Dear Lansing School District Community,

As always, it is a pleasure to write to you all. This week marked the beginning of our GSRP -- Great Start Readiness Program. I had the chance to visit a few of our Pre-K classes. It was adorable. Seeing students enter a classroom for the first time. Seeing the parents drop them off. Seeing the teachers and assistants greet them and welcome them with open arms. In my job as a superintendent, few things give me as much joy as seeing young children becoming Lansing School District students.

In July 2021, during my second week on the job, we announced universal Pre-K, so that every family who lived within the confines of the Lansing School District boarders could have free, high-quality Pre-K. This week, we have now started our third year of universal Pre-K. It has been wonderful. This is yet another example of how the Lansing School District is moving in the right direction, putting our families and students first.

Last year, we enrolled the highest number of Pre-K students ever in the Lansing School District. This year, we might even break last year's record. However, if anyone reading this knows of a family that has a Pre-K aged child and lives in the Lansing School District, please tell them to enroll. We will make room for them. The sooner young ones enter formal, structured, high-quality education, the better it is for them in the long run. Pre-K is a great boost to any child. We look forward to welcoming all our Lansing students into our schools.

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

Sexton High School's varsity football team kept the wins rolling on September 15, when they won against the Charlotte Orioles 28 - 0. This comes on the heels of their September 8 victory over Olivet Eagles 48 to 12. If wins correlate to the overall health of a team, it's safe to say that the varsity football team at Sexton is as healthy as an ox... ehrm... we mean South African Boerboel!

This victory brought the team to 4 - 0 for the season — way to go J-Dubbs!

Gardner International Magnet School

Say hello to Juma Kichochi! Juma came to the United States, from Tanzania, in 2019. He was nine years old at the time, and he spoke Swahili — his country's native language. In the four short years since, he has grown into one of the best examples of an all-around GREAT student.

Juma's recommendation came from Lansing School District K-8 Instructional Coach Heather Hoisington who is very proud to have been his teacher. Hoisington had the chance to watch him demonstrate Gardner International Magnet School's Four B's on a daily basis: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Kind, and Be Safe.

This young man currently boasts A's in his grade book, has perfect attendance, and has no discipline referrals. Hoisington said the best way to describe him is in words and provided the following list of adjectives to describe her student:

Respectful

Helpful

Focused

Determined

Polite

Athletic

Honest

Considering how quickly he has adapted to his new home and all that it entails, it should come as no surprise that Juma is goal-driven. His interests don't stop at academics though! He is a great friend and is loved by his peers and teachers alike. Juma is an all-around great student and an excellent grade-level ambassador.

Way to go Juma — keep up the EXCELLENT work!

Lansing Technical High School

Tawny Alvarado has spent 31 years serving Lansing School District students, and she is already making a lasting impact on the students at Lansing Technical High School as their Health Science Focus Teacher. Backing her experience with a B.A. in Education and an M.A. in K-12 Educational Administration, Alvarado brings a wealth of knowledge and practical expertise into her the classroom.

CTE Director Nicole Millsap said, “Tawny has contributed so much to Lansing Tech. She helped design the Health Sciences pathway, and she puts in the work for students, family, and staff. She is as much a model as she is mentor for other teachers, and we are lucky to have her here at Lansing Technical High School.”

With a clear commitment to her students, Tawny aims to instill lifelong practices and foster a deep understanding of healthcare issues. Her approach is not just local but global, empowering students to excel in their health career pursuits. With effective instruction and by forging connections with healthcare institutions and professionals, Ms. Alvarado is working to ensure students gain the hands-on experience and credentials they need. Not just to survive, but to THRIVE.

Stepping into her classroom, you'll find a group of eager health science students who are passionate about their future careers. This powerhouse of a teacher pulls energy from her classroom where students actively support each other's growth and work together to achieve their individual goals. It's a testament to her dedication to nurturing a culture of shared success.

Outside of the classroom, Tawny's interests span the full spectrum of outdoor activities. From gardening and biking to kayaking, Tawny loves the sun and has a passion for travel. When she's not helping her students excel, or adventuring, she's a little more low-key and likes to read and spend time with her grandchildren.

You may remember that last year Eastern High School's very own Nicole Minor was named the Regional Teacher of the Year for our region (Region 6). Well, the hard-working folks at the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) are at it again, recently announcing that the nomination window for their 2024-25 Michigan Teacher of the Year is officially open!

After being nominated, teachers who are in good standing with their school/district and have a valid Michigan teaching certificate and at least five years of experience can enter a competitive application process. Ten Regional Teachers of the Year (RTOYs) will be selected from the applicants, from whom only one of will be named the Michigan Teacher of the Year!

