Dear Families,
I hope you have had a wonderful summer. We are excited to welcome our students and families back for another great school year on Wednesday, August 20.
In this edition of MacGregor’s Message:
As we prepare for the first day of school, please be sure to visit HowellSchools.com/BackToSchool. On that webpage, you will find all of the information you need for the upcoming school year, including bus routes, the school year calendar, information on updating contact information in PowerSchool, and optional school supply lists. On that page, you can also download our printable first day of school signs. As has been our tradition, we invite all families to send their first day of school pictures to our Facebook Page to be included in our first day of school photo album.
We recently received guidance from the Michigan Department of Education that the Michigan School Meals program, which provides free breakfast and lunch for all students, will continue through September 30, 2025, when the state’s fiscal year ends. Whether they remain free for all students after that day is still unclear since the Michigan School Aid Budget has not been finalized. If the Michigan School Meals program does not continue, students will begin paying for meals as of October 1, 2025. Only eligible students with an approved meal application will receive free or reduced-priced meals on and after October 1, 2025. To ensure that eligible students receive free or reduced-priced meals for the entire school year, please complete the School Meal, Education Benefits, and Summer EBT application at HowellSchools.com/Food. Completing the application also ensures that Howell Public Schools receives important Title 1 and 31a funding that is determined by the number of eligible students in the district.
We know that over the past year, the MyStop bus tracking app has not met our performance expectations and often fell short in providing the consistent experience our families deserve. Due to this, we have discontinued the use of the MyStop app and are working to launch a new and improved bus tracking app later this year. We are taking a thoughtful and deliberate approach to this rollout to ensure the new app is accurate, reliable, and user-friendly from day one. We will be sharing more information with families as we prepare for the official launch. Thank you for your patience and continued partnership as we work to enhance your transportation experience.
This summer, the Board of Education approved a new English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Following a thorough review process—including teacher feedback, pilot testing, and extensive research—the district selected Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) for all elementary classrooms. CKLA is a comprehensive, research-based program that builds strong reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. It blends the fundamentals of reading, such as phonics and vocabulary, with engaging stories and lessons that also introduce key concepts from science and social studies. This approach not only strengthens literacy but also fosters curiosity and background knowledge across subjects. In early grades, CKLA uses a proven, step-by-step method to help students master the basics of reading. As they progress, students encounter a variety of rich texts that connect to other subjects, deepening both comprehension and content knowledge. Thanks to a grant from the Michigan Department of Education, the district was able to offset part of the cost of this important investment in our students’ future, preparing them for careers, for college, and for life.
Thanks to the community’s support of the Our Kids, Our Community, Our Future bond, exciting improvements are taking shape across the district. At Northwest and Southwest elementary schools, work is steadily progressing on the replacement buildings. Site preparation, including ground leveling and installation of stormwater detention systems, is complete at both locations. At Northwest, the foundation and footings are finished, and walls are now beginning to rise. At Southwest, crews are pouring the foundation and footings while also installing a temporary playground on the south side of the school. At Highlander Way Middle School, site work is underway for the new band room and academic wing addition. This project will expand educational opportunities and improve the building’s overall functionality for students and staff. Inside the school, several special education classrooms and other areas are also being renovated. The Rod Bushey Performing Arts Center received a refresh this summer, including new flooring, removal of the outdated ticket booth, and modern seating in the lobby. Inside the auditorium, the stage floor has been completely replaced, providing an enhanced space for student performances, concerts, and community events.
We had another great summer of reading fun with The Highlander Reading Express. This year, students checked out over 1,200 books. The new books, which were purchased with a grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, proved to be very popular as they flew off the shelves. We had 29 staff members volunteer their time to drive and work on The Highlander Reading Express, and students loved seeing their teachers, principal, and other staff each week. If your child still has books from The Highlander Reading Express, please return them to the main office of their school. This will ensure that students can enjoy the books next summer.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and I look forward to seeing you and your children as we kick off the new school year.
Sincerely,
Erin J. MacGregor, Ed.D
Superintendent
Howell Public Schools