Dear Families,
In this edition of MacGregor's Message, there are a variety of updates and announcements, from the upcoming bond proposal that would improve our district to enriching community programs and an upcoming student performance. We appreciate your continued partnership and dedication to our #OneHowell vision.
In this edition of MacGregor’s Message:
- Our Kids, Our Community, Our Future Bond Proposal
- Mental Wellness Night
- HHS Fall Play “Puffs”
- Quarter 1 Report Cards
- Nov. 1 Late Start Day
- Livingston County Community Alliance Reality Tour
We are quickly approaching the Our Kids, Our Community, Our Future Bond Proposal election on November 7. If approved, this proposal will provide $258 million for vital updates in five key areas, including Safety and Security, Learning Environments, Teaching Tools, Aging Building Infrastructure, and Community Facilities, while expecting to maintain our current tax rate of 5.5 mills. If approved, the proposal will impact each of our schools. To learn more about the proposal, please visit HowellSchools.com/Bond. Your vote on the bond proposal is a vital part of our shared commitment to enhancing educational excellence for every student in our district. For those of you voting by absentee ballot, please ensure it is completed and returned to your local clerk. Remember that polls are open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. for in-person voting on November 7.
In partnership with the Livingston Educational Service Agency and the Cook Center for Human Connection, we are excited to launch a monthly family educational series focused on mental health and wellness. Each month, these topical webinars will focus on a different mental health and wellness area. The first webinar will focus on helping children cope with anxiety. It will share simple strategies to help families respond to and help their children work through feelings of anxiety more effectively. The webinar will be held on Thursday, November 9, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Families can join for an in-person viewing of the webinar at the Howell High School Freshman Campus cafeteria or from home by visiting https://cookcenter.info/Nov9Livingston. To learn more about the first webinar, please visit https://bit.ly/3QwzeQa. To view the dates and topics for future sessions, please visit https://bit.ly/3Me1yV9.
Next week is Howell High School's fall play "Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic." A parody of the popular Harry Potter books, this play is hilarious and will surely delight audiences of all ages. There will be three performances of the play. On Friday, November 3, and Saturday, November 4, the show will begin at 7 p.m.; on Sunday, November 5, the show will start at 2 p.m. All performances will be held in Howell High School's Rod Bushey Performing Arts Center. To read more about the play or to purchase tickets, please visit https://bit.ly/3LZjpyQ.
It is hard to believe that we have already completed the school year's first quarter. First-quarter report cards for students in grades 3-12 are now viewable in the PowerSchool Parent Portal. For instructions on how to view your child's report card, please visit https://bit.ly/473etBk. In addition to being posted in the PowerSchool Parent Portal, you will receive an email with your child's report card on Monday. The email will read, "Attached please find your child's Quarter 1 report card from Howell Public Schools. To view this attachment, you will be prompted for a password. The password is your child's student number." Please contact our office if you do not know your child's student number.
Next Wednesday, November 1, is our second district-wide late start day of the school year. On this day, our middle and high school students will start at 9:05 a.m., and elementary students will begin at 10:20 a.m. Transportation will be provided, and approximate bus stop times can be found at https://bit.ly/3DDrgym. The goal of the late start days is to allow our staff more frequent professional development opportunities so they will be better equipped to serve our students.
On Tuesday, November 7, from 5 to 7 p.m., the Livingston County Community Alliance will host a Reality Tour program. The program is geared toward families with children ages ten and above. The Reality Tour is an immersive experience designed to engage children and their families in conversations surrounding drug use and healthy coping skills. The event is free to attend. To learn more, please visit https://bit.ly/40cBpvF.
I hope you have a great weekend, and Go Highlanders!
Sincerely,
Erin J. MacGregor, Ed.S.
Superintendent
Howell Public Schools