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Ann Arbor Public Schools

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April 24, 2026 - Weekly Update

AAPS District News

The AAPS District News shared an Exceptional Profile of a Logan office professional. We also shared Huron students taught financial tips to Thurston students, a quick clean-up of Bach’s playground after the tornado, Huron celebrated Take Your Kid to Work Day and AAPS Library Services gave their annual report to the Board of Education. Read all of the AAPS District News stories here.

 

AAPS Board of Education

The next Board of Education Regular Meeting is Wednesday, May 6, at 7:00 PM at 3700 Earhart Road. At this week’s meeting, the Board of Education received a report on AAPS Library Services and the February Monthly Budget Monitoring Report. The board also held a study session with a budget discussion, you can review the materials here. You can review a recap of the last meeting here.

 

National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month 

April is National Bilingual/Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month. This month celebrates the accomplishments of our bilingual and multilingual students, the fastest-growing student population in AAPS.

 

This is a meaningful opportunity to center our multilingual students’ strengths, affirm the value of multilingualism and strengthen our advocacy for the resources and support they need to thrive.

 

We are grateful for the dedication of our English Learner teachers and staff, who support students in developing proficiency in multiple languages while honoring their cultural identities. Their work not only enhances academic achievement but also prepares students to thrive in an increasingly interconnected global society.

 

National Volunteer Week - April 19 to April 25, 2026 

This week, we recognize National Volunteer Week, which each year provides us with an opportunity to express our appreciation for the wonderful parents, families, PTO members, community and strategic partners who selflessly serve in the Ann Arbor Public Schools.  

 

Volunteers support classroom and school enrichment activities, field trips, office and library support, academic and bilingual support, noon hour/recess support, afterschool/homework support and in many other capacities in the daily life of our schools. We recognize that strong communities are characterized by strong public schools. Our AAPS schools are strengthened and made more vibrant, connected and successful through the engagement, participation and support of caring and committed school volunteers.  

 

Administrative Professionals Day 

Wednesday, April 22 was Administrative Professionals Day. We want to recognize our AAPS Office Professionals and their work as vital partners in our AAPS family. We appreciate the dedicated service they provide throughout the year. Their efforts, knowledge and expertise are crucial to enabling the strong connections and service our district provides for our students, staff and families in the Ann Arbor community.  

 

The role of the administrative professional encompasses an incredibly wide range of expertise and skills. They are the front-line presence that ensures support throughout our school days. We have come to depend on the multitude and wide span of tasks they maneuver through daily, and without their support, we could not serve and care for our students as well as we do.  

 

To our amazing administrative professionals: thank you for your hard work, dedication and positive attitudes. You make our jobs easier and more enjoyable, and we are grateful for everything you do. Happy Administrative Professionals Day! 

 

Earth Day 

In keeping with our long-standing commitment to the environment, AAPS students and schools across the district celebrated Earth Day 2026. Each year on April 22, we mark the anniversary of the first Earth Day in 1970 as the beginning of the modern environmental movement. Today, Earth Day is widely recognized as the largest secular observance in the world. More than a billion people every year celebrate this as a day of action to change human behavior and create better global, national and local policies to protect our health and environment. 

 

In classrooms across the AAPS, Earth Day presents an excellent opportunity for learning as students, their teachers and school teams explore and celebrate a shared commitment to environmental sustainability. We look forward to continued engagement in our collective effort to serve as strong stewards of our planet within our Ann Arbor community today and for future generations.

 

Ann Arbor/Saline College & Career Fair

The Ann Arbor/Saline 2026 Annual College and Career Fair is free and open to all students and families in surrounding counties on Wednesday, April 29th from 6 to 7:30 PM at Saline High School. Students can pre-register here. More information is available here.

 

Friends of Freeman Spring 2026 Newsletter

Learn about recent and upcoming happenings at the Freeman Environmental Education Center in the Friends of Freeman Spring 2026 Newsletter. 

 

Mental Health Support

When you or your child needs help, it’s hard to know where to turn. To ease the burden of finding the mental health and substance use services you need, AAPS has partnered with Care Solace. Care Solace’s multilingual and culturally sensitive Care Companion team is available 24/7/365 to quickly connect individuals to community providers regardless of need. Call 888-515-0595 (available 24/7/365 with multilingual support) or visit: caresolace.com/aaps to search or click “Book Appointment.”

 Information about Care Solace is available in Spanish, Arabic and Mandarin.  

 

AAPS Summer Music Program

The AAPS Summer Music Program is open to students in Washtenaw County grades 5-12. Students will have the opportunity to display their existing talent and be challenged to develop new skills. Registration is now open, click here for class offerings and descriptions and click here for how to register.

