Congratulations to our April MVPs (Most Valuable Pioneers), Sierra Moore and Kayla Kelly!
Sierra and Kayla are the administrative assistants for the Primary School, and they are the glue that holds it all together. Both have a great work ethic and are willing to do whatever is needed for students, staff, and families. Their patience and willingness to adapt to a variety of needs in the building is noticed every day. They also bring joy, fun, and smiles into the office every day. We are grateful for both of them as part of our team!
Congratulations Sierra and Kayla, and thanks for all you do to make Clare a great place to live and learn!
Good morning Pioneers...at the April Board of Education meeting, the Board authorized an August election to seek an extension of our current 2.8 mill levy for 15 years (NO INCREASE in the millage rate) to seek a handful of renovations & improvements across the District.
The Board heard voters clearly over the past two elections and several months, and emphasized NO TAX RATE INCREASE with the new bond proposal.
The project would focus on safety and security first, creating secure vestibules at both the high school and middle school (guest access is controlled at the office before being granted access anywhere else in the building)...the Primary School already has a secure vestibule.
It would also include building a new industrial arts shop on the current high school (we currently operate multiple programs in one space at the middle school)...a second space would be safer from a working perspective and allow us to have high school students stay at the high school (for safety purposes) rather than crossing to the middle school daily. It would allow for some modernization in an era where the trades are so very important to our community and state.
The project also proposes to build a cafeteria at the primary school. Currently, our gym is closed for nearly 3 hours each day to physical education classes to use the space as a cafeteria, necessitating lunches beginning as early as 10:30 a.m. The proposed new cafeteria would allow for a better lunch schedule for students and keep the gym open for students throughout the day.
Finally, a series of renovations including a new middle school roof, new windows replacing the original primary school windows, plumbing & mechanical renovations, and playground improvements at the primary school are included. One bus would be purchased with the funds, and instructional technology for classrooms is also included.
Again, the Board of Education heard the public clearly after two attempts to build a new school. They are focused at this time on safety & security, renovations to the three main buildings that range from 52 to 102 years old, and building a new industrial arts space and cafeteria to make the students' experience better in our district, all while asking for NO INCREASE in the millage rate.
If you have questions concerning the proposed millage extension (NO RATE INCREASE), please contact Superintendent Walter or any board member. Thanks for all you do to make Clare a great place to live and learn!
Good afternoon Pioneers. The RESD Arc reactor failed this morning, causing widespread internet and phone outages across the district. (We don't actually have an arc reactor, but we did have an equipment failure.) We anticipate the outages could continue tomorrow for phones and internet. School will go on and learning as well, but phone and email access to staff may be a challenge. If you need direct communication tomorrow it will mean stopping in to see us. Thank you for your patience. Have a great evening.
Information regarding the solar eclipse next Monday...we will be in session as scheduled on April 8th.
Monday, February 12th is a professional learning day for staff with no school for students. Older versions of our calendar originally listed February 5th, but that is inaccurate.
Congratulations to our November MVPs (Most Valuable Pioneers): Penny Hutchinson and Mike Bass.
Penny Hutchinson is a second year paraprofessional at Clare Middle School. Her dedication, patients, and willingness to adapt to meet the needs of her students is extremely valuable to our building. The students under her care are showing positive growth both academically and socially. She also often extends her work day and offers to help at athletic events for both the middle school and high school. We are very grateful for having caring paraprofessionals, such as Penny, working in our district.
Mike has worked as a maintenance technician in the Operations department since
January of 2022. He is a skilled craftsman in many areas of the trades and always
does each task assigned to him the right way. He takes a great deal of pride in
making sure our buildings, playgrounds, and athletic complex are all functioning
properly, looking their best, and also safe places to work, learn, and play. Mike’s
calm demeanor and strong work ethic combine to make him an excellent
technician. Clare Public Schools is privileged to have such a dependable and
talented employee working for our district.
Congratulations and thank you, Penny and Mike, for all you do to make Clare a great place to live and learn!
