Bicyclists - Please Walk To Glazier - SAFETY FIRST

Many students enjoy riding their bikes to King School.  Of course there are walkers as well.  From time to time the bicyclists and walkers interact . . . and it's not so positive.

To help with this, Mr. Karr asks that all students riding bicycles WALK their bicycles until congestion is reduced.  This may mean students need to walk their bicycles as far as Glazier Way.  Either way, let's instruct our young cyclists to share the sidewalk and to be safe which means walking for a short time is necessary.

Fire Alarm At King Today

Dear MLK Families,

I’m writing the let you know we had an unexpected fire alarm at school today at about 8:55 AM.

The fire alarm was the result of a King Care childcare worker putting a plastic bin on the stove inside the King Care office—something clearly against both school and King Care procedures. Apparently when the bin was placed on the stove, it nudged one of the knobs and turned on a burner. Shortly thereafter, plastic began melting causing a bit of smoke and odor in the hallway around the King Care office.

Upon seeing the situation, we followed our building safety procedures and evacuated the building. Students and staff stayed outside for about 10 minutes while Head Custodian Mr. Harris and I determined that any risk or danger had been safely mediated.

Because it is not typical for us to have a fire drill during morning entry, I want you to know how appropriately students responded going either with their own teacher or with an adult who works at King School. This was exactly the right thing to do! If you have an opportunity, please reinforce this with your child (and maybe tell them how happy Mr. Karr was that students stayed with adults who work at King School during the fire alarm).

Last I want to assure you that Mrs. Brescol, the King Care director, and I have spoken at length about the situation today and the steps that need to take place to make sure this can’t happen again. This includes reexamining storage in the King Care office, developing written procedures for King Care storage, and a twice yearly review of the procedures with King Care staff.

If you have questions, please call me at 994-1940 or email me at karrk@aaps.k12.mi.us.

Sincerely,
Kevin

First Day Reminders

Dear King Families,

The excitement of a new school year is upon us! The contractors have completed the renovations, Mr. Harris and company have put a nice shine on the school, Mrs. Greene and Mrs. Basta have been completing student enrollments, the teachers have been preparing their lessons . . . and EVERYONE is going to be happy to see the kids return tomorrow morning and for learning to begin at King School again.

Before we get to the first bell tomorrow morning at 8:45, I thought it would be good to remind everyone of a couple things:

1. Safety is #1 during drop-off and pick-up. For parents, this means you are required to follow our procedures. If you think you need to become more familiar with the drop-off and pick-up procedures, please click here.
2. I could use some volunteer help during drop-off and pick-up times. I am looking for volunteers to help for 15 minutes one day a week, starting the first day of school. If you can help, please click here to indicate when you can help.

I’m excited to be back at MLK School this year again. We have a wonderful community, and I love working with all of you to make King the best it can be. Let’s have a great year!

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to call us at 994-1940.

Sincerely,

Kevin

International Night Procedures

Dear MLK Families,

The PTO's Annual International Night will begin at 6:30 on February 5! This is one of the premier events each year at MLK. I hope to see you there! Because this event is typically attended by over 800 people, it is important to review the following information:

1. Evening activities at King are family events. Parents and guardians are responsible for the close supervision of their children. Children cannot attend without a supervising adult.
2. Be aware of the evening safety procedures at MLK--including NO PARKING IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING.


Parking
Due to the limited availability of parking at King, parents should plan to park in the neighborhood during all evening events at King.
There is NO PARKING in front of the school, by the fire hydrant, or on the left-hand side of the front circular drive.

Reason: The front drive is a fire lane and must be kept accessible for emergency vehicles. The fire hydrant area must also be kept clear.

Drop Off/Pick Up
The front entrance will be available for drop off and pick up ONLY. AT NO TIME SHOULD PARKING OCCUR IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL.

Emergency Exits

Below is a map of the school with the arrows indicating emergency exits. Before you come to an evening event at King, please consider designating a place outside the building for your family to meet in the event that the building needs to be evacuated.