 

Transportation

Families may continue to apply for Space Available Transportation throughout the school year. It generally takes one week to check availability after the initial student counts are conducted.

 

My Stop is a free desktop and mobile app that provides parents access to bus route information such as a child’s assigned bus, bus stop location and updates on the estimated time of arrival at the bus stop. My Stop allows parents and students to plan for late or on-time arrival and prevent missed pick-ups. Click here for more information and how to login.

For more information on transportation go here.

SchoolCrossing Guards Wanted

The City of Ann Arbor is currently hiring school crossing guards. Duties include, holding up a hand-held "STOP" sign until all children are safely across the street and reporting any unsafe observations, incidents or accidents involving students to school authorities. Click here to learn more and apply.

 

AAPS Securly Tip Line

AAPS is pleased to offer this anonymous tip line for students, staff and families to address bullying, mental health concerns or important “See Something, Say Something” concerns. The Securly Tip Line can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play, and a bookmark will be placed on all student Chromebooks. Students, staff and parents can initiate an anonymous tip outside of the app via phone: 1-833-300-STOP, email: tipline@securly.com or their website: https://www.securly.com/tip. Or visit the OK2Say - the State of Michigan’s anonymous tip line: https://www.michigan.gov/ok2say. 

 

Securly Parent Portal - How to Opt In

In the AAPS, we utilize a cloud-based web filter called Securly to keep students safe on their district-issued device. To help parents monitor their child's online activity at home, AAPS offers the free Securly Home app. This application allows web-based filtering and parental controls on district-issued devices at home. Parents may set rules to allow or disallow certain websites, pause the internet connection to the device as desired, and receive weekly usage reports. To OPT-IN to the Securly Parent Portal service, please encourage families to use the pathway as outlined below:

If families have any questions, they can always reach out to the Student & Family Help Desk at 734-997-1222.

 

Michigan Safe Storage Law

MCL 28.429 requires individuals to keep unattended weapons unloaded and locked with a locking device or stored in a locked box or container if it is reasonably known that a minor is likely to be present on the premises. Additional resources are available on the Michigan Department of Education website to assist families in maintaining firearm safety.

Rec and Ed

Registration is OPEN NOW for:

Applications Are Open-  High School Volunteer Program - Launch Your Future This Summer Current 8th–12th graders: Gain real-world experience and develop leadership skills at a Rec & Ed Summer Camp! Learn more here or contact Elyse Bairley at bairley@a2schools.or with questions.

Youth T-Ball, Baseball, and Softball Registration - Sign up through Monday, May 11 at 5:00 PM. Practices will begin the week of June 15—don’t miss out on a fun season ahead! Learn more here.

Summer Camps - Time to sign your child up for summer camp adventures! There's no better destination than Rec & Ed, where children ages 3-15 years old can CREATE, PLAY, and EXPLORE all summer long. www.aarecedonline.com/camps

Spring & Summer Class Registration - Check out Rec & Ed's wonderful spring/summer line-up of early childhood (ages 0-5), school-age youth (ages 5-14), and adult classes and activities at aarecedonline.com. With so many NEW classes being offered, you are sure to find something you like. Spring into learning with Rec & Ed - where curiosity blooms!

 

SPRING FAMILY FUN Adult + Chid-We’re offering several exciting 1 and 2-day workshops that you and your family are sure to love. Click on each link below for details.

Adult & Child Knife Skills Workshop (4/30, 6-8pm)

Adult & Child Woodworking Adventure (5/2 & 5/9, 9am-12 noon)

Adult & Child: Sweet as Honey Cookie Decorating (5/14, 6-8pm)

Adult & Child: Springtime Clay Play (5/31 & 6/7, 10-11:30am)

 

Community Events and Information

Climate Teach-In on Saturday, April 25th, from 1 to 5:30 PM at Mitchell Elementary. Returning for its fourth year, this free event provides residents the opportunity to learn from local sustainability leaders and other community members as they create and innovate climate solutions. Register now at a2climateteachin.com.  

 

Stem Cells-Bodies Under Construction is the next University of Michigan Museum of Natural History’s Science Cafe on Wednesday, April 29th at Conor O’Neill’s from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. Hear from University of Michigan professors how scientists use stem cells to decode nature’s biggest construction project. Learn more here.

 

CAN’s Mental Health Resource Fair is Friday, May 1st from 4:30 to 6:30 PM at the Bryant Community Center. The Community Action Network invites everyone to learn more about available mental health resources in Washtenaw County. Gift card door prizes for the first 20 attendees. Learn more here.

 

Mental Health Month is in May and the University of Michigan Medical School has a host of events planned to raise awareness about mental illness, its prevalence in today’s society and its impact on people of all ages and backgrounds. Click here for the full schedule of events and more information.

