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

www.freeland.k12.mi.us

U.S. Postage PaidPermit No. 26

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

POSTAL CUSTOMERVolume 32, No. 1August 2009

www.freeland.k12.mi.us

PRST STDU.S. Postage Paid

Permit No. 26Non-Profi t

BoxholderPOSTAL CUSTOMER

District Mission StatementThe purpose of the Freeland Community School District is preparing students to be

successful adults through excellence in education.

Every Child Challenged Every DayBy Matt Cairy, SuperintendentWhen you look at the academic achievement measures that are used to evaluate the Freeland Community School District, we look good. Our Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) and Michigan Merit Exam (MME) results showed Freeland students doing well on the state assessment, and comparing favorably to other districts in the area, and across the state. These achievement scores helped us attain straight A’s on our state report card, and refl ect positively on the work we have done in the past. However, that is not enough.

Our district is not satisfi ed at just being very good, we are striving to be the highest achieving school district in the Great Lakes Bay Region. You can see this through the work being done at all of the buildings in our district:Freeland High School had thirteen (13) students qualify for college credit in either English Literature/Composition or U.S. History last year, the fi rst year those Advanced Placement (AP) classes had been offered. We expect that number to rapidly grow in the future, as those two courses, along with Calculus AB, provide a foundation from which to grow our AP offerings. Specifi cally, we expect to develop a fourth AP Course, and have Honors Courses offered for FHS underclassmen in 2010-2011, to provide greater challenges to our students.

Freeland Middle School is offering High School Algebra Credit to some 7th graders, and all 8th graders will continue to take Algebra as their mathematics course. Additionally, expect High School Spanish Credit to be offered in the Middle School in the 2010-2011 school year.Freeland Elementary School will begin providing instruction by ability level in 6th grade in both reading and mathematics, with other grades to follow. We are committed to providing extensions for students, making certain that every student in every grade is appropriately challenged in each subject taught.The Freeland Learning Center, with the addition of all-day kindergarten, has adjusted its grade level instruction to meet the needs of the 80% of incoming 1st graders who are reading above grade level. This change, along with new resources that allow teachers to focus on the learning needs of individuals, the ability to meet the needs of students reading above grade level, and a commitment to make certain all children are being challenged in their learning on a daily basis, make for a truly student-centered learning experience. I hope you can see our commitment to making certain that Freeland is the District where Every Child Challenged Every Day is more that just a catchphrase, it is what happens every time your child comes to school. If you ever have concerns, questions, or believe your child needs more, we are here to serve you. Call the classroom teacher, call the building principal, or feel free to contact me, 989.695.5527 (work), 989.625.1222 (home), HYPERLINK “mailto:cairym@freeland.k12.mi.us” cairym@freeland.k12.mi.us (e-mail), we are as committed to you child’s education as you are. Please do not hesitate to call.

Homecoming Queen Allie Seeger and King Spencer Toth will return on October 9th to pass their crowns to new royalty.

Homecoming GameFreeland vs. Hemlock

October 9, 2009 7:00 • Parade @ 5:00

2009-2010 Board of Education Members

President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bonnie S. SkorniaVice-President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W. Jay BrownSecretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shari M. BaileyTreasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . David R. YoungstromTrustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Frank J. FerrittoTrustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sandra K. WornerTrustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brandi M. Vasold

Your Child Counts

The Freeland Community School District receives 87% of their general fund rev-enue from the Michigan Department of Education. This funding is based on the number of students enrolled and in atten-dance on the Offi cial Membership Count Day, as set by the Michigan Department of Education. Due to the signifi cance of this revenue, the District is considered to be economically dependent on this source of revenue. There are two offi cial count days each year. The fi rst count day is Wednesday, September 30, 2009, and the second count day is Wednesday, February 10, 2010.

Parents are a vital link in this funding process. It is very important that your child(ren) be in attendance all day on Wednesday, September 30, 2009. Par-ents should do everything within their power to avoid scheduling any appoint-ments, granting permission to leave school during the day, taking vacation, etc. during the school day on Wednesday, September 30, 2009.

