Dear Families,
I hope everyone stayed safe during this week's ice storm.
Last Thursday, we surprised Mrs. Shelley DiMiceli, a Highlander Way Middle School paraprofessional, with our 2022-2023 Support Person of the Year Award. Mrs. Dimiceli received 23 nominations for the award, many of which came from students. I enjoyed reading each of the nominations she received. Two of the comments from students that stood out to me were, "If we need help, she is there" and "her special skill is Kindness because she is always trying to help students." Those comments speak to who Mrs. DiMiceli is and why she was chosen for this award. You can view a video of the surprise award presentation below. To read more about Mrs. DiMiceli and this award, please visit http://bit.ly/3Zgfbad.
Wednesday was National School Bus Driver Appreciation Day. Our Transportation Department team plays a crucial role in our district. Our bus drivers ensure our students start and end their day with a friendly smile and that they get to and from school safely. Our mechanics keep our fleet of buses in top shape to ensure they are ready to transport students. The office staff assists parents and drivers and develop the bus routes. With our staffing challenges this year, everyone in the Transportation Department has stepped up to go the extra mile and help cover as many routes as possible. Please join me in thanking our transportation team for everything they do for our district.
Recently, FIRST Robotics featured Team KRASH and two team members, Bella and Maverick, in a blog highlighting the team's STEM Box in Downtown Howell. Team KRASH is one of our five middle school FIRST Tech Challenge teams. The STEM Box was a project the team undertook to increase access to STEM projects in our community. It is like a Little Free Library but with STEM projects instead of books. You can read the blog at http://bit.ly/3EB1nPL.
Earlier this week, Mr. Dave Cherry, Challenger Elementary principal, and Champ, our district's newest Highlander Hownd therapy dog, visited Michigan State University to support students affected by last week's tragedy. One of the goals of this year's Senior Survivor fundraiser is to place a Highlander Hownd therapy dog in each of our schools. While these therapy dogs will play an essential role in our schools, they will also be available to support our community in times of tragedy. This year's Senior Survivors will be announced next Wednesday, March 1, and fundraising will begin on Friday, March 3. To read more about Senior Survivor, please visit http://bit.ly/2SLq3NI.
The Livingston Educational Service Agency, Great Start Livingston, and Michigan State University Extension are hosting a free parenting series called Guiding Principles for Highly Successful Parenting. During this five-week series, parents will learn various strategies to support their child's success in school and life. Parents will receive free resources and a book for their child's little library each week. The series is geared toward parents of children ages 2-8, but all parents are welcome. Dinner and child care are also provided as part of the program. To learn more or to register, please visit https://bit.ly/23pws.
Sincerely,
Erin J. MacGregor, Ed.S.
Superintendent
Howell Public Schools
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