 

The 2026 Commuter Challenge is now accepting registrations for workplaces to join. The getDowntown Program encourages commuters across southeast Michigan to try alternatives to driving alone by walking, biking, carpooling, vanpooling, teleworking and taking the bus to reach their workplaces. The challenge will run May 1st through 31st and is open to people who work in the City of Ann Arbor, the City of Ypsilanti and Ypsilanti Township. Learn more here about the Commuter Challenge here.

 

AAATA The Ride’s Blake Transit Center to close starting May 3rd due to a construction project closure of 4th Avenue. Bus stops currently on 4th Avenue and at the Blake Transit Center will temporarily move to 5th Avenue and Washington Street. Route 29 will be temporarily suspended during construction. Route 26, which covers the same area, will have increased frequency to accommodate this temporary change. Visit TheRide.org/BTC for information on the Route 26 schedules that will work best for Pioneer students and to stay up to date on the temporary closure.

 

AI and Mental Health Risks is a webinar presented by experts from the University of Michigan Department of Psychiatry and School of Information on May 5th from 7 to 8:30 PM. They will break down how this technology can negatively impact our mental health, what mental health workers are seeing with their patients in the real world, and what we can all do to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. Click here for more information and to register.

 

A Conversation about Maternal Mental Health will take place on Wednesday, May 6th at 4 PM at the University of Michigan’s Kahn Auditorium. Author Dr. Kara Zivin will discuss her book that blends personal narrative with research and policy insights around maternal mental health challenges and the urgent steps needed to improve care for mothers and their families. Click here for more information and to register.

WISD Mental Health Workshop on Tuesday, May 12th at 7 PM is focused on Weeding Out the Myths of Marijuana for Real-World Conversations with Our Kids. Learn about up-to-date research about THC and the developing brain, along with practical strategies to strengthen your “teen whispering” skills. Register for this online workshop here.

Youth Art Fair is now accepting applications for students in grades 4 through 12 to exhibit and sell their work at the 67th annual Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, The Original from July 16th through 18th. The youth artists will enjoy more mentorship, peer-based learning and fun by exhibiting among over 200 professional artists. Learn more about the Youth Art Fair here and you can apply here. 

 

Summer D & D Group for Teen Mental Health is designed for teens ages 13 to 16. Thrive Counseling and Support is offering these groups focused on overcoming anxiety, reducing isolation and building social skills in a supportive, non-judgmental and affirming space. Click here to register for the program either at Ann Arbor District Library’s Mallet’s Creek branch or the Ypsilanti District Library’s Whittaker Location.

 

Free ESL and Academic Tutoring for Adults from Washtenaw Literacy

Washtenaw Literacy provides free tutoring for adults.  Want to improve your reading?  Math?  Computer Skills?  ESL?  Call us at 734-337-3338 or email merritt@WashtenawLiteracy.org for a Personal Tutor.  Or you can join drop-in tutoring. Learn more at https://washtenawliteracy.org/

 

Sustainability Updates in Our Community

This new series will provide weekly updates on sustainability activities unfolding in the Ann Arbor Public School District as well as in the Ann Arbor community. You can always learn more about this work at https://www.a2schools.org/departments/environmental-sustainability and www.a2gov.org/sustainability or by following the city's Office of Sustainability and Innovation on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

 

  • REGISTER NOW: Climate Teach-In, Saturday, April 25, 1 – 5:30 PM.  Returning for its fourth year, this year’s annual Climate Teach-In will be Saturday, April 25. This free event provides residents the opportunity to learn from local sustainability leaders and other community members as they create and innovate climate solutions. Register now at a2climateteachin.com. 

 

  • Freeman Spring Environmental Festival on Saturday, May 9th from 1 to 3:30 PM. Join us for an afternoon of fun and educational activities - trivia, arts & crafts, native plants, presentations, food and more. We'll have both indoor and outdoor activities, so please dress for the weather. This event is being planned and facilitated by the Freeman Environmental Youth Council.  Thank you to the A2SEEE Fund for providing financial support for Youth Council projects and events like this! Learn more and RSVP at www.a2schools.org/ee

Learn more about AAPS Environmental Education initiatives here and other AAPS environmental sustainability initiatives here.

 

How to Address a Concern in the AAPS

If you have a concern in the AAPS, we want to hear directly from you. Please reach out directly to an adult, teacher, counselor or the principal at your child’s school. If additional assistance is needed with school issues beyond the school level:

 

For early childhood and elementary level issues, contact Melita Alston, Executive Director, Early Childhood and Elementary Education: alston@a2schools.org

 

For High School, Middle School and K-8 school issues, contact Dr. Roberta Heyward, Executive Director, K-8, Middle and High School Education: heywardr@a2schools.org