I hope you had a great weekend! Wow, what a game! We spent the rest of our weekend running kids between athletic events and celebrating my daughter's 12th birthday. She somehow convinced us to have a sleepover with nine girls; it was intense.
This week marks National School Counseling Week. I would like to use this as an opportunity to recognize and thank our amazing counseling team. I feel very strongly that we cannot begin to focus on content knowledge, transferable skills, attendance, etc. until we have created an environment that is grounded in the social and emotional well-being of our students. From as early as kindergarten, our counseling team works to develop this foundation. They do this by working directly with students and families to equip them with the tools they need to be successful, responding in crisis situations, and providing systemic support to build a collective capacity of empathy, independence, and self-awareness. In addition, our counselors are instrumental in ensuring access to individualized educational pathways at each stage of a student's academic career. From developing academic support plans to successful transitions at middle and high school to planning for a career or college, our counselors are instrumental in each student's success at HPS. I am grateful for the support they provide our students and families. Please join me in thanking our counselors.
This week marks National School Counseling Week. I would like to use this as an opportunity to recognize and thank our amazing counseling team. I feel very strongly that we cannot begin to focus on content knowledge, transferable skills, attendance, etc. until we have created an environment that is grounded in the social and emotional well-being of our students. From as early as kindergarten, our counseling team works to develop this foundation. They do this by working directly with students and families to equip them with the tools they need to be successful, responding in crisis situations, and providing systemic support to build a collective capacity of empathy, independence, and self-awareness. In addition, our counselors are instrumental in ensuring access to individualized educational pathways at each stage of a student's academic career. From developing academic support plans to successful transitions at middle and high school to planning for a career or college, our counselors are instrumental in each student's success at HPS. I am grateful for the support they provide our students and families. Please join me in thanking our counselors.
District Updates
Building-Level Communication - one of the objectives of the strategic plan is to increase communication to our families from both the district and the buildings. Last year, we started MacGregor's Message as a bi-monthly update for our families of district news and highlights. Starting this semester, on the off weeks of MacGregor's Message, each building will begin sending their respective communications. In short, they will include consistent district-level information as well as information specific to their building.
Online Grade Reporting, Registration, etc. - as we look to next year, we will be taking intentional steps to move more of our current systems of doing business with our families to an online platform. This will include utilizing PowerSchool's online tools for grade reporting, online registration, schedule pickup, etc. We will begin this transition this year with online progress reports.
Online Grade Reporting, Registration, etc. - as we look to next year, we will be taking intentional steps to move more of our current systems of doing business with our families to an online platform. This will include utilizing PowerSchool's online tools for grade reporting, online registration, schedule pickup, etc. We will begin this transition this year with online progress reports.
Leadership for Maintenance, Operations, and Custodial Services - in April 2015 when the Director of Operations left the district, a "Lead Maintenance" position was created as a pilot structure. For the past 18 months, Chris Eaton has served in this capacity. After assessing the pilot structure, I determined that in a district our size (eleven buildings consisting of over 1,500,000 square feet along with their grounds) we need to have formal leadership in place to provide our staff, students, families, and community with the standard of excellence they deserve. In turn, at the January 23 board meeting, the board took action to approve a Supervisor of Maintenance, Operation, and Custodial Services position. After providing exceptional leadership during the pilot structure, Chris Eaton will assume this position. While Chris is a familiar face in the district, please take an opportunity to welcome him to this new role.
District Highlights
Kelli Falls (Parker Middle School) - Kelli was named the 2017 Michigan School Vocal Music Association Teacher of the Year. This is an amazing honor and symbolizes the talent we have leading our visual and performing arts department. Kelli was selected for this honor by her peers from around the state and received her award last month at the Michigan Music Conference. You can read more about this amazing honor at https://goo.gl/2UDTi0. Congratulations Kelli!
Athletics - our student-athletes continue to excel this season. Our gymnastics team is currently tied for first place in their division, and last week our boys swim and dive team moved into first in their division. Both our boys and girls bowling teams are currently in second place, and last weekend, Dean Fassero bowled a perfect game in the team's meet against South Lyon. Also, boy's basketball clinched at least a share of the division title; the first since 1996. Additionally, five student-athletes recently committed to play at the next level. Joey Gossett and Ryan Brennan both committed for football and Ashley Strong, Emmaly Badgett, and Lauren Yoder each committed for soccer. Congratulations to these student-athletes.
LOC Federal Credit Union Partnership - all of our buildings have strong partnerships with various businesses and non-profits in the community. LOC Federal Credit Union has proven to be one of these strong partners. Through this partnership, we are able to provide our students with real-world experiences by running a student-run credit union. Our students have developed resumes, completed applications, and engaged in interviews while preparing to take on positions such as branch managers and bank tellers. As of last Friday, with the grand opening of the branch at Northwest, we have student-run credit unions at Three Fires, Voyager, Hutchings, and Northwest. In the next couple of weeks, we will further expand this partnership at Highlander Way; this will include a class along with the branch. We will continue to expand this partnership in the next couple of years. I am very thankful for the support of LOC Federal Credit Union.
District Highlights
Kelli Falls (Parker Middle School) - Kelli was named the 2017 Michigan School Vocal Music Association Teacher of the Year. This is an amazing honor and symbolizes the talent we have leading our visual and performing arts department. Kelli was selected for this honor by her peers from around the state and received her award last month at the Michigan Music Conference. You can read more about this amazing honor at https://goo.gl/2UDTi0. Congratulations Kelli!
Athletics - our student-athletes continue to excel this season. Our gymnastics team is currently tied for first place in their division, and last week our boys swim and dive team moved into first in their division. Both our boys and girls bowling teams are currently in second place, and last weekend, Dean Fassero bowled a perfect game in the team's meet against South Lyon. Also, boy's basketball clinched at least a share of the division title; the first since 1996. Additionally, five student-athletes recently committed to play at the next level. Joey Gossett and Ryan Brennan both committed for football and Ashley Strong, Emmaly Badgett, and Lauren Yoder each committed for soccer. Congratulations to these student-athletes.
LOC Federal Credit Union Partnership - all of our buildings have strong partnerships with various businesses and non-profits in the community. LOC Federal Credit Union has proven to be one of these strong partners. Through this partnership, we are able to provide our students with real-world experiences by running a student-run credit union. Our students have developed resumes, completed applications, and engaged in interviews while preparing to take on positions such as branch managers and bank tellers. As of last Friday, with the grand opening of the branch at Northwest, we have student-run credit unions at Three Fires, Voyager, Hutchings, and Northwest. In the next couple of weeks, we will further expand this partnership at Highlander Way; this will include a class along with the branch. We will continue to expand this partnership in the next couple of years. I am very thankful for the support of LOC Federal Credit Union.
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