Ypsilanti Public Schools Parent Learning Community

How do I find the best college for my student?

2010-02-25T09:41:00.002-05:00

Erica Woods, University of Michigan Admissions Intern, offered several tips to parents and students on how to pick a college:
1. Discover what you like-large or small classes, urban or rural, many extra curricular activities or fewer, etc.
2. Visit colleges, sit in on classes, and speak to people you know who have attended that school.
3. Find out admissions requirements. Check out GPA and ACT or SAT scores. Two websites to help you compare requirements and costs are: http://www.michigancollegeguide.com and http://www.collegeboard.com
4. Use your careercruising EDP account to locate a college that offers a program that meets your career interests. If you don't know your log-in, check with your counselor. The website is: http://www.careercruising.com .
5. Research schools and their requirements beginning your junior year if not before. Use the summer to decide on whom you are going to ask for letters of recommendation and organizing information so that you can begin your application at the end of the summer, early fall.
6. Give your teachers and your counselor a resume of your activities and accomplishments before you ask them if they will be willing to write a positive letter of recommendation. Also, give them three weeks to a month to write the letter. Write them a thank you prior to due date.
7. Develop a calendar of tasks and due dates.
8. Apply early-it increases your chance of admittance and merit scholarships. Check with your counselor to see if you qualify for a fee waver. Apply to at least three schools-one that is a stretch, and a couple you are sure you will qualify for admittance.

Some books that will help guide parents and students are:
· How to Keep Being a Parent When your Child Stops Being a Child: A Practical Guide to Parenting Adolescents by Nic Cooper and Rick McCoy
· Letting Go: A Parents Guide to Today’s College Experience by Karen Levin Coburn & Madge Lawrence Treeger
· Almost Grown: Launching Your Child from High School to College by Patricia Pasick
· 100 Things Every College Freshman Ought to Know by William Disbro
· Winning the Heart of the College Admissions Dean by Joyce Slayton Mitchell
· 10 Minute Guide to Getting into College by O’Neal Turner

If you have further questions, please call U of M Admissions 734-764-7433.

Pre-College Camps & Summer Programs

2010-01-21T16:25:00.004-05:00

On January 19, Lucie Howell spoke with Ypsilanti High School parents and students about summer camp experiences. Parents and students identified pursuing your interests, active learning experiences, and meeting other students interested in the same thing you are interested in as reasons to attend a summer camp. Lucie pointed out that students also develop important problem solving skills, organizational and time management skills, presentation skills and learn to work as part of a group. The projects students complete allow them to integrate math, science and writing.

Students should have a 3.0 Grade Point Average and be interested in exploring topics related to science, technology, engineering and math. Most camps require an application, essay and interview. It was suggested that students research the topic a bit, write their essay, include references to their research, and ask their science and language arts teachers for suggestions to improve their essay. Also, students may want to practice interviewing skills with parents, peers or teachers.

Deadlines are approaching fast! Don't forget to ask about financial aid. Some is available. A link to all University of Michigan Summer camps is: www.ceo.umich.edu

Nov. 10 FAFSA & Financial Aid

2009-12-28T13:28:00.003-05:00

Mershon Dye, University of Michigan Financial Aid office, outlined the process of filling out the FAFSA forms and types of financial aid. Her power point presentation is attached.

Dec. 15, MME/ACT/SAT Testing

2009-12-28T12:59:00.003-05:00

Ashley Anderson, NSBE ACT Pro Chair, shared sample questions and information about the ACT test and NSBE's TORCH program. She emphasized that the ACT requires thinking and reasoning skills beyond subject knowledge. Most of the math problems are embedded in word problems and many of the science questions require students to read graphs and charts to gather information to thoughtfully construct the answer. Just as one practices to prepare for a sports or music event, it is helpful to practice answering questions to prepare for the MME/ACT. Two free online resources are: http://www.number2.com/ and http://www.actstudent.org/ . Additional resources are available at the Ypsilanti Public Library-ask the reference librarian for help finding them.

