GROSSE POINTE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM

PIERCE POINTER

Pierce Middle School 15430 Kercheval Grosse Pointe Park, MI 48230 313.432.4700 Attendance Line 313.432.4701

www.gpschools.org

NOVEMBER

P.T.O.

POINSETTIA SALE!

Place Orders until November 22

END OF QUARTER

Friday, November 4

NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

Tues., Nov. 8 Staff Development Day

ETHNIC DINNER

Thursday, November 10

Pierce Gym 6-8 PM

TURKEY

TROT

Friday, November 11, 2 PM

DISTRICT OPEN HOUSE

Sunday, November 13, 1-3 PM

PTO MEETING

Tues., Nov. 15, 6:30 PM

Pierce Library

PARENT TEACHER

CONFERENCES

Thursday, November 17, 4:30 - 7 PM

Tuesday, November 22

12:30 - 3 PM & 4:30 - 7 PM

8th GRADE CAREER DAY

Friday, November 18

LION KING JR. SCHOOL MUSICAL

Pierce Auditorium - Friday, Nov. 18, 7 PM

& Sat. Nov.19, 1PM

BAND & ORCHESTRA CONCERT Pierce Aud. Monday, Nov. 21, at 7 PM

HALF DAY - AM CLASSES ONLY

Tuesday, November 22

THANKSGIVING BREAK

NO CLASSES

Wed., Nov. 23 - Sun., Nov. 27

CLASSES RESUME

Late Start Monday, Nov. 28

POINSETTIA PICK UP

Thursday, December 1, 12 - 6 PM

November 2016

Dear Pierce Parents,

November is again a busy month of activities and opportunities for stu-

dents, parents, and teachers to connect.

Ethnic Dinner: Foods from around the world, and a chance for the

whole family to have their favorite for dinner. Please join us at Pierce on

Thursday, November 10th at 6:00pm for the annual Ethnic Dinner.

Turkey Trot: Students who sign up in their 6th period classes will par-

ticipate in the annual Turkey Trot on Friday, November 11th in the after-

noon. Students will race to bring home the Thanksgiving Feast in this

longstanding Pierce tradition.

“Open House”: On Sunday, November 13th, from 1:00PM to 3:00PM,

every Grosse Pointe Public School will be open! Do you have a child

transitioning from 5th grade to Pierce or from Pierce to South High

School next fall?

Visit the next stop on your child’s educational journey! Meet students,

teachers, support staff and parents. Admire artwork and writing samples.

Ask about student activities and athletic programs. Please join us as we

will have tours, and program information for those interested in becom-

ing a part of the Pierce Family

Parent-Teacher Conferences: We look forward to meeting you at one

of our three Parent-Teacher Conferences this month. Please feel free to

connect with your child’s teachers on Thursday, November 17th from

4:30PM to 7:00PM and/or Tuesday, November 22nd from 12:30PM to

3:00PM and 4:30PM to 7:00PM. As a courtesy to other parents, thank

you in advance for keeping your conversations to no longer than five

minutes per teacher.

GP South to Host Pierce 8th Grade: On Tuesday morning, November

22nd, Grosse Pointe South High School will welcome their class of 2021.

All Pierce 8th graders are expected to attend a program designed to give

them a flavor of the high school experience, answer questions and ease

the transition to high school. Pierce 8th graders are expected to arrive at

8:20AM at the South gymnasium

NOVEMBER 2016

LETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL

LETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL - continued

Page 2

Thanks, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Sincerely,

Chris Clark

Parents are encouraged to drop their 8th graders off in the South “S” lot located on Grosse Pointe Boule-

vard.

Pierce 8th grade families arrange their transportation. You are encouraged to car pool. If transportation

presents a problem, please contact your child’s counselor by Friday, November 18th If you are excusing

your eighth grader from attending, please contact the Pierce attendance office in advance.

PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST WINNER!

1st place Elise H. - 6th Grade

2nd place Mia P. - 6th Grade

PIERCE PRIDE COUPON

__________________________________________________________________IS RECOGNIZED

STUDENT NAME GRADE

BY_____________________________________________________________________________

Redeemable for instant prize and the weekly prize drawing

FROM THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL’S DESK

Page 3

As we bid farewell to the fall and head into the rush of the holiday season I’d like to take a few moments to explain two important aspects of our Positive Behavior Support (PBS) program.

