AMS Principal's Weekly Update 2-11-22
Dear AMS Students and Families,
Happy Valentine's Day on Monday! With it being the last week before mid-winter break, we thought we would add some fun by having a theme for each day next week related to Valentine's Day. Like the last theme day week leading up to winter break, this will not be an official class competition, but rather a simple way to show school spirit while having some fun. With that in mind, we are encouraging students and staff to wear gear that represents the themes for each day next week listed below:
Monday - Valentine's Day / Wear Pink, Red, or White
Tuesday - Peace and Love / Wear Tye Dye Apparel
Wednesday - Love and Comfort / Wear Pajamas
Thursday - Two of Hearts Twin Day / Wear the same outfit as another classmate or staff member
Friday - Show Your Love for AMS / Wear AMS Spirit Wear or Green and White Colors
Please join me in welcoming the following new staff members to AMS
- Clarence Olinger - Mr. Olinger is our new daytime custodial shift leader. He was temporarily at AMS earlier in the year. Before becoming a permanent member of our staff, he was a daytime custodian at Norup. Clarence has been a great addition to our staff and exhibits a great work ethic in making sure AMS is thoroughly cleaned and maintained each day.
- Mandi Knotts - Mrs. Knotts is our new school social worker. She comes to us with close to 20 years of school social work experience. Mrs. Knotts will serve to support the social emotional needs of students in special education along with general education students who may need a higher level of social emotional support.
- Stephanie Kosdrosky - Ms. Kosdrosky is our new Speech and Language Pathologist. She is a 2011 BHS graduate. Last year she did her internship at Angell and comes to us with rave reviews. While she started off this year in another district, her heart is in Berkley and she is excited to return to her former middle school to support students with speech and language needs.
Upcoming Dates
Monday 2-14-22
First Robotics 4:00-6:00 in room 114
Gaming Club 3:20-4:10 in room 113
Anime Club 3:20-4:10 in room 100
Homework Club 3:20 in the Media Center
Volleyball Home V. Norup @ 4:30
Tuesday 2-15-22
Yoga 3:30-4:15 in Room 114
Wrestling at Farmington Warner @ 4:30
Wednesday 2-16-22
NAEP Assessment for Select 8th Grade Students
Dungeons and Dragons Club 3:20-4:10 in Room 113
Homework Club 3:20-4:10 in the Media Center
Rainbow Room 3:20-4:10 in room 110
Boys Swimming at Birmingham Derby @ 4:30
Thursday 2-17-22
Homework Club 3:20-4:10 in the Media Center
Kindness Club 3:20-4:10 in the Choir Room
Art Club 3:20-4:10 in room 110
Wrestling at Farmington East @ 4:30
Volleyball at Home v. Farmington Steam @ 4:30
AMS Orchestra Concert 7:00 p.m. (6th Grade) and 7:50 p.m. (7th and 8th Grade) in the BHS Auditorium
Berkley African American Parent Network Meeting at Norup @ 7:00 p.m.
Friday 2-18-22
1/2 Day Speed Day Schedule / Dismissal at 11:30
Ski Club 11:45 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. at Mt. Holly
Black History Month
February is Black History Month! In celebration of Black History Month, each week during the month of February, I will highlight an influential African American who has made positive contributions to our society as an author, writer, mathematician, historian, political figure, scientist, inventor, musician, athlete, or actor. I will also share classroom lessons or building activities happening at AMS related to Black History Month.
This Week's Black History Month Building Activity - Social Studies Lessons
Social studies is the study of social relationships and the functioning of society. It is usually made up of content in history, government, economics, civics, sociology, geography, and anthropology. Below are some highlights of lessons occurring in each grade along with our current events class.
6th Grade social studies classes created a graffiti wall. Students created "tiles" including important people, quotes, images, and what Black history means to them personally. These are currently displayed in the hallways.
7th Grade is working on a "Then and Now" project. It is a comparison of some of the African American pioneers from decades and centuries ago to similar pioneers and influential figures of our current time.
