#HighlanderNation 07.21.21

COVID-19 & Communicable Disease Protocols

As you know, we implemented a number of COVID-19 mitigation measures last school year pursuant to the MDHHS orders as well as through our partnership with the Livingston County Health Department. Having provided in-person school for nearly the entire school year, we have the unique ability to reflect on our experiences to determine our best path forward for the 2021/22 school year. The following questions/answers are most frequently asked:

Are face masks required?

No. Face masks are not required.

Will ​staff or ​students be required to be tested for COVID-19?

No. The MDHHS and the MHSAA lifted all testing requirements on June 22, 2021.

Will ​students be required to be vaccinated in order to attend school?

No. The COVID-19 vaccine is not listed on the MDHHS School Required Vaccination List. The Livingston County Health Department strongly recommends that all eligible students, teachers, staff, and household members get the COVID-19 vaccination as soon as possible when supported by their medical advisor. Moreover, please keep in mind that the key strategy for keeping in-person learning available is through achieving high levels of COVID-19 vaccination within our community. 

Will staff and student contact tracing and quarantines continue?

Schools are required to report communicable diseases to their local health department. Probable or positive COVID-19 cases will be reported to the Livingston County Health Department following public health laws. When there is a positive or probable case, an exposure letter will be sent home just as we do with other communicable diseases. We are still awaiting detailed guidance regarding contact tracing and quarantine protocols from the Livingston County Health Department, and we will review this when it becomes available.

What will the cleaning procedures be this year? The district will utilize standard daily cleaning protocols using products approved by the CDC to be effective against the COVID-19 virus. The cleaning of desks and furniture after each period is no longer required.

​For the complete 2021/22 Back to School FAQ, click here. We will update this as new information is made available. In addition, the county educational leaders have been collaborating throughout the summer to develop a consistent framework for the 2021/22 school year relative to COVID-19 health protocols. To view the communication from the county educational leaders, click here.

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#HighlanderNation 05.17.21

Celebrating the Class of 2021 - there are a number of events scheduled this week to celebrate the Class of 2021. The celebration begins today with the Senior Walk and picnic and culminates on Saturday with commencement on campus. Whatever role you have on the Highlander Team, please know that you contributed to the growth of each of our graduates. Be proud knowing what this class has accomplished as a result of your guidance and support. A class that that...

• earned over $70,000 in local scholarships 
• has students continuing their education in trade schools, apprenticeships, colleges, universities, and the military all over the country
• continued our outstanding tradition of fine and performing arts accomplishments by most recently bringing back in-person performances
• excelled in co curricular activities with multiple championships in various clubs and athletics, and 14 students earning an opportunity to compete at the collegiate level
• built a culture of inclusion and equity by raising awareness around our students with different challenges, and leaving a legacy with the construction of an inclusive playground in our community

Ultimately, this class met the challenges of the past 14 months. They proved that adversity can provide perspective and appreciation for what's most important. Please join me in celebrating and honoring the Class of 2021. 

Staff Perception Survey 2021 - please take a few minutes to take the staff perception survey. This is the fourth year we have administered this survey and the information is helpful as we seek to improve. The survey will close on Friday, June 4. To take the survey, click here. 

Howell Education Foundation (HEF) Annual Golf Outing - the annual HEF Golf Outing is scheduled for Friday, June 4 at Hunters Ridge. This is always a great way to conclude the year. For more information and to register individually or a team, click here. The HEF provides tremendous support to our students and staff. Please consider participating.

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#HighlanderNation 03.17.21

Portrait of a Highlander - for the past few years, I have been challenging us to reflect on the essential skills and knowledge each of our Highlanders need as they prepare for their careers, college, and life. As our students navigate a pandemic, it seems this conversation is even more important than ever. The Portrait of a Highlander is intended to be our vision - a vision we continuously strive to reach. Whether we are evaluating our curriculum, collaborating around instructional practices, designing our school day, or reflecting on our grading practices, we need to commit to doing this work through the lens of the Portrait. This is a process and I look forward to continuing the work with all of you.

Vaccination Process - as of this past Sunday, all education employees in the county have had the opportunity to receive at least the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with many staff already reaching full inoculation. To better understand the number of staff who have received a vaccination and to provide any support as needed, please take one minute to complete this survey.

While the Livingston County Health Department has received a limited number of doses of the vaccine, they made the vaccination of public school employees a priority. Additionally, the health department has provided guidance and support to the district throughout the pandemic. To celebrate National Public Health Week 2021, we would like to present the Livingston County Health Department with thank you notes from educators around the county. If you are inclined to do so, please submit your thank you to the health department at https://forms.gle/zYsxnMrX4yedxxyZ9. This form will be open through Friday, March 26. 

