February 2025 Newsletter

Last month, President Trump issued several executive orders that were related to education in the United States. It is important to understand that an executive order does not change existing laws or create new laws. They do provide direction to federal agencies on how the President intends to work with existing laws. The executive orders have caused a great deal of confusion and consternation among educators. We are working to gain an understanding of how these directives might impact our region.  

The U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights subsequently issued a “Dear Colleague” letter (https://www.ed.gov/media/document/dear-colleague-letter-sffa-v-harvard-109506.pdf) that provided insight into how the department will interpret federal laws, specifically those pertaining to discrimination on the basis of race. The letter broadly concluded that “treating students differently on the basis of race to achieve nebulous goals such as diversity, racial balancing, social justice or equity is illegal under controlling Supreme Court precedent.” It also stated that “all students are entitled to a school environment free from discrimination.”  The letter states that federal funding will be withheld from schools that do not comply. However, Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA) prohibits discrimination against students based on religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, familial status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.

I staunchly agree that our schools should be devoid of discrimination and that ALL students should feel welcomed and included in their school. I believe there is a place for diversity, equity and inclusion in our public schools. Diversity is reflected in recruiting and hiring qualified teaching staff that are representative of the student body, both in gender and in race. Equity is the very premise of our special education programs. We provide our students with the support they need to develop to their full potential. Inclusion means providing equal access to programs or opportunities, such as programs that support students whose primary language is not English. These tenants of diversity, equity and inclusion are not new buzzwords or programs. They are instead the basis of how we educate students in public schools. Our job is to meet our students where they are and provide the support they need.  

We will continue to work with our state and federal partners to review policies and procedures as they relate to any changes in law. In the meantime, thank you for your work on behalf of our students and community. 

EUPISD Upcoming Events  

REMC22 Lend Items Library will have a Traveling Kit with a sampling of items from the Lend Items Library traveling to the schools throughout the year. The kit will be brought to the school for teachers and administrators to explore some of the options available for check out from Lend-Items. The kit will stay for up to 2 weeks before moving on to its next location.

Lend-Items Library’s users were recently updated. Staff may have received emails from Lend-Items (notifications@lend-items.com) prompting them to set up their accounts. This is a valid request so feel free to set up your account!

If the link has expired, you may email remc22@eupschools.org to request a new link.

Testing plans will help ensure all students demonstrate their learning and growth. A plan to complete testing one week before the end of the testing window can help account for student absences. Testing must be completed within the testing window dates to show in growth reports.

Winter: January 1 – February 7, 2025
Spring: April 29 – May 23, 2025

School District Professional Learning Days: Teacher Leader Corps meetings will be split into morning and afternoon sessions. Teacher Leaders have identified the need to focus on a community of practice in which they can share through the observation of instruction. The mornings at the host school districts will consist of structured peer observation of classroom instruction followed by reflection, discussion and professional learning. The goal is to increase instructional capacity and our ability to support high quality instruction. Afternoon sessions will offer the opportunity for participants to:

• Gain an understanding of the role of the Teacher Leader Corps and how it can benefit you and your school 
• Serve as a TLC representative for your district 
• Plan regional TLC initiatives and develop resources to bring back to your district
• Register for Science Teacher Leader Corps

For more information, contact EUP MiSTEM Region Director Kevin St. Onge.

We invite you and your students to Hack Like a Yooper on March 10, 2025 at the Northern Center on the campus of Northern Michigan University in Marquette, MI. We look forward to seeing you in March! If you have any questions about YooperCon or other cybersecurity opportunities for you and your students, please email upcyber@nmu.edu.

• YooperCon Teacher Registrations
• YooperCon Teacher Information Packet
• YooperCon Volunteer signup

Apply today for the 2025-26 Early Learning Program year!

An Early Learning Opportunities Guide for the tri-county area is available in PDF form.

REMC22 Lend Items Library will have a Traveling Kit with a sampling of items from the Lend Items Library traveling to the schools throughout the year. The kit will be brought to the school for teachers and administrators to explore some of the options available for check out from Lend-Items. The kit will stay for up to 2 weeks before moving on to its next location.

Lend-Items Library’s users were recently updated. Staff may have received emails from Lend-Items (notifications@lend-items.com) prompting them to set up their accounts. This is a valid request so feel free to set up your account!

If the link has expired, you may email remc22@eupschools.org to request a new link.

Testing plans will help ensure all students demonstrate their learning and growth. A plan to complete testing one week before the end of the testing window can help account for student absences. Testing must be completed within the testing window dates to show in growth reports.

