MPSConnect is a convenient communications tool for you to connect with me. Every message comes to my desktop. Either I or another MPS staff members will do all we can to reply to your message within the next work day.
Michael E. Sharrow, Superintendent
MPSConnect Link: https://www.midlandps.org/content2/706
August 16, 2021 Volume 9 - Edition 03
Midland PS District Vision Statement
Lead with respect, trust and courage.
Ensure an equitable, collaborative and inclusive culture.
Enable all to achieve success.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING OUR 7,700+
STUDENTS ON MONDAY, AUGUST 23,
AS WE KICK OFF THE 2021-22 SCHOOL YEAR!
Elementary Classroom Assignments
If your child is enrolled in an MPS elementary school, watch your email today.
Classroom assignments are being emailed to parents/guardians today. If you don't receive your child's assignment by the end of the day, call your school office. School phone numbers are listed on the District Details page of this Communique.
New Midland PS Certificated Staff Members
Midland Public Schools welcomed 24 new-to-MPS teachers on Thursday morning (8/12) for our annual new teacher orientation planned and hosted by the MPS Human Resources Team. The teachers hired were across all grade levels and disciplines. Some were brand new to their profession, others were new to teaching but were seasoned business professionals, others had spent some time in another school before coming to MPS. However, throughout the morning, it was very evident that all 24 new staff members were excited to be at Midland Public Schools and were ready to get the 2021-22 school year underway. Welcome to these new MPS certificated staff members!
Our Schools Newsletter and 2021-22 Midland PS Transportation Information
Our Schools is a quarterly newsletter published by the Midland Public Schools Superintendent's Office. This first edition of Our Schools for the 2021-22 school year containes the Updated MPS Bus Schedule and was an insert in the Saturday (8/14) edition of Midland Daily News (both digital & print versions).
Here is the August 2021 Our Schools link: https://www.midlandps.org/OurSchools08-2021 . If your child will be riding a Midland PS school bus, please look at your school's page to see his/her bus schedule.
Bus Tracking Software
If your child will ride an MPS school bus to/from school, this is important info for you! Last year MPS rolled out a new smart phone app that allows parents to see real time information about the location of your child’s bus—Parent Portal Lite. Your child will bring home a letter/flyer with their specific buses' registration code. Click on the link below for QR codes and instructions for downloading the MPS bus app to set up alerts to know when the bus is approaching both home & school.
https://www.midlandps.org/Content/transportation-parent-portal
Bus Safety
The safety of our students is first and foremost. Thank you to our colleagues from West Shore ESD who put together this short public service announcement designed as an important reminder for automobile drivers who travel near school buses. Link to PSA: https://youtu.be/3YQiPzHDbfA
We would like to once again express our most heartfelt thanks to the Midland Lions Club for their generous grant with which we were able to purchase 625 books to support literacy skill development and enhance love of reading for our students. Elementary and middle summer school students were able to choose books to take home and enjoy.
This summer, MPS provided quality, engaging learning experiences for over 600 students across the K-12 grade levels. The experiences ranged from individualized personalized tutoring with an MPS teacher to online credit recovery. The MPS team members listed below stepped up to the plate to provide support to students to maximize learning! THANK YOU to MPS Administrators and these teaching/support team members who shared part of their 2021 summer with MPS summer school students.
Adams Elementary School
Aleisha Jones, Lorie Kraut, Stephanie May, Michell Moe, Amy Newton, Juliet Samocki, Tina Schultheis, Ernie Seebeck, Allison Shaune, Alison Taylor, Tiala Warczynski
Central Park Elementary School
Kellie Caldwell, Denise Dekker, Jennifer Dockum, Kara Eddy, Andrew Frank, Daniel Glomski, Kirsten Kloha, Katherine Kret, Amanda Ladach, Kay Moyers, Jodi Spear, Rebecca Stern, Vicki Tandoc, Joshua Tousignant, Christina Weihl, Rachel Welch, Laura Wolanin, Amy Yannarella
Chestnut Hill Elementary School
Mary Hamilton, Lori Justice, Laure Kaczmarek, Ashley Kling, Cheri Knuth, Kassandra Kramer, Stephanie Parker, Michelle Rabadue, Kimberly Reinhardt, Barbara Stephenson, Christina Tignanelli, Kimberly Welter, Jennifer Yaros-Meinema, Lori Zelanka
Plymouth Elementary School
Lauren Birnbaum, Rosalie Brege, Kelly Guentert, Chelsea Gwizdala, Molly Kalahar, Kali Lopez, Zoe Marden, Georgianne Poprave, Christopher Waha
Siebert Elementary School
Alia Aglan, Pamela Andrews, Winifred Bainor, Amy Burks, Erin Deal, Jessica Foor, Beth Haller, Sonya Hogan, Sydney Hurley, Laura Kipfmiller, Mary Laures, Julie Morse, Jenny O'Connor, Nicole Owen, Tresca Parfeniuk, Jodi Remacle, Rorie Rickard, Michelle Sczepanski, Lelah Sellers, Bridgit Sova, Ashley Tazelaar, Shelby Thompson, Penny Vanderbush
Woodcrest Elementary School
Taylor Brannan, Steve Markey, Jacqueline McGee, Jaclyn Shapiro, Kaitlyn Wysopal
Jefferson Middle School
Emma Blume, Patricia Clancy, Mary Curtis, Amy Denay, Kelsie Popp, Sara Robles
Juvenile Care Center
Scott Little, Wendy Thomas
Northeast Middle School
Jennifer Jaster, Yvette Kalinowski, Megan Konkol, Jennifer Lenon, Kerry Limron, Macy Merchant, Jodie Vieau, Kim Sheldrake-Formsma
Jefferson Middle School & HH Dow High School
Rhonda Carey, Thomas McNamara, Eric Mohr, Sarah Pieratt, Kyle Theisen
HH Dow High School
Chelsea Berg, Stephen Dawson, Christa Felker, Joanna Huitt, Sharon Koscielski, Lee Meitler, Mistine Nasrey, Charlie Stinson, Mary Swanson, Jason Watkins
Midland High School
Frank Ardelean, Jena Bacigalupo, Ashley Bank, Caitlin Bradfield, Michael Donovan, Lori Feinauer, Jacob Fox, Alexandria Francisco, Jennifer Frazee, Amy Guzman, Mary Hillman, Leah Hoyt, Eric Krause, Helena McDonald, Connie Steger, Hayley Stepaniak, Mitchell Tate, Misty Theisen, Chad Wegener, Ben Younkin
Congratulations to these HH Dow High and Midland High Students!