What does an engineer do?

2009-10-04T13:59:00.002-04:00

On September 22, 2009, the attending parents and students discussed the many fields of engineering, engineering research and the importance of math and science classes as preparation for studying engineering. Participants also discussed the importance of increasing the number of parents attending the PLC meetings.

Two sites useful to learning about engineering are: http://egfi-k-12.org and www.tryengineering.org.

April 15, 2009 Campus Visit

2009-08-04T12:20:00.005-04:00

Students and parents view a demonstration
in the Structural Engineering Lab.

Brandon Lucas demonstrates a fabrication to the parents and students during a visit to the Nanofabrication Lab.

PLC Members Explore Tranferring from a Community College to UM College of Engineering

2009-03-23T16:44:00.003-04:00

Katrina Williams, UM COE Admissions, spoke about transferring from a community college to the UM College of Engineering.

Members of the PLC identified: financial reasons, not sure what you want to study, the need to improve your preparation as reasons why a student might attend a community college then transfer.

Katrina stressed that students plan for that transfer, which means that they are in contact with the institution to which they want to transfer and the community college they are attending.

Some factors students should consider:

They will need four semesters of Calculus including differential equations during the last semester.
They will need a calculus based physics class, a chemistry class as well as English.
They should check with both institutions to see that the classes will transfer.
They need to check if there is an articulation agreement or a partnership between the institutions.
Besides meeting the math and science prerequisites to transfer; they should take classes that will fit into the general requirement areas such as English.
Keep in mind the residency requirements of the institution to which they are planning on transferring.
They will need a minimum of a 3.0 in the classes they wish to transfer.

Pathways to College

2009-03-17T09:10:00.002-04:00

The Wednesday, March 18, 2009 Meeting from 7:00pm to 8:30pm in YHS Media Center will feature Katrina Williams, Admissions UM College of Engineering. Katrina will highlight paths to follow to transfer from a community college or other college into the UM COE.

February 11, 2009 Testing

2009-02-16T13:13:00.003-05:00

Sherita Gary, Chair of UM National Society of Black Engineering Students, presented information about their ACT Preparation /College Development Workshops. She offered the following ACT Test Taking Tips:

Pace yourself! (1min per question)
Write all over the test
Guess if you are not sure (one letter technique)
Process of elimination
Answer the questions at the beginning of the test...usually the easiest
For math questions: lowest value = first answer...highest value = last answer
Zone out all distractions
Be mindful of time (five minute warnings, two minute warnings)
Use the skip and then return technique on difficult questions
Take as many practice tests as possible
The Reading, English and Science are testing comprehension abilities more than knowledge

ACT vs. SAT

She explained that the American College Test (ACT) is broken down into 5 sections: Math, Science Reasoning, English, Reading and Writing. It has a scaled score out of 36 and is used in Midwest states and a few Southern states. Michigan 11th graders take the ACT as part of the Michigan Merit Exam. On the other hand, the Scholastic Aptitude Test has 3 sections: Math, Critical Reading and Writing. It has a scaled sore out of 2400(800 per section) and is used in East and West coast states. It is important to check with the colleges of your choice to find out which test is accepted.

On-line resources for practice ACT tests and more

The Michigan Electronic Library

http://mel.org/

Click on Tests on left hand side. You do need to have a valid Michigan driver's license to use this site-a parent's can be used.

Ypsilanti Public Library

www.ypsilibrary.org/resources

Click on the databases at the left and then click on outside the library databases. You will need to have a valid Ypsilanti Public Library card. Click on Learning Express library and follow the directions to get to ACT practice tests. You can access these practice tests from home or computers at the library.

Ypsilanti Public Library has ACT practice guides in paper for also. You can find them at any branch.

INEEDAPencil.com

INeedAPencil.com is an innovative online SAT preparation program with a mission to significantly raise your SAT scores through the use of interesting learning content, proven testing methods and helpful student tools. After registration, begin by taking a practice test. You can log-in and work from any computer anywhere, anytime.

