SUPERINTENDENT COMMUNIQUÉ MIDLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Pictured above: a student gets ready to catch a flying pancake at the Central Park Elementary "Pancakes, PJs, and Pages" event on February 29th.

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

March 4, 2024

Volume 11 Edition 28

MPS Multicultural Calendar - March

Dates of Interest for March:

Women's History Month: which includes International Women's Day on March 8 – This month celebrates the social, political, cultural, and academic achievements of women throughout history. For more information, visit the link here.

  • Ramadan: March 10 - April 8 - Islamic month-long observation of fasting and charitable acts which begins at sunset on the first day and ends with Eid al-Fitr. For more information, visit the link here.
  • Vernal Equinox: March 19 - Marks the first day of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere and fall in the Southern Hemisphere. The sun shines nearly equally on both hemispheres this day. For more information, visit the link here.
  • Holi: March 24-25 - Festival of Spring and Color that originated as a Hindu festival that has expanded across India and beyond. For more information, visit the link here.
  • Purim: March 24 - Jewish “Feast of Lots” commemorating the rescue of the Jews by Queen Esther. For more information, visit the link here.
  • Easter: March 31 - Christian holiday that also has secular celebrations. The days of Palm Sunday and Good Friday are including in the Holy Week leading up to Easter. For more information, visit the link here.

Pancakes, PJs, and Pages!

On February 29th, Central Park Elementary hosted its first ever “Pancakes, PJs and Pages” Title Family Night. The purpose of this event was to promote the connection between reading and academic achievement through storytelling, writing of personal stories, and listening to stories read aloud by Central Park teachers. In addition to different literacy enrichment activities, parents and students were able to enjoy dinner made and served by Chris Cakes. Students were able to leave with books to enhance their at-home libraries, text-guide bookmarks, and “Hello Yello Cello,” written by Rae Chesny, with illustrations by Naty Scabuso. There was laughter, joy and excitement amongst all as students, families and staff celebrated literacy and caught pancakes to eat!

All Belong at Adams

On February 29th, Adams’ families and staff gathered to celebrate All Belong at Adams night. This evening, designed to celebrate the diversity of our Adams community, had superb participation with the following countries and cultural groups being represented: the U.K., Columbia, Finland, Canada, China, India, Syria, MENA, Ukraine, Iraq, Turkey, Native American, Bangladesh, Mexico, Pakistan, and Sudan. The evening kicked off with a welcoming performance by the Adams Fifth-Grade Choir. Following that, families shared instruments, artwork, games, articles of clothing, stories, and more representative of their culture. In addition, they brought food items for guests to partake in trying. The evening was filled with feelings of pride and the making of meaningful connections, and joy was had by all. Thank you to all who made this wonderful experience possible!

MSBOA Band and Orchestra Festival

On March 1st and 2nd, thirteen bands and orchestras from Northeast, Jefferson, Midland High, and Dow High performed at the MSBOA District V Band and Orchestra Festival. Students traveled to Bullock Creek High School to perform three prepared pieces of music as well as sight-read and perform one selection they had never seen before. Four judges rated them on a scale of I to V, with I being the highest, and those scores were averaged to create their final rating. Great job to the 650+ Midland Public Schools band and orchestra students who participated in this event! What a great way to start March is Music Month!

  • The Northeast 8th Grade Band earned a I.
  • The Northeast 8th Grade Orchestra earned a II.
  • The Jefferson 8th Grade Band earned a I.
  • The Jefferson 8th Grade Orchestra earned a I.
  • The Midland High Blue Band earned a II.
  • The Midland High Gold Band earned a I.
  • The Midland High Symphonic Band earned a I.
  • The Dow High Green Band earned a I.
  • The Dow High Gold Band earned a I.
  • The Dow High Symphonic Band earned a I.
  • The Dow High Concert Orchestra earned a I.
  • The Dow High Symphony Orchestra earned a I.

Ready Set Interview

Dow High Students from Marketing, Computer Technology, and Health Care Technology classes participated in the Midland County ESA's Ready Set Interview Event. Students were able to learn about networking, hear from an employer panel, and participate in mock individual and group interviews.

Prior to the interview event, students learned techniques to use when answering interview questions, how to dress for an interview, and how to apply for a job. Students also created resumes, cover letters, and professional portfolios. Thank you to the ESA for hosting such a great learning experience for our students!

Dow High Students Teach About Kindness at Woodcrest

Over the last few weeks, members of Dow High's Teachers of Tomorrow Club and the Student Leadership classes have been visiting Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade classes at Woodcrest to teach about the importance of always being kind. For each grade level, students read a specific book about being kind to the classes, and then facilitated a discussion and activity. This was a fun learning experience for everyone involved!

Members of Dow High Student Leadership Attend MAHS/MASC State Leadership Conference

Almost 50 members of the Dow High Student Leadership classes spent the last weekend of February in Grand Rapids, networking with student leaders from all over the state. This annual event provides student leaders with a unique opportunity to meet peers from other schools, learn about what other leadership groups are doing, and hear from several inspiring keynote speakers. This is also a great opportunity for members of different classes who don't work with each other daily to bond.

In addition to learning from other schools, Dow High was well represented through the two student competitions held at this event. Juniors Elizabeth Callihan and Jessica Chai competed in the Michigan Student Voice Competition, to share a topic they are passionate about in a 3 minute Ted Talk style presentation. These presentations are given on the opening day of the ceremony to all 2,000 individuals in attendance. The Executive Board, composed of Emilee Bonter, Allison Sheets, Zaily Archbold, Max Reed, and Olivia Wager, also had a chance to share their Regional competition-winning Student Showcase with student leaders from various organizations. In addition to the student competitions, Emilee Bonter and Jessica Chai also spent the weekend representing Dow High through their responsibilities as Center 4 representatives on the Michigan Student Board of Delegates. Way to go, Chargers!

Central Park Moonwalkers Blast Off to Conquer Cancer!

Central Park's Relay For Life team, the Moonwalkers, have been working on an opportunity for our whole community to show support for those who have fought cancer, who are currently fighting, and those who will fight in the future.

We worked with Red Threads and our student artists to design this year's t-shirt. Last year, we sold about 200 shirts featuring our first design. This year we are hoping to reach more members of our community and raise even more for the American Cancer Society!

The shirts can be ordered now through March 22 using this link or the QR code on the flyer. We are encouraging people to wear their shirts on Mondays in May to show their support. Thank you!

Happy National Social Work Month!

Dow High Safe Driving Festival

Dow High leadership is putting on a safe driving festival. The goal is to educate elementary school students on the importance of seatbelt safety while creating a fun atmosphere. This festival will have games, educational opportunities, pizza, and prizes! We would like to invite all the elementary school-aged students (parents and guardians welcome to stay) in our district to attend our event on March 14th from 6 until 7:30 pm in our green (auxiliary) gym at Dow High School. This event is completely free in hopes to have more attendees. We hope to see you there!

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.

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.

School of Choice

School of Choice applications for the 2024-2025 school year will be available beginning February 1, 2024, through March 31, 2024 by visiting the link below.

Availability will be based on current enrollment information for each building and grade. Families will be notified via email of their application status by the end of the day on April 24, 2024. Please contact Becci Longstreth at enroll@midlandps.org or 989-923-5024 with any questions.

Attention High School Families - FAFSA Information

Given the changes made to the 2024-25 FAFSA and the delays that students and families are experiencing, a letter was developed by the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) to provide support in solidifying postsecondary plans. The letter is linked in the button below.

Community Resources

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