We are hiring a full-time bus driver/custodian/maintenance starting with the 2025-26 school year. Come join the Baraga Area School's family.
3 months ago, Michele Velmer
Bus Driver, Custodian, Maintenance-page-0
Regular Board Meeting Rescheduled
3 months ago, Michele Velmer
Board Meeting Change
BHS Travel Club will be accepting new members soon! Stay tuned for details for our 2027 Travel Club Trip!
3 days ago, Amanda Rinkinen
Info coming soon!
Parents - please check out this guide to see which staff member to reach out to with concerns!
3 days ago, Baraga Area Schools
step 1: classroom teacher, step 2: elementary to rschmidt@baragaschools.org and secondary to cgallup@baragaschools.org, step 3: superintendent tmarczak@baragaschools.org; if concerns are not resolved, move to the next step!
Attendance Information
3 days ago, Christina Gallup
! DID YOU KNOW? • Starting in preschool and kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school. • Missing 10%, or about 2 days each month over the course of a school year, can make it harder to learn to read. • Students can still fall behind if they miss just one or two days every few weeks. • Being late to school may lead to poor attendance. • Absences and tardiness can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up. Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves. Start building this habit in preschool so they learn right away that going to school on time, every day is important. Eventually good attendance will be a skill that will help them succeed in high school and college. Help Your Child Succeed in School: Build the Habit of Good Attendance Early WHAT YOU CAN DO • Set a regular bedtime and morning routine. • Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before. • Keep your child healthy and make sure your child has the required shots. • Introduce your children to their teachers and classmates before school starts. • Develop backup plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent. • Try to schedule non-urgent related medical appointments and extended trips when school isn’t in session. • If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors and other parents for advice on how to make your child feel comfortable and excited about learning. • If you are concerned that your child may have a contagious illness, call your school or health care provider for advice. • If your child must stay home due to illness, ask the teacher for resources and ideas to continue learning at home. When Do Absences Become a Problem? CHRONIC ABSENCE 18 or more days WARNING SIGNS 10 to 17 days SATISFACTORY 9 or fewer absences Note: These numbers assume a 180-day school year.
Keep Your Child On Track in Middle and High School: Pay Attention to Attendance Showing up for school has a huge impact on a student’s academic success. Even as children grow older and more independent, families play a key role in making sure students get to school every day and understand why attendance is so important for success in school and on the job. DID YOU KNOW? WHAT YOU CAN DO • Students should miss no more than 9 days of school each year to stay engaged, successful and on track to graduation. • Frequent absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with a bully or facing some other difficulty. • By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school. • By 9th grade, attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scores. • Missing 10%, or 2 days a month, over the course of the school year, can affect a student’s academic success. Make school attendance a priority • Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day. • Help your children maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep. • Try not to schedule dental and non-urgent related medical appointments during the school day. • Keep your student healthy. If you are concerned about about a contagious illness, call your school or health care provider. • If your children must stay home because they are sick, make sure they have asked teachers for resources and materials to make up for the missed learning time in the classroom. Help your teen stay engaged • Find out if your children feel engaged by their classes, and feel safe from bullies and other threats. • Make sure your teens are not missing class because of challenges with behavioral issues or school discipline policies. If any of these are problems, contact the school and work with them to find a solution. • Monitor you teen’s academic progress and seek help from teachers or tutors when necessary. Make sure teachers know how to contact you. • Stay on top of your child’s social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school, while students without many friends can feel isolated. • Encourage your child to join meaningful after-school activities, including sports and clubs. • Support your students if you notice signs of anxiety, and if needed, seek advice from your school or health provider Communicate with the school • Know the school’s attendance policy – incentives and penalties. • Check on your child’s attendance to be sure absences are not adding up. • Seek help from school staff, other parents, or community agencies if you need support. Visit Attendance Works at www.attendanceworks.org for free downloadable resources and tools!
Office Update
3 days ago, Christina Gallup
medical update - over the counter medication will no longer be provided by the school district, contact the office for medication forms, bandaids and ice packs will still be available
Just a reminder - there is no school for students tomorrow!
4 days ago, Christina Gallup
school calendar 2025
Check out the flyer for a local Halloween event!
4 days ago, Christina Gallup
Dear Parents and Guardians, Hello! My name is Oliver Harris, and I am the Programming Chair of the Inter-Residence Housing Council (IRHC) at Michigan Technological University. On behalf of the students at Michigan Tech, it’s my honor to invite you and your family to this year’s SafeHouse on Sunday, October 26, from 3 to 5 p.m. This event has been a Tech Tradition since 1988, and we’d love to make you part of it. Stop by and help yourself to thrills, tricks, and some treats, of course! As always, this event is entirely free and open to parents and children of all ages. Our students on campus spend an entire day getting ready and decorating just for you! Wadsworth Hall, Douglass Houghton Hall, McNair Hall, and East Hall will be putting on activities for the kids to enjoy. Parking will be available in Lot 8, located between Douglass Houghton Hall and Walker, or in Lot 14, located in front of the Hamer House. If you’d like additional information as well as some candy, find IRHC at our tent on Walker Lawn, and we’ll be happy to help! Due to the more spread-out event this year, we ask that you stay with the kids you bring at all times. Just like trick-or-treating, costumes are more than welcome! I, as well as my fellow students, look forward to seeing you there. We hope you have a scary (and fun) good time with us!  Sincerely,  Oliver Harris Inter-Residence Housing Council Programming Chair
Please join us for our Halloween Concert series this year!
Our Drum line and Choir will be performing on October 29th, and our PLES classes will be performing on Halloween!
4 days ago, Ashlee Adams
Halloween Concert Oct 29th
Halloween Concerts Secondary Oct 29th, Elementary Oct. 31
Baraga Area Schools is requesting bids for snow removal for the 2025-2026 school year. The location for snow removal is at 210 Lyons Street, Baraga, Michigan.
For further details please contact Tim Marczak or Stefanie Holley at 353-6664.

