April 4, 2025 - Weekly Update
Calendar: April 18 - No School - Students and Staff
AAPS District News
The AAPS District News shared an Exceptional Profile of a Pittsfield teacher assistant. We shared a Pioneer senior captured a national gold for her art portfolio, Huron choirs completed an international tour of Austria and the Czech Republic, and Oakland University highlighted the musical theater work of a Pioneer graduate. We also shared a two-minute video from Mitchell. Read all of the AAPS District News stories here.
AAPS Board of Education
The next Board of Education Regular Meeting is Wednesday, April 23rd, at 7:00 PM at 3700 Earhart Road. At this week’s meeting, the board received a presentation on the school history investigation as part of Ann Arbor’s bicentennial and the Michigan Indigenous histories, culture and governance project and a presentation from parents on Jewish American Heritage Month.
National Arab American Heritage Month
April is National Arab American Heritage Month, an opportunity to celebrate the rich history, heritage, culture and diversity of Arab Americans and honor their many significant contributions to society.
National Arab American Heritage Month was recognized in April 2021 by President Joe Biden. While official national recognition may be recent, efforts on the state and local levels to recognize Arab American Heritage Month have been ongoing for decades. We celebrate the many accomplishments of educators, artists and writers, poets and musicians who promote the Arab American heritage and culture - a testament to the contributions Arab Americans have made to America's rich diversity.
Autism Acceptance Month
Every April, the Autism Society celebrates, raises awareness and promotes understanding and acceptance of those in the Autism community. This month-long recognition aims to break the stigma of people living with autism.
As many individuals and families affected by autism understand, acceptance is often one of the biggest barriers to developing a strong support system. Acceptance and inclusion are vital to ensuring that all in the Autism community can access the resources and support they need to live their lives to the fullest extent possible.
We are a stronger school community as we honor, embrace and celebrate our diversity, continually create a culture of belonging for all and value the connections that unite us as an inclusive Ann Arbor community.
PTO Council District-wide Fundraiser
The Ann Arbor PTO Council, a support organization for AAPS PTOs, is writing today to share about our 2025 District-wide Fundraiser. Together with the Ann Arbor PTO Thrift Shop, our fundraiser raised over $55,000 in 2024, all of which was distributed to Title I school PTOs with no strings attached. This year, we hope to raise even more and would love your help. We launched our online fundraiser on March 6th with the hopes of boosting PTO funding at Title I elementary schools, and we are already seeing excitement build in the community.
How can you help? You can share information from our Facebook page. Thanks for any help you can provide in getting the word out! We are grateful for this community and partnership. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. PTOC Co-Chairs, Nicole Collines/Brittany Sayles: ptocchairs@gmail.com
AAPS Capital Program Open House
The AAPS Capital Program team will host a project Open House at King Elementary School on Wednesday, April 9th, from 6:30 to 8 PM.
Meet the architects and design experts involved in planning these new AAPS 21st-century, healthy, high-performance schools. This Open House format will allow guests to move at their own pace throughout multiple stations, review project updates and information and provide feedback. Please visit A2SchoolsBond.org to learn more.
Michigan Indigenous Artists Series
AAPS is sponsoring a series of free events highlighting Michigan Indigenous artists. The next event is a family-friendly concert great for elementary-aged kids. On Saturday, May 17th, from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM at The Ark, Joe Reilly and The Community Gardeners with the All Nations Dancers present There's a Place for You in the Circle. This event is free. Lunch will be catered by Anishnabe Meejim. Doors open at 11:30 for food, and the performance will begin at 12:30. Pre-registration is required.
MDE 2025 Teacher Appreciation Video Project
The Michigan Department of Education’s 2025 Teacher Appreciation Video project is accepting videos through April 16th. Parents/guardians are encouraged to record and submit short videos of students sharing appreciation for their teachers. Selected videos will be featured on MDE’s social media platforms.
Care Solace - AAPS Mental Health Partnership
Care Solace is AAPS’s free Mental Health and Substance Abuse Care Coordination Service. Care Solace is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to connect students, staff and their families to mental health, substance abuse and ABA service providers.
Over 200 languages are supported, and help is available to those with and without insurance.
Using Care Solace is easy!
- Call 888-515-0595 any time. A dedicated Care Companion will help you every step of the way to research options, secure appointments and follow up with you to make sure it's a good fit.
- Search anonymously by visiting caresolace.com/aaps
Information about Care Solace is available in Spanish, Arabic and Mandarin.
AAPS Free On-Demand Learning Resource For Students
The Ann Arbor Public Schools, in partnership with Varsity Tutors, is making a free set of 24/7 learning resources available to our students via Clever. Our 5th - 12th graders now have immediate access to a learning platform with the following:
· Chat Homework Help
· Asynchronous Academic Support Courses
· College Preparation Tools and Courses
· SAT Prep
· Myriad Live and Asynchronous Extracurricular Courses like coding, chess, comic drawing and more.
The Varsity Tutors Platform gives students more opportunities to learn at their own pace. We invite you to view this short video overview of the platform and resources.
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 AppStore or Google Play, and a bookmark will be placed on all student Chromebooks. Students, staff and parents can initiate an anonymous tip outside the app via phone: 1-833-300-STOP, email: tipline@securly.com or their website: https://www.securly.com/tip.
AAPS Securly Parent Portal
In the Ann Arbor Public Schools, we utilize a cloud-based web filter called Securly to keep students safe on their district-issued devices. 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.