Front Entrance

If you have any questions, please call the school office. We'll be happy to help.

Sincerely,
Kevin Karr
Principal
MLK School

Drop-off and Pick-Up - Cold Weather Update

Good afternoon! I hope you are warm! At school we are all pretty warm since we stayed inside for lunch recess :-)

Despite our relative warmth inside the school, the temperatures outside have plummeted (obviously) and caused some to think about drop-off/pick-up safety and/or whether or not school can be canceled because it is too cold.

First, safety needs to be on our minds at all times during drop-off and pick-up at King. As a community we have done a GREAT JOB of following the drop-off/pick-up policy; however, temperatures of 5 °F and lower have caused almost twice as many cars at King in the morning than on other days. To help, please do the following if you drop-off and/or pick-up at King in the next 8 - 10 weeks:

1. Above all else, you'll need to be patient while dropping-off or picking-up. With as many cars as we have in front right now, it is going to take a bit longer to get in and out. If your child is older and/or able, you might consider dropping them off a block or so away from school letting them walk to school. Thank you for your cooperation.
   
2. Follow the drop-off/pick-up policy. This IS a requirement. From some of what I saw happening over the last few days in the drop-off zone (writing a note to child's teacher, backing up, not pulling forward as far as possible, dropping a child off from the left-hand lane), it looks like there are some new parents to the drop-off/pick-up zone. Please read the policy and follow it.
   
3. Emphasize after-school procedures with your child. Make sure your child knows where they are going after school (bus, KingCare, walking, picked up).
   

Secondly, there have been questions about whether or not school can be closed due to cold weather. The AAPS policy states that schools will be closed if sustained wind chill temperatures are -20 °F or below. Over the last 18 years, I can recall two occasions when the AAPS closed because it was too cold. Essentially this would happen to protect students when it is not safe to walk to school or wait at the bus stop for the required amount of time. As in all school closing situations, decisions are made as early as possible. I will post information on the King website and will send out an email to the community whenever school is closed.

I hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Kevin

Guidelines for motorists around school buses

Dear MLK families,

It has recently been brought to my attention that it would be helpful to review safety information and laws for motorists who are around school buses. The following is from the AAPS Transportation website. Please take a moment to read this over to make sure you know

TIPS FOR ALL MOTORISTS

• Slow down and obey all traffic laws and speed limits.
• Red overhead flashing lights, possibly accompanied by an extended stop arm tell you the school bus is stopped to load or unload children.State law requires you to stop at least 20 feet from the front or rear of the school bus when red lights are flashing and not proceed until such school bus resumes motion, or until signaled by the school bus driver to proceed.
• Be alert and ready to stop. Prepare to stop for a school bus when overhead yellow lights are flashing.Drive with caution if you see the yellow hazard warning lights are flashing on a moving or stopped bus. Watch for children walking in the street, especially where there are no sidewalks. Watch for children playing and gathering near bus stops. Watch for children arriving late for the bus, who may dart into the street without looking for traffic. When backing out of a driveway or leaving a garage, watch for children walking or biking to school.

TIPS FOR PARENTS

• Help your children learn and practice the safety rules for walking, bicycling, or riding in a passenger car, school bus or transit bus. Be a good role model, especially when you are with your kids. Always buckle up in the car, always wear a helmet when biking, and always follow pedestrian safety rules.
• Supervise young children walking or biking to school or as they wait at the school bus stop.

As always, thank you for following the King School Traffic Safety Rules. If you have just begun to drive your child to school for the first time this year, please CLICK HERE to review the rules.

If you have questions, please ask. We'll do our very best to answer your questions.

Sincerely,
Kevin

Trust the school bus for the best safety

From Brad Mellor, the Ann Arbor Public Schools Transportation Director

“American students are nearly eight times safer riding in a school bus than with their own parents and guardians in cars.
The fatality rate for school buses is only 0.2 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT) compared to 1.5 fatalities per 100 million VMT for cars”

Unequaled safety record.

