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May 9, 2025
GLPS Families,
I want to start this week by wishing all of the moms in our district and community a very Happy Mother’s Day! We appreciate all of you and all you do to support your kids and our district. In addition, I want to note that today is National School Communicators Day, so I want to give a special thank you to our communications director, John Ellsworth, for all he does to ensure that we are keeping you in the loop with all of the things happening in our school district.
As you know a couple of weeks ago, I shared a survey with you, and asked you to provide us with feedback on how well we are living up to our mission, vision, and belief statements here at GLPS. Thank you to the hundreds of families who responded! Because we believe in the importance of transparency and communication, over the next couple of weeks, I am going to share those results back with you. So, this week, we will start with the questions about mission and vision.
Mission Statement - Growing Learners and Preparing Students
How often do you see GLPS live up to this mission?
This means that 85.9% of families see us living up to that mission every day or most days, and 95.3% of families see us living up to that mission on at least some days. We also received a number of written responses that helped us better understand our families’ experiences. Respondents noted common themes of appreciation for dedicated teachers, supportive staff, and opportunities for differentiated teaching and learning to meet kids where they are, as well as a need for better communication throughout the district and more support to meet some of our students’ diverse needs.
Vision Statement - Grand Ledge Public Schools will provide every student a high-quality education, critical thinking skills, and social development to reach their highest potential in a safe and inclusive environment.
How often do you see GLPS live up to this vision?
This means that 81.2% of families see us living up to that vision every day or most days, and 93.4% of families see us living up to that vision on at least some days. Many respondents also chose to provide written feedback on this question as well. Respondents identified strength areas as our dedicated and supportive staff, differentiation and academic growth, and strong special education program, with growth areas around providing more opportunities to challenge students at the lower grade levels, increased communication, and continuing to provide support for all learners as overarching themes.
A huge part of being a successful organization is not only ensuring that everyone understands the mission and vision, but also that we are living up to it every day. This data is a great checkpoint for us, because your experience matters. After all, both the mission and vision are about providing opportunities for your kids, and so the way you experience our work is very important. Stay tuned, as over the next couple of weeks I share your feedback on each of our belief statements as well. In the meantime, have a wonderful weekend, and again, a Happy Mother’s Day. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to work with you and your kids every day. As always, I am #proudtobeacomet!
Dr. Bill Barnes
Superintendent of Schools