8th Grade students will be viewing the movie Harriet in their US History classes. Harriet is a 2019 historical drama that chronicles the life of Harriet Tubman from a slave in Maryland to the "Moses" of the Underground Railroad. The film is rated PG-13 and includes an accurate depiction of the violence and foul language directed at enslaved people. The film also shows the courageous strength of this remarkable woman as she fought tirelessly to end slavery.
In 1952, when she was 34 years old, she learned about jobs for Black women with mathematics and computing skills at the Langley laboratory at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, which would later become NASA. She and the other women worked as “human computers,” figuring out the difficult calculations needed for spaceflight. During her time there, she broke racial barriers, like using the bathroom that was supposed to be for white women only.
One of her biggest accomplishments at NASA was helping calculate the trajectory, or path, of the country’s first human spaceflight in 1961, making sure astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr., had a safe trip. A year later she helped figure out John Glenn’s orbit of the planet, another American first. In 1969, she calculated the trajectories of Neil Armstrong’s historic mission to the moon on Apollo 11. Yet unlike the white male astronauts she helped launch into space, no one knew of the groundbreaking work Johnson and dozens of other Black women did for NASA and space exploration. It wasn’t until the 2016 release of the movie Hidden Figures that these women received widespread recognition.
(Source: https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/katherine-johnson)
Black History Month Essay Contest
In celebration of Black History Month in February, Berkley Middle and High School students have an opportunity to participate in an essay contest to win cash prizes! To learn more about how to enter the contest, please click on the Black History Month Essay Contest informational Flyer.
Lunch Options
Students have the option to bring their own lunch or get a school lunch. As a reminder, school lunches are being offered this year free of charge to any student who wishes to get a school lunch. To view the school lunch menu for February, please click on the February Lunch Menu
Greece Trip 2023
There are still about 20 traveler spots open for the Greece trip scheduled for spring break of 2023. Anyone who enrolls before April 1st can cancel by May 1st for a full refund. Contact Athena Troher for more information at athena.troher@berkleyschools.org.
Founder's Day
PTSA Founder's Day is an opportunity to recognize and honor an educator, a support staff member, and a PTA member of the year within each of the Berkley Schools. Individuals are nominated by the school community. While there is typically a dinner to honor the winners, this year the program will be virtual with a date to be determine at a later time. Educators, School Staff and PTA members are working extra hard this year. Please help us show them how much we appreciate them. Submissions are due by February 13th. Please click on Founder's Day to vote and please vote only once.
Athletics
Girls Volleyball - For questions about volleyball, please contact 7th Grade Coach Steve Hanna or 8th Grade Coach Theresa Cabalum. Below is the schedule for the season and all games begin at 4:30 unless otherwise noted:
2/8 @ Farmington Warner
2/10 Home v. Clarenceville
2/14 Home v. Norup
2/17 Home v. Farmington Steam
3/1 @ Farmington East
3/3 Home v. Ferndale
3/8 @ Hazel Park
3/10 @ Farmington Power
3/15 Home v. Royal Oak
3/17 Home v. Oak Park
3/22 @ Norup
3/24 Home v. Farmington Power
Boys Swimming - For any questions related to boys swimming, please contact Coach Erin Roddis. Below is the schedule for the season with most meets starting around 4:30.
2/2 at East Hills
2/9 at Birmingham Covington
2/16 at Birmingham Derby
2/28 Home v. West Hills
3/2 Home v. Birmingham Berkshire
3/7 at Bloomfield Hills MS
3/9 at Cranbrook
3/16 League Meet at Bloomfield Hills MS
Wrestling - For any questions related to wrestling, please contact Coach Brian Bailey Below is the schedule for the season with most meets starting at 4:30.
2/15 @ Farmington Warner
2/17 @Farmington East
3/1 Home v. Farmington Power
3/8 Home v. Farmington Warner
3/10 Home v. Farmington East
3/14 Home v. Ferndale
3/17 @ Hazel Park
3/18 Home v. Royal Oak
For all athletic related questions, please contact AMS Assistant Principal and Middle School Athletic Coordinator Mr. Cowdrey (248) 837-8202.
