TPS TALK

     Falling through the cracks. That is a term that is heard in schools. It is one of the biggest concerns with any educator. No one in education wants to hear it is too late, that a student has fallen through the proverbial cracks in the system.

     Being an educator is a tough job, one of the toughest — from state mandates to crisis prevention to long hours at the helm. Educators carry a tremendous responsibility of educating all students who are under their care.

     What is happening in Trenton to prevent students from falling through the cracks?

Arthurs Middle School has in place a rather unique program at the school to help serve its students. Several times a month, a team of teachers will gather to review the school work of their students while on a common prep. The team will review where the student currently stands with academics as well as behavior. The four core teachers, administrators, counselors and social worker are all part of the team to review how students are doing in school.

     The staff will review if the student is missing assignments, is improving in school work, or maybe the student needs to take a make-up assessment. The team will discuss some of the best methods to help the student.

     After reviewing where the student currently stands, the team will give the student a thumbs-up for their current standing in the school, basically saying that the student is on track with academic progress. Or, the team will work together to see that the student is aware of missing assignments, accumulating too many absences or if they need to retake an assessment.

     It is a team effort that is working toward the improvement of student achievement to try to prevent students from falling through the cracks.

     While there is no perfect way in education to prevent a student from falling behind in school, this unique program at Arthurs Middle School is an example of teachers working in teams to do what is best for the students of Trenton.

     Dr. Michael Doyle is community liaison director for Trenton Public Schools.

Students perform ’50s musical called Rock Around The Block

Students perform ’50s musical called Rock Around The Block. The Arthurs Middle School annual fall play took place on Nov. 8 on the Trenton High School stage. It was a ’50s musical called Rock Around The Block. The play is about the different high school social groups of the ’50s, such as the jocks, “queens” and beatniks — and even included a rock star.

     The director was local dance teacher Linda Lazorka. She said she chose the play because she loves the ’50s era and she knew she had a lot of great kids that could learn their lines, sing and dance. She also thinks the show went very well and was very happy with her cast. There were about 30 students in the cast, and over 300 people attended the performance. It was a fun night for all involved!

     Also in November, we had our book fair. It started on Nov. 12 and lasted for a few weeks. The theme this year was “Enchanted Forest of Books: Discover Your Story.” At the book fair, there were many popular books for sale, in addition to posters, bookmarks, journals, backpacks, hats, and more. The students were really excited about having their very own temporary store inside their school.

     Brooks Blackledge is a sixth grader at Arthurs Middle School.

Through the collaborative efforts of the City of Trenton and the Trenton Public Schools, a Competitive Schools Safety Grant was submitted for the 2018 Fiscal Year in September of 2018.

     The Michigan State Police administer the School Safety Grant.

     The purpose of the School Safety Grant program is to purchase equipment and/or technology which will improve the safety and security of school buildings, students and school staff. The goal of this program is to create a safer school environment through equipment and technology enhancements.

     MSP received 407 applications, which were requesting $69 million. The agency announced this week that it is giving the $25 million to 114 school districts, 42 private schools, 22 charter schools and 10 regional districts.

     As a result of the partnership between the City of Trenton and the Trenton Public Schools, the State of Michigan, as the source of funding, has awarded $81,750 to Trenton Public Schools through the Competitive Schools Safety Grant.

Award and Budget Summary: $24,000, door access systems; $31,200, visitor management systems; $10,500, panic button system; $3,750, access control system; $12, 300, two-way radios.

     — Mike Doyle

 Tanner Smith

Senior Wrestling

A perennial standout in the Trenton High School wrestling program throughout his time as a Trojan, senior Tanner Smith has drawn praise from both his coaches and his teachers for his hard work and dedication both on the mat and in the classroom. As a wrestler, Smith was a state qualifier as a sophomore and has since won a Downriver League Championship. Currently he’s ranked second in Division 2 in his weight class and Coach Tom Bluhm has been blown away by Smith’s consistent ability to pin his opponents. Along with his efforts as a wrestler, Smith was also a captain for the varsity tennis team. In the classroom, Smith’s 3.01 grade-point average has drawn interest in him from all over the country. The University of Mount Olive in North Carolina, Adrian College in Michigan, Heidelberg University and Wabash College in Indiana all have expressed interest in Smith for his talents as a student and as a wrestler. Though he has not yet made a decision for either his college destination or his major, Smith is likely to continue showing up on the radar of colleges across the country as he continues excelling. His mother, Heather Pacheco, is excited to see where her son will continue his educational pursuits. — Brian Rzeppa

High school’s curriculum offers wide variety of options

     In the fall of 2018, the Trenton Public Schools conducted a survey asking where more communication is needed with parents who currently have children enrolled within the district. The results of the survey indicated that parents would like more communication regarding academics.

     A good place to start with academics is Trenton High School. The high school is currently on a trimester schedule. This allows students to take five classes each trimester for a total of 15 classes throughout the school year. This is instead of the traditional semester schedule. Some classes at Trenton High School run one trimester, while others run two or even three trimesters.

     Trenton High School offers a variety of academia for all students. The high school is currently exploring the possibility of expanding the Advanced Placement program by moving to the Advanced Placement Capstone Program. AP Capstone is a program in which students would need to take six AP courses. Of the six, four can be any of the current 10 sections offered at the high school. The other two courses required to complete the program are the AP seminar course and the AP research course. Students would need to score a three or higher out of a possible five on all six AP exams to earn an AP Capstone Diploma. Students who earn a three or higher on the seminar and research courses would earn an AP Capstone Certificate.

