1
Dates to remember Friday, November 13 – Graduation Night Party Meeting for Parents of Seniors, 5:00 pm, Onyx 1 High School Zombie Survival Night, 8:00-11:00 pm (tickets $8 in Secondary Office) CANCELLED Saturday, November 14 – Shop Your Community Day, Downtown Traverse City Monday, November 16 – Parents-Only Drug Trends Information Night, 6:00-8:00 pm, Big Gym Friday, November 20 – Staff vs. Student Volleyball Fundraiser, 7:00 pm, Big Gym Wednesday, November 25 – Half Day for Students & Staff Thursday & Friday, November 26 & 27 – NO SCHOOL: Thanksgiving Break
Secondary Students of the Month chosen Congratulations to the following students, who were
selected as Students of the Month for October:
Levi Kelderhouse, grade 7, is the son of Wayne & Becky
Kelderhouse. At GTA, he is a
member of the student council and
plays the saxophone in the concert
band. In his spare time, he raises
chickens for 4-H, enjoys hunting
deer and squirrels and likes to hang
out with his friends. Levi wants to
join the military and serve for four
years before becoming a missionary who helps
persecuted people around the world. He would also
like to attend Harvard for an MBA.
Savhanna Valliere, grade 8, is the daughter of Heather
Valliere & Mike Valliere. She has
been involved in student council,
NJHS, and Girl Scouts. Savhanna
enjoys community service and
providing volunteer child care at
events, and has an interest in
writing. Her goals include doing
her best by keeping up with her
schoolwork and continuing to get good grades.
Savhanna says she also wants to help others do their
best!
Silas Kornexl, grade 10, is the son of Robert & Kerrie
Kornexl. He is interested in
photography, 3-D animation and
design, robotics, programming and
engineering. Silas volunteered in
the information technology
department at GTA for two
summers and was an employee
last summer. His future goals
include placing well in our VEX robotics competitions,
winning at the AIVD competition, getting into a good
college, getting a good job and having a successful life.
Hannah Palmer, grade 10, is the daughter of Brian &
Michonne Palmer. At school, she
volunteers with her sister in
student council and participates in
volleyball and softball. Hannah
also works as a busser at Trattoria
Stella and helps out as a
Thanksgiving volunteer at the
Grand Traverse Pie Company. Her
long-term goals include studying marine biology at
Northern Michigan University and attending the
A Weekly Newsletter
for Grand Traverse Academy
Families
November 13, 2015
Volume 16
Issue 10
2
University of Massachusetts for a graduate degree.
Hannah hopes to always stay in touch with her friends
and teachers from GTA!
Remember to “Shop Your Community,”
support GTA tomorrow! Don’t miss the tenth annual Shop Your Community Day
in downtown Traverse City tomorrow, November 14. For every purchase you make at participating stores, 15 percent of the purchase price can be donated to
Grand Traverse Academy. It’s easy! When you make your purchase at a participating store (look for the shopping bag and balloons in front) just let the sales associate know that you want 15 percent to go to Grand Traverse Academy. What’s more, Michigan Blood will host a blood drive from 9:00 am-4:00 pm from their blood bus on Front Street. Ten dollars will be contributed to our school (be sure to mention GTA!) for every person from our GTA family who donates or attempts to donate blood. What a great way to get your holiday shopping done in advance while you support our downtown merchants, Michigan Blood, and GTA too. A list of participating merchants (with some late additions!) is attached to this newsletter so you can plan your shopping!
The bookmobile is coming! The Lowry’s bookmobile is scheduled to arrive at GTA
on Monday, November 30 and will stay through Friday, December 4. Hours are 1:00-3:40 pm on Monday, 8:00 am-3:40 pm Tuesday-Thursday, and 8:00 am-12:30 pm on Friday. Parents who are interested in seeing an overview of books that will be offered may contact their child’s teacher.
Staff vs. student volleyball fundraiser planned Mark your calendars for Friday, November 20, when GTA staff face off against our JV and varsity volleyball teams for a five-game match. Admission for this fundraiser game is $5 per person ($20 maximum per family, free for children under 5) and concessions will
be available for purchase. Proceeds will support the GTA athletic program. The fun begins at 7:00 pm in the Big Gym – see you there! Thanksgiving break reminder As a reminder, a half day of school is planned for Wednesday, November 25, 2015. The building will be closed at 1:00 pm and all staff will be dismissed at that time so that everyone can begin the long Thanksgiving weekend. As a result, there will be no after-school Quality Care on Wednesday. Please be sure to make arrangements to have your children picked up at the half-day (Friday) pickup time:
Kindergarten – 12:15 pm Elementary – 11:50 am Junior High – 12:20 pm High School – 12:15 pm
Elementary art class rocks! Fourth grade GEMS students and all 5th and 6th graders
are asked to bring a rock to school by Monday, November 30 for an art project with Mrs. Kladder. The rock should be approximately the size of a softball. If anyone can
bring two or three rocks, it would be most helpful!
