Superintendent Communiqué Ensure an Equitable, Collaborative and Inclusive Culture
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Midland Public Schools District Vision Statement Lead with respect, trust and courage. Superintendent Communiqué Ensure an equitable, collaborative and inclusive culture. March 8, 2021 Volume 8 Edition 31 Enable all to achieve success. www.midlandps.org (989) 923-5001 @MidlandPS (Adopted by the MPS Board of Education July 20, 2020) March is Women’s History Month Eric Albright Receives Dedicated Service Award Congratulations to Midland High Athletic Director, Eric Albright, for being recognized by the Michigan Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (MIAAA) at their March conference with a Dedicated Service Award. Please allow us to begin this Women’s History Month series This Award recognizes years of service to by paying tribute to our wonderful community partner, interscholastic athletics and the young people Midland Center for the Arts (Center)! MPS has partnered in Michigan. The letter our office received in many different ways with the Center through the years. informing the District of Mr. Albright’s award This series of articles is one such very special example. stated, “As you know, being an athletic director is one of the most challenging and time-consuming positions within a school Currently the Center’s website includes, “A Virtual Exhibit district.” Congratulations, Eric Albright, for your leadership and of Seeing HERstory 100 Years of Women’s Rights.” We service to MPS students, staff, families and programs. are using this HERstory Virtual Exhibit as the basis for this series of articles. Here is the link to the Exhibit: THE 2021 GERSTACKER EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING 100 Years of Women's Rights / Virtual Exhibit AWARDS NOMINATION WINDOW IS NOW OPEN! (midlandcenter.org) For nomination information go to www.midlandps.org. The Center’s Exhibit has four main sections Suffrage (history of women’s right to vote) Nomination form: Redefining Representation (showcasing 131 women https://forms.gle/mRVpC3MeHPr5cwfd7 now serving in the House & Senate) Nevertheless (women’s persistence and breaking You may also submit a nomination letter to: barriers) Gerstacker Committee, Midland Public Schools, Women in Midland (honors the contributions of local Superintendent’s Office, 600 E. Carpenter, Midland 48640 women—meant to be a representation of the strong Don’t miss your chance. women in our community) Nominate a great MPS teacher today! It is the Women in Midland portion of the exhibit that we will highlight in this three-part series (March 8, 15, 22) as The nomination window CLOSES FRIDAY, APRIL 16. Midland Public Schools celebrates Women’s History Month in the Monday Communiques. Due to a Loons Baseball schedule conflict, the We will begin by highlighting two women in the Exhibit who 2021 Graduation date has been changed. have made a profound difference in the lives of many, many Dow High and Midland High graduation ceremonies are Midland Public Schools students: Cheryl Weeks-Rosten and now scheduled for Thursday, May 27, at Dow Nancy Wolanin. Diamond. More information to follow. (continued on page 2) MPSConnect is a convenient communications tool for you to connect with me. Every message comes to my desktop. Either I or another MPS staff member will do all we can to reply to your message within the next work day. https://www.midlandps.org/content2/706 — Michael E. Sharrow, Superintendent MPS Superintendent Communique — Volume 8, Edition 31 March 8, 2021 Page 2 of 7 (continued from p. 1) Is Your Family Planning to Travel Over Spring Cheryl Weeks-Rosten Break? Retired High School English Teacher “From teaching English to American students, to Traditionally, many Midland PS families travel during teaching English to International students, to spring break. Below is an excerpt from an MDHHS teaching teachers to teach Ixil and Spanish to flyer entitled, “Travel Safely During COVID-19,” with Guatemalan students, Cheryl Weeks-Rosten important information for families who will be traveling. spreads literacy.” Excerpt from the flyer section entitled, “Cheryl Weeks-Rosten taught English and Humanities for 30 years at Dow “Precautions for educational settings (K-12 High. Then, during her first eleven years of “retirement,” she taught English schools, colleges or universities)” as a Second Language to International students. Joining a medical mission “Students traveling across Michigan, to other states, group to Guatamala, she asked a life-altering question: “Does this organization, HELPS International, do anything with education?” Fifteen or to a vacation destination in another country over years and fifty trips later, the answer was a resounding “Yes!” The Santa school breaks risk bringing COVID-19 home with Avelina school is