MPS TRANSPORTATION UPDATE - WEDNESDAY 11/27/24
Hello Students, Parents, & Staff:
During this time of thanksgiving, we want to express our gratitude for our dedicated Bus Drivers and share some good news with you. First thank you to Rick Stephens , Coordinator (Frog); Jeff Meyer (Bear); Kevin Westcomb (Deer); and Bill LeVeque (Camel), and Terry Bower (Bus Mechanic & Sub Driver). With winter weather and difficult driving conditions upon us, we appreciate their early mornings and late evenings to transport our students safely to/from school. We appreciate parent understanding and patience as over the last two weeks, illness has swept through our transportation department and has resulted in numerous days and routes requiring a sub driver and so there have a been a few hiccups. Since our subs don't always know the students and routes as well as our regular drivers, we just want to remind student riders and parents that having students standing outside at each stop helps to ensure that they are not missed during pickup. Also, mid-week address/location changes for student rider pick-up or drop-off makes things more difficult for our drivers, especially substitute drivers. So, if parents (especially for elementary students) can provide detailed information "in writing" regarding address/location of pick up/drop off "a week in advance" to the Secretary in Mather Office it really helps to ensure that our drivers (especially subs) get the little ones to the proper locations when those change. This also helps to ensure that the Mather Office can provide a detailed note for little ones to our Bus Drivers. Avoiding midweek changes of pick-up drop-off is greatly appreciated. Since legislation over the years has required that bus seat backs become taller for safety reasons, it makes the littlest riders the hardest for the driver to see, so it is recommended that little riders sit in seats near the front of the bus where it is easier for drivers to see them and so they can hear when the drivers call their names. Now, for a bit of exciting news, it looks as if we will be adding another driver (Dawn Kleinhenz) to our ranks as soon as her training is complete. Therefore, we anticipate that the district will be returning to 5 Bus Routes/Runs just before (late December) the Holiday Break or just after (January 6th). We will keep you posted. This will mean less crowded buses and shorter bus rides which will be welcomed by everyone :-). Additionally, the district ordered a second 10 passenger transport van last October and just received it.
Now with two 10 passenger vans in our fleet, it enables coaches to more easily transport teams of student-athletes to sporting events and does not require us to change bus routes in order to free up a bus and driver to transport them. This should also enable us to improve transportation service to regular riders. Have a great THANKSGIVING, and please remember to THANK A BUS DRIVER!
Congratulations to our UPSSA All UP Volleyball Award Winners!
Congratulations to NMU Student Teacher Lily Sneller who is the recipient of the Outstanding Student Teaching Awarded in English Language Arts. Mrs. Sneller works at the middle/high school with supervising teacher Mrs. Gaynor and is also ECSE teacher at Mather Elementary! #teachlikeawildcat #stangnation
Just a reminder: There is no after-school tutoring at Mather Elementary tomorrow- 11/27/24 due to the Thanksgiving Holiday.
Congratulations to Trey and his parents!
Order a Mather Elementary T-Shirt- All proceeds go support our Mather Elementary Activity Fund!
Congratulations to Maude Bogater, Mather Elementary's Student of the Week!
Check out our High School Quiz Bowl team in action vs Big Bay de Noc on WNMU-TV PBS on Saturday at 8pm and repeating on Monday at 3 pm!
MPS would like to take time today to THANK our wonderful Substitute Teachers! We appreciate all you do! We couldn't do it without you!
Congratulations to our Varsity Football All UP Award Winners!
Please join us on Monday as we meet our winter sports athletes!
Join us tomorrow in the high school gym for our second annual Kids vs. Faculty Kickball Fundraiser!
5th grade vs. faculty at 6pm and Seniors vs. Faculty at 7pm.
Funds raised go to adopting a family for Christmas and other community foundations!
You can also donate to other Student Council service projects that night!
Congratulations to our girls XC team - Academic All State Team with a 4.0 GPA!
Congratulations to Trevor and his parents!
Thank you, Ms. Hetherington and students, for helping Mather honor our veterans on their special day. Your efforts in recognizing their service and sacrifices mean so much to our community. ❤️🤍
Congratulations Nora Tebear, Keep up the great work!
Thank you so much to our wonderful community who came out to support Mather Elementary's Math/Science & Book Fair Night! So much appreciation going to all the Volunteers who made this event possible.
Thank you to our School Psychologist Janette Polkinghorn for all her hard work and dedication to our students and our school district!
Yearbooks are on sale!!!
Congratulations to our MHSAA Academic All State Award and UPCCCA Winners!
