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Ann Arbor Public Schools

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February 6, 2026 - Weekly Update

AAPS District News

The AAPS District News shared an Exceptional Profile of an Abbot first grade teacher. We also shared this is National School Counseling Week and young chefs enjoyed a new Rec and Ed class just before the Super Bowl. Read all of the AAPS District News stories here.

 

AAPS Board of Education

The next Board of Education Regular Meeting is Wednesday, February 25th, at 7:00 PM at 3700 Earhart Road. At this week’s meeting the Board of Education received the Capital Program 2024-25 Annual Report, and the November and December Monthly Budget Monitoring Reports.

 

Black History Month 

During the month of February, the AAPS spotlights the celebration of Black History Month in our classrooms and within each school community. Black History Month is a time to recognize the central role of African Americans in our nation’s history and celebrate their achievements and contributions. Each and every day in the Ann Arbor Public Schools, teachers and students, support staff, school leaders and our community recognize and celebrate the important contributions African Americans have made in the Ann Arbor community and beyond.  

 

CTE Month 

February is National Career Technical Education (CTE) month, celebrating the value of CTE programs providing students of all ages with the academic and technical skills, knowledge and training necessary to succeed in future careers and become lifelong learners. CTE prepares these learners for the world of work, skilled trades training and college or university success by introducing them to workplace competencies and making academic content accessible to students by providing it in a hands-on context.   In the AAPS, a variety of career path experiences are available to all high school students, such as Auto Service Technology, Business Administration and Management, Construction Trades/Homebuilding, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts and Hospitality, Cybersecurity, Digital/Multimedia/Web Page Design, Engineering, Finance/Accounting and Health Science. Students enroll in courses of their choice and are provided a quality experience in the career area of their interest.  

 

National School Counseling Week (February 2-6) 

We appreciate our school counselors every day, recognizing the tremendous role they play in supporting our students. This week, we have the opportunity to publicly acknowledge our AAPS counselors for the critical role they play to “amplify student success,” which happens to be this year’s theme for National Counseling Week. On behalf of the entire AAPS team and along with the Board of Education, we express deep appreciation to all our AAPS school counselors and honor them for their commitment, professionalism and dedication.  

 

AAPS Celebrates NAAPID

AAPS will celebrate National African American Parent Involvement Day (NAAPID) on Monday, February 9th, all across our district. Activities include assemblies and performances, along with student presentations on the importance of NAAPID and equitable access to opportunities. Our schools will host many events and activities, check with your child’s school for more details.

 

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.  

Ramadan Meals

We are pleased to offer shelf-stable meals for our students who are observing Ramadan and fasting. Meals will be available during school days starting February 18th, upon return from mid-winter break, through Thursday, March 19, 2026.

 

Students may pick up these meals during their regular lunch period in the cafeteria lunch line to take home and enjoy after sunset. The meals include a variety of shelf-stable foods that do not require refrigeration and meet Halal requirements.

While students observing the fast are not required to sit in the cafeteria during lunch, they will need to pick up their meal and then proceed to the location designated by their school for the lunch period.

We welcome your input on these meals as we work to ensure they are nutritious, meet USDA requirements, and provide meaningful support to students and families observing Ramadan. Please don't hesitate to share your thoughts with Mike Devries, Chartwells Manager at devriesm@aaps.k12.mi.us or Liz Margolis, Executive Director, School Safety & District Operations at margolisl@aaps.k12.mi.us.

Kindergarten Round-Up Events

Come see what fun awaits your child in the Ann Arbor Public Schools for Fall 2026! Open to all families of kindergarten or Young 5s eligible students. Attend any of the listed open houses in February or call to schedule a tour. To be eligible for Young 5s your child must turn 5 years old between May 1st and December 1st.

 

AAACF Scholarships

Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation (AAACF) Scholarship Applications are being accepted through February 10th at 3 PM. AAPS graduating high school seniors can access 25+ scholarship opportunities (awards ranging from $1,000 to $26,000) by visiting www.aaacf.org/scholarships. Questions or concerns can be directed to Maryellen Ferro at mferro@aaacf.org. 

 

AAPS CTE Program Applications for 2026-27

The AAPS CTE Program application for the 2026-2027 school year is open. AAPS CTE Programs are open to students in Ann Arbor Public Schools. If a program is not offered in the student's homeschool, the student can still apply.

 

All students wishing to be a part of the AAPS CTE Programs for Automotive Technology, Cosmetology, Culinary, CTE Environmental Sciences AP, Health Sciences, and Homebuilding will need to complete an application.

 

Link to the AAPS CTE Programs Application (Application must be completed using the students' AAPS account).

 

Link to a QR Code for Program Applications 

 

All applications are due by Friday, February 27th.  

 

Students and caregivers with questions about the application and CTE programs should contact their student's counselor before the February 27th deadline.