There is no safer way to transport a child than in a school bus. Fatal crashes involving school bus occupants are extremely rare events, even though school buses serve daily in every community—a remarkable 8.8 billion student "to-and-from school" trips annually. Every school day, some 450,000 yellow school buses transport more than 24 million children to and from schools and school-related activities. Said another way to give perspective to the huge magnitude of pupil transportation, the equivalent of the populations of Florida, Massachusetts and Oregon ride on a school bus twice every day—almost always without a serious incident.

Trust the school bus for the best safety for your child

The Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences estimates that every year more than 800 school-aged children are killed as occupants in other motor vehicles or as pedestrians or bicyclists during “normal school transport hours.” Most of these deaths could be prevented if children rode in school buses. Parents need to know that driving a child to school—or allowing them to ride to school with other teenagers--is not a safety smart decision—hands down, the school bus is the safest way to and from school. Even worse, allowing a child to drive themselves to school, or riding with other teenagers to school, increases the risk of fatality by 10 percent.

Occupant Fatalities

Last year, 5 children were killed as passengers in school buses (one each in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas and Texas). 45 states did not have a single child killed as a school bus passenger—an incredibly good national safety record. Between 1990 and 2000, an average of just six children each year died as school bus passengers. These tragedies typically involved unavoidable, severe circumstances.

Pedestrian fatalities

Last year, 26 children were killed as pedestrians getting on or off a school bus, or while waiting at the school bus stop. Other motorists illegally passing a stopped school bus remain a problem in every community and the school bus industry urges strict police and judicial enforcement against violators. Over the past 10 years, an average of 29 children were killed in school bus-related pedestrian accidents - struck while getting on or off a school bus

School buses are the largest mass transit program in the U.S.

School buses provide approximately 10 billion student trips per year ---8.8 billion "to-and-from school" trips and an estim

AAFD Station 5 Visits MLK

Ann Arbor Fire Department Station 5 visited MLK School on Friday, October 3 to visit with Kindergarten - third grade students. The topic of the visit was fire safety and prevention. Below you'll see some photos of the visit. Thanks to Mrs. Jarjoura, one of our wonderful second grade teacher, for being a great volunteer and helping the fire fighters show off their equipment! It was ashame that there could be only one volunteer because first grade teacher Mrs. Teshima was really hoping to try on the fire fighting equipment too. Next time . . . :-)

Attempted Abductions in A2

Dear Parents and Guardians,

You may already be aware of two attempted abductions that occurred on Sunday, August 31 at the corner of Independence and Packard.

The Ann Arbor Police Department assures us that these incidents were isolated and highly unusual. The suspect is described as the same person in both incidents. The Ann Arbor Police increased their patrols of the area over the weekend and will continue throughout this week. Ann Arbor Police consider this area of town very safe but they do advise people not to jog or walk alone at night except in well-lit areas. This area is very active so that made the incidents even more unusual.

Police advise that they do not believe there is any need for concern but to remain aware and to take proper precautions such as not walking alone at night.

The van driven by the suspect was described as dark-colored, possibly a Chrysler product with a bench seat behind the passenger and driver's seats. The suspect is described as white, 35-45 years old, 5 feet 11 inches, medium build with crooked teeth and dark hair with some gray in it.

The district works closely with the local police. Be assured that they inform us of any concerns regarding the safety of our students. This note is not meant to alarm but rather to build awareness of the recent situation that occurred near in our community.

If you have any information please contact the local police at 996-3199. If you have any concerns pertaining to your student please contact me.

Below are links to the two Ann Arbor News articles regarding the incidents.

Sincerely,
Kevin


http://blog.mlive.com/annarbornews/2008/09/ann_arbor_police_pour_into_nei.html
http://blog.mlive.com/annarbornews/2008/09/ann_arbor_police_looking_for_p.html

First Day Drop Off/Pick Up at MLK

Our first day at MLK has been a great one so far. Thank you to almost everyone for following the drop-off policy this morning. Below is a picture of me holding the King drop-off and pick-up policy. Please follow it each and every day.