     Why take Advanced Placement courses at Trenton High School? When a student does score a three or higher out of a possible five on an AP exam, that student is eligible to receive college credit. Trenton High School has moved to a weighted grade system for AP courses. Weighted grades place additional value on a student’s grade point average.

     Other areas of academics at Trenton High School include being part of the Downriver Career Technical Consortium. The DCTC is a program in which nine local school districts share 25 vocational education programs.

     For students with an interest in Career and Technical Education, Trenton High School offers an auto shop that has been certified by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation. The instructor is Automotive Service Excellence certified. Trenton High School offers several courses in wood technology and furniture making. Students may also select from courses in computer-aided design.

     Trenton High School has also added the Trenton Core Pathway program. This is a program designed to promote student success for those students who have struggled in the traditional classroom setting.

Trenton High School also offers three world languages, French, German and Spanish, art courses, a business education curriculum and music courses.

     There are many great things happening with academics at Trenton High School. Do not hesitate to contact THS at (734) 692-4530 and your questions will be directed to the appropriate person.

     Dr. Michael Doyle is community liaison director for Trenton Public Schools.

Winter classes are starting soon at Southgate Adult and Community Education. The program offers a large variety of Community Education (Leisure) classes with something for everyone starting Feb. 4.

     The class lineup includes art (drawing and watercolor), languages (Spanish, French, Russian, Italian and Sign Language), and cooking (Italian Cannoli, four-cheese gnocchi, polish Kolachky cookies, pasties and more). Music classes include guitar, ukulele, piano, drums, songwriting and singing lessons, computer software training (Excel, Quickbooks, Web design, computer programming and basics classes), quilting, crocheting, natural wellness (Keto diet, healthy living, essential oils), eBay basics, photography and much more. Fitness classes include Boot Camp, Pilates, Workout to Oldies, kettlebell, and body sculpting.

New leisure classes this semester include short-story writing, becoming an entrepreneur, gardening, floral design and advanced drawing.

     Asher Alternative High School is a great resource for those looking to complete their high school diploma, prepare for the GED Exam, ESL (English as a second language) and improve basic skills (math, reading). Both daytime and evening classes are available to fit your schedule.

     Classes at Asher are available for students 16 years and older as of Sept. 1, 2018. The Alternative High school is designed for students seeking a fresh start to their school experience and who are committed to earning their diploma. Students over 18 are also welcome, with more options available to work around their schedule.

     ESL classes teach listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills for those adults whose primary language is not English. GED students must be 18 years old, and can take our GED Prep classes as a refresher to the skills they will need to demonstrate on the GED test.

     Southgate Adult and Community Education offers opportunities for personal growth and enrichment for individuals of any age. Residents in the Downriver area wanting an affordable way to learn a new skill can sign up online at www.digitalsignup.com/southgate or in-person for classes beginning Jan. 7, 2019. Many of the classes are held at Asher School, 14101 Leroy (near Trenton Road), in Southgate.

     More information is available at https://asher.southgateschools.com or call (734) 246-4633. 

Students from Arno Elementary in Allen Park shared their talents and spread joy to area seniors by designing Christmas cards for American House Senior Living residents in Riverview. Comfort Keepers in Trenton coordinated the event.

As part of an outreach program called Comforting Cards, local elementary students from Arno Elementary in Allen Park designed holiday cards that were distributed to residents at American House Senior Living in Riverview on Dec. 12. This program seeks to bridge the generational gap between children and seniors by having local children create holiday cards which are then given to seniors.

     Many area seniors are home or facility bound and may not have family living in the area. As a way to lift their spirits and connect them with the younger generation, Comfort Keepers, a local in-home care provider, developed Comforting Cards as part of an initiative to connect the two generations and foster a sense of well being and appreciation.

     Comfort Keepers is providing students with all the supplies they will need to make the cards, i.e. construction paper, crayons, stickers, and decorative items and is encouraging them to draw and color their own art for the recipient.

     “We hope that this program can put a smile on both the senior’s and the children’s faces,” said Rick Williams, owner of Comfort Keepers in Trenton. “For many of these seniors this will be the only card they receive during the holiday season.”

     Comfort Keepers provides non-medical home and facility care to seniors throughout Downriver and the surrounding areas. It provides services such as transportation, medication reminders, companionship, meal preparation and personal assistant services such as Alzheimer’s care, grooming assistance and incontinence care.

     Comfort Keepers is a leading franchise network in the in-home care market for seniors and other adults needing care. Since its founding in 1998, the network has grown to more than 700 franchised locations around the world by staying true to the founders’ goal of providing quality, caring in-home care services that allow clients the opportunity to age in place. In August of 2009, the brand was strengthened when the franchisor, CK Franchising Inc. was purchased by Sodexo, a global leader that delivers Quality of Life services to more than 75 million consumers in 80 countries each day. In addition to providing services that focus on health care and senior markets, Sodexo’s integrated offerings encompass more than 45 years of experience in reception, safety, maintenance and cleaning, food services, facilities and equipment management, and concierge services. For more information, visit ComfortKeepers.com.