Youth drug trends information night Monday Unfortunately, your kids probably won’t be talking to you about the newest trends in drug use, but it is important that parents are aware. We invite you to join us from 6:00-8:00 pm in the Big Gym on Monday, November 16, as Trooper Corey Hebner from the Michigan State Police shares the facts about the current drug trends and fads our young people are facing today. Please do not bring children, as this presentation is intended for parents only.
Elementary girls begin basketball season Our elementary girls’ basketball season got off to a great start last Saturday with a series of games at Northport. We have two teams this year, Team Navy (4th and 5th graders) and the Mustangs (5th and 6th graders). Though they lost their games against St. Mary of Lake Leelanau (36-10) and Northport (18-6), Team
3
Navy, consisting of mostly 4th graders, played very well against their older competitors. The Mustangs won both of their games, playing St. Mary (30-22) and Pathfinder (20-16). When paired against each other, Team Navy triumphed, defeating the Mustangs 28-16! Competition continues through mid-December.
Bobcat sighting at GTA Elementary teacher Colin Smith placed a night vision
trail camera in the woods to the east of our school property and captured video footage of a bobcat on the grounds! The most common wildcat in North
America, the bobcat is named for its short, bobbed tail. Usually solitary and territorial animals, bobcats are nocturnal and are rarely spotted by humans. About twice the size of a housecat, they average 17-23 inches high, 25-41 inches long, and 16-28 pounds. Although they prefer to hunt rabbits and hares, bobcats will eat rodents, birds, bats and even insects and adult deer. Mr. Smith’s class began their night-time “stalking” of the school grounds last year as part of a project to see what kinds of animals make the GTA campus their home, and to help students understand how close we really live to nature. Last year, in addition to a bobcat, they videotaped minks, raccoons, opossums, grouse, a fox, flying squirrels, deer, and other wildlife!
GREAT DEALS! Band Instruments for Sale
Gemeinhardt Flute – $350
(purchased brand new from Marshall Music and only played a couple of months)
Gemeinhardt Open-Holed Flute – $325 (with original plugs)
Yamaha Trumpet – $350 $300 or make an offer King Alto Saxophone – $350
Drum Set – $275 Percussion Kit - $50
These instruments all have Mrs. Floering’s stamp of approval! For sellers’ contact information, see Mrs. Floering or email her at [email protected]
Mustang roundup Check out the athletic events taking place next week and cheer on our Mustangs!
WEEK OF NOVEMBER 13-20
FRI JH Boys’ BB vs. TC Christian, 4:30 pm
SAT EL Mustang Girls’ BB at Northport, 9 & 11:15 am EL Navy Girls’ BB at Northport, 9:45 & 10:30 am
SUN
MON
TUES
WEDS
THURS
FRI JH Boys’ BB at St. Mary-Lake Leelanau, 4:30 pm
Volunteers needed for athletic events It takes a lot more than coaches and athletes to make a
successful school athletic program. We appreciate the many GTA parent volunteers
who have given countless hours to help make each event run smoothly. With the winter sports season upon us, we have plenty of volunteer opportunities available, from manning the ticket table, working the concession stand, operating the scoreboard or watching the sideline. Do you have an occasional hour or two to help us out? If so, simply check out the volunteer calendar to see what’s open (monthly tabs are across the bottom) and contact Shelley Alejandro at [email protected] or 932-6977 to sign up. Thank you for your support of Mustang athletics!
Help keep our students and athletes safe! Our mission at Grand Traverse Academy is for our students to be safe, loved and learning. You can help us to keep them safe by remembering the following:
For the safety of our athletes, students and officials during athletic events, please limit movement into and out of the bleachers until there is a stoppage of play. Parents are also asked to keep small children with you in the bleachers and limit their movement as well. Spectators should not be on the floor during play.
Please do not drop your children off in the parking lot in the morning or have them meet you
4
in the parking lot at pickup time. This creates a hazard for both students and drivers. The carpool lane is a quick and efficient way for our students to get to and from cars safely.
Calling all high school students!
An informational meeting is planned for Thursday, November, 19 at 5:30 in the Lecture Hall for all high school students interested in the International Affairs Academic WorldQuest competition taking place in February. Questions? See Mr. Coneset or contact him
GTA in the news Secondary science teacher Kris Galoci’s aquaponics program was recently featured in the Project Learning Tree Fall 2015 newsletter. Read all about it under the heading Lessons Learned in a Closed-Loop System.
