Chandler Woods Charter Academy students reading their favorite books.

Chandler Woods Charter Academy students were thrilled to kick off 2012 with a healthy, educational activity, so they celebrated the new year by curling up in their slippers with their favorite stuffed animals and comfy pillows for 2,012 seconds (approximately 34 minutes) of reading. The Young Five’s fifth-grade students (pictured) lined Chandler Woods’ hallways and gymnasium as they indulged in their favorite books for this school-wide silent reading activity.

Applications are available at the Rockford High School guidance office or the club’s website at www.rockfordgardenclub.htmlplanet.com. A short essay is required and application details are available on the website or by contacting Shelley at (616) 874-3196.

The scholarship is open to all area graduates and recent graduates. Scholarship certificates will be awarded in May. The essay/application deadline is March 31, 2012. The Rockford Garden Club does not discriminate by race, color, religion or gender.

MEAP results set to be released with new cut scores

by DOUG VANDERJAGT
District Assessment Coordinator
Rockford Freshman Center Principal

Within the next few weeks, detailed MEAP results with adjusted cut scores are scheduled to be released to districts as they brace for this highly anticipated event. For years, these results would arrive over the summer, as parents and students relish in three quiet months away from the school system. Now, in the cool winter months, the results are on the brink of full disclosure in the same year in which the tests were administered.

The MEAP is our annual assessment that is used to gauge how our students are performing on state-approved content standards. This test helps us define what students should know and be able to do in English, writing, math, science, and social studies in grades kindergarten through 12.

In the previous years, we would obtain our district scores and relish in the fact that our students score near the top in every area across the board. This will continue to be the case, although the scores may look different for each individual student. New higher cut scores have been set for the MEAP, as well as the MME that is administered to our 11th-graders in the spring. With these new cut scores, proficiency now means that students are progressing appropriately toward college readiness. This could likely change how the public views the performance of districts, schools and students throughout the state.

Cut scores represent a judgment about the percentage of questions that a student needs to answer correctly to meet some type of performance standard. While the cut scores have changed, the actual test has not, thus students’ actual raw scores are not affected.

In the past, cut score levels were set for a manufacturing-based economy. With more students heading to college after high school, and with new national tests on the horizon, state education officials felt that it was the time to revisit what levels of performance would be needed to be “proficient.”

The new cut scores reflect a determination about the point a student will be successful in the next grade or in college. It is important to understand that the “proficiency” label from the MEAP is simply one piece of information attached to a student’s score that should be considered along with other school performance data.

Rockford Public Schools will soon begin to pour over the data and use these recalibrated cut scores to help support higher levels of learning for all students. We will continue to identify the state benchmarks that were met and what standards need to be reinforced. Not only will district benchmark issues be addressed, but also now individual student data will be available to help current classroom teachers identify strengths and weaknesses of students that they have worked with for nearly six months.

The information that districts will be privy to will be invaluable to the school improvement process. Our district will continue to use state test results to help gauge the effectiveness of our curriculum and instruction as we strive for continuous improvement in efforts to increase student learning and performance.

Rockford Public Schools will use the new cut scores as we continue to prepare our students for success in school, college and beyond.

Among those listed are Rockford students: senior Alyssa Brillinger, freshman Sloan Ouellette, junior Megan Kelley, freshman Taylor Rummel, sophomore Lauren Girard, freshman Kaitlin Cress, junior Patrick Malley, senior Rachel Doud, sophomore Peyton Wells, sophomore Katie Carlson, senior Lisa Markham, senior Karli Rowe and freshman Paige Fawcett.

Other local students listed are junior Bennett Riddering of Belmont, senior Amy Veltkamp of Cedar Springs, and senior Rachel Jantz of Sparta.

Hope College is a four-year, co-educational, liberal arts college with an enrollment of 3,249 men and women and is affiliated with the Reformed Church in America.

The Gift that keeps on Giving

by DAVID KELLER
Rockford School Board Trustee

David M. Keller

It was Winston Churchill that once said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

While I didn’t realize it at the time, the act of “giving back” was instilled in me at a young age with the help of my parents. With eight children, my parents didn’t exactly have the money to give back financially, but they were able to give back with their time. We always volunteered for the Sunday chicken dinner at church and various other activities as a family. My dad coached several of us in sports throughout grade school.

