In This Issue
- COVID-19 Reporting Updates
- Teachers of the Year
- Chromebooks For Students
- RO Athletics Wraps Up Winter Season
- Ravens Charity Week
- Bulldawgs Gatorball
- Around The District Snapshots
- Library Highlights
- Students Learn About Musical Instruments
- Dr. Kim's Corner
- Welcome New Hires
- Prepping Future Ravens and Bulldogs
- School Calendar: April Dates
- Open Positions In The District
- Did You See It On Social?
COVID-19 GUIDELINES UPDATE
Spring is in the air and we hope everyone can take a little time to refresh, renew and connect with family and friends. Since this pandemic is still in our community, we still need everyone to be diligent about levels of protection when away from school.
There have been some changes by the Oakland County Health Division (OCHD) regarding COVID-19 notification, and isolation and quarantine guidelines.
The OCHD now defines the status for COVID-19 in our community as "Post Surge Recovery Phase" which is defined as “no immediate resurgence predicted. Local and state public health will monitor conditions that could lead to future surges.” They also reported that for the period of March 07-20, 2022, there was a decrease in positive COVID-19 cases observed for all age groups in Oakland County, ages 0-90+.
OCHD has also updated the guidelines for isolation and quarantine including changes in guidelines for household exposure.
- Monitor symptoms for 10 days
- Wear a mask around others for 10 days following exposure
- Test 3-7 after exposure or if symptoms develop Changes in guidelines for household procedure.
Earlier this year, Royal Oak Schools enrolled in the MI Backpack Home Test program. We received a very limited number of kits from the State of Michigan that are now available in each of our schools. If you are in need of one, please see your school office.
As always and with any illness, we are asking everyone to help keep our community safe by staying home if you feel sick. Many people may have traveled over break or gathered with groups of family or friends so it is important to monitor your own health as we return to school after break.
TEACHERS HONORED
Three teachers were selected at Royal Oak Schools to be the teacher of the year for their extraordinary work, contributions, and more. They were all surprised when Superintendent Mary Beth Fitzpatrick showed up with Staff and Student Services Director Pat Wolynski with a balloon and sign for the winner, and Communications Specialist Amy Murphy snapping photos.
"Our Royal Oak teachers are hard-working, caring, and resilient individuals," said Superintendent Mary Beth Fitzpatrick. "This year's recipients exemplify these characteristics more than ever before. The challenges they have faced have been enormous as they have all remained highly dedicated to their students and our community. It's a pleasure to honor some of Royal Oak's finest educators."
Mia Gutierrez was selected as the High School Teacher of the Year. She was honored to receive the acknowledgment from Principal Mike Giromini. Gutierrez is an English Language Arts Teacher. “I would like to thank my colleagues, administration, and our school community for this humbling award,” she said. “It is an honor that I will cherish along with my many years of teaching and learning with the wonderful students and staff of Royal Oak.”
Kate Chambers was the recipient of the award for Royal Oak Middle School. Chambers teaches math and English Literature. She was even surprised by her family and a bouquet of flowers. “Although this year has been full of challenges for everyone, I know I am exactly where I should be,” she said. “Each day brings me a smile, and I have the ROMS students, staff, and community to thank for that.”
Our Elementary Teacher of the Year is Val MacFarlane from Oakland Elementary. Val teaches 2nd Grade. “I am humbled to receive an award for doing what I love,” she said. “I am truly blessed to be able to spend my days helping students to discover a love of learning while being surrounded and supported by the amazing Oakland Elementary community.”
Royal Oak Schools Teacher of the Year program was back this year following a hiatus in 2021 due to COVID-19. Oakland Schools will recognize all nominees and present awards to the three Oakland County award recipients in May. Each teacher was nominated by their peers.
You can watch each teacher receiving their award with this link.
CHROMEBOOKS HANDED OUT TO ALL ROYAL OAK SCHOOLS STUDENTS
This spring we have been handing out Chromebooks to our students at all levels, thanks to a grant.
The purpose of this initiative is to ensure that every student is assigned and receives a Chromebook for their educational use at home and at school. These Chromebooks will not need to be returned at the end of the year; rather they are for students to keep in their possession for the next several years of their schooling in Royal Oak. There is no cost to families to receive the Chromebook, however, parents are required to complete a form prior to Chromebook distribution agreeing to District technology policies and practices.
