June 2018
Dear Parents and Guardians,
I welcome you as prospective parents/guardians of an Au Gres-Sims School District student for the upcoming 2018-19 school year. I am excited for you and your family to enter our award-winning school system and partner with us in sustaining our vibrant and exciting academic culture. Please find below a brief summary of the diverse programming options we offer, followed by the enrollment forms and information you may need to begin the application process for your student(s).
- Au Gres-Sims is proud to be known as an award-winning “Destination District” for our entire preschool through twelfth grade school experiences. Since 2012, we have realized a 17% district-wide increase in student enrollment. This past school year, Au Gres-Sims Elementary School was recognized as a finalist for the Michigan Department of Education’s 2017 Title I Distinguished School Award. Our right-sized schools are conducive to high academic achievement, modeled by the 48 graduating seniors from the Class of 2018 who earned a combined value of over $400,000 in collegiate scholarships! During the 2017-18 school year, our High School Science Olympiad Team qualified for the State competition, and for the eighth year in a row, both the Middle School and High School bands received the highest Division I rankings in each of the District and State Band Festivals. Athletically, our student-athletes received numerous achievement and award recognitions; highlighted by our varsity football team that won the North Star League Title for the second consecutive year and were an Honorable Mention Academic All-State team.
- Great Start Readiness Preschool Program (GSRP) and Kindergarten: The Au Gres-Sims School District recognizes that preschool and kindergarten are integral parts of the educational experience. As a vital partner in your child’s schooling, you will marvel at the exciting and fulfilling learning opportunities available that will transform your child into a more capable, confident, and enthusiastic learner. Our preschool program has consistently received the highest five-star rating by GSRP evaluators. Students eligible for the Great Start Readiness Program must be four years old on September 1, 2018. Eligible students for kindergarten must be five years old on September 1, 2018.
- The Academy at Au Gres-Sims: This highlighted program is designed for non-traditional high school students. A firm focus on academic successes and “finding the right fit” are hallmark to the Academy’s programming. Staffed by a certified teacher and employing advanced technology resources, the Academy at Au Gres-Sims offers students a unique online learning experience that accommodates individual styles and schedules. Juniors and seniors who are 16-19 years old and who may be credit deficient or at risk of not graduating are eligible to enroll.
- Project PowerUP! 1:1 Initiative: Our Project PowerUP! 1:1 program at Au Gres-Sims provides each enrolled student in grades 6-12 their own personal take-home Chromebook device as an instructional tool. This visionary 1:1 plan concept at Au Gres-Sims provides students with contemporary resources mirroring instructional devices and styles being applied in career and college readiness environments. Consistent with the design to provide only the best educational settings for students at Au Gres-Sims, the 1:1 Chromebook plan, combined with the pledge to model as a Future Ready District demonstrates the commitment at Au Gres-Sims to remain a student “Destination District” and regional academic leader in Northeast Michigan!
- STEM Curriculum Overlay: Au Gres-Sims accentuates a unique, highly developed and focused Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) curriculum overlay in correlation with all K-12 curricular science standards and activities. The four prominent pillars of our special Place-based Education (PBE) concept STEM design are: 1.) Robotics & Engineering, 2.) Watersheds & Ecosystems, 3.) Schoolyard Habitats, and 4.) Meteorology. Au Gres-Sims continues to participate in a longitudinal environmental study on Big Charity Island in Lake Huron providing students real-life, scientific experiential learning opportunities in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Northeast Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative, Michigan State University Extension, Michigan Sea Grant, Huron Pines, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, and Saginaw Valley State University. Our contributing efforts to the study have been featured in a national case study on PBE instructional practices, and highlighted in an international video release distributed by Underwriters Laboratories Innovative Education Award (ULIEA). Au Gres-Sims learners are the sole group of K-12 student researchers participating in this amazing PBE-partnered initiative in cooperation with university, state, and federal agencies. Au Gres-Sims also has actively competitive FIRST Robotics and Science Olympiad teams.
- Dual Enrollment: Au Gres-Sims partners with Alpena Community College and acts as a satellite location to provide TRIO Talent Search college access programs and Dual Enrollment collegiate course offerings on the beautiful and safe Au Gres-Sims campus to better ensure student’s access to higher learning and convenience while mitigating the barrier of travel.
- The Schools of Choice Enrollment Application deadline for students residing outside of the Au Gres-Sims School District borders is Friday, August 31, 2018. Enrollment application information can easily be found at: www.ags-schools.org/student-en...
For further information, to schedule an appointment for enrollment, or wishing to tour our beautiful campus, please contact the Principal’s Office at 989-876-7157, or the Central Office at 989-876-7150. I look forward to welcoming your student(s) for the first day of school on Tuesday, August 28, 2018.
Yours in Education,
Jeffrey Collier
Superintendent