It seems that the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree. From the inspiration of my dad and my children’s passion for sports, it was about 10 years ago that I began coaching them and other children in our community.

My first experience was in baseball and then many years in basketball. It certainly took time away from other things I could have been doing, but heck, I was with my children and I was sharing my talents and developing skills of so many great young kids. It was an unbelievable experience to see them build their self-esteem and confidence during their improvement from the start to the end of the season.

As my coaching career is winding down, I know that the time I spent as a volunteer coach had a positive effect on all of my players. I made a difference in their lives as they did in mine. What a gift, I wouldn’t trade that time for anything.

About six years ago, I chose to become more involved in our community and was fortunate to garner enough votes to be elected a member of the Rockford Public Schools Board of Education.

In addition to our careers, the seven board members of the Rockford Public Schools each put in hundreds of hours of work every year to guide and support our district. Each year we are offered compensation for our services and each year we decline this offer. It’s one way we are all able to “give back” to our community with our time, knowledge and services. To see the success and accomplishments of our school district and to shake the hands of our graduates and a few occasional hugs as they come across the stage every year is reward enough.

Let’s look at our community: Relay for Life, festivals, Mitchell’s Run, youth sports, church activities, community cleanup, food drives, can drives, car washes, construction projects, childcare giving, elderly care giving—hundreds of volunteers are needed to make it happen, and for all of you who have volunteered, a big thanks for your efforts. In addition, I can’t say enough about the many individuals who volunteer their time for school activities, boosters, PTO, OM, RAMS volunteers—the list is endless—your help goes a long way and is truly appreciated. Rockford would not be the great community that it is without all of your efforts.

Growing up, I never could have imagined doing what I do today. I always seemed to be too busy to give that little extra, but at some point in my life, something clicked—maybe it was Winston Churchill’s words that struck a chord with me.

If you’re one of those individuals on the fence, volunteering offers many benefits in appreciation for a gift of your time and expertise. There are many organizations that need your help and we definitely need that next generation of givers to keep this community inspired. You have the ability to make a difference in our community, and you certainly will make a life by what you give. Thanks again for all that you do.

Devin Korf 6th Grade

Earth Keepers Magnet

Devin is the son of Brent and Angela. He has two sisters, 10th-grader Abigail and eighth-grader Morgan. He also has a dog named Duncan and a bunny named Jiffy. Devin attended Crestwood Elementary. He enjoys hanging out with friends and playing baseball. His favorites include Math with Mrs. Altizer as favorite class, pizza as favorite food, MSU as favorite college, and favorite movie The Blind Side. Devin admires his dad who is a good role model. When asked what he is most proud of, Devin firmly stated, “Obviously this!”

Ava Wilson 6th Grade

Fine Arts Magnet

Ava’s parents are Philip and Amy Wilson. She has several pets, including fish, chickens, cats, and dogs. Ava attended Lakes Elementary. She participates in choir and after school activities, such as snack attack and the art of hair and nails. Ava also hand sews her own formal dresses. She plans to make her own prom and wedding gowns and might like a career as a designer. Ava enjoys reading fantasy books. Her favorite food is spaghetti, favorite class is Math with Mrs. Curtis, and favorite college is MSU. Ava admires her parents, who have always been good role models and always been there for her. She is most proud of being selected as Student of the Month.

Hunter Ignasiak 7th Grade

Hunter’s parents are Mark and Tracy Ignasiak. Her sister, Rian is a fourth-grader at Lakes Elementary. Hunter is very involved at ERMS. She is a member of student council, plays the French horn in band, is in the LEO club, and is going to serve as a Ram Buddy. She also swims for ERMS and Riptide and enjoys hunting. If Hunter could take a dream vacation, she would go to Brazil. Her favorite class is Band with Mrs. Kilgore and her favorite food is a soft-shell taco. She hopes to become a nurse someday. Hunter admires her parents, who always help her understand things and take care of her. She also admires her coaches, who are kind and try to help swimmers individually. Hunter is most proud of the effort she puts into practicing her French horn so that she can improve.