As part of our Positive Behavior Support Program, we have developed a Pierce Pride reward system. Each staff member has been given Pierce Pride certificates for distribution to students who are “caught being good.” Each student who receives a coupon can then redeem it for priz-es. Additionally we will soon be hosting our first quarter school wide celebration of positive be-havior.

Another part of our Positive Behavior Support program is the inclusion of a signature card with each student’s planner. When a student is corrected for a minor infraction, the teacher signs the student’s signature card. Once a student reaches ten signatures, he/she is assigned an after school detention. These cards have proven to be an effective way of addressing low-level dis-ruptive behaviors that don’t merit a referral to the office. Signature cards are also a valuable tool for communication and for pinpointing individual problem areas. Please check these cards fre-quently to see how your student is doing. For more information on PBS, check your student’s planner or contact the office for a parent brochure. As we continue to implement our Positive Behavior support, I will keep you posted on our pro-gress. As always, we appreciate your support. Sincerely, Judith Gaffrey Assistant Principal

Because I will be attending a national speech and language conference in Philadelphia on Novem-ber 17, I will not be available during Parent Teacher Conferences. I will be at Pierce PT Confer-ences on November 22 from 4:30-7:00pm. Please contact me at Joellen.cumpata@gpschools.org if you would like to schedule another time to meet. Thank you and have a wonderful Thanksgiving! JoEllen Cumpata Speech Language Pathologist Pierce Middle School

SPEECH AND LANGUAGE NEWS

7th and 8th Grade Career Education

During the month of December, the counselors will be working with 7th and 8th graders in the computer labs to explore their talents, academic / personal strengths, and career inter-ests (December 7

th and 8

th for 8th grade and December 13

th and 14

th for 7th grade). This will

begin an ongoing process (continuing throughout high school) whereby students can identi-fy general career pathways that may interest them. These plans will be reviewed and modi-fied periodically as students mature and refine their plans. As part of this initial process, stu-dents will be going to the computer labs to complete some self-assessment inventories and begin work on their EDPs (Educational Development Plans). At the middle school level, our purpose is not to identify and commit to specific careers, but rather to start students think-ing about their strengths and how they relate to general career paths that might best suit them. Another purpose is to help students understand the importance of advanced skills and education, as well as how current school subjects are relevant in the pursuit of a satisfying career. If you would like more information about the career unit and the Michigan Career Pathways, please go to the Pierce website and look under 7th and 8th Grade Career Pathways in the Counseling Department under Staff. We also will be running a Career Day with presenters from a variety of careers on Friday, November 18th for the 8th graders.

Conferences

Unlike elementary school, you do not need to make an appointment for conferences. You can attend whichever day / time is most convenient for you. Conferences will be held on Thursday, November 17th from 4:30-7 and on Tuesday, November 22nd from 12:30-3 and again from 4:30-7. Please review the directions provided on the first page of this newsletter for further details and information.

Andrea Bolton Margie McKoy

Page 4

REPORT CARDS Report cards will be available on line in Parent Portal on Monday, November 14th.

PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES Thursday, November 17th 4:30-7 PM Tuesday, November 22nd 12:30-3 & 4:30-7 PM

IMPORTANT PROGRESS REPORT DATES

COUNSELORS CORNER

Page 5

On November 13th

, from 1-3 p.m., the Grosse Pointe Public School System is hosting an Open House for the entire Grosse Pointe school community. Parents, students, and staff will be available at Pierce to help the public learn about the wonderful services and programs available in our district. The purpose is for all of our residents to learn and experience what the Grosse Pointe public schools have to offer. Our school system offers a world class edu-cation. Whether it is core curriculum, special activities, or support services, we have it all. From parents, supporting staff, administrators, and teachers, all the way to our surrounding businesses, there is always someone putting in the extra effort to make students’ days full of learning and fun. We know many Grosse Pointe families see this daily, but we also realize some choose to go a different route in education and some have children that graduated from the system years ago. Please consider being a GPPSS ambassador by reaching out to a neighbor who doesn't have a child currently attending our public schools. Bring them to the open house so they can see today’s schools, schools we are proud to call our own. On November 13

th, parents, students, and staff will be available to help the public learn about

the wonderful services and programs available in our district. All GPPSS schools will be open from 1-3 p.m. In addition to new families, current Grosse Pointe students and their parents are encouraged to visit schools they will soon transition into. We'd love to see preschoolers and their parents and guardians at the elementary schools, fifth grade families at the middle schools, and eighth grade families at the high schools. The Board of Real-tors will also be hosting Open Houses at dozens of homes that day. To-gether with the Chamber of Commerce, we’ll show why we “live, learn and play” in Grosse Pointe.