January 14, 2009 Applying for Summer Camps 7-8:30 p.m. YHS Media Center

2009-01-13T20:03:00.004-05:00

Michele Randolph will give an overview of summer camps the College of Engineering offers for Fall 2009, 8th graders, 9th graders, 10th graders, 11th graders and 12th graders, other camps at UM, questions you may have, and how to apply. Financial assistance is available!

If you are interested in learning more about these camps before attending, please feel free to go to the following websites:

http://www.engin.umich.edu/mepo/prospstud/sea_info/index.html

http://www.math.lsa.umich.edu/mmss/

http://www.wise.umich.edu/programs/k12/GISE/

Complete listing of U of M summer cam offerings is available at:
http://www.umich.edu/summer_prog.php

Questions? Please give Mary Beth Damm a call at 936-8580 or e-mail her at damm@umich.edu.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

2008-12-17T08:06:00.002-05:00

Using the Internet for Research
Tonight at 7 pm at the Ypsilanti High School Media Center, we will learn how to use the Internet for research, including an overview of search engines and techniques for finding what you're looking for, as well as an overview of the online Educational Development Plan for Ypsi students and parents.We'll have pictures and an update on the session, but these documents to be presented are already downloadable. Just click on the following links:
Using the Internet for Research
Parent and Teacher Internet Use
Wading Through the Web: Conducting Research on the Internet
http://www.michigancollegeguide.com/assets/files/collegeworksheet.pdf
http://www.michigancollegeguide.com/assets/files/collegecomparison.pdf
http://www.collegeboard.com

Financial Aid Pointers

2008-11-23T18:48:00.005-05:00

At the Nov. 19, 2008 PLC Meeting, Mershon Dye, from University of Michigan's Office of Financial Aid, gave an overview of the types of financial aid available to incoming students. There are three types of financial aid:

Grants and Scholarships, which are considered gift aid and generally don't have to be paid back;

Work-study, which is money that you earn by working part-time while you are in school;

Loans, which are funds that you (or your parent) borrow and must be paid back.

Grants are generally based on need. Scholarships are based on high academic achievement or special talent, although some are based partly on financial need.

Emphasizing that looking for scholarships and other financial aid can be viewed as a part-time job, Ms. Dye suggested that students look at what is available in their community(see bulletin board in the counseling office), their state, and at the college or university they plan on attending.

More information on financial aid at the University of Michigan is available at www.finaid.umich.edu/financial_aid_library/guides.asp .

Information about financial aid from the State of Michigan is available at www.michigan.gov/studentaid .

Free Application for Federal Student aid is available starting January 1, 2008 at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ . See our resource list for other useful sites.

The next Parent Learning Community meeting is December 17, 2008 at 7 pm in the YHS Media Center. Our topic will be, "How do I use the power of the Internet to find the best college for my student? Internet & College Costs-Compare college costs and programs on line"

Attention Juniors, Seniors and Parents of Juniors and Seniors

2008-10-26T15:15:00.003-04:00

The University of Michigan College of Engineering Tech Day is Saturday, November 8, 2008. Registration is due by Nov. 3, 2008. Go to the following link for more information:
http://www.eecs.umich.edu/~techday/

Application and Admission Tips

2008-10-26T15:00:00.004-04:00

October 15, 2008, Katrina Williams, Office of Admissions UM COE, reviewed the U of M 2009 application.
Key points were:
1. Turn the application in early and electronically if possible.
2. Answer the questions in a straight forward manner-don’t “over think” the questions. For example if you just graduated, you are applying as a freshman even if you were dual enrolled during your senior year.
3. Write your own essays so that the essay reflects you as a person. This is more important than perfect form. The essay can be a word document attached to the application.
4. If you receive free or reduced lunch or have other circumstances which would merit consideration, ask your counselor to request that UM wave the application fee.
5. Don’t forget to sign your application. This can be done electronically.
If you have questionsabout the application process, e-mail or call Katrina Williams at katwill@umich.edu or 734-647-7102.

