Cheboygan Area Schools – Sunday Soup Newsletter
Week of April 6, 2026
Welcome Back!
I hope you had a great Spring Break! I also hope you had the opportunity to disconnect and enjoy some well-deserved time with family and friends. Regularly investing time in maintaining and improving your most important asset, yourself, so you can perform effectively over the long term, rather than burn out or become stagnant, is essential to sustaining consistent effort over time.
Remember, “sharpening the saw” is not a luxury; it’s essential. Stepping away from constant activity to renew yourself increases your capacity to be productive, make better decisions, and sustain high performance over time.
Finish Strong! Fourth Quarter Begins on Monday…
Monday marks the start of the fourth quarter, the final nine weeks of the school year. For high school students, this is especially significant, as final grades are determined by the combination and average of third-quarter, fourth-quarter, and final-exam scores.
With the third quarter now officially complete, you are beginning a fresh start in the fourth quarter. Take advantage of this opportunity. At the same time, as the end of the year approaches, it is important to maintain focus and not lose sight of your goals.
It can be easy to become complacent as the weather improves and the school year winds down. Distractions will increase, but this is exactly when discipline matters most. Stay focused, stay committed, and finish strong.
Tentative Schedule for Wednesday, April 8th, PD Afternoon…
• 11:30 AM – Lunch served in the HS Cafeteria
• 12:30 PM – Group presentations Begin
o Group #1 – Grades 7–12, including IA staff, report to the Auditorium
o Group #2 – PreK–6 staff report to the HS Media Center
• 1:45 PM – Break
• 2:00 PM – Groups switch
• 3:15 PM – Adjourn
• 3:30 PM – End of the contractual day
ELE Groundbreaking Ceremony – Tuesday, April 14
Renovations at East Elementary have begun. When students and teachers return, construction will continue through the remainder of the school year and into the summer. The project is expected to take approximately 1.5 years.
Safety is our top priority. A temporary wall will separate construction areas from student areas, and first-grade drop-off and pick-up procedures will be adjusted. Much of the work will be scheduled around the school day when possible. Evening, weekend, and summer work will continue, with all East-based summer programs relocated to the CIS building. Essentially, East Elementary will be off-limits this summer.
We anticipate 90% completion by the end of summer 2026 and 100% completion by the start of the 2027–28 school year. Thank you for your continued support as we invest in East Elementary!
Recruiting the Next Generation of CAS Educators
Cheboygan Area Schools has begun its search for the next generation of great CAS educators. Our goal is to have 90% of our open positions filled before summer break. If you are interested in applying, please visit our employment page: https://cheboyganareaschoolsmi.sites.thrillshare.com/page/job-opportunities
April…
• 6 – Return from Spring Break (Monday)
• 7 – BP Meeting in BR @ 10:00 AM
• 7 – Bond Sale Meeting @ 2:00 PM
• 8 – Students Half Day
• 8 – Safety PD Afternoon for Teachers and Staff in HS @ 12:30 PM
• 8 – Teacher Contract Meeting @ 3:30 PM in BR
• 9 – Bid Opening @ Noon in BR
• 14 – East Elementary Groundbreaking Ceremony @ 3:45 PM
• 15 – Students Half Day – Afternoon Parent-Teacher Conferences
• 16 – Athletic Committee Meeting @ 6:00 PM
• 21 – Finance Committee Meeting @ 10:00 AM
• 21 – Negotiation Team Meeting @ 11:30 AM
• 21 – Policy Committee Meeting @ 2:30 PM
• 21 – Curriculum Committee Meeting @ 3:45 PM
• 27 – Cabinet Meeting @ 1:00 PM
• 27 – Board Meeting @ 6:30 PM
• 28 – Bid Opening in BR @ Noon
Important Dates in May for Seniors
• May 19 – Graduation Practice @ 1:00 PM
• May 20 – Senior Breakfast @ 7:15 AM
• May 21 – Inverness Academy Graduation
• May 22 – Graduation Ceremony @ 7:00 PM
Quote of the Week
“Great teams, and great students, stay committed to what works and finish what they start.” – Dusty May
Dusty May is best known for building high-performing, disciplined basketball teams and leading dramatic program turnarounds, highlighted by a historic Final Four run at Florida Atlantic. He now leads the Wolverines as they enter the NCAA college basketball championship game, Monday, April 6.
Coach May is also known as a culture-driven program builder who emphasizes discipline, development, and team-first basketball.
Key takeaways are clear:
• Stay consistent
• Trust the process
• Improve daily
• Finish what you start
Spencer S. Byrd, EdS, CSBO, CAA, CO
Superintendent
Cheboygan Area Schools