Thank you for all you do for our school community.

OPEN HOUSE!

Page 6

PTO POINTS

The temps are getting cooler and there’s no denying that Fall is here. There’s a lot going on the next few weeks……

Every week at Pierce continues to be so busy! NWEA & PSAT Testing, 8th Grade Washington

D.C. Trip, concerts, and the list goes on and on.

The new On Line Directory is up and running! Many thanks to Beverly Bennert for the time and energy put into this laborious endeavor. It is a wonderful resource. Paper directories will also soon be available, so stay tuned for more information on that.

November 8th is Election Day and Staff Development day, so no school for Pierce students!

Our wonderful annual tradition, the Pierce Ethic Dinner, is coming up soon on November 10th! If you would like to help out with this family favorite event, or would like to bring an ethnic dish to share, please contact Michelle Agosta at maafred@sbcglobal.net. Please check your email, Face-book and the new Remind app for more information about this lovely event.

Also please note that the GPPSS District Open House is Sunday, November 13th

from 1-3 pm. Every building will be open. Please spread the word if you know of any interested families that are thinking of registering in the District.

The PTO is sponsoring a Red Cross Blood Drive on November 29 from 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm at Pierce. If you are willing to help out during this event for a couple of hours, please contact Amy VanOsdol at amyvo@comcast.net or Jennifer Kitchen at jenniferkitchen@comcast.net. A sign up will be available soon for those that are willing to donate – we will post the link once we have it.

POINSETTIAS!! These are fresh from the Gardens to your home and incomparable in quali-ty. Choose from Red, White, and Pink. They come in Medium (6-inch pot) $9.00 and Large (8-inch pot) $18.00. Order forms can be found on the PTO Website and must be returned by TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016. Pick up will be Thursday, December 1, 12:00 – 6:00 pm. YOU CAN FIND THE ORDER FORM HERE IN THE PIERCE POINTER!

The PTO has added another vehicle for communication – The Remind app. Some of our Pierce teachers use this, as well as many South teachers. Simple instructions for sign up are included in this issue of the Pointer. This will allow you to receive periodic updates about PTO events on your smart phone via text, or email……

You can also stay in touch with any PTO news or events through the PTO Facebook page. If you are not already part of the PTO Facebook page, please contact any PTO Board member and they will gladly add you to our group.

Our next meeting will be Tuesday, November 15th

at 6:30 p.m. in the Library. All are welcome! Best, Juli Rybicki rybicki4@gmail.com

Pierce PTO President

Page 7

PTO UPDATES

Page 8

CALLING ALL 8TH GRADERS!

GROSSE

POINTE

SOUTH

HIGH

SCHOOL

Hello All,

Here are the dates for the following events at Grosse Pointe South High School involving

incoming freshman for next year (2017). All of these dates pertain to BOTH public school

and private school 8th graders who plan to come to South HS, except Jan 13, which is exclu-

sively a day for the private school students to sign up for the fall courses here at South HS.

DATE

EVENT

TIME

Nov. 13

PARENTS AND STUDENTS: SUNDAY Open House at South HS (Open invite for ALL families to visit South HS, tour the building, and meet staff

and students)

1-3

p.m.

Nov. 22

ALL STUDENTS: Middle School Visitation Day (Opportunity for all current

8th graders, planning on coming to South HS next year, to visit South for building

tours, classroom visits, Link Crew introduction, and staff introductions)

8:30 –

10:30

a.m.

Jan. 11

8th Grade PARENT NIGHT -Presentations from Administration, Mothers

Club, Athletics, Parent Panel, and then breakout sessions hosted by Department

Chairs, Counseling, Athletics, Activities, and Clubs.

6:30 –

7:30

p.m.

