HCHS Family Newsletter
August 10th, 2026
Dear Harper Creek High School Community,
As we welcome November, I want to take a moment to reflect on an incredible October filled with school spirit, student achievements, athletic accomplishments, and memorable celebrations. It was a month that truly showcased what makes the Harper Creek High School community so special!
We kicked off the month with an incredible Homecoming and HarperPalooza celebration, bringing our students, staff, families, and community together in the spirit of school pride. We also had a successful PSAT testing day and a meaningful Senior Service Day, providing our students with opportunities to prepare for their futures and make a positive impact in our community.
Our freshmen celebrated Character Day, and we extend a special thank-you to Judge Tomak and her team for taking the time to visit our campus and share important information about safety with our students. We appreciate their partnership and commitment to helping our students make positive and responsible choices.
October was also filled with excitement across our athletic programs! Our girls volleyball, girls golf, boys tennis, boys soccer, girls swimming, football, and boys and girls cross country teams gave us plenty of reasons to cheer. We are incredibly proud of the dedication, sportsmanship, and hard work demonstrated by all of our student-athletes throughout the season.
Our marching band also had an incredible season, representing Harper Creek with pride and outstanding performances. We wrapped up October on a high note with our lively Halloween Concert, featuring wonderful performances by our Jazz Band, Honors Choir, Treble Choir, and Varsity Choir. Thank you to our talented student musicians and directors for sharing their gifts and bringing so much energy and creativity to our school community!
As we look ahead to November, we are reminded of how much we have to be grateful for. The enthusiasm, kindness, dedication, and school spirit that each of you brings to our campus make Harper Creek High School a wonderful place to learn, grow, and thrive. Whether you are a student, staff member, family member, or community supporter, thank you for being an important part of the Harper Creek family.
As we move through the final months of 2027, we look forward to building on this positive momentum and celebrating the many accomplishments, traditions, and festivities still ahead. May November bring opportunities to show gratitude, strengthen connections, and continue making meaningful memories together. Thank you for all you do to make Harper Creek High School such a special place. I am grateful to be part of this incredible community!
It's a GREAT day to be a Harper Creek Beaver!
Ms. Stefanie Howard
Staff Spotlight: Mr. Brinker
For the month of September we had 9 nominations for Staff Member of the month! In a random draw, Elliot Brinker was selected as September Staff Member of the Month! Chelsea Beam had this to say about Mr. Brinker:
“Elliot has agreed to take on the Leadership LEAD on top of being in charge of Student Council (HoCo) and helping with PBIS, MERT, and Union, PLUS building our french program solo, and continuing with Spanish!”
To honor Mr. Brinker we gift him with a custom made cutting board made by Mr. Dell and engraved with September Teacher of the Month 2026, a reserved parking spot in front of the school that says “Teacher of the Month”, his choice of Harper Creek swag donated by the Harper Creek Athletic Boosters, his picture outside of the office, a traveling trophy and postings in social media. Thank you Mr. Brinker!
Full Throttle Learning
The Auto Care students have been digging in—learning how to care for their vehicles and completing repairs for staff and students who have allowed the class to practice on their cars. In the attached picture, a group of students is performing an oil change and a complete vehicle inspection on one of our middle school teachers' vehicles. Another group has been working on the steering and suspension of a high school student's vehicle. A third group is inspecting a vehicle donated to our program by Rick and Judy Rawlings.
We are happy to help out community members with oil changes and minor auto care tasks. Please feel free to reach out to Mr. Ott at ottj@harpercreek.net.
Exploring Career Paths on Manufacturing Day
Our students recently stepped out of the classroom and into the local industry for Manufacturing Day! Check out these photos from our visits to TRMI and the Regional Manufacturing Technology Center (RMTC), where students got an up-close look at modern manufacturing careers, advanced technology, and hands-on technical training in action.
Congratulations to Our October Students of the Month!
A huge round of applause to our October honorees! These outstanding students were nominated by their teachers for showing exceptional dedication, leadership, and positive energy both inside and outside the classroom. Thank you for making our school community proud—keep up the fantastic work!
Congratulations to our All City Girls Cross Country Team!
Huge congratulations to our incredible All-City Girls Cross Country team on taking home the All-City title! Your hard work, grit, and relentless dedication every single mile paid off in a big way. We are so proud of this amazing achievement—way to run the city!
Everything You Need in One Place:
Harper Creek Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees
Congratulations to Harper Creek Athletic Hall of Fame 2026 Inductees: Megan (McCarty) Phillips, Bill Broderick, Olivia (Leson) Stickney.
Stop the Silence. Help end the Violence.
All of us can be the eyes and ears of the community and ensure that our children are safe. I encourage everyone—students, staff, parents, and community members— to report potentially harmful or criminal acts using OK2SAY.
To submit a confidential tip:
- Call 855.565.2729
- Text 652729 (OK2SAY)
- Email ok2say@mi.gov
- Download the Mobile App search OK2SAY
- Visit the OK2SAY website at www.ok2say.com