Quiz Bowl Success

By Debbie Green

The 2011-12 Varsity QuizBowl has just about finished a very successful
varsity season. We participated in QuizBusters at WKAR. This year our
varsity team of Colin Nolan-Charter, Matthew Miller, BreAnne Turner and
Katilynn McDowell took our team to the quarterfinals, beating Fowler and
Olivet before losing to Kent City. The students did an amazing job competing
against these schools. This is the first Potterville team that has been in the
quarterfinals in almost 10 years. The best part of the 2011-12 team is that we
have only one senior. Our second round competition airs at WKAR on
Saturday, March 17
th
at 6:30pm. Plan to catch this amazing match!!

We also take part in the Mid Michigan Academic League where Potterville has
both a varsity and junior varsity team. We play against teams who are
primarily in the CMAC Athletic League. This league competes in the fall. The
matches are Wednesdays after school; culminating in a Saturday tournament
at Bath High School. This year we took third place in the tournament. We will
continue to compete in January at the Rube Goldberg Invitational at Michigan
State University.

KUDOS to a great season and a dedicated group of high school students!

VARSITY JUNIOR VARSITY
Colin Nolan-Charter Alec Badgley
Matthew Miller Cassie Briseno
BreAnne Turner Alex Lehman
Katilynn McDowell Alex Robertson
Stephen Shanahan

Febr uar y 2012
Teacher To Parent Newsletter
Our Kids, Our Community






















Reduction of Staff Members Has HUGE Effects

Staff reductions were enacted at the beginning of the second semester. These
reductions affected the Elementary Social Work position and the High School
Guidance Counselor position. The High School Guidance position was reduced from
full time to half time and the Elementary Social Work position (which had previously
been reduced to half time) was eliminated.

We would like to recognize these dedicated staff members who have given so much to
OUR KIDS over the years. Mrs. Weiss and Ms. Hogan have each written a bit about
themselves and what they do for OUR KIDS and OUR COMMUNITY.


My name is Melissa Hogan. This is my 16
th
year as the high school counselor at PHS.
Im a proud MSU Spartan who then earned her Masters degree at CMU. Both my
parents were also teachers who went to CMU. My father finally retired for the 2
nd
time
when he was 67. I was active in college with music (yea to the Spartan Marching Band
and Spartan Brass) and active in music for years through community theater. It
continues to be part of my life in many ways.
Im a former English teacher. I taught at one of the five smallest schools in Michigan,
grew up in small town, and attended a small high school the size of PHS. Being here is
like being at home. I may have many accomplishments and awards in my lifetime, but
being the single mother of my six-year-old daughter, Francesca, is my largest and
most rewarding delight.
Every part of the PHS counseling program is designed to support and educate your
students so that they may be successful after they graduate. I care a great deal about
their futures, and our PHS students have great potential to be successful. Doing what I
can to help them see that and use it to the max is important. Id like to share with you
some highlights of my career here over the past years:
-- The college attendance rate has more than doubled since I started in 1996. Prior to
the recession, 90-95% of our seniors were attending some level of training after high
school. Since the recession, that number has dropped due to cuts in financial aid and
other resources; however, I am proud of those grads who have worked their way back
into school and those in the process of trying to get back there. When I began in 1996, I
processed roughly 15 college applications and about a dozen scholarship applications.
I now process between 45-65 college applications and more than 40 scholarship
applications on any given year.
--Developing a career/college planning program for grades 7-12. We now boast of an
8
th
grade career planning class, several evening presentations for students and parents,


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mentoring for freshmen, many extra informational workshops, and classroom
presentations at grade levels 8-12. Most recently, I organized the 2
nd
annual career
Knowledge for College Week for PPS students, which included some basic activities
for grades K-12. Thanks to staff and county team efforts, our 7
th
graders also got to do
awareness activities. Our K-12 staff has been most supportive in these endeavors;
whether students miss class to meet with me individually, I present in their class, or if
they teach/present themselves. Thank you to all of them for their continued support
of our students planning.
--I am the advisor of two PHS student organizations and serve on the districts
gifted/talented committee and crisis team. I have been active in attending other
organizations activities to support the students and advisors (NHS, Student Council,
Quiz Bowl, and Book Club)
--Prevention education for depression/suicide, bullying/harassment, alcohol/drug
and tobacco education, transitioning to high school; much of this has been conducted
and supported by students in leadership positions. (Peer Assistance Leaders)
--Oversee students in Youth Advisory Council who organize and work 4 blood drives
a year in addition to other volunteer activities.
--Volunteering as the accompanist for the Concert Choir and Honors Choirs since they
began here at PHS. I am also the accompanist for students who perform at Solo &
Ensemble.


Laura Weiss is currently serving as the McKinney-Vento Liaison for the Potterville
School District, and is the Grant Coordinator for the Tri-County Consortium (Eaton,
Shiawassee and Clinton Counties). She also serves as the Gifted and Talented
program coordinator and on the District Crisis Team. Laura has 2 kindergarten
students in Ms. Toomeys classroom this year. However, Laura (who has over 18
years experience as a Social Worker) will no longer be providing social work services
to the children of Potterville Elementary.
Prior to last years budget cuts, Laura was the social worker for the elementary
building and transitioned the children into 5
th
grade. This summer Laura was provided
with an opportunity to be trained in Conscious Discipline a school wide program that
would greatly benefit our students and change the climate of our buildings. Laura also
attended a workshop on Peace Lessons, which was scheduled to be implemented


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Walk-A-Thon Funds Help Art Department
By Shelley Gibbs

At the beginning of this year I realized I desperately needed a document camera for
the art room. I was directed to Mrs. Hill to ask about any remaining Walk-a-Thon
money from last year. To my surprise, she was able to donate enough for me to
order a camera!
This document camera has been an amazing teaching tool in my classroom! I am
able to do painting and drawing demos for the students to see in real time,
projected on the screen so they can follow along. It helps them get a visual as they
work on their art and better understand the steps as we create and learn about art.
So, to those of you who support our awesome students and staff by supporting the
Walk-A-Thon, a huge THANK YOU! You have given my classroom & my students an
amazing and extremely useful tool!


in 2
nd
grade, second semester. Last year, Laura Weiss and ISD social worker Julie
Myers co-facilitated a group with Eles Place for middle school students and was
excited to be able to offer it to 4
th
graders in spring 2012. At this time, all Eles
groups have been canceled for this year.
Laura continues to coordinate the SAIL (gifted and talented) program for our
District, however due to time constraints, extra-curricular activities have been
minimized, and at the time of this publication it is uncertain whether or not the
writing contest will be offered this year. Hopefully parent volunteers will be able to
pitch in and help complete the contest this year.
At this time the only social work services available for Pre-K through 12
th
grade are
for Special Education Students as indicated on their IEP. Unfortunately this means
that services such as ADHD, depression, and other mental health screenings, on-
task/off-task observations, counseling interventions, conflict resolution, parenting
and child development education, and non-classroom based behavior plans will
not be available to our general education students. In addition, Laura was
frequently able to refer parents and professionals to services in the community
based on her extensive social work experience.






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