This is all made possible through the Emergency Connectivity Fund. The Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) is a $7.17 billion program that will help schools provide the tools their communities need to help close the “Homework Gap.” The grant money awarded to Royal Oak Schools has covered the costs of laptop and tablet computers for our students. Congress authorized the Emergency Connectivity Fund as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
ROYAL OAK ATHLETICS RECOGNIZED AT BOARD MEETING
Interim Director of Athletics and Activities Brian Gordon, addressed the Royal Oak Schools Board of Education on Thursday, March 10, 2022.
He brought with him some select athletes to celebrate their successful season.
"A special thanks to all coaches, administrators, parents, and boosters who put forth all the time and effort to make the student/athlete experience educationally positive," said Gordon.
This past winter season, Royal Oak Athletes (171 male and 157 female students) competed in 363 contests across the State of Michigan both at the middle school and high school level. While our teams are typically very successful from a wins and losses standpoint, our student athletes continued to excel even more in the classroom. Ninety high school-aged students received the OAA Scholar-Athlete award. This award goes to students that have completed at least 2 semesters at the high school level while maintaining a 3.5 cumulative GPA or higher. Over 47% of our high school-aged athletes received this award! Our teams also received recognition as Academic All-State in the sports of Men’s Swim and Dive, Girls Basketball, and Wrestling. In addition to these accolades, our Wrestling team and Boys Basketball teams won OAA Divisional Titles.
This past February, the Royal Oak Athletic Department hosted its very first Signing Ceremony where 13 of our Senior Student-Athletes will have the opportunity to pursue their goals of competing at the Collegiate level while continuing their education at a college of their choice. You can check it out with this link: https://www.facebook.com/RoyalOakSchools/videos/365906855358184
"In Athletics, we would like to thank each and every one of you for your continued support of Educational Athletics! We are very proud of the fact that our kids continue to achieve both in the classroom and in the Athletic Arena," Gordon said. "Our goal, as it has always been, is to teach life lessons and support ALL kids along the way. Go Ravens! Go Bulldogs!"
To read the full article - use this link.
RAISING AWARENESS AND FUNDS DURING CHARITY WEEK
Royal Oak High School students participated in Charity Week last month by hosting events and activities to raise money for a good cause. The group chosen for this year's charitable organization was Active Minds. Active Minds is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting mental health awareness and education for young adults.
Charity Week saw students dressing up on spirit days, hosting a movie night, a staff vs. boys volleyball game, a trivia night at Shield's Pizza, a volleyball tournament, and a Charity Ball. The total raised for Active Minds was $7800.
BULLDAWGS BRING BACK GATORBALL
You could sense the excitement in the halls at Royal Oak Middle School with the return of Gatorball! The teams were signed up and the bracket was ready. Gatorball is ROMS version of dodgeball using soft foam balls rather than hard rubber ones.
Gatorball, organized by Student Council, is a fundraising and plain ol' fun event held at the middle school. The event involved staff teams, links peer-to-peer student teams, and student teams for a total of 11 co-ed teams. Over $700 was raised from the event for New Beginnings Animal Rescue.
"We are beyond proud of our ROMS Student Council members who planned, organized, and executed an amazing event! The Royal Oak Community came out to show their support for our student participants and a great cause. It was amazing to have our first large scale, in person, event be such a success." - Lindsey Potterack and Kate Chambers (Student Council Advisors)
This annual event was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.
AROUND THE DISTRICT
SPOTLIGHT ON MEDIA CENTERS
Media centers, libraries, learning commons - we know them by many names and they all serve the same purpose, a place for students to go, hang out, read books, use technology and encourage participatory learning at school.
April is School Library Month so what better time to point out some of the recent happenings in our school libraries.
The Michigan Schools and Government Credit Union visited Upton Elementary last month and presented Principal Grzywack and Media Tech Andrea Thorpe a check for $750. MSGCU is a large supporter of teachers and schools in our community. Along with the check, Upton received bookplates and the book, "Count On Pablo," for their collection.
The MSGCU also made a stop at Royal Oak High School and presented Principal Michael Giromini and Librarian Amy Hermon a $750 check to purchase books for the library.