Michael Doyle

High school’s curriculum offers wide variety of options

     In the fall of 2018, the Trenton Public Schools conducted a survey asking where more communication is needed with parents who currently have children enrolled within the district. The results of the survey indicated that parents would like more communication regarding academics.

     A good place to start with academics is Trenton High School. The high school is currently on a trimester schedule. This allows students to take five classes each trimester for a total of 15 classes throughout the school year. This is instead of the traditional semester schedule. Some classes at Trenton High School run one trimester, while others run two or even three trimesters.

     Trenton High School offers a variety of academia for all students. The high school is currently exploring the possibility of expanding the Advanced Placement program by moving to the Advanced Placement Capstone Program. AP Capstone is a program in which students would need to take six AP courses. Of the six, four can be any of the current 10 sections offered at the high school. The other two courses required to complete the program are the AP seminar course and the AP research course. Students would need to score a three or higher out of a possible five on all six AP exams to earn an AP Capstone Diploma. Students who earn a three or higher on the seminar and research courses would earn an AP Capstone Certificate.

     Why take Advanced Placement courses at Trenton High School? When a student does score a three or higher out of a possible five on an AP exam, that student is eligible to receive college credit. Trenton High School has moved to a weighted grade system for AP courses. Weighted grades place additional value on a student’s grade point average.

     Other areas of academics at Trenton High School include being part of the Downriver Career Technical Consortium. The DCTC is a program in which nine local school districts share 25 vocational education programs.

     For students with an interest in Career and Technical Education, Trenton High School offers an auto shop that has been certified by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation. The instructor is Automotive Service Excellence certified. Trenton High School offers several courses in wood technology and furniture making. Students may also select from courses in computer-aided design.

     Trenton High School has also added the Trenton Core Pathway program. This is a program designed to promote student success for those students who have struggled in the traditional classroom setting.

Trenton High School also offers three world languages, French, German and Spanish, art courses, a business education curriculum and music courses.

     There are many great things happening with academics at Trenton High School. Do not hesitate to contact THS at (734) 692-4530 and your questions will be directed to the appropriate person.

     Dr. Michael Doyle is community liaison director for Trenton Public Schools.

The Trojans scrum with Riverview in an early-season matchup. (Dave Chapman photo)

BY BRIAN RZEPPA

     After a double-digit win season two years ago, the Trenton High School Boys Basketball program was pushed into a massive rebuild after the graduation of their seven leading scorers.

     A step back was to be expected, but there were bright spots in what ended up being a 4-15 season. Then-junior Zach Conti asserted himself as a low-post presence and fellow junior Jay Solano proved to be a steady outside threat.

     Heading into the 2018-2019 season with Conti and Solano returning along with Evan Adams, Ethan Riley, Gabe Doree and standout sophomore Micah Ottenbreit, Head Coach Jay Babyak is optimistic about the chances of a bounce back year.

     “I’m expecting to be better than last year as we brought seven seniors back. One of the guys that we were relying on as our point guard got hurt and hasn’t even practiced yet so that has hurt, but we have a junior, Ryan Scheffler, who has stepped up and filled in nicely. To start this year, we lost a tough one to Carlson and we’re just trying to figure out who we are.

     “We’re a football team that’s playing basketball. Our roster is filled with guys that also played football and we have played really physical defense but have had trouble scoring points at times. Gabe Doree played quite a bit last year, Jay Solano is back for us and Evan Adams has a good idea of what we’re doing, so we have some talent that could really come together for us.”

     Though the record book from last year was not flattering, Babyak believes that it didn’t tell the whole story and the team had enough bright spots to inspire hope for the 2018-2019 season.

     “Last year we were in so many close games and though our record wasn’t where we thought it should be, we were competitive. We brought a lot of kids back, but unfortunately many of the kids that are back this year weren’t getting big minutes last year. We need someone that can step up and put the ball in the basket and there’s going to be a learning curve that’s not necessarily typical for a team with this many returners.”

     With a need for players to step up behind Conti – who scored 30 points in the team’s early-season matchup with Carlson – Babyak is going to be looking up and down the roster for contributions.

     “I’m hoping our sophomore Micah Ottenbreit steps up and he’s been getting the hang of the physicality of it. He’s not playing afraid right now, which is a good thing, I’m hoping Jay Solano can spread teams out like he has in the past; he’s shot really well in practice so we’re looking for him to translate that to games. Cody Towe, Jake Miller and Danny Newton could all be difference makers, too.”   

     With the early part of the season standing as a feeling out process for the team, Babyak is hesitant to set any firm ‘do-or-die’ goals for the program, but he feels overall they can be competitive in the Downriver League.

     “I think if we can find a way to finish in the top half of the Downriver League and just be competitive with them, it’s going to be a good season. We’re excited to play the top teams like Woodhaven and we know that if we win that game we can win the District, but we have to get better. We can play some pretty good basketball, it’s just a matter of players stepping up and working together as a team.”

     The talent throughout the roster is not unlike the successful Trenton teams under Babyak in the past and given time to develop players throughout the season, this year’s Trojan team is likely going to prove that last year was an outlier.

Dylan Pasquali (left) and fellow offensive lineman Nic Sawyer from Saline

BY BRIAN RZEPPA

     One of the top offensive lineman in the past decade for Trenton High School, 2016 THS graduate Dylan Pasquali has been a standout on Ferris State’s football team since his arrival at the school two years ago.