Parents and students then logged on computers and looked at a PDF file of the application.

Next Meeting October 15, 2008 7:00 p.m. YHS Media Center

2008-10-02T13:06:00.004-04:00

All parents and their students are invited to attend the next Parent Learning Community Meeting October 15, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. in the Ypsilanti High School Media Center. Our topic will be: College Applications and Admissions.

Contact: Carol Cramer 734-635-7391 or cramercarol@gmail.com for more information.

Notes from Sept. 17, 2008 Meeting

2008-10-02T12:17:00.003-04:00

Katrina Williams, Office of Recruitment and Admissions, University of Michigan College of Engineering, gave parents and their students pointers on getting admitted to college. Key points were:

1. Take core academic classes in high school. If given the choice between a science or math class and a coop or activity class, take the science or math.

2. Become involved in school activities and volunteer work.

3. Seek opportunities such as summer math and science camps to improve your knowledge and skills.

4. Apply early, before the application deadlines. Early on, admissions offices are processing hundreds of applications a week, they have time to ask you for something you may have left out. As the deadline moves closer, admission offices are processing thousands of applications a week. It may take a longer time to contact you and your application may remain incomplete or not as competitive as others.

5. Be unique in your application essay. You may want to focus on a challenge you faced and tell how you overcame it.

6. Ask teachers and counselors who know you well to write your letters of recommendation. This may be someone from your freshman or sophomore year.

Richard Weigel, YPSD, and Brandon Lucas, Office of Engineering Outreach and Engagement, gave an overview of the K-12 Partnership Goals. They encouraged parents and students to make a commitment to attend as many meetings as possible. Angela Dixon, Office of Engineering Outreach and Engagement, spoke about the Teaching Fellows in many YHS math and science classrooms. Sherita Gary, National Society of Black Engineers, spoke about the tutoring and pre-college support her group is offering. She emphasized that the programs are open to any student at YHS.

Parents and students filled out plus/delta evaluations at the end of the meeting. Some of the comments were: "I liked the variety of people present-not only speakers and college representatives, but parents as well." "I liked the speakers. Katrina had lots of great, practical advice for any student heading to college. I appreciated Brandon's remarks about YHS providing everything students need to be successful." Several parents requested handouts of the presentations.

The next meeting is October 15, 2008 at 7 p.m. in the YHS Media Center. The topic is College Applications and Admission.

New Parent Meeting: September 17, 2008, 6:45 pm

2008-08-17T07:58:00.002-04:00

Parents are encouraged and invited to join the Parent Learning Community, a joint venture between YHS and the University of Michigan College of Engineering. The PLC was tested in the 2007-08 school year with great success and this school year will expand to include parents of 9th through12th graders who have an interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). Through monthly meetings parents will receive the college inside track on: 1) pathways to college; 2) the ACT; 3) the college application process; 4) college expenses and 5) financial aid. Don't miss this great opportunity to help your child succeed beyond high school.

The first meeting is 6:45 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 17 in room 100 at Ypsilanti High School.

For more details contact Carol Cramer, K-12 Partnership Consultant and Liaison, (click here to send her email) or call (734) 635-7391.

Announcement from Emma L. Jackson, Public Relations Director
Ypsilanti Public Schools
"Strong From Start to Finish"
(734) 714-1202
ejackson@ypsd.org

Announcing the District-wide Parent Learning Community!

2008-07-16T10:05:00.002-04:00

Does your son or daughter want to help people, solve problems or think up new ways of doing things? If so, engineering may be in his or her future!

If you want your child to become an engineer or your child is interested in engineering, join our Parent Learning Community to find out what it takes to be accepted into a college of engineering, and how to access financial and academic opportunities.

Our first meeting is Wednesday, September 17, 2008, at 6:45 pm in Room 100, Ypsilanti High School.

Topics to be covered this academic year include the college application process; FAFSA and financial aid information; Internet and college costs; pre-college camps and summer program opportunities; ACT, SAT, and MME preparation; Pathways to college; and a campus visit to the U-M College of Engineering.

