AMS Principal's Weekly Update

Dear AMS Students and Families,

Monday was International Holocaust Remembrance Day, a day that commemorate the date when the Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated by the Red Army in 1945. On Monday, students participated in middle school appropriate lessons in an extended Advisory Period in recognition of Holocaust Remembrance Day. So that the lessons are not repetitive from year to year, there is a different lesson or activity for each grade level.

6th Grade students watched several documentaries that contained historical events and personal stories from survivors. There were certainly parts of these documentaries that were emotional as students listened to the experiences of survivors and liberators along with seeing images and videos showing the horrific conditions humans were subjected to during this dark period in history.

The 7th Grade lesson focused more on the propaganda, scapegoating, and fear tactics used by the Nazis that influenced so many to be bystanders and do nothing while human atrocities occurred in mass. The 7th Grade lesson also focused on those who resisted the Nazi regime and took action to help liberate those in concentration camps.

8th Graders had the humbling opportunity to listen to guest speaker, Linda Cohen, author of the book, Sarinka, which is based on the story of Linda's parents who were both Holocaust survivors. Linda shared how both of her parents escaped and lived in hiding from the Nazis for years until they were allowed refugee status in the U.S. She talked about those who helped her parents along the way and what it was like to grow up the child of Holocaust survivors. At the end of her presentation, Linda stressed how dangerous hate can be and how important it is that we get to know each other and accept our differences. At a time when antisemitism is elevated around the world, it is more important than ever to educate our students on our past so that these atrocities never happen again and we can work towards living in a world of acceptance and unity. Special thanks goes out to Mrs. Saltsman, Ms. Combs, Mr. Mustonen, Mrs. Post, and Mrs. Aytes for all of their work in preparing the lessons for our students.

Monday - February 3

Dungeons and Dragons Club 3:20-4:15 pm in Room 111

Eco Club 3:20-4:15 pm in Room 210

Homework Club 3:20-4:15 pm in Room 115

First Robotics 4:00 pm in Room 114

Board of Education Meeting 7:00 pm at Tyndall

Tuesday - February 4

Drama Club 3:20-4:15 in the Media Center

Girls Volleyball Home v. Norup 7th Grade 4:15 pm / 8th Grade 5:15 pm

Boys Swim Meet at North Hills at 4:30 pm

Wednesday - February 5

Chess Club 3:20-4:15 pm in Room 100

Homework Club 3:20-4:15 pm in Room 115

Rainbow Room Club 3:20-4:15 pm in Room 109

Yoga 3:30-4:30 pm in Room 114

Thursday - February 6

Art Club 3:20-4:15 pm in Room 110

Girls Volleyball at Royal Oak 7th Grade 4:15 pm / 8th Grade 5:15 pm

Wrestling Meet Home v. Farmington Power 4:15 pm

Berkley Choir Boosters Meeting 7:00 pm in the AMS Choir Room

Friday - February 7

BHS Counselor/Administrator Presentation for 8th Grade 2nd Period

NJHS Meeting 12:55 pm in the Media Center

Ski Club 3:30-10:00 pm at Mt. Holly

Please join me in welcoming Mrs. Audrey MacDonald as our new AMS Orchestra Teacher and 5th Grade Orchestra Teacher at Angell, Burton, Pattengill, and Rogers. Mrs. MacDonald comes to us with several years of experience with her most recent position teaching 5th and 6th Grade Orchestra in Gilbert Public Schools in Gilbert, Arizona. Welcome Mrs. MacDonald!

Founder's Day is a Berkley Area PTA event that honors an educator, support staff member, and PTA member of the year from each of the Berkley Schools. Individuals are nominated by their school community. To vote for the AMS Educator, Support Staff, and PTSA Member of the Year, please click on the AMS Founder's Day Nomination form. On the first page of the nomination form, click next to access the voting options. Please vote by February 9.

A Founder's Day dinner reception to honor the winners will take place on Tuesday, February 25, from 6:00-9:00 pm, at Club Venetian in Madison Heights. Tickets are $35.00. Registration and Ticket information can be accessed by clicking on Founder's Day 2025.

Attention 8th Grade Parents - Berkley High School will be hosting Incoming 9th Grade Parent Information Night on Tuesday, February 11, at 6:30 pm in the BHS Auditorium. BHS Principal, Andy Meloche, will be sending 8th Grade parents an email with additional information toward the end of next week.

