Friday, November 2, 2018

#HighlanderNation 11.2.18

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2018 Competitive School Safety Grant Program (CSSGP) - we were informed by the Department of State Police that we were awarded $244,915.00 for the grant we submitted in September. The funds can be used for door access control systems, a visitor management system, and emergency management software. 
For perspective on this news, here are some interesting points...
  • there was a total of $10 million available statewide for the Competitive School Safety Grant Program (CSSGP) Program 1 which were direct funds for districts;
  • there was an additional $15 million available through Program 2 which was a matching grant structure;
  • requests for grants exceeded $69 million;
  • 140 school districts received funds from Program 1;
  • out of the 140 districts, only seven received more than us.
I am very proud of the team who worked so hard to submit such a high-quality grant proposal on behalf of the district. Special thanks to Liza Kelly and Tom Gould for leading this effort. While this does not address all of our safety concerns, it provides a solid foundation while also allowing us to immediately initiate the work.
Congressman Bishop and Representative Vaupel Visit the District - our students had an opportunity to visit with elected officials this week. Congressman Bishop visited Abby Aldred's classroom at Challenger after her student sent letters to elected officials about important issues. Representative Vaupel visited Highlander Way as they prepare for their mock election on Monday. 


HHS Girls Cross Country Team to Compete in State Meet - best of luck to our girls who will be competing in the MHSAA State Meet on Saturday, November 3 at MIS Speedway. The last time the team qualified for the state finals was 1985. We are so proud of you! 
FIRST Tech Challenge Competition - a robot invasion is coming to Parker on Saturday, Nov. 3 as the Howell Highlander FIRST Robotics organization hosts a FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Qualifier competition. More than 30 FTC teams from around Michigan will compete at the action-packed event. This year’s FTC competition is Rover Ruckus. In Rover Ruckus, the student created and operated robots will work in a three-team alliance as they try to a higher score than the opposing alliance by descending from the Lander, collecting Minerals from the Crater and sort Minerals into the Cargo Hold of the Lander.  All four of Howell’s FTC teams will compete at the event. The Howell FTC Qualifier Opening Ceremonies will begin at 10:30 a.m., with the qualification, matches starting at 11 a.m. Following the qualification matches, alliance selections will begin at 4:45 p.m. and the elimination rounds will begin at 5 p.m. The closing ceremonies are set for 6:30 p.m. The Howell FTC Qualifier is free to attend and open to the public.

 Support and Service Persons of the Year Nominations - we are now accepting nominations for the Support and Service Person of the Year awards. These awards honor our outstanding office staff, maintenance employees, computer technicians, special needs aides, general education aides, and hall monitors. You can submit nominations online at https://goo.gl/forms/tmIKmc6faRLSN1DB2. All nominations must be received by Tuesday, November 20 at 4 p.m.

 Securing Our Future Sinking Fund Proposal - please help spread the word to vote on November 6. For more information on the Securing Our Future Sinking Fund Proposal click here.