Our biggest challenge today was that some families parked in the load/unload zone closest to the exit of the front drive. To be clear, PARKING IS NOT ALLOWED. The idea is to stop, drop your child at the curb, and go slowly. Here is what it looks like when someone PARKS in a load/unload zone:

Parking is NOT allowed in this area. Parking is only allowed in the King parking lot or on the city streets (except where signs indicate it is not OK).

Drop-off and Pick-up Policy

Unloading (Drop-off)
• Drop off near the entrance or near the exit of the circle drive only.
• Unload between the “Load/Unload” signs only.
• Drivers stay in cars.
• “Stop – Drop – Go Slowly”: Stop the vehicle, drop-off your children, & exit the loading/unloading area slowly. No standing or waiting in the circle drive.
• Children should exit the vehicle immediately upon stopping. If your child is not ready, you should exit the loading/unloading area to park or circle around and re-enter the unloading lane.
• Children exit on the passenger-side only and move directly to the sidewalk.
• Vehicles should exit the load/unload lane by pulling forward. Backing-up the vehicle is a safety hazard and should be avoided.
• Drivers should allow exiting vehicles to pull forward and leave prior to entering the load/unload lane.

Loading (Pick-up)
• Vehicles pull all the way forward into the Load/Unload area of the circle drive.
• Drivers and passengers must stay in their cars at all times. No parking!
• Children use sidewalk(s) to approach vehicle.
• Children enter vehicle from the curb-side only.
• To leave, drivers carefully pull out into the circle drive thru-lane.
• Drivers should avoid backing up when exiting.
• As a vehicle leaves, all drivers should pull forward to allow additional vehicles to join the load area.
• Additional vehicles may enter the Load/Unload area only as space permits.

Parking
Vehicles may park on Waldenwood Drive except where indicated, on nearby subdivision streets, or in the school parking lot. Please remind your child to use the sidewalks and crosswalks if they are leaving a vehicle or meeting you at your vehicle. Please do not park within 20 feet of any crosswalk.


revised, 8/08

MLK Traffic Safety Rules

M. L. King Elementary School
Traffic Safety Rules and Information
revised 8/20/2008

• The speed limit on streets around King Elementary School is 25 miles per hour.

• Drop-off or pick-up (Unloading or loading) occurs only in “drop-off zones.” See the diagram on the back where it says “Load/Unload.”
o “STOP – DROP – GO SLOWLY” is the idea when unloading in the morning.
o Load/ Unload means stopping a vehicle for approximately 30 seconds to allow a passenger to exit or enter. Drivers should not exit their vehicle when loading or unloading.
o Parking is not permitted. Stopping and exiting your vehicle or stopping and waiting in the vehicle for greater than 1 minute is parking.
o Please—do not exit your vehicle even for “just a moment.”

• Buses only in front of the school (by the front awning). See the diagram on the back where it says “Bus Only.” There is no stopping to load/unload or parking in the “Bus Only” area of the circle drive.

• Park in designated areas only. See the diagram on the back where it says “Parking.” Vehicles may park on Waldenwood Drive (except where indicated on the map below), on nearby subdivision streets, or in the school parking lot.

• Handicap parking and access to the school can be found by the multipurpose room. See the diagram on the back. There is no student drop-off near the multipurpose room and no parking for non-handicapped people.

• The circle drive in front of the school is one-way, runs counter-clockwise, and is for loading and unloading only. There is no parking in the circle drive.

• Children may not ride bicycles, skates, roller blades, skateboards, or scooters on King Elementary School sidewalks or the circular drive.

• Please be respectful of the King Elementary School neighbors. When parking on Waldenwood Drive or in the cul de sacs adjacent to the school, avoid blocking driveways. Avoid trespassing on the private property.

