Student Success
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To close opportunity gaps, start before kindergarten
If we want to close our opportunity gaps, we need to start early. I recently read this opinion piece in Bridge Michigan* about why Michigan’s road to educational excellence begins before kindergarten, and it got me thinking about our work to close long-standing student achievement gaps between our economically disadvantaged kids and their peers, our…
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That’s a wrap on another great Michigan Association of School Boards conference
That’s a wrap on another fantastic Michigan Association of School Boards conference. Over the past few days, I had the opportunity to learn alongside school board members and education leaders from across Michigan about everything from K–12 school finance and student achievement to inclusive governance, innovative policy leadership, collaborative decision-making, meeting transparency and the art…
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October Newsletter: Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Elections & Meeting Highlights
🔔 October’s newsletter is out – and happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day, everyone! • School board elections matter – and so do the policy issues ahead • Our 2026 state assessment outcomes are public • Student voice at work: Safe Routes To School near East Middle • Highlights for tonight’s school board meeting • Education athletics:…
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Educational athletics: Our gyms, fields, and courts are classrooms, too
Great story in the Ticker this morning about leadership, student-athletes, and the work Justin Thorington and his team are doing at Central High School. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Justin, and one thing that stuck with me was his framing of “educational athletics” and student-athletes. The distinction matters. Athletics isn’t separate…
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We can’t take our eyes off math
We know we have work to do in reading. And we also know we can’t take our eyes off math. This recent Bridge Michigan story highlights a conversation happening across the state: while Michigan has rightly focused significant attention on improving literacy, math outcomes remain a major challenge for students. Math outcomes are more than…
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We don’t talk enough about special education
We don’t talk enough about special education. Yesterday’s Curriculum Committee meeting impressed me with the depth of work happening across the district to support students with disabilities, and I learned a lot. Special education is so much more than IEPs and specialized services. It’s about helping students learn, belong, build independence, and prepare for life…
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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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Expanding Pathways Beyond the Classroom
Congratulations to Northwest Education Services’ Career Tech for being recognized by the Michigan Department of Education through its “Spotlighting Effective Strategies” initiative. This recognition highlights Career Tech’s work creating meaningful pathways from high school to postsecondary education, additional training, industry credentials, and high-demand careers through rigorous academics and real-world experience. As a school board member,…
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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…
