Dow High Girls Cross Country Headed to the MHSAA State Finals!
The Dow High Girls Cross Country team competed at the MHSAA Regional Meet on Friday, October 27. The team came in third for the Region, securing themselves a Team Entry to the MHSAA State Finals next weekend at Michigan International Speedway. The Chargers were led by Katie Watkins, who won the race, becoming the Regional Champion, in a time of 18:07.7. Victoria Garces followed close behind, earning second place with a time of 18:28.6. Sydney Roberts came in 6th place with a time of 18:59.5. Rounding out the score for the Charger Ladies were Allison Nussear (34th) and Tessa Swier (50th) with a 41 second personal record.
"I am incredibly proud of the work these ladies have put in over the season and the challenges they have overcome," said Coach Jamie Haruska. "They worked well as a team to secure their position at Regionals, and now will have the opportunity for one more race as a team at the State meet. I know they have big goals for their times and individual places. I am hopeful and excited to see what they can do in the competitive field of States." This is the third time in the last four years the Dow High Girls Cross Country team has earned a team state entry. Go Chargers!
Midland Public Schools District Vision Statement: Lead with respect, trust and courage. Ensure an equitable, collaborative and inclusive culture. Enable all to achieve success.
October 30, 2023
Volume 11 Edition 12
MPS Multicultural Calender - November
Dates of Interest for November:
- National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month - for more information click here
- November 11 - Veterans Day (also celebrated as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day)
- November 12 - Diwali (may be a multi-day celebration) – Festival of Lights for the Hindu, Jain, and Sikh and all across India - 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 Drama's Performance of "Hamlet"
The king is dead, his brother took his throne, ghosts are walking, and revenge is the name of the game.
Midland High Drama presented the fall production of "Hamlet" on October 26th, 27th, and 28th at Central Auditorium. Great job to the cast and production crew on a stellar performance!
Welcome to our Patch: Pumpkin Patch Maze at Plymouth Elementary is #SquashGoals
The pumpkin patch is an old elementary school tradition that was put together by PE teachers at MPS elementary schools many years ago.
It is a tradition that in some cases, has faded away over time, however, Plymouth's pumpkin patch is one that is not going anywhere anytime soon!
Students have to army crawl through the heavily decorated gym (pumpkin patch) to see the great pumpkin that grows every year without getting caught by the farmer!
Students look forward to the pumpkin patch each fall and Ms. Gallier loves to put it together and see the excitement it brings to Plymouth. Happy fall y'all!
Midland High's IB Environmental Systems & Societies class was excited to welcome Guest Speaker, Eileen Boekenstein, EGLE ( Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy) Environmental Education Coordinator.
Students learned an overview of the divisions of EGLE, job opportunities, and current Michigan environmental initiatives. While through IB we aim to develop our international mindedness, it was extremely valuable to make these deeper connections with what Michigan is doing to ensure shared global stewardship.
In addition to becoming more aware of the duties and responsibilities of the department, we also took a look at some high need jobs including both certificate programs (Drinking and wastewater operator ) and degree positions (Environmental engineers). Amidst all the technical talk, it was also fun to hear about some lesser known positions. We didn’t know there are employees that are responsible for quantifying how smelly a landfill is and when action needs to be taken. Interested in calibrating your nose through specialized training, EGLE’s got the connection to certification in this area!
Our time with Ms. Boekenstein was far too brief, but her presentation has given Ms. McDonald’s class some great topics to pursue researching throughout the year. To name a few of the areas we’ll be continuing to look into are the MI Healthy Climate Plan, the Environmental Justice Screening Tool, and what it would take for Midland High to become a Michigan Green School!
For more information on EGLE visit the link here.
Promoting MPS at the Michigan Space Grant Consortium Conference
The Michigan Space Grant Consortium Conference is an opportunity for individuals from academia, industry, and the local community to share their experience in areas related to NASA strategic interests.
Dow High Space Farmer mentor: Lisa S. Tsay, NASA Growing Beyond Earth Teacher Ambassador, Saginaw Valley State University, with Dow High students: Margaret E. Hitt, President & Founder of Dow High Space Farmers, GeneLab for High Schools NASA Intern; and Meha Shivakumar, member of Dow High Space Farmers, presented: Resilience to Spaceflight Stressors: Validating Space Farming and Sweat Cortisol Biosensor Wearable as Means to Ensure Mission Health. Margaret also did a poster presentation titled: An Omics Strategy to Study Spaceflight Effects on Intracellular Communications in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Jefferson Middle School Teacher and K-12 Educator Incentive Program and Liftoff 2023 participant, Christine Brillhart, presented Liftoff for Michigan.
Check this section of the Communique for updated scholarships, open houses, and other opportunities! Here are some upcoming events:
October is College Application Month!
For a complete listing of institutions offering application fee waivers, visit Michigan College Month - Michigan College Access Network.
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.
- November 4th, starting at 9:30 am - Northwood University fall open house - must register in advance here
- 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.
Welcome to Viloshinee Murugan
Viloshinee Murugan is joining the MPS team, filling the Secondary Curriculum Specialist vacancy
Viloshinee brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the position, having previously served as the DEI Program Director and Educational Consultant for Saginaw ISD and Calhoun ISD, respectively. She worked closely with school districts, staff, and district administrators to focus on curriculum development and various instructional strategies, fostering a positive culture and climate, professional development, and enhancing community engagement.
With 25 years in the field of education, Viloshinee has experience as an educator, instructional coach, and school administrator in diverse educational environments across the globe, including South Africa, the United Kingdom, North Carolina, and Michigan. This global perspective, paired with her dedication to educational excellence, uniquely positions her to provide an equitable, collaborative, and inclusive culture for our students.
We look forward to welcoming Viloshinee to our team and eagerly anticipate the positive changes and insights she will bring to MPS. Her expertise will undoubtedly contribute to our mission of leading with respect, trust, and courage.