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Publication of the Freeland Community School District • 710 Powley Drive • Freeland, MI 48623

Volume 29, No. 5 March 2007

www.freeland.k12.mi.us

March 2007

www.freeland.k12.mi.us

PRST STDU.S. Postage Paid

Permit No. 26Non-Profi ot

Acting Superintendent’s Cornerby Linda L. Sanborn

The events of the past few months have put our school district in the headlines. It has been, and continues to be a challenging time. I want to reassure you, however, that none of this has disrupted the teaching and learning process. Quality education is taking place every day in the Freeland Community School District. I give high praise to our faculty and staff, administrative team and board of education for staying focused on what matters most: the education of students.

Spring brings many school and community activities of which you should be aware. This issue of the Open Line contains information about many of these events. It is gratifying to live in a community where people work together in so many different ways: the newly formed Freeland Community Sports Association, the Walleye Tournament and Festival, Project Prom, Little League, the Athletic Association’s Millionaire’s Party - these are just a few of the events which bring thecommunity together to work for a common goal. Our school district ranks as one of the best in Saginaw

County by most any measure one would care to use. This is accomplished by employees, students, parents and the whole community working together towards the common goal of educating our youth. As Acting Superintendent, I believe each stakeholder can take the credit for this success.

Another way we maximize working together is our participation in several cooperative partnerships that are of great benefi t. Our main partnership is with the Saginaw Intermediate School District (SISD). The SISD provides several services to local schools. For example, substitute teachers can register through the SISD rather than registering with thirteen separate school districts. On-line computer services for bookkeeping and fi nancial services, electronic reporting and ordering of media are a few more examples of the services we share through the SISD. If each local school had to provide these services alone, the cost would be a drain on the district’s budget. Freeland schools also participate in the county-wide strengthening of curriculum offered by the SISD. The leader who is responsible for coordinating all these services is SISD Superintendent Rick Lane, a member of our Freeland community. He has announced his

retirement, and we wish him the very best.

The West Saginaw County Special Services Area is our partnership that works with special education. This partnership provides the district a method of meeting the needs of special education students effectively. We share the expertise of a Special Education Supervisor, School Social Worker, and School Psychologist. We also share programs with surrounding districts.

Another relationship that helps us is our partnership with HealthSource Saginaw. We will continue to explore other possibilities for partnerships that would be both educationally and fi nancially benefi cial to the school district. Exploring various partnerships and consolidation of services provides opportunities for continuous improvement. The Board of Education, Administration, Professional and Support Staff are committed to improving the educational services and support services that are available in Freeland Community Schools.

Let’s continue to celebrate our partnerships as we celebrate the coming of Spring.

MLK Day Activities Happen a Day LateBy Katrina Eudis

Several people at Freeland Schools had big plans on Monday January 15, 2007 to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Instead there was a snow day. Tuesday morning some plans went as scheduled, and others were worked out as best as they could be. Tamara Klida, a High School Art teacher, planned a presentation of the “Visionaries Quilt” her students created, viewing of Martin Luther King Jr.”s famous speech, and refreshments. She invited guests and local news was informed. Club SLIME and VISTA worker Katrina Eudis, had planned a toy drive in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day being a day of service. Tuesday Mrs. Klida went ahead as planned with her presentation; it went well although there were only a few guests and no local news present. Her

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Spring 2007 CommunityEducation Offerings

Boaters Safety Class

The Saginaw County Sheriff’s Dept. Marine Division will be teaching a six-hour boating safety class this spring. Classes are taught in cooperation with the MI Department of Natural Resources. Classes are aimed at 12 to 16 year olds but anyone 10 years-old and up are welcome. State law requires children under 12 be accompanied by a person 16 or older when operating a boat with a 6-horsepower motor or larger or have a Boater’s Safety Certifi cate in their possession.

You must attend all 6 hours of classes to receive your Boating Safety Certifi cate.

DATE: Thursday’s April 19 & April 26

TIME: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

PLACE: Freeland High School - Media Center

COST: No Charge Registration Information and Refund Policy

1. Send or bring registration form along with payment to:

Freeland Community High School, 8250 Webster Rd., Freeland, MI 48623. Hours M-F 7:00 a..m. to 3:30 p. m.

2. In order to adequately plan classes and meet student minimums, we request registration 2 weeks prior to start of class.

3. The refund policy for community education classes are:

a. 100% of fee prior to start date of class due to low enrollment.

b. No refunds will be given after the fi rst week of class.

For more information call 695-5986.

Mail In Registration Form

Name__________________________________ Grade(if applicable)________

Address__________________________________________________________

Home Phone_____________________________Work Phone______________

Amount Enclosed-Checks payable toFreeland Community School District: $_________________________

Symphony Band Earns 29th Consecutive First Division Band Rating

Freeland Symphonic Band earned First Division Ratings at the Michigan Band and Orchestra Association, held on March 10 at Bay City Western High School. This was the 29th consecutive First Division rating for the Symphony Band.

Congratulations to band directors Mr. William Shephard and Mrs. Kari Geurtz for another successful year.

We invite you to come to our spring concerts:

High School Spring Concert: May 8

Middle School Spring Concert: May 15

Sixth Grade Spring Concert: May 22

Publication of the Freeland Community School District • 710 Powley Drive • Freeland, MI 48623

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Avian Infl uenza PreparednessBy Linda Foco, Assistant Superintendent

Avian Infl uenza - the bird fl u - is a disease caused by a virus that infects wild birds such as geese, ducks, swans and shorebirds, domestic poultry, and in rare cases, other animals and humans. The State of Michigan is preparing for the possible detection of the strain of Avian Infl uenza originally documented in Asian countries and what precautions the public should take.

Avian Infl uenza has been documented in domestic poultry and wild waterfowl at low levels in the United States for decades. Just as in people, birds com-monly get the fl u, too. In birds, most strains of the virus ar mild and cause only mild symptoms. Despite ther being over 140 strains of Avian Infl uenza in birds, people are rarely infected. Most human cases have come from extensive direct contact with infected do-mestic birds.

The virus currently of global concern is a strain of H5N1 Avian Infl uenza originally documented in Asian countries. This strain could reach the U.S. in a num-ber of ways “ wild bird migration, smuggling birds of prey or poultry products, and travel by infected peo-ple. The disease is being monitored closely by local, state and federal agencies and the domestic poultry industry. These agencies are taking steps to prepare for and minimize the potential health, economic and conservation impacts, if it should be detected in the U.S. and Michigan. Properly prepared wild game and poultry cooked to an internal temperature of 165” F is safe to eat.

For more information, see the following websites: www.michigan.gov/fl u www.michigan.gov/michiganprepares www.emc.cmich.edu/avian/

SCHOOL CLOSING INFORMATION

In the event of school closing, the Superintendent will make every effort to notify the following radio

and television stations and the Midland Daily News Hotline.

RADIO STATIONSWBCM Bay City 1440 AMWKNX Saginaw 1210 AMWSAM Saginaw 1400 AM

WHNN Saginaw 96 FMWSGW Saginaw 790 AMWIOG Saginaw 102.5 FMWGER Saginaw 106 FMWKCQ Saginaw 98 FM

WUGN Midland 99.7 FMWKQZ Midland 93.3 FMWMPX Midland 1490 AMTELEVISION STATIONS

WNEM-TV 5, WEYI-TV 25, WJRT-TV 12

It is sometimes diffi cult to reach radio or TV stations; however, every effort will be made to have closing information aired by 7:00 a.m. School will not be closed the everning before unless conditions assure that roads would be impassable in the morning. The Board of Education and Superintendent are commit-ted to the operation of schools as scheduled when-ever possible.

In the event school is closed due to weather condi-tions, Community Education and all other events for that day will also be cancelled.

NOTICE: The annual School Board Election will be held on Tuesday, May 8, 2007.

The precincts and polling locations for the voting precincts in the Freeland Community School District will be:

Tittabawassee TownshipTittabawassee Community Hall, 220 Church St., Freeland. All voters in Tittabawassee Township Pre-cinct 1 and 2

Tittabawassee Memorial Park Building, 150 Park St., Freeland. All voters in Tittabawassee Township Precinct 3. All voters in Richland and Ingersoll Town-ships who are in the Freeland Community School District.

Thomas TownshipResidents living in the Freeland Community School District, will vote in Thomas Township as follows:Fire Station #2 9970 Dice Road, Freeland. All voters in Thomas Township Precinct 1 who are in the Free-land Community School District.

Frankenlust TownshipResidents living in the Freeland Community School District, will vote in Frankenlust Township as fol-lows:

Frankenlust Township Hall. All voters in Franken-lust Township who are in the Freeland Community School District.

Kochville TownshipResidents living in the Freeland Community School District, will vote in Kochville Township as follows:

Kochville Township Hall, 5851 Mackinaw Road. All voters in Kochville Township who are in the Freeland Community School District.

The polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. You must be registered to vote.Absentee ballots for the May 8, 2007, Regular School Election will be available beginning Wednes-day, April 18, 2007, from the Township Clerk’s Of-fi ce in the township where your polling place is lo-cated. Additional information can be obtained from Sue Sauer, Deputy Clerk, Tittabawassee Township at 695-9512.