     A starter as a freshman last year, Pasquali had the opportunity to play in the Division 2 National Championship on Dec. 15 in McKinney, Tex. as then undefeated Ferris State took on 13-0 Valdosta State.

     Though Ferris State was not able to capture the victory, falling 49-47, Pasquali was pleased with his team and felt they had a great run.

     A member of perhaps the most key position group on the team, Pasquali was excited to have the opportunity to get the starting job as a freshman and worked hard to maintain that spot this season.

     “Knowing the talent we have had on our football team while I’ve been at Ferris State, especially on our offensive line, starting the last couple of years has been incredibly rewarding. Out of the guys that didn’t start for us, I’m confident to say that all of them could start anywhere in the country and do well for themselves. Being a starter on the offensive line at Ferris State is a big deal considering how competitive and talented our position group is,” Pasquali said.

     Heading into this year, Pasquali knew that the team was going to have a chance to be competitive – coming off an 11-2 season last year – but they knew they would have to remain committed to improving throughout the season if they wanted a chance to compete on a national level.

     “One of our biggest goals this season was to win every quarter and obviously if you’re winning every quarter, you win every game. We knew if we could orchestrate that into our daily practices we could be great. We also always talked about how our talent alone is not going to win in every situation in a football game. We needed to grow close and be able to communicate on the field so in stressful situations we know how to keep each other calm and focused on our ultimate goal; like great teams do.”

     Guided by the strong quarterbacking of Jayru Campbell, a former Michigan State University commit, the Bulldogs were able to do just that. As Campbell took home the Harlan Hill Trophy as the DII Player of the Year, Pasquali was elated at the opportunity to be able to play with him.

     “Jayru is one of, if not the most talented, football players I’ve had the opportunity to play with so far in my career. He’s without a doubt one of the hardest working players I know and what some people don’t know is that he’s also an amazing leader during practice and games. He had a great year and I’m looking forward to seeing what he does next season.”

     As the team racked up victories and approached the National Championship, Pasquali was sure to take it all in along the way. Despite the loss, Pasquali and his offensive linemates were able to do their job – allowing only one sack and clearing the way for the team to rush for 270 yards.

     They weren’t able to pull out the victory, but Pasquali felt the experience as a whole was one that he’ll never forget.

     “Playing in Texas was an experience itself. We were treated like royalty down there and I’m thankful for them making it what it was; the environment was great. A good amount of students and alumni found their way down to support. We were playing the game we love on the stage people dream of being on so I had an amazing time and plan on being there again.”

     Rather than getting bogged down in negativity or feeling sorry for their loss, Pasquali believes Ferris State will use this as motivation for next season.

     “I feel since we’ve gone through the grind of getting to the championship and know what it takes to get there, we will be well prepared and hungry to get back to that point next year and hopefully with the result we so badly wanted this year.”

     Along with capturing a National Championship, Pasquali is hoping to maintain the reputation of strong offensive line play that Ferris State has been known for.

     “I’ve had the same goal throughout my career at Ferris and that is to be the most dominant, hard-working offensive line in the nation throughout the season.”

Therese Hebda leads the scoring attack for the Trojans. (Dave Chapman photo)

BY BRIAN RZEPPA

     Largely considered to be one of the best seasons in Trenton High School girls basketball history, the 2017-2018 season went just about as well as Head Coach William Jones could have expected.

     With a 17-2 record in the regular season — including a 15-1 mark in the Downriver League — the Trojans won the District Championship and competed as one of the top-32 teams in the state at the Regional tournament.

     The upward trend of success has continued since Jones’ takeover of the program a few years ago and despite losing three starters, he feels this team has the edge necessary to build off of their success rather than resting on their laurels.

     “It sounds very simplistic, but if you can avoid taking any steps backwards that’s the first goal. There’s a difference between maintaining and containing though; we could tread water and be competitive and have fun with it and there’s nothing wrong with that, but we want to explore some new territory in how we approach things,” Jones said.

     “It’s not just a matter of considering ourselves successful because of our record because there are other factors like the level of competition that can impact that, we need to feel that we’re doing well based on the standards that we are setting internally.”

     Though the team was successful by all external metrics such as their record and eventually District Championship, Jones has consistently stressed to his team that last year does not impact this year and past success does not guarantee future results.

     “Part of moving to the next level is getting the kids to realize that last year was last year. It was a tremendous experience and there are few people more pleased with our team and each of the individuals on last year’s team than I was, but now we have to get this group to understand that there is nothing from last year that guarantees we will have a similar level of success this year.”

     To this point, after tryouts and the tip-off of the season, Jones feels the team has been taking that idea in stride.

     “Doing the same thing year-to-year always results in either the same or lesser results; it has to be ramped up to something different or more precise. Getting them to take responsibility and own it is one of the great things about youth sports, because they’re ready and eager to have the chance to make something their own. They’ve done a great job responding to that and it’s been really good to see.”

     Part of moving beyond last season is replacing key players lost through graduation. While rivals like Allen Park, Carlson and Woodhaven have all lost vital parts of their team, Trenton also saw the departure of three starters from last year’s lineup, including Sydney Voss, who is currently playing collegiately.

