Happy New Year! We’re continuing to settle in and find our rhythm after a festive and busy holiday season. One of our greatest priorities is keeping kids comfortable and safe here at school, so I would like to take this opportunity to offer some friendly reminders.
We will continue to send kids out for lunch recess when the temperatures are higher than 10 degrees. Please make sure your child has a warm coat, snow pants, hats, and gloves. It helps, too, if those items are labeled in case they get misplaced.
These long and cold winter months can sometimes cause kids to feel gloomy, anxious, or irritable. Two simple things we can do to set our kids up for success are to ensure they are getting adequate rest and eating a balanced diet. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that elementary-aged students have a consistent bedtime and get 9 to 11 hours of sleep. Additionally, they encourage kids to “eat the rainbow” - make sure they are eating colorful, healthy, and low-sugar foods!
We are here to support the whole student: academic, social, emotional, and physical! Thank you for doing your part to support our kids and our community!
Educationally yours,
Dave Cherry
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January is School Board Recognition Month
The month of January is School Board Recognition Month. This is a time for us to show our year-round appreciation for our school board members and their dedication to our students. These individuals approach their volunteer work like it is a full-time job and, put in countless hours as they prepare for each meeting. If you see one of our school board members around town, please be sure to thank them for their service to our district.
No School Monday, January 21
Please remember that in observance of Martin Luther King Jr Day, we will not have school on Monday, January 21, 2019.
Thank you School Resource Officers
Wednesday, January 9, was National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. At Howell Public Schools we are lucky to have the support of two fantastic school resources offices, Officer Banfield of the Howell Police Department and Deputy Schuster from the Livingston County Sheriffs Department. Both Officer Banfield and Deputy Schuster work each day to ensure that safety of our students, while also building positive and trusting relationships with them.
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Counselor’s Corner: Weekend Survival Kits
Happy New Year! As we recover from the holidays, I want to take an opportunity to remind you about a worthwhile wellness program that is available for district families. Howell Public Schools has partnered with Weekend Survival Kits to provide weekend food kits to children. While it seems unlikely that children in Mid-Michigan would go to bed hungry on weekends, in reality, many children deal with hunger. In fact, almost one in four children live in poverty. This program aims to help students “survive the weekend” by supplying food and ultimately removing some barriers to academic success.
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This program is free to families.
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Any student who receives free or reduced breakfast or lunch at school is eligible to receive the kits, which contain approximately two weekends worth of food servings.
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Kits are discreetly sent home with students every other Friday throughout the school year.
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The contents of the Weekend Food Kits vary from month to month. The food is kid-friendly, nutritious, easy to prepare, and individually-portioned. Some commonly included items are boxes of macaroni & cheese, individual apple sauce servings, peanut butter, oatmeal packets, granola bars, canned soup and fruit snacks.
Applications will be coming home soon. If you are eligible and interested, please complete the form and return it to school (if you have more than one child, you only need to submit this form to one school). If you are currently participating, there is no need to submit another form.
If you have any questions, please reach out! Additional information about the Weekend Survival Kit program can be found by visiting www.weekendsurvivalkits.org.
Your Partner in Education,
Kim Martin
School Counselor