This year the voters will be asked to fi ll 1 four-year term. Candidates for the four-year term 2007-2011:

Pat L. Gilbert and Brandi Feinauer Vasold

In addition, there will be a millage proposition. See related articles in this issue of the Open Line.

Two Candidates Vie for One 4-Year Term in School Election

Pat L.Gilbert is a native of Eaton Rapids, Michigan. She has a Bachelor of Applied Studies from SVSU with a major in accounting and minor in management. She also earned an Associates Degree from Lansing Community College in paralegal studies and philoso-phy.

Pat has worked over 17 years with the Michigan De-partment of Treasury as a desk auditor, desk collec-tor, paralegal and taxpayer assistant. She has also worked over 7 years as a tax analyst with Dow Corn-ing Corporation.

She belongs to the Saginaw County Lawyers” Auxil-iary and was the past president-elect, past president, and co-chaired Saginaw County Law Day for 3 years. She is also a member of the Freeland Athletic Asso-ciation.

“I have been a resident of the Freeland School District

for almost 17 years, choosing to live here because of the schools. My daughter is currently a sophomore at Freeland High School and is currently a member of the Freeland Varsity Gymnastics Team, the High School Band, and is in the top 10 of her class. She was also part of the Freeland Spelling Team in grades 5 “ 8.

I believe in our public schools, coming from a long line of public educators, and want to be a part of making Freeland Schools stronger in the years to come. I also believe excellent education does not happen by accident.

I believe my background in analyzing data, and as a paralegal, would/could be a very valuable asset to the Board.”

Brandi Vasold is a native of Freeland. She graduated from Freeland High School and has an Associate De-gree in Business Management. She is currently the owner of Baskets by BaVa”s, a gift basket company. Brandi previously worked as an administrative assis-tant for a Saginaw accountant for 2 years, and she worked for Charter Media Advertising in the traffi c and billing department. She is a member of Messiah Lutheran Church and Messiah”s Mom”s Group.

“I graduated from Freeland High School in 1996 and enjoyed my school years immensely. I now have two

Alma College Dean’s List

Alma College has named two Freeland High School Graduates to the Dean’s List for the 2006 Fall Term. Students

must have achieved a 3.5 or better grade point average during the term,

while carrying a minimum of 13 credits. The two are Kaylee Sova, a 2003

graduate, and Dylan Sova, a 2005 graduate. Their parents are Dennis and

Kimberly Sova.

Congratulations to both.

High School Solo and Ensemble

Several FHS musicians participated in the District Solo and Ensemble Festival Saturday, February 17, hosted this year by Bay City Central High School. We had outstanding results with 30 students earning First Division medals, and nine earning Second Divi-sion medals. Those receiving fi rsts are now eligible for the State competition March 24 at Central Michi-gan University. Here are the results:

First Division Ratings:Nicki King, fl ute solo; Wendy Laszlo, fl ute solo; Audrey Clunie, Nicki King, and Brittney Henning, fl ute trio; Autumn DeGroat and Mackenzie Woodman, clarinet duet; Nicole Ostrander, bass clarinet solo; Ariel Wa-chner, bass clarinet solo; Suzanne Kolpakov, alto sax solo; Lindsey Thurlow, alto sax solo; Caroline Rozek and Lindsey Thurlow, alto sax duet; Lindsey Thurlow and Caroline Rozek, alto sax duet; Kaitlyn Bonham and Suzanne Kolpakov, alto sax duet; Tom Johnson, trumpet solo; Emily King, baritone solo; Drew Shaw and Emily King, brass duet; Mike Easterday, John Sous, Jeff Gavit, Todd Schmidt, Tyler Schmidt, and Josh Crummer, brass sextet; Jonathan Robinson, snare solo; Emily King, piano solo; and Nicki King, piano solo

Second Divison Ratings:Kaitlyn Collison, fl ute solo; Alicia Maltby, clarinet solo; Kaitlyn Bonham, alto sax solo; Pat Wirtz, alto sax solo; Alex Ancinec, trombone solo; Josh Crummer, trombone solo; Jessica Evans, snare solo; Michelle Ivan, piano solo; and Julie Kuzdzal, piano solo

Thank you to Mrs. Ruth Dill, Mrs. Jackie Terrian, and Mr. Jim Hohmeyer for accompanying our solo events.

Congratulations to all for your exemplary perfor-mance!

Cub Scouts Blue & Gold Banquet

Freeland Cub Scout Pack 3309 held its annual Blue and Gold Banquet on February 25, 2007 at the Free-land Convention Center. The Blue and Gold Banquet is a long cherished tradition where all Cub Scouts and their families get together to share a meal to learn and celebrate the accomplishments of their fellow Scouts. All Dens were represented! The Tigers,Wolves, Bears and the First and Second Year Webelos. This year the excellent event drew in about 250 people!

One of the biggest celebrations of the day is the crossing over of the 2nd Year Webelos. This “cross-ing over“ ceremony marks the point where the boys graduate from a program that is adult led in order to teach the boys character values to a program (Boy Scouts) that is boys led. As each scout crossed over a bridge, he was greeted by a member of the Freeland

Boy Scout Troop 323 who changed them out of their Cub Scout neckerchief to a “red” neckerchief signify-ing their new status as Boy Scouts. A special thanks to Boy Scouts: Brandon Case, Tyler Clark and An-drew Robishaw for their assistance in welcoming the new Scouts. Congratulations to Kyle Guster, Keegan and Zachary Reimus, Baily Case, Xavier Delgado, Andrew Bezjian, Todd Drummond, Noah Seeburger and Nathan Yax for the completion of your Cub Scout journey! We’ll miss you and wish you well on your Boy Scout adventures! Also, a special

thanks to Den Leaders Craig Guster and Mike Reimus for all the hours and special efforts you have made with your boys over the years!

Donna Banner and Jen-nifer Lazarz did a won-derful job planning this event and many thanks to all of the people who volunteer throughout the year in so many ways to make our pack so great! The Freeland Cub Scout Pack 3309 appreciates the local business that got involved and helped to sponsor this event!

Upcoming events are a Pack swim at Delta Pool and our Annual Food Drive in April! Remember... you can join Cub Scouts any time”it is for boys from fi rst through fi fth grade and we always have a lot of exciting things happening!!!!!!!

Freeland Athletic Association Highlights

Recent highlights of the FAA include supporting the project that will result in a new track on our high-school grounds before the beginning of the 2007 ñ 2008 school year. The current track surface and un-derlying asphalt are in rough shape after 20 years of service. This project will be funded with FAA dollars that have been earmarked for the track renovation over the past several years along with school dis-trict sinking fund dollars. It is important to note that these sinking fund dollars are funds that are specifi -cally designated for site repairs and do not impact on the funding of our educational programs. Stay up to date by following the school board and FAA meetings.

This time of year it is important for graduating stu-dents to recognize that there are several scholarships available to help them fund their college careers. Our athletic association awards student athletes up to

$750 to help them in their fi rst year. The selection criteria balances academic achievement and athletic participation along with citizenship and public service in order to identify well rounded students deserving recognition for their hard work. The form is simple and readily available in the counselors offi ce.

Parents of Seniors who are interested in helping us hold a Senior Appreciation event in May please con-tact Tom Galbraith at 989-686-4297.

Our meetings are held every third Wednesday of the month at 7pm in the high school cafeteria. Please join us in our efforts to support our student athletes.

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children, ages four and two. The oldest will soon be attending Freeland schools.

The Freeland Community School District is a won-derful district, and I am looking forward to serving the community in making sure they become even better! All of our children deserve the best education and school experiences we can provide!”

School Election - Last Day of Registration April 9, 2007

April 9, 2007, is the last day persons may register to vote in the Regular School Election of the Freeland Community School District to be held on Tuesday, May 8, 2007.

This year the voters will be asked to fi ll one four-year vacancy on the Freeland Board of Education. The term will be July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2011. The term of Daniel B. Karbowski will expire June 30, 2007. The candidates include: Pat L. Gilbert and Brandi Feinauer Vasold.

There will also be two ballot propositions to be voted upon.

I. FREELAND COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OPERATING MILLAGE PROPOSAL

This proposal will allow the school district to levy taxes within the statutory rate of 18 mills on all property except principal resi dence, qualifi ed agricultural property and qualifi ed forest property required for the school district to receive its revenue per pupil foundation.

Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, exempting there-from principal residence, qualifi ed agricultural prop-erty and qualifi ed forest property as defi ned by law, in Freeland Community School District, Saginaw, Midland and Bay Counties, Michigan, be increased by 17.577 mills ($17.577 on each $1000.00 of tax-able valuation) for a period of 3 years, 2007, 2008, and 2009, to provide funds for operating purposes (17.077 mills of the above is a renewal of millage which expired with the 2006 tax levy and .5 mill is a restoration of millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the Michigan Constitution of 1963); the estimate of the revenue the school district will col-lecty if the millage is approved and levied in 2007 is approximately $1,095,000”

And

II. FREELAND COMMUNTIY SCHOOL DISTRICTOPERATING MILLAGE PROPOSAL

This proposal will allow the school district to levy the statutory rate of 18 mills on all prop- erty except principal residence, qualifi ed ag ricultural property and qualifi ed forest prop erty for the school district to receive its rev- enue per pupil foundation allowance.

Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, exempting there-from principal residence, qualifi ed agricultural prop-erty and qualifi ed forest property as defi ned by law, in Freeland Community School District, Saginaw, Mid-land, and Bay Counties, Michigan, be increased by .423 mill ($0.423 on each $1000.00 of taxable valua-tion) for a period of 3 years, 2007, 2008, and 2009, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2007 is approxi-mately $26,350 (this millage is to restore millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the Michigan Constitution of 1963)”

Residents of the Freeland Community School District who are 18 years of age or older on or before May 8, 2007, interested in voting in the Regular School Elec-tion, should register to vote with their local township clerk, or at a Michigan Secretary of State offi ce, on or before April 9, 2007.

Principal ThoughtsBy Bev Beyer March is national “Reading Month.” During the month of March schools throughout the United States plan many special activities to celebrate reading. The Freeland Learning Center celebrations included an all-school read-in, a visit from the Cat in the Hat, a guest author Buck Wilder, guest readers, a student author published by the MRA, and the second grade students wrote a book for their special person.

Do you remember when you fi rst learned to read” I remember reading the title of our new story, Cars, from a Dick and Jane reader. My teacher was sur-prised (or she pretended to be) because she hadn’t told us the title yet. At that time I knew I was a reader. As educators we have the privilege of experiencing that magical moment with our students.

Children love to be read to, and reading a book to-gether out loud- enjoying both the pictures and the stories- is a rewarding and educational experience. This very early stage of reading is important to the development of the child’s lifetime reading habits. Good books lead children to new places, new expe-riences, and other periods of time. Celebrate reading every day with your child.

Young Authors’ Conference Two second grade students from the Learning Cen-ter will present at the Young Authors’ Conference in Frankenmuth on March 3, 2007. Ashley Hupfer and David Lazara have worked hard to get their stories ready for publication and sharing at the conference. Mrs. Proctor, their teacher, will also attend the confer-ence.

The Principal’s Star Students

Every week, one student from each classroom in the Freeland Learning Center is chosen as the “Princi-pals’s Star Student.” Students are selected based on their writing work. The students have their writ-ing work displayed in the main hallway, receive an award and Mrs. Beyer announces their names over the school public address system. Congratulations to all the Principal’s Star Students!

ATTENTION 2007 - 2008 KINDERGARTEN PARENTS

You are invited to an informational meeting, host-ed by Principal Bev Beyer, on Thursday, April 26, 2007 in the Freeland Learning Center gym. Our gym is small so we will hold two meetings. You can select to attend the 5:30 p.m. meeting or the 6:30 p.m. meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to share information that will help you prepare for the beginning of school in the fall. Handouts will be available to any family that is not able to attend.

FREELAND HIGH SCHOOL’S ANNUAL SPRING MUSICAL

Let’s combine fantasy and adventure that will appeal to both adults and children alike as the High School proudly presents Peter Pan. Mark your calendars for March 29th, 30th, and 31st and view the High School Auditorium trans-formed into the island of Neverland Watch as the three Darling family children, Wendy, John, and Michael, along with Nana the dog, en-counter Peter Pan who teaches them to fl y and away they go to Neverland. There they meet the lost boys and Tinkerbell, while fending off Captain Hook, his pirates, Tiger Lily and her Tribe of Indians. And let’s not forget Captain Hook’s nemesis, Croc, who follows the Cap-tain in hopes of making a meal out of him.

The students perform such favorites as “I Won’t Grow Up” and “I Gotta Crow”. With more than 60 cast members the production promises to be a delight as children enjoy the imaginative story and fl ights of fancy. Yet adults will relate to Peter Pan’s desire to fore-go mature responsibilities by merely wanting to live in the moment.

Mrs. Bethany Krish is once again direct-ing with musical direction by Mr. William E. Shephard. Both have brought to the stage such musicals as Fiddler on the Roof, Hello Dolly and The Sound of Music to name just a few.

Performance time each night is 7:00 p.m. Tickets for the show are: students $7.00, adults $10.00 and will be available at the door 45 minutes prior the production.

Original Production Directed and Staged by Jerome Robbins Based on the play by James M. Barrie Original Music by Mark Charlap Original Lyrics by Carolyn Leigh Additional Music by Jule Styne Additional Lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green Updated Music: Bronsand Music, Inc. Fly-ing Effects provided by ZFX, Inc.

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Elementary Principal ThoughtsBy Tim Parson

The Internet is an amazing and wonderful resource for children, one that many of us did not grow up with. Not growing up with all that the Internet has to offer, both good and bad, does not excuse us as parents to teach our children how to avoid the bad. I recently came across a very concise list of tips to help parents deal with children and the Internet in an issue of The National Association of Elementary Principals. Start these when your children are young, it will be much easier when they get older and are pushing for inde-pendence.

Limit their access. Not only the amount of time spent on the Internet, but where they can go. For a list of programs that can help fi lter out inappropriate content, go to www.getnetwise.org/tools

Create your own version of “Never” land. Make sure your children understand the “never” rules of the Internet.

Be “Checkpoint Charley”. Keep the computer in a public area and get children use to looking over their shoulder.

Learn the lingo. If a term is used you don’t know, ask.

Imposters are lurking. Predators are skilled at using the Internet to entice children. Children must be taught not to trust anyone they do not personally know.

Become more educated. Check out some of the Web sites that help parents keep their children safe.

George Washington Visits Freeland Elementary

To celebrate Washington”s Birthday, General George Washington was kind enough to take time out of his day to meet with each of our grade levels. Each of his talks was geared toward the specifi c grade level he was addressing. This actor travels all over the Midwest talking to students. He made a point of tell-

ing me how impressed he was of our student”s attentive behavior and how well informed they were about his period in history.

Great Stuff On The Web

SunWise KidsThis web site will help you learn more about the harmful effects of the sun and teach you ways to protect yourself. With fun activities like the “Survivor Challenges” and action steps, such as wearing a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen, you will learn simple steps to protect yourself.http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/kids.html

The ExploratoriumThe Exploratorium is a hands-on museum of sci-ence, art, and human perception in San Fran-cisco. Their site provides interactive online ex-hibits and exhibitions, activities, Webcasts, and more. There are also professional development resources for teachers.http://www.exploratorium.edu/

National Atlas“Nationalatlas.gov” contains a remarkable range of products and services to meet the diverse needs of people who are looking for maps and geographic information about America. Dynamic maps are innovative illustrations of geographic phenomena. We combine the science of map-ping with today’s multimedia to offer maps that are useful, understandable, and that stimulate interactivity.”http://nationalatlas.gov/

Sun SafetySummer is just around the corner and that means more time in the sun. As you enjoy this time of year, don”t forget to protect yourself, and your family, from the sun”s harmful effects. Blending a few basic sun safety habits into your daily routine can save your skin not only from short-term damage like sunburn and tanning, but also long-term damage like wrinkles and cancer. Before you head outside for the day, protect your skin from the harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun with Slip! Slop! Slap!• Slip on a shirt made of tightly woven material that you can”t see through when held up to the light.• Slop on sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. Be sure to reapply after swim- ming, sweating, or toweling off. • Slap on a hat with a wide brim to protect your face, neck, and ears; add sunglasses to protect your eyes and the surrounding skin. (Don”t forget to put sunscreen on your exposed skin.) Watch the clock also. During the middle of the day, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., the sun”s rays are the strongest. Try to plan activities in the shade or indoors during those hours. For more tips on sun safety and to fi nd out how to detect skin cancer early, when it”s most treatable, contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.

The students pictured on the left have been named “STU-DENTS OF THE MONTH” for the month of February. Front row from left to right...Katie Babcock, 7th grade, nominated by Team 7, Angela Sanders, 7th grade, nomi-nated by Team 7, Samantha Sleszak, 7th grade, nomi-nated by Team 7, Taylor Landeryou, 7th grade nominated by Mr. Arrington, Caitlyn Skornia, 7th grade, nominated by Team 7, Jaclyn Trahan, 8th grade, nominated by Team 8 and Shannon Riffel, 8th grade, nominated by Team 8. Back row....Glen Moore, 7th grade, nominated by Team 7, Alysa Strecker, 7th grade, nominated by Team 7, Mi-chael Graebner, 8th grade, nominated by Team 8, Alec Castillo, 8th grade, nominated by Team 8, Austin Hazen, 7th grade, nominated by Team 7, Ryan Feinauer, 7th grade, nominated by Team 7, Andrew Bicigo, 7th grade, nominated by Team 7 and Katelen Bennett, 8th grade, nominated by Mrs. Shea. Missing form the photo: Ra-chel Bradd, 8th grade, nominated by Mr. Hickson

F.H.S. Has A Natural Secret! :)By Charles Bicigo

In 1994 Harold Hoelzel got the okay to turn a small piece of land (a poor building site) into a beautiful outdoor classroom. He called it the Falcon Na-ture Arboretum. Tucked behind the Freeland High School is a one-third mile nature walk fi lled with

over seventy different varieties of trees, plants, and other wildfl owers. Bluebirds have made their homes there, along with rabbits and squirrels; however, it is in need of attention. Last fall, we planted shrubs and trees. We also put in mulch and cleaned up debris from years of being left alone.

We need your help. We will be planting more trees

and bushes this spring on Saturday, April 21, 2007, at 9 am, rain or shine. Please bring your shovel and gloves and come out to help us make the Arbore-tum a more beautiful place. If you aren”t able to be there but would like to help, we will need drinks, snacks, and possibly some supplies. Contact the Bicigo”s if you can help with donations of supplies, food, or drinks, at 695-2401.