Students Clubs and Actives
Below are club and extra-curricular opportunities being offered to our students throughout the year. Clubs are continuously added throughout the year, so make sure to check the updates each week:
Student Council - Student council be resuming next week with a student council meeting on Tuesday, February 15 from 3:20-3:50 in room 200. For questions, please contact Student Council sponsor Mrs. Alderman.
National Junior Honor Society - NJHS members will meet in room 105 at 3:20 on the following dates: February 1, March 1 , March 22, and April 12. For questions, please contact NJHS sponsor Mr. Johnson.
Yoga/Mindfulness - AMS is offering a 10 session Yoga/Mindfulness class after school every Tuesday through mid-March from 3:30-4:15 in room 114. This class will focus on yoga, breathing techniques, and meditation. Participation is limited to 20 students and will be granted on a first come, first served basis. Participation is free, however participants will need to purchase a yoga mat (which can be purchased at Five Below for $5.00). At this time, all 20 spots have been filled and a waiting list has been generated. If you would like your child's name added to the waiting list, please email me directly.
Kindness Club - The Kindness Club takes place every Thursday from 3:20-4:10 in the Choir room. The Kindness Club has a focus on kindness and respect towards others within our school community. To help guide conversations, videos produced by Dhar Mann, an inspirational figure, will be used to promote kindness, compassion, and an awareness of how judgements can be misguided. Students who participate will help to develop schoolwide activities throughout the year that help promote kindness within our school community. All are welcome! If you have any questions about the Kindness Club, please contact Mr. Ross.
Ski Club - Ski Club will take place every Friday after school from 3:30-10:00 p.m. at Mt. Holly through the end of February. If you have any questions about Ski Club, please email club sponsor, Jim Cowdrey.
First Robotics Team (not affiliated with the Robotics class at AMS) - First Robotics Team meetings take place every Monday at 4:00 p.m. AMS parents Kevin Schokora and Martin Wekerle will serve as the coaches this season. If you have any questions about the First Robotics Team, please contact Kevin Schokora.
Art Club - Art Club takes place every Thursday from 3:20-4:10 in room 110 through May 26. There will be a 25 student limit with participants established within the first week. Art Club will have a focus on drawing. All skill levels are welcome. Students should bring a sketchbook and their own drawing materials. Special papers and advanced drawing mediums will be available for those that want to explore. For any questions related to Art Club, please contact Ms. Reid.
Rainbow Room - The Rainbow Room is an inclusive after school club offering for LGBTQ+ students and LGTBQ+ allies. All students are welcome to attend. The Rainbow Room Club takes place every Wednesday from 3:20-4:10 in room 110. For any questions about the Rainbow Room, please contact Ms. Reid.
Gaming Club - The Gaming Club takes place every Monday from 3:20-4:10 in room 113. Students will have the option to play video games, board games, card games, or any other game related activities. If you have any questions about the Gaming Club, please contact Mr. Morris.
Dungeons and Dragons Club - The Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) Club takes place every Wednesday from 3:20-4:10 in room 113. Students with previous experience and those wishing to learn are welcome to attend. If you have any questions about the D&D Club, please contact Mr. Morris.
Anime Club - The Anime Club takes place on Mondays from 3:20-4:10 in room 100. Anime is a style of animation originating in Japan that is characterized by stark colorful graphics depicting vibrant characters in action-filled plots often with fantastic or futuristic themes. If you have any questions about the Anime Club, please contact Mr. Stoia.
Homework Club - Homework club takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 3:20-4:10 in the media center. Students have the opportunity to work independently or receive extra help with homework. Students who choose to attend homework club must be working on school work or school related work.
General Information
Join the AMS PTSA!
Please consider joining the AMS PTSA. The PTSA helps support programs, classroom needs, and opportunities for our students throughout the year. While your assistance with PTSA sponsored events is always appreciated, your membership does not obligate you to volunteer for events. Joining the PTSA has never been easier. Join online by visiting the AMS PTSA membership page. The next PTSA meeting will take place on Tuesday, March 8, at 7:00 p.m.