Your child has dozens of career choices in Engineering!

2008-06-10T08:53:00.003-04:00

Check out the wonderful resources provided to parents, teachers and students interested in engineering possibilities in our "Resources" section (right hand sidebar of this page)!

Site Highlight: If you're wondering what kinds of career choices your daughter or son have if they choose engineering as a career path, then visit this website today! TryEngineering.org is a wonderful tool, full of ideas and information for students and parents interested in engineering.

Here's a snippet from the "Become an Engineer" Page:

Students who are interested in pursuing a degree in engineering can prepare for the application process as early as middle school. By selecting a variety of science, mathematics, and engineering-related course work and participating in programs and projects that expose students to engineering concepts, students will have advanced exposure to university level work.

Pre-university Course Selection

While in middle and high school, students interested in engineering should consider taking accelerated courses in several of the following subjects.

Algebra II
Biology
Calculus
Chemistry
Computer Science
Language Arts
Precalculus
Physics
Second Language
Trigonometry

PLC TORCH - ACT Prep Program Outcomes

2008-04-24T09:30:00.004-04:00

In December, we announced "Technical OutReach and Community Help" (TORCH), a new program, co-sponsored by NSBE and the College of Engineering. The program, which was offered to YPSD sophomores and juniors, covered math and science reasoning, test strategies, and "college development," which included applying to college, resume builiding and applying for scholarships, technology training, a college life panel, and a campus tour.

Chris Neely, UM CoE student and chair of the TORCH program for the NSBE Chapter, provided this downloadable PowerPoint presentation (in PDF format), which is an overview of the program that includes program outcomes. Overall, students improved across all subjects -- and in particular, in math and science.

A special thanks to NSBE for these positive results, and congratulations to the Ypsilanti students who improved their scores!

NOTE: Chris Neely suggests a useful link for both Parents and Students -- the Princeton Review's Counselor-O-Matic, an advanced search engine that combines high school students' academic and extracurricular history (screens 1-3) with his or her preferences (screens 4-8) to help find the right college. Visit the site today!

Campus visit report

2008-04-18T12:01:00.003-04:00

Eleven members of the Parent Learning Community toured the College of Engineering campus, visited the 3D Lab, and ate dinner with Teaching Fellows the evening of April 8. “It was very good to see how engineering is applied and to learn a little about different types of engineering," wrote one participant. "The 3-D lab presentation was incredible. Speaking with graduate students was very informative. We were able to learn about their fields, how they chose their fields, etc. It was very helpful.” Several felt the visit was over too soon, and particularly enjoyed the 3-D tour, led by Dr. Peter Beier. As one participant put it, “The entire trip was GREAT! The 3-D tour was the best thing on the trip.” Most PLC visitors were keenly interested in talking with the Teaching Fellows, who shared personal stories about how and why they came to study engineering.

Don't Miss Tuesday, April 8!

2008-04-01T08:55:00.004-04:00

Members of the Parent Learning Community -- you and your son or daughter are invited to our final Spring 2008 Parent Learning Community Meeting on Tuesday, April 8, 2008.

We will meet at the Flag Pole Entrance to Ypsilanti High School, board a school bus and depart at 7 pm for our visit to U of M College of Engineering. We shall return to the high school no later than 9:30.

Our itinerary will be:
7pm-Depart YHS

Bus Tour of University of Michigan College of Engineering

7:35-8:15 pm Tour of the UM "3-D Laboratory"
8:20-Pizza and conversation with engineering students
8:55-Board bus for return to YHS

Please reply by sending a message to Carol Cramer, or by calling 635-7391, by April 4, 2008.

Click here to view a useful website, geared to high school students and which you and your student might use to explore fields of engineering and colleges offering engineering programs.

We're looking forward to meeting with you April 8, 2008, at 7 pm at the YHS flagpole entrance!