Winter: January 1 – February 7, 2025
Spring: April 29 – May 23, 2025

School District Professional Learning Days: Teacher Leader Corps meetings will be split into morning and afternoon sessions. Teacher Leaders have identified the need to focus on a community of practice in which they can share through the observation of instruction. The mornings at the host school districts will consist of structured peer observation of classroom instruction followed by reflection, discussion and professional learning. The goal is to increase instructional capacity and our ability to support high quality instruction. Afternoon sessions will offer the opportunity for participants to:

• Gain an understanding of the role of the Teacher Leader Corps and how it can benefit you and your school 
• Serve as a TLC representative for your district 
• Plan regional TLC initiatives and develop resources to bring back to your district
• Register for Science Teacher Leader Corps

For more information, contact EUP MiSTEM Region Director Kevin St. Onge.

We invite you and your students to Hack Like a Yooper on March 10, 2025 at the Northern Center on the campus of Northern Michigan University in Marquette, MI. We look forward to seeing you in March! If you have any questions about YooperCon or other cybersecurity opportunities for you and your students, please email upcyber@nmu.edu.

• YooperCon Teacher Registrations
• YooperCon Teacher Information Packet
• YooperCon Volunteer signup

The ultimate varsity sport where teams of high school students and their industry mentors design and build large scale robots to battle in fierce 3 vs. 3 competitions.

Learn more about the FIRST Robotics' High School program.

Mathematics Competition - Register your teams of five!

Lake Superior State University Invites middle school and high school teams to join us at the Cisler Center for a celebration of Pi Day for 2025!
Teachers can register teams of five students

Event Information

• Team check-in and registration at Lake Superior State University Cisler Center from 9:15-9:30 am and will close at 1:30 pm
• High School event will be held in the Anchor Room
• Middle School event will be held in the Superior Room

Activities Include

• Team lightning round challenges
• Team challenge problems
• Individual "Digits of Pi" competitions
• Lunch at the Quarterdeck
• Prizes!

Registration

Registrations are due by Friday, February 28, 2025. Space is limited, and registrations will be taken on a first come, first served basis. Email inquiries can be sent to eupstem@eupschools.org.

Joint recruitment and enrollment efforts are used to service families who reside in Chippewa, Luce, and Mackinac counties and help connect them to the perfect preschool program for their family's needs.

• Great Start Readiness Program
• Head Start
• Strong Beginnings
• Tuition Based Preschool Programming

Apply today at Michigan Early Childhood. 

March is reading month – teach students map reading skills with the Michigan Geographic Alliance’s giant Michigan map! This map is available for schools to borrow from March 3-March 21 and comes with lessons that focus on 3rd-4th grade geography standards. Several dates are already reserved – contact Helen Craig, social studies consultant, for availability – hcraig-isd@eupschools.org. 

March 14 is History Day – we are looking forward to seeing students at LSSU for a celebration of their hard work. Kim Dutcher and Helen Craig will share more information on the event with individual districts that are participating. 

March is Women’s History Month! Check out curated resources from Oakland Schools Social Studies consultants to celebrate the achievements of women in Michigan.

The Michigan Council for Social Studies conference in Grand Rapids, MI will be held on April 25-26, 2025. This conference is a fantastic opportunity to learn from fellow educators and professionals. A first time attendee scholarship is now open. This year’s featured speakers include Susan Ford Bales and Jordan Klepper.

Summer 2025 Learning Opportunities:

• TOLI Conference - "Holocaust Education: From Classroom Inquiry to Informed Action"
• From June 17-19, 2025, the three MiSTEM Regions in the Upper Peninsula will be hosting a Project-Based Learning Design Cohort for 60 teachers! This is the continuation of a pilot started downstate in 2023, and in the EUP in the summer of 2024. This opportunity is open to K-12 teachers in all subject areas. The workshop will be held on Northern Michigan University's campus in Marquette, and is open to all grade level teachers and all subjects. Register in Wisdomwhere for this Project-Based Learning event!

REMC22 Lend Items Library will have a Traveling Kit with a sampling of items from the Lend Items Library traveling to the schools throughout the year. The kit will be brought to the school for teachers and administrators to explore some of the options available for check out from Lend-Items. The kit will stay for up to 2 weeks before moving on to its next location.

Lend-Items Library’s users were recently updated. Staff may have received emails from Lend-Items (notifications@lend-items.com) prompting them to set up their accounts. This is a valid request so feel free to set up your account!

If the link has expired, you may email remc22@eupschools.org to request a new link.

