Maire Elementary School is beginning its seventy second year of providing an excellent education to the Grosse Pointe and Grosse Pointe Park communities.  During the 2007-08 school year  319 students in grades K– 5 attended our school.  Maire had two sections of half day kindergarten, three each of  first, second, third, and fifth grades, and four of second grade, and one special education classroom for students with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.  We had 14 classroom teachers, 14 professional support teachers (many of them part time), and 9 non-certified support staff. 

School improvement efforts last year focused on ramping up our writing instruction.  Teachers worked together as teams at school and as participants in district training initiatives to identify strategies to teach writing more effectively.  Additional goals included improving math fluency and developing responsibility for one’s self and community. 

Other key efforts included the implementation of NWEA assessments which gave teachers and parents the ability  to access up to date, useful information about their students’ achievement and learning styles.  FAST, a newly adopted curriculum and set of methods, has helped students needing additional support with reading foundations. Many teachers participated in piloting math and social studies materials and as members of district curriculum committees. 

Strong family-school partnerships make Maire a very special place. Parents volunteer in many ways to support and improve our school community.  Volunteers assist in the classroom, staff our noon time clinic, help supervise students at lunch and recess and beautify the school grounds.  Generous funds from the PTO were used to purchase Elmo document cameras for every classroom, a new video camera, update freefield sound systems,  subsidize the fifth grade trip to Howell Nature Center, the fourth grade trip to Lansing,  and cover the cost of classroom subscriptions.  The fifth grade left behind a restored Nature Center as their gift to the school as parents and children worked together to plant perennials and annuals. 

Students participated in a wide array of enrichment activities during lunch time or after school which are organized by  parents and staff.  They included:  Chess Club, Knitting, Ceramics, Choir, Spanish and French classes, and golf.  Our fourth and fifth graders provide community service to the school through their participation in the School Safety Patrol and Service Club. Other highlights of the school year included the participation of fourth and fifth grade students in the National Geographic Bee, and our traditional school wide Field Day. 

The School has been extensively renovated with the proceeds of bonds and sinking funds approved by our supportive community.  It boasts a new boiler, roof, ceilings, carpets, window improvements and lockers.  The building is completely air conditioned thanks to the fundraising efforts of the Maire PTO and additional funds from the School System.  Other major gifts from our PTO in recent years include document cameras, video projectors, and freefield sound systems for all classrooms.

The building is a Michigan Historic Site which opened its doors for the first time in 1936.  You can learn more about Maire’s history by clicking on “Students” and view clips of the making of Maire and even see students entering the school for the very first time on the “Think Maire” link.  Almost seventy five years later, our students come to school in quite different attire, but with the same expressions of enthusiasm at the start of each school year. 

I am beginning my ninth year as principal at Maire Elementary School.  It is a pleasure to working in this role with an outstanding community of children, families and staff.  As always, please contact me if you have any questions about our educational program.