Dear Families,

It is hard to believe this is the final MacGregor’s Message of the school year. As we celebrate the end of another incredible year, I want to thank you for your continued partnership and support of our students, staff, and schools. The level of family involvement and community support we experience truly makes Highlander Nation a special place. 

In this edition of MacGregor’s Message:

• Celebrating our graduates

• Highlander Reading Express route

• Our Kids, Our Community, Our Future Bond update

• Summer Lunch Bunch

• Printable last day of school signs

• Howell Library Summer Reading program

• Howell Archery team members named to 2026 NASP Academic All-American Teams

• Test drive a school bus on May 30

• Open interviews for paraprofessionals 

On Wednesday, we had a double dose of Class of 2026 celebrations. Wednesday morning was the annual Senior Clap Out at Howell High School, where graduating seniors walk the halls of the Freshman Campus and Howell High School for the final time. It is always exciting to watch our seniors celebrated by friends, family, and staff as they leave our buildings for the last time as students. Wednesday evening, we celebrated the Innovation Academy (IA) Class of 2026 during its graduation ceremony. The IA graduation ceremony is always a moving experience. Howell High School’s graduation ceremony will be held on Tuesday, June 2, at the Michigan State University Breslin Center.

The Highlander Reading Express, our mobile library, will once again roll into neighborhoods this summer. Staffed by teachers, principals, and other district team members, and filled with popular books, it is sure to be another summer of reading fun. The Highlander Reading Express will visit neighborhoods each Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday throughout the summer, and we are also planning several special events along the way. To view this year’s schedule, please visit https://bit.ly/3RmjgLy. To learn more about the Highlander Reading Express, please visit HowellSchools.com/BookBus.

On Monday, we had the opportunity to tour the worksites at Highlander Way Middle School, Northwest Elementary, and Southwest Elementary. At Highlander Way, crews were preparing to pour the concrete floor in the north academic addition, while the floor in the band room addition has already been completed. At Northwest, crews are constructing the music room and cafeteria, adding the brick façade, and roughing in plumbing and electrical systems. At Southwest Elementary, crews are also working on plumbing and electrical systems, constructing walls, and preparing to begin work on the brick façade. You can see the progress in the videos below.

As soon as school concludes next week, we will begin a major paving project at Howell High School. The circle drive on the north side of the building will be completely removed, expanded, and rebuilt. The new drive will extend farther west toward the future community center site and will provide additional drop-off and pick-up space, along with expanded visitor parking. During construction, the north side of the school will be inaccessible. Visitors should enter from the south (Grand River) side of the building.

The Salvation Army will kick off its Summer Lunch Bunch program on June 1. With locations across Livingston County, Summer Lunch Bunch provides an important source of meals for students during the summer months. To view this year’s Summer Lunch Bunch flyer and all program locations, please visit https://bit.ly/4dHjgOS.

To celebrate the last day of school, we have once again posted our popular last-day-of-school signs at https://bit.ly/4dn0Jax and on our Facebook page. The signs are free to download and print. If you take last-day-of-school photos, send us a Facebook message with your pictures, and we will include them in our last-day-of-school photo album.

The Howell Carnegie District Library Summer Reading Program is a great way for students to stay engaged in reading and learning throughout the summer months. The program encourages readers of all ages to explore new books, participate in hands-on activities, and attend special events hosted by the library.  Families can learn more about the Summer Reading Program and upcoming events by visiting https://bit.ly/4nCPzBO.

Two of our archery team members have been named to the 2026 National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) Academic All-American Teams. Noah Heilig of Howell High School and Katia Gonzalez of Southwest Elementary earned this prestigious honor, which recognizes student archers who demonstrate excellence both in the classroom and on the archery range. To qualify, students must first meet their school’s academic criteria and then earn top placement scores at the NASP National Tournament. This recognition highlights the dedication, discipline, sportsmanship, and academic achievement of these outstanding students.

The Livingston RTC Bus Driver Try-It-Out Day on May 30 will provide a unique opportunity to explore a career in student transportation before taking the next step. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hartland Consolidated Schools Transportation Department, located at 9525 East Highland Road, and will allow participants to experience what it’s like to drive a school bus in a safe, supervised setting. No prior experience or CDL is required. At Howell Public Schools, we are proud to offer transportation careers that combine flexibility, stability, and purpose. School bus drivers enjoy paid training, school-year schedules, and the opportunity to make a positive impact on students each day. Additional information is available at BeABusDriver.org. 

Howell Public Schools will host open interviews for Special Education Paraprofessionals on Tuesday, June 9, from 9:00–11:00 a.m. and Wednesday, June 10, from 12:00–2:00 p.m. Interviews will take place in the Edinburgh Room at the district’s administrative offices, located at 411 N. Highlander Way in Howell. We are seeking caring, compassionate individuals who are passionate about supporting students and making a positive impact each day. Positions are available at the elementary and middle school levels and include a school-calendar-aligned schedule, paid time off, and starting pay of $16.56 per hour. Applicants are encouraged to bring a resume. To learn more, please visit https://bit.ly/3PGNnwF.

I hope you have a great weekend, last week, school, and summer. Go Highlanders!

Sincerely,

Erin J. MacGregor, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Howell Public Schools