Dear Lansing School District Community,

I hope this newsletter finds you well. As always, it is a pleasure to be writing to you all. The first semester finished this week, and the second semester is upon us. I would like to take this time to thank everyone who has been a part of this semester. Our educators worked tirelessly to support our students. Our families did incredible work to move our students toward success. Our students put in hundreds of thousands of hours of work, study-time, and learning. Our entire community was there to make things better. It was a great semester, and I thank you all for it.

Now that our first semester is over, I want to make sure that everyone checks in with each other. As a student, please ask yourself -- Are there any outstanding assignments? Any classes that need to be redone? If you are a high school student, please count your credits. Are you on pace to graduate on time? If you are a parent or family member of a high school student, please check with your child and their school -- are they on track to graduate? In order to increase our graduation rate, we all need to know where each and every student is in relation to completing their necessary credits. It really will take a concerted effort from us all to get all our students across that finish line.

We can be honest with each other. Let's take a deep look at the report cards of our students, at their credit attainment, and at their eligibility. What do we need to do to make things better? Let's look at where we are in the syllabus and in the curriculum. Are we on pace with scope and sequence? Are we teaching on grade level, according to state standards? What can we all do to make sure we end the year strong and finish where we need to be? In order for this entire district to move toward true excellence, we have to be transparent around where we are academically. Then we need to work together to move forward. Having clear and cogent goals, where we are all on the same page around expectations and support, will help tremendously.

Specifically, all high school students should understand their position vis a vis their graduation trajectory. Parents need to know how many credits each student needs in order to walk across that stage. Elementary families should be familiar with the state standards, what their children are learning, and where they are going for the rest of the year. The more transparent and open we are, the more we can all support our students. I know our educators are working extremely hard. The more we can help support them, the better.

I look forward to finding more ways to improve the communication among our entire Lansing School District community. If you have any ideas about how to do this, please do not hesitate to contact me.

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

L’Don Napier is a hardworking, focused 4th-grade learner at Willow. He has been a fantastic role model for executive function skill use. L’ Don uses his self-knowledge to adjust his behaviors so that his brain can learn. He knows that he can learn anything, as long as he gives himself permission to make mistakes, learn from them, and try again. This strategy has boosted his achievement.

When asked what his favorite subject is, L'Don is quick to reply: "math, because I like how the numbers come together.” He is excited to learn to be better at spelling and shows a desire and dedication toward learning that is difficult for even adults to muster and he believes — most astutely — that learning is the key to life.

His co-teacher Ms. Liu adds, “It’s been a pleasure to get to know L’Don as a strong student and a role model for his peers. L’Don is self-driven, he is always on task despite the distractions in the environment. He exceeds expectations in academic performance, challenging himself with advanced-level questions when he is done with the assigned task during math blocks. L'Don never hesitates to share his ideas with the class or help his classmates to achieve its objectives.”

L'Don is a school safety and the Willow pride can always count on him to make sound decisions. When he grows up, L’Don wants to join the Army, and we have no doubt that his capacity for learning, and desire to help others will most assuredly take him wherever he wants to go.

We are so grateful that L‘Don is a Willow Lion!

Teresa Henderson is a 26-year veteran of the Lansing School District. After beginning her career in Detroit Public Schools, she moved to Lansing and spent six years teaching at Wainwright. From Wainwright, Teresa relocated to Rio and spent ten years working with the 4th and 5th graders. For the last eleven years, she has been educating 4th graders at Sheridan Road STEM. Over these years, Teresa has been an active member in the School Improvement Committee and March is Reading Month Committee. Teresa, in partnership with her now retired LSEA teaching partner Diana Knapp, is responsible for the creation of engaging March is Reading Month school activities that had students excited about reading!

Teresa is a dedicated teacher who excels in building relationships with her students, as well as her instructional prowess. Her engaging instructional strategies not only educate her students, but also allow them to have fun while learning. When you walk in her room you can feel the students’ enthusiasm. There are exciting conversations or discussions along with quality work that highlights the high expectations she has for her students.

Thank you, Ms. Henderson, for all that you do for Lansing School District students and families!

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