Book Fair season underway at District schools

The popular annual "Book Fair" season has begun at Lapeer Community Schools.

Displays are set up this week at Schickler, Murphy and Elba-Seaton Elementary Schools and students are compiling their "wish lists" for the holidays.


Students choose from the newest books and educational offerings and a portion of the receipts go directly back to the school.

Photos from Schickler on Monday are on the photo gallery.

Photos from Murphy.

Photos from Elba-Seaton.

Murphy students, parents get preview of new facilities at the future Rolland Warner campus

Students in the fourth and fifth grades at the Murphy campus of Hadley-Murphy Elementary School and their parents paid a visit Wednesday, May 27, to the new facilities they will be attending at the opening of classes in the fall of 2009.

Hadley-Murphy Principal Scott Warren, Superintendent Debbie Thompson, Director of Transportation Jerry Podzikowski and Food Services Director Scott Smith were on hand to answer parents’ questions and take a tour of the new facilities.

Next year’s fifth and sixth grade students will attend classes in what will be the 6th grade wing of Rolland Warner Middle School when it opens in the fall of 2010 as a middle school.

The Lapeer Community High School students who are currently studying in the facility will move to their new campus at Cramton in the fall of 2009.

The District’s 7th grade students next year will attend classes in the soon-to-be-completed 7th and 8th grade wings of the facility.

A hop, skip and a jump to raising $23,272 for the American Heart Association

Lapeer Community Schools’ elementary students jump roped and shot basketballs on their way to raising $23,272 for the American Heart Association in the past two months.

“Hoops for Heart” and “Jump Rope for Heart” events were held at all District elementary schools. Students accepted pledges and then participated in the athletic events during a specified physical education time.

Students jumped individually and in groups in raising the money. Physical education teachers involved in the programs were: Ken Baginski, Deb Cooper, Jane Darin, and Sandy Mroz.

“Students have learned an important exercise skill as well as helping out a very worthy cause,” said Jane Darin, a District physical education teacher.

On May 7th, Cindie DeWolf, youth director for the American Heart Association, will present certificates to the District’s elementary physical education teachers for their work in promoting the healthy heart events.

“All of your elementary physical education teachers do a great job,” DeWolf said. “Your technology teachers also participated by bringing the physical education lessons into the technology classes.”

“In Lapeer, every single school participates and every single student gets a chance to do the activities whether they are raising money or not,” DeWolf said. “It’s not just about raising the money, it’s about eating healthy stuff, moving around and being tobacco free and then having the students share that information with family and friends. The students really get it. Lapeer does a phenomenal job.”

Here are the totals for the schools: Elba ($2,900); Hadley ($1,600); Lynch ($5,000); Maple Grove ($2,700); Mayfield ($2,591); Murphy ($2,581); Schickler ($2,100); Seaton ($1,400); and Turrill ($2,400).

Students honor "Someone Special" at 2009 ceremony at Murphy Elementary School

It was a pretty "special" day at the Murphy campus of Hadley-Murphy Elementary School on Friday, April 17, 2009.

Students in Mrs. Rachel Pake and Mrs. Stephanie Giroux Phillips' class each invited a very special person to enjoy a day of honor and pampering.

Poems written by each student in honor of the "special" person were read and presented to the honorees. Mothers, fathers, grandparents, siblings and two aunts were invited to the "Hollywood" treatment that included a red carpet lined with adoring fans.

There were plenty of hugs and tears as the poems were read and presented to the special guests.

Following the ceremony, the students and their special person were treated to refreshments and other activities.

Photos of the event are here.

Murphy students learn recycling lessons: Turning household trash to art

Third grade students in Mrs. Amy Duncan's class took on a challenge from their teacher to make something new or artistic out of garbage and junk collected at home.

"We learned how reusing and recycling are all important for the environment and how vital our role is in reducing the amount of waste in our landfills," said Mrs. Duncan.

Each student received a signed certificate from Mrs. Duncan and "Mother Earth" in recognition of their efforts.

Pictures of all the projects are here.