• Safety Patrols deserve everyone’s respect.
o Student Safety Patrols are posted at Glacier and Tremont, Tremont and Waldenwood, and on King Elementary School sidewalks from approximately 8:35-8:48 a.m. and from 3:42-3:52 p.m.
o Listen to the Safety Patrols. Wait until the Safety Patrol says “cross” before crossing. Walk straight across the street.
o To promote pedestrian safety, a chain closes the school parking lot to traffic from approximately 8:38-8:48 a.m. and 3:42-3:52 p.m. Safety Patrol members are not allowed to lift the parking lot chain for individual vehicles.
o Students must walk their bicycles whenever they cross the street. Students should get off their bicycles approximately ten feet before the crossing.
o Student Safety Patrols are not on duty during severe weather such as thunderstorms or when the wind chill factor is 0 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.

Mr. Karr's End of Year Update

June 13, 2008

Dear MLK Families,

It has been a great year at MLK! I continue to appreciate being a part of this very special community and look forward to continuing our hard work together next school year. Wherever the summer months take you, please be safe and take your King PRIDE with you.

In this end of the year update, I am sharing information I think you’ll find interesting J: achievement, writing, good-byes, thanks, information about the front drive, and some dates for next fall!

Achievement Update

At the beginning of the year during Curriculum Night, I shared that writing shows as the most significant academic need at MLK. As of June 2008, it is still the greatest need even though we’ve reformed so much and seen major changes since the 2006-07 school year. The most visible of these changes have been adopting new writing curriculum and hosting several parent writing education evenings at school. Other less visible changes include development of an implementation calendar for writing, new district writing assessment tools, and professional development for teachers.

We measure the results of our writing efforts using both report card (classroom) data and MEAP data. The MEAP data from this school year was recently released, and it shows below. When you look at it, please know that the “Advanced” and “Proficient” columns represent passing MEAP scores while “Partially Proficient” and “Not Proficient” represent MEAP scores that are not passing. The three columns on the right show the overall passing rates for MLK School, the AAPS, and the State of Michigan.

3rd MEAP	Advanced	Proficient	Partially Proficient	Not Proficient	MLK Adv. + Prof.	AAPS Adv. + Prof.	State Adv. + Prof.
Reading	69.7	30.3	0	0	100	94	86
Writing	0	84.8	15.2	0	84.8 *	76	57
English Language Arts	54.5	45.5	0	0	100	91	81
Math	94.2	5.8	0	0	100	96	90

· 57 out of roughly 2600 elementary schools in Michigan achieved at rates higher than MLK on the 3^rd \grade 2007 MEAP writing test. MLK was the highest scoring school in Ann Arbor on the 3^rd grade MEAP writing test.

4th MEAP	Advanced	Proficient	Partially Proficient	Not Proficient	MLK Adv. + Prof.	AAPS Adv. + Prof.	State Adv. + Prof.
Reading	69.9	30.1	0	0	100	92	85
Writing	1.4	79.5	19.2	0	80.8 **	62	44
English Language Arts	56.2	42.5	1.4	0	98.6	87	76
Math	85.3	14.7	0	0	100	94	86

** 17 out of roughly elementary 2600 schools in Michigan achieved at rates higher than MLK on the 4^th grade MEAP writing test. MLK was the highest scoring school in Ann Arbor on the 4^th grade MEAP writing test.

5th MEAP	Advanced	Proficient	Partially Proficient	Not Proficient	MLK Adv. + Prof.	AAPS Adv. + Prof.	State Adv. + Prof.
Reading	65.3	33.3	0	1.4	98.6	90	82
Writing	2.8	76.4	19.4	1.4	79.2 ***	74	59
English Language Arts	47.2	48.6	4.2	0	95.8	88	78
Math	80.6	18.1	1.4	0	98.6	91	74
Science	67.3	31.9	0	1.4	98.6	90	82

*** 190 out of roughly 2600 elementary schools in Michigan achieved at rates higher than MLK on the 5^th grade MEAP writing test. MLK was the fourth highest scoring school in Ann Arbor on the 5^th grade MEAP writing test.

