Saturday, October 8, 2016

TWO SCHOOL MILLAGES on November ballot

Next month on November 8, Taylor School District voters will have an opportunity to consider two ballot initiatives that would directly impact all students in the district. Each will be on the Presidential Election ballot.

The first is the Wayne County RESA enhancement millage.  The enhancement millage, if approved, would levy 2 mills for six years, and would bring approximately $2.6 million per year to the Taylor School District. 

This millage would cost the average homeowner about $8 a month.  These funds, if approved, would be used to improve district technology infrastructure; purchase instructional technology for students and teachers; repair, replace and upgrade roofs, boilers, windows, exterior doors and parking lots; and to maintain low class sizes for our students.

The second initiative is the Taylor School District School Improvement Bond

The district, working in conjunction with Mayor Rick Sollars and the City of Taylor, took the opportunity to ask voters to consider a school improvement bond with a rate of 0.96 mills. 

This rate was chosen specifically to match an expired city of Taylor millage levy to ensure that this school improvement bond, if approved, would have a net zero impact on residents' tax bills. The former 20-year bond levy targeted purchase and renovation of large sites in the southwest corner of the community.

Funds from this school bond, if approved, would generate approximately $1.19 million per year for the next five years. 

These funds are specifically targeted to support the purchase of new school buses, repair and upgrade school buildings, and purchase instructional technology.


KINYON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Haley's efforts earn free ride!


Haley Swartout was the lucky winner of a ride from Sweet's Limo Service Friday!

Haley's name was in a drawing for the “sweet ride” because she sold 10 items during the Kinyon Elementary School annual Morley Fundraiser. The students sold over $8,000 worth of product, of which 40 percent comes right back to the student's activity fund!

Kinyon School Rocks!


RANDALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL students learn about cheetahs


Mrs. Jonassen, Mrs. Holstein, Mrs. Milley and Ms. Schoen first graders at Randall Elementary School took a virtual field trip to learn about cheetahs.


The classes learned three interesting facts. They learned that cheetahs run up to 70 mph.; they are the fastest animal on land; and their claws never retract, which helps with balance and traction.




MCDOWELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is in focus


They are saying “Cheese” at McDowell Elementary School!

Everyone is excited to get a turn in front of the camera. Most were all smiles and looking forward to seeing their new ID picture.


School pictures are a great way to capture the year-to-year changes as a student grows.



MCDOWELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: Wall writings cry out for more


If walls could speak...

At McDowell Elementary School, Ms. Hutchison, reading specialist, is posting fun-to-finish writing posters to encourage classes to become writing experts.

She always uses ideas that are interesting, shows organization that is logical, makes room for each classroom's voice to be heard, and encourages memorable and smooth word choice. 

Last month's theme was summer vacation and this month's theme is pumpkins! 


As one group poster is done, the students can't wait to see what she'll put up next!




RANDALL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL students take the tour!


The Randall Elementary School students in the classes of Mrs. Cahalan, Mrs. Harris, Mrs. Mitroka, Mr. Newsome and Mrs. Ostrowski had a fabulous field trip to the Ford Rouge Assembly Plant.  

The tour guide was a retired Taylor School District teacher, Sandy Kyte, who has worked at The Henry Ford for a very long time. 

The group learned the assembly line is a way to make the Ford 150 Trucks where each worker does the same job over and over in the span of one-minute intervals.  The trucks move by as they are being assembled.   


They also learned about the Ford’s “living roof” and the variety of plant matter needed to keep it sustainable. 












TRUMAN HIGH SCHOOL student council and DECA help Gleaners


Recently Stephanie Kerns and Carly Lundgren-Barnard took some Truman High School sophomore and junior student council and DECA students to Gleaners to do some volunteer work.

They worked in four different stations: bag folding, box making, packing boxes with food, and weighing and labeling the boxes. The students bagged and boxed over 1,000 items. The teachers were very proud of their enthusiasm to do community service and give back to our community and they were very well behaved. 

The group also went to Heritage Park for lunch and team building activities. The students learned to use verbal and non-verbal communication skills to solve a problem and work together as a team.

They were paired up with kids from a different grade so that they could meet new people and learn professional networking skills and had some fun while doing it. The group couldn't have asked for better weather and better-behaved students, this was an amazing experience that we would like to start a tradition of. 












Wednesday, October 5, 2016

HOOVER MIDDLE SCHOOL is all smiles!


Do you know why everyone was smiling at Hoover Middle School recently?  

It was PICTURE DAY!  

Students and staff members smiled for the camera and received their student/staff picture ID right on the spot thanks to Lifetouch Photography.  

Having student and staff picture IDs is just one part of making our school a SAFE school.


Show us your HOOVER HAWK smile!







WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL singers perform at Comerica Park


The West Middle School Cardinal Singers directed by Dave Martin performed the Star Spangled Banner at Comerica Park for the Detroit Tigers on Friday, September 23.


TRUMAN HIGH SCHOOL store hosts Crestwood students


On September 23 students from the Dearborn Heights Crestwood High School PAES program came on a field trip to tour the Truman High School school store.

They are going to be setting one up at their school. They currently do not have one. Truman DECA marketing students and school store employees dressed with “Cougar Pride” in their Cougar shirts and welcomed the students with homemade cookies and a high five or handshake. 

After a tour they sat with the students and were each individually interviewed by a Crestwood student and then paired up to work together.







Students represented Truman with pride and it was a wonderful experience for all.