GROSSE POINTE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM

PIERCE POINTER

Pierce Middle School 15430 Kercheval Grosse Pointe Park, MI 48230 313.432.4700 Attendance Line 313.432.4701

www.gpschools.org

NOVEMBER

P.T.O.

POINSETTIA

SALE! Place Orders until November 24

NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS Tues., Nov. 3 Staff Development Day

END OF QUARTER 1 Friday, November 6

ETHNIC DINNER

Thursday, November 12

Pierce Gym 6-8 PM

8th GRADE CAREER DAY Friday, November 13

TURKEY TROT Friday, November 13, 2 PM

OPEN HOUSE Sunday, November 15, 1-3 PM

PTO MEETING Tues., Nov. 17, 6:30 PM Rm #129

BAND & ORCHESTRA CONCERT Wednesday, Nov. 18, Pierce Aud. at 7 PM

PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES

Thursday, November 19, 5-7:30 PM

Tuesday, November 24

1-3:30 PM & 5-7:30 PM

HALF DAY - AM CLASSES ONLY Tuesday, November 24

THANKSGIVING

BREAK NO CLASSES Wed., Nov. 25 - Sun., Nov. 29

CLASSES RESUME Monday, November 30

POINSETTIA PICK UP Thursday, December 3 12 - 6 PM

November 2015

Dear Pierce Parents,

November looks to a month full of activities and opportunities for stu-

dents, parents, and teachers to connect.

“Open House”: On Sunday, November 15th, from 1:00PM to 3:00PM,

every Grosse Pointe Public School will be open! Do you have a child

transitioning from 5th grade to Pierce or from Pierce to South High

School next fall?

Visit the next stop on your child’s educational journey! Meet students,

teachers, support staff and parents.. Enjoy snacks compliments of our

PTO. Try your hand on the SmartBoards. Admire artwork and writing

samples. Ask about student activities and athletic programs. Please con-

sider being an ambassador by reaching out to a neighbor who doesn’t

have a child currently attending our public schools. Join us as we will

have tours, and program information for those interested in becoming a

part of the Pierce Family

Parent-Teacher Conferences: We look forward to meeting you at one

of our three Parent-Teacher Conferences this month. Please feel free to

connect with your child’s teachers on Thursday, November 19st from

5:00PM to 7:30PM and/or Tuesday, November 24th from 1:00PM to

3:30PM and 5:00PM to 7:30PM. As a courtesy to other parents, thank

you in advance for keeping your conversations to no longer than five

minutes per teacher.

GP South to Host Pierce 8th Grade: On Tuesday morning, November

24th, Grosse Pointe South High School will welcome their class of 2020.

All Pierce 8th graders are expected to attend a program designed to give

them a flavor of the high school experience, answer questions and ease

the transition to high school. Pierce 8th graders are expected to arrive at

8:20AM at the South gymnasium. Parents are encouraged to drop their

8th grader off in the South “S” lot located on Grosse Pointe Boulevard.

Pierce 8th grade families are expected to arrange their transportation. You

are encouraged to car pool. If transportation presents a problem, please

contact your child’s counselor by Friday, November 20st. If you are ex-

cusing your eighth grader from attending, please contact the Pierce at-

tendance office in advance.

NOVEMBER 2015

LETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Auditorium Project: On October 29th we recognized those who contributed to the Pierce Auditorium Reno-

vation. We would like to recognize those who have helped to make the renovation of the Pierce Auditorium a

reality. Thanks to the donors for their commitment and generosity in helping to fund this project by honoring

the following!

LETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL - continued

Page 2

Class of 1997

Todd & Allison Baker & Family

The Brenner Family

Xavier Burgoyne

Principal Gary Buslepp

Charlie Calcaterra

William Calcaterra

Mary Carey-A Great Teacher

The Chen Family

Brian & Elizabeth Connors & Family

Ellie Connors-2014

Hannah Connors-2012

The Crader Family

Mike & Beth Donovan & Family

In Memory of Katie Ecclestone, Pierce PTO

The Fleming Family

Joann Georgeades-1953

Ashley Moran Grice

Jack Hensien/ Anna Hensien

Mark & Janette High

Irene Jones

In Memory of Carter Kerr

Shannon Kerr Love Mom & Dad

Alise Maffesoli-2015

Vincent Maffesoli-2020

The Maraldo Family

Marshalls Landscaping (Brett Marshall)

Marshall Music (Tim Fischer)

FH Martin Constructors (Andy Martin)

Anne M. Muawad 2016

Grace M. Muawad 2011

William A. Muawad 2013

The Naporano Family

Ally Portwood-2014

Max Portwood -2012

Maggie & Julia Rapai

Rayhaven Group (Peter Huebner)

The Rybicki Family

Shar Music (Dave Cossey)

Mr. Bill Thompson

Igor Trifunovic

Stefan Trifunovic

John Tucker

Johnathan Tucker

Mrs. Gina Walker

Jetwyn Wilson #42

Lauren Moran Yuzon

Thanks, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Sincerely,

Chris Clark

PUMPKIN CARVING WINNER!

PIERCE PRIDE COUPON

NOVEMBER

__________________________________________________________________IS RECOGNIZED

STUDENT NAME GRADE

BY_____________________________________________________________________________

Redeemable for instant prize and the weekly prize drawing

FROM THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL’S DESK

Page 3

As we bid farewell to the fall and head into the rush of the holiday season I’d like to take a few moments to explain two important aspects of our Positive Behavior Support (PBS) program.

As part of our Positive Behavior Support Program, we developed a Pierce Pride reward system. Each staff member has been given Pierce Pride certificates for distribution to students who are “caught being good.” Each student who receives a coupon can then deposit it in various loca-tions throughout the school to be entered in a weekly drawing. Our local merchants have been generous in their support of our program by providing gift cards that are used as weekly prizes. Each week of this quarter, the total number of coupons turned in has been well over 100! One student from each grade level wins the weekly drawing. Additionally we will soon be hosting our first quarter school wide celebration of positive behavior.

Another part of our Positive Behavior Support program is the inclusion of a signature card with each student’s planner. When a student is corrected for a minor infraction, the teacher signs the student’s signature card. Once a student reaches ten signatures, he/she is assigned an after school detention. These cards have proven to be an effective way of addressing low-level dis-ruptive behaviors that don’t merit a referral to the office. Signature cards are also a valuable tool for communication and for pinpointing individual problem areas. Please check these cards fre-quently to see how your student is doing. For more information on PBS, check your student’s planner or contact the office for a parent brochure. As we continue to implement our Positive Behavior support, I will keep you posted on our pro-gress. As always, we appreciate your support. Sincerely, Judith Gaffrey Assistant Principal

OWEN BULKA

7th and 8th Grade Career Education

During the month of December, the counselors will be working with 7th and 8th graders in the computer labs to explore their talents, academic / personal strengths, and career inter-ests (December 2nd and 3rd) for 8th grade and December 9th and 10th for 7th grade). This will begin an ongoing process (continuing throughout high school) whereby students can identify general career pathways that may interest them. These plans will be reviewed and modified periodically as students mature and refine their plans. As part of this initial pro-cess, students will be going to the computer labs to complete some self-assessment invento-ries and begin work on their EDPs (Educational Development Plans). At the middle school level, our purpose is not to identify and commit to specific careers, but rather to start stu-dents thinking about their strengths and how they relate to general career paths that might best suit them. Another purpose is to help students understand the importance of advanced skills and education, as well as how current school subjects are relevant in the pursuit of a satisfying career. If you would like more information about the career unit and the Michigan Career Pathways, please go to the Pierce website and look under 7th and 8th Grade Career Pathways in the Counseling Department under Staff. We also will be running a Career Day with presenters from a variety of careers on Friday, November 13th for the 8th graders.

Conferences

Unlike elementary school, you do not need to make an appointment for conferences. You can attend whichever day / time is most convenient for you. Conferences will be held on Thursday, November 19th from 5:00-7:30 and on Tuesday, November 24th from 1:00-3:30 and again from 5-7:30. Please review the directions provided on the first page of this news letter for further details and information.