The data above shows King School is doing very well in writing (and even exceptionally well) when compared with other schools. However, I still sometimes think “with all this work, focus, and energy being expended on writing, are we seeing the gains we expect and want?” My quick answer is we are seeing a lot of what we expect, but here are two pieces of context about where we are:

1. We have been using our new curriculum for a short amount of time (instructionally speaking). It will take longer before our kids have experienced the “full program” and the full benefits can be seen. Our teachers will also get better at implementing the curriculum over time, which will have an additional positive impact. This isn’t all that different than what occurred after adopting Everyday Math years ago—we saw gains in achievement more significantly over time than we did at the beginning.


2. We see differences between the writing achievement in classrooms at King and what shows in the MEAP writing scores. I would hope and expect that the two sets of data would be close to the same because the classroom assessments and the MEAP assessment are both based on the same Grade Level Content Expectations. Other schools in Ann Arbor are seeing similar discrepancies. So . . . it begs the question “why does this difference exist if we are all supposed to be measuring the same things?” I’m not completely sure at this point but will be investigating over the summer and into next year. One piece of figuring out what is happening will occur this summer when several King teachers and I will “audit” our MEAP writing. We will read the writing produced by our students, score it using the MEAP assessment guidelines, and compare our scores with what MEAP scorers assigned the same piece of writing. Our score and the MEAP score should be the same. However, if there is a difference, the AAPS may choose to appeal the score. I hope to have more to share at Curriculum Night on September 9.

Writing This Summer

I hope our kids don’t stop writing this summer. Here are a few ideas about including writing in your summer plans. Please feel free to vary them or come up with your own.

1. Write a family journal about your summer. Talk about what happens during the summer, and then each person can write a word, a sentence, a paragraph, a page—whatever—about the summer events. Do this regularly and you’ll end up with journals that will be read over and over for years. Even the youngest pre-writers can share verbally what they want written.


2. Get an idea by reading (or rereading) the information shared at one of the parent education evenings over the past two years: http://karrskingblog.blogspot.com/2007/12/report-from-parent-writing-workshop.html


3. Sign up for an 826michigan.org writing program. Check them out on the Web or check the MLK website.


4. If your child was in fourth of fifth grade this year, they can participate in a MyAccess writing prompt from any computer connected to the Internet. Heck—parents could try one too. Students use the same username and password as they did this year at school. If parents choose to try one, they should use their child’s username and password. Check the King website for more information.

Saying Goodbye

We’re saying goodbye to an MLK School legend and a couple who have been with us just a short time at King. Here is the complete goodbye list:

1. First and foremost, Mrs. Cheryl Jones is retiring after dedicating 39 years to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School community. She is an exceptional teacher and person, I’m positive that years from now people will still say “Remember Mrs. Jones from King School? It was amazing when she . . .” For me, she is one of those people you meet in life and feel lucky to have shared some time and space together. Just like the students she has helped, I’ve learned a lot from her too. Hopefully she will come back to visit often.


2. Ms. Caroline Hughes, our media specialist, is moving to Boulder, Colorado after only one year at MLK. She’s done a wonderful job in our media center, but life has led her in a different direction and to a different state. We wish her all the best.


3. Mr. Jeff Taylor, who taught fifth grade this year after coming from Clague Middle School is returning to his middle school roots. I know this year’s fifth graders will enjoy seeing Mr. Taylor at Clague next year. Keep up the good work, Mr. T.

