Dear Parents-
Spring is a busy time of the year at Challenger. All of us strive to end the year on a positive note in regards to academics, behavior, and our classroom community. Spring is also a time where planning for next year kicks into full gear. With that being said, we are hoping to build our School Improvement team for next year. You may ask, “What exactly is a school improvement team and what does it do for Challenger?” I hope to answer a few of these questions and urge you to speak with me if you are interested in being a part of the team for the 23-24 school year. Please read some of the frequently asked questions below:
What does the SI team do? Every school in Howell has a “School Improvement Team.” Schools are responsible for having a process to review results from academic testing, share in the leadership process, review school programs, and make the budgeting process transparent. At Challenger, we come together once a month as a SI team to meet these requirements and make decisions that impact the culture of our school.
When and where do we meet? The SI team meets once a month in Challenger’s media center for 45 minutes. The meetings start at 7:45 am and wrap up before school starts. The meetings are on Thursday mornings.
Who is on the team? The team consists of parents, teachers, a community member, and the principal. This allows multiple perspectives to be a part of the SI process.
What do I need to know? As a parent on the SI team, we don’t expect someone to come with an in-depth knowledge of the education system. We need parent perspectives and your help to be a part of the decision making process, but it doesn’t require any special understanding or training.
How long will I need to be involved? There are no term limits on the team. You can participate for one year or five years. We hope that you will give it at least one year to understand the full process, but we look for volunteers at the end of every school year.
Hopefully this answers a few questions that you might have about the SI team. If you would like to know more or you would like to participate, please call the main office or email me at [email protected]. If you do want to participate, we will be in touch when the SI process resumes in September.
Sincerely,
David Cherry
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Seussical Party at Parker Middle School
Join the cast and crew of the Howell middle school production of Seussical for a Dr. Seuss themed party with snacks, games, crafts, and story time with the Cat in the Hat. The event is tomorrow, Saturday, April 22, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Parker Middle School. The cost is $15 per person. To learn more, please visit https://bit.ly/41F0aA2.
The Howell middle school production of Seussical the Musical will run May 4-6 at Parker Middle School. Seussical is a magical journey into the world of Dr. Seuss to revisit beloved characters, including The Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, Gertrude McFuzz, Lazy Mayzie, and JoJo. To learn more, please visit https://onehowellmusical.com/.
Middle School Pom Tryouts
The Howell middle school Pom team will hold tryouts for next year’s team later this month. The middle school pom team includes Highlander Way and Parker middle school students. There will be a clinic on Friday, April 28, and tryouts on Saturday, April 29. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/41NCfi7.
Senior Survivor Carnival is Tonight!
The Senior Survivor Kick-off Carnival is tonight, Friday, April 21, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Howell High School Field House. The event will feature games, entertainment, arts and crafts, raffles, inflatables, and more. Admission is $10 for ages three to eighteen, and adults and children two and under are free. An adult must accompany students in eighth grade or below. All funds raised will support the overall fundraising goal of Senior Survivor.
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Counselors Corner
As we pull together our updated summer resources for families (to be shared out in May), we wanted to give you a sneak peek on two amazing resources for Howell families!
The first resource is Mrs. Weber’s Neighborhood. Lauren Weber is a Howell parent that has developed a wildly helpful blog focusing on family, fun, food, events, and travel in and around Livingston County. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for lots of inspiring ideas! She’s also a parent liaison with the Livingston County Parent Coalition, so she has access to a lot of local resources and information.
The second is the Howell Carnegie District Library! All Howell Public Schools students have special access to their online resources (the library barcode number is the student ID number and the PIN is 1234). Go to howelllibrary.org, click on “Explore,” then “Homework Help,” and explore all the fun activities and programs.
More ideas will be coming soon!