Testing plans will help ensure all students demonstrate their learning and growth. A plan to complete testing one week before the end of the testing window can help account for student absences. Testing must be completed within the testing window dates to show in growth reports.

Winter: January 1 – February 7, 2025
Spring: April 29 – May 23, 2025

School District Professional Learning Days: Teacher Leader Corps meetings will be split into morning and afternoon sessions. Teacher Leaders have identified the need to focus on a community of practice in which they can share through the observation of instruction. The mornings at the host school districts will consist of structured peer observation of classroom instruction followed by reflection, discussion and professional learning. The goal is to increase instructional capacity and our ability to support high quality instruction. Afternoon sessions will offer the opportunity for participants to:

• Gain an understanding of the role of the Teacher Leader Corps and how it can benefit you and your school 
• Serve as a TLC representative for your district 
• Plan regional TLC initiatives and develop resources to bring back to your district
• Register for Science Teacher Leader Corps

For more information, contact EUP MiSTEM Region Director Kevin St. Onge.

We invite you and your students to Hack Like a Yooper on March 10, 2025 at the Northern Center on the campus of Northern Michigan University in Marquette, MI. We look forward to seeing you in March! If you have any questions about YooperCon or other cybersecurity opportunities for you and your students, please email upcyber@nmu.edu.

• YooperCon Teacher Registrations
• YooperCon Teacher Information Packet
• YooperCon Volunteer signup

The ultimate varsity sport where teams of high school students and their industry mentors design and build large scale robots to battle in fierce 3 vs. 3 competitions.

Learn more about the FIRST Robotics' High School program.

Mathematics Competition - Register your teams of five!

Lake Superior State University Invites middle school and high school teams to join us at the Cisler Center for a celebration of Pi Day for 2025!
Teachers can register teams of five students

Event Information

• Team check-in and registration at Lake Superior State University Cisler Center from 9:15-9:30 am and will close at 1:30 pm
• High School event will be held in the Anchor Room
• Middle School event will be held in the Superior Room

Activities Include

• Team lightning round challenges
• Team challenge problems
• Individual "Digits of Pi" competitions
• Lunch at the Quarterdeck
• Prizes!

Registration

Registrations are due by Friday, February 28, 2025. Space is limited, and registrations will be taken on a first come, first served basis. Email inquiries can be sent to eupstem@eupschools.org.

Joint recruitment and enrollment efforts are used to service families who reside in Chippewa, Luce, and Mackinac counties and help connect them to the perfect preschool program for their family's needs.

• Great Start Readiness Program
• Head Start
• Strong Beginnings
• Tuition Based Preschool Programming

Apply today at Michigan Early Childhood. 

Data Managers from all regional schools are asked to participate in these meetings to create and communicate regional processes related to student enrollment, NWEA, technology, and reporting.     

Register in Wisdomwhere for these meetings: 3/13/2025, 5/1/2025.     

See the Data Management Team in Teams (O365) for updates and meeting links.  

REMC22 Lend Items Library will have a Traveling Kit with a sampling of items from the Lend Items Library traveling to the schools throughout the year. The kit will be brought to the school for teachers and administrators to explore some of the options available for check out from Lend-Items. The kit will stay for up to 2 weeks before moving on to its next location.

Lend-Items Library’s users were recently updated. Staff may have received emails from Lend-Items (notifications@lend-items.com) prompting them to set up their accounts. This is a valid request so feel free to set up your account!

If the link has expired, you may email remc22@eupschools.org to request a new link.

Testing plans will help ensure all students demonstrate their learning and growth. A plan to complete testing one week before the end of the testing window can help account for student absences. Testing must be completed within the testing window dates to show in growth reports.

Winter: January 1 – February 7, 2025
Spring: April 29 – May 23, 2025

School District Professional Learning Days: Teacher Leader Corps meetings will be split into morning and afternoon sessions. Teacher Leaders have identified the need to focus on a community of practice in which they can share through the observation of instruction. The mornings at the host school districts will consist of structured peer observation of classroom instruction followed by reflection, discussion and professional learning. The goal is to increase instructional capacity and our ability to support high quality instruction. Afternoon sessions will offer the opportunity for participants to:

• Gain an understanding of the role of the Teacher Leader Corps and how it can benefit you and your school 
• Serve as a TLC representative for your district 
• Plan regional TLC initiatives and develop resources to bring back to your district
• Register for Science Teacher Leader Corps

For more information, contact EUP MiSTEM Region Director Kevin St. Onge.

