City PTSA - Welcome

...to EVERYONE who helped make this year a huge success! We've had a number of challenges to be sure, but met them head on.

From all the parents who contributed countless hours of volunteer time...to our terrific building staff of whom we ask a lot of favors...to City's administration working to pull together 3 - 6th grade programs on 3 different campuses..to a dedicated teaching staff that never gives up giving their best on behalf of the students, no matter how much adversity and uncertainty...and of course, to the students who have kept their eyes on the prize of building towards meaningful careers, relationships between cultures and the unselfish greater good of serving their communities. Once more, City has a 100% graduation rate with 100% of our graduates going on to higher ed!

Congratulations City Family.

Wayne Glatz
City PTSA President 2010-11

Posted by Wayne Glatz at 12:03 PM | Permalink

City High Middle School will be hosting fall Orientation/Registration during the dates listed below.
Each session will be ninety minutes and will be held in the Multipurpose room.

12th Grade - Monday 23 August - 9:00 AM

11th Grade - Monday 23 August - 11:00 AM

10th Grade - Monday 23 August - 1:00 PM

9th Grade - Tuesday 24 August - 9:00 AM

8th Grade - Tuesday 24 August - 11:00 AM

7th Grade - Tuesday 24 August - 6:00 PM (parents are welcome to attend this registration/orientation)

Makeup sessions (for all students unable to attend the previous sessions)

Tuesday 24 August - 1:00 PM

Monday 30 August - 9:00 AM

Posted by gonzalesma@grps.k12.mi.us at 08:35 AM | Permalink

It is time to start planning the Class of 2011's Grad Night Senior Party and the planning is done completely by the parents. If you are interested in being part of the planning and/or implementation process, please contact Sharon Klomparens at (616) 785-0633 or sklomparen@aol.com

When we have a group of parents ready to plan then meetings will be scheduled according to the availability of the interested parties. Please help, 'cuz it does take a whole year so we need to start soon!

Posted by sj1potyraj@comcast.net at 03:17 PM | Permalink

Don't forget that our scrip pickup times will change this week (6-10-10) due to the exam schedule. The daytime pickup will be from 11:00 am - 11:30 am. The evening pickup remains the same at 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm. Scrip will be taking a break for several weeks this summer so the final order of the school year on June 10th will be a great time for you to stock up on scrip for all your favorite summertime activities - restaurants, motels, bed and breakfast spots, gas for traveling, home improvement stores for all those projects you've been putting off, movie theaters and more. Check out all the retailers available at http://www.shopwithscrip.com. Any questions feel free to contact Bonnie at bonnie.czu@gmail.com or Wendy at Shickfamily4@aol.com

Posted by shickfamily4@aol.com at 03:12 PM | Permalink

We are coming up on the end of the final trimester of the school year...so once again, the Exam Shack Committee is putting out the call for donations of drinks and snacks that help carry our students over the top. Please consider bringing in something that can be easily served to students on the run between their all-important finals.

Please contact Exam Snack Chair Deena Cook at 453-5251 or at brcooker@hotmail.com to let her know how you can help.

It's the last time we will be bugging you 3 times a year (yay!) so please do what you can for our students. It certainly does make a difference.

Thanks much.
Exam Snack Committee

Posted by Wayne Glatz at 02:03 PM | Permalink

An Open Forum on the Challenges and Opportunities in Grand Rapids Public Schools
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Academy
(645 Logan St. SE - Grand Rapids, MI)

With the RACE TO THE TOP and other programs mandating changes within our schools, what impact will this have on our schools and how can we as a community help the students of GRPS.

As a community we need to understand:
What are the turnaround model options for GRPS and how have these models have been successfully implemented in the past?
What does the 5% lowest performing schools means for the schools identified and the entire district?
What we as a community can do to help all the children of Grand Rapids Public Schools?

This will be an open forum to discuss your questions about the challenges and opportunities in GRPS. Please email questions to GRVoice@yahoo.com
There will also be an opportunity for questions from the audience during the forum

Roundtable Participants include:
Hon. George Heartwell, Mayor, City of Grand Rapids
Dr. Bernard Taylor, Jr., Superintendent of GRPS
Paul Helder, President, Grand Rapids Education Association (GREA)
Ron Gorman, Principal Creston High School
Amanda Palmer, Teacher, Burton Middle School
Wanda Couch, Parent/PTSA Organizer, Ottawa Hills High School
Senita Lenear, Vice President, Grand Rapids Board of Education
Craig Datema, CEO Triangle Associates Inc.

The forum will be moderated by community members Jonathon Jelks and Jon Waalkes.

