Superintendent Newsletter

Dear Lansing School District Community,

I hope this newsletter finds you well. As always, it is a pleasure to be writing to you all. This week we said goodbye to the building structure of Mt. Hope. Friday evening, over 200 people ate cake, drank water, and walked the hallways one last time. Former teachers, principals, students, and parents gathered to relive old memories, to share stories, and to remember a meaningful time in their lives. I got to meet wonderful community members who cherished the school and their education. I was proud and thankful that we were able to give Mt. Hope a proper send-off.

As I walked through the halls, it reminded me of why we needed to take down the building in the first place. The dark narrow hallways, an antiquated electrical system, a bad boiler, terrible sewer lines, and a retaining wall that was probably one strong wind away from collapsing. Not to mention having a two-story building without an elevator makes it completely inaccessible for anyone with walking difficulties. I don't think anyone at the Friday event thought a brand-new, state-of-the-art building was a bad idea. A strong and thoughtful school district has to always think about the future as well as the past.

I am thrilled that with the passing of the school bond, we are going to be able to give the current and future generations of Mt. Hope students a wonderful, warm, and inviting environment in which to learn. However, something else equally important struck me when I was kibbitzing with our attendees. So many people talked about Mt. Hope as a strong and thriving neighborhood school. Even the Mayor talked about walking his kids to school. I was regaled with stories about how folks rallied together to save the school. The neighborhood, the community, the families came together because they felt connected. Sadly, years ago, this district moved away from neighborhood schools. I am sure the decision made sense when it was made, but I think it is time to reconsider.

There is power in families walking kids to school together. There is a strong sense of belonging when you can see the school your children go to from your window or your daily walk around the block. For us to bring the Lansing School District to new heights, I think we need to go back to the idea of the neighborhood school. This will be a process that we won't do without deep conversations and thoughtful choices. But finding ways to connect our communities with our schools is a very important way to create ownership throughout our district. Of course, we will still have our programs that would be open to all, across the district, but finding ways to promote community schools, to rally around neighborhood communities, I think, will be a wonderful thing for us to consider. This is just an idea now, but one I think we should consider, especially after hearing the stories from Friday's event. As always, I would love to hear your thoughts on this matter.

Thank you so much for all of your incredible support of our district. Together, we will do great things for the children of Lansing.

Benjamin Shuldiner, Superintendent

Lansing School District

Follow the Mt. Hope STEAM Facebook page for updates.

Corrine, an 8th grader at Wexford Montessori, has been part of the Wexford/Woodcreek program since 1st grade. Corrine plays on the volleyball, track, and basketball teams. She volunteers in the preschool and kindergarten classrooms each day. Ms. Amy, preschool teacher, said, "Corrine is very good with the little ones and always willing to lend a helping hand."

Kelly joined the Post Oak staff recently, but she has been a dedicated member of the Lansing School District family for over 25 years! We are so lucky to have her come and share her knowledge! She knows our district and she is so kind to all of our families!

Applications for Governer Gretchen Whitmer's (D) Michigan Future Educator Fellowships and Future Educator Stipend open Monday, October 31st. The package of programs is aimed at lowering the cost of higher education, which means the state can hire and train more qualified teachers. This, in turn, would decrease class sizes and allow teachers to provide more individualized attention to support students.

Up to 2,500 future Michigan educators will be selected to receive the $10,000 Future Educator Fellowship scholarship, and student teachers will receive $9,600. The financial assistance can be used to cover the cost of tuition and fees up to the specified amounts. The awards are renewable for up to three years after the student graduates.

To be eligible, the student must:

• Be admitted in an eligible Educator Preparation Program (EPP).
• Be working towards teacher certification.
• Be participating full-time (or its equivalency if participating through an Alternative Certification Program) in required student teacher coursework.
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
• Be in an unpaid student teaching position.
• Not received the MI Future Educator Stipend before, unless your program specifically requires more than one semester of student teaching.

To fill out an application for this program, click here, on or after October 31.

Read the rest of the WILX article here.

Capital Area K-12 Online recently held its very first Fall Festival! Students and families were able to enjoy games, activities, music & dancing, fall treats, candy, and more! It was wonderful to see the level of participation and the fun costumes.

We are always excited to see our online learners in person and provide some of the same opportunities students in our brick-and-mortar schools receive. We would like to thank our families that continue to help make our events extra special for our students!