Dear Hutchings Community,
First, I want to remind everyone that there is NO school for students on Monday, October 20! Please enjoy your Fall Break!
Our staff will be hard at work on Monday, continuing some of the great work that's defining our school year. This year, all Howell elementary schools have been implementing our new CKLA curriculum. It takes real commitment, creativity, and perseverance to take on a year-long project and curriculum overhaul, and our staff has really enjoyed the thinking they're seeing from all of our Huskies!
On the topic of reading - we thoroughly enjoyed our time with author and illustrator Peter Reynolds. He visited Hutchings on Wednesday and was an absolutely captivating guest. He connected with our students and staff, shared some of his old stories and a new one, and had everyone thinking about some of his favorite words. So many of the values that are important to Mr. Reynolds are important to our community, too. He talked about creativity and potential, dedication and hope. And he was SO impressed by our students and our community. The compliments he paid to your Huskies were truly special, too. He felt like he had an engaged audience to hear his message. Hutchings is a magical place, and when we have guests visit from outside, they feel it immediately and it leaves a lasting impression.
Finally, I want to once again thank you for your generosity with the Husky Hustle. Though the event is two weeks behind us in the rearview mirror, the fundraising ended this week. We "Hustled" past our goal by nearly $1,500. That generosity will allow us to invest in more books for our Book Vending Machine. With guests like Peter Reynolds, prizes like books for kids, and the effort our teachers are putting into improving readers, I love ALL the messages we're sending about literacy.
Circling all the way back to Fall Break, maybe it would be a good long weekend to curl up with a book! I hope you'll do it and encourage Husky readers to join in.
Sincerely,
Ben Malecki
Principal
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District Updates:
Start the Day with a Healthy Breakfast!
The Howell Public Schools Food Service Department serves a healthy and nutritious breakfast every day in every school building. A nutritious breakfast helps students stay alert, focused, and ready to learn throughout the morning. Thanks to the Michigan School Meals Program, school breakfast is free for all students. Breakfast is served from 8:30 to 9:05 a.m. each day. Encourage your child to start the day strong with a delicious, balanced breakfast at school!
Help Make the Season Bright for Local Children in Need
Each year, the Christmas Elf Program partners with Howell Public Schools, Livingston ESA, Brighton Area Schools, and the local community to ensure a bright holiday season for children in need. Thanks to the generosity of families, staff, and community sponsors, last year the program supported more than 300 children from birth through eighth grade and nearly 100 high school students. You can help make a difference this year by sponsoring a child at https://bit.ly/47hT2z6 or by making a monetary donation at https://bit.ly/4q3GBOV, which helps provide gift cards for older students. The Christmas Elf Program is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and all donations are tax-deductible. The deadline to sign up to sponsor a child is Wednesday, October 29.
Opportunities to Work at Hutchings
We still have a few open positions at Hutchings. We're specifically looking for some special education aides, and some general education aides to supervise lunch and recess. If you are interested, please reach out to Mr. Malecki or explore all Howell Public Schools Job Postings. If you know any strong candidates, please encourage them to apply.
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Counselor's Corner:
Howell Public Schools is committed to helping every student become “Future Ready for college, careers, and life.” This year, our newsletters will feature quick, plug-and-play tips you can use at home to support your child in building the skills they need for a successful
future.
As curriculum becomes more challenging this time of year, you may notice your child needs a little extra support staying focused. Attention skills are like muscles — they get stronger with practice! Try these simple strategies at home:
Set short focus goals: Encourage your child to work for 10–15 minutes, then take a quick stretch or water break. Gradually increase focus time as stamina grows.
Limit distractions: Designate a quiet, clutter-free spot for homework and keep devices out of sight unless they’re needed for learning.
Practice mindfulness: Take one minute to pause, breathe, and “reset” before starting a new task — even young children can benefit from this habit.
Celebrate effort: Praise your child for sticking with challenging tasks, even if the work isn’t perfect. Effort and persistence are key to focus and success.
Small, consistent routines like these can make a big difference in helping students stay engaged and confident as school work becomes more demanding — and in building the focus and self-management skills that will help them become Future Ready for college, careers, and life!
Kristen Kinney
School Counselor
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OCTOBER 18
Biggby Fundrasing Day with PTO - Michigan Ave Location
OCTOBER 20
No School for Students - Fall Break
OCTOBER 23, 28
Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences
OCTOBER 24
Halloween Line Dancing Night
NOVEMBER 6
Hutchings Skate Night at Rollerama
NOVEMBER 10
November PTO Meeting
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Hutchings Elementary School
3503 Bigelow Rd., Howell, MI 48855
Phone 517.540.8081 | Fax 517.234.6075
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