Question: Is there anything new
parents/guardians should know for the upcoming school year? One big thing we’ve been working on this school year that students and par- ents will see when we return in August is the Graduate Profile. This is a plan that will show the pathways a MHPS student can take and how those pathways con- nect between kindergarten through col- lege/technical training. This profile shows how the faculty members in each building work together to connect skills and standards that will prepare stu- dents for their futures. Q: Are there any new changes hap- pening this school year? We are continuing our technology cy-
cle of purchasing new devices and rotat- ing existing devices, but thankfully we are at a point where people have the standard technology materials they need, and now we’re able to make sure those devices stay maintained and up- dated.
The Summit program, which has been successful at the eighth- and ninth-grade levels, is moving up to 10th grade. Part of the new Graduate Profile roll-
out involves implementing Project Lead The Way in grades K-8. We’ll have teach- ers facilitating PLTW modules at each of those grade levels, and those modules all connect to at least one of our three Career Academies at MHHS. Q: How can parents/guardians help
ensure academic success for their children?
The major thing I would love for all
parents to do with their kids is read in the evenings. Students who are consis- tently exposed to books at home have a much higher likelihood of becoming proficient readers. And as students be- come proficient in reading, they improve in other academic areas as well. Another thing I think is really impor-
tant is to spend time daily talking to your child about his/her thoughts, feelings and struggles. Continue to help your child develop reasoning skills by talking situations out with him or her. We all know a huge correlation exists between social and emotional health and aca- demic performance, so I think talking with your child is important for a variety of reasons. Q: Are there any changes in the area of school supplies? There are big changes coming in the
world of school supplies at MHPS! Our Board recently approved the bulk pur- chase of school supplies to meet the needs of all the students in our district.
6 JULY/AUGUST 2019 LIVING WELL
Long checks out miniture solar ovens at Hackler Intermediate School.
That means that instead of spending $100 or more per child, parents will have the opportunity to purchase those sup- plies from the district for $20 per child. We’ll be releasing more information on how to purchase those supplies as the summer goes on, but the supplies will be delivered directly to homeroom teachers so that students won’t even have to tote them into school this year. The parents I have talked to about this opportunity have been so excited and relieved. There are a lot of expenses associated with the back-to-school season, so it’s nice for families to be able to take care of those basic supply needs for only $20 per child.
Q: Will the district continue with
Alternative Method of Instruction (AMI) for snow days? We are required to apply yearly for
AMI days, so while I do expect that we will have those as an option again this year, I can’t say that for sure until appli- cations are approved in the fall. I do think we’ve seen the advantage of hav- ing those days as an option after this year’s difficult flu season. After the first year with AMI, we did a survey for par- ents that helped us gauge what worked and what didn’t, and last year we made a lot of changes in our AMI curriculum. I believe all parents would say that our communication and the AMI work itself improved from year one to year two. AMI was new for everyone in the state two years ago, and new programs always take a while to refine. I think we’ve got a
good plan in place now, if we need to use those days again in the future. Q: What after-school programs are
available in the district? We’ll continue and expand our after school program for students in grades K-5. That program costs $5 per day, and the hours are from after school until 6 p.m. Also, all doors in the district will open by 7 a.m., allowing parents to drop off children earlier in the morning. Q: What programs are available for students who need help with school supplies, food and clothing? Since we’re doing school supplies dif-
ferently, the Bridges Back to School Ba- zaar will look a little different this year. This year the event will focus mostly on services and screenings, so students will still be able to get dental and vision screenings as well as haircuts. There might even be some new services avail- able that we haven’t had in the past. There will also be an area where parents can sign up if they know they will need help paying the $20 school supplies fee. Bridges will step in and help those fam- ilies.
Our buildings all have backpack pro-
grams set up, and thanks to our dedicat- ed community partners, those programs will continue. The buildings all also have clothing closets and the high school even has a thrift store for students who have clothing needs. We’ll also continue with the same Christmas giving pro- grams we’ve done in our schools in the past. m
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