The East Lansing Board of Education held a meeting Oct. 23 to review goals put in place.
Ashley Schwarzbek, the new head principal for the 2023-2024 school year, follows former East Lansing High School principal Shannon Mayfield. Schwarzbek is not new to the school though, she began as associate principal in January of 2020. Following public comment, she spoke on goals for this year. “We kind of distilled down into these three buckets to say what are the main focuses that we want to have here at the high school this year in order to really make sure we have a fantastic year,” Schwarzbek said.
SCHOOL SAFETY: School districts are taking measures to enhance safety and prevent violence in their buildings in the aftermath of shootings, including the state’s worst one at Oxford High School in Oakland County. We hear from the St. Ignace superintendent, the Michigan School Business Officials and the OK2SAY program. By Brandy Muz. FOR ST. IGNACE, SAULT STE. MARIE, MARQUETTE, CHEBOYGAN, DETROIT AND ALL POINTS.
The Lansing School District Student Development Program looks to aid high school students with getting active in the classroom and on the court after school hours.
SCHOOL BUS: School districts across the state are in the midst of a continuing shortage of bus drivers, and some are offering higher pay and benefits to attract applicants. The Michigan Association for Pupil Transportation explains why. The Mecosta-Osceola Intermediate School District managed to fill its positions this school year. By Brandy Muz. FOR BIG RAPIDS, LAKE COUNTY AND ALL POINTS.
DRIVER SHORTAGE: The pandemic, low wages and stringent drug and alcohol testing are driving an ongoing shortage of bus drivers, who are usually older workers. We talk to the head of the Michigan Public Transit Authority and Kalamazoo Metro Transit about efforts to raise pay and ease drug and alcohol testing. Other systems with shortages include DDOT in Detroit, SMART in Southeast Michigan, Grand Rapids and Lansing. By Brandy Muz. FOR CORP!, GRAND RAPIDS BUSINESS, LANSING CITY PULSE, WKTV AND ALL POINTS.
A school in the Pinecrest neighborhood keeps alive the memory of those who fought for desegregation in the East Lansing community. In a unanimous decision, The East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education voted to change the name of Pinecrest Elementary to Green Elementary to honor the legacy of Dr. Robert L. Green.
MSTEP: Spring 2023 achievement scores of elementary school students on the MSTEP across Michigan rose after a large dip a year earlier., according to the state Education Department. We talk to officials in the Big Rapids and Baldwin districts. By Brandy Muz. FOR BIG RAPIDS, LAKE COUNTY AND ALL POINTS.
SCHOOL MEALS: Free breakfasts and lunches are now available to all students, regardless of family income, at participating public school districts. The state has budgeted $160 million to offer the meals this year, and experts say children with full bellies learn better. Officials at the Holt and East Lansing schools, Michigan Education Association and state Department of Education discuss. By Brandy Muz. FOR LANSING CITY PULSE, DETROIT AND ALL POINTS.
The TPP program was designed to help students avoid becoming truant in Montgomery county, Maryland. Rebecca Marcolini who serves as the director of the TPP (Truancy Prevention Program) with Montgomery County wants to end truancy
TPP is a volunteer program created in 2010 through the state’s attorney’s office to help kids and teens identify what is keeping them from attending school and setting a goal in place for them to reach their full potential.
Truancy Prevention Program
Students begin the program with an orientation and are in the program for 10 weeks. Those who are 10 to 20 % truant are invited to voluntarily participate in the program that lasts 2 1/2 hours per session and is during school hours.
The program serves mostly middle school students. Resource officers act as mentors to the students within the program depending on the schools preference if they would like them to help out with the program.
“This is not like a punitive thing, it’s not like the police are involved to get the kids,” said Lauren DeMarco, the director of public affairs for the state’s attorney’s office.
Both Marcolini and DeMarco emphasized how in the program students are not in trouble but are here to help those who sign up to help them with attending class and raise their grades. “The essence of this program is to determine what is holding back this child,” said Marcolini.
To figure out what is holding the child back from coming to school, TPP will bring in a mentor so that the child can discuss what’s going on whether that is bullying, helping out a younger sibling, or staying up playing video games.
Those who successfully finish TPP get to participate in a graduation ceremony acknowledging the work that students have done in completing the program.
The Montgomery County Libraries in Maryland kicked off its Summer Reading Challenge with lots of festivities on June 17. The event included music from Ghanaian drummer and storyteller Kofi Dennis, storytime led by Maranda Schoppert of Germantown Library and a meet-and-greet with Read to a Dog service dogs.
The challenge is offered to provide local kids and teens the opportunity to read books and participate in activities. This year, the theme is “All Together Now,” which was created to promote kindness, friendship and unity within the Montgomery County community.
The Montgomery County Summer Reading Challenge kicked off June 17. Photo by Liz Thomas. To participate in the challenge kids and teens can login onto the READsquare app or sign up at their local library.
“Friends of the Library make a donation to the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center and Friends of Montgomery County Animals,” said Tyler Chadwell-English, who serves as the teen services manager for MCPL.
The animal services and adoption center is one of the six local organizations partnering with MCPL. Partnering with the animal services and adoption center is to help animals find their forever homes.
Other Organizations partnering with MCPL include the Washington Nationals, Manna Food Services and Montgomery County Parks.
The Washington Nationals provided vouchers that MCPL will give out to participants who make it to the midway portion of the challenge.
