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Ann Arbor Public Schools

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October 31, 2025 - Weekly Update

AAPS District News

The AAPS District News shared about Angell being named a Blue Ribbon School, Pioneer field hockey winning the first MHSAA State Championship, Huron boys soccer making their first state semi-final and Chartwells hosting a mood boost and seed to table event at Carpenter. We also shared Scarlett students showcasing IB spirit in a variety of ways, Pioneer Theatre Guild is presenting “The SpongeBob Musical” and Eberwhite students sing a Halloween song. Read all of the AAPS District News stories here.

AAPS Board of Education

The next Board of Education Regular Meeting is Wednesday, November 5th, at 7:00 PM at 3700 Earhart Road. 

Food Resources Available in Ann Arbor Area

The Ann Arbor Public Schools understands that many of our families will face challenges with the loss of SNAP benefits. Here is a list of free food resources that may be helpful. 

 

Food Gatherers also has a map of free grocery resources in Washtenaw County available here.

 

Free Breakfast & Lunch for ALL AAPS Students Remember that all AAPS students are eligible for free breakfast and lunch. Here is more information: AAPS Food Service

 

WISD Countywide CTE Millage

In partnership with local school districts, the WISD CTE team has put together a list of current CTE programs offered and what proposed programs could be added for each individual school district. This includes proposed state-approved 11th and 12th grade CTE programs, as well as PreK-10 CTE experiences. To see the full draft proposed list, click here!

 

These proposed expanded programs connect to future-focused careers in high-wage, high-skill, in-demand pathways in our region like:

 

•Aviation and aerospace

•Automotive technology

•Computer science

•Construction trades

•Cybersecurity

•Entrepreneurship

•Environmental science

•Health sciences

•Robotics and engineering

•Welding

 

Learn more at www.washtenawisd.org/ctemillage. 

 

High School Information Nights, Enrollment & In-District Transfers

Learn more about the opportunities at AAPS high schools at information nights at each building in November and December. The complete schedule of information nights is available here.

We will begin accepting all new enrollments and In-District Transfer applications for Young 5’s and High School grades 9, 10 & 11 starting on Tuesday, November 18th.

 

Preventing and Preparing for Measles

Since the spring, there has been a significant increase in cases and outbreaks across the U.S., including in Michigan, which has impacted school districts across the country. Measles can cause serious health problems, such as pneumonia and encephalitis, and even death. About 1 in 5 people who get measles will be hospitalized. Because measles is so contagious, even one case of measles is an urgent public health matter. 

In the event of a measles case at one of our schools, we will work with the Washtenaw County Health Department. Students who are not fully immunized with MMR vaccine may be excluded from school and all school-related activities for a minimum of 21 days. The MMR vaccine ensures that your child isn’t included on an exclusion list if a measles case occurs. If you have questions about measles or the MMR vaccine, visit the Washtenaw County Health Department website or talk to your healthcare provider. 

 

Mental Health Support

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. Let's stand together to create a safe and supportive school community. Recognize the signs, speak up, and report bullying. Together, we can make a difference.

In addition, Care Solace, APS’s free Mental Health and Substance Abuse Care Coordination Service, is available 24/7/365 to connect individuals to care. Call 888-515-0595 or visit caresolace.com/aaps to search anonymously.

Over 200 languages are supported, and help is available to those with and without insurance.

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

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.

 

Links to bus routes for our schools are available here. 

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.

AAPS Job Fair

The AAPS is hosting a virtual job fair/interview day on Monday, November 10th from 3:30 to 6:30 PM. Appointments will be scheduled via zoom and sign-ups will be accepted through noon on November 10th. Learn more here or contact hr_info@aaps.k12.mi.us for additional information or application assistance.

 

MyFuture Fund

Over 21,000 Washtenaw students in grades 2-8 have had their college and career dreams jump started with more than $2 million allocated to them through My Future Fund, a county-wide early scholarship program made possible with funding from the Washtenaw County Government. Families can get the details and unlock all the benefits of the My Future Fund program, including the $475 bonus deposit if they qualify, by completing the information form by December 31, 2025. The information form is available on the My Future Fund website at www.myfuturefund.org.

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

 

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 

Youth Sports: 🏀⚽Basketball Leagues for 4th-8th Graders and Futsal Leagues for Y5-5th Graders  - Registration is open, leagues begin in January. Stay active and have fun.

FREE FAMILY EVENT- First Steps Early Childhood: Join us for a FREE program at the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA) November 22, 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM. Get Back To Basics reinforces shapes and colors for UMMA’s youngest visitors. There will be a “soft” space with mats, toys, and board books for infants. Learn more and register here.

 

Community Events and Information

Barton-Bandemer Pedestrian Tunnel Grand Opening Ceremony will take place on Wednesday, November 5th at 1 PM. City of Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission officials invite the community for a brief program and ceremonial ribbon cutting as they open the latest piece of the Border to Border (B2B) Trail. Learn more here.

 

“Clear the Air!” webinar series hosted by the Rogel Cancer Center's Community Outreach and Engagement team will be focused on current trends in tobacco and nicotine products, cessation strategies and techniques for supporting someone you love after quitting smoking. The series will take place from noon to 12:30 PM on Wednesdays November 5th, 12th and 19th. Register for the sessions and find more details here. 

 

F.E.M.M.E.S. Explore Capstone Event is at the University of Michigan on Saturday, November 8th from 10 AM to 4 PM for 4th to 6th graders. This event will expose students to various interactive STEM activities, allow them to gain hands-on experience in performing some experiments and projects and give them an opportunity to interact with women pursuing college degrees and careers in STEM. Learn more and register here by Friday, October 31st.

 

Coding Cohorts a workshop that teaches an introduction to Python programming for middle school students of all genders, is offered on Saturday, November 8th from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM by the Society of Women Engineers at the University of Michigan. No previous programming experience is required and students who have participated in any past Coding Cohorts or in SWE++ classes will have already learned this same material, so would likely not benefit from attending.  You can register at this link here.

 

Mental Health Workshop - Youth Focus- Once again this year, WISD is offering free, online workshops for parents and caregivers on a variety of mental health topics. Mental Health 101: Youth Focus would provide an initial understanding of youth brain development, emotional and social development, trauma, some practical tools and ways to address your own mental wellness. This webinar will be at 7 PM on Tuesday, November 11th. Open to all Washtenaw County parents, caregivers, grandparents, school staff, and adults who work with children. This year, you will need to register for each workshop that you'd like to attend in order to receive the Zoom link. Review the topics and register here. 

 

A2ZERO Household Electronics Collection event is taking place Saturday, November 15th, from 10 AM to 1 PM. This event is hosted by the City of Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations (OSI) in collaboration with Comprenew, an e-stewards certified Michigan-based nonprofit that recycles and refurbishes electronics sustainably and ethically. All Ann Arbor residents are welcome to register. Registration is required and is now open for the event, which will be held at Allen Elementary. Register for this event at a2zero_electronics.eventbrite.com.

 

City of Ann Arbor Draft Comprehensive Land Use Plan has entered the third draft review period. Community members are encouraged to review the plan and offer feedback. Learn more about the plan and comment here.

 

Leave Your Leaves - There’s much to be said for leaving fall leaves. With the help of a mulching mower, they become a natural fertilizer for your lawn. A 3-5 inch leaf layer around garden plants inhibits weeds, preserves soil moisture and nourishes plants as leaves break down. Learn more at hrwc.org/lawncare.

 

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