Schools
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Supporting Our Mavericks
A really encouraging story in today’s Traverse City Record-Eagle about Traverse City High School. Over the past three years, the school’s on-time graduation rate has nearly doubled, from 23.9% in 2023 to 46.7% in 2025, while the dropout rate fell from 23.9% to 13.0%. That’s what can happen when we build pathways around students’ needs.…
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Our Libraries Are More Than Libraries: Creating Connection in a Device-Heavy World
At last week’s school board meeting, we discussed changes to our student cell phone and wireless communication device policy. Part of the reason for the update is a new Michigan requirement that limits students’ use of wireless communication devices during instructional time. The state law establishes a baseline for districts, including specific exceptions for things…
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August Newsletter
August’s newsletter is out – have a great rest of the summer, everyone! • 2026 elementary school math/literacy outcomes • 2026 secondary school math/literacy outcomes • Looking beyond the classroom: Lessons from the Kids Count report • Community partnerships: Creating the conditions for student success • More than buildings: Investing in student success • How…
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July’s TCAPS Board Committee Meetings
Happy summer! Another busy week ahead for your school board: • Curriculum Committee (July 28 at 8:15a): – Secondary Schools Strategic Plan Updates – Advanced Placement Results • Board Governance Ad Hoc Committee (July 29 at 9am) • Finance Committee (July 30 at 8:15a): – District Vehicle Purchase – Boom Lift Purchase – West Senior…
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Great Schools Are Built by Great Communities
I was at DeWeese Hardware last week and noticed one of these signs in the window. It’s a simple reminder of something that’s easy to overlook: our local businesses quietly investing in our neighborhood schools. Our elementary PTOs are independent nonprofit organizations, led by a board of parent volunteers who work closely with teachers and…
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When We Listen, We Learn: The Power of Student Voice in School Decisions
I appreciate that we’re revisiting the HVAC recommendation after the boiler option was approved in February*. Also grateful for the student leaders who helped bring electrification into this conversation. Their advocacy** led us to learn more about the opportunities and tradeoffs involved – a great example of students having a meaningful voice in issues that…
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More Than Buildings: Investing in Student Success
Appreciate the Traverse City Record-Eagle for its coverage of the significant construction work happening across our district this summer. These projects are substantial. From major district-wide energy efficiency upgrades to the Central Grade School relocation and renovation work to ongoing traffic and safety improvements at West Senior High. They reflect long-term investments in the spaces…
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Community Partnerships: Creating the Conditions for Student Success
One of the things I appreciate most about our community is the way organizations come together to support our children and families. This week, the Father Fred Foundation kicked off its BOOST and SHINE summer food programs, helping ensure that students continue to have access to food and basic necessities when school is out. I’m…
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National Headlines, Local Data: Continuing the Conversation About Screens in Classrooms
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…
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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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