Thanks to Laurie Barnett

It isn’t often we single out a parent volunteer because there are so many great parents who put in long, long hours on behalf of the kids at King. However, we’d also be remiss to not note Laurie Barnett’s selfless contributions to the school. In just the last four school years alone Laurie has served two years as the PTO president, two years as the School Improvement Team co-chair, has worked closely to coordinate the PTO Silent Auction, and contributed significantly with fifth grade efforts to go to Space Camp. In addition, this year she had a major hand in rewriting the PTO bylaws. And I’m sure I’ve probably missed two or three other ways she’s contributed! Most significantly, I’ve seen Laurie represent and support the King community positively each day—and she’s done it in ways that did not necessarily benefit her or her family. All I can say is WOW! Thank you, Laurie! We’ve all benefited from knowing you and watching you contribute to this community.

Front Drive Update

This past week, the representatives on the Building Renovation Team voted to not have the front drive redesign plans put out for bids this summer. Despite widespread recognition of safety issues based on some parent behavior during drop off and pick up, the overwhelming input from the community has been that the “engineered” redesign of the front drive was not necessarily safer.

This being the case, I am excited to announce that our PTO has instituted a Safety Committee for next year. The group has already met with me once to more concretely define procedures around drop off and pick up. As we begin the 2008-09 school year, you will likely see the beginning outcomes of our collaboration in a summer mailing, the first day of school packet, the MLK website, and eNotes. We hope to have information written in several languages to facilitate communication with our newest families who may not be proficient in English. Thanks to Amy Cell, Susan Gechter, and Eve Losman so far for their effort and input.

School Dates Coming Up

Aug. 27: Welcome Night for New Families, 7-8 PM

Sept. 2: First Day for students

Sept. 2: PTO Welcome Coffee –9-9:30 AM, All Parents Welcome - MLK Multipurpose Room

Sept. 5: Spirit Friday at MLK—Wear your blue and yellow or the colors of your favorite colors.

Sept. 9: Curriculum Night at MLK –Parents only please. This is the one evening of the 2008-09 school year where there is no childcare.

o 6pm - Curriculum Night Presentation #1 in classrooms

o 6:45pm - All MLK Community Presentation - MLK multipurpose room

o 7:10pm Curriculum Night Presentation #2 in classrooms

Sept. 12: Spirit Friday at MLK

Sept. 16: PTO meeting, 7pm

Sept. 19: Spirit Friday at MLK

Sept. 26: Picture Day

Check the MLK website for a full calendar for next year: http://king.a2schools.org

Sincerely,

Kevin Karr

Silent Auction Safety Procedures

Dear MLK Families,

In case you’ve somehow missed it, the 4th annual MLK PTO Silent Auction will kick off at 5:30 PM this Friday, April 18.

This exciting fundraiser offers a wide array of donated goods and services including condominiums, cooking classes, parties, hotel stays, gift certificates—and much, much more. The complete catalog for the silent auction is available at:

http://www.aaps.k12.mi.us/king.pto/files/2008_catalog_0414.htm

The event is open to all, so if you would like to share the link above with someone who isn’t typically part of the King School community, please feel free. It is even possible for out of towners to bid by proxy! Special thanks goes to Silent Auction Chairperson Lisa Kohn and her PTO volunteers for the wonderful work they've done in making it all happen.

Please follow the standards below as you prepare for a great time at MLK this Friday:
1. Evening activities at King are family events. Parents and guardians are responsible for the close supervision of their children. Children cannot attend without a supervising adult.
2. Be aware of the evening safety procedures at MLK--including NO PARKING IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING.


Parking
Due to the limited availability of parking at King, parents should plan to park in the neighborhood during all evening events at King.
There is NO PARKING in front of the school, by the fire hydrant, or on the left-hand side of the front circular drive.

Reason: The front drive is a fire lane and must be kept accessible for emergency vehicles. The fire hydrant area must also be kept clear.

Drop Off/Pick Up
The front entrance will be available for drop off and pick up ONLY. AT NO TIME SHOULD PARKING OCCUR IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL.

Emergency Exits

Below is a map of the school with the arrows indicating emergency exits. Before you come to an evening event at King, please consider designating a place outside the building for your family to meet in the event that the building needs to be evacuated.