     “We have a four-year varsity player on the team that has been on the Dream Team and has been our leading scorer for the last two years. Therese Hebda is still here and even though we graduated three starters, she was still the leading scorer and rebounder and she’s going to help tremendously. Most coaches would be trying to calculate how to replace the points that were lost from graduating seniors, but we know that someone else is going to step up and shoot the shots.

     “We return two starters and eight girls from the roster so while losses and graduations are significant depending on the way that you play, we should be in a good place because we focus on the team element where everyone can step up and fill in. Lauren Stephen will be starting, as will Carrie Karp. We’re expecting a lot out of Alayna Mulford and Kayla Everingham, too.”

     Along with the starters, Jones deeply holds the belief that depth can help separate good teams from great ones.

     “Hannah Martin and Riley Dolence are a pair of returning combo-guards that can fill in at three different positions, so they’ll be really important for us off of the bench. We ideally want to be 10-deep and I try to get there, but in almost every game we will be at least eight-deep which I don’t think any other program in the area can claim.”

     Winning another league and district championship seems to be well within the realm of possibility for this year’s team, but Jones wants the team to shoot even higher than that.

     “We want to give ourselves an opportunity to take additional steps. We want to be at the top of the league and have a chance at winning districts and then hopefully be competitive at regionals. For Trenton to be one of the final 32 teams in the state was a tremendous accomplishment, but we have to understand that just being there and saying ‘Wow, isn’t this fun?’ is not the peak of where we want to be.”

     As they have shown throughout the past few years, the Trenton High School Girls Basketball program has proven to be the team to beat in the Downriver League. A District Championship last year was just a continuation in the progress they have made and the 2018-2019 campaign is set to be the next step in that progression.

Sam Rickman wrestles at 140 pounds above, while Tanner Smith (left) battles in the 125-pound weight class. (Dave Chapman photo)

BY BRIAN RZEPPA

     In what has become an annual issue for the Trenton High School Wrestling program, participation numbers are down once again. Still just able to fill out the lineup, Head Coach Tom Bluhm has had to get creative with his lineups.

     Coming off of yet another successful year in the 2017-2018 season, Bluhm had expectations that he might see his participation numbers jump to a competitive level.

     Unfortunately for the team they have not, but Bluhm has once again been able to work his magic and the team is one of the top programs Downriver once again.

     “The participation numbers have been terrible again – we’re at 17 kids and one of them is hurt so we have 16 actually competing. We’re trying to fill 14 weight classes, so it presents a challenge. Last year we had 14 and the year before we had 16, so there’s been a little bit of an improvement but it’s still not where we need it to be.”

     Last year’s especially low turnout is having impacts into this year, as a lack of experience throughout the roster has pushed Bluhm into putting wrestlers in positions that may not have been considered in ideal circumstances.

     “We had no ninth graders last year, so the result is that we have no 10th graders this year and this year we only have three ninth graders. Two of them are very good so that has helped, but it’s been tough. We’ve been banged up with some injuries and I have to try to bump the lineup and if I can’t, we have to void weight classes.”

     Despite the challenges, the team has been holding their own. With victories in the Doyle McIntosh and Huron Tournaments, the team is as competitive as ever.

     Though the overall turnout has been low, the quality of talent has shined through. With a mix of experienced upperclassmen and new freshmen, the roster is filled with capable wrestlers that have shown the ability to move up and down in weight classes.

     “Tanner Smith was a State qualifier as a sophomore and last year he was 36-3, but he dislocated his elbow in Districts and had to miss out on States. He’s undefeated and has been able to move between the 119 and 125-pound weight classes, which has allowed us to be more flexible with our lineup. We have Jacob Lancini who is also undefeated after being fifth in the state last year.

     “Sam Rickman has held his own at a higher weight classes against tough competition. Braylon Hughes is doing real well as a freshman and Mike McClellan is, too. Brendan Matusik has stepped up and Chris LaVigne has filled a role well for us. Max Rickman and William Lugo have been standouts for us, too.”

     With plenty of season left to go, Bluhm still feels that there is room for improvement throughout the roster. Given the general level of inexperience headed into the year, it’s easy to believe there is untapped potential for the team.

     “Our juniors are starting to come into their own and so are the freshmen, so basically for us what’s going to be key is making sure that no one gets hurt. We’ve had to void weight classes because of injury and our lack of depth and we really want to avoid that as much as possible.”

     As the team continues to round into form, Bluhm believes that this year is no different in that a District Championship is firmly within the sights of the program.

     “I like to place pretty high in the league which historically we usually have, but our team goal is always to win Districts and then after that we’ll see how things fall in the team Regionals. Everything is about the team in our tournaments and then after that it’s about getting as many kids as possible through to States.”

     Working through a number of different challenges like injuries and an overall lack of depth, Tom Bluhm has proven time and time again that he can push his teams towards success and there’s no reason to believe this year will be any different.

Schools throughout the country are more aggressively combatting bullying with a variety of programs. Locally the Black Out Bullying program is observed.

    (BPT) If you’re a parent, you bring your kids to their annual checkups, get their teeth cleaned twice a year and help them eat well and get enough sleep. You do this to keep them physically healthy, but what about their mental health?

    For parents, it can sometimes seem difficult to monitor and gauge a child’s emotional well-being, which is affected by a number of things that parents and children may not discuss. Having conversations around these issues is the best way to keep them in check. One issue that is of particular concern is bullying. Bullying is a big problem today – fueled even more in the age of the internet. Often, troubles with classmates are hidden from parents’ view, whether they take place in the classroom, on the bus or online.

