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
November 01, 2021 Volume 9 - Edition 14
Superintendent Communiqué
Midland PS District Vision Statement
Lead with respect, trust and courage.
Ensure an equitable, collaborative and inclusive culture.
Enable all to achieve success.
PLEASE NOTE THESE NOVEMBER HALF DAY OR NO SCHOOL DATES...
November 2: No School for students TOMORROW [Staff Professional Development (PD)]
November 11: 1/2 day for elementary students; full day for middle & high school students [Elementary Parent Teacher Conferences 1-4 pm & 5-8 pm]
November 24: 1/2 day for all students [Staff PD in Afternoon]
November 25 & 26: No School [Thanksgiving Holiday]
DEVELOPMENTAL
KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS IN MS. SPRY'S AND MS. DESHAIS' CLASSES AT THE MPS PREPRIMARY CENTER ENJOYING SOME FUN FALL TRADITIONS!
Last week, the Jefferson Middle School STEM Club finished building fuel cell cars and had a small competition. Every pair of students were able to make a car and learn how fuel cells operated. The cars took four meetings to build and test. Students were able to assess the pros and cons of using fuel cell energy. Top cash prizes went to the Quickest to Gas, Fastest Car in 10 meters, Going the Distance and Most Stylish. Kits were graciously provided in the past by the DOW Chemical Company. The Jefferson STEM club is organized by the CSO*, an executive student board and Advisor/Jefferson Science Teacher, Christine Brillhart.
(*The Chief Science Officer program is a STEM leadership program in the Great Lakes Bay Region for middle and high school students through Saginaw Valley State University.)
MPS Connections Episode 8 will be released this Thursday.
Watch for the link to appear in your email on November 4.
The title of this MPS Connections is "Sports Can Battle Racism" with guests
Midland High Athletic Director Eric Albright and MPS DEI Director De'Ondre Hogan.
If you haven't had a chance to listen to the previous MPS Connections episodes,
the links are located on the MPS Connections tab at the top of every Monday Communique.
HH DOW HIGH'S RENFAIR IS THIS
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, AT 7:00 PM at
MIDLAND CENTER FOR THE ARTS
For tickets, call or visit the Midland Center for the Arts
(989) 631-5930 or go to https://cart.midlandcenter.org/29254
Get your tickets now for this fun and entertaining annual event!
You won't want to miss this memorable evening where Dow High Chargers Shine!
Roses to the cast, crew and directors of Midland High's Drama Department
as they kept their audiences on the edge of their seats during their three performances at
Central Auditorium this past weekend in the classic 'whodunnit' by Agatha Christie,
Murder on the Orient Express.
Kudos to the Chemic Thespians for all their hard work! Drama Department Director/Advisor: Megan Cummins
(Photos courtesy of Midland Daily News)
HH Dow High's Fall Plays at Central Auditorium -- November 18, 19 & 20
A Little Princess performs Thursday, November 18 at 7 pm, and a matinee at 3:30 pm on Saturday, November 20
A Little Princess is a classic coming-of-age story about the young Sara Crewe at a London boarding school, based on the 1905 children’s novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. [Family-friendly for all audiences]
The Bully Plays performs Friday, November 19 and Saturday, November 20, both at 7 pm
The Bully Plays are a variety of 10-minute vignettes that tackle the topic of bullying in powerful, touching, imaginative and humorous ways. [Mature audiences for middle school and older]
Ticket for these plays will go on sale later this week at https://centralauditorium.ludus.com/
Dow Drama: Chargers Onstage; Fall Play Director: Gina Kearly
Panda, a National Emblem of China,
Visits Woodcrest Classrooms
On Friday, Woodcrest Mandarin Teacher Jingcheng Wang dressed up as a Chinese 'panda' and visited Woodcrest Elementary classrooms. Students recognized and got to know more about Chinese culture. They also had fun taking pictures with the 'panda'.
OCTOBER OUR SCHOOLS & STATE OF THE DISTRICT (SOTD)
For those who are new to Midland Public Schools, did you know that MPS publishes a quarterly newsletter entitled Our Schools in the Midland Daily News? For the past several years, not only has Our Schools been included in the print version of the Midland Daily News, it has also been included in the on-line version. In addition, we include a link in the Monday Communique and on our website.
Every Our Schools issue includes eight jam-packed pages of amazing school and district information. In addition, in the October edition each year, we include our four-page State of the District. This year's SOTD includes MPS Points of Pride, Student Academic Performance, MPS by the Numbers, MPS Financials and more.
Here is the October 2021 link: https://www.midlandps.org//10-2021_OurSchools&SOTD
Great Apple Crunch Day
The Great Apple Crunch Day is an annual celebration of fresh, local apples crunched during October--National Farm to School Month. Crisp, local apples are a fun part of fall memories for Michiganders, and Chartwells made sure MPS students received and enjoyed a fresh, local apple during this year's Great Apple Crunch Day celebration!
Chartwells, our wonderful MPS food service provider, decided to make this year's October apple event into a fun contest with each school's food service staff making a creative display highlighting apples as the focus. Here are a few of the fun displays and folks enjoying their crisp, tart apple.
THANK YOU, WEST MIDLAND FAMILY CENTER!
Midland Public Schools recently received a phone call from our community partner, the West Midland Family Center, asking if MPS students and staff could use some school supplies.
Our response, of course, was a resounding YES!
Midland Public Schools is so fortunate to be located in such a magnanimous, giving community and this donation is an amazing example of our community's kindness and generosity. West Midland Family Center donated three pallets of school supplies that will be divided up among all eleven MPS schools. The school supplies in this very generous donation will be put to great use by our students and staff this school year and maybe even into the 2022-23 school year!
Thank you, West Midland Family Center, for thinking of MPS!
We name MPS Shining Stars every month during the school year. If you know of an MPS team member who goes above and beyond to make MPS a better place for students, please consider nominating them for a Shining Star. Here is the link to the nomination form:
https://www.midlandps.org/Content2/shining-star-nomination-form
In this space each week, we include fun events and happenings around the District that MPS families and community members may like to attend. If you have any questions about these events, please call the school office. Phone numbers for all of the school offices are located on the District Details page of this Communique.
Here are some upcoming events in the District:
November 2: NO SCHOOL -- Professional Development Day for Staff
November 4: Jefferson Middle School's Music & More
November 6: HH Dow High's RenFair at Midland Center for the Arts
November 11: ELEMENTARY 1/2 day of school for Parent-Teacher Conferences
November 18-19: HH Dow High's Drama Department presents A Little Princess
November 19-20: HH Dow High's Drama Department presents The Bully Plays
November 20: Midland Santa Parade (MPS schools and high school bands will participate)
November 24: 1/2 day of school (check with your child's school for release time)
November 25-26: No School -- Thanksgiving Holiday
December 20-22: High School Exams
December 22: 1/2 day of school
Looking Ahead:
May 25: High School Graduation at Dow Diamond (DHS @ 4:00; MHS at 7:00)
May 26: Rain Date for High School Graduation
"The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter."
"Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been."
-- Mark Twain