Student Achievement
-
My 10 Biggest Takeaways from the 2025 Michigan Association of School Boards Annual Leadership Conference
My first Michigan Association of School Boards Annual Leadership Conference was fantastic — a great few days of learning, connecting, and recharging. Here are my 10 biggest takeaways: Lead with trust – Every decision we make as school board members helps shape community confidence and stability. Board self-reflection matters – Strong boards regularly assess how…
-
TCAPS’ Chronic Absenteeism Rates Drop in 2024/25 – Important Work Ahead
Encouraging progress — and important work ahead. Our chronic absenteeism (students who miss more than 18 days of school/year) has dropped from 22.6% to 18.6% in just two years, even as Michigan’s statewide rate remains close to 30%. That’s real progress, thanks to the care and commitment of our educators, staff, and families. But we’re…
-
My October TCAPS Newsletter
My October newsletter is hot off the presses: – A new chapter for our English Learners – We (finally) have a state education budget – Our district’s Sustainability Committee – and Traverse City Light & Power visits Willow Hill Elementary – Building tomorrow, trades kids, and Northwestern Michigan College – Community members keep showing up…
-
Leveling the Field: How Community Giving Helps Close Opportunity Gaps
In 2023, a few of us came together to launch Roadrunner Nation, a friends group supporting the Traverse Heights PTO. We created it to help level the playing field—so every student at Traverse Heights Elementary School has the opportunity to access things like field trips, recess equipment, after-school cubs, and scholarships for sports and arts.…
-
Funding Uncertainty Threatens Student Success in Traverse City and Beyond
Michigan lawmakers remain deadlocked on the state budget, leaving districts like ours uncertain about funding for teacher salaries, after-school programs, literacy interventions, school meals, and more. This uncertainty hits students hardest—especially those furthest from opportunity. Research shows that targeted investments in students with the greatest needs improve achievement, graduation rates, and school climate. Despite recent…
-
Supporting Traverse City’s English Learners: Local Action, Strong Commitment
As Washington steps back and Michigan rolls out new statewide requirements to ensure English learners receive dedicated instructional time, TCAPS is stepping up our support for students and families. State Superintendent Michael Rice has made clear that while federal protections may feel uncertain, Michigan’s commitment to fairness, access, and inclusion remains strong—and we’re proud to…
-
A new 5-year plan for TCAPS – Excited for what we can accomplish together
Earlier this week, we unanimously approved a new 5-year Strategic Plan for TCAPS. This new plan builds on the work of our previous 3-year plan, carrying forward four focus areas and adding a new one: health, wellbeing, and school connectedness. It also aligns closely with our mission, vision, and values—including our shared commitment to inclusive education, equitable…
-
3rd Grade Reading, 4th & 8th Grade Math, 11th Grade College Readiness: A Sampling of Our 2024/25 Student Achievement Outcomes
Our state assessment outcomes for 2024/25 were released to the public last week. Below you’ll find a snapshot of how our students performed in reading, math, and college readiness. I’ve included years of data for context (as well as outcomes for our economically disadvantaged kids)—and connected these results to the goals in our draft 5-year…
-
My 10 takeaways from the Michigan Association of School Boards’ Summer Institute
1. Ethical Imperative – An ethical imperative is more than a guideline; it’s a moral principle that makes a course of action essential and binding — “do the right thing.” 2. Data-Informed Decisions – Using data helps ensure all students are learning, holds school boards accountable, and deepens the community’s understanding of our shared responsibility…
-
Our Next Five Years: Focus, Equity, and Opportunity for All
We had a great discussion last night on our new 5-year strategic plan. This strong draft builds on our previous 3-year plan (4 of the 5 focus areas carry over from 2022–25) and is well aligned with our mission, vision, and values—including our commitment to inclusive education, equitable access, and success for all. It reflects…