    Nearly half (47 percent) of parents confess that one of their greatest fears is that their child will be bullied, according to a survey by Planet Fitness. And while nearly one-quarter (24 percent) of parents admit their child has been the victim of bullying, only 8 percent have children that talk to them regularly about it.

    This is why it’s important for parents to stay in tune to their children’s behaviors and talk to them openly. If you notice your child acting differently, it may be because something is happening to them at school or a different setting. You can use your observations as an opportunity to start an important conversation about what’s going on.

    “Be careful with how you perceive your child’s behavior, as the way they are feeling on the inside might not be the emotion they show on the outside,” said Marc Brackett, PhD, director of Yale’s Center for Emotional Intelligence and lead developer of RULER, a school-based approach to teaching social emotional learning in classrooms that has been adopted by hundreds of schools and districts across the country, as well as adapted for after-school settings such as Boys & Girls Clubs. “If your child is acting out of the ordinary, for example, it’s best to speak with them about their day to help you identify the root cause of their actions.”

Tips for meaningful conversation with your child:

    Fostering regular, meaningful conversation with your child helps build trust so that you can hear all about their experiences, both the good and the bad, and can weigh in with your loving support.

    Share common experiences: To show empathy and help your child to understand they aren’t alone, Brackett suggests that if you have ever experienced something similar to what your child is going through, such as if you were ever bullied, share that experience with your child. When you relate your experiences to your child’s situation, it will encourage them to share what happened and how he or she feels about it.

    Brainstorm solutions: Ask your child what they want to do and how you can help, suggests Brackett. Come up with more than one option to deal with the situation. It’s important not to dictate, but suggest solutions and encourage them to come up with their own ways of dealing with the situation. Your child needs to feel like a part of the action plan for it to work.

    Utilizing proper tools will help you, your child and even your child’s school develop these action plans. PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center in partnership with Planet Fitness’ Judgment Free Generation, a philanthropic initiative that aims to prevent bullying and spark a pro-kindness movement, has created Bullying Prevention 101, a free-to-download resource designed to help elementary, middle and high schools build environments defined by kindness, acceptance and inclusion (by way of teachers, counselors and other educators).

    Experts from PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center also suggest parents:

    Listen to kids without judgment: Let kids do the talking and follow their lead. Discuss their experiences with an open mind and open heart. Then discuss their ideas on how they want to handle the situation and let them know that you’re there for them and will help no matter what.   

    Be aware of being bullied and being the bully: Sometimes if a child is being bullied, they are more likely to replicate that behavior elsewhere. First, recognize that children bully for many reasons. Next, help them understand how that behavior affects others and encourage positive solutions.

    Encourage kindness: Help your child understand the importance of showing support and being kind to everyone, especially others who might be victims of bullying. Even if the crowd goes one way, it’s always important to stand up for what’s right.

    For more ideas about fostering positive and productive conversations with young people about bullying, as well as to access Bullying Prevention 101 resources, visit https://www.pacer.org/planetfitness.

The Grosse Ile Township School District is seeking applicants for a Board of Education vacancy created by the resignation of Patricia Selby. The deadline for applications is 4 p.m. Jan. 7.

     An individual will be appointed to fill the final two years of Selby’s six-year term, which runs through Dec. 31, 2020.

Interested persons must submit a letter of interest in the board position and their qualifications for the position to the Board of Education email at giboe@gischools.org.

     Following a review of the submitted materials, the board will schedule interviews with selected candidates. Not all candidates for the board vacancy will be interviewed.

     If you have any questions concerning the role of the board of education and the responsibilities of a board member, please contact Joanne Lelekatch, superintendent of schools, at (734) 362-2581.

Whether it has been in the classroom or on the court, one of Trenton High School senior Lauren Stephen’s most defining skills has been her consistency. With multiple perfect attendance awards Stephen has always been committed to her studies and as an athlete she has continued to progress in two different sports. In volleyball she is a two-year varsity player who recently was named All-Region, as well as coming home with the team’s Utility Player Award. On the basketball court, Stephen has played for the varsity team for three years and has been inserted into the starting lineup this year. Her consistency as a student is showcased by her 3.9 grade-point average as well as her standing as a member of the National Honor Society. With her background as a student and her athletics, Stephen’s college decision weighed heavy upon her. Though she was thankful for the lessons that athletics had given her over the years, Stephen decided to forego sports in college and instead will pursue a major in business at Central Michigan University. A student ambassador in Michigan through the Virtual Enterprise International program at Trenton, Stephen should be well suited for the rigors of a college course load. Her parents, Jim and Lesley, are excited to see where their daughter’s college studies take her. — Brian Rzeppa

Cam Wojtala, a “Mr. Hockey” winner, was captain of the 2009 championship team.

Mike Quint, now the coach for rival Wyandotte, was a member of the 1979 team.

BY BRIAN RZEPPA

     With the sustained success of the Trenton High School Hockey program over the years, it could be easy for time to fade the accomplishments of past teams as new championships are added to the trophy case.

     Two former championship teams will take center stage while the 2019 incarnation of the Trenton hockey team takes on rival Wyandotte Wednesday, Feb. 13, at the Kennedy Recreation Center.