Front Entrance

If you have any questions, please call the school office. We'll be happy to help.

Sincerely,
Kevin Karr
Principal
MLK School

Winter Break, 12/22/07 - 1/6/08

Winter break is upon us! We'll look forward to seeing students again on
January 7--ready to learn!

Please notice that all of the students below are using their Lifelong
Guidelines and Lifeskills. There is no snow throwing, everyone is
included in the fun, and there is lots of cooperation. Nice job to
our MLK boys and girls!

Snow and Safety at School

Since the first snowfall of the year, we have been working with students to help them understand snow and safety at school. Essentially this means:

• No throwing snow.
  
• If a child is sliding on the snow (on the grassy areas), take turns.
• NO sliding on ice.
• We must maintain safety at all times.
  

In the beginning we had a few issues with a few students not following these school rules. Since then we have done better (and I suspect we will continue to get better), but we do have a ways to go still. When you have a moment, please ask your child about how they are doing with snow and safety at school. Thanks.

Safety—Drop Offs and Pick Ups

The piece below is a re-post from last March. The concerns expressed around pick up and drop off times are still an issue for us today.

To address this, I know that some of you have seen my increased presence during drop-off and pick-up. I'll continue to use this strategy, but I know that parents safely monitoring their own drop off and pick up behavior is what is ultimately needed.

Reading below, please note the issues/concerns and what we can do to act in safer, more responsible ways during drop off and pick up.

My disappointment (from 3/4/07): several parents approached me recently to express dissatisfaction and disappointment with safety during drop-off and pick-up times. After watching in the front drive of the school on several occasions, I couldn’t agree more. Our problems during these times are serious and are on-going issues. We need to come together to address this NOW!

What’s wrong:
• Parents dropping off and picking up students from the left hand lane of the circle drive in the front of the school. This means students cross in front of other cars to get to and from the school.
• Driving too fast in the front drive of the school.
• Parking in front of the school during pick up and drop off. This is not allowed.

School Closing Information

If it becomes necessary to close school because of weather or emergency, information will be shared in the following ways:

• District website: http://www.aaps.k12.mi.us
• District hotline: 994-8684
• Television:
• WJBK - Channel 2
• WDIV - Channel 4
• WXYZ - Channel 7

• Radio:
• Ann Arbor
  
• WAAM - 1600 AM
• WUOM - 91.7 FM
• WEMU - 89.1 FM
• WQKL -107.1FM
• WWWW - 102.9 FM
• WTKA - 1050 AM
• WLBY - 1290 AM
  
• Detroit Radio:
  
  • WJR - 76 AM
  • WWJ - 950 AM
  • WDTW - 106.7 FM
  • WNIC - 100.3FM
  • WDFN - 1130 AM
  • WDTW - 1310 AM

Welcome Back Dessert Night--9/6 at 7 PM

Join us tonight for the PTO's annual Welcome Back Dessert Night!

Thursday, September 6, 7:00 PM to 8:15 PM on the back playground.

For everyone's safety, please do not bringing nuts and/or nut products to this event.

End Of School Year Behavior

As we wind down the school year, it is always important to note that children can feel quite a bit of anxiety. Maybe it is the warmer weather or uneasiness about the changes looming ahead. At school, this can manifest in behavior that is out of the ordinary—not following basic rules, moodiness, quiet, frequent disagreements with peers (or even the teachers or principal). Teachers and I are watchful and we intervene if something comes up, often through discussion with an individual who needs extra support but sometimes with a larger group if that is needed or is most appropriate.

I am sharing this information now after noticing an increase in the number of students who are showing behaviors that shout, “I’m needing a little help here,” or “I think it is time we sat down and talked for a few minutes.” I know the behavior/anxiety is somewhat typical as it is a pattern I’ve seen over the years. I’ve also noticed it helps if, when something is noticed, we talk about it with our children. I hope this helps over the next few weeks of school and as we get summer vacation started.