We received word this summer that these five Midland PS students received a SET SEG Foundation scholarship to the Michigan Association of Student Councils and Honor Societies’ Summer Leadership Camp in July, hosted at Albion College. The Foundation received hundreds of scholarship applications this year demonstrating the high demand for the Camp and the life-changing opportunities it creates. At camp, students from different high schools with varying demographics joined with a goal of improving their schools, communities, and themselves. Working with their peers and experienced leadership educators, students further develop skills including communication, organization and goal setting. Congratulations to ...
Alexander Servinski
Grade 10, MHS
Carter Albright
Grade 12, MHS
Emelia Ingalla
Grade 11, DHS
Rylee Marshall
Grade 9, MHS
Sofia Gestiada
Grade 12, DHS
MPS CONNECTIONS!
Title of this week's podcast: Back to School--Tips for Students & Parents
Because school starts in just one week and this week's administrator guests are sharing important tips related to back to school, we are releasing our next MPS Connections TODAY (instead of Thursday).
This week's guests: Ted Davis, Dow High Principal; Matt Wenzel, Midland High Assistant Principal; Keith Seybert, Northeast Assistant Principal; Scott Cochran, Adams Principal; Associate Superintendent Brian Brutyn is your host.
If you haven't had a chance to listen to the first two editions of the Podcast, click on the MPS Connections page above in this Communique for the link.
If you have suggestions for future topics, please let us know at podcasts@midlandps.org.
COVID Vaccine Clinics at NE, DHS, MHS in August & September
Those students and adults not yet vaccinated who are Ages 12 and older are welcome (and encouraged) to attend any of the three COVID Vaccine Clinics below:
August 17 from 6:30-8:00 pm at Northeast Middle School
August 24 from 5:00-7:00 pm at Midland High School
September 8 from 6:00-7:30 pm at HH Dow High School
The Midland County Department of Public Health has opened online scheduling for the Clinics that will be held at Midland High and Dow High. Please click on this link to register: https://www.co.midland.mi.us/HealthDepartment/COVIDVaccineInformation.aspx
LifeChanger of the Year Nominee
Last spring we nominated Midland High Assistant Principal, Bob Scurfield, for the LifeChanger of the Year Award through the National Life Group.
We received word late last week that those who know and have been impacted by Bob’s professional legacy can support, comment and get updates on Bob’s nomination.
As most know, Bob retired this past June after 38 years of dedicated service to the students, staff and families of Midland High School. Please help us support this dedicated educator who spent almost four decades at MPS!
Here is the link if you'd like to check out Bob's nomination: http://app.lifechangeroftheyear.com/nomination_detail.cfm?NominationID=6792&NominationYear=2021
Annual Notices — Per statute, Midland Public Schools must notify stakeholders of applicable state and federal laws.
All students and parents are expected to review and be knowledgeable of the information included herein annually. These annual notices are included in MPS student handbooks, located on each of the schools websites.
Here is the link to the Annual Notices information:
www.midlandps.org//2021-22MPSAnnualNotices
As you start to chart your family's course for the 2021-22 school year, here is the link for the 2021-22 Midland Public Schools District Calendar: https://www.midlandps.org//2021-22_MPS_Calendar
Some important 2021-22 school year dates:
1st day of school: August 23
September 3-6: No School -- Labor Day Weekend
Half days of school: November 24, December 22, March 25
Break during holidays: December 23-31
Spring Break: March 28-April 1
Last Day of School: May 27
Chartwells is the Midland PS Food Service Provider.
The 2021-22 school meal information and free & reduced application and documents
are now available on the MPS website: www.midlandps.org > students > food_service
Click on this link to complete the free & reduced application: https://www.lunchapp.com/
WE NEED YOUR HELP ... Child/Family Contact Information:
Please log into Home Access Center ASAP to confirm/change your child(ren)'s contacts, address, phone numbers, etc. It is required that schools have "proof of residency" for each student every time they move. A copy of a utility bill with the parent/guardian current name and address would serve as documentation. It is very important that this information is kept up to date so you don't miss any information from the school or should the school need to contact you in case of emergency.
Link to HAC: https://hac.midlandps.org/HomeAccess/Account/LogOn?ReturnUrl=%2fHomeAccess%2f
If you have any questions about HAC, please contact your child(ren)'s school office. School office phone numbers are listed on the "District Details" page of this weekly Communique.
"To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there."
--Barbara Bush