Rick Terres - after a long and distinguished career as a school district business official, Rick is retiring in May. Rick has served Howell Schools for 35 years. His knowledge, experience, and stable leadership have guided the district through some very challenging times. Ultimately, his leadership has allowed the district to maintain a strong financial standing while supporting the wide range of needs in the district. Please join me in wishing Rick the very best as moves into this next chapter of his life - it's guaranteed to involve grandchildren and golf. 

Staff Wellness Opportunity - as part of our ongoing efforts to support staff wellness, beginning the week of March 22 the district is providing an opportunity for staff to participate in a weekly yoga and meditation session. We are excited to partner with professionally trained yoga and trauma instructors for this unique opportunity. The sessions will be conducted once per week at each building in the district. While there are benefits to attending each week, you may register to attend as your schedule allows. For more information and details on how to register, click here. Registration is required and is limited to 20 per session. There is no cost to attend these sessions.

Legislative Update:

Senate Education Committee Testimony - yesterday afternoon I provided testimony to the Senate Education Committee relative to our experience since the pandemic started last spring. To view my statement to the committee, click here. 

Public Act 3 - on March 9, 2021, Governor Whitmer signed into law Public Act 3 of 2021(PA 3) to provide supplemental appropriations for fiscal year (FY) 2020-2021. PA 3 appropriates federal funds approved in the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act this past December and state School Aid Fund (SAF) dollars. PA 3 includes a new subsection, which appropriates funds through an equalization formula. To be eligible, districts are required to offer at least 20 hours per week of in-person instruction to all students by March 22, 2021. Eligible districts are also required to confirm adherence to the 20-hour per week requirement at each monthly board meeting. We meet these requirements. All districts receiving these funds are required to submit a plan to MDE that meets the allowable expenses by April 23, 2021. 

The Future of Highlander Virtual - I have received a few questions about the future of Highlander Virtual. We plan to continue this option for our families and currently have an application available to our families. We will monitor interest and determine the programming options available once we have final enrollment numbers. 

Class of 2021 - for your planning purposes, the HHS team is coordinating the Class of 2021 celebrations. Graduation is scheduled for Saturday, May 22 and will again be on our campus. Details to follow. Go Highlanders!

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#HighlanderNation 01.28.21

School Board Recognition Month - January is School Board Recognition Month. I am so thankful for our team of school board members. They are focused on making us better while supporting our students, staff, and families. This year they have been faced with numerous challenges and very difficult decisions. I am thankful for their thoughtful and steady approach during these extraordinary times. 

Jan Stewart - it is with very mixed emotions that I share with the team that Jan will be retiring at the end of this school year. Jan has been an integral part of our district for more than 20 years. Her caring approach, knowledge, professionalism, and attention to detail set the bar for our organization. Quite simply, she is the best. I feel fortunate to have worked with her for these past 5+ years. I am happy and excited for her to begin this next chapter of her life - I know time with grandchildren will be a priority. Please join me in wishing Jan the very best.

Executive Director of Finance - I am delayed with formally introducing Nicole Reinhardt as our new Executive Director of Finance. Nikki comes to us from Lenawee Intermediate School District. She received a BS in Accounting and Business Administration from Houghton College (NY) and an MBA in Finance from Rochester Institute of Technology (NY). She is also MSBO Business Office Manager Certified. Nikki is a great addition to the Central Office team and has already made some great changes with our processes and procedures. Please join me in welcoming Nikki to the Highlander team.

Supervisor of Facility Use - we recently posted and hired for a new Supervisor of Facility Use. To this end, please join me in welcoming John Brennan to the team. John is a 2015 Howell graduate, attended Hillsdale College, and recently completed his Masters in Sports Management. The purpose of this position in the short-term is to get the Highlander Aquatics and Fitness Center back online. After this, John will be coordinating use of all of our facilities by external groups.

Half days moving to distance learning - I continue to meet with the district Task Force to monitor the various aspects of our school operations during this very challenging school year. One of the decisions that came out of this group this week is to transition to distance learning for our two remaining half days on Friday, February 12, and Friday, April 23. These days will now be asynchronous distance learning days for all students while maintaining our flexible PD offerings. Additional details will be provided by Elson and your building principal.

Waiver of Certain Assessment and Accountability Requirements of the Federal Every Student Succeeds Act - recently, our State Superintendent Dr. Rice requested the federal government waive certain aspects of the accountability system (i.e. spring assessments). Given the dynamics of this year, I am hopeful this is approved. For your information, public comment is open on this request - more information is included in this MDE memo. Moreover, it would be refreshing to use this disruption to rethink our current approach to assessing students - from both a state and local perspective. We certainly need to assess how our students are progressing on standards, however, our current emphasis on traditional assessments needs to be reevaluated.

Howell Education Foundation (HEF) Classroom Grants - as a reminder, the HEF is ready to help with your creative instructional ideas that need a financial boost. To this end, please consider applying for a classroom grant. The grant application can be viewed by clicking here. 

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