Congratulations to our October MVPs (Most Valuable Pioneers): Mrs. Lori Schmidt and Mrs. Stacey Emery.
Lori is always a welcoming face no matter the place or the context. She has been generous with her time in support of building systems to support our English Language Learners. Lori has also supported students in all settings, including alternative education by providing additional resources.. Our district is a better place because of her kindness and generosity.
Stacey is a paraprofessional in our middle school. She supports a wide variety of student learners and is also a gift to teachers with her work ethic and determination. Mrs. Emery greets students in the morning, supervises the afternoon dismissal, and gives great effort with our kids throughout each day. Her smile brightens the CMS hallways.
Thank you Mrs. Schmidt and Mrs. Emery for all you do to make Clare a great place to live and learn!
Good afternoon Pioneers...we will host a third and final Community Bond Forum next Monday, October 9th, 7 p.m. in the High School Cafeteria. Please consider attending and be informed! Your vote matters to the future of Clare Public Schools and our students.
Congratulations to Tricia Barcia and Lisa Wyse, our MVPs (Most Valuable Pioneers) for the month of September!
Tricia works as a paraprofessional in our middle school. Her ability to build and maintain positive relationships with our students produces positive results. Our students understand that she cares about them. In addition, they understand that she will also hold them accountable for their words and actions. She has been outstanding with helping our fifth-grade students make the transition from the primary school to the middle school environment. We benefit greatly from her compassion, work ethic, and commitment.
Lisa has worked in the Operations department as a custodian at Clare Public
Schools since March of 2008. She currently works in the middle school and central office. She is always willing to go the extra mile and continuously helps cover all of the extracurricular activities & countless sporting events that our school offers. She takes great pride in her work and always has a smile to share with others. Lisa is also a bus aide for us. Her patience and ability to build positive relationships with each student is second to none.
We are very fortunate to have such a reliable, confident, and loyal employees working in our district and making Clare a great place to live and learn!
Good afternoon Pioneers...tomorrow - Wednesday, September 27th, is a half day for students. Dismissal is at 11:39 a.m. Thanks for all you do for kids and Clare.
Good afternoon Pioneers...a friendly reminder that Wednesday, September 27th, is a half day for students. Dismissal is at 11:39 a.m. Thanks for all you do, and remember to be informed via our website for the November 7 bond vote!
Good morning, Pioneers...we are still looking to fill the following positions:
Paraprofessional
Custodian
JV Baseball Coach
Interested parties should submit their application materials to apply@clare.k12.mi.us.
Thanks everyone, and have a great weekend.
A Community Bond Forum is scheduled for September 12th in the High School Cafeteria at 7 p.m. The purpose of the forum is to share information regarding the November 7 bond proposal. Information can also be found on our website. Please consider attending to be informed!
Good morning Pioneers,
As you all know, the Board of Education has authorized a November 7 bond proposal vote to build a new high school, renovate the current high school into a new middle school, renovate the 5th grade connector wing as a part of the primary school, and decommission the old middle school.
The project will benefit students at all levels of the district. It includes a focus on safety and security via traffic improvements and secure entrances, modern classrooms for the high school, and converting the middle school gymnasium into a dedicated auditorium.
The Board has reduced the size and cost of the project significantly, from $66.5 million to $49.85 million. The Board is also committed to reducing the taxpayer burden by paying off a portion of existing debt (reducing the taxpayer cost by 1 mill) and committing the capital projects fund to the completion of the bond project. Still, they are determined to build appropriate academic spaces and provide for the entire student experience.
Information regarding the bond proposal, including preliminary drawings, a tax calculator, and more can be found on our website. Please be informed for our kids. With everyone pulling together, Clare is a great place to live and learn!
Good afternoon Pioneers!
Tomorrow is the first day of school for the 2023-2024 school year! It’s going to be a fantastic year. Choose your attitude every day, give great effort, and show people you care.
As a reminder, tomorrow is a half day for students, with dismissal at 11:39 a.m.
