Weekly Update From Mr. Killingbeck
This week is our 38th week (also the final) for the 2020-2021 school year.
We have no new COVID-19 cases or close contact quarantines on our campus. Click here to review our COVID-19 Dashboard with data updates in real-time. This link brings pertinent information together into one easy-to-access place.
Despite the challenges, our Huskie Pack made the most of this school year and exhibited a level of grit and resilience unmatched.
There was a saying in the weight room that I would hear from others and often say myself as a former powerlifter, "there is no gain without pain." That old saying perhaps was more fitting in the middle of a pandemic than in the weight room. This past year-plus, we all dealt with many difficulties and challenges and pain created outside of our control. As a school district and educators, we navigated managing learning in multiple modalities, shifting gears at a moment's notice, dealt with disruptions to services, adjusted our practices, and had the added layers of following our return to learn the plan and following all the restricts that were placed on schools this past year. We learned many lessons that will carry our school district forward for years to come.
Like weightlifting, all of the pain will and has produced gains. In so many ways, our school and community are like the imaginary town of Lake Wobegon that author and host Garrison Keillor talked about in his show, A Praire Home Companion. I am sure you can see the similarities between the community of Hemlock and the fictional town of Lake Wobegon, as Keillor use to open the segment up with, where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average. Although we are an idyllic community and school system that others want to be part of or emulate, we do have things we can do better and this past year highlighted those things in so many ways as well.
In addition to areas for growth, this past year, we uncovered some of our strengths as well. As an educator with a career that spans into four different decades, I often say, "education is a relationship business." This past year highlighted our team's ability to connect with students, parents, and other stakeholders to move things in the right direction, despite the challenges we faced. Moving forward, our commitment to improvement and to our mission and vision will remain unparalleled.
We are in the midst of setting the course for our school district with an updated strategic plan and working on a master plan for our facilities and campus. These efforts are examples of our commitment to ensure our students and families have the best educational experience possible, whether in a classroom, on the field, or performing on the stage. Our district is a triple "A" school system with attention to academics, athletics, and arts.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to let me know.
Have a wonderful summer.
All the best,
Don Killingbeck, Supt.
(989) 642-5282
Yearbook Sale
Young Fives & Kindergarten Online Registration - Please Help Spread the Word!
It's time to register for preschool!
How do I find the registration form?
1. Go to www.hemlockps.com
2. Click on the Early Childhood Center under the school tab.
3. Click on the menu tab.
4. The preschool registration will be located on the bottom left side of the page.
S.K.I.L.L.S. Basketball Camps
- Eric Hagenow & Matt Bauer
Lori Gensch, Principal
Hemlock & K.C. Ling Elementary
Email: gensch@hemlockps.com
Website: www.hemlockps.com
Location: 835 North Pine Street, Hemlock, MI, United States
Phone: 989-642-5235
