Pictured above: Woodcrest students enjoy stations promoting the Primary Years Programme (PYP) in the Media Center.
Midland Public Schools District Vision Statement: Lead with respect, trust and courage. Ensure an equitable, collaborative and inclusive culture. Enable all to achieve success.
November 13, 2023
Volume 11 Edition 14
Siebert Elementary Dances all the way to their Fundraising Goal!
On November 10th, Siebert held its annual Dance-a-Thon fundraiser, sponsored by the Siebert PTO. This is Siebert's only fundraiser of the year and pays for field trips, academic materials for classrooms, family events, safety patrol, and many other resources for the Siebert community. Dancing to support your school? Now that puts the FUN in FUNdraiser! It's a great day to be a Bulldog!
Parent Information Committee for the 2023-24 School Year
Please consider joining MPS Administration for our 2023-2024 Parent Information Committee sessions. The sessions cover current relevant topics in education that are of importance to the MPS mission.
Administrators will present information and have an open discussion on the topic with parents to gather input to assist us in our plan of work.
The Parent Information Committee Meetings will resume for the 2023-24 school year on November 21, 2023, and the first topic will be the MPS Music Program for grades K-12.
All meetings are from 12-1 pm at the MPS Administration Center, 600 E. Carpenter St., and will be recorded for viewing on the MPS website.
Half-Day Reminder and Schedule
MPS Families - reminder that Wednesday, November 22, 2023 is a half day of instruction for students. Please note the schedule information below:
Elementary School Hours:
- Adams Elementary - 8:40 AM - 11:51 AM
- Chestnut Hill Elementary - 8:40 AM - 11:51 AM
- Central Park Elementary - 8:40 AM - 11:51 AM
- Plymouth Elementary - 8:55 AM - 12:06 PM
- Siebert Elementary - 8:55 AM - 12:06 PM
- Woodcrest Elementary - 8:55 AM - 12:06 PM
- Carpenter Pre-Primary Center - 9:00 AM - 12:11 PM
Middle School Hours:
- Jefferson Middle School - 7:55 AM - 11:05 AM
- Northeast Middle School - 8:05 AM - 11:15 AM
High School Hours:
- Dow High School - 7:40 AM - 10:50 AM
- Midland High School - 7:40 AM - 10:50 AM
MPS Multicultural Calender - November
Dates of Interest for November:
- National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month - for more information click here
- November 13 - World Kindness Day - for more information click here
- November 16 - International Day for Tolerance - UN holiday founded to encourage respect among various people regardless of culture, language, religion, or ethnicity
- November 20 - World Children's Day - for more information click here
- November 23 - Thanksgiving - also known as National Day of Mourning, has a broader history and multiple points of view surrounding the Pilgrims and settlements on idigenous lands - for more information click here
Midland High Student Council News
Michigan Association of Student Councils and Honor Societies
Midland High School Student Council members participated in the Michigan Association of Student Councils and Honor Societies (MASC/MAHS) Leadership Training Institute on October 26, 2023. The training took place at the Bavarian Inn in Frankenmuth. The event provides students the opportunity to meet leadership students from across the state of Michigan. The training focuses on group dynamics, communication techniques, team building, and other concepts that are central to effective leadership. The attendees were Luke Birchmeier, Hannah Brown, Mary Doan, Addison Jones, Faith Kogei, Audrey McLaughlin, Cady McPeak, Brady Meyette, Connor Murphy, Reese Shepard, and Sofia Wilk.
Midland High Halloween Fun Night
The Midland High School Student Council hosted a community Halloween event on October 28th. In the cafeteria, under the guidance of the MHS Track and field coach and former MPS physical education teacher, Diane Sugnet, the students recreated Ms. Sugnet's Pumpkin Patch obstacle course. After completing the obstacle course, the attendees played various games such as pin the spider on the web, pumpkin bowling, spider races, truth or scare, eyeball spoon races, a cupcake walk, and various other games. There was also a sensory experience where only the brave dared to put their hand in the black boxes to experience ghost poop, spider legs, dwarf ears, dragon eggs, and more. Thank you to the hundreds of families that came to the event, we truly enjoyed providing this activity for the community.
Name That Organ?!