If you want to nominate a teacher, complete the online form before 11:59 p.m. on October 16!

We meet in Room 151 at Everett High School every Thursday from 3-4:00 p.m.!

See you there!

Did you know that Lansing School District staff, students, families, and community members have an incredible resource at their disposal? Known as the Community Learning Center (CLC), it is your one-stop shop for resources, information, education, and support!

Whether you are a parent/guardian looking for information to help with your parenting journey or a student looking for class and project supplies, you can count on the Community Learning Center! The CLC offers lamination, book binding and Circuit services, and can provide poster board, construction paper, and bulletin board paper to students and staff who need it! New for the 2023-24 school year — the CLC will be hosting community workshops and courses, including cooking, digital literacy, a virtual reality workshop, and more!

Questions? Contact Luke Kane at luke.kane@lansingschools.net or (517)755-4110

Check the CLC website and calendar for schedules and updates.

In an effort to help our bilingual families communicate more effectively with their schools and the district, we utilize Bilingual Language Lines. Students and families can call and leave a message in their native language and the Bilingual Education department will follow up with them and assist accordingly. These lines are for non-emergencies and are designed to help families voice their questions and concerns when interpreters are not available to assist. These lines are not for staff use, but staff are encouraged to direct their bilingual families to the lines.

العربية (Arabic) 517-755-1375

ဗမာစာ (Burmese) 517-755-1372

فارسی/دری (Farsi/Dari) 517-755-1380

Français (French) 517-755-1378

नेपाली (Nepali) 517-755-1373

Af Soomaali (Somali) 517-755-1374

Español (Spanish) 517-755-1371

Kiswahili (Swahili) 517-755-1376

Other Languages 517-755-1381

Make sure to bookmark the Bilingual Language Lines page for future reference!

On September 8, The University of Olivet held a press conference at Eastern High School to announce the implementation of Olivet Direct!, a new program that builds off the Lansing Promise scholarship and will seriously ease the admissions process for students in participating districts.

It works like this:

• Lansing students get automatic admission to the University of Olivet
• Then they fill out their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®)
• State, federal, and institutional grants and scholarships are applied, and the University of Olivet covers the rest for Michigan Achievement Scholarship (MAS) Qualified & Pell Eligible Students leaving no cost for students to cover.

Lansing students can get an education at a private institution — for FREE!

What a great time to be attending the Lansing School District!

Last Friday, Sexton High School's Athletic Hall of Fame committee held their annual event which was established to recognize outstanding Sexton athletics alumni. Among the inductees were the 2005 Track Team, the 1948 Wrestling Team, and none other than the school's Principal and former Coach Dan Boggan. After the ceremony was held in the gymnasium, participants were introduced at halftime during Sexton's varsity football game against Olivet.

Full Roster of 2023 Sexton Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees

Brian Murley 79’ Cross Country & Track

Anthony Norris 84’ Track

Caroline Siwek 95’ Swimming

Shala Crook Bagwell 98’ Basketball

Shawn Foster 98’ Football & Track

Daniel Boggan III Coach Football & Track

1948 Wrestling Team

Coach Iggy Konrad

Warner Conarton, Robert Kauffman, Bob Stratton, Karl Kessler, Dick Thornton, Howard McMullen, Bill Appleton, Dick Carlton, John Gleason, Richard Cahill, Jim Hogan, Benjamin Pulver, Jack Bennett, Ken Peterson, Raymond Goodrich, Curtis Parker, Bill Gray, Carl Covert, Sherm Fox, Joseph Planck, Leo Smedley, Al May, Austin McLean, Jim Davis, Floyd Eaton, Arnold Kosloski, Dick Buckmaster, Durwood Goedert

2005 Boys Track and Field

Coach Daniel Boggan III

Assistant Coaches: Anthony Norris, Scott Reed, Eldon Evans, Lyle McFadden Sr.

Frank Cousin, Arron Phifer, Jerrell Blackwell, Kevin Lawson, Anthony Brandon, Jordan Hinton, Xavier Williams, Cameron Gonzalez, Tymel Dodd, Rodney Singleton, Bryan Lenoir, Tyler Bunkley, Jon Allen, Andre Evans, Ivri Bowers, Javonte Wells, Darrell Lockett, Jordan Spearman, Marcus Cousin, Andy Lynn, Quintin Baptiste, Ervin Milton, Brian Merrill, Brian Tucker, Bobby Mims, Tranail Smith, Atreu Green, Aarien Johnson, Josh Baker, Jon Boles, Jacob Wyatt, Leonard Truss, Mark Hill