The Principal's Corner:
Well, we made it to 2020, which must be a fantastic win for any optometrist in the area as the number of jokes they will hear this year has to be off the charts. This is the year that scientists believe the first synthetic human brain will be developed and we may have ultra-thin bendable LED screens. Japan has predicted that this year, hopefully with an economic boom, it can finally build its moon base and begin mining on the moon, which would open the door for more moon exploration!
Now, here at Hutchings, I do not have any predictions for the school as far as moon bases - granted the students here would probably love it - however, I do have some predictions and plans for key areas here at the building.
Safety & Security:
In the coming months, we will be updating the staff and community on the renovations that will be happening in the Summer to ensure our students’ safety. These dates will start up close to the end of the school year, so access to the building will be very limited after the last day of school! So please plan on having all student items picked up on the last day of school, as we will not be here after that!
English Language Arts:
We’ve started the new ELA curriculum, and we are working toward making our Summer Reading Pop Up even better. My prediction is that our scores will not change that much on the M-Step (3rd-5th grade) after only one year of a new program but rather we will see growth on our reading assessment profiles (K-2), and the summer slide - the amount kids lose over the summer from not reading all the time - will be less than in the past. My hope is that kids are reading over the summer and the summer slide goes away entirely! This is where I make a joke about how in my wildest moon-base dreams, right?
One Book One School:
The one book one school program was a hit so we will begin our process at looking at books for the 2020-2021 school year in hopes that the Hutchings community will have just as much fun reading our next selection as they did A Boy Called Bat.
Lost and Found:
I have a bold prediction that our students will continue to drop single shoes, one glove, part of a coat, water bottles, lunchboxes, and a left sock. Our Lost and Found is located in the cafeteria, so if students come home missing an item, please have them check the Lost and Found. At the conclusion of the school year, the Lost and Found is cleaned out.
Music Concerts, Field Trips, End Of Year Celebrations, And More!
Please remember to check your child’s take-home folder and communications from your classroom teacher on upcoming events. After Spring Break, things really pick up with school and after-school activities, so getting them on the calendar early is always key. On the side of this e-mail, I have listed some of the important dates for the rest of the school year.
MacGregor's Message:
Its Time for Kindergarten Registration
Howell Public Schools will hold its annual Begindergarten and Kindergarten registration event on Tuesday, March 17. To learn about the district’s Begindergarten and Kindergarten programs, find your child’s home school and begin the online enrollment process, please visit HowellSchools.com/KDG.
Raise Them Stronger Parent Seminar
Howell Public Schools is excited to host the Raise Them Stronger parent seminar on Tuesday, January 21 from 6 to 7 p.m.. During the seminar, Brooks Gibbs, an award-winning resilience educator and author will share his message on raising emotionally-strong children. The event will take in the Rod Bushey Performing Arts Center at Howell High School. The event is open to parents and their school-aged children. Free child care will be provided for younger children. Please contact Kim Martin at [email protected] to reserve a childcare spot. To learn more, please visit http://bit.ly/37RW6At.
Coffee Chat with Superintendent MacGregor
Superintendent Erin MacGregor will host his second Coffee Chat of the school year on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020. The chat will run from 1:00 to 2 p.m. in the Edinburgh Room in the district’s administrative office. At the Coffee Chat, representatives from the district’s construction management and architectural firms will provide an update on the bond projects that will be completed this summer. Additionally, MacGregor will provide updates on district initiatives and answer any questions that stakeholders have about the district.
Teacher and Support Person of the Year Nominations
Howell Public Schools is currently accepting nominations for its Teacher and Support Person of the Year awards. These awards honor an outstanding teacher and support person for their dedication to the students of Howell Public Schools. The Teacher of the Year nomination form can be found at http://bit.ly/2t4Nrft and the Support Person of the Year nomination form can be found at http://bit.ly/2QEuJEp. The nomination window closes on Monday, January 27 at 4 p.m.
Counselor Corner
Where will you be on Tuesday, January 21st at 6:00? I am hoping you will join me at the HHS Auditorium to experience the power and energy of Brooks Gibbs, an award-winning social skills educator.
Brooks travels around the world to teach youth and families how to be emotionally strong and resilient. This evening program is designed specifically for parents and families! It is FREE, and CHILD CARE is provided (please reach out to Kim Martin to reserve a spot for your child/ren: 517.548.6297, ext. 43106 or [email protected]).
For more information, please reach out to me or check out his website: https://www.brooksgibbs.com/.
Kim Martin, School Counselor
[email protected] / 517.548.6297, ext. 43106