Andrea Bolton Christine Cramer

Page 4

REPORT CARDS Report cards will be available in Pinnacle on Monday, November 16th

PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES Thursday, November 19th 5:00-7:30 PM Tuesday, November 24th 1:00-3:30 & 5:00-7:30 PM

IMPORTANT PROGRESS REPORT DATES

COUNSELORS CORNER

Page 5

On November 15th

, from 1-3 p.m., the Grosse Pointe Public School System is hosting an Open House for the entire Grosse Pointe school community. Parents, students, and staff will be available at Pierce to help the public learn about the wonderful services and programs available in our district. The purpose is for all of our residents to learn and experience what the Grosse Pointe public schools have to offer. Our school system offers a world class edu-cation. Whether it is core curriculum, special activities, or support services, we have it all. From parents, supporting staff, administrators, and teachers, all the way to our surrounding businesses, there is always someone putting in the extra effort to make students’ days full of learning and fun. We know many Grosse Pointe families see this daily, but we also realize some choose to go a different route in education and some have children that graduated from the system years ago. Please consider being a GPPSS ambassador by reaching out to a neighbor who doesn't have a child currently attending our public schools. Bring them to the open house so they can see today’s schools, schools we are proud to call our own. On November 15

th, parents, students, and staff will be available to help the public learn about

the wonderful services and programs available in our district. All GPPSS schools will be open from 1-3 p.m. In addition to new families, current Grosse Pointe students and their parents are encouraged to visit schools they will soon transition into. We'd love to see preschoolers and their parents and guardians at the elementary schools, fifth grade families at the middle schools, and eighth grade families at the high schools. The Board of Real-tors will also be hosting Open Houses at dozens of homes that day. To-gether with the Chamber of Commerce, we’ll show why we “live, learn and play” in Grosse Pointe.

Thank you for all you do for our school community.

OPEN HOUSE!

Page 6

PTO POINTS

Time sure does fly when we are all so busy, doesn’t it? It’s hard to believe it is already November, the end of the first Quarter, and we are having conversations that include the phrase “the holidays”. Every week at Pierce continues to be so busy! NWEA & PSAT Testing, 8

th Grade Washington

D.C. Trip, concerts, and the list goes on and on. Speaking of concerts, those new Auditorium seats are just wonderful! Thanks to all of the Staff, Administration and PTO that helped to make this a reality. It is very enjoyable to sit in them now! Please contact the office if you are still interested in donating at this time. Every donation is much appreciated. The new On Line Directory is up and running! Many thanks to our Directory Co-Chairs , Jessie Schenk and Beverly Bennert for the time and energy put into this new endeavor. It is a wonderful resource. Paper directories will also soon be available, so stay tuned for more information on that. At the October meeting, the Pierce PTO voted to donate $500 to the GP South High School March-ing Band uniform fund as a way to support past, present & future Pierce band students and our won-derful band director Mr. Takis. The PTO also donated $250 to purchase a chair in our newly reno-vated auditorium. It was decided that both of these donations would be made in memory of past PTO president Katie Ecclestone, with sincere gratitude for her dedicated service to the students of the GPPSS.

Our wonderful annual tradition, the Pierce Ethic Dinner, is coming up soon on November 12th! Please watch see the flyer in this issue, check your email and Face- book for more information about this lovely event. Also please note that the GPPSS District Open House is Sunday, November 15

th from 1-3 pm.

Every building will be open. Please spread the word if you know of any interested families that are thinking of registering in the District.

POINSETTIAS!! These are fresh from the Gardens to your home and incompara-ble in quality. Choose from Red, White, and Pink. They come in Medium (6 inch pot) $9.00 and Large (8 inch pot) $18.00. Order forms can be found on the PTO Website and must be returned by TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2015. Pick up will be Thursday, December 3, 12:00 – 6:00 pm. YOU CAN FIND THE ORDER FORM HERE IN THE PIERCE POINTER!

