Munising Public Schools

📢 Preschool & Kindergarten Screening Reminder!
Screening Day is this Wednesday @ Mather Elementary– and there’s still time to sign up!

✅ If your child will be entering Preschool or Kindergarten this fall, don’t miss this important step.

📞 Call today to schedule your appointment:
906-387-2102 Ext. 1132

We can’t wait to welcome our newest little learners!

📚 SUMMER SCHOOL REGISTRATION IS OPEN! 📚
Mather Elementary will be hosting Summer School from August 7th–20th, running 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

This is a great opportunity to keep students engaged and learning in a fun, supportive environment before school starts back up!

👉 Call or stop by the Mather office today to sign up!
📞 906-387-2102 Ext. 1132

Spots are limited—don’t wait!

Congratulations to Carson Kienitz, named First Team All State, from the Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Association!

🌟 Mather Readers at the Beach Spotlight 🌟 Our featured reader is Hadley Lasak, a soon-to-be 4th grader who was in Mrs. LaFlamme’s class this past year! Hadley is rocking her summer reading by organizing family reading time twice a week — and get this: she started it before she even heard about our Pick a Book, Read a Book Challenge! She’s posted reading schedules on posters around her house to keep everyone on track. Now that’s some Mustang leadership! Hadley is currently loving the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and can’t get enough of the humor and relatable adventures. Way to go, Hadley — thanks for showing us how fun and meaningful reading together can be! Want to be featured next? Just email me a photo or short write-up of what you're reading, what you love about it, and where you're reading this summer!

🏃‍♂️ Congratulations to Mr. Nachazel! 🏃‍♂️ Mather Elementary is bursting with Mustang pride today as we celebrate our very own Mr. Ethan Nachazel — dedicated new Special Education teacher and Middle School Cross Country coach — for finishing 1st place in the 50th Annual Pictured Rocks Road Race HALF-MARATHON! Ethan conquered over 13 miles and the infamous "Stink Hill" to clinch the win with a time of 1 hour and 23 minutes. Way to go, Mr. Nachazel! Your determination, strength, and Mustang grit inspire us all.

📚 Mather's "Pick a Book, Read a Book" Summer Challenge! 📚 Hey Mather Mustangs! Ready to keep your brain growing all summer long? Here’s how to join: STEP 1: Choose a great book from your home, the Munising Public Library, or a Little Free Library in town or behind Mather! STEP 2: Read it at your favorite summer spot — the beach, your backyard, a cozy chair… anywhere! STEP 3: Send us a photo or short write-up sharing: 📖 What book you read 💬 What you liked about it 📍 Where you were reading! STEP 4: We’ll feature your summer reading moment in our “Mather Readers at the Beach” spotlight! Need a book? 📚 The Munising Public Library is ready to help you find the perfect story for your next reading adventure! This week’s recommended read: ✨ Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts – A heartwarming story about kindness, empathy, and what really matters. This Week’s “Mather Readers at the Beach” spotlight! is Dekklan Charlton! Dekklan, a Mather Elementary student heading into 3rd grade from Mrs. Johnson’s class, is currently diving into Dog Man: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea! His goal this summer is to read the entire Dog Man series, which he just received for his birthday. Dekklan loves the characters and says the books are absolutely hilarious! With the warm weather, he enjoys reading outside or cozying up in his bedroom to read for an hour before bedtime. Way to go, Dekklan — keep on reading! Want to be featured next? Submit your reading photos or write-ups to the office or email them to us! Let’s make this a summer full of stories!

🎒 PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN SCREENING 🎒 Mather Elementary School 📅 Date: Wednesday, July 9th 🕣 Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM 📍 Location: Mather Elementary 📞 Call to schedule your appointment: 906-387-2102 ext. 1132 Is your child ready for school? We’re assessing: ✅ Motor Skills ✅ Language & Communication ✅ Early Learning Concepts ✅ Social & Emotional Readiness ✨ A great first step toward a successful school year! Please call to set up your appointment. We can’t wait to meet your future Mustang!

📣 Lost and Found at Mather Elementary 📣 Our Lost and Found is full of jackets, water bottles, hats, and more! If your child is missing an item, please stop in today or tomorrow to take a look. The building doors will be open during school hours for easy access. All unclaimed items will be donated after this time to ensure we keep our school clean and organized. Thank you for helping us return these items to their rightful owners!

UPPCO Appliance Recycling Event is happening NOW at the Middle/High School parking lot until 5pm!

Just a reminder to the public, due to continued erosion causing safety issues, our track at Mustang Stadium continues to be closed. Please do not enter for any recreation purposes.

