A five-year plan and careful financial decisions have Howell Public Schools on the right track, according to district officials.

Superintendent Erin MacGregor says the district, which had undergone a tumultuous period of leadership changes and uncertainty, has flourished under the plan that is no longer called strategic, but adaptive. District priorities and goals remain the same, but by shifting the focus, the plan is better prepared to address a change in the community’s needs.

In its first phase, MacGregor says the district has been able to improve its structural framework, find more consistency in its standards, build partnerships, and increase safety and security measures. MacGregor highlighted those accomplishments at a board of education meeting Monday, before updating members on what goals the district has its eye on moving forward. Included in the next phase of the adaptive plan is organizing a formal communication system, reforming priorities, and adding student leadership opportunities.

Along with the plan update, board members at Monday’s meeting were pleased to find the district has received an unmodified opinion from its annual audit. An unmodified opinion is a positive report that the district is doing well financially. MacGregor credits the district's good financial footing to making decisions that are fiscally responsible and ensure sustainability. (DK)