Please help your school district ensure that all pupils that are eligible to be

Transportation ChangesAs we prepare for this coming school year, we have worked very hard to continue to make certain that we provide safe transportation for students to and from school, in a cost effective manner, which still serves our community. In order to do this, we wanted to share the following information, which includes changes we will be implementing for next year: • Our busses will only transport students to and from the home (primary) address and one other (alternate) address. This is a change from past practice of allowing two (2) alternate addresses. This change will be refl ected on the FCSD Transportation Form.• We will honor a requested change in bus stops. However, only one (1) such change will be allowed per semester.• As in the past, we will always work to assist families in emergency situations. We are understanding, and will be there for you. An Emergency Request for Busing Form is available for parents/guardians to sign when a crisis happens, and the bus stop needs to be temporarily changed.• For those requesting transportation for kindergarten through sixth grade students to the Freeland Sports Zone prior to August 1, this was allowed in addition to the alternate stop listed on the Transportation Form. A bus will transport students to the Sports Zone, from the elementary schools, on a daily scheduled route. The SportsZone may be used as your alternate address.• Teachers, principals, and secretaries will have the list of the primary and alternate stops for every student. With the exception of emergency situations, notes and verbal requests to change a stop from what is on the Transportation Request Form will not be accepted.• Please plan on giving our Transportation Department 2-3 days to process any changes.We hope this information will assist you in planning for this year. Thank you for your support as we strive to provide the safest, most effi cient, most economical, and most customer oriented transportation system possible. Any questions can be answered by Transportation Supervisor Pat Hart. He can be reached by phone at 695.5101 or by e-mail at hartp@freeland.k12.mi.us.

Freeland Community School DistrictPlanning for 2009-2010 School Year

August24 K-6 Student Schedule available in School View

K-6 Class Schedules posted on WebsiteK-6 Class Schedules posted in Buildings

26 K-6 New Family Orientation, 6:00-7:00 p.m.Freeland Elementary School

28 Open Line MailedDistrict Family Mailing

September1 Freeland Middle School Open House, 5:30-7:45 p.m.

Freeland Middle School2 7-8th Student Schedule available in SchoolView

Freeland Learning Center Open HouseKindergarten, 5:30 p.m.1st Grade, 6:00 p.m.2nd Grade, 6:30 p.m.

Freeland Elementary Open House3rd Grade and ECDD, 5:00-6:00 p.m.

9th Grade Orientation, 6:00-6:30Freeland High School Open House, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

8 First Day of School9 Freeland Elementary Open House Grades 4-6

4th Grade, 6:30-8:30 p.m.5th Grade, 7:00-8:00 p.m.6th Grade, 7:30-8:30 p.m.

11 High School Student Picture Day16 Middle School Student Picture Day30 Pupil Membership Count Day

ECDD, K-6 Student Picture DayOctober

9 Homecoming vs. Hemlock12-30 MEAP Testing Window

District Phone Numbers and Office HoursOffices are open Monday through Friday

District Office. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 695-5527Matthew A. Cairy, Superintendent

7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.Freeland High School (Grades 9-12) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 695-2586

Jon Good, Principal -Barry Weldon, Assistant Principal7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Freeland Middle School (Grades 7-8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 692-4032Chris Arrington, Principal

7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.Freeland Elementary School (Grades 3-6 & ECDD) . 695-5371

Timothy Parson, Principal8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Freeland Learning Center (Grades K-2) . . . . . . . . . . . 695-5721Beverly Beyer, Principal

8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.Transportation/Buildings and Grounds . . . . . . . . . . . 695-5101

Patrick Hart, Director7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Athletic Director/Community Ed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 695-5986Jeffrey Bell, Director

Food Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 695-2586Jackie Coffey, Director

HS/MS Events Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 692-4030

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Principal ThoughtsBy Bev Beyer, Learning Center Principal

Welcome to the Freeland Learning Center! You are part of our “school family!” The beginning of each new school year brings a measure of excitement and anticipation. I am confi dent that the coming year will be fi lled with rich and rewarding experiences!

“Routines” are the secret to your child’s smooth transition between school and home. Learning school routines are the fi rst thing we teach the children. “Routines” are established in the classroom, cafeteria, hallway, playground, and when boarding the school bus. The school employees model the expected behavior and learning. The repetition of the routines during the school day helps establish a safe feeling for the children, and confi dence in them, because they can anticipate what comes next.

Having routines at home also helps to create order and predictability in your child’s day. Establish a time to get up in the morning, eat breakfast, leave for the bus, homework, dinner, bathing, and going to bed. Tardiness for school becomes a habit – so start the year off right!