Jack Fath 7th Grade

Jake is the son of A.G. and Amy Fath. His brother, Ryan, is five years old and he also has a dog named Sparky. Jack attended Meadowridge Elementary. He plays trumpet in the band, plays football, and enjoys playing catch with his dad. Jake’s favorite classes are Math with Mr. Hodgkinson and Science with Mrs. Rehkopf, his favorite food is chicken wings, and his favorite college is Michigan State University. He would like to play football in the NFL or become an architect. Jake admires his dad, who has a great personality and works really hard. He is proud of how hard he works, being smart, and having a good attitude.

Caitlin Kemerly 8th Grade

Caitlin’s parents are Brad & Renee Kemerly, Alison Wingard, and Steve Roossien. Her siblings are 10th-graders Jonah and Baylee, fourth-grader Kylie, and kindergartener Brinley. Caitlin attended Meadowridge Elementary. She plays tennis and competitive cheer at ERMS and also enjoys to swim, jump on the trampoline, and spend time with friends. Caitlin would describe the best night ever as playing tennis, going to the Haunt, and then swimming at midnight. She would like to become a special education teacher someday. Caitlin admires her mom, who has always been there for her and is proud of earning good grades.

Hayden Schmidt 8th Grade

Hayden is the son of Edward and Alison Schmidt. His sister Bonnie attends Meadowridge, where he also went to school. He also has several pets, including a snake, bearded dragon, dog, and a rabbit. Hayden likes basketball, baseball, fishing and many other sports. His favorite class is Math with Mr. Ouellette, favorite food is homemade pizza, and favorite book series is Hunger Games. He also likes MSU and would like a career as a builder. Hayden admires his dad who inspires him and encourages him to be great. He is proud of his skill in sports.

Rachel Border 8th Grade

Rachel is the daughter of Glenn and Sharon Border. She has two siblings, Jenna and Cassie. School activities that Rachel is involved with include swimming, track and playing clarinet in the band. Rachel enjoys reading, writing, creating websites and playing her clarinet. Her favorite college is Ohio State. Rachel would like to one day become an author, an Olympic swimmer, or a band director. Rachel’s favorite movie is “Pirates of the Caribbean”, favorite books are any mystery or horror book, and she loves to eat Ramen Noodles. She is most proud of her involvement with her church.

Andrew Johnson 8th Grade

Andrew is the son of Jim and Yvonne Johnson. He has one sister, Vanessa and a dog named Pepper. School activities that Andrew participates in are National Junior Honor Society and lacrosse. His favorite college is the University of Michigan and he one day hopes to become a college football analyst. His hobbies include watching Michigan Football and playing lacrosse. Andrew’s favorite class is wood shop with Mr. Larson. Some of his favorites include reading the Percy Jackson series, the movie “The Blind Side”, and eating steak. The person that he admires the most is his dad.

Emilia Vasquez 7th Grade

Emilia is the daughter of Sara Ruiz. She has a 5-month-old sister, Alejandria. Emilia is involved with the Girl Scouts and enjoys the NRMS After School Program. Her favorite college is the University of Michigan and she would like to become a meteorologist someday. Emilia most enjoys Math, her favorite food is tamales and she loves everything Harry Potter. The person that she admires the most is her baby sister.

Matthew Jendritz 7th Grade

Matthew is the son of Pam and Gordon Jendritz. He has an older brother, Stephen and a younger sister, Elise. Matt has a pet gecko named Puntos. School activities Matt is involved with include basketball, track, and cross country. Matt enjoys snowboarding and hanging out with friends. Matt’s list of schools that he would one day like to attend include Stanford, Harvard or Michigan and he hopes to become a doctor. Matthew is most proud of his sports accomplishments and his grades. Matthew’s favorite teacher is his third-grade teacher Mrs. Bakita. He loves to eat doughnuts, his favorite band is the Blue Oyster Cult and the person that he admires the most is his dad.

Earth Watch Magnet

Ashley Duimstra 6th Grade

Ashley’s parents are Molly and Terry and she has one sister, Grace. Ashley enjoys swimming and going outside. Her favorite university is Michigan State and she hopes to one day become a veterinarian. Ashley’s favorite class is Language Arts with Mrs. Reickard and she enjoys the Molly Moon books. She most admires her parents and she is most proud of doing well in school.

