Mona Shores Public Schools is a public school district located in Michigan, United States, in the western side of the state near Lake Michigan. The district includes most of the city of Norton Shores, which is just south of Muskegon.
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The district was formed in 1959, when the residents of the existing districts of Churchill, Hile, Lincoln, Maple Grove, and Mona Beach (all K-8 districts) voted to unite into a single K-12 district.[1]
The district is well known for its choral program under the current direction of Shawn Lawton (Mona Shores High School) and Katherine Bourdon (Mona Shores Middle School). Former directors include: Larry Gray, Larry Rueger and Skip Frizzell. In 2002, a number auditioned members of the Mona Shores Singers (the top choir at the time) were invited to perform at the White House for the president and his staff. The choir also presents many annual concerts including Pop go the Sailors and The Singing Christmas Tree, which is the largest in the United States. The choirs singing Christmas Tree was featured on TLC's production of Extreme Christmas Trees in December of 2011.
The school is also well known for its band program which includes outstanding Concert Bands, Jazz Ensembles and Marching Band. The Marching Band won state titles in 1993, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2003 as well as a USSBA National Championship in 2006. Current directors of the Mona Shores band program include: Jason Boyden, Rodney Schaub and Gregory Nimtz. Former directors include: John Butterfield, Jack Cooke, Jack Adams, Douglas Hostetler, Susan Veenstra and Timothy Staudacher.
Michigan School Band & Orchestra Association named Mona Shores High School orchestra director Timothy Staudacher as the 2011 Orchestra Teacher of the year. The Mona Shores Orchestras, under his direction, have earned consistent first division ratings at MSBOA festivals and have represented Michigan in the 2007 National Orchestra Festival. Mona Shores Orchestras have been featured performers in the Michigan Music Conference in 2000 and 2008. Mr. Staudacher is the founder and director of the Mona Shores Fiddlers, an extracurricular alternate styles ensemble, which performs throughout the Muskegon community. Mr. Staudacher has also established international performance tours with his high school group. In 2005 the high school orchestra traveled to China, and in 2008 to Ireland and England.
Mona Shores has also become a powerhouse in ice hockey in the past decade. The team won a state title in 2000, and has consistently made trips to the Frozen Four. In the 2006-2007 season, the team came up short, losing in the championship game to another strong team, Grosse Point South, 4-3 in overtime, on March 10, 2007.
The basketball team has been on-again and off-again, with the 2006-2007 squad winning the District Championship under the leadership of third-year coach Jeremy Andres.
The Baseball team has also enjoyed a recent rise to power in the Muskegon Area. Under the direction of fourth year head coach Walt Gawkowski the Sailors won the 2006 GMAA, District, and OK-Green titles. The 2006 squad won the first district title in 26 years. The Sailor Baseball program has continued to support local Universities by turning out college players nearly every year.
Mona Shores is also known for its outstanding debate teams having won Novice State Championships in 1982,1983,1984,1986,1989 and 2007 and Varsity State Championships in 1986 and 1990. The team consistently qualifies as a quarter finalist,semifinalist, or finalist in the Novice and Varsity State Tournament. The team was coached by John H. McKendry Jr from 1978 to 1990, coached by Brent Green from 2000 to the 2009-2010 season, before it was handed off to Green's assistant coach Mandi Garvey.
Also they have an exceptional competitive cheer program, who has become very close to making it to the state championship two years in a row.
In September 2010, the district drew nationwide press attention when it prohibited transgender senior Oak Reed from being crowned homecoming king. After many votes were cast for Reed, the votes stopped being counted. The school administration told Reed on September 20, 2010 (homecoming was scheduled for the following weekend) that votes for him were not counted because on his school records he was listed as female and therefore could not serve as king (since the ballot said to vote for on male and one female). News reports about the controversy began spreading on September 26. Reed was in a rage and thought he wasn't being allowed to serve as king because of the fact that he was transgender. The principal of the school later admitted that she was sorry that she wouldn't let him serve. In the past the school was very accommodating to Reed's needs (separate locker rooms & bathroom assignments). [2][3][4][5] The ACLU was reported to be investigating the case.[6]
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