Moving forward...together

HPS team,

If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward. 

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

This quote sits above my desk and resonates with me in a number of ways. It speaks to the larger historical and contemporary struggles in our world, our country, and our community as well as the commitment that is necessary to make progress. It speaks to sacrifice, lives lost, and potential never experienced. It provides perspective. 

It also speaks to our current, local challenges. From inadequate per pupil funding to so many of our students needing a positive, stable environment to the uncertainty in the direction of public education, we are not short on work. As we look to confront these challenges, I ask that we do so together. I ask that you reflect each day on what you are doing to make our district a better place? We are all accountable. We only get better through our commitment to move forward together.

Organizational Meeting of the Board of Education - at the January 9 board of education meeting, new board member Courtney Tarara was sworn in and took her seat on the board. In addition, the board elected its officers; Mike Yenshaw is President, Stacy Pasini is Vice President, Grace Trudell is Treasurer, Brent Earl is Secretary, and Gregg Gilligan, Courtney Tarara, and Marcus Wilcox are Trustees. I am thankful to work with such a dedicated team and I know they are committed to moving the district forward.

Southeast/Three Fires Consolidation - at the December 12 board of education meeting, the board voted to approve the recommendation of the district’s Facilities Utilization Committee to consolidate Southeast Elementary and Three Fires Elementary at Three Fires Elementary for the 2017-2018 school year. This was a very difficult decision that the board did not take lightly. Each board member spent a great deal of time reviewing the information provided to them by the committee as well as conducting their own research. Now that the Board has approved the recommendation, we have formed a transition team that will be tasked with ensuring a smooth transition for students and staff.

Since the Board of Education approved the recommendation from the Facilities Utilization Committee, I have been examining various options for the building leadership at Three Fires Elementary. We are very fortunate to have two outstanding principals in Mrs. Naghtin and Mr. Starkey. Both have done an exceptional job in their current roles. After meeting with both of them, I have decided to have Mr. Starkey assume the principal role at Three Fires Elementary starting with the 2017-2018 school year. Mrs. Naghtin will pursue a new role and opportunity within Howell Public Schools.

District Highlights - there are always great things going on around the district. This past weekend, Mr. Stimson facilitated a weekend band camp at Parker Middle School in which students spent the weekend engaging in additional instruction and bonding with their peers and teachers. The event concluded with a concert for the community on Sunday afternoon.

Second-grade students at Southeast Elementary recently wrote persuasive letters to support a grant application for a new drinking fountain with a water bottle filling station. Using the principles of project-based learning, the students learned about the health benefits of drinking water and surveyed their schoolmates to gather their thoughts on a new drinking fountain. That research was used as supporting evidence in their letters as to why Southeast should be awarded the grant.

One of our goals is to expand robotics opportunities throughout the district. This year, we have added a number of teams. Team KAOS, one of our middle school FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) teams, will represent Michigan at the FIRST Robotics Super Regional North Championship this March. The team has had a great season so far. They were part of a winning alliance of three teams at a qualifying event and claimed third place overall at the Michigan FTC State Championship.

As we continue to expand meaningful business partnerships at all of our schools, I am excited to share that Hutchings, Northwest, and Highlander Way will formally launch student-run credit unions at their respective buildings in the next few weeks. This is part of an expanding partnership with LOC Federal Credit Union. I am thankful for their support and the leadership opportunities provided to our students.

Winter Sports - Our winter sports season is in full swing, and it is shaping up to be a very exciting one. Our girl's varsity basketball team is continuing their success from last year and currently has a record of 8-0, defeating some very tough opponents early in the season. The wrestling team is doing well, and hockey is undefeated in our league and has a record of 8-6 overall. The boy's varsity basketball team is also off to a great start with a record of 5-3 and boy’s swim and dive is picking up where they left off from last year. If you have an opportunity, I encourage you to watch our student-athletes in action. You can view our athletic schedule at https://goo.gl/1Y3gvB.

Howell Education Foundation Gala - the HEF is hosting a gala on Saturday, February 25 at Crystal Gardens. HEF’s mission is "to encourage students to fulfill their dreams and to reach their full potential." Through the gracious support of our community, the HEF provides classroom and program grants to fulfill its mission. The profits from the Gala will directly support the students in Howell Public Schools. If you are interested in attending, sponsoring, or volunteering, please click here.

Rotary Youth Exchange - the Rotary Club of Howell is a very active organization in our community. One role it fulfills is providing our students with opportunities to travel abroad while also hosting students from other parts of world at HPS; this is all possible through the Rotary Youth Exchange Program. We are in need of identifying host families for next school year. You can learn more about this program by clicking here. If you are interested in being a host family, please contact Steve Manor at teach34@comcast.net.

Canned Food Drive - Thank you so much to everyone who donated money and cans for our Gleaner's Food Drive!! 13,000 cans were collected by our Student Leadership class.