Ryan Baker 6th Grade

Earth Watch Magnet

Ryan is the son of Brian and Rita Baker. He has two older siblings, Chris and Kyle and a dog named Fanner. Ryan enjoys being involved with the Book Club as well as swimming and baseball. His favorite university is Michigan and he would like to become a politician one day. His favorites include the movie “Thor”, the book Maze Runner, listening to classic rock and eating tacos. He really enjoys Social Studies and the person that he admires most is Ronald Reagan.

Education options increased for students, parents

State Rep. Peter MacGregor

State Rep. Peter MacGregor recently voted for sweeping reform legislation approved by the Michigan House giving parents, without any other choice, more education options for their children by allowing more charter schools to open their doors.

Senate Bill 618, supported by MacGregor, allows for the phase in on the number and location of charter schools in Michigan, and requiring increased conditions and more accountability on all public school student performance.

“All Michigan students should have access to the best possible education and parents should be able to determine the best path for their children, not the government, and not by what zip code you live in” said MacGregor, R-Rockford. “Lifting the charter cap is not a threat against our public school, in fact, I don’t anticipate my district being affected a great deal as we have some of the best public school districts in the state.”

The bill approved Wednesday, Dec. 14 was strengthened by House Republicans by adding provisions that require:

•            additional guidelines for authorizers to consider when granting charter contracts;

•            the creation of a bipartisan legislative workgroup to develop quality measures for all public schools by March 30, 2012;

•            student growth made toward academic goals before expansion;

•            all accreditation and progress report information to be posted on school websites for transparency; and

•            a gradual elimination of the charter cap.

Currently, more than two-thirds of Michigan’s 232 charter schools have waiting lists, according to the Michigan Association of Public School Academies.

“We have many excellent public schools in the area,” MacGregor said. “This bill increases educational competition in Michigan while also keeping our best schools on a continuous path to improvement. I studied this issue and listened to my district. At the end of the day, I voted my conscience—my vote was about improving the lives of kids, not maintaining the status quo for school systems.”

Senate Bill 618 received final approval Thursday, Dec. 15 by the Michigan Senate and now heads to Gov. Snyder for approval.

by ADAM BURKHOLDER
Assistant Principal
Rockford High School

Quite often, when working with both parents and students, you hear and perhaps you have experienced, “I studied for two hours and still didn’t perform well on the test!” The question that should then be posed is how did they study?

Students more times than not are quick to own up to and identify the fact that they did not study when poor results are yielded on an assessment. A student’s frustration does not stem from having not studied, but rather having spent time and energy on something and not experiencing success.

Although not always the case, when I ask students how they studied, the response tends to be, “I read my notes and the materials over and over, thought I knew the information, and still struggled on the test.”

Read, then reread habits may work in some cases, but as curriculum becomes more rigorous, students lose the ability to relate to the material on a personal level and retention becomes more of a process. In research that has been conducted by neuroscientists, cognitive scientists and educational psychologists, there is insight that can make studying more productive for students.

Spaced repetition is the first technique for a stronger relationship between a learner and the information being studied. Rather than sitting down for an extended period of time, research shows that students will recall information better if they study in smaller increments of time. My suggestion for students has been to study for 15 to 25 minutes and then get up, move around, do something that they want to do for 5 to 10 minutes, and then go back to studying.

In a recent article published in The New York Times, studies have shown that students who used this technique had double the retention rate compared to those peers who simply studied in large segments of time. Spaced repetition may still take as much time as studying in large increments, but it is more effective.

Above and beyond spaced repetition, students need to do something with the information at hand. Simply reading the notes/pages of the text is not the best approach to studying. Every time a memory is retrieved, it fortifies that specific thought and commits it to memory for improved retrieval at a later time. Rewriting information, creating flashcards, and quizzing yourself on information just covered are all avenues of better retaining information. As a student, the harder you work and the more you do to understand information, the better you will be able to retrieve that information. This extra effort indicates to the brain that the information is worth keeping.

Learning is a process and, as the content of curriculum in school grows more demanding, students will have to work harder to commit information to memory. Every learner is different as to which techniques will work best for studying information, but spaced repetition and doing something with the information above and beyond reading it are simple tips that any student can implement.

With a simple Internet search of “study tips” or “study techniques,” countless resources and ideas will be at your fingertips. Take the time, spread out your time allocated to studying, and find a technique that will work best for you.