Dear Families,

It has been a great few weeks around Highlander Nation, with some of our outstanding students and staff being recognized and our various bond projects moving forward.  

In this edition of MacGregor’s Message

• Howell High School Students Earn Honors

• Three Fires Teacher Honored

• Community Center Groundbreaking

• Highlander Way Middle School Construction Update

• Parker Middle School Celebrates Students

• Safe Storage of Firearms

Two Howell High School seniors have been recognized as Commended Students in the 2027 National Merit Scholarship Program. Lyla Stawick and Penelope Taylor earned this distinction by placing among the top three percent of the 1.2 million students who took the 2025 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). This is an outstanding accomplishment, and we are incredibly proud of Lyla and Penelope for earning this recognition. To learn more about the National Merit Scholarship Program, please visit https://bit.ly/4ymfuTa. 

Three Fires Elementary teacher Lindsay Cieslak has been named the Serra Brighton Teacher of the Year. Ms. Cieslak is a resource teacher at Three Fires, supporting students in kindergarten through third grade. She is a strong advocate for her students, empowering them to do their best each day and celebrating their accomplishments along the way. Ms. Cieslak also champions inclusion and works to build a school community where every student feels welcomed, supported, and safe. Congratulations, Ms. Cieslak, on this well-deserved recognition!

On Monday, October 12, at 4 p.m., we will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the community center, which is funded by the 2023 Our Kids, Our Community, Our Future Bond. This marks an exciting chapter for our district and community. The facility will feature a 300-meter indoor track, 100 yards of indoor turf, several multi-purpose rooms, and court space. From community members using the  track to our various co-curricular activities utilizing the turf field, the community center is envisioned as a multi-use facility that will meet the needs of our students, families, and the Howell community. The groundbreaking ceremony will take place on the Howell High School campus, just north of the Highlander Aquatic and Fitness Center. The groundbreaking site is located northwest of the main Howell High School building, near the drive connecting the high school campus to Highlander Way. Howell High School is located at 1200 W. Grand River, Howell, MI. 

Construction work at Highlander Way Middle School continues to progress nicely. In the band room and academic wing additions, contractors are running electrical, installing plumbing and heating and cooling equipment, and constructing interior walls. In the original portion of the Highlander Way building, demolition is moving forward. Soon, crews will begin raising the roof in the media center, where the new heart of the building will be created. You can see the latest progress by watching the video below.

This morning, Parker Middle School hosted its first Fist Bump Friday. The goal of the event was to help build community and support a learning environment where every student feels welcomed and has a sense of belonging. School staff, WEB leaders, and Student Council members lined the student drop-off areas to greet students as they arrived for the day. It was a fun way to start the morning, and our students seemed to really enjoy the special welcome.

Under the “Safe Storage Laws,” MCL 28.429, MCL 380.1313a, and MCL 380.1313b, Michigan school districts must share information with families about the safe storage of firearms. These include a summary of the Secure Storage Law (https://bit.ly/4pI7HuC) and the Safe Storage Notice (https://bit.ly/4gHma6f), developed by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for the Michigan Department of Education. These resources explain how to store firearms unloaded, locked, and separate from ammunition to help keep children safe. You can find additional resources and information on MDE’s Safe Storage Law webpage at https://bit.ly/3IjSOOB.   

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Go Highlanders!

Sincerely,

Erin J. MacGregor, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Howell Public Schools