Dear Parents,

As much as we may not want to admit it, winter is coming. When the snow and cold arrive, there is always the potential that we will need to close school. There are several factors that guide our decision-making process when it comes to closing school. First and foremost is always the safety of our students and staff. To learn about our school closing process and to update your contact information in our parent notification system, please visit https://goo.gl/Vsx3hY.

Last Friday, my children and I attended the Parker Middle School Madrigal Dinner. A Madrigal Dinner is a re-creation of the Renaissance feasts held throughout England during the 16th century. It was a magical evening with outstanding performances by the seventh and eighth-grade choirs. The evening included a delicious dinner prepared by students in the high school’s culinary arts program. I am so thankful that we can provide these unique experiences for our students. You can read more about the Madrigal Dinner at https://goo.gl/EvwUyv.

Please remember that school will not be in session Wednesday, November 22 - Friday, November 24 for our Thanksgiving Break. Classes will resume on Monday, November 27. Also, please remember that on Friday, December 8 all students will have a half day of school.

Third-grade students at Hutchings Elementary recently completed field guides of Howell City Park. Both of our middle school robotics teams are heading to the FIRST Tech Challenge State Championship next month, and recently Howell High School students presented at the first TEDxHowellHighSchool event. You can read more about each of these below.

Hutchings Third Grade Students Explore Howell City Park

Recently, third-grade students at Hutchings Elementary finished creating their field guides of Howell City Park. To create the guides, the students used Project Based Learning which combined science, social studies, math, and English Language Arts lessons into one project. The students researched all the different types of trees, animals, and rocks that could be found at the park, visited the park to collect artifacts and then wrote and illustrated their field guides of the park. Finally, the students presented their completed guides to friends, family, and city employees. To hear a student’s perspective on this project, please visit https://goo.gl/ABAJsb.

Middle School Robotics Teams Heading to State Championship

I am very proud to share that both of our middle school FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) robotics teams have advanced to the FTC State Championship competition. Team KILTS qualified by being part of the winning alliance at the Canton Qualifier on Nov. 4, and Team KAOS qualified for the state event by finishing in third place and winning the Connect Award at the Mason Qualifier on Nov. 11. You can learn more about the accomplishments of both teams at https://goo.gl/AuWPuK.

HHS Students Present at TEDx Event

Each of our students has a story to tell. A story that makes them unique and special. Recently, ten Howell High School students had the opportunity to tell their story during the first Howell High School TEDx event. Topics discussed ranged from overcoming challenges to the role that geckos are playing in nanotechnology development. The students did an amazing job speaking in front of a group of community members, teachers, staff, and other students. To read more about the TEDxHowellHighSchool event, please visit https://goo.gl/2Ww2oW.