SUPERINTENDENT COMMUNIQUÉ MIDLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Pictured above: congratulations to the cast and crew of Midland High's spring production of "Fiddler on the Roof", which took place April 18-20th at Central Auditorium. Great job to all!

Midland Public Schools District Vision Statement: Lead with respect, trust and courage. Ensure an equitable, collaborative and inclusive culture. Enable all to achieve success.

April 22, 2024

Volume 11 Edition 34

MPS Multicultural Calendar - April

Dates of Interest for April:

National Arab American Heritage Month: This month celebrates the culture, contributions, and achievements of Arab Americans. For more information, visit the link here.

Autism Acceptance Month: which includes World Autism Acceptance Day on April 2 - this month individuals and organizations worldwide celebrate with events to raise awareness about autism. For more information, visit the link here.

  • Passover: April 22-30 Celebrates the Jewish Exodus from Egypt and the end of Jewish slavery. For more information, visit the link here.
  • Earth Day: April 22 Celebrates the protection of the planet from things like pollution and deforestation. For more information, visit the link here.
  • Gathering of the Nations: April 25-27 Native Indigenous Nations of North America hold the largest Powwow of over 500 nations. For more information, visit the link here.

2024 Earth Action Expo

EVERYONE IS WELCOME AT THE 2024 EARTH ACTION EXPO!

Over 70 exhibitors and EVs will be on hand at the 2024 EARTH ACTION EXPO taking place (rain or shine) at Dow High School on THIS Saturday, April 27th, from 11am – 3pm! The Expo is FREE to the public and offers a wide variety of environmentally friendly, hands-on activities for students, parents, and community members of all ages. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about renewable energy, local water sheds, glass recycling, composting, the importance of pollinators, and so much more.

This year’s Expo will also feature cooking demonstrations designed to reduce food waste, a hands-on textile room where participants can learn creative ways to address textile waste, and a display of illustrated poems by local students. Attendees can also test ride an e-bike, purchase native plants, grab lunch at one of the food trucks, check out various models of EVs and talk with each vehicle’s owner. In addition, Diane Russell from the U.S. EPA and Mike Buza from the Sierra Club will be holding presentations throughout the day about Superfund clean-up sites and renewable energy.

Collections of gently used adult-sized T-shirts as well as old bikes (in any condition), will also be taking place at the Expo, so bring these items along! All donations will be reused, recycled, or repurposed. Resourceful Recycling will also be on hand collecting most any electronics that have a cord or a battery. A small fee will be charged for TVs and CRT monitors, but all other electronics will be recycled for free.

The 2024 Earth Action Expo is sponsored by the Dow High GO GREEN Sustainability Club, Midland Center for the Arts, Midland Recyclers, Midland Section of the American Chemical Society, Chippewa Nature Center, MSU St. Andrews, and NOBChE. For more information, or to volunteer at the Expo, please contact Cyndie Roberts at robertsca@midlandps.org or call 989-992-5300.

"The Powerhouses of the Universe: Stars"

Ms. McIntyre's and Ms. Bradfield's Midland High geoscience classes visited the Delta College Planetarium recently for a showing of "The Powerhouses of the Universe: Stars." This trip provided a unique opportunity for students to delve into the wonders of stars, the Sun and the cosmos. For many, it was their first time going to the planetarium.

After the show, the presenter discussed constellations and where to find them in the night sky. The students also got to experience a virtual roller coaster ride on the Great Wall of China! Thank you to the Midland Area Youth Action Council for the grant that made the trip possible, and to our generous parent volunteers who chaperoned!

Jefferson's Life 102 Students Spread Kindness

Students in Jefferson's Life 102 program partnered with the Youth Impact Partnership to teach Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd graders about the importance of kindness. The Youth Impact Partnership is a program of the Midland Area Community Foundation that brings together schools, educators, and youth organizations to promote safety and well-being in the community.

The Jefferson students visited Siebert Elementary and read age-appropriate books about kindness to each grade level. They also led discussions and had activities to reinforce the message. The experience was enjoyable for both the Jefferson students and the younger children. Way to keep it kind, Jefferson!

Math Olympians!

Congratulations to the H.H. Dow High and Midland High Math Olympic Teams, who competed at the SVSU Math Olympics this past weekend!

