Schools
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Email’s Story: Finding Support
”I was welcomed with open arms into every room I walked, and this fact has stayed true over the past 5 years.” Loved reading this story by Email, a soon-to-be Traverse City West Senior High School graduate, in the latest district newsletter. Email writes about moving to Traverse City during COVID, starting school remotely during…
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Teacher Appreciation Week: Thank you!
“It’s Teacher Appreciation Week! A job in education doesn’t come with a yearly bonus. And you sure don’t get into it to get rich. But, one of the great perks of our jobs is that when you do a good job, you get to feel good about it by feeling appreciated by those you have…
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Great Schools Offer Great Opportunities
Across Michigan, families have more school options than ever. That’s true here in Traverse City as well. Recent state data* show that about 2,200 students who live in the TCAPS district attend school somewhere else (a number that has trended up slightly in recent years), while about 500 students from outside the district choose to…
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TCAPS Curriculum Committee Snapshot: Creativity, Opportunity, and Pathways for All
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…
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Courtade and Willow Hill Elementary: Brights Spots
There’s a national conversation happening right now about early literacy—and which schools are helping students succeed as readers, regardless of family income. Right here in our community, two schools have been recognized as part of that story. Courtade Elementary and Willow Hill Elementary have both been identified as “Bright Spots” by The 74*, a national…
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Virtual Learning Is Growing — But Who Is It Serving?
I don’t yet know the percentage of economically disadvantaged students enrolled in our virtual programs. I do know we’ve expanded our virtual program at Traverse City High School and launched a new middle school option at East Middle School – with built-in adult support and check-ins. That’s a positive step. At the same time, our…
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Parker’s Story: Finding Her Voice at Central High School
Sometimes, the bravest thing a student can do is simply walk into a room. For Parker Ziegler, that meant stepping into the school newspaper class at Traverse City Central High School, despite a deep fear of others reading her writing. What followed is the kind of story that reminds us what schools can be at…
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Community Members Supporting Trojans at Lunch
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,…
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Growing Readers Together: TCAPS and the Traverse Area District Library
Strong readers grow in strong communities. One of the most powerful literacy partnerships we have is with the Traverse Area District Library. During Reading Month, their youth services team works closely with our eleven elementary schools to create meaningful reading experiences for our students. This year, first graders are participating in library orientations, storytime, tours,…