The high school library held a public book drive last month collecting over 220 books. They also received a special donation from the family of Noah London. The family donated Noah's books to the library as a collection, each with a dedication sticker inside the front cover.
Hermon recently applied for a grant on behalf of the ROHS Diversity Club for $5000 through the, "It Gets Better" project. "If we are awarded this grant, the money will be used for books to promote a message of acceptance and welcome for students who may be feeling marginalized," said Hermon. In order to apply, students in the Diversity Club created a promo stating why the high school should receive the grant. They'll find out if they receive the money next month.
A FUN WAY TO LEARN ABOUT INSTRUMENTS
Instrument Petting Zoos are back!
An Instrument Petting Zoo is a collection of musical instruments that travels from school to school so 5th grade students can come by, pick them up, and try them out. This hands-on experience has been closed off to children due to the pandemic but was recently brought back to Royal Oak Schools elementary schools.
"The Instrument Petting Zoo assemblies offer every student in Royal Oak the opportunity to experience playing various different instruments regardless of whether they join a Band or Orchestra class in the fall," said Mary Johnson, Royal Oak Schools Performing Arts Coordinator. "However, for many students, this unique experience unlocks a passion for instrumental music they never even knew they had! The second that instrument touches their hands and the first time they make a sound; they're hooked- for life. It's an amazing process to watch and a pleasure to host."
Kids that attended were able to touch, feel, and play string, wind, brass, and percussion instruments.
"With all we know about the many benefits of students learning and practicing music in their lives, having an opportunity to expose them to options and promote enthusiasm in the musical arts is an extremely valuable opportunity for our kids," Oakland Elementary Principal Sam Lynch said.
During this event, representatives from McCourt's Music Group and members of the Royal Oak Performing Arts staff introduced the students to various musical instruments they may choose from if they choose to enroll in Band or Orchestra classes next fall at ROMS.
"The instrument petting zoo is a truly fantastic opportunity for our 5th graders, not only is the program a great way to introduce instruments to our students, and inspire children to try new things, it is a fantastic opportunity for them to show kindness and encouragement towards their peers," said Upton 5th Grade Teacher Laura Foss.
Northwood Principal Jennifer Knipper added, "The instrument petting zoo allows students the opportunity to get their hands on all of the available instruments, to help them make an educated choice. I'm so glad we offer this experience to our 5th graders!"
The instrument petting zoo is part of the jump start program and is subsidized by the Royal Oak Schools Foundation.
THIS MONTH IN THE CORNER
It’s April! Spring is springing. It’s a time of renewal, renewed hope, and expectations of things to come. Hopefully, Spring Break gave us all the refresher we needed.
This year, April brings with it many holy days. April 2 is the start of the Muslim holy day of Ramadan. For Muslims around the world, Ramadan is a holy time full of worship, study, prayer, and fasting. During Ramadan, Muslims aim to grow spiritually. One way they do this is through fasting from all food and drink from sun up to sundown (daylight). Because Ramadan is observed based on the lunar calendar, it is not celebrated at the same time every year. This year, Ramadan will begin at sundown on Saturday, April 2nd. The conclusion of Ramadan concludes with a major celebration known as Eid al-Fitr. It starts the day after Ramadan and lasts for three days. This time includes special prayers and meals with friends and family, and gifts are often exchanged.
Also being celebrated in April is the Jewish holiday of Passover. Passover begins at sundown on April 15. It is the celebration of freedom and remembrance that commemorates the exodus of the Jewish people from Egyptian slavery. On the first two nights of Passover, the participants hold what is called a seder, or Passover meal after nightfall. This meal includes wine, telling stories, and eating special foods, including matzah, a flat dry, cracker-like bread, and bitter herbs to represent the bitter taste of slavery. It is also a time of intense prayer and reflection.
April also brings with it the celebration of Easter and also marks the end of a period of 40 days of fasting for many Christians. It also marks the spring equinox and the beginning of longer days and warmer climates. Things that have lied dormant begin to spring to life, and the smell of summer is on the horizon.
April is a time of renewal. It brings us the hope of better things, and the chance to try again. It is my hope for all of us that we will seize this time to refresh ourselves and begin anew.