Jan 13

STUDENTS: FALL COURSE SELECTIONS and sign up FOR PRIVATE

SCHOOL 8th graders attending South in the fall.

8:30 –

11:30

a.m.

Page 9

PIERCE ETHNIC DINNER

When: Thursday, November 10

th

6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Where: Pierce Gymnasium Details: Bring your family, friends, and neighbors to Pierce for an international buffet of foods prepared by Pierce parents and students Love to cook or bake or know where to buy some great ethnic foods? We’re looking for food do-nations to make this event a success. If you have any questions please contact Michelle Agosta at 248.762.9634. Please use “Sign up Genius” http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0E4CABAA2BA3FF2-pierce to volunteer or if you can donate an entrée, side dish, or dessert (serving for 12 people). Your food donation will need to be labeled, especially if it contains nuts. Directions for drop-off will be supplied prior to the event. 50/50 tickets will be available at the event. Cost: Purchase a $5.00 ticket at the door or $20 per family. Please mark your calendars and plan to join us for dinner!

PTO FUNDRAISING - WITH NO OUT OF POCKET COST!

Support the PTO, the easy and painless way!

The PTO sponsors the following easy fund-raising that require minimal effort but bring maximum rewards:

TARGET: Target will donate up to 1% of your qualifying Target REDcard (either Visa or debit) to Pierce. Visit http://www.target.com/redcard/benefits-target-rewards and click on Take Charge of Edu-cation to enroll.

KROGER: Did you know that a portion of your qualifying Kroger purchases could be donated to Pierce? Visit http://www.kroger.com/community/Pages/community_rewards.aspx to enroll your Kroger Plus card and select Pierce under the Community Rewards tab. BOX TOPS and LABELS FOR EDUCATION: Start saving Box Tops and Labels and turn them in to the main office.

TONER CARTRIDGES: Bring your used toner and ink cartridges to school. We recycle them for credit at Staples. Don’t forget to check at work!

Page 10

7TH AND 8TH GRADE BOYS BASKETBALL

7th

Grade Practice Monday thru Friday 3:30-5:00

Stephen Benard Steve@bcdetroit.com

8

th Grade Practice

Monday thru Friday 4:30-6:00 Andre Williams

Andre.Williams@gpschools.org

Game Schedule

Date Day Opponent Home/Away Time 7th/8th

Dec. 1 Thursday Brownell Away 4:00/4:00

Dec. 5 Monday Parcells Home 4:00/5:00

Dec. 7 Friday Parcells Away 4:00/5:00

Dec. 8 Thursday Kennedy Away 4:00/5:00

Dec. 12 Monday Southlake Home 4:30/5:30

Dec. 15 Thursday Jefferson Home 4:00/5:00

Dec. 19 Monday Brownell Home 4:00/5:00

Dec. 20 Tuesday Roseville Home 4:00/5:00

Jan. 10 Tuesday Kennedy Home 4:00/5:00

Jan. 12 Thursday Southlake Away 4:00/5:00

Jan. 17 Tuesday Roseville Away 4:00/5:00

Jan. 19 Thursday Jefferson Away 4:00/5:00

Page 12

PIERCE MIDDLE SCHOOL

PIZZA NIGHT

SCHOOL FUNDRAISER

Wednesday, November 16th Grosse Pointe Park Location

(15316 E. Jefferson)

313-823-7000

Simply turn in the slip below and we will earn our 20% donation.

--------------------————-------------------------------------------------------------------

Name:__________________________ 6th hour Teacher:__________________

Grade:__________________ Total Order Amount:______________

Pierce Middle School

Let’s help raise money for Pierce Middle School!

Hungry Howie’s will donate 20% of our Pizza Night

purchases back to our school.

Just fill in the slip below and hand it to the cashier or delivery

driver and enjoy your dinner! Let’s all make this a great year. If

you happen to forget your flyer please mention it to the cashier

or driver so we can credit the school. We will have extra flyers

available at the store. Please fill out your teachers name on the

slip. The teacher that has the most participation is awarded a

free pizza party for their class!

Page 13

TURKEY TROT

43rd

ANNUAL TURKEY TROT: This annual Pierce event will be held on Friday, November 11. In case of inclement weather, it will be held on Monday, November 14. This activity is sponsored by the PTO, & Pierce M.S. and is open to all 6

th, 7

th, and 8

th graders. Participation is strictly volun-

tary.