Posted by Wayne Glatz at 12:16 PM | Permalink

Any student interested in visiting Swarthmore on a scholarship please see Mrs.Ralston ASAP!

Posted by ralstond@grps.k12.mi.us at 09:07 AM | Permalink

GRPS and KISD Hold Parent/Community Symposium
Panel Speaks About Teaching, Technology, and the Future of Public
Education

WHAT: Teaching, Technology, and the Future of Public Education
Parent/Community Symposium

WHERE: Messiah Missionary Baptist Church
513 Henry Ave. SE

WHEN: Tuesday, June 1 2010, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

WHO: Dr. Richard Ferdig, Professor of Instructional Technology, Kent
State University
Todd Yarch, Principal of VOISE Academy at Chicago Public
Schools
Patrick Staley & Angela Newton, Teachers, VOISE Academy
Krista Ried, Interim Supervisor of Client Services and Teacher
Quality Coordinator, Michigan Department of Education
Susan Patrick, President/CEO, International Association of K-12
Online Learning
Dr. Bernard Taylor, Jr., GRPS Superintendent of Schools
Daniel S. Behm, Superintendent, Forest Hills Public
Schools

Continue reading "Symposium on Teaching, Technology and the Future, of Public Education" »

Posted by sj1potyraj@comcast.net at 07:49 AM | Permalink

We have heard that students plan to be on school grounds after hours this evening. This activity is not a school sponsored event. Students should not be on school grounds after school hours unsupervised.

Posted by ralstond@grps.k12.mi.us at 02:09 PM | Permalink

The City Middle School Track Banquet has been moved to Monday 7 June at 6:00 p.m. in the Muti-purpose room.
We hope all track athletes and their families can attend.

Posted by gonzalesma@grps.k12.mi.us at 07:36 AM | Permalink

Please pick up your petition in the office to be on the slate for 2010-2011 school year. The slate will be finalized on Tuesday, June 1 at 9 am. Voting will take place at the general assembly meeting at 1:45 on Tueday the 1st.

Posted by ralstond@grps.k12.mi.us at 01:43 PM | Permalink

The final pies have been sold and the #1 Pie Seller can officially be
awarded to .....Emily Witte!

The race to win the cash prizes was a very close one ~ it went back and
forth between 3-5 students, but Emily made a big push the last weekend of the sale
and on the last day, turned in an order for 17 more people who wanted 1-2 pies each,
bringing her total to 54 pies!!

#2 spot went to Natalie Glatz who also got busy when the sale was extended
and sold 14 more pies, for a total of 44 pies sold.

Great job ladies and happy spending!

There were many students who sold over 20 pies and it goes to show
that single pie sales can definitely win the game!

FYI~ The quantity of pies sold for City alone was 587! We've received some
rave reviews about how delicious the pies are, so my hint for those of you
who sold this year....keep your list for next year. You'll have some happy
people when you call them to order again!

Best of all, everyone from all the schools had a great time working together while raising money for their individual programs.

Teri O'Driscoll
City PTSA That's A Lotta Pies! Chair

Posted by Wayne Glatz at 10:24 AM | Permalink

Please join us to celebrate the retirements of:
Wayne Bentley
Katherine Block
JoeAnne Peterson
(Sue Molloy is retiring also but she will not be present at the celebration.)
Tuesday, May 18 from 2-4 PM at
City High Middle School Cafeteria
1400 Fuller Ave. NE

Posted by Wayne Glatz at 08:54 AM | Permalink

The North Park Schools PTA, in conjunction with the Michigan PTSA, is holding Legislators Forum on Public Education and Michigan Fiscal Policy on Thursday, May 27 from 630 to 800pm at North Park Schools, a Grand Rapids Public School serving Preschool through 6th grade, at 3375 Cheney Ave NE, Grand Rapids MI 49505.

To keep the event topical we are inviting the four current legislators that directly represent the Grand Rapids Public Schools: Representative Robert Dean (D), Representative David Hildebrand (R), Senator Bill Hardiman (R), and Representative Roy Schmidt (D).
The event will be facilitated by members of the North Park Schools PTA. and moderated by Matthew Patulski, North Park Schools PTA President.

Continue reading " Legislators Forum on Public Education and Michigan Fiscal Policy " »

Posted by Wayne Glatz at 11:56 AM | Permalink

City PTSA is really liking this food thing....so we are sponsoring a potluck Tuesday night in front of the school.
Teri O'Driscoll has sent out an Evite to everyone on the PTSA rostser, so if you can, respond through it. But if you didin't get it...here's the deal:
PTSA is providing the hamburgs and hot dogs, along with drinks. You can bring a salad, hot dish or dessert to pass (enough for 10) and let's just have a picnic! The Business Meeting will happen from 5:30p to 6p, then it's fun, fun, fun! So please try and make it to this spontaneous bit of relaxation during the week. We could ALL use it!
Contact Teri O'Driscoll or go to the EVITE to register.
Thanks much.