     The 1979 State Championship winning team, celebrating its 40th anniversary of its title win, and the 2009 State Championship team — celebrating their 10th anniversary — will be on hand for a ceremony that will take place between the first and second period.

     Shawn Parker, the creator of THSHockey.com and the organizer of the ceremony, noted the challenges that go into putting together an event like this.

     “We send out a formal invitation to each player and coach on the teams. I’m in the process of developing a spreadsheet with all the former players at Trenton High School, but that’s still ongoing. Gathering all of the contact information has been the most challenging part, but social media has been helpful in that regard,” Parker said.

     Parker expected that around 10-12 players from each team would be on hand, including coaches from each team. Jon Wilson, one of the captains on the 2009 team, will be behind the bench for the Trojans as an assistant coach and Mike Quint, a member of the 1979 team, will be on the Bears side as he serves as their head coach.

     In addition to the coaches, Cam Wojtala — another captain on the 2009 team and Mr. Hockey for the state of Michigan in 2009 — will be attending. Wojtala noted that the ceremony will evoke great memories of that season.

     “My favorite memory was the celebration after the final buzzer in the state championship game. We knew the work it took to win the previous year, and that repeating is even harder so the satisfaction we felt after the buzzer was something I’ll never forget,” Wojtala said.

In addition to the ceremony, there will be a reception for the teams beforehand.

     “There will be a reception before the game for the teams with pizza and refreshments.” Parker said. “Then between the first and second period we will introduce the teams on ice. After the game, they will generally all go out together somewhere or just head upstairs to the restaurant up there.”

     Parker stressed the importance of events like these in commemorating the past, but also feels that it is important from a camaraderie aspect.

     “I think it’s always important for teams to be honored for championship seasons and it’s great to see the generations come together and socialize.”

     Wojtala echoed that sentiment and added that it speaks to the culture that the program has developed over the course of decades.

     “I’m looking most forward to seeing a bunch of the guys and spending time with everyone. It’s always fun exchanging stories that you may have forgotten about. It’ll be great spending it with the ’79 team as well. It shows how deep the tradition is.”

     That culture, which in large part was developed by former Trenton Head Coach Mike Turner — who coached both the 1979 and 2009 teams — lives on with the team to this day.

     While the ceremony on Feb. 13 will stand as a tribute to two championship teams, it is also a tribute to the values that the program has been committed to over the course of decades.

     Puck drop for the game will be at 7:30 p.m. The first 100 fans will receive a free 4×6 photo of their choice of the 1979 or 2009 team.

BY EMILY MADDEN

Calling all science teachers!

     Trenton High School is currently searching for a teacher to fill the position created due to the promotion of science teacher Peter Youngblood to an administrative position.   Youngblood was a biology teacher at THS for many years until recently when he was moved up to the assistant principal position after Ron Diroff took the principal position.

     Youngblood accepted the new position in September, so the search for a replacement began. The position has been open since the beginning of November since the first replacement did not last all that long.

     Trenton High School is a wonderful environment to learn, teach and grow in. A teacher who has a passion for changing students’ lives is needed to fill the position.    Youngblood is currently teaching his Advanced Placement Biology class and will continue to do so for the duration of the school year. However, the replacement will need to be prepared to teach Advanced Placement Biology beginning next year and for years to come. They must also be prepared to teach primarily biology, but also chemistry and physics when needed.

     In order to apply for the position, the applicant must have a DI or DX certification. The pay would depend on the applicant’s previous teaching experience and education level.

     A replacement is needed as soon as possible since other science teachers, Robert Douglas and Chelsea Dalzell, are teaching classes on their prep periods in order to cover all of the classes.

     “We are hiring at the earliest convenience,” Youngblood said.

To apply, visit applitrack.com or the Wayne County RESA website.

Trenton Forging opened its doors to students from Gabriel Richard High School to give them some positive exposure to the types of careers the skilled trades have to offer.

BY RICK SCHULTE

     Not only is there a need to fill jobs in the skilled trades industry, but as students at Riverview Gabriel Richard High School showed, there’s an interest in those jobs.

     More than 20 students from the school experienced a comprehensive look at the blue-collar world with a tour of Trenton Forging. The company’s CEO, Dave Moxlow, a 1974 graduate of Gabriel Richard, reached out to the school with the intention of introducing the idea of what entails industrial work.

     “There’s always a shortage of trade workers,” said Chelsea Lantto, business operations manager for Trenton Forging. “So there are two schools of thought. Yes, you have to have experience. But also, if you’re excited about it and willing to learn, we are willing to train you.”

     The employment numbers speak volumes about working as a skill tradesperson. Last year, Gov. Rick Snyder introduced an initiative that would push $100 million over five years into education, with the intention of getting more young people to fill blue-collar jobs. The median salary for starting out in skilled trades is $20 an hour – good money for those just entering the workforce. But a report from Grand Valley State University said there are up to 80,000 skilled trades jobs that are left unfilled. Many positions in skilled trades do not require a four-year degree.

     It’s that shorter learning period, coupled with lower student debt and a good opportunity at immediate entry into the workforce, that combine to make the trades a wise choice for many young people. It’s also estimated that 500,000 workers in Michigan work in skilled trades.

