Dear Hutchings Community,
I think that everyday is a great day to be a Husky, but I want to highlight some extra special experiences we've had since the last issue of Hutchings Herald.
Two years ago, we read The Wild Robot for One Book, One School. Our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders visited the Historic Howell Theater to see it on the big screen! It was a fantastic trip, and our students represented Hutchings perfectly!
Our fourth grade students are participating in bi-weekly field trip to Michigan State University, where they visit the 4H Gardens and learn all about plants from some of the foremost experts in the world! I was able to tag along yesterday, and saw some great curious Husky scientists in action! Go Green!
Our lower elementary students got a visit from the Transportation Department and met 'Buster the Bus' in an effort to make sure our students are safe going to and coming from school everyday. It's always great to reconnect with Buster.
And today, ALL of our students were able to participate in our Husky Hustle! I really want to thank our PTO for their combined efforts with this event. We had volunteers from the Howell High School Cheer team join with parent volunteers to give students and INCREDIBLE experience. Superintendent MacGregor stopped by, and so did our School Resource Officer, Deputy Marino. It was special to have so many parts of our Hutchings community come together and celebrate.
Please ask your students about their experience at the Hustle! And please remember that our PTO can bring more great events like it to Hutchings through your generosity (see the right hand sidebar for information).
I hope you have a wonderful autumn weekend!
Sincerely,
Ben Malecki
Principal
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District Updates:
Arc of Livingston Sibshop
The Arc of Livingston will host its first Sibshop event of the year on Sunday, October 20, for children ages 7-13 with a sibling with a disability. Sibshops provide a supportive space for kids to connect, share, and have fun through games, food, and themed activities. The October 20 event will be a Halloween party featuring costumes, food, and pumpkin painting. Sibshops will meet every other month with a new theme. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3ZGp98l.
Join Superintendent MacGregor for a Coffee Chat
Superintendent MacGregor will kick off his Coffee Chat series on Tuesday, October 15, from 9 to 10 a.m. in the Edinburgh Room of the district's administrative offices. During the chat, Mr. MacGregor will provide updates on the district's bond projects, share details about the Livingston ESA Special Education Millage renewal and restoration proposal, and answer questions from attendees. To read more, please visit https://bit.ly/4eFgPdo.
Bridging the Special Education Funding Gap
The Livingston ESA Special Education Millage helps bridge the funding gap for special education services across Livingston County. State and federal funding doesn't fully cover the costs of these critical programs, and this millage helps make up the difference. For Howell Public Schools, it generates more than $3 million annually. Learn more about the proposal to renew and restore the millage before the November 5 vote at https://bit.ly/3yYj7VT.
Complete Your Child Nutrition and Education Benefits Application!
This year, Michigan is providing free meals for all students. However, completing the Child Nutrition and Education Benefits Application can offer additional benefits, such as reduced Chromebook fees, discounts on tests and college admissions, lower-cost home internet, access to the Summer EBT program, and helps our district secure important funding. Please note that free meals do not include à la carte items at the secondary level. To apply or learn more, visit https://bit.ly/3BkO45d.
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Counselor's Corner:
October is “Make a Plan” month in Howell. That means students are having conversations about the different post-secondary options that are available (college, career, military, technical/trade school).
This is a fitting time to introduce you to two great college-savings opportunities: Michigan Education Trust (MET) and Michigan Education Savings Program (MESP).
MET is a 529 Prepaid Tuition Plan which allows for the pre-purchase of tuition based on today's rates and then paid out at the future cost when the beneficiary is in college. Click here for more information about MET, or visit https://www.michigan.gov/setwithmet.
MESP is a college savings account that you pay into over time. By setting up automatic contributions from your bank account or by payroll deduction (if supported by your employer), making regular contributions is hassle free. MESP can be used at colleges and universities all over the country, and it allows for unused benefits to be transferred between members of the same family. Click here for more information about MESP, or visit www.misaves.com.
Both MET and MESP are simple, user-friendly, and can help maximize your savings even on a modest budget. Contributions may qualify for a state tax deduction and can be made automatically. You can even invite others to contribute to your children’s accounts through e-gifting!
As always, reach out for support and resources! I am just an email away: kinneyk@howellschools.com
Kristen Kinney
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The Husky Hustle was an absolute blast! The Hutchings PTO wants to continue holding similar events for the upcoming year. At the time of this newsletter, we're nearly 95% of the way to our goal with 7 Days Remaining!
Please help with a donation if it's at all possible: Husky Hustle 2024
Remember that you can check prizes and leaderboards with the Husky Hustle Flier
In the past, our PTO ran multiple big fundraiser, but this year our hope is to raise enough with the Hustle that we can shift to just fun events and community partnerships (ex. Hutchings Night at a restaurant). Every contribution brings us closer to that reality!
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- October 7 - PTO Meeting in the Library
- October 11 - Last Day for Husky Hustle Fundraiser
- October 21 - Hutchings Day at Panda Express
- October 27 - Trunk-or-Treat from 4-6 pm
- November 13 - PTO Meeting in the Library
- November 21 - Hutchings Night at Rollerama
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Hutchings Elementary School
3503 Bigelow Rd., Howell, MI 48855
Phone 517.540.8081 | Fax 517.234.6075
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