Dear parents,

On Monday, March 13, the Board of Education approved bids for the first three technology bond purchases. The bids they approved were for wiring and cabling, network electronics and wireless network upgrades. As I have shared before, these are necessary updates that must be completed before we can begin to add new devices, computers and other learning tools. The total for this work was approximately $800,000. However, because our Technology Department followed specific guidelines when issuing the bids for these items, we will receive a reimbursement through a federal program that provides funding for increased access to high-speed Internet in the nation’s schools and libraries. We expect our reimbursement to be approximately $400,000. This will allow us to stretch the first $4 million dollars even further.

I would like to congratulate our Athletic Director Dan Hutcheson, who has been named the 2015 Region 11 Athletic Director of the Year by the Michigan Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association. Mr. Hutcheson works tirelessly to improve our athletic programs and provide opportunities for students to succeed. He holds our student-athletes to high expectations both in the classroom and on the field. You can read more about this honor at http://goo.gl/lGbUij.

This week Three Fires Elementary welcomed the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra Instrument Petting Zoo to their school. This unique program allows students to learn about and play different instruments found in an orchestra. Next weekend our high school robotics team the S.C.O.T.S. Bots will host the third annual FIRST Robotics Competition Howell District Event at Parker Middle School. Lastly, I am very proud of our four Highlander Way Middle School choirs who earned high honors at a recent choral festival. You can read more about each of these stories below.

A2SO Instrument Petting Zoo Visits Three Fires Elementary

 On Monday and Tuesday the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra Instrument Petting Zoo visited Three Fires Elementary. Through this program, students learned about brass, woodwind and string instruments. Additionally, students learned how vibrations can become sound and how sound is turned into music. Please visit http://goo.gl/01Zavk to learn more about this neat program.

FIRST Robotics Competition Howell District Event

 Next weekend, our high school robotics team will welcome robotics teams from  around the state to Parker Middle School for the third annual FIRST Robotics Competition Howell District Event. This exciting event is free and open to the public. To learn more about this year’s competition, please visit http://goo.gl/LIZmPh.

Highlander Way Middle School Choirs Earn High Marks

The Highlander Way Middle School choirs recently attended the Michigan School Vocal Music Association District Choral Festival held at Hartland High School. Each choir did an outstanding job and earned high marks from the judges for both their performance and sight reading. We’ve posted a story on this on our website at http://goo.gl/Vgh3nk.