Dear Lansing School District Community,
I hope that this newsletter finds you well. As always, it is a pleasure to be writing to you all.
On Friday, May 17th, I got to experience not one, not two, not three, but four amazing events. I was able to see so much of the wonderful work of the district. After a series of morning meetings, I attended the Beekman Center's graduation. What a fantastic event, celebrating with students, staff, and families. Each of our graduates received a certificate and an individualized plaque highlighting their unique talents and skills. I want to give special thanks to Principal Lori Abbott Smith and the entire staff at Beekman for all the work they have done this year.
After grabbing a slice of cake at the reception and wishing the students well, I drove down the block to Forest View to help cut the ribbon on the new outdoor environmental education facility. Thanks to the magnet grant, our director Marc Briggs, and the Forest View school community (with a special shout out to Principal Emily Brown and her amazing team), we were able to design, build, and open a new, beautiful education opportunity for our children to engage in fun, outdoor learning. After using scissors the size of my body to help snip the purple ribbon to formally open the facility, I returned to the office for a few hours of meetings and emails.
But then, as the afternoon ended and the evening began, I was off to Cavanaugh to celebrate their Spring Family Carnival. There were games, food, and even a dunk tank, where Cavanaugh's principal, Jeff Hager, served as tribute, graciously getting wet for everyone's enjoyment. The excitement and energy, the fun, and the festivities were palpable. I want to give a big shout-out to all of the amazing staff and families that put the event on, especially the Cavanaugh PTO. But my night wasn't over. After saying hi to some staff, students, and families, I jumped back into my car and drove to the Hill Auditorium to attend the Latino Recognition Ceremony.
For decades, the Lansing School District has held a moving and beautiful event where we recognize all our Latino students graduating from our schools. It was so great to see hundreds of people in the audience bear witness to the accomplishments of our students and celebrate all the hard work the students, their families, and their educators did to be able to wear those caps and gowns. Celebrating our families and honoring their heritage and history is powerful and important. Looking out at the audience from the stage and seeing all the students, families, and staff was a beautiful ending to an awe-inspiring day.
There was a graduation, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a family carnival, and a recognition ceremony, all on the same day at four different locations, celebrating four very different things. It was a proud day to be the Superintendent of the Lansing School District, and I hope every one of you can take some pride in what was celebrated on Friday. We are a community, and the district's accomplishments are ours to share collectively.
Thank you to everyone reading this newsletter for your incredible support of our district. Together, we will do great things for the children of Lansing.
Benjamin Shuldiner, Superintendent
Lansing School District