Fine Arts Festival

The annual Fine Arts Festival will take place at the High School on Tuesday, April 17, 2007. The Fine Arts Festival is an event where all aspects of the arts are displayed. In the Auditorium Lobby, starting at 6:30 P.M. will be displays including many types of

visual arts from the art and the industrial art depart-ments. At 7:00 P.M. will be performing arts in the Auditorium. Following the performances will be a cu-linary arts dessert buffet in the Cafeteria. Admission for the evening is $4.00 and proceeds go the Choir, National Honor Society, and the Art Department. Please come and support the Arts in Freeland!

COUNSELOR TALKFrom the desks of Ms. Latocki and Mrs. Essex

Scheduling for the 2007-2008 school year began the week of February 26. Mrs. Essex and Ms. Latocki met with students during their English class period to hand out information, a course guide and scheduling form. They discussed options and recommendations for next year, shared a brief presentation on some of the vocational courses offered at Freeland high, an-swered questions regarding courses offered at other locations available to Freeland students, and gen-eral questions regarding high school. Each student was reminded to be sure their personal School View account was operational, so they would be able to register for course choices directly into the computer system again this year. School View access also al-

lows them to check their grades and attendance at any time. Students printed a copy of their requests, were to have parents sign the form and return it to their teacher, so parents should know exactly what was selected.

Scheduling activities for current eighth grade stu-dents will take place in April. Tentative plans call for a parent meeting prior to meeting with students. The State of Michigan has fi nalized plans for increased requirements, the Michigan Merit Curriculum, so we will include that information. The fi nal administration of the High School MEAP test in its current form will take place at the end of March for seniors who would like to retest in an ef-fort to qualify for the Michigan Promise Scholarship.

The MEAP test will change for 2007 to the Michigan Merit Exam (MME), consisting of the ACT test, Work Keys tests, and Michigan specifi c components. It will be a welcome change, moving from two weeks of testing to three days of testing. It will also insure that all juniors have an opportunity to take the ACT test with the state picking up the cost. It will also avoid test date confl icts with extra-curricular activi-ties and Spring breaks. The counselors met with ju-nior parents in late February and discussed details of the test.

Freeland Graduates Continue to Perform Well

Megan Satkowiak, daughter of Thomas and Christine Satkowiak and a 2006 graduate of Freeland High School, has been named to the Dean’s List at Ferris State University

for the Fall 2006 semester. Congratulations to all of them.

YELLOW

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Pg. 6 Pg. 7

Kelsey Ropp earned 500 Accelerated Reader points.

Adult Volunteers Needed at the Elementary School

We are looking for adults who can give at least an hour a week to work with individual students. No special skills are needed, just a desire to help. You would be working with students who need extra one-on-one assistance with language or math. We will work to pair you with the grade level and subject that you are comfortable with. If you can help or would like further information, contact Kate Wood at 695-5371.

Mystery Quest

On Tuesday, February 13th the students in Mrs. Crookís 6th grade class participated in a Mystery Quest. The students presented clues pertaining to the ì5 Themes of Geographyî to other 6th grade class-rooms in Saginaw County. They presented clues to a mystery city and coun-try in the Western Hemi-sphere to students at St. Charles Middle School and Swan Valley Mid-dle School via the dis-tance learning connec-tion. The other schools also presented clues to their mystery cities and countries to Freeland. Finally, all schools were given a chance to guess the other schoolsí cities and countries. What an awesome learning expe-rience for everyone!!

Model CitizensBy Chris Arrington

I’d like to make our community aware of three FMS students who have displayed patriotism and a com-mitment to excellence by writing outstanding essays. Haylee Parsons, Jeff Rivett, and Emily Wegner have been named local winners in the 38th annual America & Me Essay Contest, sponsored by Farm Bureau In-surance. Emily and Jeff received award certifi cates for their achievement. As a result of authoring the fi rst place essay, Haylee”s name will be engraved on a plaque for permanent display in our school. This fi rst place essay now advances to the state level competition, from which the top ten essays in Michi-gan will be selected. The top ten statewide winners, who will be announced in April, will receive plaques, cash, and U.S. savings bonds valued from $500 to $1,000. In addition, the top ten essayists will be hon-ored at a banquet in Lansing, meet with Michigan’s top governmental leaders, and be the featured guests at a Lansing Lugnuts minor league game dedicated in their honor. Several thousand eighth grade students from nearly 500 Michigan schools participated in the 2006-2007 American & Me Essay Contest, which was conduct-ed with the help of Farm Bureau Insurance agents across the state. The topic of the 2006-2007 contest was “My Personal Hero.”

Started in 1968 and open to all Michigan eighth grade students, the contest encourages Michigan young-sters to explore their roles in America”s future. As sponsor of the contest, Farm Bureau Insurance has earned 11 national awards from the Freedom Foun-dation at Valley Forge.

Freeland Middle School is proud of all of our stu-dents. We feel that we have many youngsters who are indeed “model citizens.” Given this, we are espe-cially eager to shine the spotlight on Haylee, Jeff, and Emily this month. If you see these youngsters, please congratulate them!

From the Middle School Counselorby: Tom Hickson

Our 8th grade students recently took the EXPLORE Test. In my opinion, it is the most important test that they take all year. This test is connected to the PLAN and the ACT. I tell students that the ACT is a col-lege entrance exam and will be taken when they are juniors and the PLAN is the 10th grade version of the ACT and the EXPLORE is the 8th grade version. All of these tests are connected. The same company produces all of them, therefore, our students get ex-posed to similar formats for all three.

The EXPLORE tests the students in English, Math, Reading and Science. We have given this test twice

before this year, and the results have been very favor-able. Our students have scored above the national average in all areas. Obviously, we are very proud of this. Our teaching staff, along with excellent parents who support education are defi nitely at the core of our success.

One unique feature on this test is an “Interest In-ventory”. Here, the students are given seventy-two items and respond whether they “like”, “dislike” or are “indifferent” to each item. The theory here is that things you are interested in now may provide clues for future careers. The results show students which career clusters for which they might best be suited.

When we receive the results, I will go into the class-rooms and explain them to the students. I will also send the results to the parents. EXPLORE also sends great information for parents that I will send. I think that the parents will be pleased with all the useful in-formation that they will receive and this will help them PLAN for the future. After the PLAN, they can then ACT (act) on their PLANS. I’m sure that many of our students are not excited about taking tests, but they certainly provide a wealth of information for schools, students and parents.

Middle School Students of the Month

The above students have been named “STUDENTS OF THE MONTH” for December/January. Front row from left to right. Shelby Fox, 7th grade, nominated by Mrs. Murray, AuBree Berg, 8th grade, nominat-ed by Team 8, Erin Burke, 8th grade, nominated by Team 8, Shawn Dawson, 8th grade, nominated by Mrs. Shea, Kara Hepworth, 7th grade, nominated by Mrs. Murray, Ashley Jones 7th grade, nominated by Mrs. Spalding and Mrs. Phillips, Sabrina Shariff, 7th grade, nominated by Mr. Phillips, Sam Korson, 7th grade, nominated by Mrs. Phillips and Mrs. Spalding, Brittney Deal, 7th grade, nominated by Mrs. Shea, Taylor Hod-son, 7th grade, nominated Mrs. Murray. Back row..Conner Schultz, 7th grade, nominated Mrs. Murray, Myles Sakshaug, 7th grade, nominated by Mrs. Phillips and Mr. Townsend, Tom Taugher, 7th grade, nominated by Mr. Hickson, Joey Ross, 8th grade nominated by Team 8, Dakota Burch, 8th grade, nominated by Team 8, Jacob Mac-

Donald, 7th grade, nominated by Mrs. Phillips, Mrs. Spalding and Mr. Townsend, Danielle Willsie, 7th grade, nominated by Mrs. Spalding, Morgan Gray, 7th grade, nominated Mrs. Phillips, Brendan Bell, 8th grade, nominated by Team 8. Missing from the photo is Michael Woodman, 7th grade, nominated by Mrs. Shea.

students each presented their own square. Some of the squares were about Mother Teresa, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Pope John Paul II, Mikail Gorbachev, George Washington Carver, Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, and Amelia Earhart. The Toy Drive happened on this day also. Katrina Eudis recruited her husband Dan, and they went to all the schools and picked up the donated toys. Their trucks were fi lled. They drove the toys to Saginaw to be delivered to Partnership Center on S. Hamilton. News was also supposed to fi lm this on Monday, as well as many others were going to help.

Tamara Klida decided to have her fi rst and second hour craft students create this “Visionaries Quilt” project because she wanted to introduce students to important visionaries, to reinforce the ideal of peace, and to demonstrate the impact an individual can have on the world. First hour students were required to research a visual peace sign, draw and paint it on a square of fabric, and choose a quote they liked about peace. Second hour students were required to draw, paint, and research an important historical fi gure on a square of fabric, whose vision has made a positive difference in the world. Two students, Kate Miller and Ashleigh Metiva, sewed the quilt together. The quilt is now on display in the High School Media Center.

MLK Day... (contined from page 1)

YELLOW

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Pg. 6 Pg. 7

Kelsey Ropp earned 500 Accelerated Reader points.