Thursday afternoon and Friday morning this week, the Old 27 Motor Tour will be in town, and this will affect traffic, slowing down pickup and drop off just a bit in those two instances. The city of Clare is a great partner for us, and our patience and working together benefits us both.
There is no school on Friday, September 1st or Monday, September 4th for the Labor Day weekend.
Our first of two community bond forums takes place this coming Tuesday, August 22nd at 7 p.m. in the HS cafeteria. You’re an important part of the future of our community and school district…please consider attending. If you cannot, information regarding the bond including a tax calculator is available on our website. As the middle school continues to age, and the district pours resources into managing the outdated facility…those are resources that do not reach our staff and students for learning and achievement.
Lastly, a brief message. No one comes to school intending to fail. Everyone here is planning, working, expecting to succeed. Let’s do what Clare does best this year, and encourage each other on that path. In the classrooms, on the athletic fields, in the performing arts, and everywhere. It’s our goal that our kids leave here with skills and choices for their future, knowing that choices equal freedom, and that freedom and independence lead to happiness. This year’s path won’t be without valleys or potholes…it is Michigan after all, but it WILL also be full of successful moments, lots of growth, and opportunities. Thanks in advance for all you do to make Clare a great place to live and learn!
Community Bond Forums are scheduled for August 22nd and September 12th in the High School Cafeteria at 7 p.m. The purpose of the forums is to share information regarding the November 7 bond proposal. Information can also be found on our website. Please consider attending to be informed!
Community Bond Forums are scheduled for August 22nd and September 12th in the High School Cafeteria at 7 p.m. The purpose of the forums is to share information regarding the November 7 bond proposal. Information can also be found on our website. Please consider attending to be informed!
Good afternoon Pioneers!
It’s almost that time…welcome back to the 2023-2024 school year! It will be great to have everyone back together learning, competing, growing, and achieving in the next several days.
As we get under way, there are some things that need our time and attention:
Transportation requests should be submitted to Mrs. Lewis as soon as possible if busing is the mode of choice for your student. The forms can be found on our website.
Breakfast and lunch will be available to students at no cost for this school year, as a function of the State of Michigan’s budget. This includes first meals only, not extras or a la carte items. However, we still need families to complete the Education Benefit forms that will be provided to you as they help us access funding that pays for a wide variety of programming in our district.
We are working hard toward a November 7 bond proposal and your support AND votes will matter. Good things do not happen for students and schools by accident…they are the result of purposeful action by dedicated communities. Please contact me at school if you have interest in helping toward the bond election. Details for the proposal can be found on our website.
Open Houses take place next Wednesday evening, August 16th, at each school. The Primary School and Middle School open houses take place from 5-7 p.m., while Clare High School and Pioneer High School open houses begin at 6 p.m. See individual school websites or Facebook pages for more details.
Finally, the first day of school for students is Monday, August 21st, a half day for students. WIth the best staff in the land, a supportive community, and families like you…it will only take positive attitudes and a little effort for us to have the best year in our history. We have much to be thankful for, and yet some work ahead. Let’s continue to make Clare a great place to live and learn!
Community Bond Forums are scheduled for August 22nd and September 12th in the High School Cafeteria at 7 p.m. The purpose of the forums is to share information regarding the November 7 bond proposal. Information can also be found on our website. Please consider attending to be informed!
Schools of choice applications for 2023-2024 school year
Under the Schools of Choice legislation (Section 105 and Section 105(c) of the School Aid Act), kindergarten through twelfth grade students residing within Clare Gladwin Regional Education Service District (RESD) and contiguous intermediate school districts, may apply to Clare Schools for enrollment for the first semester of the 2023-2024 school year. Application may be made for grades Kindergarten through 3rd grade with unlimited openings, grades 4th through 8th have limited slots. Applications will be accepted from July 27 through August 17, applicants will be notified on August 18 or before of their acceptance. Enrollment must be finalized no later than the end of the first week of school.
Transportation for school of choice students is the responsibility of the parents or guardians.