Pictured above: Jefferson Middle School and H.H. Dow High School Bands at their joint performance on September 15, 2023.
Midland Public Schools District Vision Statement: Lead with respect, trust and courage. Ensure an equitable, collaborative and inclusive culture. Enable all to achieve success.
September 18, 2023
Volume 11 Edition 6
Congratulations to our MPS Shining Stars for September!
Congratulations to these two Midland Public Schools staff members for being named Shining Stars for September: Angela Prany, Bus Driver; and Kyle Wood, Teacher at Plymouth Elementary. Angela and Kyle will receive their Shining Stars at tonight's Board of Education Meeting. Thank you to both of these very deserving Shining Stars for making MPS a better place for students!
To nominate an excellent MPS employee for a Shining Star, click on the button below!
Midland High's Annual Victory Day!
The fourth annual Victory Day was celebrated on Monday, September 11th at Midland High School with 26 MHS special needs students and many student-athletes.
This event spreads awareness about those with special needs and provides them with the opportunity to experience a Friday night football game. Victory Day was created in 2010 by Aaron Segedi, a former teacher from Trenton and a former SVSU football player. Segedi was a cancer survivor, and he started this event to give back to the community. It has now spread to many high schools and universities nationwide. It was created for these students to have their "moment in the sun."
MHS Victory Day was a full football experience with the pommers, cheerleaders, band, and student section cheering and supporting the participants along with the football team playing and handing out many high fives. This was a great Chemic Day for everyone to interact with each other and to see the smiles on the participants' and parents' faces!
Elementary students across the district are starting their year off mindfully! With the help of their art teachers, each student beautifully decorated a flower to be placed alongside their classmates' blooms. Each display includes sayings that pertain to the positive community we want to see in our schools all year long, reminding each of us to be mindful of how we can bring beauty to our buildings through our words and actions. The flowers show how each student took initiative with the colors and patterns they chose and then collaborated with their classmates to create a colorful bouquet that brings our hallways to life!
MPS Multicultural Calendar
Dates of Interest for September:
- September 19-25: International Week of the Deaf
- September 21: International Day of Peace - UN
- September 24-25 Yom Kippur (Jewish high holy day - Day of Atonement)
Calendar Highlight: National Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated in the United States every year from September 15 to October 15. It is a time to recognize and celebrate the diverse cultures, histories, and contributions of those living in the United States whose ancestors came from Mexico, the Caribbean, Spain, and Central and South America. The timing of the month-long celebration incorporates the independence days of seven Spanish-speaking countries between the 15th and 18th of September, and also includes the recognition of Día de la Raza / Columbus Day on October 12. The theme of this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month is “Driving Prosperity, Power, and Progress”.
Nominations Now Open for the 2024-25 Michigan Teacher of the Year
The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) announced that the nomination window for the 2024-25 Michigan Teacher of the Year, an annual program that recognizes outstanding teachers in our state, is now open.
Each year, ten Regional Teachers of the Year (RTOYs) are selected through a competitive application process, with one of the RTOYs being named Michigan Teacher of the Year.
MPS is honored to have 2023 Regional Teacher of the Year for Region 4, Bridgit Sova, as a Special Education Teacher at H.H. Dow High School!
All eligible nominees are invited to apply. To be eligible, a nominee must have a valid Michigan teaching certificate and at least five years of teaching experience in Michigan and be in good standing with their school or district.
People wishing to nominate a quality teacher for this recognition are asked to make nominations using the online form, which is available until Monday, October 16, 2023. Please consider nominating an outstanding teacher today using the button below!
Neighboring Week is a week-long event sponsored by The Cultural Awareness Coalition inviting Midland to participate in activities that foster inclusion and a sense of belonging within the community. This year Neighboring Week will be September 24-30, 2023.
You may be wondering, what is the purpose of Neighboring Week? Neighboring Week is a chance to better understand our "neighbors", those in our community that we can get to know a little better to bring understanding, connection, and trust in order to thrive together.
See how the Midland community participated in collaborative events during last year's Neighboring Week in the photos below!
And don't miss these upcoming 2023 Neighboring Week events pictured below, along with many others!
Visit the Neighboring Week events page for more information by clicking the button below.
2023 Marching Band Showcase
Don't miss the 2023 Marching Band Showcase, on October 11th at Midland Community Stadium starting at 6 p.m.!
Michigan School Meals Program
The Michigan School Meals program allows all public school students to receive one free breakfast and one free lunch per day at school for the 2023-24 school year without worrying about qualifying! While that is exciting, we need everyone to understand that the paperwork is still needed from your income-eligible households. The eligibility determinations from the submitted application/form are used for state at-risk funding calculations, local distribution of Title I funding, waiving testing fees, and any reduced pay-to-participate activities available in our schools. Thank you for your assistance to continue funding programs at our schools! To complete your application, click on the button below, then select "Apply for Benefits".