Adult Volunteers Needed at the Elementary School

We are looking for adults who can give at least an hour a week to work with individual students. No special skills are needed, just a desire to help. You would be working with students who need extra one-on-one assistance with language or math. We will work to pair you with the grade level and subject that you are comfortable with. If you can help or would like further information, contact Kate Wood at 695-5371.

Mystery Quest

On Tuesday, February 13th the students in Mrs. Crookís 6th grade class participated in a Mystery Quest. The students presented clues pertaining to the ì5 Themes of Geographyî to other 6th grade class-rooms in Saginaw County. They presented clues to a mystery city and coun-try in the Western Hemi-sphere to students at St. Charles Middle School and Swan Valley Mid-dle School via the dis-tance learning connec-tion. The other schools also presented clues to their mystery cities and countries to Freeland. Finally, all schools were given a chance to guess the other schoolsí cities and countries. What an awesome learning expe-rience for everyone!!

Model CitizensBy Chris Arrington

I’d like to make our community aware of three FMS students who have displayed patriotism and a com-mitment to excellence by writing outstanding essays. Haylee Parsons, Jeff Rivett, and Emily Wegner have been named local winners in the 38th annual America & Me Essay Contest, sponsored by Farm Bureau In-surance. Emily and Jeff received award certifi cates for their achievement. As a result of authoring the fi rst place essay, Haylee”s name will be engraved on a plaque for permanent display in our school. This fi rst place essay now advances to the state level competition, from which the top ten essays in Michi-gan will be selected. The top ten statewide winners, who will be announced in April, will receive plaques, cash, and U.S. savings bonds valued from $500 to $1,000. In addition, the top ten essayists will be hon-ored at a banquet in Lansing, meet with Michigan’s top governmental leaders, and be the featured guests at a Lansing Lugnuts minor league game dedicated in their honor. Several thousand eighth grade students from nearly 500 Michigan schools participated in the 2006-2007 American & Me Essay Contest, which was conduct-ed with the help of Farm Bureau Insurance agents across the state. The topic of the 2006-2007 contest was “My Personal Hero.”

Started in 1968 and open to all Michigan eighth grade students, the contest encourages Michigan young-sters to explore their roles in America”s future. As sponsor of the contest, Farm Bureau Insurance has earned 11 national awards from the Freedom Foun-dation at Valley Forge.

Freeland Middle School is proud of all of our stu-dents. We feel that we have many youngsters who are indeed “model citizens.” Given this, we are espe-cially eager to shine the spotlight on Haylee, Jeff, and Emily this month. If you see these youngsters, please congratulate them!

From the Middle School Counselorby: Tom Hickson

Our 8th grade students recently took the EXPLORE Test. In my opinion, it is the most important test that they take all year. This test is connected to the PLAN and the ACT. I tell students that the ACT is a col-lege entrance exam and will be taken when they are juniors and the PLAN is the 10th grade version of the ACT and the EXPLORE is the 8th grade version. All of these tests are connected. The same company produces all of them, therefore, our students get ex-posed to similar formats for all three.

The EXPLORE tests the students in English, Math, Reading and Science. We have given this test twice

before this year, and the results have been very favor-able. Our students have scored above the national average in all areas. Obviously, we are very proud of this. Our teaching staff, along with excellent parents who support education are defi nitely at the core of our success.

One unique feature on this test is an “Interest In-ventory”. Here, the students are given seventy-two items and respond whether they “like”, “dislike” or are “indifferent” to each item. The theory here is that things you are interested in now may provide clues for future careers. The results show students which career clusters for which they might best be suited.

When we receive the results, I will go into the class-rooms and explain them to the students. I will also send the results to the parents. EXPLORE also sends great information for parents that I will send. I think that the parents will be pleased with all the useful in-formation that they will receive and this will help them PLAN for the future. After the PLAN, they can then ACT (act) on their PLANS. I’m sure that many of our students are not excited about taking tests, but they certainly provide a wealth of information for schools, students and parents.

Middle School Students of the Month

The above students have been named “STUDENTS OF THE MONTH” for December/January. Front row from left to right. Shelby Fox, 7th grade, nominated by Mrs. Murray, AuBree Berg, 8th grade, nominat-ed by Team 8, Erin Burke, 8th grade, nominated by Team 8, Shawn Dawson, 8th grade, nominated by Mrs. Shea, Kara Hepworth, 7th grade, nominated by Mrs. Murray, Ashley Jones 7th grade, nominated by Mrs. Spalding and Mrs. Phillips, Sabrina Shariff, 7th grade, nominated by Mr. Phillips, Sam Korson, 7th grade, nominated by Mrs. Phillips and Mrs. Spalding, Brittney Deal, 7th grade, nominated by Mrs. Shea, Taylor Hod-son, 7th grade, nominated Mrs. Murray. Back row..Conner Schultz, 7th grade, nominated Mrs. Murray, Myles Sakshaug, 7th grade, nominated by Mrs. Phillips and Mr. Townsend, Tom Taugher, 7th grade, nominated by Mr. Hickson, Joey Ross, 8th grade nominated by Team 8, Dakota Burch, 8th grade, nominated by Team 8, Jacob Mac-

Donald, 7th grade, nominated by Mrs. Phillips, Mrs. Spalding and Mr. Townsend, Danielle Willsie, 7th grade, nominated by Mrs. Spalding, Morgan Gray, 7th grade, nominated Mrs. Phillips, Brendan Bell, 8th grade, nominated by Team 8. Missing from the photo is Michael Woodman, 7th grade, nominated by Mrs. Shea.

students each presented their own square. Some of the squares were about Mother Teresa, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Pope John Paul II, Mikail Gorbachev, George Washington Carver, Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, and Amelia Earhart. The Toy Drive happened on this day also. Katrina Eudis recruited her husband Dan, and they went to all the schools and picked up the donated toys. Their trucks were fi lled. They drove the toys to Saginaw to be delivered to Partnership Center on S. Hamilton. News was also supposed to fi lm this on Monday, as well as many others were going to help.

Tamara Klida decided to have her fi rst and second hour craft students create this “Visionaries Quilt” project because she wanted to introduce students to important visionaries, to reinforce the ideal of peace, and to demonstrate the impact an individual can have on the world. First hour students were required to research a visual peace sign, draw and paint it on a square of fabric, and choose a quote they liked about peace. Second hour students were required to draw, paint, and research an important historical fi gure on a square of fabric, whose vision has made a positive difference in the world. Two students, Kate Miller and Ashleigh Metiva, sewed the quilt together. The quilt is now on display in the High School Media Center.

MLK Day... (contined from page 1)

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Pg. 8 Pg. 5

Elementary Principal ThoughtsBy Tim Parson

The Internet is an amazing and wonderful resource for children, one that many of us did not grow up with. Not growing up with all that the Internet has to offer, both good and bad, does not excuse us as parents to teach our children how to avoid the bad. I recently came across a very concise list of tips to help parents deal with children and the Internet in an issue of The National Association of Elementary Principals. Start these when your children are young, it will be much easier when they get older and are pushing for inde-pendence.

Limit their access. Not only the amount of time spent on the Internet, but where they can go. For a list of programs that can help fi lter out inappropriate content, go to www.getnetwise.org/tools

Create your own version of “Never” land. Make sure your children understand the “never” rules of the Internet.

Be “Checkpoint Charley”. Keep the computer in a public area and get children use to looking over their shoulder.

Learn the lingo. If a term is used you don’t know, ask.

Imposters are lurking. Predators are skilled at using the Internet to entice children. Children must be taught not to trust anyone they do not personally know.

Become more educated. Check out some of the Web sites that help parents keep their children safe.

George Washington Visits Freeland Elementary

To celebrate Washington”s Birthday, General George Washington was kind enough to take time out of his day to meet with each of our grade levels. Each of his talks was geared toward the specifi c grade level he was addressing. This actor travels all over the Midwest talking to students. He made a point of tell-

ing me how impressed he was of our student”s attentive behavior and how well informed they were about his period in history.

Great Stuff On The Web

SunWise KidsThis web site will help you learn more about the harmful effects of the sun and teach you ways to protect yourself. With fun activities like the “Survivor Challenges” and action steps, such as wearing a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen, you will learn simple steps to protect yourself.http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/kids.html

The ExploratoriumThe Exploratorium is a hands-on museum of sci-ence, art, and human perception in San Fran-cisco. Their site provides interactive online ex-hibits and exhibitions, activities, Webcasts, and more. There are also professional development resources for teachers.http://www.exploratorium.edu/

National Atlas“Nationalatlas.gov” contains a remarkable range of products and services to meet the diverse needs of people who are looking for maps and geographic information about America. Dynamic maps are innovative illustrations of geographic phenomena. We combine the science of map-ping with today’s multimedia to offer maps that are useful, understandable, and that stimulate interactivity.”http://nationalatlas.gov/

Sun SafetySummer is just around the corner and that means more time in the sun. As you enjoy this time of year, don”t forget to protect yourself, and your family, from the sun”s harmful effects. Blending a few basic sun safety habits into your daily routine can save your skin not only from short-term damage like sunburn and tanning, but also long-term damage like wrinkles and cancer. Before you head outside for the day, protect your skin from the harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun with Slip! Slop! Slap!• Slip on a shirt made of tightly woven material that you can”t see through when held up to the light.• Slop on sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. Be sure to reapply after swim- ming, sweating, or toweling off. • Slap on a hat with a wide brim to protect your face, neck, and ears; add sunglasses to protect your eyes and the surrounding skin. (Don”t forget to put sunscreen on your exposed skin.) Watch the clock also. During the middle of the day, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., the sun”s rays are the strongest. Try to plan activities in the shade or indoors during those hours. For more tips on sun safety and to fi nd out how to detect skin cancer early, when it”s most treatable, contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.

