Lapeer West B-ball standout Anthony Sisson signs commitment with Henry Ford Community College

Lapeer West High School graduating senior and star basketball guard Anthony Sisson has inked a commitment to play at the next level for Henry Ford Community College in Dearborn next season.

Anthony averaged 13.3 points per game this season with a season high game of 25 points. A key 3-point shooter for the Panthers’ basketball team, Anthony hit 36 of 109 attempts from the 3-point stripe for a 33 percent average.

He tallied 42 steals this past season and was listed among the All Flint Metro League players. Flint Journal had a brief story today.

On Thursday, June 10, he joined his head varsity basketball coach, Andy Roberts, for a signing ceremony in the Lapeer West Media Center.

East, West golf coaches offering a summer 2010 Lapeer Junior Golf League

Varsity golf coaches from Lapeer East and Lapeer West High Schools, Mr. Steve Stearns and Mr. Mike Ogg, are offering the 2010 Lapeer Junior Golf League for young people, ages 10 through 17, who live or go to school in Lapeer County starting June 18 at the Lapeer Country Club.

The total cost of the league is $50 and includes eligibility to play in six qualifying rounds to enter a season tournament. The tournament will be set up in flights depending on the number of entrants per division. Golfers must play at least three qualifying rounds to be eligible to win the Net divisions of the tournament.

Qualifying rounds will be played at the Lapeer Country Club on Fridays, June 18, June 25, July 9, 16, 23, and 30. The tournament will be played on Friday, August 6, with a rain date of August 13. Tee times will range from 6:30 a.m. to 7;30 a.m. and participants should be at the course 20 minutes ahead of their tee time.

The parent/guardian of each participant is asked to be available to observe at least one qualifying round.

For more information or to obtain an enrollment application contact Mr. Stearns at (810) 664-0288 or Mr. Ogg at (810) 577-7108.

Summer sports physicals clinic offered

An annual clinic for sports physicals is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 4 at the Lapeer Regional Physical Therapy Center, 1057 Suncrest Drive. The physicals will continue until everyone waiting for one is done.

Cost is $20 and is for Lapeer Community School students in 7th-12th grades only.

Sports physicals at this clinic are required to be done on the Lapeer Regional Physical Form. Forms will be available at the therapy center. Forms will also be available all summer at the Administration & Services Center, 250 Second Street in Lapeer as well as Lapeer East, Lapeer West and Rolland-Warner Middle School until they close for the summer on June 21.

Sports physicals for participation in the 2010-2011 school year must be signed by a parent or guardian and must be dated on or after April 15, 2010.

District to provide free summer breakfast, lunch at two locations

School is ending for the year, but Lapeer Community Schools will not close the doors on those who need help getting nutritional meals.

The district will provide free breakfast and lunch at two locations on weekdays to all people 18 and younger beginning this month and continuing into August. The only exception is no meals will be served on Monday, July 5. The schedule for meals is as follows:

Rolland Warner
June 21 to Aug. 20
Breakfast: 7:15 a.m.- 8:30 a.m.
Lunch: 10:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Lapeer Rec Center June 14 to Aug. 20
Breakfast: 8:15 a.m.- 9:15 a.m.
Lunch: 11:15 a.m.- 12:15 p.m.

All meals are free to all individuals 18 and under, whether or not they attend Lapeer schools. Parents may drop young people off or can stay and eat with them for a small charge. Breakfast for adults is $1.50 and lunch is $2.50

The program, funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, is designed to ensure young people have nutritious meals throughout the summer and comes during a particularly difficult time for Michigan’s economy and workers.

This is the third year for the free summer meal program. In its first year, the district served more than 12,000 breakfast and lunch meals during the summer months

Matt Olson named Principal of Zemmer Middle School

An experienced administrator who believes middle school students have unique educational needs has been named principal of Zemmer Middle School.

Matt Olson, currently principal at Sherman Middle School and Richert Intermediate School in the Holly School District, will begin his new job with Lapeer Community Schools on July 1, 2010.