Please remember to stay in touch with any PTO news or events through the PTO Facebook page, or our Yahoo email group. If you are not currently a member of our Yahoo email distribution list group, please contact our Communications Chairperson, Kim Clexton (clextonmom@yahoo.com) and request to be added. Likewise, if you are not already part of the PTO Facebook page, please contact any PTO Board member and they will gladly add you to our group. Our next meeting will be Tuesday, November 17

th at 6:30 p.m. in the Library. All are welcome!

Warmly,

Michelle Kramer mekmlk@att.net Pierce PTO President

Page 7

PTO FUNDRAISING - WITH NO OUT OF POCKET COST!

Support the PTO, the easy and painless way!

The PTO sponsors the following easy fund-raising that require minimal effort but bring maxi-mum rewards:

TARGET: Target will donate up to 1% of your qualifying Target REDcard (either Visa or debit) to Pierce. Visit http://www.target.com/redcard/benefits-target-rewards and click on Take Charge of Education to enroll.

KROGER: Did you know that a portion of your qualifying Kroger purchases could be donated to Pierce? Visit http://www.kroger.com/community/Pages/community_rewards.aspx to enroll your Kroger Plus card and select Pierce under the Community Rewards tab.

BOX TOPS and LABELS FOR EDUCATION: Start saving Box Tops and Labels! Later this year, Box Tops contests will bring the chance for some great prizes! More information is coming, but in the mean-time, save those Box Tops!

TONER CARTRIDGES: Bring your used toner and ink cartridges to school. We recycle them for credit at Staples. Don’t forget to check at work!

If you have any questions regarding fundraising programs, please contact: Stacey Chen at staceylchen@yahoo.com or by phone - 821.3195

Page 8

CALLING ALL 8TH GRADERS!

GROSSE

POINTE

SOUTH

HIGH

SCHOOL

Hello All,

Here are the dates for the following events at Grosse Pointe South High School involving

incoming freshman for next year (2016). All of these dates pertain to BOTH public school

and private school 8th graders who plan to come to South HS, except Jan 8, which is exclu-

sively a day for the private school students to sign up for the fall courses here at South HS.

DATE

EVENT

TIME

Nov 15

PARENTS AND STUDENTS: SUNDAY Open House at South HS (Open invite for ALL families to visit South HS, tour the building, and meet staff

and students)

2-4 pm

Nov 24

ALL STUDENTS: Middle School Visitation Day (Opportunity for all current

8th graders, planning on coming to South HS next year, to visit South for building

tours, classroom visits, Link Crew introduction, and staff introductions)

8:30 –

10:30

am

Jan 6

8th Grade PARENT NIGHT -Presentations from Administration, Mothers

Club, Athletics, Parent Panel, and then breakout sessions hosted by Department

Chairs, Counseling, Athletics, Activities, and Clubs.

6:30 –

7:30

pm

Jan 8

STUDENTS: FALL COURSE SELECTIONS and sign up FOR PRIVATE

SCHOOL 8th graders attending South in the fall.

8:30 –

11:30

am

Page 9

PIERCE ETHNIC DINNER

Pierce Ethnic Dinner

When: Thursday, November 12th

6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Where: Pierce Gymnasium

Details: Bring your family, friends, and neighbors to Pierce for an

international buffet of foods prepared by Pierce parents and students including

dishes prepared by students in Pierce’s Lifeskills Kitchen!!!

Love to cook or bake or know where to buy some great ethnic foods? We’re

looking for food donations to make this event a success. Last year we had 62

delicious dishes representing 27 countries! Let’s top those numbers this year!!!

Please contact Sabine Iafrate, asiafrate@ameritech.net, if you can donate an en-

trée, side dish, or dessert (serving for 12 people). Your food donation will need

to be labeled, especially if it contains nuts. Directions for drop-off will be sup-

plied prior to the event.

Back by Popular Demand!!!—Dinner music will be provided by a Pierce student

orchestra quartet!

50/50 tickets will be available at the event.

