Wellbeing
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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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School safety is about connection, not just fortification
“Kids need connection. Kids need trusted adults that they can talk to, and they need systems that are going to respond. That’s going to prevent a lot more crisis and tragedy than security measures will.” Those words really struck me after another heartbreaking school shooting, this time at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, Oregon. They…
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Student voice at work: Safe Routes to School near East Middle
One of my favorite parts of the new Safe Routes to School project near East Middle School is the role student voice played in making it happen. Years ago, young Trojans spoke up about wanting safer ways to walk and bike to school. They helped bring attention to the problem, adults listened, and people kept…
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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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Looking Beyond the Classroom: Lessons from the Kids Count Report
I appreciate the Record-Eagle’s continued reporting on education and Kathryn’s work digging into the data behind this year’s KIDS COUNT report. One takeaway for me is that many of the issues affecting children and families are interconnected: • Reading proficiency • Math achievement • Early childhood opportunities • Physical and mental health • Housing stability…
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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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April’s Newsletter
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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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,…
