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GLPS Families,
This week, I will continue sharing survey results. However, before I do that, I want to take the opportunity to celebrate important recognitions for the month of May. Last week, I highlighted Mental Health Awareness Month, and today, I want to acknowledge that May is also Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Jewish American Heritage Month. Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is observed to acknowledge the achievements of generations of Asian Pacific Americans who have contributed to American life, while Jewish American Heritage Month pays tribute to the generations of Jewish Americans who have made an impact on American history, culture, and society.
In addition to these May recognitions, it is also important that we take a moment to pause and acknowledge the significance of Memorial Day weekend. This is a time to remember those who gave their lives for the freedoms that we enjoy every day, and for us to appreciate the sacrifices that members of our armed forces and their families make on behalf of the United States of America. Along with your travel plans, barbeques, and other fun activities this weekend, please make sure to remember the importance of the day and what it means to our country and its citizens.
Finally, as yesterday was the last day for seniors, and want to say congrats to the class of 2025! Graduation is June 6th, and I look forward to seeing all of the seniors and their families at the Breslin Center.
As I mentioned, this week, we will highlight two more of our belief statements from our survey, and then we will wrap it up with the final two next week.
Belief Statement 2 - We believe all students can learn.
How often do you see GLPS live up to this belief?
While all of our belief statements are important, one could argue that this belief statement is perhaps the most foundational to our work, because if we do not demonstrate every day that all students can learn, then we are simply not doing our jobs as educators. Therefore, it is wonderful to see that our families feel that commitment, as 88.8% of families indicated that we live up to this belief most days or every day, and 96.7% feel that we live up to it on at least some days. Again, the belief in all students’ ability to learn is essential, because it is that belief that allows us to build the supports, programs, and opportunities that make GLPS such an outstanding place to learn and grow.
Belief Statement 4 - We believe the GLPS staff are professionals who are vital to the health and future of the Grand Ledge community.
How often do you see GLPS live up to this belief?
The reason that so many families experience a strong belief in the notion that all kids can learn is that our staff does an amazing job of showing it. We have incredible teachers, support staff, and leaders in our district, and we value the contribution that everyone makes, regardless of role or position, to our learning community. This is evident in our families’ perceptions as well, as 84.1% of respondents indicated that we demonstrate this belief on most days or every day, and 94.8% of respondents claimed that we at least live up to it on some days. Our staff and their efforts truly shape the culture of learning that exists in Grand Ledge Public Schools, and I cannot thank them enough for who they are and what they do.
And professionals keep learning and growing – modeling the lifelong learning habits we want our students to develop. So, while students were not at school today learning, our instructional staff was. We concluded our district-wide book study of Cultivating a Classroom of Calm: How to Promote Student Engagement and Self Regulation by Dr. Meredith McNerney. In fact, the author herself gave a keynote to all the instructional staff before doing breakout sessions with different grade levels this morning. This concluded a year-long process in which our instructional staff learned about how to create classrooms that support all students, creating common language and understanding across all levels of the district.
Again, I appreciate all of those who participated in the survey, and I appreciate the opportunity to share the results with you. I will wrap up with the next two categories next week; in the meantime, I hope you enjoy the long weekend. Thank you for your support, and thank you for giving us the opportunity to work with you and your children every day. I appreciate you, and as always, I am #proudtobeacomet!
Dr. Bill Barnes
Superintendent of Schools
