Tuesday, September 5th, the Mather doors will be opening at 7:45am for the first day of school only! Please use this time to help your student find their classrooms, meet their teachers, and relieve some of the first day of school jitters! See you then!
MPS School Bus Routes 2023-2024
Hello Mustang Students & Parents,
Here are the tentative bus routes to start the school year. The 2023-2024 MPS Bus Routes can be found on the district website and at the link listed below. Please note that due to a critical bus driver shortage, we may need to condense to 4 bus runs in late September. If this becomes necessary, we may need to combine some individual stops and condense them into group stops in order to reduce overall route times. This scenario would require some students to make a short walk. We are exploring options that would enable the district to provide 4 out-of-town runs with our school buses and one in-town route dedicated to MPS students that would be conducted by AlTran but free of charge to our students. We will keep you updated on any developments or upcoming changes regarding school transportation. Please contact me at mtravis@mps-up.com for any questions and don't hesitate to let me know if you'd like to learn to drive a bus!
Sincerely
M. Travis, Superintendent
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hugnN0Qop2yfRV1UHl9_IH_OawwRF8a8/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=103154425355104092098&rtpof=true&sd=true
You are formally invited to the GRAND OPENING of the Mather Playground! We hope to see many of you as we join together to celebrate this community accomplishment!
MPS GRATEFUL FOR A JOB WELL DONE!
What an incredible community and show of support by all of our donors and volunteers. Many community organizations and individuals lent their equipment, expertise, and sweat to the final stages of bringing this playground project to fruition. Through the collective efforts, equipment, and materials provided by Timber Products, Gerou Excavating, the City of Munising, Rescue21 (Alger County Sheriff’s Department - pictured), Tom & Ana Dolaskie/Jason Graves, Eric Brock, Hiawatha Telephone Company, Nathan Rahn, Mike Albright and the MPS Maintenance & Custodial Department, and many others, more than 400 cubic yards of wood chips were delivered and spread to a depth of 12 inches over the entire Mather Elementary Playground in approximately 10 hours today. This is simply astounding! School officials and the Munising community is humbled and grateful beyond mere words.
The final sections of fencing are slated to be installed by Thursday and the playground insurance inspection and approval is slated for Friday, September 1st at 10:00am. Pending approval, there will be a short playground dedication ceremony this weekend and the playground will be officially opened to the public and available for students to use on the first day of school (Tuesday, September 5th). All of our community donors will be honored for their contributions on signage to be erected at the playground. More information about the dedication ceremony will be communicated soon by the MPS Principals Tweedale & Lasak :-)
Munising Middle/High School has three open student advisory/coaching positions open: Middle School Robotics, Middle School Esports, and Middle/High School Student Council. If you are interested or want more information, please contact Nicole Lasak! We would love to have you as part of our team!
MUNISING PUBLIC SCHOOLS - NEW JOB OPPORTUNITY
PART-TIME CUSTODIAN NEEDED. Refer to Posting & District Website for Application Details!
Reminder it is registration/orientation week! Please bring your required paperwork mailed last week to get your schedules!
Middle School athletics start in 1 week! See official start times and locations below!
Join us on August 28th for our Kindergarten open house!!
MPS Wishes A Happy Birthday to Our Favorite Middle-High School Principal & Athletic Director - Nicole Lasak. Enjoy your big day Ms. Lasak!
REVISED! High School sports start Monday! Please see the following practice times and locations! New athletes are welcome and encouraged to join! Middle School sports can begin on August 21st. Updates on middle school practices coming soon!
MUNISING PUBLIC SCHOOLS NEEDS YOUR HELP!
PLEASE CONSIDER THE VARIOUS JOB VACANCIES LISTED BELOW. SOME POSITIONS MAY BE COMBINED TO ALLOW FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT WITH BENEFITS. INTERESTED APPLICANTS SHOULD CONTACT MIKE TRAVIS AT mike.travis@mps-up.com.
Middle / High School Athletes: Save the date!
MUNISING PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS REQUESTING SNOW REMOVAL BIDS
FOR 2O23-2024 AND BEYOND. SEE BID REQUEST DOCUMENT. BIDS ARE DUE BY 3:00PM ON AUGUST 7TH, 2023.
MPS EXPRESSES GRATITUDE TO MAZZALI INSURANCE
and the efforts of Christine Heribacka in facilitating the recent donation of a lightly used Sharp copy machine to the Munising Public Schools. Thank you to the Mazzali staff for your generosity. Your contribution is greatly appreciated and will be used well.
MATHER ELEMENTARY PLAYGROUND UPDATE - JULY 12, 2023
Great progress was made today by Gerou Excavating in pulling concrete anchored poles and removing other heavy debris. We greatly appreciate their efforts in hauling away the old materials for disposal and completing the site work and grading. Installation of the new equipment is still on schedule to begin on August 3rd :-)
MPS RECOGNIZES THE SAD LOSS OF JIM LANDFAIR ON JUNE 26TH
JIM WAS A RETIRED ICONIC MUNISING COACH, TEACHER, PRINCIPAL, AND DEVOTED FAMILY MAN AND COMMUNITY MEMBER:
Jim was born June 20, 1945, in Lansing, to Glenn and Zelda (Shaver) Landfair who precede him in death.