Carol Cramer and Jill Andrews

April 8, 2008 Parent Group Visits Campus

2008-03-31T19:51:00.002-04:00

Tuesday, April 8, 2008, Parent Learning Community parents and students will board an Ypsilanti school bus at the flagpole entrance to YHS at 7:oo p.m. and travel to the University of Michigan College of Engineering campus. We will tour the engineering campus. Next, we will visit the 3-D Lab in the Duderstadt Center. This will be followed by pizza and conversation with U of M College of Engineering students. E-mail Carol Cramer at cramercarol@gmail.com to let her know that you will be attending.

Next Meeting March 11, 2008 at 7pm YHS Media Center

2008-03-07T08:33:00.002-05:00

Hello YPSD PLC parents and students,

You and your son or daughter are invited to our Parent Learning Community Meeting on March 11, 2008, at 7 pm in the YHS Media Center. Topics will be: ACT Preparation and College Admissions.

Chris Neely of University of Michigan NSBE and the TORCH project and Gary Deguzman of University of Michigan Admissions will be our presenters. Since this presentation is about students preparing for college, we encourage you to invite your son or daughter to accompany you to this meeting.

Please reply by sending a return message to Carol Cramer or by calling 734/635-7391, by March 7, 2008. If you are attending and if you need child care, the number and ages of the children will help us plan.

Click here to see a useful website, geared toward high school students, and which you and your student might use to explore fields of engineering and colleges offering engineering programs.

Upcoming topics are:
March 11, 2008-ACT Prep and College Admissions
April 8, 2008-(tentative date)-Campus Tour/ TA presentation?, 3-D Lab, Financial Aid? (We will find out from the group what activity is most desired.)

Looking forward to meeting with you March 11, 2008, at 7 pm in the YHS Media Center!

Carol Cramer
K-12 Partnership Program
Partnership Consultant
Phone: 734-635-7391
Email: cramercarol@gmail.com
ccramer2@ypsd.org

Saturday Morning Physics!

2008-01-26T19:23:00.000-05:00

Ypsilanti High School Parents, This is an opportunity for you and your students!

Saturday Morning Physics lectures to focus on the universe
DATES: 10:30-11:30 a.m., Feb. 2, 9, 16; March 8, 15, 29; April 5, 12, 2008

EVENT: The winter 2008 Saturday Morning Physics talks.
A U-M tradition since 1995, this lecture series lets physicists discuss their work in easy-to-understand, non-technical terms. The lectures include multimedia presentations, hands-on demonstrations, slides, videos, and computer simulations. Audiences will explore the universe through current theoretical answers to questions about the galaxies, string theory, cosmology, cosmic rays, and dark energy. Audiences will hear a lecture by the distinguished 1976 Nobel Laureate Professor Samuel C. C. Ting, who was a graduate student in the U-M Physics Department. The season will end with the physics of roller coasters.

The schedule includes:

Feb. 2
Professor August Evrard, Physics (U-M)
"Adventitious Machinery: Our Heritage as Amplified Noise"
The Earth is in a seemingly ordinary disk galaxy lying in a strand of a cosmic web that stretches as far as the telescopically-aided eye can see. How was this web imprinted in our universe? How did the structures in it, like black holes, stars and galaxies, form and evolve? Professor Evrard will explain how recent developments in theory, observation and numerical simulation are revealing answers to these far-reaching questions. In short, current evidence paints a picture in which we are essentially amplified noise.

Feb. 9
Professor Sera Cremonini, Physics (U-M)
"What is String Theory Anyway?"
What are the basic building blocks of nature? What holds the key to unifying the four fundamental forces of nature? Learn the basics of string theory, the leading candidate for a theory of quantum gravity.

Feb. 16
Professor Sera Cremonini, Physics (U-M)
"String Theory: What is It Good For?"
In this talk we will explore some of the most exciting recent developments in string theory. What have we learned about the connection between large scales and small scales, between Einstein's theory of gravity and quantum mechanics? What has string theory taught us about black holes and the early moments of the universe?"

