The Au Gres-Sims School District

We blinked and May was gone before we knew it. Such has been the story throughout my career and was once again my experience for May of 2022. The reason that May goes by so fast is because there is so much fun stuff going on. May is the month that we celebrate the hard work that our students and staff have put in, through celebrations, concerts, awards, ceremonies, and field trips. The excitement of the month is palpable and it is a whirlwind each year that is always fast, furious, and enjoyable.

May is also the month that we say goodbye and good luck to the latest graduating class of Au Gres-Sims. Yes, I know, they don't technically graduate until next Friday (and that is June), but today our seniors graced our halls for class for the very last time. This is a bittersweet moment for our staff who have watched these students grow, develop, and mature, some having spent their whole school career on our campus. This feeling also carries over to our students, who have known our campus, our staff, our colors, and our traditions as home for the past 13 years. Though we will formally close the book of our seniors' story next Friday when we celebrate the achievement that is graduation and a high school diploma, today we applaud them as having completed their journey that started so long ago. Just like the month of May, that time flies.

As we head into this holiday weekend, I would like to thank our seniors for the time and impression that they have left on Au Gres-Sims. They have faced adversity and come out as graduates. Congratulations and we wish you the best of luck and fortunes in your next chapter.

Have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend AGS.

-Mr. Ming

As we’ve all heard about the recent school shooting tragedy in Texas, this often poses more questions than answers. It also presents the dilemma about how to appropriately address the situation based upon the age of the child. Below are two articles that might shed a little light on the process and how we can help kids through these tough times.

How to Talk to Kids About School Shootings:

https://childmind.org/article/anxiety-school-shooting/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=hsk_tx_event_2022-05-25&utm_content=anxiety-school-shooting

Helping Children Cope With Frightening News:

https://childmind.org/article/helping-children-cope-frightening-news/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=hsk_tx_event_2022-05-25&utm_content=helping-children-cope-frightening-news

Next week starts the plethora of “major” end of the year events. It’s a busy week!

• Monday- No School. Happy Memorial Day. Thank you to all who have given the ultimate sacrifice!
• Tuesday- Boys baseball pre-district at 4:00 pm at Whittemore-Prescott.
• Wednesday- Senior Class Night starting at 6:00 with dinner in the MPR.
• Thursday- Freshmen Orientation starting at 5:30 in the Cyber Cafe, followed by the MS/HS Academic Awards at 7:00 in the main gym (invitation only for award winners).
• Friday- Commencement ceremony at 7:30 at the football field.

One of the special events mentioned above is our MS/HS Academic Awards Program. This is for grades 6-11 next Thursday at 7:00 pm and is by invitation only. For students receiving awards, we are in the process of notifying families of their child’s accomplishments. All of these communications should be completed by the end of the day on Tuesday. If you have a question about your son/daughter receiving an award, please call the main office at 876-7157.

Summer is almost here! That also means that so is the preparation for Fall sports! For our high school students, Fall sports (volleyball for girls and football for guys) begins on Monday, August 8. Please remember that in order to participate in practice you must have a physical that was issued since April 15. Stay tuned as I’m sure your Fall coaches will be reaching out to you shortly with summer opportunities.

We are finally making it to the end of our testing window! It feels like we have been testing for months, so I am very glad to have it finished! Now I will begin the task of rapidly calculating scores. I will use them for state reporting, to look ahead at plans and scheduling for next year, and also to add to final middle and high school House totals to determine the winner of MP4!

Speaking of House, both our middle and high school winning House teams for Marking Period 3 were finally able to go on their reward trip. Middle School Reveur and High School Altruismo traveled to Main Street Lanes in Standish on Monday and Tuesday respectively to enjoy pizza, pop, and bowling! Once again, both teams represented Au Gres-Sims well and had a great time!

Finally - another reminder about our summer school opportunities for both middle school and elementary students. Here is the link to the flyer for current 6th-8th grade students. This is the flyer that was sent to elementary students who are not a part of Mrs. Gordon’s program. Both of these programs are virtual, and students are working just 3 hours a week in a specialized plan built just for them. This intensive focus allows for a lot of growth to happen in a short period of time! I hope that all families take advantage of this program! The sign-up link is found at the bottom of each flyer!

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has a vast repository of Mental Health Resources including:

• Online Discussion Groups
• Resources for Teens
• Help Lines (Phone and Text)
• Mental Wellness Webinars
• Behavioral Health Guides
• Video Resources

Check them out at: https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/resources/mental-health-resources

Next Week's Schedule of Events:

It is MHSAA Playoff time for our Varsity Baseball and Softball teams. Good luck in the tourney!

Varsity Baseball (Host = Whittemore-Prescott)

• Tuesday, May 31 vs. Whittmore-Prescott AWAY, 4pm
• ***Saturday, June 4: winner of AGS/WP vs. Hale, 12pm
• ***Saturday, June 4: winner of AGS/WP - Hale vs. winner of Mio - Alcona, 2pm FINAL

Varsity Softball (Host = Alcona)

• Saturday, June 4 vs. Mio, 12p
• ***Saturday, June 4: winner of AGS - Mio vs. winner of top of the bracket (Hale or W-P/Alcona), 2p FINAL

Important dates for June for the Au Gres-Sims School District.

Good News! We received confirmation this week that our waiver for 3 days was accepted by the state. We are confirmed for only 1 make-up day, meaning our last day of school is Friday, June 10th for students.

JUNE

• 1st: 8a Coffee with the Superintendent @ H&H
• 2nd: 5:30p 9th grade orientation
• 3rd: 7:30p Graduation at AGS Stadium
• 8th: FULL DAY OF SCHOOL (was originally an early release day)
• 9th: Early Release ALL STUDENTS at 1pm, Middle and High School Exams
• 10th: Early Release ALL STUDENTS at 1pm, Middle and High School Exams, LAST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR ALL STUDENTS
• 13th: Teacher Records Day
• 20th: 6p Board of Education Regular Meeting

We are looking to add several community-minded members to our amazing team. If you or anyone you know might be interested in joining the Au Gres-Sims staff, please check out the employment opportunities section of our website.

https://www.ags-schools.org/employment-opportunities--95

Job Opportunities at AGS

We are also always on the lookout for substitute teachers. If interested, please inquire with Mrs. Miller in the district administration office, (989) 876-7157.

Looking Ahead to the 2022-2023 School Year

We are already planning ahead for next school year and looking for the very best to fill our ranks and join the AGS Family. We need your help! Please spread the word that we are on the lookout for the following positions for the 22-23 School Year.

• K-12 Art Teacher

• Elementary PE - Health Teacher

• MS ELA Teacher

• Maintenance Director

• Bus Driver (2)

• Special Education Teacher

• Targeted Math Interventionist (part-time, grades 6-8)

• Interventionist for Math and Reading (part-time, grades K-8)

Email: web@ags-schools.org
Website: www.ags-schools.org
Location: 310 South Court Street, Au Gres, MI, USA
Phone: (989) 876-7150
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuGresSims/?ref=br_rs
Twitter: @agsschools