H. H. Dow High Math Olympians

Dow High finished with four trophies at the SVSU Math Olympics. First, there was a correction to last year's answer key, resulting in H.H. Dow High finishing first for combined scores in 2023. Hence, we received the trophy retroactively! The H.H. Dow High team took 2nd place overall for this event.

Level 1 competition: First place (Dow High swept)

  • 1st place: Katie Cai (with a perfect score)
  • 2nd place: Vettel Xu
  • 3rd place: Sydney Ma

Honorable mention: Avery Nickel, Cailyn Liu

Level 2 competition: Second place

  • 2nd place: Christine Cai

Honorable mention: Jonathan Gaal, Katie Watkins, Kanushi Desai, Daniel Klein, Hyunseo Sung, Sahiba Kaur, Ashwin Vemury

Midland High Math Olympians

A big congratulations goes out to Midland High's Math Olympians who competed last weekend at SVSU. The Midland High team took 2nd place overall for the event.

Level 1 competition: Second Place

Honorable mention: Ethan Wynia, Walter Wehrman, Cameron Cochran, Sophia Knarr, Kelton Kyro, and Andrew Herman

Level 2 competition: First Place

  • 1st place: Adil Seidazymov
  • 3rd place: Isaac Reinhardt

Honorable mention: Alexander Horton, Quinn Vanzile and Colter Mahabir

Congratulations to all the students who particpated!

Graduation is Quickly Approaching!

As we move closer to the end of the 2023-24 school year, we look forward to celebrating with our graduating class! Graduation ceremonies will be held at Dow Diamond on May 31st, 2024 as follows:

Midland High School - 4:15 PM
H.H. Dow High School - 7:15 PM

In the event of inclement weather, the graduation ceremonies will move to their respective buildings and take place at 5:30 p.m.

2024-2025 Enrollment

Online Enrollment

Online enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year is now available by clicking the link below.

If you do not already have a ParentVue account, you will be prompted to create one, and then you will be able to complete the 2024-2025 New Student form for grades DK-12.

If you have any questions or issues with the enrollment process, please contact the enrollment office at 989-923-5024 or enroll@midlandps.org.

2024 Saginaw Valley League Teachers of the Year

Congratulations to Kelly Murphy, Midland High School, and Curt Gledhill, H.H. Dow High School, for their selection as 2024 Saginaw Valley League Teachers of the Year!

Congratulations to Ms. Kelly Murphy on being selected as the Saginaw Valley League Teacher of the Year from Midland High School.

Kelly is a native of Byron, Michigan who pursued her degree in English from Michigan State University and a Master’s degree in English Language and Literature from Central Michigan University. She began her teaching career at Midland High School in 2004 where she has since become a leader in the English department teaching all grade levels but most recently settling in with the 9th and 11th grade courses. Her impact on Midland High School extends well beyond her classroom as she has served as a volleyball coach, class advisor, National Honor Society committee member, a DEI committee member, and was the MHS International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Coordinator for 5 years.

Three of Kelly’s former students provided these accolades in their nomination:

“Since my first day of high school in 9th grade, Ms. Murphy has been my rock. She listens and hears me and never judges me. She tries to learn who we are, not just how to teach us.”

“Ms. Murphy was a mentor for me throughout high school. She pushed me to have confidence in myself and believe in my abilities. Any time I had a presentation, important test, or big game coming up, I could count on Ms. Murphy to find me, wish me luck, and cheer me on.”

“I was lucky to have Ms. Murphy my senior year of high school. I will never forget the time I completed a speech in class and she made me feel amazing just by her positive feedback. She empowered me to feel proud of my work and myself.”

Two of her colleagues had this to say about Ms. Murphy:

“Kelly has a real gift for connecting with students. She has immense faith in their ability to succeed, pushing them to excel in reading, writing, and grammar study… Kelly’s passion for Midland High is essential to the lifeblood of our building. She is a role model, a rock star, and a go-to for all your Chemic Pride needs.”

“Kelly is the consummate teacher – she sees students as whole people who need help and guidance with more than English. She holds high standards and give students the tools to reach such standards… She recognizes that students need to use literature to develop new ways of thinking, new insights into the world around them, and a curiosity to be better humans.”

Kelly and her husband Matt have two teenage children. They enjoy reading, fitness activities, DIY home renovations, and going up north with their family.

