Merrill Area Public Schools

💙🌍 Today is World Autism Awareness Day! 🌍💙 At MAPS, we celebrate the unique strengths, talents, and perspectives of individuals with autism. By fostering understanding, acceptance, and inclusion, we create a supportive environment where everyone can thrive. Join us in recognizing and celebrating the incredible individuals in our community! 💙 #WeAreMAPS

🎉 Happy Paraprofessional Day! 🎉 Today, we celebrate and appreciate our incredible paraprofessionals who play a vital role in supporting our students and schools. Their dedication, patience, and hard work make a lasting impact every day. 💙 To all our paraprofessionals—thank you for all you do! Your commitment to student success does not go unnoticed. 👏 #WeAreMAPS

🌟 April is Occupational Therapy Month! 🌟 We want to take a moment to recognize and thank our incredible Occupational Therapist, Carrie Roth, for the dedication and care she brings to our students every day. Her expertise and support help students develop the skills they need to succeed in school and beyond. 💙 Thank you, Carrie, for making a difference! 👏 #WeAreMAPS

There is a 2-hour delay for MAPS this morning and no AM 4K. This includes all community AM 4K classes. Please share. #WeAreMAPS

🎙️ Bluejay Radio Community Scan: Featuring Amber Haluska 🎙️ Amber Haluska, Director of Pupil Services/Special Education, recently joined Bluejay Radio's Community Scan to share insights on district initiatives and focus areas. She discussed Literacy Together, Safe and Civil Schools, and the Mental Health Academy, along with exciting upcoming events in the District. 📢 Don't miss out—listen to the full interview here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pDHwNXrz_YHXRFuCstOX7KMZvyNKIQdZ/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qcYm_yDR8vmXiApp3Ggj_A-6xZJz7-Zj/view?usp=sharing #WeAreMAPS

📢 Reminder: Spring Break Next Week! 📢 MAPS will be on Spring Break from March 24-28—there will be no school all week. We hope our students, staff, and families have a restful and enjoyable break! ☀️🌸 Please share. #WeAreMAPS

MAPS Pool will be CLOSED tomorrow, March 19th, due to the inclement weather. There will be no Lap Swim, Open Swim, or Swim Lessons. Thank you for your understanding!

🚨 School Closure Update – Wednesday, March 19 🚨 Due to the incoming winter storm, MAPS is canceling school for grades PK-8 tomorrow (March 19). However, Merrill High School (grades 9-12) will have a virtual learning day. To meet instructional time requirements, please note the following adjustments: 📌 Monday, April 21 – Virtual learning day for grades 9-12 (PK-8 remains an inservice day). 📌 Friday, May 23 – Now a regular school day for all grades (PK-12). Stay safe, and if you have questions, please contact your child’s school. ❄️ Please share. #WeAreMAPS

🍀📚 Title I Fun at Kate Goodrich! 📚🍀 Students in Title I at Kate Goodrich celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with some festive fun! They enjoyed Oreo gold coins, read a St. Patrick’s Day story, and participated in engaging phonics reading and writing activities. ☘️✨ A great way to make learning fun and meaningful! 🍪📖✍️ #WeAreMAPS

🚨 There is no school for students in grades K-4 on Friday, March 21. This day is dedicated to Professional Learning for our K-4 teaching and support staff. Our team will be focusing on enhancing their understanding and implementation of the Science of Reading through LETRS training. Thank you for your support as we continue to strengthen literacy education for our students! 📚✨ Please share. #WeAreMAPS

Kate Goodrich Principal, Heather Kahr, recently joined Bluejay Radio’s Community Scan to share exciting updates from Kate Goodrich! 🎙️✨ Topics Heather discussed: 📚 Literacy Together ✅ Professional learning with LETRS and CHAMPS is driving student success. ✅ 72% of students are making typical or aggressive growth! 📈 ✅ Tom Pease brought joy to Family Night last week! 🎶 ✅ Read Across America Week is coming up with fun activities to celebrate literacy! 📖🎉 🏡 Family Engagement ✅ Focus on bringing families back into the school to celebrate student success! ✅ Family lunches have been a hit, with our highest turnout yet! 🍽️❤️ 💙 7 Mindsets: Attitude of Gratitude ✅ Many tokens of gratitude have been shared throughout Kate Goodrich! 💕 Thanks to Heather Kahr for sharing these highlights! Tune in to Bluejay Radio on Thursdays to hear more about the great things happening at Kate Goodrich Elementary and around the District! 🎧💙 Listen to the full interview here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mcHDOp-muQv_c4rWcnthkN3ZJ8JYMglO/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mcxUAhWZ7FdxvfgsskoVakSqdGUKbjB-/view?usp=sharing #WeAreMAPS