Deadline for bids is 12:00 noon on Wednesday, October 22, 2025.

Baraga Area Schools reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

5 days ago, Michele Velmer
Snow Removal Bid
Upcoming Football Game!
5 days ago, Amanda Rinkinen
Upcoming Varsity Football at West Iron on Friday
Upcoming Volleyball Games
6 days ago, Amanda Rinkinen
Volleyball at Dollar Bay Friday, Oct 10th

See the flyer for Parent Cafe information!

6 days ago, Amanda Rinkinen
Parent Cafe Flyer
If you are interested in helping with or participating in the Special Olympics, please check out the flyer!
7 days ago, Christina Gallup
special olympics www.somi.org ; 231-445-8412 for more information or registration before October 31

Wednesday, October 1 is Count Day. Please do your best to make sure all of our students are in attendance and on time tomorrow. Thank you!

13 days ago, Baraga Area Schools
Graphic of a Viking in a classroom with a title that says: "School Count Day Baraga Area Schools".
Yooper Science Program
Wednesday, October 1, 2025
4:00 p.m.
Niwiin Akeaa Center
Classroom # 110
Limited to 20 Participants
Please call to register your child

For more information contact KBIC Promise Neighborhoods at (906) 353-6623 ext. 4301
13 days ago, Michele Velmer
Yooper Science Program
September 30, 2025

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are happy to announce that Baraga Schools was selected by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) to participate in the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP).

A fresh fruit or vegetable snack will be offered to your student two times per week, until the grant funds are depleted. These snacks will be served early afternoon on Tuesday and Thursday.

The goals of this grant program are to:
• Create healthier school environments by offering healthy choices.
• Expand the variety of fruits and vegetables children experience.
• Increase children’s fruit and vegetable consumption.
• Make a difference in children’s diets to impact their current and future health.

You can support your student’s efforts to increase their fruit and vegetable consumption in several ways. For instance:
• Take your student grocery shopping and allow them to pick a new fruit or vegetable to try.
• Keep fruits and vegetables visible by placing a fruit basket on the kitchen counter.
• Set a positive example by regularly enjoying fruits and veggies yourself.
• Involve your student in meal planning by letting them choose which fruits and vegetables will be served in meals at home.
• Visit a local farmers’ market to explore seasonal produce together.

If you have questions, please contact me at mvelmer@baragaschools.org or (906) 353-6664.
Sincerely,

Michele Velmer
Food Service Director

Nondiscrimination Statement for USDA Child Nutrition Programs
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
1. mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. email:
program.intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.


13 days ago, Michele Velmer
Dear Parents and Guardians,

Michigan law requires schools to provide families with information about the importance of safe firearm storage. This notification is part of a statewide effort to promote student safety and comply with MCL 28.435 (Public Act 17 of 2023).

Please review the resources provided by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS):https://www.michigan.gov/mde/services/health-safety/topics/school-safety/safe-storage-law

These materials explain safe storage practices and provide guidance to help ensure firearms are secured properly, reducing the risk of accidental injury.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Ensuring the safety of our students and community is a shared responsibility.

Sincerely,
Timothy Marczak

14 days ago, Michele Velmer
Subject: Important Information: Michigan Safe Storage Law

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Michigan law requires schools to provide families with information about the importance of safe firearm storage. This notification is part of a statewide effort to promote student safety and comply with MCL 28.435 (Public Act 17 of 2023).

Please review the resources provided by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS):
https://www.michigan.gov/mde/services/health-safety/topics/school-safety/safe-storage-law

These materials explain safe storage practices and provide guidance to help ensure firearms are secured properly, reducing the risk of accidental injury.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Ensuring the safety of our students and community is a shared responsibility.
14 days ago, Christina Gallup
CCSC Families and Community Members,

With the snow season fast approaching, the Copper Country Snowsports Club (CCSC) is excited to kick off another great year on the slopes!

We invite all interested families to our upcoming Parent Information Meeting on Tuesday, September 30, 2025 at 6:30pm at the Mont Ripley Chalet.

This meeting is a great opportunity to learn more about CCSC's programs (Intro and Alpine Race Team), including schedule details, costs, required equipment, and more. CCSC is a non-profit, volunteer-run, family-focused organization dedicated to developing skiing skills in a fun, supportive environment. Our programs are geared toward independent, proficient skiers who are ready to take their skills to the next level.

Mark Your Calendar!
We're also thrilled to announce that our Annual Ski Swap will take place on Saturday, October 11th at Mont Ripley. This popular event is CCSC’s major fundraiser, supporting nearly 50 youth and university-level alpine athletes. All reasonably modern winter gear is welcome including downhill, cross-country, and snowshoe equipment and clothing! This is a great opportunity to clean out your gear or find what you need for the upcoming season.

Questions?
Email us at: coppercountrysnowsports@gmail.com
Visit: www.coppercountrysnowsports.org

Everyone is welcome! Come learn more about what CCSC has to offer and how you can get involved!


See you on the slopes,
Copper Country Snowsports Club (CCSC)
20 days ago, Christina Gallup
CCSC parent info meeting 9/30 6:30
CCSC winter gear swap 10/11 11am