Warm Weather and Appropriate Attire

Most of the school year, the dress code is not even an issue at South and for that I am thankful. However, with the onset of the recent nice weather, we are forced once again to look at our dress code to guide our actions. At a recent meeting with the department chairs, the topic came up once again. This is what we're seeing lately--shorts that are too short, tops that are too skimpy, and pants that are worn too low.

As soon as I can figure out what to say and how to say it, I will make a video announcement for the students to serve as a reminder to dress appropriately. However, it will really help us if the parents help in choosing what is appropriate for school.

As a father of three daughters, I realize that what is available in stores often drives the fashion trends. And I understand that short-shorts have made a return to the fashion scene. But that doesn't mean they have to be purchased for the purpose of wearing them to school.

Remember that we are school with approximately 1700 students, and logic tells us about half of them are of the opposite sex. Teenagers don't need any more distractions than they already face when it comes to learning and the onset of spring fever. Please make sure they leave the house properly covered up.

We appreciate your support.

National Honor Society Induction

On Tuesday, April 15, we will host our annual National Honor Societ induction ceremony. This event is always one of our favorites and will be held in the auditorium at 7:00 PM. This year we will recognize 74 juniors that have met the criteria in the four categories necessary for membership into NHS. Those categories are: Scholarship, Character, Service and Leadership.

Although NHS is a national organization sponsored by the national organization of high school principals, each school establishes its own criteria. Rest assured when I tell you that the criteria for membership at South is more stringent than any of the three previous high schools where I have been principal. Because we have such strong students and of high moral character, the area where students fall short is with service or leadership. Membership into NHS requires evidence of a significant amount of service and leadership either within or outside the school setting.

So, congratulations are in order for those inducted. And for those invited but not selected in this round, non-membership simply means you were measured against the very best the state has to offer. There will be another opportunity in the fall for you to demonstrate your strengths to the Faculty Council and we wish you the very best in that endeavor.

News from the Tower

As most of you know, we have a very accomplished student newspaper called "The Tower". In their pre-Easter break edition, they tackled the sensitive issue of student achievement on the Michigan Merit Exam (MME). In particular, they addressed reasons for achievement gaps among the various subgroups. In nearly every case, the reasons behind gaps in learning has everything to do with the classes taken by the students. For obvious reasons, if they haven't been taught the material that is measured on the test, they will do poorly. The solution for us then is to make sure ALL students have access to a similar curriculum. We have made strides in this regard in recent years but need to do a better job to insure that "no child is left behind". I encourage you to get a copy of that particular edition of The Tower to get a closer look at the students' perspective.

Assembly for Students on March 14

Dr. Martin Luther King made a speech on March 14, 1968 in the gym here at South (it was known as "the High" back then). This speech took place just weeks before he was assassinated. To commemorate the 40th anniversary of his speech, we are having an assembly for students on Friday, March 14. The presenter will be Michael Fosberg and his one-act play is titled, "Incognito". Students in grades 10 and 12 will see the assembly during third period while students in grades 9 and 11 will see the assembly during sixth period. I would like to thank the Mother's Club for providing the funds for this activity.

Juniors...It's Almost Time for the MME

Shortly after we return from mid-winter break, our juniors will be tested once again with the Michigan Merit Exam. This test necessitates an adjusted schedule that impacts every grade in the high school during the March 11-13 testing cycle. If you go to the South website, and click on calendars, you will be able to see how the testing schedule will impact students in the respective grades.

The MME is the high-stakes test required of every junior attending a public high school in the state of Michigan. It involves the ACT along with various Michigan subtests to assess progress on the Michigan Merit Curriculum. Taking the test is also a prerequisite for the Michigan Promise Scholarship funds that are designed to assist students in thier pursuit of a post-secondary degree.

We wish all of our juniors well on these assessments!

Recent News

Tim Bearden (North HS Principal) and I recently attended an educational technology workshop in Dearborn. During the workshop, we saw many of the items of hardware and software that other school districts around the state are using. For example, Brandon Community Schools (Ortonville, south of Flint) have implemented the use of interactive whiteboards across half of the district's classrooms last fall, with the remainder to be updated next fall. These pieces of technology help create the atmosphere for increased student engagement and interest.

We are hopeful of getting at least a few units for demonstration purposes into our high schools. This is just one of the examples of the technology that is out there.

PBS Frontline Special

This 9 minute-clip describes the use of technology at suburban Chatham H.S. (NJ). Their integration of technology definitely outpaces the Grosse Pointe high schools, but the clip also shows some disturbing trends, including students who honestly can’t remember the last book they have read (why read, when you can Sparknote). The clip is very thought-provoking and correlates well with much of the information we have read recently.

After viewing the clip, please feel free to share any relevant comments as it relates to our technology plan.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/video/flv/main.html?pkg=2606&seg=2&mod=0