Thank you to Amy Drew and Karrie Honey for putting up this month’s bulletin board at Central Office showcasing the Northern Achievement Center (NAC)! It looks so great! #WeAreMAPS

🎉 Congratulations, Olivia! 🎉 Join us in celebrating Olivia Pajtash as the February Youth Optimist of the Month! 🌟 Her dedication, hard work, and positive impact make her truly deserving of this recognition. Way to go, Olivia! We are proud of you! 💙👏 #WeAreMAPS

🌟 Custodial/Maintenance Employee of the Month 🌟 🎉 Congratulations to Inga Fredericks! 🎉 We want to take a moment to recognize Inga for her incredible communication, organization, and willingness to help. No matter how many times she’s called on the radio, she always responds with kindness and professionalism. Her dedication and efficiency never go unnoticed—whenever she’s given a task, she completes it quickly and thoroughly. Merrill High School is lucky to have her, and we are grateful for all she does to keep things running smoothly. Thank you, Inga, for your hard work and commitment! 💙👏 #WeAreMAPS

🎙️ Tune In! 🎙️ Superintendent Shannon Murray and Board President Kevin Blake recently joined Bluejay Radio's Community Scan to discuss key topics from the last Regular Board of Education Meeting. Stay informed and hear the latest updates! 🎧 Listen to the full interview here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jRoyjVGe4MCUfxOoQtHP-mdaTgfgQ2Ja/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jY2cOv_fWUvbJj4PrJtBzYbg5Hph4gRo/view?usp=sharing #WeAreMAPS

Good morning everyone- Due to the weather and driving conditions that are expected to worsen throughout the morning and day, all Merrill Area Public Schools are closed today. Thanks everyone, and have a good day. Please share. #WeAreMAPS

Good afternoon everyone- I wanted to take a moment to update you on the upcoming winter weather we are expecting overnight and into tomorrow and to share our plan regarding that weather. Here are the main points at this time: - There appears to be some confusion surrounding the fact that we are under a Winter Weather Warning for tomorrow and that triggering an "automatic" school cancellation. Automatic cancellations only take place when we are under an Extreme Cold Warning (temperatures or wind chills colder than -35). That is not the case for tomorrow. - MAPS, like many districts in our area, are taking a wait and see approach, watching as things develop throughout the day as forecasts are still varied regarding when the rain turns to snow, expected snowfall totals, wind speeds, timing, etc. My guess is that the decision will likely be made based on best information tonight or even early tomorrow morning. - As always, I respect the fact that parents make the ultimate decision regarding what's best for their children and families, so if conditions warrant a family deciding to keep their students home due to inclement weather, I certainly support that. I will keep you posted as things develop. Thanks, Shannon Murray Superintendent

Join us this April for our upcoming Lifeguard and Water Safety Instructor courses! Whether you’re looking to build lifesaving skills, take on more responsibility, or earn some extra money, these courses are a great opportunity. Don’t miss your chance to get certified and make a difference! Sign up today! 💙 Please share! #WeAreMAPS 📅 Courses begin in April 📩 For more details, contact Eric Ball at eric.ball@mapsedu.org 💻 More information here: Lifeguarding https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Wf5ZbgJbkRhe9lENqSaPWimFvFvkRflNBq4ItMzG3R0/edit?tab=t.0 Water Safety Instructor https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gubX0KAsGFv6bOn-_BImMsjR0bfZqtkIDcbGScxAatQ/edit?tab=t.0

🔧 Happy National Maintenance Worker Appreciation Day! 🏫✨ On March 4, we celebrate the hardworking maintenance team at MAPS who keep our schools running smoothly every day! From ensuring our buildings are safe and clean to handling repairs and upkeep, their behind-the-scenes efforts make a huge difference for our students and staff. Join us in thanking our incredible maintenance workers for their dedication and commitment to our schools! 💙👏 #WeAreMAPS

💙 Happy National School Social Worker Week! 💙 (March 2-8, 2025) This week, we celebrate and appreciate our incredible school social workers—Sarah Grunenwald, Sara Klebenow, Trisha Kubichek, and Kelli Morgan! 🌟 Their dedication to supporting students and families makes a lasting impact, helping ensure that every child has the resources and support they need to succeed. Thank you for all you do! 👏💙 #WeAreMAPS