December 21 Last Day before Winter Break

24 – Jan 4 No School for Students and Staff ~ Winter Break

January 07 Classes Resume

11 Basketball @ Grand River Prep – 5 (Girls); 6:30 (Boys)

15 Basketball @ WMAES – 5:30 (Girls); 7 (Boys)

17 Parent/Teacher Conferences – 3-7 (High School Only)

18 Basketball @ Grattan Academy – 5:30 (Girls); 7 (Boys)

21 No School for Students and Staff – MLK Day

21 Basketball @ Potter’s House – 5

29 Basketball @ Waypoint Academy – 5:30 (Girls); 7 (Boys)

November 21-23 No School for Students and Staff ~ Thanksgiving Break

November 26 No School for Students; Teacher PD Day: 9 AM-3:30 PM

November 27 Beginning of 2nd Trimester

December 05 Teacher PD 3-4 PM

December 08 MORP Dance – Grades 9-12

December 12 K-5 Christmas Performance – TBA

December 14 K-5 Santa Workshop – 5:30 – 8 pm

December 21 Last Day before Winter Break

December 24 – Jan 4 No School for Students and Staff ~ Winter Break

January 07 Classes Resume

Pictured: Gillian Crowder(4th) and Shawney Mason (K); Joshua Piskun (K) and Jared Smith(4th)

Each week, Kindergarten and Fourth Grade students pair up for Reading Buddies.  Fourth Grade students help the Kindergartners with word recognition and comprehension while reading aloud to them.  As Kindergarten students become more familiar with books and text, those students start to read to the fourth graders as well.  Miss Bostic, the kindergarten teacher, states, “Reading Buddies allows my Kindergartners to hear fluent readers, and builds their confidence.  Students get so excited each week to share that learning time with their buddies.”

CTA is a free K-12 Public School Academy serving 11 school districts and communities in Kent, Montcalm, Newaygo, Mecosta, and Muskegon counties.

We may be what you want for your children’s education:

• Small class sizes

• Save, innovative, welcoming learning environment

• Highly qualified teachers with full certification

• Free lunch for ALL students regardless of family income

School Contact Information

350 Pine Street

Cedar Springs, MI 49319

(616) 696-4905

www.ctaschool.com

Creative Technologies Academy is a public, non-profit, charter school authorized by Ferris State University in August, 1998. It opened for classes in the fall of 1998 serving 120 students in grades 7-12. Grades K-6 were added over the next few years. The Academy is housed in three buildings on a seven acre site just minutes from the 131 expressway in Cedar Springs, Michigan, a rural community just twenty minutes north of Grand Rapids. The optimum size for the Academy is 325 students. There is still some room for expansion if that is viable at some future date.

CTA has served as a member of the Michigan Association of Public School Academies (MAPSA) for the past thirteen years. This has provided the leadership team of CTA opportunities to meet with our State representatives to share the accomplishments and needs of charter schools.

We invite you to get to know us and we look forward to knowing and working with you. Whether you are a student, parent, employer, prospective employee, or an interested citizen, we are eager to share with you our commitment to teaching and learning and our joy in serving children.

Dan George

Superintendent/School Leader

CTA CALENDAR

October

20th Cross Country Class D State Championship: 12 noon Maple Creek Golf Course, Shepherd, MI

22nd Parent Dinner with Staff: 6:15 pm, CTA Cafeteria - Parent/Superintendent Town Hall Meeting: 7 pm

23rd-25th EL & MS Parent Teacher Conferences (by appointment)

25th HS Parent Teacher Conferences: 3-7 pm

26th No School for Students and Staff

27th Michigan Independent XC State Championship: 4 pm

Allendale High School, Allendale, MI

30 Mobile Dentist: 8-1 pm

November

2nd Picture Re-takes

7th Teacher PD: 3 PM – 4 PM

7th, 9th Girls Basketball Tryouts: 3:30 – 5:15 pm

8th, 9th Boys Basketball Tryouts: 3:30 – 5:50 pm

12th CTA Board Meeting

20th End of 1st Trimester

20th Basketball Scrimmage @ Providence Christian:

21st-23nd No School for Students and Staff ~ Thanksgiving Break

26th No School for Students; Teacher PD Day: 9 AM-3:30 PM

Creative Technologies Academy welcomes five new teachers to our staff this year and we are thrilled to have them join us.

