The Lansing School District Board of Education has voted to select Dr. Deyanira Nevárez Martínez to fill an open board seat. Professor Nevárez Martínez was one of 12 people who applied for the seat vacated by Kurt Richardson, who left the Board for employment reasons.

“The Lansing School District welcomes Professor Nevárez Martínez to the Board of Education,” said Board of Education President Rachel Willis. “Her unique knowledge and background will be a great asset to the board and our school district in the future.” In her letter of application to the Board of Education, Professor Nevárez Martínez wrote, “My experiences as a dedicated mother, educator, woman of color, and scholar with a Ph.D. in Urban and Environmental Planning and Policy along with my deep commitment to educational equity make me a highly qualified and passionate candidate for this vital role. I believe I bring a unique blend of personal and professional experiences that would be an asset to the board and the Lansing community.”

Deyanira Nevárez Martínez completed her Ph.D. in Urban and Environmental Planning and Policy at the University of California, Irvine. She is currently a faculty member in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning in the School of Planning, Design and Construction, and Core Faculty in the Chicano/Latino Studies Department at Michigan State University.

Dr. Nevárez Martínez worked for U.S. Congressman Raul M. Grijalva before moving to academia to spearhead an education campaign to fight Arizona’s ban on Mexican-American Studies in the K-12 system. A mother of two boys ages 7 and 12, she has served as a State Coordinator for the Mi Familia Vota Education Fund. Dr. Nevárez Martínez decided to pursue a degree in planning because she is passionate about equity and social justice in public policy and sees planning as a way to effect change in local communities.

Natalie Shipley is a student at Eastern High School who has been selected to represent Michigan at the 2023 World Food Prize Global Youth Institute. At the Global Youth Institute, Shipley will be able to present her research about water scarcity in Mali, an African country. Natalie has been working on this project since December 2022 and will present it to experts and peers from around the world.

Natalie and her mentor, Dr. Eunice Foster from the MSU STEM-FEE (Food, Energy and the Environment) program, will have the unique opportunity to fly to Des Moines, Iowa, for three days in October to connect with fellow students and global leaders, and attend the Borlaug Dialogue, a symposium on global food security issues.

“This achievement is almost unbelievable,” said Natalie. “It has proven that if I put in the work and focus on something I genuinely care about, I can produce exceptional results.”

Natalie’s goal for the future is to stay active in the Global Youth Institute Program. She hopes to widen her knowledge of countries, states, and cities that struggle in various areas and discover ways in which organizations might help.

Madison Jones, an Eastern High School graduate, recently won an Emmy award as part of the NBC team that provided outstanding live special coverage of the XXIV Olympic Games held in Beijing, China.

Jones worked on the NBC TV research team and, as an Associate Producer, worked with others to cover groups of sports. Each covered 12-hour shifts to make it through the event-packed days and gather statistics. Madison had a background as a top researcher for alpine skiing and ski jumping.

“Sometimes, I was actually a one-woman team,” said Jones. “My schedule switched to cover more alpine skiing than ski jumping. It worked out in the end. It was fun and exciting!”

After graduating from Eastern High School in 2014, Madison attended the University of Michigan and earned a degree in Communications and American culture with a minor in Digital Studies. Jones worked in between jobs briefly as a substitute teacher in the Lansing School District, but her passion for sports and the Olympics led her to an internship with the USA Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she worked in diversity and inclusion.

Her internship led to a new job with the new US Olympic and Paralympics Museum, where she worked full-time in fund development. Eventually, she worked her way into becoming the digital content manager for the Olympic Museum, assisting with athlete relations, social media, graphic design, and branding, as well as exhibit and editorial content.

“The Lansing School District was an incredible place to grow up and learn as a young person,” Jones said. “The benefits of growing up in such a diverse space and learning alongside other kids who are different than I was, and who came from a variety of backgrounds, was absolutely a huge advantage in dealing with so many different people in all my jobs working around the Olympics.”

Jones moved to Washington, D.C., for a marketing job after she was awarded the Emmy. Madison is overjoyed with her award, and the statue has her name engraved on it.

“I’ve always been so proud to be a product of the Lansing School District,” said Jones. “My family will always be connected to Lansing.”

Many young athletes have suited up to play football this fall thanks in part to the Lansing School District's new partnership with the Lansing Cowboys Youth Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Matthew Brown in 2009. A graduate of the Lansing School District himself, Brown saw a need to expand athletic opportunities to Lansing young people ages 7-12 and rose to the occasion.

"The Lansing School District is committed to investing in our youth by providing its students with new and exciting programs. The Lansing Cowboys program provides a safe, positive environment for our developing young athletes," said Lansing School District Athletic Director Chris Henderson. "We are proud to enhance the district through extra-curricular programs that our community and families want and need and are thrilled to offer this opportunity free of charge to Lansing students."

The Lansing Cowboys have the exclusive opportunity to use the school district’s outdoor facilities for practices, conditioning, and games. Participating players are passionate about football and will benefit from an environment that fosters positive attitudes toward teamwork and sportsmanship.

The first game for the Cowboys was on September 9th and allowed students to show their skills and teamwork.

For more information visit their website!

The Lansing School District was recently awarded a nearly $1 million state grant to support a "Grow Your Own" teacher development program. The money was granted to Michigan by the federal government as part of COVID relief funds and is primarily intended to assist teachers or substitute teachers to become certified in a specialized area of teaching and work in Lansing. The program can also recruit current Lansing students who express an interest in becoming a teacher in the district.

"This grant is specifically targeted at helping Lansing teachers and people who want to qualify to become certified Lansing School District teachers," said Superintendent Ben Shuldiner. "There are many specialized areas of teaching that require state certification. This grant will be a fantastic tool in helping recruit, attract, and create certified teachers who want to be here working in our Lansing schools with the kids they know in the school district they love."

Certifications are required by the State of Michigan to teach in areas like Special Education, Art, Math, Physical Education and many other specializations. The Grow Your Own program will allow nominated candidates to gain the certifications necessary to become a teacher through a partnership with Central Michigan University.

There will be different ways to become involved in the teacher development program. A candidate can be recommended by a Lansing School District teacher, building leader, or district administrator via the Lansing School District Grow Your Own program's candidate recommendation form.

"This grant allows the Lansing School District to cultivate the careers and abilities of future teachers too," said Alyssa Stepter McKay, Ed.D., an Urban Fellow for the Lansing School District. "With a pathway from high school to a teaching certification, it will allow us to combat the teaching shortage with people who have genuine love for the students, the schools, and the community."

The Lansing School District held two career fairs before school started this academic year to help fill a variety of job openings, including positions for teachers and educational assistants, to name a few. Both events were a big success, with each including on-the-spot interviews for people interested in working for the district.

There is always a need for well-qualified and diverse employees to join the Lansing School District family, but summer is a natural time of transition for district professionals who are looking to retire or seek work elsewhere, so the needs are highest right before school starts. A lot of people may not be aware, but the district employs working professionals in a variety of fields including information technology, accounting, and administration, not just teaching! “The job fairs were exciting, and we met many candidates interested in a variety of positions in the District,” said Andrew Utter, an Education-Focused Recruiter for the school district.

“We hired many wonderful people for the district at these job fairs, and most are already working now,” continued Utter. “But we are always looking for more good people. The school district is proud to be able to not only provide incredible educational opportunities to our students but also a diverse set of career opportunities and jobs to the entire Lansing community.”

There are still open positions, and job hunters are encouraged to explore opportunities at lansingschools.net/careers. If you think you would be a good fit for any of our jobs, you are always encouraged to apply!

You can also join us at an upcoming career fair to learn more!