Mr. Olson said he was interested in the Zemmer position because his philosophy matches that of the district in terms of educating middle school students.

“I am a middle school guy through and through,” Mr. Olson said. “When I saw what Lapeer was doing and the groundwork in the program they are establishing, all the effort to create a true middle school that is not older elementary school or young high school, I wanted to join.

“I believe they (middle school students) are truly unique and have unique needs. The district feels the same way.”

Lapeer is launching a new middle school program designed to be a better bridge between the elementary and high school years and to help students prepare and meet the Michigan Merit Curriculum requirements for high school graduation. Mr. Olson said he is eager to become involved in that program.

“I am incredibly excited about this,” he said. “It’s a great position and I can’t wait to start.”

Mr. Olson earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan-Flint and earned his master’s degree in educational administration from Michigan State University. He currently is pursuing an educational specialist degree from Oakland University.

He also has worked in the Mt. Morris and Carman-Ainsworth school districts.

Students sew dresses for Africa as class project

Lapeer East eighth grade sewing students have been finishing up a final exam project that will mean something to their grades, but more to some young girls in Africa who will be the beneficiaries of the hand made pillowcase dresses made by the students.

Last year’s students created about 60 of the dresses, but this year’s students will make and ship about 100 of the creations for the http://www.littledressesforafrica.org/ project.

The sewing students are working in teams to ‘fancy up’ the pillowcases with lace, ribbon and bows. Students must use many sewing skills, like elastic casings and making armholes to finish the dresses.

“This is a wonderful way to test the skills of my students and perform a worthwhile public service project at the same time,” said Lapeer East Life Management teacher Miss Terry Brennan.

Photos of the project are available at the photo gallery.

Lynch students lobby State Representative Kevin Daley for State dragonfly designation

A group of third-graders at Lynch Elementary School received a surprise visit from State Representative Kevin Daley Monday so they could personally lobby him for an issue that has been ‘bugging’ them.

Students in Mrs. Gail Hale’s class wrote letters to Rep. Daley, which they had a chance to present to him in person during his surprise visit, about making the dragonfly the official insect of Michigan.

Last year, Mrs. Hale discovered that Michigan was one of only four states without an official insect. The third-graders were presented with the challenge of researching and then lobbying their State Representative on the issue.

Part of the third grade curriculum includes an outdoor education visit to Skinner Lake where water samples are collected and examined for various life forms. One of the most common underwater findings are dragonfly nymphs which soon climb out of the water to shed their exoskeleton and fly away. (Photo above is Rep. Daleyand students Chase DeLong and Brittany Beck)

Students peppered Rep. Daley with dragonfly facts during his visit. Photos are available on the District photo gallery.

As adults the dragonflies lay eggs in the water and their life cycle is repeated. The third graders from Lynch brought back samples of the dragonfly nymphs to the classroom where they observed this process before releasing the dragonflies outdoors. The experience with this event made the dragonfly their perfect choice for Michigan’s state insect.

This is the second year that the Lynch third graders have written to Representative Daley and now they may have the opportunity to actually visit Lansing to formally present their request.

“The students are excited about this prospect and look forward to learning more about how they can play an active role in our government’s procedures,” said Mrs. Hale.

Three Lapeer sports teams advance in the post season

Lapeer East girls' soccer and boys' baseball continue their already successful seasons. Last night the girls' soccer team defeated Warren Regina in a thrilling 1-0 match. The Flint Journal has great photos and a story. The team now faces a tough challenge facing Birmingham Marian Thursday night in the Regional championship game. Photos and story in The County Press.

Lapeer West softball defeated Lapeer East and Grand Blanc last Saturday and advanced to the next level Saturday, June 12, against Flint Kearsley. The County Press has some great coverage as well.

Lapeer East baseball downed Brandon last Saturday to win the District title and advance. The County Press had photos and story in Wednesday's paper.

Schickler performs "Gotta Keep Reading"