Rec & Ed
Rec & Ed’s High School Volunteer Program (HSVP) Applications are Now Open- The High School Volunteer Program (HSVP) provides valuable summer experiences for 8th-12th grade students. Students receive training and are placed at Rec & Ed Summer Camps based on their interests. This is an opportunity to develop leadership skills, gain real-world work experience, explore potential career paths in a camp environment and build meaningful community connections this summer!
Learn more about this program here and apply today. Questions? Contact Elyse Bairley at bairley@a2schools.org.
Summer Camp Adventure Awaits - Explore our incredible lineup of camp options this summer: Art, Science & STEM, Music, Dance, Reading, Nature, Sports and Safety Town. The possibilities are endless for children ages 2-14 years old. View all camps here.
High School Boys Open Volleyball for Grades 8-12 - Sign up now! Learn more and register here. Registration closes on Monday, April 7th at 5 PM.
Youth Baseball, Softball and T-Ball Registration for Y5-8th Grades coming soon - Registration for Summer Youth Baseball, Softball and T-ball will open on Monday, April 21st. The season will run from June 16th through the beginning of August. More information to come soon.
Rec & Ed Spring/Summer Class Registration is NOW OPEN - Registration for youth and adult after-school, evening, and weekend classes is now open. Register today aarecedonline.com.
Community Events and Information
Washtenaw County Health Department Offering Measles Vaccines
The Health Department is providing walk-in MMR vaccinations on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM and on Fridays from 8 AM to 3 PM at 555 Towner in Ypsilanti. The Health Department can check vaccine records if you’re not sure of your status. They can vaccinate those with Medicaid, Medicare, Washtenaw Health Plan, BCBS and those with no insurance. More information here.
FoolMoon and FestiFools
FoolMoon kicks off on Friday, April 4th, with luminary processions starting from the University of Michigan Museum of Art, the Kerrytown Farmers Market and Slauson at 8 PM, all heading to Washington Street in downtown Ann Arbor. FestiFools 2025 will take place on Sunday, April 6th, from 4 to 5 PM on Main Street in downtown Ann Arbor. Learn more here.
Scientist Spotlight
The University of Michigan Museum of Natural History’s next Scientist Spotlight is Saturday, April 5th, at the Ypsilanti District Library, Whittaker Rd. branch from 2 to 4 PM. Topics include recovering drinking water through stormwater capture, teeth as time capsules, reptiles’ habitats in Greece and more.
Helping Kids Manage Stress
Helping Kids Manage Stress is the topic at the next Washtenaw Intermediate School District’s Mental Health Workshop on Tuesday, April 8th, at 7 PM. Courtney Aldrich, Child & Family Program Instructor at MSU Extension, will share common causes, signs and symptoms of stress, as well as simple strategies for supporting children, youth and parents experiencing stress. As always, this is a free workshop on Zoom for parents, caregivers and school staff. Register here. Recordings of past WISD mental health workshops for parents can be found on WISD's website here. Scroll down, click the + next to Parents/Guardians and then click on the video you'd like to watch.
Youth Art Fair
The Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, The Original, is accepting applications through April 10th for students in grades 4-12 to exhibit and sell their artwork alongside over 200 professional artists. Young artists will not only showcase and sell their creations but also benefit from enhanced mentorship, peer-based learning and a vibrant atmosphere from July 17th to 19th. Learn more about the program here.
University of Michigan Aerospace Day
The University of Michigan’s American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Student Branch is sponsoring Aerospace Day from 9 AM to 4 PM on Saturday, April 12th. Open to grades K-12, the event will have project teams, organizations and labs working with students on hands-on projects, demos, games and more throughout the day. More information, including how to sign up, is available here.
Huron Book Bash
Huron High School’s National Honor Society is hosting their Book Bash on April 12th from 1 to 3 PM at Huron. This annual charity event brings the community together to celebrate the fun of reading. It’s a fun-filled afternoon featuring bookmark-making, live music, storytime, a costume show, games and much more. All elementary, middle and high school students are welcome. A book donation for charity is requested.
Ann Arbor A2Zero Household Electronics Takeback Event
Registration is now open for an event inviting city of Ann Arbor residents to responsibly dispose of broken and unwanted household electronics. The City of Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations is hosting the A2ZERO Household Electronics Takeback event on Saturday, April 26th, from 10 AM to 2 PM at Zion Lutheran Church. This is a free event, and registration is required to attend. More information here.
Girls’ Engineering Exploration Day
The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Detroit Section is holding its 17th annual Girls Engineering Exploration (GEE) Day on Saturday, April 26th, from 10 AM to 2 PM at the College of Creative Studies Taubman Center in Detroit. The free event is open to 4th through 8th grade girls for students to do hands-on activities, learn what engineers do and how they use STEM in their jobs. More information and required registration here.
Medication Take Back Event
Protect teens against drug abuse and overdose by disposing of unused and expired medications. Michigan Medicine and Ann Arbor Police Department are hosting a drug takeback event on Saturday, April 26th, from 10 AM to 2 PM at St. Francis School. Learn more here.
A2ZERO Heat Pump Concierge Platform
The Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations is announcing a new platform to help residents transition from gas furnaces to cleaner electric heat pumps. The new Heat Pump Concierge Platform lets residents input their home information to generate initial heat pump system design options. Learn more here.
Rain Gardens Reduce Runoff
Rain gardens allow up to 30 percent more water to soak into the ground than conventional turf grass lawns. In addition, runoff from hard surfaces like rooftops and sidewalks can be directed straight into a rain garden, thus preventing polluted water from reaching nearby storm drains that lead to local waterways. Learn more at hrwc.org/landscaping.
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