This morning, Amy and I were helping our twins make Dirt Cups for their 11th birthday treat. Side note - this is a great 5:45 a.m. project (insert sarcasm). I didn't have the pleasure of having Dirt Cups in my childhood, but for those that don't know, basically, a Dirt Cup consists of pudding, Cool Whip, Oreos, and some gummy worms. As we were making them, I was focused on a precise order of layering the ingredients. I looked over and noticed my daughter just tossing everything together. I leaned over and told her to make sure and put things together in the right order. She looked at me and said, "Dad, I think mine look nice, and anyway, they are all going to taste the same."
I wish I didn't need Dirt Cups to remind me that there are a lot of different ways to approach life, but this was a good way for me to start Friday the 13th and a full moon.
2020/21 Calendar
As you know, the district and the Howell Education Association agreed to a two-year contract that covers the 2019-2020 and the 2020-2021 school years. Part of this contract is the school calendar for this year and next year. To help our staff and families plan, we wanted to share the details of the 2020-2021 school year calendar as early as possible. We will once again begin the school year before Labor Day. As you may or may not know, the decision to move the start of school to before Labor Day is rooted in a law that took effect for the 2016-2017 school year that increased the number of required instructional days from 175 to 180. When starting the school year after Labor Day, this additional week of school pushed the end of the school year into mid-June, prompting many districts to explore beginning before Labor Day. In fact, out of the 56 intermediate school districts in the state, 43 have waivers to begin before Labor Day.
Our first day of school for the 2020-2021 school year will be Wednesday, August 19. While this is a few days earlier then we have started the past two years, we feel that the benefits are worth making the change. The earlier start date will allow us to complete the first semester of the school year at the December Holiday Break and end the school year on May 27, 2021. This schedule aligns better with the schedules of many of our higher education partners for our students who are taking advantage of dual enrollment opportunities and the Livingston County Early College program. It also aligns better with our various required assessments. Elementary and middle school students will end the school year shortly after M-STEP testing, high school students will conclude the school year shortly after AP testing and before the June SAT administration date. Next year, high school and middle school orientations will be held during the week of August 10, which is the same week that it has been held the past two years. Our elementary school open houses will be held on Monday, August 17, 2020, for grades first through fifth and on Tuesday, August 18, 2020, for Begindergarten and Kindergarten. The full 2020-2021 school year calendar can be viewed by clicking here.
State Budget Process
This year the budget process has been a little bit like watching last week's Lions game - a slow start, some excitement in the middle, and a lot of anxiety as we enter the 4th quarter, and possibly overtime.
When the state budget is not approved before June 30, it makes budgeting in school districts very difficult. For some background, a board of education in a school district is required by law to pass a budget each year by June 30. While the district budget can be complicated, two of the biggest revenue factors are student enrollment and the per-pupil foundation. In turn, absent a state budget, we are left to develop a budget with some very large assumptions. For example, will the state increase or decrease the per-pupil foundation? How much? Inaccurate assumptions can make for very large swings in a district's budget.
This week the Conference Committee reported out HB 4242, the School Aid Budget. The bill includes an increase for schools, but it did not include a weighted funding formula as referenced by the School Finance Research Collaborative. Further, the presented budget shifts $150 million away from higher education back to the classroom but falls far short of removing higher education and community college funding from the School Aid Fund completely. This was a shift made several years ago that continues to divert funds from K-12 schools. The budget increases come mostly from this shift of higher education funding and from redirecting online sales tax collections back to schools.
A Conference Report cannot be amended on the floor, so this is the document that legislators are expected to vote on next week. Unless negotiations resume between the House, Senate, and the Governor, this is presumed to be the budget that will be sent to Governor Whitmer for consideration. I am hoping for a little more clarity on her position by the end of the day today.
Opening Day
I enjoyed the student performances, testimonials and learning alongside all of you during the opening week. I have received some follow up questions from some staff. In response, the slides from my opening remarks can be accessed by clicking here. Also, I used Poll Everywhere as the tool to do the audience participation activities. There’s a limit (of 25) to the number of participants for a free account.
SMS Text Messaging is Coming to HPS
We are in the process of adding SMS text messaging to our mass communication system (think snow day calls). This will not replace the emails or calls that we send but will enhance them and provide another method of sharing important information to our staff and families. In order to receive these messages, we need to have your cell phone number on file. Please complete the Notification System Contact Information form at http://bit.ly/2kvZZs5. Even if you already receive our calls on your cell phone, please complete this form. You will also need to opt-in to receive messages. To opt-in, please text “Y” to 67587. You will receive a reply that states, “You’re registered 4 SchoolMessenger notifications.” We will not begin using this service until Thursday, October 31, 2019, so you will not receive any further text messages until after that date.
MacGregor's Message
Beginning this afternoon, all staff members will be receiving a copy of my bi-weekly parent e-newsletter MacGregor’s Message. I know some of you already receive this since you have students in the district. I am including staff so that you are aware of the various updates that your students’ families are receiving. Many times, this is the same information that I share in #HighlanderNation and that principals share in their weekly staff emails, just with a parent lens on it.
Staff Perception Survey Results
Thank you to everyone who took the time to take the Staff Perception Survey last spring. The results of the survey help us determine progress on goals as well as to focus on future areas of improvement. The results of the 2018/19 survey can be viewed by clicking here.
Julianna's Wishes 5/10K
On Saturday, September 28 Julianna's Wishes, a 501c3 non-profit charity that was created in honor of Julianna Ward-Brown, a Howell High School student who passed away, will hold its second annual Miles for Smiles 5/10K run/walk. The Miles for Smiles event is to celebrate and honor the lives of children that we have lost too soon. The proceeds from the event will support scholarships for Howell High School seniors and help fund a Celebration of Life Memorial Garden at the Howell Carnegie Library. To learn more about the event or to register, please visit http://bit.ly/2k5Morc.