Freeland Learning Center starts at 9:00 a.m. – The children should be in their seat at 9:00 when the teacher begins teaching. The bus drops the students off at the school about 8:45. Freeland Learning Center dismisses at 3:44 p.m. – As part of our security plan, no adults may wait by any classroom doors to pick up a child. All adults must wait by the offi ce.

We at the Freeland Learning Center enjoy and appreciate the opportunity we are given each year to teach your children. This is our privilege and our joy!

The Marching Falcons, the best band in the land, will be back in action this fall, ready to entertain crowds during parades and at halftimes of football games.

The FHS football team is gearing up for another successful season, and looks to build on last year’s conference championship and playoff run. Their home opener is on August 28, against the Clare Pioneers.

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The FHS soccer team’s goal will be to replicate their successful conference championship during another season under the lights.

Elementary Principal ThoughtsBy Tim Parson

Labor Day is just around the corner, and that brings an end to the summer with the start of school. There will be a change in the start and end times for both the Elementary and Learning Center this year. We will be fl ip-fl opping our schedules. The Elementary will be starting fi rst at 8:50 a.m., with the Learning Center beginning their day at 9:00 a.m. Likewise, the elementary will end their day at 3:34 p.m., while the Learning Center will end at 3:44 p.m. These changes will allow us to offer an additional fi ve minutes to the students’ Specials classes.

Please look at the list of important dates to help you plan accordingly. Make-ups for MEAP testing are diffi cult, with the new schedule the state requires us to work with. Please make every effort to have your student in school during the three week testing window from October 12 – 30.

I look forward to seeing you at Open House on September 2. There are a few changes this year by grade level. They will be discussed with you at the grade level meetings in the cafeteria to begin the Open House.

Girls golf will be striving to add another conference championship trophy to their collection

The FHS boys and girls cross country teams are off and running again this fall, racing towards the conference championship and another strong showing in the state meet.

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P.T.O. News for the Freeland Elementary & Learning Center

We’ve had a great summer and hope that you have too. We are eagerly anticipating the upcoming school year, and are looking forward to meeting with anyone who wants to get involved with our planned events! We are always hoping to hear some new ideas for events and/or fundraisers, and are excited to see some new faces at our meetings. As always, feel free to contact a board member if you have some thoughts to share! Speaking of board members, we are still looking for a co-president. If you are interested, please contact us! Our fi rst PTO meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 15 in the media center at the Elementary School at 6:45 p.m. Free babysitting is provided for your children, and the kids just love the activities, games, & snacks! Everyone is welcome! We will be discussing our fi rst event of the 2009-2010 school year, Pumpkin Festival, along with ideas to make a fun and successful school year! As a reminder, the PTO has gone GREEN! We are continuing to concentrate our efforts to use less paper and to put as much of our information as possible on the email list serves and the school website. Please make sure you are on the email list for each school you have children at so you don’t miss out on important information. Sign up for Mailing Lists by going to http://www.freeland.k12.mi.us, and clicking on the District Information tab, and then Mailing Lists. Keep collecting Box Tops and Labels, our schools can really benefi t from the monies that these different companies are investing. They can be turned in at any time at the school.We hope to see you on Tuesday, September 15th!

2009-2010 PTO Board Members

Jennifer Richards (692-0268) Co-President, Sonni Magyar (695-2682) Secretary, Nasie Snider (695-9005) Treasurer

Adam Porath and Evan Mohn’s storytelling was so interesting, some questions just couldn’t wait until after the book was fi nished!

The Middle GroundBy Chris Arrington, Middle School PrincipalOften, prior to the beginning of a new school year, parents ask for advice in helping their children get off to a good start in school. Surveys show that an overwhelming number of students feel their teachers do a great job teaching, and that schools do a good job teaching subject matter. However, we all know that schools can’t do it all. Parents play a vital role in helping youngsters develop strong study skills.

The following ideas come from several articles, and I believe they will provide some useful suggestions:

Help children use a planning calendar and notebook to keep track of weekly, monthly, or large projects.Encourage children to break down large tasks into manageable pieces.Complete homework tasks in order of priority. (Sometimes, it’s best to do the least favorite task fi rst.)Don’t be too concerned if your child’s notes look sloppy or a bit disorganized. Active minds organize things in ways that work best for them. We’ve learned this from research on learning styles.Encourage young readers to use all the clues available to them while reading headlines, pictures, captions, charts, tables, and graphs.A discussion with children after reading a book or article helps with comprehension. Ask your child to tell you what the story was about, why or why not it interested them, and perhaps how it might relate to their own lives.

