In the Loop

Get Connected with Fremont Public Schools

You and I are busy people. We have no real opportunity to get together for a chat. Yet we do have new ways we can “talk.” That’s the point of In the Loop: a format for sharing with you regular insights of life at Fremont Public Schools.

Please share In the Loop with your friends.

John Kingsnorth, Superintendent
jkingsnorth@fremont.net

 

March 14, 2008 In The Loop

In This Issue:

 

NCCA ART COMPETITION WINNERS

By Pathfinder Art teacher Ms. Karrip and Daisy Brook art teacher Ms. Pekel

We have the results of the annual NCCA art competition. Below is a list of our winners and where you can see their artwork displayed:

Second Grade 1st place Eryn Belleman NCCA
First Grade Hon Mention Corbin Wolfsen NCCA
Second Grade Sp Recognition Riley Krim Grant Public Library
Second Grade Sp Recognition Deanna Strong Dogwood Center
Second Grade Sp Recognition Tamika Thompson Dogwood Center
Third Grade Sp Recognition Cameron Nicholas Dogwood Center

All the kids have all been doing such a great job I would like to thank you all for doing your very best in the Art room. Remember to me all of you are winners!

Karley Krim 4th grade 3rd place for her Amate bird painting
Kara Alt 5th grade Honorable Mention for her clay chicken
Nathan Hoffman 4th grade Special recognation for an underwater drawing
Christine Murchison 5th grade Name transformation
Allison Kublin 5th grade Clay chicken
Jaylyn Pekel 5th grade ultimate treehouse drawing
Emma Abendroth 5th grade Rousseau jungle picture

I am also sending a bunch of artwork to Rep. Geoff Hansen's office to be hung in the capital for 3 or more months.
The pieces I chose for that are the following:

Tate Bowen 4th grade Beetle painting
Morgan Griswold 4th grade Beetle painting
Sarah TenBrink 5th grade Name transformation
Allison Kublin 5th grade Watercolor insects
Sydney Loss 5th grade Watercolor insects
Shelby Taylor 5th grade Rousseau jungle
Kira Raquet 5th grade Ultimate treehouse
Bailey Karel 5th grade Ultimate treehouse
Alyssa Millis 4th grade Underwater drawing
Celine Mangin 4th grade Underwater drawing
Maria Galarza 5th grade leaf print

 

SMART MONEY

It’s time for a brief lesson in one aspect of school finance, and not just because this lesson saves money for you, the taxpayer, although that is an excellent reason. It’s important to discuss because it is a good example of the many facets of running a school business.

We recently, and finally, had the opportunity to refinance a portion of our long-term building debt. In the process, and this is where you, the taxpayer, comes in, we will save slightly more than $940,000.

Here’s how it works: It’s like refinancing your house when interest rates become more favorable, which gives you better payment terms on your mortgage. You can either lower your monthly payment, or make the same monthly payment and pay off your debt quicker.

That’s what we did with the Pathfinder bonds, which were sold in 1998 to raise money for the school’s construction. This was the first opportunity to, in effect, resell those bonds at a more favorable interest rate to us. The original bond sale locked in the interest rate for a certain period of time, so the bond purchasers, the investors, could count on receiving a certain rate of return for a fixed number of years.

The original interest rate average on the bonds was 4.75 percent; our new rate is 3.41 percent. When we maintain our same monthly payment over the next 13 years, based on our current millage rate – the taxes you pay – we will have cut down the total number of years left on the debt.

The net result: a savings to you of almost one million dollars.

The bond debt we refinanced amounted to about $8 million. Our overall debt on all of our buildings is a bit over $14 million.

Will you see a difference on your property tax bill? Whether you see real savings will depend somewhat on your property value. We will pay off our debt quicker, and the millage rate you are assessed will gradually goes down a little faster. For example, the millage rate now is 3.4 mills; next year it goes to an estimated 3.2 mills. That would have been closer to 3.3 mills without the refinancing, and our interest rate would have been higher.

I also must point out that what we are discussing is our debt fund, not the operating fund. We cannot, by law, use money collected for building debt payments to run our schools, such as to pay heat, lights, utilities, or wages.

We are very pleased with the results of this bond sale. It is another way we are working to maintain the financial integrity of our school system.

 

WORLD MATH DAY

By Pathfinder teacher Rebecca Miller

On March 5th, more than three-quarters of a million students participated in World Math Day and set a new world record for the most math questions answered in a day. By participating in the competition to answer the most math questions correctly, students from more than 100 countries answered a total of 182,455,169 questions, quickly eclipsing this year's 50 million question goal and shattering last year's record of 38,904,275. This extraordinary response had a downside, however.  During the last few days, we closely monitored the large volume of students logging on to www.worldmathday.com  to ensure every child had a chance to compete.  But, because of the overwhelming number of students on the site, some students were not able to participate fully. Our site was simply not prepared to handle so many students on the site at once

However, my class participated in this event on March 5. They had a blast.  We could not have done it without the new mobile computer lab that we received this year.  We did have to practice patience as we had difficulty getting to participate, but everyone did get a chance.  The whole program was very kid friendly with incentives built in.  What a fun day!

Thank you for the mobile computer lab!  It has opened new opportunities to our children.

 

MIDDLE SCHOOL CHOIR RECEIVES DIVISION 1 RATINGS

By Choir director, Laurene Homsher

Our Fremont Middle School Choirs received 1st Division ratings at the District Choral Festival this past weekend.

Our 8th Grade Choir was the ONLY 8th Grade Choir to receive a PERFECT score and #1 rating (of all the 8th grade choirs who performed) of straight ones from the five judges...we were highly complimented for our approach to Sight Reading performing not only singing correct notes and rhythms, but singing with emotion and passion, never having seen the music ever before!

Our 7th Grade Choir was the ONLY 7th Grade Choir to receive a 1st Division rating of all the 7th grade choirs who performed. They received 4 perfect scores and one #2 for an overall #1 rating...they were also complimented for their "musical approach" to sight reading, receiving a perfect score.

Please help me compliment and congratulate these fine young musicians. Not only was their music exceptional, but their behavior at the festival site (Grand Haven HS) was noticed and complimented by the Grand Haven Choral Boosters who helped facilitate the festival.

We have outstanding musicians in the Middle School... I guess the diligence of never accepting anything but their best paid off!!!!

 

INTRODUCING FFA STATE CHAMPION SARAH HRUBY AND STATE OFFICER MARIE HRUBY

By FFA advisor Rebel Smith

Sarah Hruby is the State Champion in the FFA Job Interview Contest.  Last week Sarah competed against 11 other State Finalists over the course of two days to win the contest.  Sarah became Fremont’s 3rd State Winner in this contest, and the 2nd in 3 years.  This October Sarah will represent the state of Michigan at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. 

Congratulations to Marie Hruby!  Marie was elected to serve on the 2008-2009 Michigan FFA State Officer Team.  She is now one of 12 students responsible for carrying out the events of the Michigan FFA for the coming year.  Marie will travel across the State and the Nation representing the FFA.  Marie is Fremont’s 6th State Officer in the last 20 years!!!

 

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLERS

By Coach John Stariha

Congratulations to Fremont High School WRESTLERS for placing at State competition this past weekend. We are extremely proud of you!

Brad Jones – 4th place

Tim Carpenter – 5th place

Mike Dunbar – 6th place.


Please click here to subscribe to this newsletter or find additional newsletters to which you can subscribe

In the Loop

Get Connected with Fremont Public Schools

John D. Kingsnorth
Superintendent
Fremont Public Schools
(231) 924-2350
jkingsnorth@fremont.net