With Gratitude: Honoring Ms. Hetherington & Mrs. Seaberg As we reflect on another meaningful year at Mather Elementary, we take a moment to honor two extraordinary women whose impact will be felt for years to come. Ms. Hetherington A dedicated educator, trusted mentor, and natural leader—Ms. Hetherington has worn many hats during her time at Mather. In addition to inspiring countless students in the classroom, she has served on various school and district committees, generously offering her time, voice, and wisdom to improve our school culture. She’s been someone staff could always rely on—for guidance, collaboration, and steady leadership. We thank her for her unwavering commitment to students, colleagues, and the greater mission of education. Mrs. Seaberg As a paraprofessional, Mrs. Seaberg brought unmatched care and compassion to our students every day. She supported learners one-on-one, stepped in with flexibility wherever needed, and even helped serve breakfast with a warm smile to start students’ days off right. Her willingness to go above and beyond—offering nursing support, educational assistance, and heartfelt encouragement—has made her an irreplaceable part of our Mather family. To Ms. Hetherington and Mrs. Seaberg—thank you for your years of dedicated service, for showing up with heart, and for making Mather a better place for all. You’ve left a legacy of excellence, kindness, and care.

🎉✨ Quarter 4 STANG Awards Assembly & 5th Grade Send-Off ✨🎉 Mather Elementary ended the school year with pride, joy, and a strong sense of community at our Quarter 4 Awards Assembly! We honored students who exemplified our STANG values—Stay Safe, Take Responsibility, Act with Kindness, Never Give Up, and Give Respect—and celebrated the incredible growth and character of our learners. 🏅 STANG Student Award Recipients: Kindergarten – Stay Safe Adeline Phillipson has modeled safety to those around her all year! Whether it's walking in the hallway, making great choices at recess, or using classroom materials with care, Addie is an all-around STANG! 1st Grade – Take Responsibility Finley MacArthur is always ready to help others, stays on top of her work, and shows maturity beyond her years. She consistently takes ownership of her actions and lifts up her classmates with kindness. 2nd Grade – Act with Kindness Grayson Paajanen is a joy to be around—he’s always kind, tries his best, and gives the warmest hugs! His gentle heart brightens every classroom moment. 3rd Grade – Never Give Up Evin Klich gives 100% in everything she does—even in subjects she doesn’t love. She uses every spare minute to finish work and pushes herself with a positive attitude. Evin is a true STANG role model! 4th Grade – Give Respect Arianna Uehlein is thoughtful, hardworking, and kind to both others and herself. She’s always willing to lend a hand and shows deep care for her community. Ari is the definition of respectful leadership. 5th Grade – All 5 STANGs Clare Bowerman has consistently led by example all year long. She’s positive, responsible, and always willing to help—whether it’s through after-school tutoring or stepping up when something needs to be done. Clare truly embodies what it means to be a STANG. We also celebrated many other high achievers for academic success, personal growth, and strong character this quarter. We are so proud of our students! 🎓 5th Grade Send-Off: With smiles (and a few happy tears), we sent our fifth graders off in style! They are headed to middle school, but they will always be part of the Mather family. We reminded them that Mather Elementary will always be their home—a place they can turn to for anything and everything as they continue on their journey to greatness. 💐 Staff Recognition: We also honored two beloved staff members for their years of dedicated service to our students and school: Mrs. Seaberg, paraeducator extraordinaire Ms. Hetherington, a passionate and caring teacher Their impact on our school community is immeasurable. We thank them for the love, patience, and commitment they have poured into their work over the years. They will always be part of the Mather legacy. What a meaningful way to close out the school year—with celebration, reflection, and gratitude.

🌳💙 FSP Field Trip Fun at the Lower Harbor Sensory Park! 💙🌳 Our FSP students enjoyed a beautiful and enriching field trip to Marquette’s Lower Harbor Sensory Park this week! The park offered the perfect mix of fun, movement, and sensory-friendly spaces for exploration and connection. We are so grateful to the incredible team who made this day possible: Ms. Jess, Ms. Makayla, Mr. David, Nurse Amy, Ms. December, and all those who supported behind the scenes. A special thank you to Altran Busing for their extra care and support in ensuring a safe, comfortable ride for our students and providing the cool drinks and snacks. Thank you to everyone who helped create such a positive, inclusive experience—this day will be remembered with big smiles and full hearts!