Should you need more in-depth information, you can always talk to your child’s teacher. He or she can provide a clearer picture of your child’s learning style, strengths, and weaknesses. Also, remember, if I may be of help in this or any other matter, please feel free to call me at 989-692-4032.

It will be diffi cult for this year’s group of seventh and eighth graders to show more spirit than the 2008-2009 FMS squad, but it sure will be fun trying!

Eric Chesney and Elizabeth Dowis fi nd that a good story, enthusiasm, and stuffed dogs are a perfect recipe to make kindergartners happy!

Mrs. Bain’s seventh grade English students are full of pride and smiles as they met their lofty reading goal. These students set a goal for themselves in November to read 100 books by the end of the school year! The students pictured above exceeded their own expectations, as they actually read 112 books. Great Job!!! (Back row, from left to right: Macey Miller, Katie Reams, Lauren Bailey, Dayne Shaw, Dustin Leslie, Front row, from left to right: Rachel Daniels, Brooke Anderson, Melissa Pratt, Bailey Chapman, Moriah Farner, Madison Behm)

Students in Mrs. Spalding’s class are excited to read to kindergartners at the Learning Center. Our seventh graders practiced reading with voice and fl uency so their young audience would enjoy the children’s books being read to them.These Role Models are (from left to right): Jacob DeBar, Victoria Herzberg, Adam Porath, Evan Mohn, Elizabeth Dowis, and Eric Chesney (front, center) Jessica Lovell

Members of the graduating class of 2009 posed prior to commencement in May. These fi ne young men are a perfect example of our mission to prepare students for their future through excellence in education.

An unexpected meeting with Governor Granholm at Washington Reagan National Airport was a perfect ending for the students in Project Close Up. The Governor shared the fl ight back to Detroit with the group.

Twenty FHS students spent a week in Washington D.C. with Project Close Up, after the school year ended. During that time, they had the opportunity to experience how the democratic process works. Among their many activities was a chance to meet with Representative Dave Camp and tour the U.S. Capitol.

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P.T.O. News for the Freeland Elementary & Learning Center

We’ve had a great summer and hope that you have too. We are eagerly anticipating the upcoming school year, and are looking forward to meeting with anyone who wants to get involved with our planned events! We are always hoping to hear some new ideas for events and/or fundraisers, and are excited to see some new faces at our meetings. As always, feel free to contact a board member if you have some thoughts to share! Speaking of board members, we are still looking for a co-president. If you are interested, please contact us! Our fi rst PTO meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 15 in the media center at the Elementary School at 6:45 p.m. Free babysitting is provided for your children, and the kids just love the activities, games, & snacks! Everyone is welcome! We will be discussing our fi rst event of the 2009-2010 school year, Pumpkin Festival, along with ideas to make a fun and successful school year! As a reminder, the PTO has gone GREEN! We are continuing to concentrate our efforts to use less paper and to put as much of our information as possible on the email list serves and the school website. Please make sure you are on the email list for each school you have children at so you don’t miss out on important information. Sign up for Mailing Lists by going to http://www.freeland.k12.mi.us, and clicking on the District Information tab, and then Mailing Lists. Keep collecting Box Tops and Labels, our schools can really benefi t from the monies that these different companies are investing. They can be turned in at any time at the school.We hope to see you on Tuesday, September 15th!

2009-2010 PTO Board Members

Jennifer Richards (692-0268) Co-President, Sonni Magyar (695-2682) Secretary, Nasie Snider (695-9005) Treasurer

Adam Porath and Evan Mohn’s storytelling was so interesting, some questions just couldn’t wait until after the book was fi nished!

The Middle GroundBy Chris Arrington, Middle School PrincipalOften, prior to the beginning of a new school year, parents ask for advice in helping their children get off to a good start in school. Surveys show that an overwhelming number of students feel their teachers do a great job teaching, and that schools do a good job teaching subject matter. However, we all know that schools can’t do it all. Parents play a vital role in helping youngsters develop strong study skills.

