Welcome to Ella White Elementary

Streaming Link APS School Board Meeting 12/16/24 5:30 PM Click Here

Applications are due by 12/31/24

The APS School Board is seeking nominees to serve on the Sex Education Advisory Board (SEAB) as required by state law. Interested parties can apply directly using this Link,  download and print a PDF version HERE or pick up a paper copy at any APS school building. 

The composition of the Alpena Public School Sex Education Advisory Board (SEAB) is defined by applicable State Law.  This volunteer board is made up of parents who have a child attending a district school, students of the district, educators, local clergy, and community health representatives. 

The goals of this advisory board are to:

1. Establish program goals and objectives for student knowledge and skills that are likely to reduce the rates of sex, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted diseases. Additional program goals and objectives may be established by the sex education advisory board that are not contrary to Michigan law.
    

2. Review the materials and methods of instruction used and make recommendations to the Board for implementation. The advisory board shall take into consideration the District's needs, demographics, and trends, including, but not limited to, teenage pregnancy rates, sexually transmitted disease rates, and incidents of student sexual violence and harassment.
    

3. At least once every two (2) years, evaluate, measure, and report the attainment of program goals and objectives established by the advisory board. The Board shall make the resulting report available to parents in the District.

Those interested in being considered to serve on this advisory board should contact the Secretary to the Board of Education at 989.358.5042 to request an application. Seats are filled on an "as-needed" basis and applications are accepted anytime. Seats are filled through appointments made by the Board of Education. Appointments are made to maintain a balanced committee including representation from parents/guardians of APS students enrolled at elementary, middle, and high school levels, health officials, clergy, students, and school personnel. Applications are stamped with a date upon receipt and are kept on file for two years.

Join the Alpena Public Schools Sex Education Advisory Board

The Alpena Public Schools Board of Education seeks dedicated individuals to serve a two-year term on the Sex Education Advisory Board (SEAB). The SEAB is expected to meet 3-5 times per year typically.

Who Can Serve?
The SEAB is a volunteer committee composed of a diverse group, including parents of district students, students, educators, local clergy, and community health representatives, as defined by state law. This broad representation ensures that multiple perspectives are considered in shaping the district’s sex education programs.

Board Goals and Responsibilities:
The SEAB plays a vital role in shaping sex education within the district. Its primary objectives include:

• Setting program goals and objectives designed to reduce the rates of sexual activity, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted diseases among students.

• Reviewing instructional materials and methods, and recommending improvements to the Board of Education. The SEAB considers local data and trends, such as teenage pregnancy rates, sexually transmitted diseases, and incidents of sexual violence and harassment when making decisions.

• Every two years, the SEAB will evaluate the program’s effectiveness and report its findings to the Board, which will share the results with district parents.

How to Apply:
If you are interested in contributing to the SEAB, please contact the Board of Education Secretary at 989.358.5042 to request an application. A hard copy of the application can be printed from our website or picked up at any school office. Applicants can also go to our website www.alpenaschools.com and fill out an application online by choosing the District page then Board of Education and scrolling down to the link or submit an application using this link.

 Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and positions are filled as needed to maintain a balanced representation from parents of students at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, along with health professionals, clergy, law enforcement, and school staff. Applications remain on file for two years from the date received. The current window for applications is 12/10/24 through 12/31/24.

December 9, 2024

When the school budget is audited annually, local media often publishes headlines that only tell part of the story. School finance is highly complex, yet APS manages its finances exceptionally well. A strong financial foundation is crucial to Alpena Public Schools’ ability to support students, staff, and facilities now and in the future. Like all public schools, our finances undergo rigorous annual third-party audits. Once again, our practices passed with flying colors.  We are dedicated to being excellent stewards of the financial resources provided to us by our community.

Fund Balance (What is it and why do we need it?)

In 2023, expenses were below budget, enabling the district to add to its general fund balance—a vital cushion for unexpected expenses or revenue shortfalls. Our fiscal year begins on July 1st, yet we do not receive a payment from the state of Michigan until October 1st.  This means the district needs to have enough funds in its general fund balance to cover the expenses for two months out of the year or incur unnecessary interest expenses from borrowing the money to cover this gap in funding. This has happened in the past when our fund balances were lower. 

Currently, the general fund balance stands at approximately $16 million. Here's how it is allocated:

• Non-Spendable: $506,576 (inventory)

• Restricted: $1,704 (stadium-related athletics)

• Committed: $135,390 (stadium turf, athletics, scholarships)

• Assigned: $856,243 (specific areas, such as Campus Closet)

• Unassigned: $14,289,968 (readily available for use)

Our Strategic Plan directs us to utilize these funds to balance investments in instructional programs, facility improvements, and extracurricular activities. As stewards of taxpayer dollars, we ensure that every dollar reflects our commitment to student success and district sustainability.

Over the next 3–5 years, our 10 buildings (totaling 649,849 square feet) will require over $9 million in upgrades and maintenance—costs beyond those covered by the Safe, Warm, Dry Bond. Individual expenses in our instructional programs and extracurricular activities may not be as large as those attached to our facilities, but there are more initiatives in these areas that, when looked at as a total package, can total millions of dollars.