The students pictured on the left have been named “STU-DENTS OF THE MONTH” for the month of February. Front row from left to right...Katie Babcock, 7th grade, nominated by Team 7, Angela Sanders, 7th grade, nomi-nated by Team 7, Samantha Sleszak, 7th grade, nomi-nated by Team 7, Taylor Landeryou, 7th grade nominated by Mr. Arrington, Caitlyn Skornia, 7th grade, nominated by Team 7, Jaclyn Trahan, 8th grade, nominated by Team 8 and Shannon Riffel, 8th grade, nominated by Team 8. Back row....Glen Moore, 7th grade, nominated by Team 7, Alysa Strecker, 7th grade, nominated by Team 7, Mi-chael Graebner, 8th grade, nominated by Team 8, Alec Castillo, 8th grade, nominated by Team 8, Austin Hazen, 7th grade, nominated by Team 7, Ryan Feinauer, 7th grade, nominated by Team 7, Andrew Bicigo, 7th grade, nominated by Team 7 and Katelen Bennett, 8th grade, nominated by Mrs. Shea. Missing form the photo: Ra-chel Bradd, 8th grade, nominated by Mr. Hickson

F.H.S. Has A Natural Secret! :)By Charles Bicigo

In 1994 Harold Hoelzel got the okay to turn a small piece of land (a poor building site) into a beautiful outdoor classroom. He called it the Falcon Na-ture Arboretum. Tucked behind the Freeland High School is a one-third mile nature walk fi lled with

over seventy different varieties of trees, plants, and other wildfl owers. Bluebirds have made their homes there, along with rabbits and squirrels; however, it is in need of attention. Last fall, we planted shrubs and trees. We also put in mulch and cleaned up debris from years of being left alone.

We need your help. We will be planting more trees

and bushes this spring on Saturday, April 21, 2007, at 9 am, rain or shine. Please bring your shovel and gloves and come out to help us make the Arbore-tum a more beautiful place. If you aren”t able to be there but would like to help, we will need drinks, snacks, and possibly some supplies. Contact the Bicigo”s if you can help with donations of supplies, food, or drinks, at 695-2401.

Fine Arts Festival

The annual Fine Arts Festival will take place at the High School on Tuesday, April 17, 2007. The Fine Arts Festival is an event where all aspects of the arts are displayed. In the Auditorium Lobby, starting at 6:30 P.M. will be displays including many types of

visual arts from the art and the industrial art depart-ments. At 7:00 P.M. will be performing arts in the Auditorium. Following the performances will be a cu-linary arts dessert buffet in the Cafeteria. Admission for the evening is $4.00 and proceeds go the Choir, National Honor Society, and the Art Department. Please come and support the Arts in Freeland!

COUNSELOR TALKFrom the desks of Ms. Latocki and Mrs. Essex

Scheduling for the 2007-2008 school year began the week of February 26. Mrs. Essex and Ms. Latocki met with students during their English class period to hand out information, a course guide and scheduling form. They discussed options and recommendations for next year, shared a brief presentation on some of the vocational courses offered at Freeland high, an-swered questions regarding courses offered at other locations available to Freeland students, and gen-eral questions regarding high school. Each student was reminded to be sure their personal School View account was operational, so they would be able to register for course choices directly into the computer system again this year. School View access also al-

lows them to check their grades and attendance at any time. Students printed a copy of their requests, were to have parents sign the form and return it to their teacher, so parents should know exactly what was selected.

Scheduling activities for current eighth grade stu-dents will take place in April. Tentative plans call for a parent meeting prior to meeting with students. The State of Michigan has fi nalized plans for increased requirements, the Michigan Merit Curriculum, so we will include that information. The fi nal administration of the High School MEAP test in its current form will take place at the end of March for seniors who would like to retest in an ef-fort to qualify for the Michigan Promise Scholarship.

The MEAP test will change for 2007 to the Michigan Merit Exam (MME), consisting of the ACT test, Work Keys tests, and Michigan specifi c components. It will be a welcome change, moving from two weeks of testing to three days of testing. It will also insure that all juniors have an opportunity to take the ACT test with the state picking up the cost. It will also avoid test date confl icts with extra-curricular activi-ties and Spring breaks. The counselors met with ju-nior parents in late February and discussed details of the test.

Freeland Graduates Continue to Perform Well

Megan Satkowiak, daughter of Thomas and Christine Satkowiak and a 2006 graduate of Freeland High School, has been named to the Dean’s List at Ferris State University

for the Fall 2006 semester. Congratulations to all of them.

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children, ages four and two. The oldest will soon be attending Freeland schools.

The Freeland Community School District is a won-derful district, and I am looking forward to serving the community in making sure they become even better! All of our children deserve the best education and school experiences we can provide!”

School Election - Last Day of Registration April 9, 2007

April 9, 2007, is the last day persons may register to vote in the Regular School Election of the Freeland Community School District to be held on Tuesday, May 8, 2007.

This year the voters will be asked to fi ll one four-year vacancy on the Freeland Board of Education. The term will be July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2011. The term of Daniel B. Karbowski will expire June 30, 2007. The candidates include: Pat L. Gilbert and Brandi Feinauer Vasold.

There will also be two ballot propositions to be voted upon.

I. FREELAND COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OPERATING MILLAGE PROPOSAL

This proposal will allow the school district to levy taxes within the statutory rate of 18 mills on all property except principal resi dence, qualifi ed agricultural property and qualifi ed forest property required for the school district to receive its revenue per pupil foundation.

Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, exempting there-from principal residence, qualifi ed agricultural prop-erty and qualifi ed forest property as defi ned by law, in Freeland Community School District, Saginaw, Midland and Bay Counties, Michigan, be increased by 17.577 mills ($17.577 on each $1000.00 of tax-able valuation) for a period of 3 years, 2007, 2008, and 2009, to provide funds for operating purposes (17.077 mills of the above is a renewal of millage which expired with the 2006 tax levy and .5 mill is a restoration of millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the Michigan Constitution of 1963); the estimate of the revenue the school district will col-lecty if the millage is approved and levied in 2007 is approximately $1,095,000”

And

II. FREELAND COMMUNTIY SCHOOL DISTRICTOPERATING MILLAGE PROPOSAL

This proposal will allow the school district to levy the statutory rate of 18 mills on all prop- erty except principal residence, qualifi ed ag ricultural property and qualifi ed forest prop erty for the school district to receive its rev- enue per pupil foundation allowance.

Shall the limitation on the amount of taxes which may be assessed against all property, exempting there-from principal residence, qualifi ed agricultural prop-erty and qualifi ed forest property as defi ned by law, in Freeland Community School District, Saginaw, Mid-land, and Bay Counties, Michigan, be increased by .423 mill ($0.423 on each $1000.00 of taxable valua-tion) for a period of 3 years, 2007, 2008, and 2009, to provide funds for operating purposes; the estimate of the revenue the school district will collect if the millage is approved and levied in 2007 is approxi-mately $26,350 (this millage is to restore millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the Michigan Constitution of 1963)”

Residents of the Freeland Community School District who are 18 years of age or older on or before May 8, 2007, interested in voting in the Regular School Elec-tion, should register to vote with their local township clerk, or at a Michigan Secretary of State offi ce, on or before April 9, 2007.

Principal ThoughtsBy Bev Beyer March is national “Reading Month.” During the month of March schools throughout the United States plan many special activities to celebrate reading. The Freeland Learning Center celebrations included an all-school read-in, a visit from the Cat in the Hat, a guest author Buck Wilder, guest readers, a student author published by the MRA, and the second grade students wrote a book for their special person.

Do you remember when you fi rst learned to read” I remember reading the title of our new story, Cars, from a Dick and Jane reader. My teacher was sur-prised (or she pretended to be) because she hadn’t told us the title yet. At that time I knew I was a reader. As educators we have the privilege of experiencing that magical moment with our students.

Children love to be read to, and reading a book to-gether out loud- enjoying both the pictures and the stories- is a rewarding and educational experience. This very early stage of reading is important to the development of the child’s lifetime reading habits. Good books lead children to new places, new expe-riences, and other periods of time. Celebrate reading every day with your child.

Young Authors’ Conference Two second grade students from the Learning Cen-ter will present at the Young Authors’ Conference in Frankenmuth on March 3, 2007. Ashley Hupfer and David Lazara have worked hard to get their stories ready for publication and sharing at the conference. Mrs. Proctor, their teacher, will also attend the confer-ence.

The Principal’s Star Students

Every week, one student from each classroom in the Freeland Learning Center is chosen as the “Princi-pals’s Star Student.” Students are selected based on their writing work. The students have their writ-ing work displayed in the main hallway, receive an award and Mrs. Beyer announces their names over the school public address system. Congratulations to all the Principal’s Star Students!