March 8
Dr. Elena Rasia, Physics (U-M)
"Modeling the Cosmos—Observations and Simulations"
Cosmology has been "the study of the universe in its totality". Both sky observations and simulations have taken huge steps forward in the recent past. Professor Rasia will explain the most important successes achieved in our understanding of the universe and its main components: dark matter and dark energy. She will discuss the future of this field, and U-M's involvement in one of the biggest future sky surveys.

March 15
Professor Samuel C. C. Ting, 1976 Nobel Laureate (MIT)
"Encounters with Modern Physics"

March 29
Emeritus Professor Lawrence W. Jones, Physics (U-M)
"Cosmic Rays"
Cosmic rays are nuclear particles from outer space. We will review the discovery, study, and understanding of these particles, as well as the unknown problems and challenges in this lively field of study. Some current (mountain elevation) and future (satellite) research activities will be described.

April 5
Professor Dragan Huterer, Physics (U-M)
"Dark Energy and the Accelerating Universe"
The discovery that the expansion of the universe is speeding up has generated waves in the field of cosmology and presents us with a grand mystery: what is the origin and nature of dark energy, the stuff that causes the accelerated expansion?

April 12
Professor David Gerdes, Physics (U-M)
"Taking the Plunge: The Physics of Roller Coasters"
Roller coasters are thrill factories: the heart-stopping plunge, the g-forces that press you into your seat, the feeling that you will float away as you crest the hill, the rush as you circle the loop-the-loop. This talk will describe how the thrills you experience at the amusement park originate with Newton's laws of motion, and how the physiological limits of the human body govern the design of the rides.

PLACE: The lectures are held in rooms 170 and 182 of the Dennison Building, 500 Church St., on the U-M Central Campus, Ann Arbor.

SPONSOR: The winter 2008 series is sponsored by the University of Michigan Department of Physics and friends of the department.

Using the Internet for Research

2008-01-08T16:50:00.000-05:00

Tonight at 7 pm at the Ypsilanti High School Media Center, we will learn how to use the Internet for research, including an overview of search engines and techniques for finding what you're looking for, as well as an overview of the online Educational Development Plan for Ypsi students and parents.

We'll have pictures and an update on the session, but these documents to be presented are already downloadable. Just click on the following links:

Using the Internet for Research

Parent and Teacher Internet Use

Wading Through the Web: Conducting Research on the Internet

Free ACT/College Prep Workshops!!

2007-12-17T20:47:00.000-05:00

PLEASE NOTE: The deadline has been extended until Wednesday 1/09/08. Please contact Chris Neely if you're interested in your student participating.

The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) is proud to present FREE ACT/College Prep Saturday Workshops for the second semester of the 2007-2008 school year. These workshops are targeted toward Ypsilanti High School students; to not only improve their ACT scores but also their collegiate development. Dedicated Michigan students will be proctoring sample ACT tests and teaching fundamental ACT concepts for the mathematics and science reasoning areas. In addition, several speakers will give workshops on topics aimed toward developing academic, technical and professional skills.

The ACT is the most widely accepted college entrance exam. This is why NSBE has chosen to aid Ypsilanti High School students in improving their ACT scores and increasing their chance of being admitted to the college of their choice.

In addition to this wonderful opportunity, these tutoring sessions are going to be offered for free! The University of Michigan will be providing all learning materials such as: ACT books, paper, pencils, pens etc…

Dates (All Saturdays):

January 12th
January 19th
January 26th
February 2nd
February 16th
March 8th
March 15th
March 29th

• Location: All sessions will be held of the University of Michigan’s North Campus. Transportation will be provided from Ypsilanti High School to the Campus and back

• Time: Bus will be leaving from Ypsilanti High School at 10:00AM and returning to the school at 2:30PM

**Due to the time of the ACT/College Prep courses, lunch will be provided for all students**

For more information, please contact:
Chris Neely: NSBE Event Coordinator, University of Michigan
neelyc [at] umich [dot] edu

