Dear Challenger Families-
I can’t believe that we are already preparing for Thanksgiving in a little more than a week. It seemed like yesterday that we had smiling faces on the first day of school. We have had an amazing fall with fun events and great learning happening in the classroom. As we wind down to Thanksgiving I wanted to take a moment for some “thanks."
First of all, thank you to all of the parents that attended parent teacher conferences. You continue to be an integral part of your child’s education. With a child in fourth grade at Challenger, I know the challenges you face getting homework completed, making lunches, volunteering, getting your students to school on time, and all of the other tasks that go unnoticed. Thanks for all that you do every day!
I also wanted to thank our amazing PTO. I can’t say enough about the great things they do for our school. We as a school are thankful for the volunteer hours, meetings, organization of events, fundraisers, and so much more. Not everything they do is quickly visible to the eye, but when you dig a little deeper you will see that the PTO is an important catalyst that makes Challenger a great place to visit, work, and learn. If you are interested in helping, please connect with a PTO officer today. We couldn’t do it without you!
Another thank you to our wonderful teachers that have worked hard this year to build relationships, teach routines/procedures, and continue to help your child succeed academically. The role of the teacher has changed over the years from simply providing curriculum to wearing many, many hats to help children be successful. Teachers at Challenger do an amazing job of teaching curriculum and wearing all the hats while balancing the needs of every student. We have a great staff that loves every child.
Thanks to everyone that supports our Challenger Family. As we enjoy Thanksgiving, I know that I will be thankful for everyone that calls Challenger home!
Mr. Cherry
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Superintendent’s Holiday Card Art Contest
With the holiday season approaching, we’re excited to share one of our district’s favorite traditions: the Superintendent's Holiday Card Art Contest. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students in Begindergarten through fifth grade to share their creativity. With your support, students are invited to submit an original holiday design by emailing their artwork to communications@howellschools.com by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 27. Please include the student's name, grade, and school in the email. The chosen artwork will be featured on the holiday card sent to families and community members.
New Optional Program Celebrates Awareness in Highlander Nation
Last month, the district launched a new optional program aligned with our Adaptive Plan focus on creating “Engaging, Positive, and Safe Learning Environments” that foster “a shared Highlander identity, appreciating each student's individuality while bringing all students together.” This program, separate from curriculum and classroom instruction, encourages students to highlight selected awareness months. For November, the topics are Homelessness Awareness Month and Native American Heritage Month. To learn about participation options, please visit https://bit.ly/3ZhjAwN. Entries may be submitted to our school office or online at https://forms.gle/fAwS6tnoyGHaeZMh6 and will be judged by the
district’s Instructional Services Department.
Special Thanksgiving Lunch
Our Food Service Department is thrilled to bring back its Thanksgiving Meal. Next Thursday, November 21, each school cafeteria will serve a festive meal. The menu includes shredded roast turkey, a dinner roll, mashed potatoes with gravy, cornbread stuffing, green beans, sliced apples, and cranberry sauce. Thanks to the Michigan School Meals program, this meal is free for all students.
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Counselors Corner
Last Wednesday was World Kindness Day - a day dedicated to promoting and encouraging good deeds. The ancient Storyteller, Aesop, once said, “No act of kindness, however small, will go unnoticed.” There is no better time to step outside of ourselves and extend some care and compassion to our neighbors, friends, and family.
Here are a few simple ideas for encouraging kindness at home:
- Challenge your family to do 100 acts of kindness.
- Create a Kindness Jar.
- Read Books on Kindness (many also available as read-alouds on YouTube)
- “The Invisible Boy” by Trudy Ludwig
- “Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon” by Patty Lovell
- “Horton Hears a Who” by Dr. Seuss
- “Have You Filled a Bucket Today?” by Carol McCloud
- “The Very Frustrated Monster” by Andi Green
- “Kindness Snippet Jar” by Diane Alber
- Write a letter to a soldier through Operation Gratitude.
- Use sidewalk chalk to leave positive and inspiring messages for your neighbors.
- Let someone go in front of you in line at the grocery store.
- Spread joy through a simple smile.
- Write a thoughtful thank you note to your teacher or mail carrier.
- Surprise a neighbor with some baked goods.
If everyone committed to one act of kindness, think about how much stronger our community would be!
Aubrey Wilson
School Counselor