The following ideas come from several articles, and I believe they will provide some useful suggestions:

Help children use a planning calendar and notebook to keep track of weekly, monthly, or large projects.Encourage children to break down large tasks into manageable pieces.Complete homework tasks in order of priority. (Sometimes, it’s best to do the least favorite task fi rst.)Don’t be too concerned if your child’s notes look sloppy or a bit disorganized. Active minds organize things in ways that work best for them. We’ve learned this from research on learning styles.Encourage young readers to use all the clues available to them while reading headlines, pictures, captions, charts, tables, and graphs.A discussion with children after reading a book or article helps with comprehension. Ask your child to tell you what the story was about, why or why not it interested them, and perhaps how it might relate to their own lives.

Should you need more in-depth information, you can always talk to your child’s teacher. He or she can provide a clearer picture of your child’s learning style, strengths, and weaknesses. Also, remember, if I may be of help in this or any other matter, please feel free to call me at 989-692-4032.

It will be diffi cult for this year’s group of seventh and eighth graders to show more spirit than the 2008-2009 FMS squad, but it sure will be fun trying!

Eric Chesney and Elizabeth Dowis fi nd that a good story, enthusiasm, and stuffed dogs are a perfect recipe to make kindergartners happy!

Mrs. Bain’s seventh grade English students are full of pride and smiles as they met their lofty reading goal. These students set a goal for themselves in November to read 100 books by the end of the school year! The students pictured above exceeded their own expectations, as they actually read 112 books. Great Job!!! (Back row, from left to right: Macey Miller, Katie Reams, Lauren Bailey, Dayne Shaw, Dustin Leslie, Front row, from left to right: Rachel Daniels, Brooke Anderson, Melissa Pratt, Bailey Chapman, Moriah Farner, Madison Behm)

Students in Mrs. Spalding’s class are excited to read to kindergartners at the Learning Center. Our seventh graders practiced reading with voice and fl uency so their young audience would enjoy the children’s books being read to them.These Role Models are (from left to right): Jacob DeBar, Victoria Herzberg, Adam Porath, Evan Mohn, Elizabeth Dowis, and Eric Chesney (front, center) Jessica Lovell

Members of the graduating class of 2009 posed prior to commencement in May. These fi ne young men are a perfect example of our mission to prepare students for their future through excellence in education.

An unexpected meeting with Governor Granholm at Washington Reagan National Airport was a perfect ending for the students in Project Close Up. The Governor shared the fl ight back to Detroit with the group.

Twenty FHS students spent a week in Washington D.C. with Project Close Up, after the school year ended. During that time, they had the opportunity to experience how the democratic process works. Among their many activities was a chance to meet with Representative Dave Camp and tour the U.S. Capitol.

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The FHS soccer team’s goal will be to replicate their successful conference championship during another season under the lights.

Elementary Principal ThoughtsBy Tim Parson

Labor Day is just around the corner, and that brings an end to the summer with the start of school. There will be a change in the start and end times for both the Elementary and Learning Center this year. We will be fl ip-fl opping our schedules. The Elementary will be starting fi rst at 8:50 a.m., with the Learning Center beginning their day at 9:00 a.m. Likewise, the elementary will end their day at 3:34 p.m., while the Learning Center will end at 3:44 p.m. These changes will allow us to offer an additional fi ve minutes to the students’ Specials classes.

Please look at the list of important dates to help you plan accordingly. Make-ups for MEAP testing are diffi cult, with the new schedule the state requires us to work with. Please make every effort to have your student in school during the three week testing window from October 12 – 30.

I look forward to seeing you at Open House on September 2. There are a few changes this year by grade level. They will be discussed with you at the grade level meetings in the cafeteria to begin the Open House.

Girls golf will be striving to add another conference championship trophy to their collection

The FHS boys and girls cross country teams are off and running again this fall, racing towards the conference championship and another strong showing in the state meet.

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Principal ThoughtsBy Bev Beyer, Learning Center Principal

Welcome to the Freeland Learning Center! You are part of our “school family!” The beginning of each new school year brings a measure of excitement and anticipation. I am confi dent that the coming year will be fi lled with rich and rewarding experiences!

“Routines” are the secret to your child’s smooth transition between school and home. Learning school routines are the fi rst thing we teach the children. “Routines” are established in the classroom, cafeteria, hallway, playground, and when boarding the school bus. The school employees model the expected behavior and learning. The repetition of the routines during the school day helps establish a safe feeling for the children, and confi dence in them, because they can anticipate what comes next.