Check out more in Dr. Kim's Corner.
WELCOME TO ROS
Please welcome the following ladies that were recently hired at Royal Oak Schools.
- Anne Njovu, Assessment, Research, Data and Student Information Coordinator - Administrative Office
- Melissa Labadie, Clerk - Northwood Elementary
- Paige Farnsworth, Counselor - Royal Oak Middle School
PREPARING OUR STUDENTS
Transitioning to a new school can be a scary thing. That's why our leadership staff at Royal Oak Middle School made a point to meet the incoming 5th-grade students last month. ROMS Assistant Principal Myron Miller, Michael Betman, next year's 6th-grade counselor, and Nicole Reynolds, ROMS Restorative Practices Coordinator, visited classrooms and talked with students about the middle school. In addition, 5th graders made a trip to the middle school to check it out in person.
"The official transition of our 5th graders becoming a part of our ROMS community begins with bus rides to their new school every year in March," said ROMS Principal Todd Noonan. "It was so awesome having 5th graders at ROMS in-person this year. These visits are fun and exciting for our 5th graders--and for their ROMS hosts. Our ROMS Student Connectors group takes the lead in delivering a warm and welcoming program, which includes small-group tours, opportunities to meet students, teachers, counselors, and administrators, visits to classrooms, and glimpses into our unique IB MYP subject area offerings."
After the event, 5th graders head back to their elementary schools having a better understanding of what awaits them at their next school. Michael Betman, ROMS School Counselor, has been the key sponsor of this important leadership group since its launch in 2017, and every year the 5th-grade visits offer a more refined program and deeper connection opportunities, Noonan added.
Towards the end of the month, ROMS 8th grade students traveled to visit Royal Oak High School. Students met teachers, administrators, and other students, as well as toured the building and discussed high school life.
"We're excited to welcome our future Ravens to ROHS," said Royal Oak High School Principal Mike Giromini. "This visit provided us another opportunity to connect with our students as they transition to high school, and it provided them the chance to meet students, staff, and learn more about our building and programs. It's another step in our process to ensure they are ready to hit the ground running next fall."
APRIL DATES TO REMEMBER
April is Autism Acceptance Month
April 1 Last Day of Spring Break: No School
April 1 Registration Opens for Summer Sports and Activities Camps
April 2 World Autism Awareness Day
April 3-9 National Library Week
April 4-8 National Assistant Principals Week
April 6, 20, 27 Late Start Wednesdays
April 6 National Student-Athlete Day
April 6 National Paraprofessional Appreciation Day
April 6 Register for Spring Swim
April 14 Half Day For Students
April 14 Board of Education Meeting
April 15 No School
April 22 Earth Day
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JOB OPENINGS
Substitute teachers: EDUStaff is our partner for substitute teachers. Please apply through their website at: edustaff.org.
Paraprofessionals: A paraprofessional works with a team of teachers to help qualified students be successful at school. These patient and caring individuals may implement academic, physical, behavioral, and self-care supports that empower students to engage with their education as independently as possible. All applicants should apply through the Oakland Schools Human Resources Consortium website at: https://bit.ly/2PrEckt.
Individuals interested in working with and caring for school age children before and after school for our Young Oaks (Latchkey) Program should contact the Addams Early Childhood Center at (248) 288-3220.
Maintenance Team: These are full-time positions, hired through ABM. Apply online at: https://tinyurl.com/3d5ae9rs.
Foodservice workers and cashiers: Chartwells Food Service is hiring food prep workers, service station set up, serving meals to students, and running the register. This position is Monday through Friday from approximately 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Uniforms will be provided, along with a free lunch.
Bus Drivers: Durham School Services is hiring for our transportation department. A minimum of 20 hours is guaranteed with options for more. Contact James Holls at Durham to apply: jholls@durhamschoolservices.com.
Instructional and administrative positions: Check the Oakland Schools Consortium portal at http://bit.ly/ROSJobs. Employment opportunities with Royal Oak Schools can be found on our website under Employment/HR. If you have further questions, feel free to contact Beth Caverly at the District Offices: elizabeth.caverly@royaloakschools.org or (248) 435-8400 x1210.
COMMENTS? STORY IDEAS?
Send them to: communications@royaloakschools.org
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