For those who have already participated on a school team or plan to participate in a Winter 2 or Spring sport, please check your Mistar accounts for unresolved Pay to Participate fees. If these fees are not resolved, your student(s) will not be able to participate in both current and/or future programs until resolved. If you have difficulty with MISTAR or feel that an outstanding balance is inaccurate, please reach out to Mr. Smith or Kim Todd, Athletic Secretary at BHS.

Congratulations to the following students for being recognized as our newest members of the AMS Breakfast Club for the 2024-25 school year:

6th Grade: Reese Brudenell, Liam Edge, Nora Haner-Bowers, Alex Obertynski, Hayden Skipton, Claire Spanier, Hazel Srugis, Claire Thrasher, Aviva Wagner, and Simonne Wright.

7th Grade:Garrett Blackburn, Riley Bluhm, Elaina Courser, Sydney Halfacre, Emory Hubbell, Mamady Kaba, Travis Peasley, Isaac Raudszus, Connor Smith, and Artem Zhukovskyi.

8th Grade: Molly Aretz, Adam Bango, Anthony Gatewood, Brice Heger, Jeffrey Johnston, Roy Nixon, Penny Provost, Isabella Riddle, Maddy Smith, and Khloe Tucker.

To recognize these well-deserving students, the names of each student were read over the PA followed by Mr. Smith and I personally delivering goodie bags and personalized notes from teachers to the classrooms of the 30 students. With 2 terms remaining in the school year, there will be an additional 60 students recognized for a total of 120 students recognized this year. Special thanks goes out to Mrs. Saltsman, Mrs. Aytes, and Mrs. Bajorek for helping to coordinate the AMS Breakfast Club.

On Tuesday, students from Religious Diversity Journey went to Kirk in the Hills Presbyterian Church to learn about Christianity. Students entered the church in awe of the stained glass, high-arching ceilings, and gorgeous stone carvings throughout the building. RDJ students explored the beliefs of Christianity as they heard from the pastor at The Kirk, then explored the church, climbing to the top of the bell tower (the tallest point in Oakland County). After getting a good view of the Detroit skyline, RDJ students did some good for the community by making hygiene bags for the working poor of Pontiac. Students received several compliments from volunteers at The Kirk for the level of respect, integrity, and curiosity they showed, so much so that they even sent a follow-up email inviting RDJ students back anytime.

This past Saturday, middle school students from all over the state of Michigan participated in the Michigan Music Conference’s All State Performances in Grand Rapids. We are proud to have our very own Anderson 8th Grader, Bea Verriest, perform! Bea was one of over 2,000 students selected for the group, and spent 12 hours rehearsing over the span of 2 days to prepare for this concert. Well done Bea!

AMS will be offering a Winter Book Club, hosted by Mrs. Aytes and sponsored by Berkley Huntington Woods Youth Assistance. To sign up, please click on the informational flyer below.

Please consider joining the AMS PTSA to help support initiatives like Teacher Classroom Stipends, BHWYA, March Miracles, Assemblies, Social Emotional Initiatives, Staff Appreciation and much more! To join, simply click on the AMS PTSA Membership Page.

2024-25 Officers:

President - Dawn Banks
Vice President - Kary Pasanen
Treasurer - Melissa Foreman-Lovell

Secretary - Nicole Hollman

2024-25 Remaining Meeting Dates: All Meetings will be held in the Media Center and via Zoom

February 11 @ 8:30 am and via Zoom

April 8 @ 7:00 pm and Via Zoom

May 13 @ 8:30 am and via Zoom

To access meetings via Zoom, please use the following Zoom Link

Follow the AMS PTSA on Social Media

For all athletic related questions, please contact
AMS Assistant Principal / Athletic Coordinator, Carman Smith

Berkley District Middle School Athletic Coordinator, Lori Stone

Berkley High School Athletic Director, Matt Rawlik

SPORTS OFFERED AT AMS

Fall Season (September - October)

Football (Grades 7-8 Only)

Girls Basketball (Grades 7-8 Only) *

Co-Ed Cross Country (Grades 6-8)

Girls Tennis (Grades 6-8)

Winter 1 Season (November - Mid January)

Girls Swimming (Grades 6-8)

Boys Basketball (Grades 7-8 Only) *

Winter 2 Season (Mid January - March)

Wrestling (Grades 6-8)

Girls Volleyball (Grades 7-8 Only) *

Boys Swimming (Grades 6-8)

Spring Season (April - May)

Co-Ed Track (Grades 6-8)

Boys Tennis (Grades 6-8)

Baseball (Grades 7-8 Only) *

Softball (Grades 7-8 Only) *

* These sports are intended for 7th and 8th grade only, however if there are not enough 7th and 8th grade students to field a team, spots will be opened up for 6th Graders to tryout.