Having routines at home also helps to create order and predictability in your child’s day. Establish a time to get up in the morning, eat breakfast, leave for the bus, homework, dinner, bathing, and going to bed. Tardiness for school becomes a habit – so start the year off right!

Freeland Learning Center starts at 9:00 a.m. – The children should be in their seat at 9:00 when the teacher begins teaching. The bus drops the students off at the school about 8:45. Freeland Learning Center dismisses at 3:44 p.m. – As part of our security plan, no adults may wait by any classroom doors to pick up a child. All adults must wait by the offi ce.

We at the Freeland Learning Center enjoy and appreciate the opportunity we are given each year to teach your children. This is our privilege and our joy!

The Marching Falcons, the best band in the land, will be back in action this fall, ready to entertain crowds during parades and at halftimes of football games.

The FHS football team is gearing up for another successful season, and looks to build on last year’s conference championship and playoff run. Their home opener is on August 28, against the Clare Pioneers.

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

www.freeland.k12.mi.us

U.S. Postage PaidPermit No. 26

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

POSTAL CUSTOMERVolume 32, No. 1August 2009

www.freeland.k12.mi.us

PRST STDU.S. Postage Paid

Permit No. 26Non-Profi t

BoxholderPOSTAL CUSTOMER

District Mission StatementThe purpose of the Freeland Community School District is preparing students to be

successful adults through excellence in education.

Every Child Challenged Every DayBy Matt Cairy, SuperintendentWhen you look at the academic achievement measures that are used to evaluate the Freeland Community School District, we look good. Our Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) and Michigan Merit Exam (MME) results showed Freeland students doing well on the state assessment, and comparing favorably to other districts in the area, and across the state. These achievement scores helped us attain straight A’s on our state report card, and refl ect positively on the work we have done in the past. However, that is not enough.

Our district is not satisfi ed at just being very good, we are striving to be the highest achieving school district in the Great Lakes Bay Region. You can see this through the work being done at all of the buildings in our district:Freeland High School had thirteen (13) students qualify for college credit in either English Literature/Composition or U.S. History last year, the fi rst year those Advanced Placement (AP) classes had been offered. We expect that number to rapidly grow in the future, as those two courses, along with Calculus AB, provide a foundation from which to grow our AP offerings. Specifi cally, we expect to develop a fourth AP Course, and have Honors Courses offered for FHS underclassmen in 2010-2011, to provide greater challenges to our students.

Freeland Middle School is offering High School Algebra Credit to some 7th graders, and all 8th graders will continue to take Algebra as their mathematics course. Additionally, expect High School Spanish Credit to be offered in the Middle School in the 2010-2011 school year.Freeland Elementary School will begin providing instruction by ability level in 6th grade in both reading and mathematics, with other grades to follow. We are committed to providing extensions for students, making certain that every student in every grade is appropriately challenged in each subject taught.The Freeland Learning Center, with the addition of all-day kindergarten, has adjusted its grade level instruction to meet the needs of the 80% of incoming 1st graders who are reading above grade level. This change, along with new resources that allow teachers to focus on the learning needs of individuals, the ability to meet the needs of students reading above grade level, and a commitment to make certain all children are being challenged in their learning on a daily basis, make for a truly student-centered learning experience. I hope you can see our commitment to making certain that Freeland is the District where Every Child Challenged Every Day is more that just a catchphrase, it is what happens every time your child comes to school. If you ever have concerns, questions, or believe your child needs more, we are here to serve you. Call the classroom teacher, call the building principal, or feel free to contact me, 989.695.5527 (work), 989.625.1222 (home), HYPERLINK “mailto:cairym@freeland.k12.mi.us” cairym@freeland.k12.mi.us (e-mail), we are as committed to you child’s education as you are. Please do not hesitate to call.

Homecoming Queen Allie Seeger and King Spencer Toth will return on October 9th to pass their crowns to new royalty.

Homecoming GameFreeland vs. Hemlock

October 9, 2009 7:00 • Parade @ 5:00

2009-2010 Board of Education Members

President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bonnie S. SkorniaVice-President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . W. Jay BrownSecretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shari M. BaileyTreasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . David R. YoungstromTrustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Frank J. FerrittoTrustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sandra K. WornerTrustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brandi M. Vasold

Your Child Counts

The Freeland Community School District receives 87% of their general fund rev-enue from the Michigan Department of Education. This funding is based on the number of students enrolled and in atten-dance on the Offi cial Membership Count Day, as set by the Michigan Department of Education. Due to the signifi cance of this revenue, the District is considered to be economically dependent on this source of revenue. There are two offi cial count days each year. The fi rst count day is Wednesday, September 30, 2009, and the second count day is Wednesday, February 10, 2010.

