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Three Cheers for Traverse City Trades Students
At this week’s school board meeting, some truly outstanding TCAPS trades students were recognized during the superintendent’s report. From agriculture and aviation to robotics, engineering, graphic arts, construction trades, early education, and business careers, these students are building real skills, earning state recognition, and representing our district with excellence. A huge congratulations to all of…
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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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Are Our Classroom Devices Helping Students Learn?
It’s hard to read stories like this one from Thursday’s Wall Street Journal and not feel a mix of concern – and responsibility. A recent report on the role of YouTube in schools highlights something many families and educators are noticing: students spending large parts of the school day on screens – sometimes learning, and…
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Elementary Math: Facing Our Outcomes, Refocusing Our Work
We have work to do in elementary math. Our most recent (2025) 4th-grade outcomes* make that clear: • All students: 44% proficient • Economically disadvantaged students: 25% • Non-economically disadvantaged students: 55% What matters is how we respond. I appreciate the Curriculum Committee’s discussion this week, digging into how we’re relaunching/refocusing K–5 math instruction. With…
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Stronger Outcomes, Shared Responsibility: A Look at Reading & Math Strategies
Grateful for this week’s Curriculum Committee discussion for sharing a clearer “how” behind Goal 1 (math and reading) of our 2030 Vision*. As a school board member, my focus is on our mission/vision/values (our “why”) and our outcomes (our “what” and “how well”) – including improving our reading and math outcomes for all students and,…
TY FOR TCAPS 