Families,
As both a coach and a teacher I’ve seen the power of high standards, academically and mentality—shape the lives of young people. I want to share a story about a boy I once knew, a story that underscores why holding our children to high academic expectations is not merely beneficial but essential.
Years ago, a student named Noah sat in my 5th grade class, bright-eyed but admittedly more interested in soccer than ELA. His grades were average, his focus inconsistent. Like many young students, he struggled to see the relevance of rigorous academic work. One afternoon, after he turned in yet another half-hearted essay, I pulled him aside. I told him, “Noah, I see potential in you that you might not right now. But potential without effort is just a dream. We need to turn that into a reality
Noah’s response wasn’t immediate. In fact, at first, he resisted—after all, he thought he was doing just fine. But we began setting goals, stronger arguments, and better time management. Each assignment became a stepping stone toward a higher standard.
Fast forward to now Noah is in his senior year at Michigan State University. He came to visit me, during an MSU football game and stated that I was one of the first people who actually held him to something more, something better. He said along his journey there were others who held him to this high standard and he remembers them all by name.
What changed? It wasn’t just that Noah became smarter or more capable. It was that he learned to push himself beyond “good enough.” The expectations set for him became the driving force for a better future. I often tell the students that setting the bar high isn’t about making life harder, it’s about opening doors.
Middle school is a crucial time in your children’s development. They are forming the habits and mindsets that will guide them into adulthood. As parents and educators, it’s our responsibility to set high academic standards, not just for the sake of grades, but for the sake of growth. When we push them to do more than they think they can, we give them the tools to thrive in an increasingly challenging world.
I hope that the vast majority of families know and have seen how much I care about their kids and how as a building we truly want to give them the best education we can. Thank you for helping us in holding your children to these high standards. Together, we can help them achieve more than they ever imagined.
Dr. Moore
Hawk Hour
Next week, we will focus on the character strength of Teamwork. Teamwork means you work well as a member of a group or team. You are loyal, reliable, and dedicated to helping your team achieve its goals.
Teamwork involves prioritizing group success. Those strong in teamwork help all group members succeed, committing time and resources to the group's goals. They often delay personal accomplishments to ensure the group's overall success, which fosters positive feelings and counters selfishness and egotism.
For individuals, teamwork often means deferring or delaying individual accomplishments in order to ensure that the group maintains a high level of success. Their commitment to the larger group effort makes them good teammates. The positive feelings associated with being part of a larger whole — can be highly beneficial and combat selfishness and egotism.
The following week, we will focus on the character strength of Open-Mindedness. This means being willing to consider new ideas and try new things. It involves looking at situations from all sides and not jumping to conclusions.
Open-mindedness is about seeking out and fairly weighing evidence, even if it goes against our own opinions or goals. Open-minded people listen to different viewpoints, including those that are less popular. They are often good listeners and provide balanced advice, which makes them great friends and confidants. This strength helps individuals form meaningful and lasting relationships.
To practice and encourage the character strength of teamwork at home, please visit the Positivity Project’s mobile-friendly P2 for Families. There, you will watch a video clip together and discuss a quote and three questions related to teamwork.
Thank you for your support!
Youth Solutions Select Survey
As part of our ongoing commitment to preparing future ready students and as part of a partnership with the Highlander College and Career Council and Youth Solutions Select, a non-profit focused on building sustainable career development programs, we will be administering a survey to students in grades 6-12 at Highlander Way Middle, Parker Middle, and Howell High School.
Howell High students will take the survey on Friday, September 27, and Highlander Way and Parker students will take it on Wednesday, October 2. You can review the survey questions at https://bit.ly/3XnFFY7. If you prefer your child not participate, please complete the opt-out form at https://bit.ly/4e31CD8 by Thursday, September 26.
We also ask all parents of students in grades 6-12 to complete a family survey by Friday, October 11. The survey is anonymous, and your feedback will help guide future programs. You can access the family survey at https://bit.ly/4e5SXzR.
Livingston ESA Special Education Millage Renewal and Restoration
Livingston Educational Service Agency (LESA) is asking voters to consider the renewal and restoration of the county-wide special education millage on the November 5 ballot. The millage provides approximately $3 million annually to Howell Public Schools to offset special education costs. Without these funds, the district would need to cover the shortfall from its general fund. This funding supports essential services for students with special needs across Livingston County. To learn more about the proposal, please visit https://bit.ly/3yYj7VT.
Important School Meal Information
We want to remind families about the healthy meal options provided through the Howell Public Schools Food Service Department. Our menus meet USDA nutrition standards and offer a variety of fresh, balanced meals for breakfast and lunch. Under the Michigan School Meals program, students can enjoy these meals for free when they select a complete meal, which includes fruits and vegetables. You can find more information about meal offerings, as well as how to add funds for à la carte items, at https://bit.ly/3BbgMHO or by visiting our Food Service webpage at HowellSchools.com/Food.
