This week marks the end of the first quarter, when students in grades six through 12 will take assessments in most of their subject areas. Parents are asked to encourage students to study and do their best work on these assessments.

Congratulations to the Eagles’ football team. They ended their season with a big victory over Brimley in the Weather Bowl, 53-0. What a great way to end the season! Next year, the Eagles will field an eightman football team for most of the season.

Congratulations also to our volleyball teams. Both the junior varsity and varsity finished conference play with outstanding seasons. Volleyball districts begin this week. The varsity Eagles will compete Thursday night, November 5, at 7 p.m. against Mid-Peninsula in Engadine. Come out and support the Lady Eagles. The winner will host a Saturday competition at 7 p.m.

On November 11, at 1 p.m., please join us in the gymnasium as we honor our veterans for Veterans’ Day. The freedom we all enjoy comes at a high for many of our military people. We’d like to take this opportunity to honor and thank them.

Each year, the VFW and Ladies’ Auxiliary of VFW Post 8372 sponsor two writing competitions. The winners for the Voice of Democracy Essay are: 1st place-Kayla Miller, 2nd place-Morgan MacArthur, and 3rd place-Haley Tasiemski. For the Patriots’ Pen Essay, 1st place was awarded to Tanner Flatt, 2nd place- Brooke Livermore, and 3rd place- Sarah Wyse. Congratulations to these students. I’m pleased to report that 37% of our six through 12 grade students completed the first quarter without being tardy to class, or receiving a referral to the office for discipline. We reduced the passing time between classes this year and started a new discipline procedure. In the elementary grades, 81% of the students were not sent to the office for discipline. These students are a big part of our school’s success. Our goal is to work on increasing the percentage of students who improve their own behavior.

Report cards will be sent home at the end of the week. A reminder to parents that kindergarten through 12th grade Parent/Teacher Conferences are scheduled for Thursday, November 19, from 5p.m. to 8 pm.

On a political note, please contact your legislators to share with them what you believe should be the priority for funding in Michigan. As a public school, our fiscal year is almost half over and the state budget is still not set. Our children deserve timely decision-making by the legislators and the governor.

Engadine Students of the Week

Kenny Oven, Forrest McArthur, and Wyatt Flatt were named Students of the Week for the week of October 26 at Engadine Consolidated Schools.

As a senior at Engadine High School, Kenny Oven was chosen as an athletic, sociable, and hardworking student. Mr. Oven is an integral leader on the football field as he tries to motivate his teammates to work their hardest in preparation for the upcoming game. He is friendly with everyone during the school day and is always willing to do what is requested. In the classroom, he works well on his own and he is able to be creative, his teachers say, and many enjoy his sense of humor.

The junior high Student of the Week is Forrest McArthur. This creative young man is working hard to improve his success in the classroom, his teachers say, and he is a joy to have in the classroom. His sense of humor is refreshing in the classroom. This young man tries to include everyone in his class in activities. His work in the classroom has shown improvement this year. Athletics are also important to him, whether he is playing or watching. On the field he tries his best. He also attends varsity sporting events to cheer on the upperclassmen.

The elementary Student of the Week is Wyatt Flatt, son of Todd and Lisa Flatt. Mr. Flatt is always attentive in class, willing to help others, and has great “stories” to tell. Teacher Holly Smith says he is a great reader, excels in mathematics, and he is an excellent problem solver. When he grows up, he would like to be a wrestler. He is in first grade.

Kyle Franklin, Amy Kerridge, and Kealin McKeage are named Students of the Week for the week of November 2.

High school student Kyle Franklin is focused on his academic work. His school year has been presented with challenges, but he has worked hard not to let them get him down, his teachers say. He is a helpful student toward teachers and students. He’s been working hard this quarter on the football field and in the classroom.

Junior high student Amy Kerridge is a hard working and conscientious student. She is always on top of her academic work. She asks relevant questions, making sure she understands what she is learning, and works well in groups as well as individually. She has a great sense of humor, her teachers report. She is the daughter of Larry and Barbara Kerridge,

Kealin McKeage, a fourth grade student, lives in Curtis with his parents, Scott and Andrea McKeage. Teacher Tom Winchester reports that he is always ready to participate in all that the class is doing and he has great “student” skills. Reading “Huckleberry Finn” and science are some subjects that he enjoys. He would like to be a fisherman when he grows up, and says he admires his father.