The “Trot” includes six ½ mile runs in which students run others in their own grade. There are separate races for boys and girls. All par-ticipants will receive a treat and ribbon. In addition, the top six fin-ishers, in each run, will receive a “special” ribbon. Lastly, the top two finishers, in each event, will be given a turkey for their family to enjoy! Students will sign-up for the Turkey Trot between November 4 and November 11. They will do so in their 6

th hour class. Last year ap-

proximately 250 Pierce students participated!!

Families are welcome to attend and cheer on the participants.

NONDISCRIMINATION STATEMENT

The Grosse Pointe Public Schools System does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:

Stefanie Hayes, Director of Student Services

20090 Morningside

Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236

Phone: (313) 432-3851

Stefanie.Hayes@gpschools.org

If the individual filling the grievance alleges that the Section 504/ADA coordina-tor has engaged in discrimination, then the individual filing the grievance must provide the documentation to the:

Deputy Superintendent for Educational Services

389 St. Clair

Grosse Pointe, MI 48230

Phone: (313) 432-3016

The Music Department Cookie Dough Fundraiser will be delivered on Wednesday, November 16 to the Boys Gym. Music students and their families should arrange to pick up their orders between 10:30-4:30. If you ordered from a music student, they should deliver it to you on the 16th or 17th. Thank you for your support!

COOKIE DOUGH PICK UP!

THE PERIODIC DISTRIBUTION OF NON-SCHOOL-RELATED WRITTEN MATERIALS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN

ENDORSEMENT BY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OF THOSE MATERIALS OR OF THE GROUPS SPONSORING THEM.

Page 14

On Monday evening, November 21 at 7:00 pm, the Pierce MS Bands & Orchestras will be presenting their Fall Concert in the Pierce MS Auditorium. This annual concert will feature all of the Pierce MS Band & Orchestra students in a wide variety of musical styles. Featured in this concert will be all of the Pierce MS curricular ensembles: Concert Band, Cadet Band, 6th Grade Band, 7/8 Grade Orchestra and 6th Grade Orchestra. All stu-dents are to arrive at 6:30 for warm-up and tuning. All students should wear their Pierce Band & Orchestra uniform shirt, black dress pants or black dress skirt, black dress socks, and black dress shoes. Admission is FREE!

Upcoming dates: COOKIE DOUGH PICK-UP/DELIVERY: Wednesday, November 16

BAND-O-RAMA: Monday, December 19 South HS Main Gymnasium, 7PM STRING EXTRAVAGANZA: Wednesday, December 21 South HS Main Gymnasium, 7PM

James Gross Phone: (313) 432-5400 ; james.gross@gpschools.org; Chris Takis Phone: 432-3642 christopher.takis@gpschools.org

BAND AND ORCHESTRA FALL CONCERT

NJHS INDUCTEES AND OFFICERS FOR 2016 - 2017

President: Jacquelyn W., Vice President: Raegan R. Treasurer: Abraham A., Secretary: Veronica V. Parliamentarian: Awmeo A., Historian: Grace V.

The NJHS Induction Ceremony was held on Thursday, October 13, 2016 in the Pierce Auditori-um. Congratulations to the newest NJHS Inductees and Officers!

Pierce Middle School’s Oldest Annual Fundraiser- 36 Years

POINSETTIA SALE

Fresh from the Gardens to your

home Choose from Red, White, and Pink

Medium (6 inch pot) $9.00

Large (8 inch pot) $18.00

Order forms must be returned by

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2016

Checks payable to: PIERCE PTO

Pick up: Thursday, December 1, 12:00 – 6:00 pm

Order form- Return to: Pierce Office 15430 Kercheval GPP, MI 48230

Attn: Poinsettia Sale Name_______________________________________________

Address______________________________________________

Daytime phone__________________ Cell phone__________________

(6 in.) $9.00 ea. (8 in.) $18.00 ea. $ total cost

White

Red

Pink

HAVE A

WONDERFUL

THANKSGIVING!

THANKSGIVING BREAK -

NO CLASSES

Tues. (PM Only), Nov. 22, Wed., Nov. 23

Through Sun., Nov. 27

Classes Resume with Late Start Monday, Nov. 28