East Lansing

East Lansing residents seek changes to neighborhood speeding concerns

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City residents advocated for change in regard to neighborhood speeding concerns at the Transportation Commission Meeting on Nov. 6.  Public comments to the commission calling for better traffic regulation come less than 24 hours after a fatal hit-and-run near Michigan State University’s campus. While a suspect was arrested in connection to the crash, which killed a 20-year-old Oxford man, it is just one of many road safety concerns, according to the city residents. The residents’ focus? The children.

East Lansing

New ELHS Principal presents goals for 2023-2024 school year

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Newly appointed Principal of East Lansing High School Ashley Schwarzbek spoke at the East Lansing school board meeting on Oct. 23 about the goals set for this school year. At the meeting, the board opened with the swearing-in of Estrella Torrez to her position on the school board. Only one member of the public spoke during public comment and Principal Schwarzbek’s presentation was the bulk of the meeting, lasting over 30 minutes. Schwarzbek said they have three overarching goals for the school and she went in-depth into each of them during her presentation to the board.

Education

Okemos School Board Meeting: Assistant Superintendent Unveils Academic Insights and Student Success Strategies

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By Camila Bello

Oct 27, 2023

The scheduled bi-monthly evening meeting of the Okemos Board of Education took place Oct. 23 at the Administration Center. All board members were in attendance as Assistant Superintendent Stacy Bailey commenced the evening agenda by delivering the first assessment data for the school district for the current academic year. Since 2019, Bailey has served as the assistant superintendent for instruction at Okemos Public Schools. Prior to this role, she accumulated nearly seven years of experience working at Tecumseh Public Schools.

Education
Crosswalk outside of Chippewa Middle School.

Residents concerned after multiple car accidents outside Okemos Schools

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After two car accidents involving children occurred outside of Okemos schools at the start of the school year, parents reached out to the school board to voice their concerns. 

The first accident on Sept. 15, outside of Chippewa Middle School on Kinewa Drive, left one student in a wheelchair with a broken ankle and concussion. The second accident on Oct. 4 involved a child walking at the intersection of Kinawa Drive and Okemos Road. This prompted Superintendent John Hood to send out an email to parents reminding them about street safety. 

“It’s really disappointing because myself and some others in the room have spent a lot of hours and effort into putting together recommendations that would make it safer for our students to walk and bike to school, and it’s just going nowhere,” said Tim Potter while addressing the school board during its Oct.

Environment

Leonids Meteor Shower Peaking This Weekend

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The Leonids meteor shower is coming up this weekend, with spectators able to watch shooting stars sparkle on the night of Nov. 17. The shower will be in its peak the morning of Nov. 18 as the earth rotates into the sunrise. Viewers can expect to see meteors at a rate of 15 per hour. 

Diversity Issues

East Lansing School Board exploring equity issues

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At a recent East Lansing School Board meeting, parents discussed diversity, equity and inclusion efforts within the district. Three years ago, ELPS announced a series of changes to improve its DEI efforts. The district proceeded to try and increase diversity in the faculty and staff and create programs to increase inclusion. In September, a teacher at MacDonald Middle School was suspended for s second time in four months for using racial slurs and inappropriate language. Following these events Brandy Branson, representative for the East Lansing Parent Advocacy Team (ELPAT), proposed a question:

“Are the sessions being looked at from an equity lens?”

“I heard no definitely, everyone skirted around all of that, and I tried very hard on parent perspective,” Branson said.

East Lansing

East Lansing High School principal sets a vision for the new school year

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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.

Delta-Waverly
The Waverly High School building. Many students attending Waverly use Anna Piazza's mental health resources.

Anna Piazza Guides Waverly High School Students Toward Mental Wellness

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In her initial two years as the sole therapist at Waverly High School, Anna Piazza conducted 1,452 therapy sessions with students.

As part of the Expanding, Enhancing Emotional Health (E3) Program, Piazza, a therapist from Child and Family Charities, serves as a resource for students grappling with mental health issues.

Mental health issues among adolescents are on the rise. According to the CDC, in 2021, over 42% of students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, with nearly 29% experiencing poor mental health. Additionally, in 2021, 22% of students seriously considered attempting suicide and 10% attempted suicide.