📚AR Superstars at Mather Elementary! 📚 Thanks to the energy and dedication of Ms. Berube, our incredible librarian, students across Mather Elementary have spent the year engaged in exciting reading challenges and activities to earn Accelerated Reader points—and their hard work paid off! We are thrilled to celebrate our top readers this last Quarter with some well-deserved rewards: 🍕 Presley Livermore, Paul Gurski, and Jonah Cole joined the exclusive 500 Point Club and enjoyed a special pizza party with friends, Ms. Berube, and the principal! 🍰 In the 250 Point Club, Max Crisp, Mary Goetz, Brooklynn Barabas, Austin Klich and Ashton Maxon celebrated with their favorite desserts—a sweet reward for their incredible effort and love of reading. Thank you, Ms. Berube, for making reading fun, accessible, and exciting for all of our students throughout the year. We are so proud of our readers and can’t wait to see who joins the club next year!

A Delicious Send-Off to Summer! 🌭 On the last day of school, People State Bank treated our entire Mather Elementary community to a special celebration at the playground! Nearly 300 students were served the best hot dogs and chips, fresh off the grill thanks to Grill Master Phill and Mr. Nebel, who brought the flavor and the fun. A big shout-out to Putvin Drug Store for generously donating bottled water to keep everyone cool and hydrated on this wonderful afternoon. The smiles were endless, the food was delicious, and the kindness shown by our community partners made this day extra memorable. Thank you for helping us end the year with full hearts and full bellies!

🎉 Field Day Success! 🎉 This past Thursday, Mather Elementary celebrated the end of the school year with an unforgettable Field Day—and we couldn’t have asked for better weather or a more joyful atmosphere! With 12 exciting rotations, our students ran, laughed, and played their way through an action-packed schedule that included: 🏰 Bounce Houses 🧽 Sponge Water Relays 🏃‍♀️ Obstacle Courses 🥎 Softball Throw & Frisbee Throw 🛷 Running Race Up the Sledding Hill 🏞️ Nature Trail Hike 🎯 Cup Pong Challenge ❄️ Freeze Tag -Tug of War 👟 Relay Races on Jewel and Park Street — with our amazing EMS responders cheering students on! 💙 Huge thanks to our staff, volunteers, and community partners who made this day so special. And to our students—thank you for showing your STANG values and finishing the year with positivity and pride.

Looking for ways to give back to your community with flexibility and earn a paycheck? Become a Substitute Teacher in an Early Childhood Program! MARQUETTE & ALGER SUBSTITUTE POOL Are you at least 18 years old? Are you interested in working with young children under the age of five? Do you have a minimum of 10 days to work throughout the school year? Join us for two full days of training and preparation to meet state requirements on Tuesday, July 29th and Thursday, July 31st at Marquette Alger RESA from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. lunch will be provided. These two days include a stipend for your time and paid requirements (CPR First Aid, Fingerprinting, and training hours) . Our goal is to support our early childhood programs with qualified substitute teachers! Sign up by scanning the QR code attached! July 29th & July 31st, 2025 Questions? Lyndsay Carey lcarey@maresa.org

Exciting Opportunity for Aspiring Early Childhood Educators! We’re thrilled to announce that applications are now open for the third cohort of the MiEarly Apprentice program! This innovative initiative supports individuals pursuing a career in early childhood education—and we have even more exciting news: 🌟 New this fall: We are launching bachelor’s degree completion partnerships with Northern Michigan University and Central Michigan University, providing flexible, supportive pathways for teacher candidates to earn their degrees and obtain certification in Birth to Kindergarten or Early Elementary Education. 📅 Applications are open now through June 23, 2025. -A one-page overview is attached and can be shared with interested candidates. We’re asking for your help in spreading the word! Please share this opportunity with: Consultants Program Directors Early Childhood Educators Anyone interested in becoming a certified early childhood teacher in Marquette or Alger County Together, we’re building a strong pipeline of early educators for our region. Thank you for your continued partnership!

Congratulations to Munising Public Schools' Teacher of the Year - Bette Immel. After 23 years of teaching, Mrs. Immel was nominated by her peers for the award for being a physical education/health teacher and coach that students love and connect with while they are in school and well after they graduate. Her impact on the students at MPS goes far beyond her classroom, as she is a constant supporter of students at all athletic, academic, and extracurricular events. She is an exceptional, influential educator with high expectations for students and has been a source of comfort for discussing sensitive topics in her health, family health, and child development classes. Mrs. Immel one of our four retirees this spring. We are going to miss her immensely, but wish her the absolute best in retirement! Congratulations Mrs. Immel!

Congratulations to Munising Public Schools' Support Staff Member of the Year - Amy Heribacka. The award was voted upon by our staff who nominated Amy for her positive attitude and willingness to always step up whenever help is needed. She is a significant leader for our school district in terms of promoting fun school culture and climate through Student Council Advisor and Junior Class Advisor and volunteered to coordinate the Mustang Melt fundraiser to fund activities. Thank you Amy for all your hard work and dedication to our schools! Congratulations!