Midland High School’s Human Body Systems (HBS) students were able to welcome a guest speaker to their class for the day on November 2nd! Shalonda Griffin, Community Relations Coordinator for Gift of Life Michigan, was invited to teach Ms. McDonald’s HBS students about the state’s designated organ and tissue recovery program. The hands-on “All of Us” demonstration covers “the fundamentals of organ, eye, and tissue donation and transplantation, including an overview of the transplantable organs and tissues and their functions, why transplants are necessary, and the donation process.”
Students were invited to play “Name That Organ” and could win prizes by recognizing the diseased organ. They were also asked to view the classroom through glasses which simulate life with a Corneal disease, and breathe through a small straw which helps students to recognize the struggle folks with lung problems encounter. One of the culminating activities included being able to handle and/or view a few preserved human organs.
It was a great opportunity for students to make such strong connections between the anatomy content they have learned in class and the application it had with Ms. Griffin's presentation. Thank you, Ms. Griffin, for sharing your knowledge and experience with MPS!
Midland High Teachers of Tomorrow on the Move!
The Midland High Teachers of Tomorrow Club wrapped up their reading program at Adams Elementary last week.
As part of the Adams Elementary reading program, members read to the Kindergarten classes about kindness; first grade about how words matter; and second grade about how to handle bullying.
Next stop: Chestnut Hill Elementary where the reading adventure will continue with the Chipmunks!
Thank you, Teachers of Tomorrow!
DHS Drama Presents: Pride & Prejudice
When the independent-minded Elizabeth meets the handsome but enigmatic Mr. Darcy, she is determined not to let her feelings triumph over her own good sense - but the truth turns out to be slipperier than it seems. In a society where subtle snubs and deceit proliferate, is it possible for Elizabeth and Darcy to look beyond his pride and her prejudice and to make the best match of all?
DHS Drama presents the fall production of "Pride & Prejudice" on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, November 16th, 17th, and 18th at Central Auditorium at 7 pm. Tickets are $8 for students and $12 for adults. Get tickets by clicking on the button below and enjoy the show!
Join MPS for the Midland Santa Holiday Parade!
This year's Midland Santa Holiday Parade is Saturday, November 18th starting at 10 am at Midland High! And, to get you in the parade spirit, here are some memories from Santa Parades past! Hope to see you there!
Check this section of the Communique for updated scholarships, open houses, and other opportunities!
You're Invited: Dual Enrollment Info Session
Prospective students, parents, and counselors are invited to the Delta College Dual Enrollment Info Session on November 16th at 3:30 pm. You can register for this Zoom event using this link. We will cover benefits, resources, transferability, steps to applying and much more.
Students and families looking for help paying for college are encouraged to register for a Virtual Financial Aid Presentation to gather information on FAFSA applications, federal/state financial aid and scholarships.
- Adults ages 21 to 24 who have not yet earned a college degree can enroll in Michigan Reconnect, a tuition-free community college scholarship program. Governor Whitmer temporarily lowered the age for those eligible from 25 to 21. For more information, click here
Map your future with Pathfinder!
The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity's Office of Employment and Training created the Pathfinder online career planning tool to connect Michigan residents with high-quality, in-demand careers and credentials. Visit Pathfinder by clicking on the button below!
2nd Semester School of Choice Applications
School of Choice applications for the second semester (January 3 - May 31, 2024) will be available via your ParentVue account beginning November 6, 2023. Applications must be submitted by Wednesday, November 22, 2023. All applications must be completed online through a ParentVue account. If you do not have a ParentVue account, please visit www.midlandps.org/enrollment and select 23-24 School of Choice Application, you will then be prompted to log in or create an account.
Applications for non-resident students and in-district transfers will be available, but availability will be limited based on current enrollment numbers for each building and grade. A list of buildings and grades that are available for School of Choice will be listed on the first page of the application. If you apply for a building/grade not listed, your application will be denied. Families will be notified via email of their application status by the end of the day on December 8, 2023. Please contact Becci Longstreth at enroll@midlandps.org or 989-923-5024 with any questions.
MPS Families -
This is a friendly reminder regarding morning drop-offs and afternoon pick-ups of students.
There has been an increase in calls regarding the safety of students and staff during drop-off and pick-up times, especially at Dow High and Midland High. To ensure that everyone remains safe, we ask that you allow for extra time during busy drop-off and pick-up hours, exit the parking lot once your student is safely in/out of your vehicle, and refrain from driving in front of other vehicles while they are allowing students to enter or exit their vehicle. We appreciate your help!