 

AAPS Music Camp Scholarships

AAPS Music Department’s 2026 Summer Music Camp Scholarship Auditions are being accepted now through February 17th. Auditions this year will be via video recording only. Apply here.

AAPS Tuition Preschool Enrollment for 2026-27 

Enrollment for tuition preschool for the 2026-27 school year will open on Tuesday, February 17th at 8 AM. Click here for more information.

 

AAPAC Caregiver Meeting
On Monday, March 2nd at 7 PM AAPAC will hold an in-person meeting at the Earhart Administration Building (3700 Earhart). This meeting will be AAPAC’s 2026 Summer Camp and Activities Fair.

 

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.

School Crossing 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.

 

MyPowerHub

AAPS is excited to announce a new centralized hub for student information and communication called MyPowerHub. This new hub will serve as a one-stop portal designed to better serve our students and families. This streamlined system will bring together everything from grades and attendance to schedules, assignments, and communication tools, all in one easy-to-access location. By simplifying access and enhancing the user experience, we’re making it easier than ever for families to stay informed and engaged in their student’s education. This is a major step forward in our commitment to providing seamless, efficient, and supportive tools for student success. 

 

This is a work in progress, so some areas of the MyPowerHub may not be filled yet. We will continue to roll out access to elementary school families in the coming weeks.

 

MyPowerHub Intro Video

 

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 

NEW!  Spring Break Camps K-5th grade Coming Soon:  Keep your kids moving, creating, and smiling this Spring Break. Full Day and Half day camp options. Registration opens February 24th. More information here. 

Youth Spring Sport League K-8th grade - Sign Up Coming Soon: Registration for Spring Soccer, Flag Football and Field Hockey will open on Tuesday, February 17th.

NEW! Technology Seminars for Middle & High School Parents Digital Balance: Smart Tech Habits for Families (Feb 18) – Practical guidance for navigating technology at home. Raising AI-Smart Kids: How to Talk About Artificial Intelligence (Mar 10) – Help your kids understand AI. Led by Trisha Keller, tech-savvy mom and AI team leader.

WINTER CLASS Registration Is Open. Have a wonderful winter with Rec & Ed! Click here to browse our classes. 

 

Community Events and Information

Scientist Spotlight Event on Saturday, February 7th from 1 to 3 PM at the Ann Arbor District Library downtown branch. Visit with University of Michigan scientists and participate in engaging, hands-on activities to learn about their cutting edge research. Suitable for upper elementary students through adults. Learn more here.

 

Grief and What Parents Can Do to Support Grieving Children will be the topic of the next WISD online workshop for parents and caregivers on mental health topics on Tuesday, February 10th at 7 PM. Join KaDerrick Robinson, LMSW, from Ele’s Place for this event. Register here.

 

Replacement of South Barton Pedestrian Bridge Informational Meeting will take place online on Thursday, February 12th at 7 PM. The south pedestrian bridge along the Border to Border Trail in Barton Nature Area has reached the end of its useful life, and planning is underway for its replacement. The City of Ann Arbor is sharing more information about the project and will post the link to the meeting here.

 

Annual Give Kids a Smile Day is Saturday, February 14th at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. Free limited dental care for the first 160 children ages 4 to 14 that register here.

 

F.E.M.M.E.S Winter 2026 Connect will be held Saturday, February 21st from 10 AM to 2 PM for 6th to 8th graders at the University of Michigan Chemistry Building. The program will expose students to various hands-on STEM activities and give students an opportunity to interact with women pursuing college degrees and careers in STEM. The program is designed to support girls but is open to students of all genders. Registration for Connect is currently open and will close on February 14th.

 

Trinity Health Nutrition Buddies offers middle schoolers (ages 11 to 14) a medical resident physician mentor for four weeks of in-person, hands-on culinary classes at the Trinity Health Ann Arbor Women’s Health Center. All participants also receive a weekly produce subscription, a kit of cooking tools to keep and one week of free summer camp at the Farm at Trinity Health Ann Arbor. More information, including program dates here.

 

SummerWorks Summer Internship Program for Teens is accepting applications through March 22nd. SummerWorks offers young adults ages 16 to 24 who either reside in Washtenaw County or attended school here an opportunity to gain professional skills. The program features professional development sessions, connections with local mentors, exposure to potential career paths and an opportunity for a paid 10-week internship this summer. Learn more and apply here.

 

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. 

 

  • Take Advantage of Free A2ZERO Home Energy Rebates! Did you know that Ann Arbor has thousands of dollars available to help improve the comfort, health, safety, and affordability of your home? From insulation to appliance replacement, to e-bike incentives and electric panel upgrades, if you’re looking to make improvements in your home and are an Ann Arbor resident, we encourage you to learn more and apply for relevant rebates at osi.a2gov.org/rebates.  
  • Interested in natural resources and conservation? New for the 2026-27 school year, the CTE Environmental Science AP course will be offered at Skyline High School and open to all AAPS students. Learn more here.

 

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