Dear Families,

Over the past few weeks, our school community has experienced both moments of pride and moments that remind us how important it is to care for and support one another. We remain committed to ensuring our students feel connected, supported, and part of a strong Highlander community.

In this edition of MacGregor’s Message

• Co-curricular accomplishments

• Save the Date - Howell High School spring musical

• New Director of Safety and Security

• Elementary English Language Arts curriculum in action

• MI Student Voice Survey

• MDE Teacher Appreciation

• Livingston County Parent Summit

• Highlander Virtual enrollment

Recently, members of Howell High School’s DECA program and its FCCLA chapter have earned honors at statewide conferences. At the Michigan DECA conference, Madeline Wagner was named a state champion in the Entrepreneurship category and has advanced to the DECA international competition. Addison Brassfield was named a state runner-up in the Human Resources Management event. Elliott Busch, Mickey Brennen-Voght, and Skyler Stepp each earned achievement medals for high scores on the written exams. In the STAR Competitive Events at the FCCLA State Leadership Conference, five teams from Howell competed in four events, with all teams qualifying for the national competition. Lucy Snow and Amelia Schultz earned gold medals in the Teaching Strategies category, and Andy Brinker earned a gold medal and the highest score in the Hospitality, Tourism, and Recreation category. Alyssa Martin and Sophia Cargill earned a silver medal in the Repurpose and Redesign category, and Mary Cheresko earned third place and a silver medal in the Focus on Children category. To read more about the DECA state conference, please visit https://bit.ly/4cZ4a7A. To read more about the FCCLA State Conference, please visit https://bit.ly/4uDIbJw. 

Mark your calendars for what is sure to be an incredible musical performance. The Howell High School Performing Arts Department will present Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat April 17-19 at the Rod Bushey Performing Arts Center. This acclaimed musical 

tells the story of Joseph, a dreamer whose colorful coat and special gifts lead him on an incredible journey from hardship to triumph. The show features upbeat music, colorful costumes, and showcases the amazing talent of our students. We had the opportunity to enjoy a sneak peek at a recent Board of Education meeting, and the cast sounded fantastic. Tickets will be available at https://bit.ly/4dwdHTE. 

The safety and security of our students and staff are a top priority for our district. Over the past several years, we have invested in both physical and technical safety improvements at all of our buildings. Additionally, through our partnership with local law enforcement, we have increased the number of school resource officers in our schools. To further this work, we recently hired Mr. Steve Kramer as our new Director of Safety and Security. Having recently retired as Chief of Police from the Green Oak Township Police Department, Mr. Kramer brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in law enforcement, training, and public safety to our district. He has extensive experience in crisis response, emergency planning, and staff training, and he also serves as an instructor at regional police academies and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. His expertise will help guide our continued efforts to maintain a safe and secure learning environment across all of our schools.

Across our elementary schools, students are engaging in meaningful, hands-on learning through our new English Language Arts curriculum, Amplify CKLA. At Northwest Elementary, kindergarten students celebrated the end of their “Moo, Cluck, Oink: Farms” unit by churning butter, connecting their learning about farm life, food production, and communication skills to a real-world experience. At Hutchings Elementary, fifth-grade students explored ocean ecosystems by researching habitats, studying food webs and adaptations, and writing informative texts about marine life, complemented by detailed watercolor artwork. These experiences reflect how Amplify CKLA, an evidence-based reading curriculum, brings learning to life, helping students build knowledge, think critically, and develop strong literacy skills.

If you have not already done so, please take a few minutes to complete the MI Student Voice Family Perception Survey, which is open through Friday, March 27. This survey helps us identify strengths and opportunities for improvement at both the district and school levels. The anonymous survey takes about 10 minutes and focuses on family satisfaction, student engagement, connection, and belonging. Families with multiple children should respond based on their eldest child (with the option to complete it again for additional children). The survey can be found at https://bit.ly/4sEGwlf.

To celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Week, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) is inviting families to participate in its Teacher Appreciation Video Project. Families are invited to submit a 15–30-second video of their student thanking a teacher who has had a positive impact. Videos can easily be recorded on a cell phone and submitted through MDE’s online form. Submissions are being accepted through April 15, 2026. To learn more, please visit https://bit.ly/4rwD0sh. 

The Second Annual Livingston County Parent Summit and Wellness Fair is tomorrow, March 21, from 8:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Parker Middle School. This free event will feature TED-style talks, interactive workshops, and family resources centered on this year’s theme: Tech, Talk, and Well-Being: Finding Balance in a Digital World. National and local experts will share practical tools and strategies to help families navigate raising children in today’s digital world. To learn more about the summit or view the full event agenda, visit: https://bit.ly/4bccaAx. In addition to the summit, our local law enforcement partners have shared information on social media safety for families who may be interested in learning more, which can be found at https://bit.ly/47a5QHI. 

The enrollment window for Highlander Virtual, our online learning program, is now open for the 2026–2027 school year. Highlander Virtual is available to students in grades 6–12. Highlander Virtual students work from home through Schoology while remaining connected to Howell teachers and having access to social and emotional support, as well as sports, performing arts, and clubs. If you would like to enroll your child in Highlander Virtual for the first time, or if you would like your child to continue in the program for the 2026–2027 school year, please complete the Highlander Virtual Application and Consent Form. Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 24, 2026. If you have any questions about the Highlander Virtual program, please contact Brooklyn Gehringer, Highlander Virtual administrator, at [email protected].

Thank you for your continued partnership and support of our students and schools. I hope you have a great weekend. Go Highlanders. 

Sincerely,

Erin J. MacGregor, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Howell Public Schools