EUREKA HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL takes trip to theater

Eureka Heights Elementary School second graders recently took a field trip to the Trenton Theater.

EUREKA HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL celebrates good behavior

Reinforcing positive behaviors is a key part of the Taylor School District action plan. Eureka Heights Elementary School recently held at “PBIS Day” for January including a “Principal’s Pizza Party” for "All Green, All Month" pupils.

Also included in these photographs are the PBIS store and PBIS assembly.

Good behavior pays off.

EUREKA HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL holds brainstorm gathering

Eureka Heights Elementary School recently held a “Brainstormers” writing assembly. Here are several photographs from the gathering.

MYERS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL children create MLK College

Mrs. Brindle's fourth-grade pupils at Myers Elementary School pose with the “Martin Luther King Jr. College” they created together to honor Dr. King.

RANDALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: More photos from Watch Dog program

Here are some more photos from Randall Elementary School's Watch Dog Program.

SIXTH GRADE ACADEMY completes STEM unit on Architecture and Design

Mrs. O'Connor's Math class at the Sixth Grade Academy completed a STEM unit on Architecture and Design.

Students designed their own homes on drafting boards using T-squares, rulers and triangles. Next they drew a blueprint to scale and finished by actually constructing a model home.

The finished products were outstanding and some student even went a step further and added personal touches.

RANDALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL offers plenty of watch dogs

On February 3 Randall Elementary School invited the fathers and other positive male role models for a “Donuts with Dads Night.” There were 51 “dads” in attendance for coffee, donuts, juice and some special time with their students.

Instead of the usual - watch the video – the dads and grandpas played board games with their children. A night with your kids makes a great moment. The school provided the dads with an opportunity to spend quality time with their children.

Watch D.O.G.S. is a national program and Randall has been participating for a few years. “Dads” who wanted to join our program were able to sign the calendar when they wanted to come into our school.

The school had approximately 20 dads sign up to be a Randall Watch Dog and the staff looks forward to having them in the building. The Mustangs are always happy to see them!

If you are a Randall father figure and want to join the Watch D.O.G.S., contact the school 313-295-5812.

You can also go to their website to receive more information. http://www.fathers.com/watchdogs/

HOOVER MIDDLE SCHOOL's Shayna Elliot is student of month

TOMMIE SAYLOR: We are too often our own enemies

“Every successful individual knows that his or her achievement depends on a community of persons working together.”

Paul Ryan

By Tommie Saylor

Kennedy High School Principal

Whatever happened to the sense of community?  The idea of united we stand?  Why is it that when something happens (often due to no fault of our own) and we handle the incident exactly according to policy and protocol with the utmost professionalism, instead of the community rallying around our efforts, we get attacked? 

Instead of giving us a call and asking, “What can I do to help?” some people call the media in hopes of playing a game known as “gotcha.” I just don’t understand the allure of making our own look bad in the eyes of the greater community. Why should we devalue ourselves within the Downriver neighborhood? Why lend credence to old prejudices. 

I guess people just don’t understand that it is not a school, or a district; it is their school and their district.  A school is not just part of the community. In the eyes of their children, it is the community.  By harming a school’s or a district’s reputation, they are harming their own kids. By attacking, they are attacking their own children. 

I don’t understand why the people can’t or won’t trust in our professionalism.  If you go to a doctor, you trust that he or she knows what they are doing. You place your life in your doctor’s hands.  You go to an attorney, dentist, tax preparer, etc. and trust that they know what they are doing. 

Yet educators, who have as much and sometimes more formal training than those listed above, are sometimes treated as if they are without trust?  After all, our motives are pure and our honor is clean. We don’t serve to get paid, we get paid because we serve.

I suppose that this is a question without answer, and all that we can do is drive on doing as much good for as many people as we can. 

Even though we may be loathed by some, loved by few and dismissed by too many, we will silently continue to push our students forward to a greater tomorrow.  Only through the efforts of those in the classroom will our country find salvation, and our society redemption.

How and where will you lead them. Making Kennedy the school of choice. Excellence by design.

WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL singers tear up the competition

On January 30, a group of students from Mr. Martin's chorus at West Middle School traveled to Monroe Middle School to participate in the MSVMA Vocal Solo and Ensemble Festival.  

They each performed folk, art and foreign language songs they had memorized and practiced, along with their accompanist, Tracey King from The King School of Music in Taylor. Each performer received comments and a short clinic from a singing teacher as part of their experience. 

Myra, Adria, Alisha, Katelyn, Amelia, Connor and the trio of Sara, Kaytlyn and Jaci each received a "Good" rating, while Courtney's performance was rated "Excellent."  

Elizabeth gave an extraordinary performance, rating 30 of 30 possible points, for an "Excellent with Superior Distinction" rating. 

The Cardinal Singers, the 34-voice top choir at West also performed in three mini-groups so each individual singer had to show their ability to lead.  They were rated "good" and "excellent" and learned lots of techniques they can apply to their upcoming performance at district choral festival. 

The staff is proud of these singers and of all their hard work!

KINYON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL family comes to aid of staff member

Late last year, one of our Kinyon Elementary School’s own, Ms. L., was diagnosed with MS. She uses a walking cart to aid her, but working in two buildings lugging a single cart is difficult.

The Kinyon Student Council sponsored a "Hat Day" to purchase a new cart for our amazing librarian. The morning of “Hat Day,” a Kinyon family stepped forward and donated a cart!

Kinyon ROCKS!

SIXTH GRADE ACADEMY students look for 'perfect 16'

The students at the Sixth Grade Academy are excited about Black History Month.

Mrs. Hill, the library paraprofessional, is running a contest to see how many of the “Famous Black Americans” can be identified by students. Many students are coming and using the library before school to do research so they can correctly name who is on each poster.

The students who get all 16 names correct will be entered in a drawing for one of the two gift certificates available for the next Scholastic Book Fair in May.

HOOVER MIDDLE SCHOOL kicks of Black History Month

Hoover Middle School students kicked off their celebration of Black History Month with a community service drive to collect water for the residents for Flint. 

Enrichment Class activities include participation in Kroger's "I Can Make History Contest”; the Jackie Robinson "Overcoming Barriers" essay contest; games and other activities.  Hoover’s theme this year is “Remembering the Past, Changing the Future.” 

It appears on the banner and on t-shirts, bracelets and suckers that are selling briskly school-wide!  

WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL classes discuss Native American experiences

On February 1, Chief Ted Roll of the Wyandotte Indians, along with two of his associates, spoke to social studies classes at West Middle School.  

They discussed the Native American experience, past and present. They explained how the Downnriver area was their homeland before many were displaced to Canada, Ohio, Kansas and Oklahoma.      

This marked a very dark period in U.S. history, because the American government issued the policy of “assimilate or annihilate” these indigenous people. Many children were taken from their families to be educated in the ways of the “white man.”

Fortunately today Native American are free to celebrate their culture. There are about 1,300 Native Americans who belong to the Wyandotte Tribe.  Their strong voice and educational policies continue to enlighten everyone about their past struggles and present victories. 

HOLLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL youngsters happy to be wrong!

Mrs. Madden's kindergarten friends have never been so happy to be wrong! 

Last week these Holland Elementary School pupils predicted that “Punxsutawney Phil” would see his shadow on Groundhog Day, February 2. They were very happy to hear that he didn't see it, and that spring would come early (outside recess!). They enjoyed learning all about of the tradition and the fun it can bring.