Manchester Community Schools
April 12, 2010 E-Newsletter

"Educational Excellence in a Caring Community"

Welcome Back!  Spring break is over!  Spring is here!  And, we have nine weeks left in this school year.  Our goal is to make the very best use of the time left in this school year to maximize learning for each and every student.

Special Events:  There are several special events scheduled for April and May.   Listed below are highlights of what is planned.  

• April 13:  "Meet the Candidates" Forum, hosted by the Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce and the Manchester Enterprise, at 7:00 p.m. in the Board Room of the Ackerson Building.  
• April 19:  School Board Meeting at 7:00 p.m.
• April 20:  Community Forum on 2010-2011 budget and the non-homestead millage renewal proposals.   The forum will be held from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. in the Board Room of the Ackerson Building.
• April 23-25:  Manchester High School presents “Damn Yankees“, the annual spring musical.  Performances are Friday and Saturday night at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m.   Tickets are available starting on April 19 in the high school office.
• April 24: Kindergarten Registration Celebration
• May 4:  School Election: Voting at local Township Halls
• May 17: School Board Meeting at 7:00 p.m.

School of Choice applications for the 2010-2011 school year are now available.  You can obtain one by clicking here.   Please consider inviting friends and family members who live in Washtenaw County or in any county that borders Washtenaw County to join your children as students in the Manchester Community Schools.

Continuous Improvement:  On an ongoing basis in a variety of settings, data is reviewed and dialogue occurs with regard to how to improve the education that we as a school district provide to children in our community.  Discussions with students, meetings with parents, collaboration among grade level or subject area teams, regularly scheduled meetings of the Professional Council, Curriculum Council, and Support Staff Advisory Council: each of these activities has as its focus improving the educational experience for the children entrusted to us.   What results are curriculum revisions, instructional resource purchase recommendations, and plans for professional development for staff members to improve teaching and learning.  Some examples of recent initiatives include the development of updated assessment plans for grades K-4; updates to the instructional resources for teaching social studies in grades 5 and 8; updated plans to provide credit recovery options for high school students, and the identification of professional development topics to be provided to staff in the 2010-2011 school year.  Do you have ideas of how we can improve?  Please share them with us by speaking to staff members, building principals, department supervisors, or by contacting our Superintendent of Schools, Shawn Lewis-Lakin, at 734-428-9711, ext. 1003, or slewis-lakin@mcs.k12.mi.us

School Board Election: Residents of the Manchester Community School District will be voting on May 4, 2010 for two school board candidates.  Five persons have filed as candidates for the two positions.  They are Ron Ellison (incumbent), Vicki Miller (incumbent), Jeff Messman, James Chinavare, and Robert Weinhardt.  A “Meet the Candidates” forum will take place on April 13, 7:00 p.m. in the Board Room.   The forum is being co-sponsored by the Manchester Chamber of Commerce and the Manchester Enterprise.

Vote on Ballot Proposals: Proposals for the renewal of two existing millages will be on the May 4, 2010 ballot.   The two proposals renew the non-homestead millage that is levied only on those properties other than residents' primary residences.  Key facts regarding these proposals include the following:

• This millage is for non-homestead property only and does not apply to a person’s primary place of residence.  A yes or no vote has no impact on the taxes you pay on your home.
• This is a Manchester community millage vote only, and not a county-wide proposal.   It is not a new tax.  It is not a tax increase.
• Passage of this proposal does not increase the non-homestead property tax rate.  Fourteen percent of properties in our district are classified as “non-homestead” properties.  A yes vote on this proposal renews the millage rate on these properties at its existing level, extending the lower rate on such properties that went into effect following the passage of Proposal A in 1994.
• Passage of the proposal protects the local non-homestead tax revenue that supports our schools.  This tax is not collected on people’s primary residence.   If this millage is not renewed, our schools would lose an additional 1.16 million dollars in operating revenue.  This revenue loss would be on top of the reductions in state revenue with which the district has been grappling, and would have a devastating impact on our district and its programs. 

For additional information on these critically important proposals, please click here.  Additional information will be available at the community forum scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 20, in the Board Room of the Ackerson building.

Kindergarten Registration Celebration! Registration packets for students entering kindergarten in the fall are now available at Klager School.   On Saturday April 24, from 9:00 a.m. to noon, Klager School is hosting a Kindergarten Registration Celebration.  This is a special day that includes tours of kindergarten rooms and school buses, special activities and games for prospective kindergarten students, and assistance for families with the kindergarten registration process.  Families not able to attend the celebration may bring registration materials to Klager School any school day between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.  If these times are not convenient, please contact the school office (734-428-8231) to arrange a special appointment for kindergarten registration.  Please share this information with prospective kindergarten families (families with children who will turn five before December 1, 2010). 

Caring Community:  With justified pride, we talk a lot about “educational excellence” in our schools.  It is also important for us to remember the importance of the “caring community,” which encompasses both the community that supports students in Manchester, and the community within our classrooms and buildings.  Think about how you feel right now as you read these words. Are you distracted? Worried? Sad? To the extent that this is the case, such feelings affect your ability to concentrate, reflect, and make judgments about what you're reading.  Students who feel safe, connected, and engaged when they arrive at school and while they are in school are more likely to learn well.   In the last 30 years, a growing body of research has confirmed the importance of the learning climate or environment for children and adolescents. A positive and sustained environment surrounding a school and within a school promotes students' academic achievement and healthy development.  For additional information about the importance of educating the whole child, including the critical role of caring communities in student success, visit the homepage of the Whole Child Project at www.wholechildeducation.org

Enjoy the spring weather! 
And, please, remember to vote on May 4!