PARENTS: Here are ways to get involved in your child's education

Many of the traditional avenues of parent involvement - attending parent-teacher conferences, volunteering in the classroom, and getting involved with the PTA - are of course wonderful activities that will make a lasting difference in your child's educational experience while increasing the quality of the school.

But there are simpler things that parents can do in the course of day-to-day life that can also have a great impact on their children's academic success.

Here are some ideas to consider…

PREPARED PROPERLY FOR important parent-teacher conferences

Effective parent involvement includes a range of actions from reading and talking with children and asking "What did you learn today?" to attending parent-teacher conferences and helping children and youth make good choices about what they do after school and in the summer.

With parent-teacher meetings scheduled this week in Taylor, here is a good spot to begin preparing for that important task.

Click here

IT'S BACK TO SCHOOL on Monday

Don't forget that as school resumes on Monday, the second trimester begins, Randall Elementary School Players hold a rehearsal beginning at 3 p.m. and the Board of Education meets for its regular meeting at 6 p.m.

BLAIR MOODY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL holds 'Leader in Me' assembly

Blair Moody Elementary School fourth graders in Mr. Dwyer and Mrs. Pilots classes presented “Habit 2 - Begin With The End In Mind” at the school-wide "Leader In Me" assembly. Mrs. Burnett, music teacher, worked with the classes to present a musical selection on Habit 2. The school is proud of its leaders!

BLAIR MOODY WATCH DOGS get off to a great start

Blair Moody Elementary School would like to congratulate its WATCH D.O.G.S. Team.

Mrs. Burnett, Mrs. Pilot, Mrs. Hancock and Mrs. James did a great job with the Kick Off Event, and a special thank you to Renee at Pizza Hut for the generous donation of pizzas for the Dads and kids.

Go D.O.G.S !

EUREKA HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL pupils team up for math

“Math Buddies” in Mrs. Jones’ fourth-grade and Mrs. Cunningham’s first grade team up to improve their skills at Eureka Heights Elementary School. It is always more fun to learn together.

STUDENT COUNCILS hold retreat to create unity

Seventy-five members from Kennedy and Truman student councils participated in a leadership retreat on November 18.

Organized by Kennedy students Zena Yousef, Sana Abedi and Reya Yeoman, the activities were modeled from the MASC/MAHS summer leadership camp activities.

Yousef and Abedi attended the camp the past two summers. The event was created by students, for students, as Taylor Schools build toward unity in the community as they prepare for a single high school next year.

TAYLOR PARKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL pupils learn about First Thanksgiving

At Taylor Parks Elementary School, Mrs. Thomson's fourth-graders had fun learning about the First Thanksgiving with technology recently. Students used the QR code reader on the iPads to search for answers to questions about Thanksgiving that were hidden around the room.

TAYLOR PARKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL families benefit from Masons' campaign

Once again, a huge shout out to the Masons Golden Ark 595 for its kind donation of Thanksgiving dinners to Taylor Parks Elementary School families who need holiday assistance. Ron Campbell delivered the turkeys along with all the fixings in hopes that this will make a difference for these families. 

TAYLOR PARKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL holds 'Road Runner Rally'

Taylor Parks Elementary School recently had its monthly “Road Runner Rally,” complete with a outstanding presentation by all first-grade classes. They sang about the first native residents of the U.S., the American Indians, and then paid homage to all military veterans by giving special guests Sergeant in Arms Mack and Sergeant Hernandez gifts of love and appreciation for all they do.

GET READY FOR the Taylor High School Griffins, wearing black and gold!

Last week Taylor School District Board of Education voted unanimously on the new merged high school's name, colors and mascot – Taylor High School, black and gold, and Griffins.

Based on the surveyed feedback from students, parents, faculty and staff, they all showed the same top choices.

The Board of Education voted to make "Taylor High School" the name of the merged high school for the 2018-2019 school year. The combined school will be housed in what is now Truman.

They declared the mascot to be the Griffin, and the color scheme will be black and gold.

More information will be shared soon, and the district will need the public’s help again with another survey as it works to select the version of the Griffin mascot that we want to copyright.

Stay tuned for this survey coming soon in the next few weeks!

For more merger information, click here

TAYLOR PARKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL receives donations

Golden Ark Masonic Lodge, Iron Bandogs Monroe and Western Wayne & Downriver Warthogs recently delivered 62 coats and 59 pairs of boots to Taylor Parks Elementary School to help needy pupils throughout the winter months.

DECA HOLDS MOCK inhouse competitions

Taylor hosted its first ever DECA mock competition for Truman and Kennedy DECA clubs recently at Truman.

Official DECA competition will take place January 12, 2018. The students chose their marketing categories and will take a 100-question online test and then do a role play with a judge at Eastern Michigan University in the categories they picked. 

In order to prepare the club decided to hold a mock competition and wants to thank volunteer judges that participated. Without them this couldn't have been possible.