Unlike expenses for instructional programs, facility improvements, and extracurriculars, which are typically one-time costs, staff compensation expenses are compounding. These costs recur annually and increase each year.

Ask APS

This focus on financial responsibility often prompts questions from our community. A recent inquiry asked:

“If the district has such a large fund balance, why won’t the superintendent just pay all employees more?”

Most employees are unionized, and compensation is negotiated through a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between district administration and union leadership. The superintendent cannot unilaterally decide compensation. Since 2020, the district has worked with employee groups to provide stipends and additional compensation beyond what CBAs outline, requiring formal agreements between both parties.

Balancing fair employee compensation with long-term financial stability is a core responsibility. A healthy fund balance supports infrastructure, instructional needs, and commitments to employees while safeguarding the district’s future.

Another question asked:

“Why does your advertisement for hiring new staff show wages higher than for long-term employees?”

It is a misconception that we were advertising higher than current employees receive. Some employees and community members may not have been aware of a higher rate that was agreed upon. However, our current advertised rates reflect rates recently presented by the district and agreed to by the employee groups through the processes mentioned above.  We review salary and compensation regularly to remain competitive. Nationally, wages have risen at rates not seen in years. We advertise for various positions, each with different compensation levels. As noted earlier, employee compensation is determined through a collaborative process between administration and employee groups.

Upcoming School Events

This is a wonderfully busy time of year in our schools.  Please join us for our school events.  Check out the weekly newsletters from your principals, or go online to www.alpenaschools.com and check our calendars.

Winter Break

Students’ last day is Friday, December 20, 2024. Classes resume on January 6, 2025.

I wish you and your family the happiest of holidays!

Streaming Link for our YouTube channel @AlpenaPublicSchoolsMichigan

https://youtube.com/live/-eaBY4nnBRk?feature=share

November 1, 2024

Snow Days

I’m sure this will be a popular message 🤪, but our first snow days over the past two years were on November 16th and 17th! So, how do we decide to close school due to weather? Last year brought a big change: my dog, Mabel, decided she’s no longer interested in checking the roads with me at 3 or 4 a.m., leaving me to handle my portion of our 604-square-mile district solo. Thankfully, the transportation team pitches in too, since one part of the district may be passable while another isn’t. We understand there are strong feelings around these decisions, but rest assured, we always err on the side of caution.

Parent Surveys (Family and Community Partnerships)

Parent-Teacher conferences were this week. I hope you had the chance to attend in person, or if not, connect with your student’s teachers another way. Teacher-family connections are critical to student success.

Please take a moment to complete the Parent Survey provided at conferences, or check your building’s weekly update for the survey link. Your feedback is important to us. After the survey closes, our full administrative review team will review feedback across the district, and each principal will go over their building’s data. We use this feedback to identify ways to improve our schools. The Board of Education and the community will also receive a summary of the results.

Chronic Absence (Whole-Child Development)

A few weeks ago, news outlets reported a dramatic increase in the number of APS students who were chronically absent last year. Unfortunately, the district had mistakenly reported this data to the state, so while the news report was accurate, our actual chronic absenteeism rate did not rise dramatically. We are now working to correct our report to the state. If the state recalculates last year’s data, we’ll be sure to update you.

Our School Success team is working hard to support students and families facing challenges with school attendance. We see new successes daily as we work to remove obstacles so students can get to school on time, ready to learn.

Personnel Update

A few weeks ago, the District, as a gesture of good faith, offered to make the $1.50 per hour wage increase from the 2023-24 school year permanent, even though it expired at the end of that school year. ESP II (Instructional Assistants) leadership agreed, and both parties signed a Letter of Agreement to confirm this understanding formally.

ASK APS (Family and Community Partnership)

We recently invited questions from the community about how public schools operate. We’ve started sharing answers to some of these questions on Facebook, and I’ll address one here:

“Why aren’t staff given the opportunity to evaluate the superintendent?”

In Michigan, the school board—not staff—is legally responsible for evaluating a public school superintendent. The board hires, supervises, and assesses the superintendent's performance based on district goals, educational standards, and priorities. If staff were to evaluate the superintendent, it could compromise the governance structure, introduce bias, and blur lines of accountability. The board’s evaluation approach allows for a strategic, district-wide perspective that best supports effective leadership.

Daylight Saving Time

Who remembers calling “Time” on the phone? “At the tone, the time will be…” As a kid, I dreamed of calling just as Daylight Saving ended: “At the tone, the time will be One Fifty-Nine A.M. and Fifty seconds... Beep! At the tone, the time will be One A.M. and Zero seconds…” But every year, I’d forget and sleep through it!

Fun fact: I just Googled it, and you can still call for the time! The U.S. Navy sponsors a time check at 1-202-762-1401. Maybe this weekend, a childhood dream will come true!

In case you missed the point… don’t forget that we “Fall Back” an hour this weekend!