AMS has athletic eligibility guidelines and expectations. To view the guidelines and expectations for student-athletes, please click on Middle School Athletic Eligibility

The first step in participating in any sport is registering on Final Forms! Final Forms is the registration platform used for athletics where families must submit student physicals, as well as sign all the necessary forms required to be eligible to play a school sport. For directions on how to navigate Final Forms, please click on Final Forms Registration Information. All documents must be signed and submitted before the first day of tryouts. Failure to do so results in your child not being able to try out for any sport.

TEAM INFORMATION

For questions about 7th Grade Volleyball, please contact Coach Steve Hanna and for 8th Grade contact Coach Theresa Cabalum. Below is the schedule for the season with home games starting at 4:15 pm for 7th Grade and 5:15 pm for 8th Grade and away games starting at 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm respectively unless otherwise noted. Home games are denoted in bold below:

2/4 Home v. Norup

2/6 Away v. Royal Oak (4:15 start)

2/11 Away v. Farmington Warner

2/13 Away v. Farmington East

2/25 Home v. Farmington Power

2/27 Home v. Farmington Steam

3/4 Away v. Royal Oak (4:15 start)

3/6 Home v. Clarenceville

3/11 Home v. Ferndale (4:30 start)

3/13 at Royal Oak (4:15 start)

3/14 Home v. Birmingham Derby

3/20 Away v. Norup (4:15 start)

For questions about boys swimming, please contact Coach Teri Falcon. Below is the schedule for the season with home meets starting at 5:00 pm and away meets starting at 4:30 pm. Home meets are denoted in bold below:

2/4 Away v. North Hills

2/10 Home v. Birmingham Covington

2/12 Away v. Birmingham Derby

2/24 Home v. Cranbrook

3/3 Home v. Birmingham Berkshire

3/5 Away v. South Hills

3/14 League Meet at Seaholm

For questions about Wrestling, please contact Coach Vinnie Tenaglia. Below is the schedule for the season with home meets starting at 4:15 pm and away meets starting at 4:30 pm. Home meets are denoted in bold below:

2/6 Home v. Farmington Power

2/10 Home v. Ferndale

2/12 Away v. Farmington Steam

2/26 Away v. Farmington Warner

3/3 Away v. Farmington East

3/5 Away v. Farmington Power

3/10 Away v. Ferndale

3/12 Home v. Farmington Steam

3/17 Home v. Farmington Warner

3/18 Home v. Farmington East

Below are club and extra-curricular opportunities offered to students throughout the year. Check back each week for additional club information and updates.

Students are eligible to be inducted into NJHS in the spring of 7th Grade by earning a cumulative GPA of 3.7 through 6 terms (Terms 1-4 from 6th Grade and terms 1 and 2 of 7th Grade) and earning citizenship marks no less than a 2. For questions about NJHS, please contact NJHS sponsor, Ms. Ng. Meeting dates for current 8th Grade NJHS members take place once a month during 8th grade lunch and will take place on the following dates:

REMAINING MEETING DATES

2/6/25

3/13/25

4/17/25

5/22/25

The AMS Peer to Peer Program is a school-wide program designed to increase academic, independence, and social engagement opportunities for students with autism and other disabilities. This is achieved by inviting multiple peers without disabilities to pair up with students with disabilities during a variety of school activities. Peers model typical academic and social behavior while students with disabilities can practice and use skills in natural settings by learning from peers in a positive and dignified manner. Authentic relationships form as students actively participate in activities together.

To learn more about Peer2Peer, please watch this Peer2Peer Informational Video. Students interested in becoming a peer for the 2024-2025 school year should reach out to any of the following staff members: Mrs. Gershonowicz (Room 112), Mrs. Roesner (Room 103), or Mrs. Black (Room 223).