Lauren Huston

First grade teacher Lauren Huston is a graduate of Michigan State University and comes to us from Saginaw. Swimming is one of her favorite activities and she is excited to be in West Michigan.

Hannah Barrett

Hannah Barrett teaches second grade and she is a graduate of Hillsdale College where she was a co-captain and four year scholarship athlete on the volleyball team that qualified for three NCAA regional tournaments. She and her fiancé are planning a wedding for the summer of 2013.

Shant’l Raines

Shant’l Raines teaches high school business and technology classes at CTA. She holds a B.S. in Education and a M.A. in Educational Leadership from Central Michigan University where she was involved in many academic, business, and leadership organizations. She also has been a volunteer for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.

Michelle Larsen

Michelle Larsen teaches seventh grade and middle school math and has made Pierson, MI home for several years. Ms. Larsen is a graduate of Grand Valley State University and she comes to CTA from Mason County Eastern Schools. She welcomes the shorter drive to CTA and she enjoys a variety of outdoor activities including boating and fishing.

Sarah Classen

Sarah Classen is CTA’s K-7 Reading Lab Teacher. Sarah is a graduate of Spring Arbor University. She is newly married to husband, Kurt, and they make Rockford their new home.

Fox TV 17 morning anchor, Sarah Brodhead, visited CTA to award the station’s area Teacher of the Week to high school science teacher, Gerry Verwey. We have long known Mr. Verwey is a great teacher but it’s nice to know the rest of West Michigan will know it now.

As if teaching all the high school science classes were not enough, Mr. Verwey also serves as the head cross country coach and assistant boys basketball coach.

“Gerry represents all that is good about the teaching profession,” said School Leader, Dan George. “He is highly respected and appreciated by his students, his fellow teachers, administrators, and parents.”

Congratulations, Mr. Verwey!

By: David Silvey

According to the American School Bus Council, school buses are designed to be safer than passenger vehicles in avoiding crashes and preventing injury. Today, as compared to years ago, school buses are built with safety in mind. In fact, a study by the U.S. Department of Transportation states that children are safer riding the bus to and from school than being driven in a car by an adult. When you are sharing the road with school buses, follow these tips.

Yellow and Red Flashing Lights – School buses have yellow lights to warn drivers they will be making a stop and red flashing lights and an extendable stop sign to tell drivers to stop. Yellow does not mean go faster, it means slow down. Be aware of your surroundings and always come to a complete stop. Do not continue driving until the lights have turned off and the sign is pulled in.

Passing a School Bus – It is illegal to pass a school bus on the right side of the road because you cannot be aware of where the bus needs to stop to load or unload. Always wait for the bus to move to the right lane or stay a safe distance behind it. Additionally, it is illegal in all 50 states to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children. It is vital that you stop your vehicle at least 10 feet away from the school bus to allow for riders to enter and exit safely.

Railroad Crossings – In most states it is required that school buses stop at all railway crossings. Be alert when a crossing is ahead and a school bus nearby so that you can stop as well.

Divided Highways – You must always stop for flashing red lights; however, most states do not require drivers to stop when on the opposite side of a divided highway. Use extreme caution if you are in this situation as passengers may be trying to cross in that area, especially if there is a crosswalk.

Buses Need Turning Space – Just like trucks, buses have a wide turning radius. Remember to provide them with ample turning space so they can maneuver easily on the road.

Watch for Children Waiting for the Bus – As the driver, you are responsible for keeping an eye on the road and on children waiting for the bus. Come to a complete stop at all stop lights and stop signs, drive slowly near bus stops and watch for children crossing the road.

Slow Down – Use caution if you are driving in residential areas and school zones. Fines for speeding in an area can be hefty.

Allow for Extra Time During Your Commute – School bus drivers have to follow the same speed limit rules as every other driver; however, they make frequent stops which can delay traffic. Know the bus routes in your community and allow ample travel time when school is in session.

About the author: David Silvey is a Vice President at AlliedBarton Security Services, www.alliedbarton.com, the industry’s premier provider of highly trained security personnel to many industries including higher education, commercial real estate, healthcare, residential communities, chemical/petrochemical, government, manufacturing and distribution, financial institutions and shopping centers.