Dear Families,
Today the cadets in Howell High School's Air Force JROTC program hosted a special ceremony to honor our local veterans. The ceremony included performances by the school's choir, band, and a panel discussion on military service. The panel was composed of veterans from the various branches of the armed forces and provided perspective on a career in the armed forces. Cadets from the JROTC program also attended the county Veterans Day Ceremony in Downtown Howell. I want to thank our families, staff, and alumni who have served in the armed forces.
Other than our ski and boardercross teams, I am not sure any of us are looking forward to the winter weather. There are several factors that my team and I consider when deciding to close school due to inclement weather. The most important of those is the safety of our students and staff. When we need to close school, we try to make the decision as soon as possible to allow families to make arrangements. However, it is always a good idea to have a plan in place should we need to cancel school. Please take a few minutes to review the district's winter weather closing procedure at https://bit.ly/3mRMPQC.
On Tuesday's ballot were three seats on our school board. Eight candidates ran for the open seats. Christy Conn, our current Board Secretary, was reelected, and two newcomers, Jason Bedford and Meg Marhofer, were also elected. I want to welcome Jason and Meg to the Highlander Team. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank and recognize Brent Earl, our current Board Vice President, and Grace Trudell, a current Board Trustee, for their service. Brent and Grace have helped guide the district while always keeping the best interest of our students at the forefront. Thanks to their leadership and support, our district and community are a better place. Lastly, I would like to thank Charlie Aberasturi, Don Banfield, and Tracy Flak, who also ran for seats on the board, for their interest in serving our community and district.
Nine Parker Middle School vocal music students, have been selected to participate in the prestigious Michigan School Vocal Music Association (MSVMA) State Honors Choirs. Being selected for these choirs is a huge accomplishment and having so many students selected showcases the high-quality vocal music programs our teachers have created. The students, Sophia Bearden, Sophia Bogotaitis, Ellie Mae Cox, Christopher Labedz, Melody Madden, McKenna Mackillop, Bella Reading, Carmella Rheaume, and Miles Vohwinkle, will spend the next few months rehearsing at home, after school, and attending three group rehearsals to prepare for their performance at the Michigan Music Conference in January. To read more about this great accomplishment, please visit http://bit.ly/3TCzM5G.
Our district-wide food drive to support Gleaners Community Food Bank is underway. Organized by students in the high school's leadership class, the food drive supports families in Livingston County facing food insecurity. Students can bring food donations to their school between now and Friday, December 9. Last year the food drive collected 20,115 pounds of assorted food and $9,911.95, which provided more than 76,167 meals to our community. Gleaners is a great community partner of the district and hosts a monthly mobile food pantry distribution site in the Freshman Campus bus lot on the third Thursday of each from 4 to 5 p.m. The next mobile food pantry is next Thursday, November 17.
Sincerely,
Erin J. MacGregor, Ed.S.
Superintendent
Howell Public Schools
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