Darryl Koch: Coordinator of Academic Support Services, College of Engineering, University of Michigan
koch [at] umich [dot] edu
Business Phone: 734-647-7120

NOTICE: PLEASE REGISTER FOR THIS PROGRAM ONLY IF YOU CAN ENTHUSIASTICALLY COMMIT TO EVERY SESSION
PLEASE RSVP BY JANUARY 8th, 2008, VIA EMAIL TO NEELYC@UMICH.EDU:

SPACES ARE GUARANTEED TO THE FIRST 50 RESPONDENTS (PRIORITY GIVEN TO JUNIORS AND SENIORS)

Using the Internet for Research

2007-12-02T11:37:00.000-05:00

Note: the December 11th meeting has been postponed due to weather. Please check with Carol Cramer and/or Jill Andrews for the new date.

Our next meeting (to be rescheduled from December 11th) will cover use of the Internet for research, including an overview of search engines and techniques for finding what you're looking for, as well as an overview of the online Educational Development Plan for Ypsi students and parents.

Notes from the First Official Parent Learning Community Meeting

2007-11-30T15:38:00.000-05:00

Our first "official" meeting was held Tuesday evening, Nov. 13, 2007. These notes (below) and Agenda were submitted by Carol Cramer.

Seven out of 14 of our parent advisory families were represented. Jill Andrews, Debby Mitchell and Carol Cramer were present. Mr. Weigel and Principal Jon Brown sat in for parts of the meeting.

Jill Andrews welcomed the group.

The group agreed upon the following norms (ground rules for interaction):
1. Respect all voices.
2. No sidebars.
3. Be on time/end on time.
4. Monitor air time, "step up" and "3 before me".
5. Confidentiality

Carol Cramer introduced Debby Mitchell and the Learning from Speakers Protocol. Debby spoke about the benefits of pre-college programs, gave tips for choosing the right program, and outlined several programs, including UM Summer Programs (click these links for information on available programs: Summer Programs Part I and Summer Programs Part II).

The parents then divided into two groups and the students into one group. The groups came up with the following questions:
-When you said that students who attended summer programs had higher standardized test scores, how much higher were they?
-During the summer programs, what do you do or make?
-What GPA and standardized test scores do you need to get into the U of M College of Engineering?
-What scholarships are there and how do I find out about them?
-Do other colleges have summer programs connected to Engineering?
-How can others access the information we obtain in these meetings?
-How can we get more students involved at all levels-academically, economically and widespread representation of all groups?

Debby answered all of the questions.

Following the meeting, everyone was given the chance to write down "plus/deltas" - what the liked about the process, and what could be improved. A summary follows, with plus indicated by "+" and deltas indicated by "-":

+Received necessary info about the summer programs and ways to apply for them. Discussion groups were very helpful, another way to share info.

+I was actually here to learn more about it.
-I think everything was fine. The information was taught and we actually learned it.

+Q&A, Issues related to more parents joining this group, suggestion for students to join the group!

+The summer information was helpful and increased my knowledge.
-The time conflicted with other planned meeting. The band booster (YBA) had meeting at the same time.

+Very informative about summer programs & college expectations! Opportunity to discuss in small groups.

+We learned about summer options that will help us get into college. Good information.

+A lot of information in a short amount of time.
-More information in each area.

+The kids being around; their learning whats all about engineering.

+It was very educational and got me interested in Summer camps.
-It could be a little shorter.

+Lots of written info.
-Less formal

Other questions that came up, which need further discussion:
1. Although we originally planned to have only parents participate, we found real value in including the students as well. We would like to make sure everyone agrees the students should continue to attend.
2. Do we add more parents to the group? We will continue to try to encourage parents who have attended at least once to attend all future meetings. The parents in our pilot group were selected on the basis of their children's interest in science, technology, engineering careers, but after this pilot year, we would like many more parents to be part of the PLC program.

Our next meeting will be Dec. 11 at 7pm in YHS media center. We will be learning about the Educational Development Plan Tool and doing Research on the Internet.