In our continued focus in offering diverse opportunities for our students, AMS is thrilled to offer the Jewish Student Union Club. JSU has been thriving in hundreds of middle and high schools across the country, including within our own district at both Norup and BHS. JSU's mission is to create a welcoming and vibrant community for students to learn and connect with each other, explore Jewish culture and history, and discover opportunities for deeper engagement. The first JSU meeting will take place on Wednesday, February 26 during the 6th and 7th grade lunch period and will take place every Wednesday during 6th and 7th Grade lunch in Room 114. Pizza will be served alongside exciting and interactive activities. While we would have liked to offer this club to 8th Graders unfortunately, we are unable to offer it for 2 lunch periods.

AMS is offering a free 10 session Yoga/Mindfulness class after school for students taught by certified Yoga instructor Natalie Fons-Welke. The free classes will take place on Wednesdays in room 114 from 3:30-4:30 pm on the following dates: November 6, 13, and 20, December 4, 11, and 18, January 8, 15, 29, and February 5. Participation is free, however participants will need to purchase a yoga mat. If your child is interested in participating, they may simply show up on any of the dates offered. To learn more about the after school yoga class, click on the Yoga Mindfulness Overview.

Ski Club is available to Berkley School District students in grades 6-12 who ski or snowboard or are interested in learning. Starting on January 10 through the end of February, students in Ski Club will go to Mt. Holly, leaving AMS around 3:30 pm and getting back around 10:00 pm. For more information, please click on Ski Club 2025 and to access the registration form, please click on Ski Club Registration Form 2025. For questions about Ski Club, please contact Ski Club sponsor, Jim Cowdrey.

First Robotics Club has completed the FIRST Tech Challenge for this year. Meetings will continue on Mondays at 4:00 pm in Room 114 through 2nd semester. If you have any questions about the First Robotics Club, please contact AMS parents and team sponsors, Martin Wekerle and Rob Calvano.

Drama Club is open to any students interested in learning more about acting and drama productions. Meetings will take place every Tuesday from 3:20-4:15 pm in the Media Center. For questions about Drama Club, please contact Zach Guerra

Chess Club is open to students with previous experience and those wishing to learn the game of Chess. Meetings will take place on Wednesdays from 3:20-4:15 in Room 100. For questions about Chess Club, please contact Mr. Mustonen.

The Dungeons and Dragons Club is for students who have previous experience playing Dungeons and Dragons and those who wish to learn. Meetings will take place every Monday from 3:20-4:15 pm in Room 111. For questions about the D&D Club, please contact Mr. Stoia.

The Eco Club is offered to students who have an interest preserving the environment and being part of environmentally friendly activities. Meetings will take place every Monday from 3:20-4:15 pm in Room 210. For questions about Eco Club, please contact Ms. Maimes.

Art Club will have a focus on drawing. All skill levels are welcome. Students should bring a sketchbook and their own drawing materials. Special papers and advanced drawing mediums will be available for those that want to explore. Meetings will take place every Thursday from 3:20-4:15 pm in the Art room (Room 110). For questions about Art Club, please contact Ms. Reid.

The Rainbow Room is Club is an inclusive after school club offering for LGBTQ+ students and LGTBQ+ allies. Meetings will take place every Wednesday from 3:20-4:15 pm in room 109. For questions about Rainbow Room, please contact Ms. Reid.

Homework Club provides students the opportunity to work independently or receive extra help with homework. Students who choose to attend homework club must be working on school work or school related work. Homework Club will take place every Monday and Wednesday from 3:20-4:15 in Room 115. For questions about Homework Club, please contact Mrs. McChesney or Mr. Stoia.

For the 2024-25 school year, school breakfast and lunch will be free for ALL students. The cafeteria will be open from 7:30-8:05 a.m. for breakfast and early drop-off (entry cut off at 7:55) and students must enter through the cafeteria door off the parking lot.

Please click to access the

February Lunch Menu

To view nutritional and food ingredient information for school breakfast and lunches served at AMS, please click on the Nutrislice Informational Page for AMS

PLEASE NOTE: AMS does not allow food delivery services such as GrubHub or DoorDash. Any order that is attempted to be delivered to AMS will be refused.