one-of-a-kind, where best teaching practices meet them. This in turn may fuel outbreaks within their respect for local language and culture. Cheryl leads teams of US teachers, households and the communities they visit, and helping local teachers better engage students and teach in more interactive reintroducing COVID-19 to their home communities ways. She also helps promote the Cotzal-Ixil Emergent Reading Book- when they return. • Students should consider staying making Project, through which indigenous elementary teachers have written at home after traveling to ensure a safe return to in- (in the native language) and illustrated 60 culturally appropriate books for person learning. The following options allow for safe young readers.” return to school after travel: a) Students should get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after the trip and stay Nancy Wolanin home and self-quarantine for a full 7 days after travel, Retired Chestnut Hill Kindergarten Teacher even if the test is negative. If the student does not get “You never forget your kindergarten teacher — tested after returning from travel, stay home and self- especially one whose greatest love is helping kids quarantine for 10 days after afterwards.” The moral of one of Nancy Wolanin’s favorite stories is a metaphor for her own modus operandi: while nobody can Here is the link to the 2-page Travel Safely During save every stranded starfish, helping just one makes a COVID-19 flyer for those interested: difference.” https://www.michigan.gov/documents/coronavirus/ Accessible_- “Nancy Wolanin was a dedicated teacher. So dedicated that, 50 years later, she is still in touch with some of her first students, as well as many of those _Safe_Holiday_Travel_Guidance_2222021_FINAL_71 who came later. When, due to her diagnosis with leukemia (currently in 7620_7.pdf remission), Nancy had to retire, she turned her attention to a different group of children — those in foster care. Their need was urgent: many children new to the foster care system are removed from their homes quite abruptly, with none of their belongings. Nancy, known for her wholehearted commitment, worked with the Midland Area Interfaith Community to open the Midland County Foster Closet. She has led the 501(c)3 for three years, serving 302 children (10/2019). She also serves as an Imerman Angels mentor for newly diagnosed leukemia patients nationwide. “ The Saginaw Valley League Teacher of the Year Award was established to recognize excellence in teaching. This award is presented annually to one teacher from each of the Saginaw Valley member high schools. Any teacher who has taught for at least five years and whose current teaching assignment is full or part time in grades 9-12 is eligible to receive this award. Click on the links below to nominate a Dow or Midland High teacher. NOMINATION WINDOW CLOSES THIS FRIDAY (3/12)!!! Dow HS: https://www.midlandps.org/docs/district/SVL/2021/2021SVLNominationFormDHS.pdf Midland HS: https://www.midlandps.org/docs/district/SVL/2021/SVLMHSNomform2021.pdf MPS Superintendent Communique — Volume 8, Edition 31 March 8, 2021 Page 3 of 7 Wait…dozing off in class could be an important part of the learning process? Don’t start conjuring up your excuses for drifting out of consciousness during a lecture just yet! Students in the MHS Human Body Systems class did learn, however, about the importance of sleep for the brain and learning processes. This topic was one of many shared by Dr. Yannick Marchalant, Interim Director of the Neuroscience Program and Associate Professor of Psychology/Neuroscience at Central Michigan University. Mrs. McDonald’s two classes were fortunate to have the visitor join them and share information on how he started his education in Normandy and eventually came to his current role at CMU. Dr. Marchalant also informed students about STEM careers, education pathways, and the Alzheimer’s research he and his team(s) have conducted. Students were very appreciative to have this opportunity to ask questions they have had about the brain, college, laboratories, and career tips from an established scientist and researcher. We are hoping to continue this partnership with CMU and Dr. Marchalant to provide this experience for more MPS students! PROTECTING and ENHANCING POLLINATOR HABITATS The population of bees, butterflies, and numerous other pollinators have been declining at an alarming rate over the past few years, and the Dow High GO GREEN Club decided to be a part of the effort to promote the recovery of these vital pollinators! Through a generous grant from the Educational Committee of Keep Michigan Beautiful, GO GREEN began planning for their Pollinator Garden Project in the spring of 2020. Thanks to numerous volunteers, as well as additional support and expert advice from our community partners at the Chippewa Nature Center, Nature Niche,