaningful opportunities for students and educators alike.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I’m thrilled to join Lincoln as your new STEM Coordinator and grateful for the warm welcome! Over the past nine years, I’ve taught biology, elective science courses, and credit recovery, all with a focus on making science accessible to every student. My experiences, from the classroom to community programs like the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, have shaped my passion for creating engaging STEM learning opportunities.

In this new role, made possible through Toyota’s Driving Possibilities initiative, I’m eager to support students, families, and educators in making STEM a vibrant part of our schools. I look forward to connecting with you and discovering how we can inspire our students together!

This holiday season, Lincoln is pleased to share an invaluable resource designed to support the well-being of our school community. Through our partnership with Care Solace, students, staff, and their families have access to a 24/7/365 Mental Health Care Coordination Service.

Getting help for mental health challenges like depression, anxiety, and stress can often feel overwhelming. Care Solace takes the guesswork out of the process by connecting you with Care Companions™ who are ready to assist. Here's how this service makes a difference:

• Personalized Support: Care Solace finds providers tailored to your specific needs. Whether you’re seeking help for stress, anxiety, or other mental health concerns, they ensure the support matches what you’re looking for.

• Confidential and Free: This service is completely confidential and offered at no cost, thanks to our district partnership.

• Accessible to Everyone: Care Solace connects you to providers who accept public or private insurance or offer sliding scale options.

• Always Available: With support offered 24/7/365—including holidays and weekends—assistance is available whenever you need it, in over 200 languages.

• Effortless Connections: Care Solace saves time by navigating the process for you, connecting you with community-based providers from a verified database that ensures unbiased recommendations.

During this season of giving, take a moment to care for yourself and your loved ones. The Care Solace portal is here to help you find the right support, making it easier to focus on what matters most—health, happiness, and community.

Visit the Care Solace Portal today to learn more and take the first step toward well-being. We’re here for you, every day of the year.

With winter weather around the corner, it is important that families and staff are notified of school closings as soon as possible so plans can be made for an unexpected no-school day. If the weather cooperates we always attempt to make the call the night before. But more likely the school closing decision won’t be made until the middle of the night, but usually no later than 4:00 a.m.

How is a school closing decision made?

When bad weather is anticipated, members of Lincoln's Transportation Department are out driving the roads and assessing road conditions. The Lincoln district covers 72 square miles, many of these in rural areas. Considerations include road conditions, amount of snow, will sidewalks be cleared and safe for walking, and is the temperature safe enough for students to walk to school or bus stops? A recommendation based on all these factors is made to the Superintendent. This includes a discussion with neighboring districts. A decision is usually made no later than 4:00 a.m.

How are families informed?

Because our middle and high school students catch their bus as early as 6:20 a.m., we plan to notify all families no later than 5:30 a.m. This will include an automated phone call to all Lincoln students and staff. We know this is early, especially for elementary only families, but we also know many families need to make plans for a day off of school. We also notify local radio and television stations. You can always find the closing list on Channels 2 (Fox), 4 (NBC), 7 (ABC) and 62 (CBS) as well as all major radio stations in the Ann Arbor and Detroit area. We also post a notice on the district website (LincolnK12.org), and use Facebook and Instagram.

To update your phone number or email address, contact your school office for assistance.