Curriculum Committee – TY FOR TCAPS

Measuring What Matters: A First Look at TCAPS’ Progress Toward the 2030 Vision

Ty Schmidt

July 1, 2026

One of the commitments we made in our new 2030 Vision* was to measure what matters—and to share our progress along the way. At yesterday’s Curriculum Committee meeting, we reviewed our latest elementary reading and math outcomes using the NWEA, our district’s benchmark assessment. Unlike the state assessment (M-STEP), which won’t be publicly released until…

Behind The Bell, Board of Education, Budgets, Curriculum Committee, Equity, Learning, Meetings, Opportunity, Priorities, Reading, Student Achievement

School Board Meetings for the Week of May 25th, 2026

Ty Schmidt

May 22, 2026

Have a great holiday weekend! Next week is another busy week for your school board. Curriculum Committee (May 26 at 8:15a): 1) Middle School Science Curriculum 2) AP Research 3) Evidenced-Based Reporting 4) K-12 Technology Usage Finance Committee (May 28 at 8:15a): 1) Extension of 31aa (Mental Health/Safety Funds) Resolution 2) Middle School Science Curriculum…

Board of Education, Community Relations, Curriculum Committee, Meetings

National Headlines, Local Data: Continuing the Conversation About Screens in Classrooms

Ty Schmidt

May 20, 2026

Following the recent conversation around the Wall Street Journal’s reporting* on YouTube, Chromebooks, and screen use in American classrooms, I wanted to share some information presented at last week’s Curriculum Committee meeting. One finding that stood out: among 127 of our elementary classrooms reporting, the most common Chromebook usage in math, reading, science, and social…

Board of Education, Curriculum Committee, Learning, Meetings, Schools, Student Achievement, Student Success

Elementary Math: Facing Our Outcomes, Refocusing Our Work

Ty Schmidt

May 2, 2026

We have work to do in elementary math. Our most recent (2025) 4th-grade outcomes* make that clear: • All students: 44% proficient • Economically disadvantaged students: 25% • Non-economically disadvantaged students: 55% What matters is how we respond. I appreciate the Curriculum Committee’s discussion this week, digging into how we’re relaunching/refocusing K–5 math instruction. With…

Board of Education, Community Relations, Curriculum Committee, Equity, Meetings, Opportunity, Priorities, Student Achievement

Stronger Outcomes, Shared Responsibility: A Look at Reading & Math Strategies

Ty Schmidt

April 30, 2026

Grateful for this week’s Curriculum Committee discussion for sharing a clearer “how” behind Goal 1 (math and reading) of our 2030 Vision*. As a school board member, my focus is on our mission/vision/values (our “why”) and our outcomes (our “what” and “how well”) – including improving our reading and math outcomes for all students and,…

Board of Education, Community Relations, Curriculum Committee, Equity, Meetings, Opportunity, Priorities, Reading, Student Achievement

April’s Newsletter

Ty Schmidt

April 14, 2026

April’s newsletter is out: • A new chapter in early literacy – raising outcomes and closing opportunity gaps • Parker’s Story – Finding her voice at Central High School • Curriculum Committee Snapshot: Creativity, Opportunity, and Pathways for All • School board meeting agenda highlights • Where are our future surgical techs? • Back to…

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TCAPS Curriculum Committee Snapshot: Creativity, Opportunity, and Pathways for All

Ty Schmidt

April 9, 2026

The TCAPS Curriculum Committee meets to guide and oversee teaching and learning across the district. These meetings bring together school board members, staff, and district leaders to review programs, monitor student progress, and discuss instructional strategies. The Curriculum Committee Snapshot is a monthly series designed to increase awareness and understanding of how this work supports…

Board of Education, Community Relations, Curriculum Committee, Learning, Meetings, Schools

Community Members Supporting Trojans at Lunch

Ty Schmidt

March 16, 2026

One of the things I love most about our schools is when the community steps forward to help meet a real student need. At February’s TCAPS Curriculum Committee meeting*, we learned of a Traverse City Central High School – TCAPS program called Loft @ Lunch that is doing exactly that. The Loft offers a quiet,…

Connection, Curriculum Committee, Schools, Wellbeing

Partnership Schools: Surrounding TCAPS Students with Support

Ty Schmidt

March 12, 2026

At our recent Curriculum Committee meeting*, we learned about the “Partnership School” model and explored ways in which trained and vetted community members could provide additional academic tutoring in reading and math—especially for students who need extra practice to build literacy and numeracy fluency. This isn’t about replacing teachers – it’s about surrounding students with…

Board of Education, Community Relations, Curriculum Committee, Equity, Learning, Opportunity, Priorities, Reading, Student Achievement

March’s Newsletter

Ty Schmidt

March 10, 2026

March’s newsletter is out: – Reading month, literacy, opportunity gaps, and a community promise – A turning point: Enrollment is not down for the first time in six years – Curriculum Committee Snapshot: Parent engagement – School board meeting agenda highlights – Mr. Kay goes to the State of the State in Lansing – Compass…

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