ATTENTION 2007 - 2008 KINDERGARTEN PARENTS

You are invited to an informational meeting, host-ed by Principal Bev Beyer, on Thursday, April 26, 2007 in the Freeland Learning Center gym. Our gym is small so we will hold two meetings. You can select to attend the 5:30 p.m. meeting or the 6:30 p.m. meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to share information that will help you prepare for the beginning of school in the fall. Handouts will be available to any family that is not able to attend.

FREELAND HIGH SCHOOL’S ANNUAL SPRING MUSICAL

Let’s combine fantasy and adventure that will appeal to both adults and children alike as the High School proudly presents Peter Pan. Mark your calendars for March 29th, 30th, and 31st and view the High School Auditorium trans-formed into the island of Neverland Watch as the three Darling family children, Wendy, John, and Michael, along with Nana the dog, en-counter Peter Pan who teaches them to fl y and away they go to Neverland. There they meet the lost boys and Tinkerbell, while fending off Captain Hook, his pirates, Tiger Lily and her Tribe of Indians. And let’s not forget Captain Hook’s nemesis, Croc, who follows the Cap-tain in hopes of making a meal out of him.

The students perform such favorites as “I Won’t Grow Up” and “I Gotta Crow”. With more than 60 cast members the production promises to be a delight as children enjoy the imaginative story and fl ights of fancy. Yet adults will relate to Peter Pan’s desire to fore-go mature responsibilities by merely wanting to live in the moment.

Mrs. Bethany Krish is once again direct-ing with musical direction by Mr. William E. Shephard. Both have brought to the stage such musicals as Fiddler on the Roof, Hello Dolly and The Sound of Music to name just a few.

Performance time each night is 7:00 p.m. Tickets for the show are: students $7.00, adults $10.00 and will be available at the door 45 minutes prior the production.

Original Production Directed and Staged by Jerome Robbins Based on the play by James M. Barrie Original Music by Mark Charlap Original Lyrics by Carolyn Leigh Additional Music by Jule Styne Additional Lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green Updated Music: Bronsand Music, Inc. Fly-ing Effects provided by ZFX, Inc.

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Avian Infl uenza PreparednessBy Linda Foco, Assistant Superintendent

Avian Infl uenza - the bird fl u - is a disease caused by a virus that infects wild birds such as geese, ducks, swans and shorebirds, domestic poultry, and in rare cases, other animals and humans. The State of Michigan is preparing for the possible detection of the strain of Avian Infl uenza originally documented in Asian countries and what precautions the public should take.

Avian Infl uenza has been documented in domestic poultry and wild waterfowl at low levels in the United States for decades. Just as in people, birds com-monly get the fl u, too. In birds, most strains of the virus ar mild and cause only mild symptoms. Despite ther being over 140 strains of Avian Infl uenza in birds, people are rarely infected. Most human cases have come from extensive direct contact with infected do-mestic birds.

The virus currently of global concern is a strain of H5N1 Avian Infl uenza originally documented in Asian countries. This strain could reach the U.S. in a num-ber of ways “ wild bird migration, smuggling birds of prey or poultry products, and travel by infected peo-ple. The disease is being monitored closely by local, state and federal agencies and the domestic poultry industry. These agencies are taking steps to prepare for and minimize the potential health, economic and conservation impacts, if it should be detected in the U.S. and Michigan. Properly prepared wild game and poultry cooked to an internal temperature of 165” F is safe to eat.

For more information, see the following websites: www.michigan.gov/fl u www.michigan.gov/michiganprepares www.emc.cmich.edu/avian/

SCHOOL CLOSING INFORMATION

In the event of school closing, the Superintendent will make every effort to notify the following radio

and television stations and the Midland Daily News Hotline.

RADIO STATIONSWBCM Bay City 1440 AMWKNX Saginaw 1210 AMWSAM Saginaw 1400 AM

WHNN Saginaw 96 FMWSGW Saginaw 790 AMWIOG Saginaw 102.5 FMWGER Saginaw 106 FMWKCQ Saginaw 98 FM

WUGN Midland 99.7 FMWKQZ Midland 93.3 FMWMPX Midland 1490 AMTELEVISION STATIONS

WNEM-TV 5, WEYI-TV 25, WJRT-TV 12

It is sometimes diffi cult to reach radio or TV stations; however, every effort will be made to have closing information aired by 7:00 a.m. School will not be closed the everning before unless conditions assure that roads would be impassable in the morning. The Board of Education and Superintendent are commit-ted to the operation of schools as scheduled when-ever possible.

In the event school is closed due to weather condi-tions, Community Education and all other events for that day will also be cancelled.

NOTICE: The annual School Board Election will be held on Tuesday, May 8, 2007.

The precincts and polling locations for the voting precincts in the Freeland Community School District will be:

Tittabawassee TownshipTittabawassee Community Hall, 220 Church St., Freeland. All voters in Tittabawassee Township Pre-cinct 1 and 2

Tittabawassee Memorial Park Building, 150 Park St., Freeland. All voters in Tittabawassee Township Precinct 3. All voters in Richland and Ingersoll Town-ships who are in the Freeland Community School District.

Thomas TownshipResidents living in the Freeland Community School District, will vote in Thomas Township as follows:Fire Station #2 9970 Dice Road, Freeland. All voters in Thomas Township Precinct 1 who are in the Free-land Community School District.

Frankenlust TownshipResidents living in the Freeland Community School District, will vote in Frankenlust Township as fol-lows:

Frankenlust Township Hall. All voters in Franken-lust Township who are in the Freeland Community School District.

Kochville TownshipResidents living in the Freeland Community School District, will vote in Kochville Township as follows:

Kochville Township Hall, 5851 Mackinaw Road. All voters in Kochville Township who are in the Freeland Community School District.

The polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. You must be registered to vote.Absentee ballots for the May 8, 2007, Regular School Election will be available beginning Wednes-day, April 18, 2007, from the Township Clerk’s Of-fi ce in the township where your polling place is lo-cated. Additional information can be obtained from Sue Sauer, Deputy Clerk, Tittabawassee Township at 695-9512.

This year the voters will be asked to fi ll 1 four-year term. Candidates for the four-year term 2007-2011:

Pat L. Gilbert and Brandi Feinauer Vasold

In addition, there will be a millage proposition. See related articles in this issue of the Open Line.

Two Candidates Vie for One 4-Year Term in School Election

Pat L.Gilbert is a native of Eaton Rapids, Michigan. She has a Bachelor of Applied Studies from SVSU with a major in accounting and minor in management. She also earned an Associates Degree from Lansing Community College in paralegal studies and philoso-phy.

Pat has worked over 17 years with the Michigan De-partment of Treasury as a desk auditor, desk collec-tor, paralegal and taxpayer assistant. She has also worked over 7 years as a tax analyst with Dow Corn-ing Corporation.

She belongs to the Saginaw County Lawyers” Auxil-iary and was the past president-elect, past president, and co-chaired Saginaw County Law Day for 3 years. She is also a member of the Freeland Athletic Asso-ciation.

“I have been a resident of the Freeland School District

for almost 17 years, choosing to live here because of the schools. My daughter is currently a sophomore at Freeland High School and is currently a member of the Freeland Varsity Gymnastics Team, the High School Band, and is in the top 10 of her class. She was also part of the Freeland Spelling Team in grades 5 “ 8.

I believe in our public schools, coming from a long line of public educators, and want to be a part of making Freeland Schools stronger in the years to come. I also believe excellent education does not happen by accident.

I believe my background in analyzing data, and as a paralegal, would/could be a very valuable asset to the Board.”

Brandi Vasold is a native of Freeland. She graduated from Freeland High School and has an Associate De-gree in Business Management. She is currently the owner of Baskets by BaVa”s, a gift basket company. Brandi previously worked as an administrative assis-tant for a Saginaw accountant for 2 years, and she worked for Charter Media Advertising in the traffi c and billing department. She is a member of Messiah Lutheran Church and Messiah”s Mom”s Group.

“I graduated from Freeland High School in 1996 and enjoyed my school years immensely. I now have two

Alma College Dean’s List

Alma College has named two Freeland High School Graduates to the Dean’s List for the 2006 Fall Term. Students

must have achieved a 3.5 or better grade point average during the term,

while carrying a minimum of 13 credits. The two are Kaylee Sova, a 2003

graduate, and Dylan Sova, a 2005 graduate. Their parents are Dennis and

Kimberly Sova.

Congratulations to both.

