Grand River Prep Student Honored as One of State’s Top Poetry Orators
For the second year in a row, Grand River Preparatory High School junior Brittni Eller has been honored as one of the state’s best poetry orators. Eller earned second runner-up in the state’s Poetry Out Loud competition on March 9-10 at Saginaw Valley State University, competing against 36 of the top students from across Michigan. Eller was second runner-up at last year’s competition as well.
 
“It is a credit to Brittni’s skill that she was again able to obtain such high ranks at the state level,” said Grand River Prep Principal Koree Woodward.
 
Eller read Cathy Sound’s 1955 poem entitled “Heaven,” a poem told from the perspective of a Chinese American railroad worker who longs for his homeland. To read the full poem, click here.  

Judges evaluated student performances on articulation, evidence of understanding, level of difficulty and accuracy.
 
Eller bested 32 other competitors to make it to the final round of four students at the state competition.  Earlier this school year, she defeated 300 of her classmates to earn the opportunity to compete in the statewide contest.
 
The competition, presented in partnership with the Michigan Humanities Council, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, is part of a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry.
 
To learn more about Poetry Out Loud, visit www.poetryoutloud.org.

Grand River Preparatory High School is managed by PrepNet and authorized by Grand Valley State University.

Kindergarten Start Date Update 
Last week, the Senate passed the set of bills that would move up the kindergarten start date. Senate Bills 315 & 316 would require a child to be at least five years old as of November 1, rather than December 1, in order to enroll in kindergarten in the 2013-2014 school year. Subsequently, in the 2014-2015 school year, a child would have to be at least five years old as of October 1, and, beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, a child would have to be at least five years old as of September 1 in order to enroll in kindergarten. However, the bills would allow a two-year exception to these requirements if requested by a parent. 

It is important to note that these bills still have to go through the House of Representatives (which already passed similar bills earlier this year) before they become law. Also, none of the bills at this point would change the start date for 2012 - 2013 school year.

Dollars & Sense
A charter school primer on State Aid Notes and long-term facility financing

Join MAPSA and expert guest speakers, May 14 at 4:00 p.m. for a 60-minute webinar covering topics related to charter school finance and borrowing. Topics to be covered include:

• State Aid Notes (SAN),
• Long-term facility financing,
• Legislative update on State Aid for the 2012 – 2013 school year,
• Michigan Finance Authority (MFA) SAN Program, and
• Facility financing & disclosure

Click here to register now for this informative and interactive webinar. Limited spaces available!

Keynote Announcement
Have you checked out who will be Tuesday’s Keynote Speaker at the 15th Annual Michigan Charter School Conference on November 5-6, 2012 at Cobo Hall in Detroit?

Visit MAPSA’s Facebook Page and watch the video announcement from MAPSA’s President, Dan Quisenberry.

Check out charterschools.org/conference for updates on the 15th Annual Michigan Charter School Conference.