Additionally, AMS now offers A La Carte snack items which include soft pretzels, cookies, chips, and drink options. Purchases can be made by either adding money to a student's MISTAR account or with cash. Cash purchases receiving change will have change applied to their MISTAR account for future purchases. Other payment options such as debit cards, Venmo, Apple Pay, or Google Pay Will NOT be accepted.

Please take the time to review the designated pick up and drop-off zones below. Some things to highlight include:

• CATALPA: No stopping, standing, parking, drop-off or pickup
• ROBINA: Drop-off and pickup zone; no parking on the street
• BUS PARKING ONLY: Buses may drop students in the designated bus parking
• AMS PARKING LOT: Drop-off and pickup zone; parking in parking lot spaces only
• Berkley Public Safety will be enforcing the traffic rules

When there are inclement weather conditions such as temperatures below 20 degrees, rain, or falling snow, students may enter the building upon their arrival through their designated grade level door and wait in the hallway until 8:05. As a reminder, our cafeteria is open everyday from 7:30-8:05 (entry cutoff at 7:55) for any students who wish to get breakfast or need to be dropped off early.

The Berkley African American Parent Network (BAAPN) is a parent run organization that works in partnership with the Berkley School District and Oakland County Schools. The BAAPN network is a way for parents with African American children in Berkley Schools to connect with each other. BAAPN is committed to supporting student engagement, high academic achievement, and increased parental involvement. For more information, please visit the BAAPN Facebook Page. Click to access the BAAPN membership form. Below are the remaining meeting dates for the 2024-25 school year with meetings taking place in the Norup Media Center at 7:00 pm:

February 27

March 13

May 15

Did you know that students from the BHS National Honor Society offer free peer tutoring? If you child is in need of tutoring, please click on NHS Middle School Tutors for the list of available tutors. It is as simple as looking through the list, identifying a tutor that meets your child's needs, and contacting them to arrange tutoring.

Berkley Schools has partnered with Varsity Tutors for Schools, an online platform with access to free learning tools. The Varsity Tutors Platform gives students more opportunities to learn at their own pace, to get support on subjects they might be struggling with, to explore subjects they are learning in class and to support their curiosities.

The platform includes the following:

• 24/7 on-demand chat tutoring and on-demand essay review to help students with any questions about homework, classwork or test prep.
• Live group classes, recorded classes and celebrity-led StarCourses allow students to learn more about the subjects they’re interested in and add a touch of fun.
• Assessments and self study practice problems provide opportunities to drill skills towards mastery.
• College prep & admissions resources ensure that students have the best resources available.

How to Access Varsity Tutors

Sign into the Varsity Tutors platform through the student Clever portal. To learn how to log into Clever with your child’s Berkley Schools Google account, follow these directions.

Learn More & Get Started!

• Varsity Tutors Berkley Schools Launchpad
• Frequently Asked Questions

All parents, guardians, or family members interested in volunteering, chaperoning, and/or driving other students for school-sponsored functions or field trips must complete the following forms prior to the event or activity:

Parent Volunteer Form (Includes Chaperone form)

*The Volunteer Form must be accompanied with a copy of your valid driver's license or state-issued ID.

Parent Driver Form (To be turned into the AMS Office)

For both MISTAR and Schoology, there is a specific site for the Berkley School District. To ensure that you are logging into the correct sites, please use the following links below:

Schoology

MISTAR Parent Portal

For any tech related issues, parents and students should put in a tech ticket and it will be routed to the appropriate department to get resolved ASAP.

Order your AMS Yearbook (prices starting at $40.00). To order your yearbook, click on the AMS 2024-25 Online Ordering Link

To view the AMS event calendar for 2024-25, please click on AMS Event Calendar 2024-25. Please keep in mind that due to various circumstances, event times and dates are subject to change and events may be added or removed.

Anytime is a great time to purchase AMS spirit wear. Ordering is simple through our online store with many options to choose from. To shop for AMS spirit wear, please visit the AMS Online Spirit Wear Store.

Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Michael Ross

AMS Principal

Email: michael.ross@berkleyschools.org
Website: https://www.berkleyschools.org/schools/anderson/
Location: 3205 Catalpa Drive, Berkley, MI, USA
Phone: 248-837-8200