High School Solo and Ensemble

Several FHS musicians participated in the District Solo and Ensemble Festival Saturday, February 17, hosted this year by Bay City Central High School. We had outstanding results with 30 students earning First Division medals, and nine earning Second Divi-sion medals. Those receiving fi rsts are now eligible for the State competition March 24 at Central Michi-gan University. Here are the results:

First Division Ratings:Nicki King, fl ute solo; Wendy Laszlo, fl ute solo; Audrey Clunie, Nicki King, and Brittney Henning, fl ute trio; Autumn DeGroat and Mackenzie Woodman, clarinet duet; Nicole Ostrander, bass clarinet solo; Ariel Wa-chner, bass clarinet solo; Suzanne Kolpakov, alto sax solo; Lindsey Thurlow, alto sax solo; Caroline Rozek and Lindsey Thurlow, alto sax duet; Lindsey Thurlow and Caroline Rozek, alto sax duet; Kaitlyn Bonham and Suzanne Kolpakov, alto sax duet; Tom Johnson, trumpet solo; Emily King, baritone solo; Drew Shaw and Emily King, brass duet; Mike Easterday, John Sous, Jeff Gavit, Todd Schmidt, Tyler Schmidt, and Josh Crummer, brass sextet; Jonathan Robinson, snare solo; Emily King, piano solo; and Nicki King, piano solo

Second Divison Ratings:Kaitlyn Collison, fl ute solo; Alicia Maltby, clarinet solo; Kaitlyn Bonham, alto sax solo; Pat Wirtz, alto sax solo; Alex Ancinec, trombone solo; Josh Crummer, trombone solo; Jessica Evans, snare solo; Michelle Ivan, piano solo; and Julie Kuzdzal, piano solo

Thank you to Mrs. Ruth Dill, Mrs. Jackie Terrian, and Mr. Jim Hohmeyer for accompanying our solo events.

Congratulations to all for your exemplary perfor-mance!

Cub Scouts Blue & Gold Banquet

Freeland Cub Scout Pack 3309 held its annual Blue and Gold Banquet on February 25, 2007 at the Free-land Convention Center. The Blue and Gold Banquet is a long cherished tradition where all Cub Scouts and their families get together to share a meal to learn and celebrate the accomplishments of their fellow Scouts. All Dens were represented! The Tigers,Wolves, Bears and the First and Second Year Webelos. This year the excellent event drew in about 250 people!

One of the biggest celebrations of the day is the crossing over of the 2nd Year Webelos. This “cross-ing over“ ceremony marks the point where the boys graduate from a program that is adult led in order to teach the boys character values to a program (Boy Scouts) that is boys led. As each scout crossed over a bridge, he was greeted by a member of the Freeland

Boy Scout Troop 323 who changed them out of their Cub Scout neckerchief to a “red” neckerchief signify-ing their new status as Boy Scouts. A special thanks to Boy Scouts: Brandon Case, Tyler Clark and An-drew Robishaw for their assistance in welcoming the new Scouts. Congratulations to Kyle Guster, Keegan and Zachary Reimus, Baily Case, Xavier Delgado, Andrew Bezjian, Todd Drummond, Noah Seeburger and Nathan Yax for the completion of your Cub Scout journey! We’ll miss you and wish you well on your Boy Scout adventures! Also, a special

thanks to Den Leaders Craig Guster and Mike Reimus for all the hours and special efforts you have made with your boys over the years!

Donna Banner and Jen-nifer Lazarz did a won-derful job planning this event and many thanks to all of the people who volunteer throughout the year in so many ways to make our pack so great! The Freeland Cub Scout Pack 3309 appreciates the local business that got involved and helped to sponsor this event!

Upcoming events are a Pack swim at Delta Pool and our Annual Food Drive in April! Remember... you can join Cub Scouts any time”it is for boys from fi rst through fi fth grade and we always have a lot of exciting things happening!!!!!!!

Freeland Athletic Association Highlights

Recent highlights of the FAA include supporting the project that will result in a new track on our high-school grounds before the beginning of the 2007 ñ 2008 school year. The current track surface and un-derlying asphalt are in rough shape after 20 years of service. This project will be funded with FAA dollars that have been earmarked for the track renovation over the past several years along with school dis-trict sinking fund dollars. It is important to note that these sinking fund dollars are funds that are specifi -cally designated for site repairs and do not impact on the funding of our educational programs. Stay up to date by following the school board and FAA meetings.

This time of year it is important for graduating stu-dents to recognize that there are several scholarships available to help them fund their college careers. Our athletic association awards student athletes up to

$750 to help them in their fi rst year. The selection criteria balances academic achievement and athletic participation along with citizenship and public service in order to identify well rounded students deserving recognition for their hard work. The form is simple and readily available in the counselors offi ce.

Parents of Seniors who are interested in helping us hold a Senior Appreciation event in May please con-tact Tom Galbraith at 989-686-4297.

Our meetings are held every third Wednesday of the month at 7pm in the high school cafeteria. Please join us in our efforts to support our student athletes.

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Publication of the Freeland Community School District • 710 Powley Drive • Freeland, MI 48623

Volume 29, No. 5 March 2007

www.freeland.k12.mi.us

March 2007

www.freeland.k12.mi.us

PRST STDU.S. Postage Paid

Permit No. 26Non-Profi ot

Acting Superintendent’s Cornerby Linda L. Sanborn

The events of the past few months have put our school district in the headlines. It has been, and continues to be a challenging time. I want to reassure you, however, that none of this has disrupted the teaching and learning process. Quality education is taking place every day in the Freeland Community School District. I give high praise to our faculty and staff, administrative team and board of education for staying focused on what matters most: the education of students.

Spring brings many school and community activities of which you should be aware. This issue of the Open Line contains information about many of these events. It is gratifying to live in a community where people work together in so many different ways: the newly formed Freeland Community Sports Association, the Walleye Tournament and Festival, Project Prom, Little League, the Athletic Association’s Millionaire’s Party - these are just a few of the events which bring thecommunity together to work for a common goal. Our school district ranks as one of the best in Saginaw

County by most any measure one would care to use. This is accomplished by employees, students, parents and the whole community working together towards the common goal of educating our youth. As Acting Superintendent, I believe each stakeholder can take the credit for this success.

Another way we maximize working together is our participation in several cooperative partnerships that are of great benefi t. Our main partnership is with the Saginaw Intermediate School District (SISD). The SISD provides several services to local schools. For example, substitute teachers can register through the SISD rather than registering with thirteen separate school districts. On-line computer services for bookkeeping and fi nancial services, electronic reporting and ordering of media are a few more examples of the services we share through the SISD. If each local school had to provide these services alone, the cost would be a drain on the district’s budget. Freeland schools also participate in the county-wide strengthening of curriculum offered by the SISD. The leader who is responsible for coordinating all these services is SISD Superintendent Rick Lane, a member of our Freeland community. He has announced his

retirement, and we wish him the very best.

The West Saginaw County Special Services Area is our partnership that works with special education. This partnership provides the district a method of meeting the needs of special education students effectively. We share the expertise of a Special Education Supervisor, School Social Worker, and School Psychologist. We also share programs with surrounding districts.

Another relationship that helps us is our partnership with HealthSource Saginaw. We will continue to explore other possibilities for partnerships that would be both educationally and fi nancially benefi cial to the school district. Exploring various partnerships and consolidation of services provides opportunities for continuous improvement. The Board of Education, Administration, Professional and Support Staff are committed to improving the educational services and support services that are available in Freeland Community Schools.

Let’s continue to celebrate our partnerships as we celebrate the coming of Spring.

MLK Day Activities Happen a Day LateBy Katrina Eudis

Several people at Freeland Schools had big plans on Monday January 15, 2007 to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Instead there was a snow day. Tuesday morning some plans went as scheduled, and others were worked out as best as they could be. Tamara Klida, a High School Art teacher, planned a presentation of the “Visionaries Quilt” her students created, viewing of Martin Luther King Jr.”s famous speech, and refreshments. She invited guests and local news was informed. Club SLIME and VISTA worker Katrina Eudis, had planned a toy drive in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day being a day of service. Tuesday Mrs. Klida went ahead as planned with her presentation; it went well although there were only a few guests and no local news present. Her

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Spring 2007 CommunityEducation Offerings

Boaters Safety Class

The Saginaw County Sheriff’s Dept. Marine Division will be teaching a six-hour boating safety class this spring. Classes are taught in cooperation with the MI Department of Natural Resources. Classes are aimed at 12 to 16 year olds but anyone 10 years-old and up are welcome. State law requires children under 12 be accompanied by a person 16 or older when operating a boat with a 6-horsepower motor or larger or have a Boater’s Safety Certifi cate in their possession.

You must attend all 6 hours of classes to receive your Boating Safety Certifi cate.

DATE: Thursday’s April 19 & April 26

TIME: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

PLACE: Freeland High School - Media Center

COST: No Charge Registration Information and Refund Policy

1. Send or bring registration form along with payment to:

Freeland Community High School, 8250 Webster Rd., Freeland, MI 48623. Hours M-F 7:00 a..m. to 3:30 p. m.

2. In order to adequately plan classes and meet student minimums, we request registration 2 weeks prior to start of class.

3. The refund policy for community education classes are:

a. 100% of fee prior to start date of class due to low enrollment.

b. No refunds will be given after the fi rst week of class.

For more information call 695-5986.

Mail In Registration Form

Name__________________________________ Grade(if applicable)________

Address__________________________________________________________

Home Phone_____________________________Work Phone______________

Amount Enclosed-Checks payable toFreeland Community School District: $_________________________

Symphony Band Earns 29th Consecutive First Division Band Rating

Freeland Symphonic Band earned First Division Ratings at the Michigan Band and Orchestra Association, held on March 10 at Bay City Western High School. This was the 29th consecutive First Division rating for the Symphony Band.

Congratulations to band directors Mr. William Shephard and Mrs. Kari Geurtz for another successful year.

We invite you to come to our spring concerts:

High School Spring Concert: May 8

Middle School Spring Concert: May 15

Sixth Grade Spring Concert: May 22

Publication of the Freeland Community School District • 710 Powley Drive • Freeland, MI 48623