We invite you and your students to Hack Like a Yooper on March 10, 2025 at the Northern Center on the campus of Northern Michigan University in Marquette, MI. We look forward to seeing you in March! If you have any questions about YooperCon or other cybersecurity opportunities for you and your students, please email upcyber@nmu.edu.

• YooperCon Teacher Registrations
• YooperCon Teacher Information Packet
• YooperCon Volunteer signup

REMC22 Lend Items Library will have a Traveling Kit with a sampling of items from the Lend Items Library traveling to the schools throughout the year. The kit will be brought to the school for teachers and administrators to explore some of the options available for check out from Lend-Items. The kit will stay for up to 2 weeks before moving on to its next location.

Lend-Items Library’s users were recently updated. Staff may have received emails from Lend-Items (notifications@lend-items.com) prompting them to set up their accounts. This is a valid request so feel free to set up your account!

If the link has expired, you may email remc22@eupschools.org to request a new link.

Testing plans will help ensure all students demonstrate their learning and growth. A plan to complete testing one week before the end of the testing window can help account for student absences. Testing must be completed within the testing window dates to show in growth reports.

Winter: January 1 – February 7, 2025
Spring: April 29 – May 23, 2025

School District Professional Learning Days: Teacher Leader Corps meetings will be split into morning and afternoon sessions. Teacher Leaders have identified the need to focus on a community of practice in which they can share through the observation of instruction. The mornings at the host school districts will consist of structured peer observation of classroom instruction followed by reflection, discussion and professional learning. The goal is to increase instructional capacity and our ability to support high quality instruction. Afternoon sessions will offer the opportunity for participants to:

• Gain an understanding of the role of the Teacher Leader Corps and how it can benefit you and your school 
• Serve as a TLC representative for your district 
• Plan regional TLC initiatives and develop resources to bring back to your district
• Register for Science Teacher Leader Corps

For more information, contact EUP MiSTEM Region Director Kevin St. Onge.

We invite you and your students to Hack Like a Yooper on March 10, 2025 at the Northern Center on the campus of Northern Michigan University in Marquette, MI. We look forward to seeing you in March! If you have any questions about YooperCon or other cybersecurity opportunities for you and your students, please email upcyber@nmu.edu.

• YooperCon Teacher Registrations
• YooperCon Teacher Information Packet
• YooperCon Volunteer signup

The ultimate varsity sport where teams of high school students and their industry mentors design and build large scale robots to battle in fierce 3 vs. 3 competitions.

Learn more about the FIRST Robotics' High School program.

REMC22 Lend Items Library will have a Traveling Kit with a sampling of items from the Lend Items Library traveling to the schools throughout the year. The kit will be brought to the school for teachers and administrators to explore some of the options available for check out from Lend-Items. The kit will stay for up to 2 weeks before moving on to its next location.

Lend-Items Library’s users were recently updated. Staff may have received emails from Lend-Items (notifications@lend-items.com) prompting them to set up their accounts. This is a valid request so feel free to set up your account!

If the link has expired, you may email remc22@eupschools.org to request a new link.

Testing plans will help ensure all students demonstrate their learning and growth. A plan to complete testing one week before the end of the testing window can help account for student absences. Testing must be completed within the testing window dates to show in growth reports.

Winter: January 1 – February 7, 2025
Spring: April 29 – May 23, 2025

School District Professional Learning Days: Teacher Leader Corps meetings will be split into morning and afternoon sessions. Teacher Leaders have identified the need to focus on a community of practice in which they can share through the observation of instruction. The mornings at the host school districts will consist of structured peer observation of classroom instruction followed by reflection, discussion and professional learning. The goal is to increase instructional capacity and our ability to support high quality instruction. Afternoon sessions will offer the opportunity for participants to:

• Gain an understanding of the role of the Teacher Leader Corps and how it can benefit you and your school 
• Serve as a TLC representative for your district 
• Plan regional TLC initiatives and develop resources to bring back to your district
• Register for Science Teacher Leader Corps

For more information, contact EUP MiSTEM Region Director Kevin St. Onge.

We invite you and your students to Hack Like a Yooper on March 10, 2025 at the Northern Center on the campus of Northern Michigan University in Marquette, MI. We look forward to seeing you in March! If you have any questions about YooperCon or other cybersecurity opportunities for you and your students, please email upcyber@nmu.edu.

• YooperCon Teacher Registrations
• YooperCon Teacher Information Packet
• YooperCon Volunteer signup

The ultimate varsity sport where teams of high school students and their industry mentors design and build large scale robots to battle in fierce 3 vs. 3 competitions.

Learn more about the FIRST Robotics' High School program.