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Ann Arbor Public Schools

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May 1, 2026 - Weekly Update

AAPS District News

The AAPS District News shared an Exceptional Profile of a Lakewood first grade teacher. We also shared Pioneer and Slauson Science Olympiad teams qualified for nationals, Pioneer Theatre Guild has a production of “Chicago: Teen Edition,” U of M students joined sixth graders for the first AAPS Digital Wellness Expo and Bryant/Pattengill PTO volunteers created a “Chalk the Walk” to honor educators. 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. You can review a recap of the last meeting here.

 

National School Lunch Hero Day

Today, AAPS celebrated National School Lunch Hero Day. Our AAPS food and nutrition team truly serves as superheroes every day throughout the school year.  The team works diligently to prepare and provide children with nutritious meals each school day across our 32 school locations, all to foster a sense of community within our schools. By the end of this 2025-2026 school year, they will have served more than two million meals, all while keeping the health and safety of our students and staff as their priority.

 

We salute our school lunch heroes who work hard to achieve our goal of ensuring quality food and nutrition support so our students continue to stay healthy, grow and learn each day.

 

AAPAC May Meeting

The Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Committee (AAPAC) for Special Education is hosting their next caregiver meeting on Monday, May 4th at 7 PM via Zoom. The main topic will be legal decision-making for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: the spectrum of decision-making options for people when they turn 18, from least to most restrictive. Attorney and advocate Jessica Kelly will give this presentation.

 

Freeman Spring Environmental Festival 

Join us for an afternoon of fun and educational activities - trivia, arts & crafts, native plants, presentations, food and more at the Freeman Spring Environmental Festival on Saturday, May 9th from 1 to 3:30 PM at the Freeman Environmental Education Center. 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.

 

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

Coming Soon! Before/After Care (BAC) Schools Online registration for the 2026-27 school year opens May 13th at 10:00 a.m. Families are encouraged to register early and check this website for updates. https://reced.a2schools.org/beforeafter-care

Registration is OPEN NOW for:

High School Volunteer Program Applications Are Open and Close May 15 -  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. 

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

Sweet as Honey Cookie Decorating (5/14, 6-8pm) 

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

 

Rec & Ed Adult One-Day Workshops — May & June

NEW! Pasta-bilities: Fresh Pasta from Scratch (May 7) - $20 discount for 2nd person

AI 101: Everyday Uses of ChatGPT (May 12)

Mastering Tempeh: Learn to Make and Cook Tempeh (May 28)

NEW! Soba So Good! Handmade Buckwheat Noodles (June 4) - $20 discount for 2nd person

Kimchi Making Workshop (June 7)

 

Community Events and Information

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.

 

Huron River Day Microplastics Exhibit Tour is on Saturday, May 16th at 10:30 AM and 11:30 AM at the U of M Museum of Natural History. From research to everyday choices, this exhibit invites visitors to understand microplastics and leave feeling empowered to do something about the issue. More information on this one-day-only tour here.

 

Ann Arbor Police and Fire Open House is Saturday, May 16th from 11 am to 1 PM on Fifth Avenue between Huron and East Ann, alongside Fire Station No. 1. All are invited for the free, outdoor event to meet local first responders including Touch a Truck, spray a fire hose, free hot dogs while they last and more. More details here.

 

Mind Matters: When Kids Struggle - What Grownups Can Do to Help is a webinar on May 21st at 7 PM. Mental health experts from the Michigan Medicine Department of Psychiatry are hosting this practical webinar for parents, family members and caregivers who want to better understand what it looks like when the kids in their lives are struggling and what they can do to help. Learn more and register 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. 

 

  • City Launches: I AM A2ZERO Campaign: Share your sustainability story! On Earth Day, we launched the “I Am A2ZERO” storytelling campaign, with videos showing just some of the video variety of actions the Ann Arbor community is taking to become more sustainable. Celebrating things both big and small, this campaign highlights the impact of climate action in the Ann Arbor community straight from the members of the community themselves. Hear their stories and submit your own at a2zero.org/IAm.  

 

  • 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