Berkley African American Parent Network
The Berkley African American Parent Network (BAAPN) is a parent run organization that works in partnership with the Berkley School District and Oakland County Schools. The BAAPN network is a way for parents with African American children in Berkley Schools to connect with each other. BAAPN is committed to supporting student engagement, high academic achievement, and increased parental involvement. For more information, please visit the BAAPN Website. The next BAAPN meeting will take place on Thursday, February 17 at 7:00 p.m. at Norup.
Receiving Parent Notifications Through Schoology
If you would like to receive email update notifications through Schoology, please follow the steps below:
- Click the dropdown menu located in the upper right corner where your child's name is listed and choose settings.
- Click on the Notifications tab
- Change email summary to "On" and set your preference for frequency of receiving notifications
- Change overdue submissions to "On" to get notified when assignments are late or missing.
Berkley High School National Honor Society Free Peer Tutoring
Did you know that students from the BHS National Honor Society offer free peer tutoring? If you child is in need of tutoring, please email me and I will email you the list of tutors. It is as simple as looking through the list, identifying a tutor that meets your child's needs, and contacting them.
Inclement Weather and Morning Entry
When there are inclement weather conditions such as rain, falling snow, and/or actual temperatures below 20 degrees, students are allowed to enter the building upon their arrival to school. Once students enter through their designated grade level door, they must wait in the hallway until 8:05.
Homework Club
Did you know that students can get assistance with homework 3 days a week at Homework Club? Homework Club is held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 3:20-4:10 in the media center. During this time, students can work independently on homework or receive assistance from staff.
AMS Event Calendar
Please click here for a printable version of the AMS 2021-22 Event Calendar. Please keep in mind that due to continued uncertain times, events are subject to change and events may be added or removed.
Yearbook Orders
Families can order yearbooks for the 2021-22 school year for $35.00. To order a yearbook online, please visit the Jostens AMS Yearbook Order Page. On the first page fill out the required fields but leave the homeroom field blank as students do not have a homeroom at AMS. Yearbooks will arrive around the first week of June and will be distributed to students before the end of the year.
Amazon Smile
Did you know that for every purchase you make on Amazon, a small percentage can go to benefit the AMS PTSA? All you have to do is a quick setup on the Amazon phone app and any future purchases will automatically generate a small donation to the AMS PTSA. To setup AmazonSmile on your existing Amazon phone app, please follow the directions below:
1) In the upper left hand corner select where you see the 3 horizontal lines
2) Scroll down and select settings
3) Select AmazonSmile
4) Add Anderson Middle School PTSA to your list of charities and make sure that the "generating donations" is turned on.
5) Your app should now be defaulted to AmazonSmile and any purchases you make will automatically generate a donation to the AMS PTSA.
To set up on a computer, simply go to smile.amazon.com, go into the same settings above, and setup the AMS PTSA as your charitable donation.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram
Follow AMS on Facebook and Instagram. To find us, click in the search and type andersonmiddleschoolvikings to access our page. Both pages have a Viking as the profile picture.
AMS Spiritwear
Anytime is a great time to purchase AMS spirit wear. Ordering is simple through our online store with many options to choose from. To shop for AMS spirit wear, please visit the AMS Online Spirit Wear Store.
Local Happenings
African American Read-In
Oakland Schools is proud to host Courage in OUR Stories: African American Read-In on Tuesday, February 15, 2022 from 6:45 p.m. - 8 p.m. (virtual event). Join our author and illustrator duo - Andrea Davis Pickney and Brian Pickney. Families, Educators, and readers of all ages welcome! The first 200 Oakland County Students who register will receive a free copy of one of the Pickney's Books.
To register for this event, please click on African American Read-In
Have a fantastic weekend!
Sincerely,
Michael Ross
AMS Principal
Direct Line: (248) 837-8201
Email: michael.ross@berkleyschools.org