Thank you to Kathy Wolons (parent), Lori Rush (counselor), Julie Nelson (teacher), Rita Zalewski (teacher), Karen Wilhide (teacher) and Carly Lundgren-Barnard (teacher). 

If anyone is interested in judging for DECA competition Jan 12 please email me at Carly.barnard@taylorschools.net 

TAYLOR PARKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL students become gourmet cooks

Taylor Parks Elementary School students from Ms. Gorski's and Mrs. Abramas' class are gourmet cooks in the making.

Students studied the folk tale Stone Soup, and followed it up with the creation. Students mixed in corn, potatoes, broth, beans, and served the soup along with homemade butter and roles,  to staff members, parent volunteers, and them selves. Hands on learning at its finest.

The Story of Stone Soup: Three soldiers came marching down the road towards a French village. The peasants seeing them coming, suddenly became very busy, for soldiers are often hungry. So all the food was hidden under mattresses or in barns. There followed a battle of wits, with the soldiers equal to the occasion. Stone soup? Why, of course, they could make a wonderful soup of stones ... but, of course, one must add a carrot or tow ... some meat ... so it went.

DECA PRESIDENT"S article published by magazine

Check out Taylor's DECA president’s latest article for DECA Direct Magazine. Read about great advice she got from attending the state leadership fall conference. 

Click here to view

FORMER TAYLOR TEACHER honored by Today Show

Watch a deserving teacher get surprised by his whole school live on TODAY. As its “Toast the Teachers” series continues, TODAY’s Sheinelle Jones was live at South Lyon High School in Michigan to surprise teacher and basketball coach John Mackson, a former teacher in Taylor, with a salute from the whole school. Mackson also receives VIP Michigan State basketball tickets, a $2,500 check -- and a chance to win $7,500 for his school if he can sink a basket from half court!.

Click here to watch

TRUMAN, KENNEDY marketing students visit SkyZone

Recently the marketing students from Truman and Kennedy high schools attended a Skymarketing 101 field trip at SkyZone in Taylor. The students toured the facility, got to use the facility, meet with the general manager for job shadow, and participated in a shark tank style contest. 

The students were given a group analysis and exercise guide. They were to work together in groups on research, identity marketing, development and tracking, and a marketing plan for launching a new trampoline park. They came up with name, logo, and branding for their businesses and presented them to four "sharks.” Thank you to Mrs. Hale and the SkyZone employees for being our sharks. 

The winning group received free T-shirts and all that attended received free jump coupons  to come back, pizza, and pop. It was a great learning environment and change of pace for our kids and their behavior was wonderful. All the ideas were so creative and they all presented great especially for being in their socks and athletic clothing. 

HOLLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TRANSFORMS old room into media center

Holland Elementary School has transitioned an old classroom into a student friendly media center. A fresh coat of paint has helped brighten the room and accompany the new comfortable student reading areas.  New desktop computers help to assist with research and iPads helping to expand learning opportunities.

MCDOWELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is all smiles

Ms. Cook's class at McDowell Elementary School made a "Five Little Pumpkins" bulletin board. Look at those smiles!!!

WEST MIDDLE SCHOOL students learn of Native American struggle

On Thursday, November 16, Chief Ted Roll of the Wyandot of Anderdon Nation Tribe visited West Middle School.

Mr. Scott Bentley, Superintendent of River Raisin National Battlefield Park in Monroe, joined him. They spoke to eighth grade social studies students about our area's involvement in the War of 1812. This war had a great impact on the several Native American tribes that were located in this area at that time.

    

Chief Ted Roll discussed his position as present Chief of the Wyandot of Anderdon Nation tribe. His goal is to bring back and celebrate the customs and language of his ancestors. During this outreach program

Chief Roll told the students that beginning in 1879, The Bureau of Indian Affairs systematically removed Indian children from their families and sent them to boarding schools across the country. Away from their families, they were not allowed to speak their native language or practice their customs. They were required to cut their hair and change their attire. In other words, they attempted to "kill the Indian" out of them. In severe cases the government exterminated large groups of children through mass shootings. 

   

Mr. Bentley and Chief Roll spoke of the removal of the tribes away from the white man. This came to be known as the Indian Removal Act. Some tribes were removed to Kansas City, Kansas and then Oklahoma. Other tribes escaped to Canada. During this arduous journey many Native Americans, especially the young and elderly did not survive.

This relocation movement came to be known as the “Trail of Tears.”

West students and staff are grateful for the information Chief Roll and Mr. Bentley provided our eighth graders. From their visit we have a better understanding of the struggle of Native Americans in this country.

Our speakers hope that by informing this generation of students to the Native American plight, future legislation will be enacted to preserve and appreciate the culture and contributions Native Americans have made to science, sports and government. It is only from learning of our past that we can make better decisions in the future.

Submitted by Sara Bochenek