Surviving are his wife, Kay; children: Jamie (Jason) McCune and Leann (Chip) VanderWall; grandchildren: Anthony (Rachel), Gavin (Cati), Kate (Evan), and Ryan; brother, Timothy (Judy) Landfair; brother-in-law, Tom (Sheri) Sawyer and many nieces and nephews.
Jim was a lifelong educator and basketball coach in Munising and well respected by his peers and students alike. In retirement he moved to Kalamazoo to be close to his daughters and grandchildren, and touched many additional lives in Kalamazoo. His friends became as close as family.
A service took place on Friday, July 7th at 2PM at the Lutheran Church of the Savior, 3616 East G Ave., Kalamazoo, with visitation one hour prior. A luncheon followed in the church hall.
Visit Jim’s webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com, to archive favorite memories, photos, and sign his guestbook. Memorial contributions may be made to Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes. Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo (269) 375-2900.
Please access the links below to convey condolences to his family or to learn more about Jim's life, his many accomplishments and influences and to make donations in his name.
https://betzlerlifestory.com/obituaries/jim-landfair.143755
https://www.miningjournal.net/obituaries/2023/07/james-landfair/
Support our Cross Country Teams and their quest to bring home UP Championship titles for the boys and girls teams by visiting and purchasing apparel from their team store!
https://munisingxc23.itemorder.com/shop/home/
The store will be open from July 10th until August 10th. Any questions regarding the fundraiser, please contact munisingxc1@gmail.com.
MUNISING PUBLIC SCHOOLS (MPS) NOTICE 6.20.23
COMMUNITY PICK-UP FOR PLAYGROUND WOOD & MATERIALS
Dear Community Members,
At MPS we hope that you are enjoying your summer!
Today, Balko Construction is currently working for a second day on deconstruction of the old Mather Elementary School Playground. Their donated labor is greatly appreciated, especially when temperatures push past 80 degrees. They are on target to be completely done with deconstruction by no later than this Thursday, June 22nd. Gerou Excavating is slated to begin removal of slab concrete and cement footings next week (June 26th) and will begin the grading and site work for the new equipment.
Therefore, we are confirming that community pick up for the old playground wood/materials will be this coming Friday, June 23rd from 9:00am-12:00pm and 1:00-3:00pm. There is "no charge". These materials are free to members of the Munising Community. Michael Albright, MPS Maintenance/Custodial/Grounds Supervisor will be on-site during the pick up times and anyone taking wood/materials from the playground will need to sign 2 copies of the "As Is Waiver Form". Those individuals picking up will keep a copy and Mike will retain a copy for the district. Mike will have these on site and they are also currently available at the main offices of each building. Additionally, they can be found at this link
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yuGrFhOaFkGxnbA0-k6Pt-TZs9RzXBLp/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=103154425355104092098&rtpof=true&sd=true
So please print them as needed and contact Mike at michael.albright@mps-up.com if you have questions regarding pick-up.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Travis, Superintendent
Munising Public Schools
MPS PUBLIC NOTICE - JUNE 7, 2023
MATHER ELEMENTARY PLAYGROUND DECONSTRUCTION & CONSTRUCTION
Hello Everyone,
Summer is almost here and we have some exciting news for you regarding the deconstruction and construction of the Mather Playground.
First, another thank you to all of our amazing community donors and a huge thank you to Will Balko of Balko Construction and Stan Gerou of Gerou Excavating (and their crews) for donating their time, labor, equipment, and expertise in helping to bring the vision of a new playground for our school and community to fruition.
THE MATHER PLAYGROUND WILL BE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC FOR ALL RECREATIONAL PURPOSES FROM MONDAY, JUNE 19TH THROUGH FRIDAY, JUNE 30TH. It will also be closed for a period of time in August when the new equipment is being assembled and installed. Mike Albright (MPS Maintenance/Custodial/Grounds Supervisor) will establish a safety perimeter with caution tape and barricades early on the morning of June 19th.
Timeline of Project Events:
June 19-22; Balko's Crew will deconstruct the old wooden structure.
June 23; Lumber and components from the old structure will tentatively be made available for free to the public. There will be specific procedures and times for retrieval communicated at a later point. Those individuals that are interested in some of these materials should contact Mike Albright at michael.albright@mps-up.com before June 23rd.
June 26-30; Gerou's Crew will remove any remaining posts and cement footings, dispose of all remaining pieces of the old structure, and complete the grading and site work needed for the installation of the new equipment.
August 3; The new equipment is slated for delivery at MPS. The bus parking lot will be used for staging and equipment preparation. Doug Smith of Penchura (and crew) will communicate the specific dates, times, and details for installation in August and those will be communicated to the public at a later time. Doug advises that his crew will be able to assemble everything before the end of August so that the new playground is ready for the school children and community when school starts in early September.
Please contact me if you have any questions!
Sincerely,
MJT
