AAPS Superintendent Jeanice Swift Update: MLK highlights, enrollment, health guidelines, more

January 20, 2023

Hello AAPS Community,

We are grateful for our students and staff, our families and our community. Thanks to your efforts, we have experienced a strong return to school during this January 2023, achieving approximately a 93% attendance rate for students and above 90% for all staff during each of these nine days since returning from winter break.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Observance Highlights 

We very much appreciate the many Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrations across the AAPS. Students and staff engaged in lessons and activities to honor the rich leadership legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin L. King Jr. and his non-violent approach to ensuring the civil rights of all individuals.

I am excited to share these  highlights of the MLK assembly at Bryant Elementary. Additionally, we produced a bonus edition of the A2 Schools Podcast sharing the annual MLK Celebration produced by and for students in all of our AAPS high schools. I very much enjoyed joining in the celebration at Eberwhite Elementary last Friday and thoroughly enjoyed their lively music, talks and the teachers’ read-aloud of the book, A Is For Activist.

Spotlight on Preschool, Young 5 & Kindergarten Enrollment 2023! 

Our guests this week on the A2 Schools Podcast were Dawn Linden, Assistant Superintendent, Teaching and Learning and Matt Hilton, Executive Director of Elementary Education. Our conversation this week highlights the many exciting opportunities for our youngest students preparing to begin preschool, young fives or kindergarten this fall.

A complete list of school open houses to learn more about young fives and kindergarten is available here.

To stay up-to-date with daily updates and information on school and district activities, you may want to follow us.

–  Twitter @A2Schools and @A2SchoolsSuper

–  On Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/AnnArborPublicSchools

–  Subscribe to our A2Schools podcast at: https://a2schools.buzzsprout.com

–  AAPS Youtube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/AnnArborPublicSchools

2022-23 Health Guidance Reminder

Based on the strong student and staff attendance so far during this January return to school, we will move forward with the 2022-23 COVID Health Guidance we have adhered to throughout this school year. The requirement for universal masking expires at the end of the school day today, Jan. 20.

The decision for when to mask will be made by the individual/family, except in specific circumstances where other requirements are communicated. The CDC Community Levels will still be used as a guide for masking, with weekly communication and signs at school entrances. We will continue to use a responsive approach, and as circumstances change, classrooms, groups or schools may be required to take additional mitigation steps to support health and attendance, including masking for a period of time.

Anyone with concerns should wear a well-fitting mask; masking will always be supported and affirmed in our Ann Arbor Public Schools.

Board of Education Appreciation Month

January is School Board recognition month; each January, we are pleased to take the opportunity to reflect on and honor the Trustees of our Board of Education, their commitment to the Ann Arbor Public Schools and the extraordinary service they so tirelessly give.  You may want to view this brief video highlighting our heartfelt AAPS ‘Thank You’ to our Board of Education.

Thank you for your partnership in working together to support our students, staff, schools and this Ann Arbor Public Schools community we share.