The City PTSA (Gotta Have A Break) Committee.

Posted by Wayne Glatz at 04:22 PM | Permalink

We are still looking for volunteers to assist the monitoring of middle school lunch.

Volunteers would need to arrive at City by 11:00 AM and would be done at 11:35 AM.

We would like to permit middle school students to enjoy the outdoors (with adult supervision).

If you are able to help, please email Deb Scherphorn at

Thank you!

Posted by gonzalesma@grps.k12.mi.us at 09:42 AM | Permalink

Now's your chance to pick up some of the delicious Blueberry pies made by
our very own City Family parents and students.

We had a few extras (19), which are frozen and waiting to make your
family very happy!

The upcoming PTSA Potluck on May 18th is the perfect time to get your
extra pies and have some fun!

Please contact Teri O'Driscoll to have the pies available on Tuesday or call 454-3411.
If Tuesday doesn't work, we can make an alternate plan.

Posted by Wayne Glatz at 05:12 PM | Permalink

To all the City Family pie sellers, pie makers and pie customers:
Thank you, thank you! What a fun and successful collaborative event!!

We made 700 apple pies in about 2 hours and 587 blueberry pies in about an hour for a total of 1287 pies....WOW!

The City Family transformed the cafeteria into one heck of a pie factory and rocked the house!
I missed this part, but I understand there was even some dancing involved
when a certain song, "We Will Rock You" was played.

The Pie Guys made a point of saying everyone working the lines did a fantastic job
and they were very impressed with the students who were working.
As it was our first sale, there were a few glitches and kinks that need to be worked out~
but for the most part we had fun, met fellow parents and raised $$ for each of our
schools!

Winners of the $100 and $50 highest pie sales will be announced
at the Potluck that the PTSA is sponsoring this Tuesday May 18th
5:30-7:30.
Hope to see you all there.

Tha City PTSA 'That's Alotta Pies' Committee

Posted by Wayne Glatz at 05:03 PM | Permalink

We need a crew of City folks to help make sure Fountain Street Church is left in the same condition it was in prior to the graduation ceremonies on Thursday June 3. Clean up would start about 8:00 pm and take about 30 minutes, if we have a good crew.

If you are able to help, please contact Sara Potyraj @235-1237 or sj1potyraj@comcast.net

Posted by sj1potyraj@comcast.net at 12:52 PM | Permalink

Parents, students, and other volunteers: we will be making the courtyards even more beautiful and functional on Saturday, May 15, 9 am to noon. Please join us to plant flowers, assemble a picnic table and bench, weed and mulch. Come when you are able. Snacks will be provided! Direct questions to Elise Tripp, 735-3841 and elisetripp@yahoo.com

Posted by Wayne Glatz at 10:43 AM | Permalink

Anyone interested in learning first hand about senior all night grad party planning for 2011? Contact Annette Witte at annettewitte5@gmail.com or Alice Christensen at thegr3@sbcglobal.net. Good luck class of 2011.

Posted by tmspaulding@sbcglobal.net at 10:47 PM | Permalink

The Yankee Clipper Library branch is looking for volunteers to help with their summer reading program. "Make a Splash-READ" is designed to encourage children to continue reading during vacation so that valuable reading skills won't be lost. If you are intersted in helping out, please pick up a form at the City High-Middle Media Center. The form needs to be completed and returned to the Yankee Clipper Library branch by June 1, 2010.

Posted by MaryJo Miller at 01:30 PM | Permalink

SUMMER FUN DAYS Monday, June 21, to Saturday, September 4, from noon to 4:00 p.m. at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. The museum is scheduling volunteers who are available once a week or every other week for the duration of the event. Help is needed with activities and games. Please contact Joyce Makinen at 929-1753 or jmakinen@grmuseum.org to sign up or for additional information.

Posted by MaryJo Miller at 01:14 PM | Permalink

Volunteer at Aberdeen Park (Eastern at Evelyn, NE) this Saturday getting the park ready for a busy summer. From 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. volunteers will be painting, raking, cleaning, mulching, weeding and planting. Tools and supplies will be available but you are encouraged to bring work gloves, a rake or broom if you have them. Meet at the park this Saturday and follow the signs.

Posted by MaryJo Miller at 01:01 PM | Permalink