H. H. Dow High School is honored to announce Mr. Curt Gledhill as the 2024 Saginaw Valley League Teacher of the Year.

Curt is a graduate of H.H. Dow High and received his bachelors of Arts degree from the University of Michigan. Mr. Gledhill received both his teaching certificate and Masters Degree in Middle Level Education from Central Michigan University.

Curt began teaching Art with Midland Public Schools in 1997 as an art teacher at Northeast Middle School. He has taught both at Northeast Middle school and at Dow High, where he spent the remainder of his career. Mr. Gledhill has instructed various art classes including Beginning Art, 3-D Art, Graphic Arts, IB/AP Visual Arts, and Commercial Art and Print Technology.

Some comments from his students: "We all appreciate the work he puts in to help us and he gives us multiple chances to retry and do things the right way." "In his art classes we are encouraged and supported with being our creative selves; his classes are fun and engaging and are the best part of my day." A colleague wrote: "His classroom is a safe haven for students, as evidenced by the large Cadre of kids who hang out in his classroom at lunch time. He is always willing to do anything we ask of him, ie. editing photos, speaking at commencement, or printing the graduation program."

Curt lives in Midland with his wife Shelley, a teacher at Bullock Creek, and children Levi (21), and Brooke (23). In his free time, he is a home improvement enthusiast, creates commissioned art, and is active in his church.

Once school has ended for the year, Midland Public Schools will once again offer the Summer eLearning Program. Through this program, online courses are available to high school students who wish to earn initial credit in select courses. The Virtual Summer Program is separate from the Credit Recovery Summer Programrun by the buildings. Please contact your school building administration for their Credit Recovery Summer Program information.

While being on site is not a requirement for daily work or quizzes, tests and exams must be monitored. This can be by appointment onsite or by appointment virtually. Appointments will be scheduled with the teacher on duty between 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM Monday through Thursday unless other arrangements are made. Students should expect to invest 45-60 hours to complete each course, but they may work on their course anywhere they have an internet connection.

Courses will begin on June 3, 2024, and must be completed by August 8, 2024. Students may only register for one course at a time. The cost for each course is $150 for Standard Edgenuity courses (EDG - Edgenuity on course list) and $250 for Edgenuity Instructional Services courses (EDGIS - Edgenuity Instructional Services on course list) for Midland Public Schools students and $175 or $265 for students outside of the MPS district. Registration begins April 22, 2024. For more information, visit the eLearning webpage on our website here.

Nominate Exemplary MPS Staff for Gerstacker, Distinguished Service, and NEW Administrators Inspiring Excellence Awards!

It is the time of year again when we look to recognize our amazing MPS staff with selection for the annual Gerstacker and Distinguished Service Awards. In addition to these two long-standing awards, MPS, with the support of the Carl and Esther Gerstacker Donor-Advised Fund at the Midland Area Community Foundation, will recognize an Adminstrator who inspires excellence in the MPS Community with the first annual Administrators Inspiring Excellence Award!

Please see the nomination announcements for these three awards as well as links to the nomination forms below. Thank you for your help in recommending our MPS staff who go above and beyond each day to support our staff, students, and community! The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, May 24th, 2024. Awards will be presented to the winners at our opening staff meeting in August.

Future Freshman Night - Midland High

Parents/Guardians – Do you have a student that will be a freshman at Midland High in the fall?

If so, we invite you to attend our Future Freshman Night on April 24th at 6pm. The event will begin in the Main Gym (east of the football field). There, you will have the opportunity to meet the MHS administration and learn a little about our Chemic Pride traditions. Following that, you/your student can participate in small breakout sessions about our Counseling department, our International Baccalaureate Program, Athletics, and our Special Education department. Important information from clubs, sports and other programs will also be provided. Student-led tours will be available throughout the event.

We look forward to meeting you/your future Chemic!

Attention: Incoming Jefferson Students!

MPS Operating Millage Renewal

The MPS Board of Education recently voted to place a millage renewal proposal on the May 7, 2024, ballot. This renewal provides a significant source of revenue to the school district’s operating budget, including salaries, utilities, and educational programming for students. You can find more detailed information by visiting our Operating Millage webpage, linked here, as well as in the Frequently Asked Questions document linked in the button below.

Community Resources

Questions or concerns? Contact us via the MPS Connect button below.