Cost: Purchase a $5.00 ticket at the door and select six samples from the

scrumptious buffet. Really hungry? Extra food helpings only $1 each.

Please mark your calendars and plan to join us for dinner!

Page 10

7TH AND 8TH GRADE BOYS BASKETBALL

7th

Grade Practice Monday thru Friday 4:30-6:00

Coach Andre Williams andre.williams@gpschools.org

8

th Grade Practice

Monday thru Friday 3:30-5:00 Coach Joshua Lord

joshua.lord@gpschools.org

Date Day Opponent Home/Away Time 7th/8th

Dec 1 Tuesday Brownell Home 4:00/5:00

Dec 3 Thursday Parcells Away 4:00/5:00

Dec 7 Monday Kennedy Home 4:00/5:00

Dec 10 Thursday Southlake Away 4:00/5:00

Dec 14 Monday Jefferson Away 4:00/5:00

Dec 17 Thursday Brownell Away 4:00/4:00

Jan 7 Thursday Parcells Home 4:00/5:00

Jan 11 Monday Kennedy Away 4:00/5:00

Jan 13 Wednesday Southlake Home 4:30/5:30

Jan 19 Tuesday Kelly Away 4:00/5:00

Jan 21 Thursday Jefferson Home 4:00/5:00

Jan 26 Tuesday Roseville Home 4:00/5:00

Game Schedule

Page 11

PIERCE P.E.

PIERCE PACERS Students who are currently in Physical Education may earn extra credit and awards by participating in a program called “Pierce Pacers”. This program promotes having an active lifestyle. Par-ticipants will record the time they are involved in some type of physical activity, outside of school hours. This could include such things as: walking or biking to school, swimming, using a treadmill, rollerblading, raking leaves, and jumping rope. Prac-tice and games times may also be counted if the student plays on a sport’s team. All interested Physical Education students can pick up a form from Mrs. Allan.

43

rd ANNUAL TURKEY TROT:

This annual Pierce event will be held on Friday, November 13. In case of inclement weather, it will be held on Monday, November 16. This activity is sponsored by the Physical Education Depart-ment, PTO, & Pierce M.S. and is open to all 6

th, 7

th, and 8

th grad-

ers. Participation is strictly voluntary.

The “Trot” includes six ½ mile runs in which students run others in their own grade. There are separate races for boys and girls. All participants will receive a treat and ribbon. In addition, the top six finishers, in each run, will receive a “special” ribbon. Lastly, the

top two finishers, in each event, will be given a turkey for their family to enjoy! Students will sign-up for the Turkey Trot between November 4 and November 11. They will do so in their 6

th hour class. Last year approximately 250 Pierce students participat-

ed!!

Families are welcome to attend and cheer on the participants. Please contact Mrs. Beth Allan if you have any questions regarding this event. Beth.Allan@gpschools.org

NONDISCRIMINATION STATEMENT

The Grosse Pointe Public Schools System does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:

Stefanie Hayes, Director of Student Services

20090 Morningside

Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236

Phone: (313) 432-3851

Stefanie.Hayes@gpschools.org

If the individual filling the grievance alleges that the Section 504/ADA coordina-tor has engaged in discrimination, then the individual filing the grievance must provide the documentation to the:

Deputy Superintendent for Educational Services

389 St. Clair

Grosse Pointe, MI 48230

Phone: (313) 432-3016

Page 12

PIERCE MIDDLE SCHOOL

PIZZA NIGHT

SCHOOL FUNDRAISER

Monday, November 16th Grosse Pointe Park Location

(15316 E. Jefferson)

313-823-7000

Simply turn in the slip below and we will earn our 20% donation.

--------------------————-------------------------------------------------------------------

Name:__________________________ 6th hour Teacher:__________________

Grade:__________________ Total Order Amount:______________

Pierce Middle School

Let’s help raise money for Pierce Middle School!

Hungry Howie’s will donate 20% of our Pizza Night

purchases back to our school.