     “Probably the number one goal for our students when they graduate is to have a plan,” said Joe Whalen, Gabriel Richard principal. “All along, they have traditionally been taking college prep courses. But we’ve had a lot of talk lately about looking into the trades. There is a lot of opportunity there.”

     The students came to tour the facilities and were broken into two groups. Along with a tour of the various jobs that take place at the plant, they also participated in a discussion to learn more about the plant and skilled trades in general.          By learning about all that is involved in working in skilled trades, the students discovered all facets of life are impacted by it — such as transportation, defense and agriculture.

     “The world basically spins based on the work of people in the skilled trades,” Lantto said. “We brought in three skilled tradespeople, so they could explain the paths they took to get here.”

     Along with specializing in steel forging, the company provides other services, including 3D scanning and printing, die welding, machining and tooling. The family-run operation currently produces around $24 million in annual sales, with a goal of increasing that by 50 percent. More than 90 employees currently work with Trenton Forging.

     “I’m a third-generation employee,” Lantto said. “My grandfather started the company in 1967.”

     The feedback from the trip, which was arranged in large part with the help of academic advisor Lindsay Mieden, was quite favorable.

     “Trenton Forging is a good experience for us,” Whalen said. “It covers a lot of ground. It may have been the first time our students were seeing how it worked, but it was a very positive experience.”

     So far, students from Gabriel Richard and Monroe High School (which sent approximately 100 technical education students) have heard presentations from Trenton Forging, with more tours of the plant possible.

     Lantto also pointed out that, aside from interested students learning more about skilled trades, there are other things to consider.

     “Prepare your soft skills,” she said, referring to skills such as communication, teamwork, problem solving and ethics. “Working on your soft skills will help take you a long way.”

Michael Doyle

Time to define growth and proficiency

     So what is the difference between student growth and student proficiency? With the state of Michigan possibly moving to an A-F grading system for all buildings, one question that has come up is, what is the difference between measuring student growth and student proficiency?

     To break down proficiency, I’ll use skiing as an example. Most ski hills are broken down and marked based on the difficulty of the run. Green is the easiest to ski, the more gentle sloop, and usually fairly wide. The blue runs are in the middle in terms of difficulty, more difficult than the green rounds, more of a challenge with a steeper incline, sometimes even narrower. Ski hills will mark the steeper, narrow runs that are the most difficult with a black diamond. The most difficult, for true experts, are marked as double black diamond runs.

     This is where proficiency can be mentioned. A skier may be proficient on the green run, able to ski down the run without a crash as they carve up that part of the mountain. This person would be considered proficient at the green runs. They are not ready to ski a blue run as the person lacks the proficiency or skill set to get down the run without a wreck. A student could be proficient at a certain level of math but has the ability to grow.

     This is where growth comes into play. A skier can demonstrate growth by learning to become proficient on a blue run through various learning strategies. This desire to grow could come from an instructor who uses instructional strategies to help the skier grow to become proficient on the more difficult runs. To help with growth, the instructor may have the skier work with others in a cooperative environment or maybe receive instruction in a small group situation or the instructor may use differentiated instruction. This is instruction in which a range of different avenues is used to help with understanding. All of this instruction is designed to help the skier grow to the next level of proficiency. They work to refine their practice and engage in growth.

     A process that Trenton Public Schools is making use of for students is a Multi-Tiered System of Supports. MTSS is a systemic, continuous improvement process in which data is used to help solve problems and used in making decisions at all levels of the educational system to help support students as they work to increase their proficiency.

     Much like helping someone become a better skier, MTSS utilizes high-quality evidence-based instruction, interventions, and assessment practices to ensure that every student receives the appropriate level of support to be successful. Progress is monitored frequently to determine if interventions are working. Or in the case of skiing, is the skier ready to take on that next level with the skill set they have in place because of the interventions?

     The purpose here was to help with the understanding of the difference between growth and proficiency and also make people aware of a program in Trenton Public Schools.

     One can always grow, be it in skiing or in the classroom. Not everyone will be an Olympic skier, but they can always work at their skill set to reach the next level of proficiency.

     Dr. Michael Doyle is community liaison director for Trenton Public Schools.

     The Library of Michigan recently awarded the Trenton High School Library a certificate of completion for meeting the Exemplary status of the Measurement Benchmarks for Michigan School Libraries for 21st Century Schools.

     The High School Instructional Media Center has been operated by Melissa Lambert. To earn this recognition the Trenton High School Library demonstrated its competence in three categories for school library program evaluation: Teaching for 21st Century Learning, Building the 21st Century Learning Environment, and Leading the Way to 21st Century Learning.

     Lambert in recent years has modified obsolete areas into flexible seating areas, added a large screen news monitor, relocated the Circulation Desk and created a Makerspace.

     Students, staff and our community have benefited from these changes.

     “We are proud that the THS Library has done such good work in providing services deemed ‘exemplary’ by the Library of Michigan, “said Rod Wakeham, district superintendent.  “Mrs. Lambert has transformed the space to include collaboration and technology. By focusing efforts on these key areas, our library has shown a strong commitment to information literacy and student achievement.”

     This is a voluntary management standards program that assists K-12 libraries by setting benchmarks in the areas of instruction, student achievement, technology, facility, staffing, budget, instructional materials, curriculum development, school improvement, community engagement, advocacy and additional applicable areas of instruction and engagement in the educational community.