Dear Parents,

I truly believe that we have the best teachers in the county and the state working with our students each day in Howell. That is why I love the time of year when we begin accepting applications for Howell Teacher of the Year. It is inspiring to read the nominations and see the many ways that our teachers are making a positive impact on their students both in and out of the classroom. If you have not nominated one of our outstanding teachers for this honor, please be sure to do so. You can find the nomination form at https://goo.gl/R6NekS. All nominations must be received by Friday, October 6 at 4 p.m.

While we are speaking of outstanding educators, I would like to congratulate Howell High School Principal Jason Schrock who recently received the 2017 Youth For Understanding USA Education Innovation Award. The award honors an outstanding educator who has made significant contributions to the field of education through service, commitment and deepening the experience of cultural exchange for students. To read more about this honor, please visit https://goo.gl/E3Z9iW.

There are a few construction projects occurring on local roads that you may have heard about. The first is the resurfacing of South Michigan Avenue from Mason Road to Grand River, and the second is the closure of Jones Road at the Great Lakes Central (GLC) Railroad bridge (located just east of Oak Grove Road). We do not believe that this road work will impact bus route times, however, I wanted to share this information with you as it may impact daily travel around our community.

In my last message I shared that the Homecoming Parade and football game will be held on Friday, October 6. I wanted to share a few additional details about these events. The parade will begin at 5 p.m at Family Video and head west down Grand River, ending near the Howell Library. The football game begins at 7 p.m as Howell takes on Canton. Our Homecoming King and Queen will be crowned during halftime.

Challenger Elementary received a grant to help promote healthy habits to its students. Howell High School will host its annual College Night next week, and a Howell High School senior has received an honor that less than 1% of seniors in the country earn. I’ve shared more about each of these stories below.

Challenger Receives Building Healthy Communities Grant

Challenger Elementary has been selected as one of 51 schools from around the state to participate in the 2017-2018 Building Healthy Communities Grant. As a recipient of the grant, Challenger will be provided with equipment and other resources to promote physical activity and healthy habits to its students. You can read more about the grant at https://goo.gl/4pLDN1.

HHS College and Technical Education Night

Next Tuesday, Howell High School will hold its annual College and Technical Education Night. This is a great opportunity for students and parents to learn about the different higher education options available once a student graduates. The evening is open to all Livingston County students and parents. To learn more about College and Technical Education night, please visit https://goo.gl/PXS29v.

HHS Student Advances in National Merit Scholarship Program

We learned last week that Howell High School Senior Miles Stevenson has been named a semifinalist in the 2018 National Merit Scholarship program. Each year, less than 1% of all high school seniors in the country advance to the semifinalist stage of the program. To read more about Miles’ accomplishment and the National Merit Scholarship program, please visit https://goo.gl/kX8ory.