Just fill in the slip below and hand it to the cashier or delivery

driver and enjoy your dinner! Let’s all make this a great year. If

you happen to forget your flyer please mention it to the cashier

or driver so we can credit the school. We will have extra flyers

available at the store. Please fill out your teachers name on the

slip. The teacher that has the most participation is awarded a

free pizza party for their class!

Page 13

NJHS INDUCTEES AND OFFICERS FOR 2015 - 2016

Congratulations to the newest NJHS Inductees and Officers!

NJHS Officers for

2015-2016 School Year:

President

Gabriela M.

Vice President

Evelyn K.

Treasurer

Imran S.

Secretary

Shannon K.

Public Relations Sophie I.

Historians Freeman G.

Elizabeth H.

Parliamentarian

Ava B.

THE PERIODIC DISTRIBUTION OF NON-SCHOOL-RELATED WRITTEN MATERIALS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN

ENDORSEMENT BY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OF THOSE MATERIALS OR OF THE GROUPS SPONSORING THEM.

Page 14

As district speech pathologists, we divide our time between schools. We do the same for parent-teacher conferences and therefore, we wanted to let you know when we will be at Pierce for parent-teacher conferences Amy Koontz: Thursday, November 19 from 5:00-7:30. JoEllen Cumpata: Tuesday, November 24 from 5:00-7:30. If you need to schedule another time, please contact Mrs. Cumpata at Joellen.cumpata@gpschools.org and Mrs. Koontz at Amy.koontz@gpschools.org

JoEllen Cumpata and Amy Koontz, Speech Language Pathologists

SPEECH PATHOLOGISTS

On Wednesday evening, November 18 at 7:00 pm, the Pierce MS Bands & Orchestras will be presenting their Fall Concert in the Pierce MS Auditorium. This annual concert will feature all of the Pierce MS Band & Orchestra students in a wide variety of musical styles. Featured in this concert will be all of the Pierce MS curricular ensembles: Concert Band, Cadet Band, 6th Grade Band, 7/8 Grade Orchestra and 6th Grade Orchestra. Musical selections will in-clude: Sting’s Fields of Gold, Pachelbel Canon, Brahms’ Hungarian Dance #4, Themes from Jurassic Park, Variations on a French Carol and more! . All students are to arrive at 6:30 for warm-up and tuning. All students should wear their Pierce Band & Orchestra uniform shirt, black dress pants or black dress skirt, black dress socks, and black dress shoes. Admission is FREE!

Upcoming dates: COOKIE DOUGH PICK-UP/DELIVERY: Thur., Nov. 19

BAND O RAMA: Mon., Dec. 14 South HS Main Gymnasium, 7PM STRING EXTRAVAGANZA: Tue., Dec.15 South HS Main Gymnasium, 7PM

James Gross Phone: (313) 432-5400 ; james.gross@gpschools.org; Chris Takis Phone: 432-3642 christopher.takis@gpschools.org

BAND AND ORCHESTRA FALL CONCERT

PARKING LOT SAFETY

Please protect our children!

Parents should not drop students off in the park-ing lot behind Pierce in the mornings. It is a busy traffic area and very unsafe!

Pierce Middle School’s Oldest Annual Fundraiser

POINSETTIA SALE

Fresh from the Gardens to your

home Choose from Red, White, and Pink

Medium (6 inch pot) $9.00

Large (8 inch pot) $18.00

Order forms must be returned by

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2015

Checks payable to: PIERCE PTO

Pick up: Thursday, December 3, 12:00 – 6:00 pm

Order form- Return to: Pierce Office 15430 Kercheval GPP, MI 48230

Attn: Poinsettia Sale

Name_______________________________________________

Address______________________________________________

Daytime phone__________________ Cell phone__________________

(6 in.) $9.00 ea. (8 in.) $18.00 ea. $ total cost

White

Red

Pink

HAVE A

WONDERFUL

THANKSGIVING!

THANKSGIVING BREAK -

NO CLASSES

Tues. PM, Nov. 24, Wed., Nov. 25

Through Sun., Nov. 29

Classes Resume with Late Start Monday, Nov. 30

ASBESTOS NOTIFICATION