Easy ways to raise funds for GTA There are a variety of ways that GTA families can help raise money to purchase books and supplies for our school without having to spend any extra money! Designate Grand Traverse Academy as your School of Choice on your Target Red Card at www.target.com/tcoe Clip and place in the receptacle near the Elementary entrance: Labels for Education UPCs
Box Tops for Education Coupons
Spartan Cash for Labels UPCs
Oleson’s Cash Register Receipts
Drop off in your used printer cartridges in the Elementary Office Donate your Coca-Cola products rewards points at www.mycokerewards.com
How to reach a GTA leader The GTA leadership team is available to answer questions, help you with concerns (or take your compliments!). You may call 995-0665 to talk to a school leader or contact them directly as follows: Susan Dameron, Superintendent & Secondary Principal [email protected] (231) 534-4778 Kerri Ferris, Elementary Principal [email protected] (231) 218-0783 Brooke Capser, Assistant Principal [email protected] (231) 932-6007 Cathy Marrow, Elementary Dean of Students [email protected] (231) 218-2997 Mindy VanHouzen, Secondary Dean of Students [email protected] (231) 649-2028 Matt Gorman, Athletic Director [email protected] (231) 932-6909
Ongoing events Secondary Pizza Sales – Tuesdays ($1.50 per slice from Little Caesar’s) Secondary Taco Sales – Thursdays ($1.50 each from the Taco House) National Honor Society Meetings – Every Other Wednesday, 7:40-8:05 am, Gold 4 Key Club Meetings – Every Other Thursday, 7:40-8:05 am, Silver 3 National Junior Honor Society – Second & Fourth Wednesdays of the Month, 7:40-8:05 am, Silver 2 Student-Run Credit Union – December 11, January 29, February 12, March 11, April 22 and May 13, 8:00-8:30 am, Mrs. Ferris’s Office
NonProfit Organizations
AC PAW
Addiction Treatment Services
Angel Care Preschool/Child Care
Bay Area Recycling for Charities
Big Brothers Big Sisters of N.W. MI
Boots for KidsBuilding Bridges with Music
Catholic Human Services-Foster Grandparent & Senior Companion ProgramsCherry Festival Foundation
Cherryland Humane Society
Child & Family Services of N.W. MI
The Children's House
City Opera House
Company Dance Traverse
Father Fred Foundation
FLOW (For the Love of Water)
Food Rescue N.W. MI
For Animals
Friends of TADL
The Goodwill Inn
Grand Traverse Academy
GT Area Catholic Schools
Great Lake Children's Museum
The Greenspire School
Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities
Habitat for Humanity - GT Region
Justice for Our Neighbors
Meals on Wheels NMCAA
NMC Commitment Scholarship
Norte! Youth Cycling
Old Town Playhouse
Pathfinder School
Planned Parenthood of West & Northern MI
Pregnancy Care Center
The Salvation Army
TART Trails, Inc.
Third Level Crisis Center
Traverse Bay Children's Advocacy Center
TCAPS Music Boosters
TC West Athletic Boosters
Traverse Health Clinic
Traverse Symphony Orchestra
Trinity Lutheran School
Wings of Wonder
Women's Resource Center
Acoustic Tap RoomAllure Salon & Spa
American Spoon Foods Amical (GC Only)
Backcountry OutfittersBay West Antiques
Becky Thatcher DesignsBLK\MRKT
Blu Gypsy BoutiqueBookie Joint
Brilliant BooksCali's Boutique
Captain's QuartersThe Cheese Lady (GC Only)
Cherry Hill BoutiqueCherry RepublicChildren's World
Critter'sDaisy JaneDiversions
D.O.G. BakeryEleven
Ella'sEspresso Bay
The Exchange BoutiqueFederico's Design Jewelers
The Franklin (GC Only)Fustini's Oils & Vinegars
Glitz & SpursGolden Shoes
Grand Traverse DistilleryGreat Lakes Bath & Body
Green IslandHarbor WearHaystacks
High Five ThreadsHigher Self Book Store
James C. Smith Fine JewelryKay's
Kilwins Traverse CityLilies of the Alley
Lola'sLove Traverse City
M22Mary's Kitchen Port
McMillen's Custom FramingMiner's North Jewelers
Morsels Espresso & EdiblesMr. Bill's
My Secret StashNifty Things!
On The RocksOrvis StreamsidePark Place HotelPeppercorn
Plamondon ShoesRed Ginger (GC Only)
Robert Frost Fine FootwearRoth Shirt Co.
Spirals BoutiqueSuhm-Thing Sweet PeaToy HarborVenusVotruba
What to WearYen Yoga & Fitness
For every purchase you make at the following stores, 15% of the sale will be donated to the organization of your choice! It's that easy to support your favorite nonprofit, plus get a jump on
your holiday shopping!
Support your favorite organization on Saturday, November 14, 2015
just by shopping Downtown!
Downtown Merchants
Look for the shopping bag and balloons!
922.2050 downtowntc.com
Be somebody who gives back.
Give Blood Today!
Sign in to donate and we will donate $10 to the participating nonprofit of your choice.