Parents are a vital link in this funding process. It is very important that your child(ren) be in attendance all day on Wednesday, September 30, 2009. Par-ents should do everything within their power to avoid scheduling any appoint-ments, granting permission to leave school during the day, taking vacation, etc. during the school day on Wednesday, September 30, 2009.

Please help your school district ensure that all pupils that are eligible to be

Transportation ChangesAs we prepare for this coming school year, we have worked very hard to continue to make certain that we provide safe transportation for students to and from school, in a cost effective manner, which still serves our community. In order to do this, we wanted to share the following information, which includes changes we will be implementing for next year: • Our busses will only transport students to and from the home (primary) address and one other (alternate) address. This is a change from past practice of allowing two (2) alternate addresses. This change will be refl ected on the FCSD Transportation Form.• We will honor a requested change in bus stops. However, only one (1) such change will be allowed per semester.• As in the past, we will always work to assist families in emergency situations. We are understanding, and will be there for you. An Emergency Request for Busing Form is available for parents/guardians to sign when a crisis happens, and the bus stop needs to be temporarily changed.• For those requesting transportation for kindergarten through sixth grade students to the Freeland Sports Zone prior to August 1, this was allowed in addition to the alternate stop listed on the Transportation Form. A bus will transport students to the Sports Zone, from the elementary schools, on a daily scheduled route. The SportsZone may be used as your alternate address.• Teachers, principals, and secretaries will have the list of the primary and alternate stops for every student. With the exception of emergency situations, notes and verbal requests to change a stop from what is on the Transportation Request Form will not be accepted.• Please plan on giving our Transportation Department 2-3 days to process any changes.We hope this information will assist you in planning for this year. Thank you for your support as we strive to provide the safest, most effi cient, most economical, and most customer oriented transportation system possible. Any questions can be answered by Transportation Supervisor Pat Hart. He can be reached by phone at 695.5101 or by e-mail at hartp@freeland.k12.mi.us.

Freeland Community School DistrictPlanning for 2009-2010 School Year

August24 K-6 Student Schedule available in School View

K-6 Class Schedules posted on WebsiteK-6 Class Schedules posted in Buildings

26 K-6 New Family Orientation, 6:00-7:00 p.m.Freeland Elementary School

28 Open Line MailedDistrict Family Mailing

September1 Freeland Middle School Open House, 5:30-7:45 p.m.

Freeland Middle School2 7-8th Student Schedule available in SchoolView

Freeland Learning Center Open HouseKindergarten, 5:30 p.m.1st Grade, 6:00 p.m.2nd Grade, 6:30 p.m.

Freeland Elementary Open House3rd Grade and ECDD, 5:00-6:00 p.m.

9th Grade Orientation, 6:00-6:30Freeland High School Open House, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

8 First Day of School9 Freeland Elementary Open House Grades 4-6

4th Grade, 6:30-8:30 p.m.5th Grade, 7:00-8:00 p.m.6th Grade, 7:30-8:30 p.m.

11 High School Student Picture Day16 Middle School Student Picture Day30 Pupil Membership Count Day

ECDD, K-6 Student Picture DayOctober

9 Homecoming vs. Hemlock12-30 MEAP Testing Window

District Phone Numbers and Office HoursOffices are open Monday through Friday

District Office. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 695-5527Matthew A. Cairy, Superintendent

7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.Freeland High School (Grades 9-12) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 695-2586

Jon Good, Principal -Barry Weldon, Assistant Principal7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Freeland Middle School (Grades 7-8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 692-4032Chris Arrington, Principal

7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.Freeland Elementary School (Grades 3-6 & ECDD) . 695-5371

Timothy Parson, Principal8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Freeland Learning Center (Grades K-2) . . . . . . . . . . . 695-5721Beverly Beyer, Principal

8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.Transportation/Buildings and Grounds . . . . . . . . . . . 695-5101

Patrick Hart, Director7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Athletic Director/Community Ed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 695-5986Jeffrey Bell, Director

Food Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 695-2586Jackie Coffey, Director

HS/MS Events Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 692-4030