Tomorrow we will celebrate the Howell High School Class of 2016 as they walk across the stage at graduation and begin the next chapter of their lives. I am incredibly proud of this year’s senior class. During local scholarship night, these students were awarded over $80,000 in local scholarships. Additionally, we have several students earn full-ride scholarships based on academics, talents and merit. Many of our graduating seniors earned multiple scholarship offers from different colleges and universities opening up a world of possibilities for them. We also have students who will graduate tomorrow and begin their careers in the medical field, firefighting or manufacturing. All of these opportunities are made possible thanks in part to our dedicated teachers, who, starting in kindergarten create a caring, nurturing, safe and fun learning environment for all students. Graduation will begin at 5 p.m. at the Breslin Center on the campus of Michigan State University. If you are unable to attend, the ceremony will be live streamed at http://goo.gl/M2uLGn.

At their concert Wednesday night, the Highlander Way Middle School eighth grade band premiered a new piece of music that was commissioned for them. The musical arrangement was composed by Greg Simon, a composer who resides in the Ann Arbor area. While being the first band to play a piece of music is a unique experience, what made this extra special for our students was the opportunity for them to work with Greg. Greg spent several class periods conducting the band, which allowed students to ask questions about the piece as they worked on it. To read more about this, please visit http://goo.gl/Rf8lI4.

Once again, we have partnered with the Salvation Army of Livingston County and the Livingston County Hunger Council to serve as a meal site for the Summer Lunch Bunch program. The Summer Lunch Bunch will be held at Southeast Elementary each Thursday from June 16 through August 18. This is a drop in site and registration is not required. To learn more about the Summer Lunch Bunch, please visit http://goo.gl/K0WLnr.

On Saturday, June 11, students in the Howell High School Construction Trades Program will hold an open house to showcase the home they constructed during the school year. Recently, Highlander Way Middle School eighth grade students released salmon into the Red Cedar River as part of a DNR program, and Three Fires first-grade students traveled back in time to a one room school house. I’ve shared more about each of these stories below.   

With summer vacation beginning in just a few days, I’d like to thank everyone for a great school year. As I close out my first year in Howell, I feel honored to be the leader of a district that places a priority on the success of each student and to work in a community that is supportive of its local school district. Over the summer, I will not be sending out bi-weekly editions of MacGregor’s Message, but we will send out updates on relevant district matters as needed. I hope you and your family have an enjoyable, relaxing and safe summer.

Construction Trades Students To Showcase House
Each year students in the Howell High School Construction Trades program build a house from the ground up. These students work with licensed contractors to learn about plumbing, framing, electrical work and more. On Saturday, June 11, the students will hold an open house from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. to showcase this year’s house. To learn more about the Construction Trades program and the open house, please visit http://goo.gl/BYQUAx.

Highlander Way Students Release Classroom Salmon
Since November students in Kristie Hannon’s eighth-grade science classes at Highlander Way Middle School have been caring for young salmon as part of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Salmon in the Classroom program. The students cared for the fish as they used them to learn about the environment and factors that can impact it. The salmon were released into the Red Cedar River during a recent field trip. You can read more about this great learning opportunity for our students at http://goo.gl/5tbXeV.

Three Fires Students Visit a One Room School House
First-grade students at Three Fires Elementary recently put down their tablets and picked up a slate, a blackboard slate. The students took a field trip to the Lyon School in Brighton Township where they experienced what a school day was like during the late 1980's. Using historical artifacts, students were transported back in time to learn what school was like before we had projectors and computers. To read more about this field trip, please visit http://goo.gl/EcdlFU.