Superintendent's Archive

There  are a number of sayings that all preach the same message: Showing up matters. Sometimes the quote is attributed to the famous physicist Stephen Hawking: “Half the battle is just showing up.” Sometimes the variation might be seen under the name of Hillary Clinton, former senator, Secretary of State and First Lady: “Showing up is not all of life, but counts for a lot.” It is difficult to track down the origin of a lot of what you read on the Internet, but let’s assume for argument’s sake that all of these people, and probably many more, said these words or something similar. And all agree that showing up and being present makes a difference to the job you do, the opportunities you receive, the things you learn. Showing up is not the only thing there is in life, but as a place to start, it’s a pretty good one.

As an educator, I know that it is an essential part of learning. Your success as a student will depend on the effort you put into your assignments, the skills and talents that you have, the people you choose to surround yourself with, the teachers who teach you — but learning and finding success as a student will begin with you making the effort to be in school every day. It’s simple really. Every day that you are not in school, is a day that you rob yourself of opportunities. First and foremost, every day you’re not in school means you miss something your teacher had planned for you that day. These lessons are carefully thought out and skillfully executed. I’ve seen teachers in action — I’ve been a teacher — and teachers are not just repeating words — they are attempting to craft meaningful lessons delivered in inventive and thought-provoking ways.

They want you to be excited and engaged. You rob yourself of that energy and intelligence when you don’t show up. Every day in school there is a chance to learn something new — outside of what your teacher or teachers are presenting. It might be a fact that you read in a book. It might be an observation a classmate offers. It might be a reaction that you experience in a test tube. It might be the way the colors blended in an art assignment. Schools give you a million different ways to discover your world, Every day you are not in school means you rob yourself of the opportunity to engage with some of the most interesting and innovative minds you will ever meet. Your classmates. Just as you shouldn’t sell yourself short, neither should you sell your friends and classmates short either. They have different experiences, different ways of looking at the world, different interpretations of art and music and science. They present a million different ways to look at the world — if you make the effort to be in the seat next to them.

Every day that you are not in school is a day that you miss a chance to do something cool. If you didn’t show up you might have missed playing in the big game — or you never even got to join the team because you weren’t there for tryouts. You miss school and you miss the chance to participate in a club, play a video game, see the new books on display, audition for the musical or play in the big concert. All of this is to say that attendance matters. It matters to everyone at KPS who is invested in your education. It matters to us that you show up. Every. Single Day. Because, being here is one of the most important ways to ensure you are getting the education you need and deserve to be successful. And, I hope you see how it matters to you. It matters to your learning, to your friendships, to new opportunities in the world. The new year is the perfect time to make a resolution to show up and make the most of the school year.

Don’t show up for us. Show up for yourself.

My first  summer in Kalamazoo, I had the honor of being invited to participate in a ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. As we celebrate Black History Month 2025, it is a good time to revisit his speech and the thoughts he shared in a subsequent visit to Kalamazoo later in 1963.

The Civil Rights leader made the famous speech on Aug. 28, 1963, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to more than 250,000 people during the March on Washington. His remarks are considered timeless because of the universal themes that he articulated. The speech is often quoted, and rightly so, as it is considered one of the most significant pieces of oratory in American history. Dr. King spoke with passion and fervor rooted in deep historical knowledge and a lifetime of experiences dedicated to furthering social justice. Early in the speech he said, “When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men — yes, Black men as well as white men — would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” And, most famously, he spoke of his dreams for us to come together to honor the rights of all. He said, “So even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

In August 2023, a group of Kalamazoo leaders and residents, myself included, gathered at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park to recall his speech. Mayor David Anderson shared that King visited Kalamazoo four months after the March on Washington, revisiting some of the themes of his Washington speech with his Kalamazoo audience. “Somewhere along the way, we must see that time will never solve the problem alone, but that we must help time,” King said. “Somewhere we must see that human progress never rolls in on the wheels of inevitability. “It comes through the tireless efforts and the persistent work of dedicated individuals who are willing to be coworkers with God. Without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the insurgent and primitive forces of irrational emotionalism and social stagnation. “We must always help time and realize that the time is always right to do right.” Today, King’s timeless messages about our responsibility to ensure his dream is enacted as a reality remain as potent as ever.

In 2023, I encouraged those in attendance to honor the legacy of Dr. King by supporting Kalamazoo Public Schools in its mission to educate our young people and prepare them for success today and tomorrow — the tomorrow that King envisioned. Kalamazoo Public Schools relies on courageous leadership in the community and a dedication to making sure students are in school every day, ready to learn, and encouraged to do their best to graduate and take advantage of the opportunities available through The Kalamazoo Promise. That day in 2023, we gathered around the beautiful statue that is the centerpiece of the King Memorial Park. Around the base of the statue, the sculptor inscribed quotes from Dr. King, including this one: “Every man must decide if he will walk in the light of creative altruism or the darkness of destructive selfishness. This is the judgment. Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” During Black History Month, we are reminded to live with that message inscribed in our hearts and to consider what we can do for others — for our children — to bring them and our society into the light of Dr. King’s dream.

On March 5, enrollment opens for kindergarten and PEEP: A Great Start Readiness Program, the district’s pre-kindergarten program. Indeed, you will find the enrollment link on our website opens for all grade levels that day. Some of our wonderful kindergarten teachers are featured in this edition of the Excelsior. They have tips to help parents think about some of the habits and skills that will help our youngest children have a great experience when they begin their kindergarten education. I appreciate these suggestions, because they are rooted in years of knowledge about what helps students engage in learning, feel more confident, and succeed in building the skills necessary to thrive in school.

One suggestion stands out to me — and that is to limit screen time for students. Smartphones, tablets and computers seem inescapable. Their flashing designs, catchy games and smart algorithms are so alluring. Screen time is certainly problematic for older children, but there is a special danger for young children who spend too much time on devices. Quite simply spending too much time in front of screens diminishes young children’s speech and language development, can affect their reading, inhibit their motor skills and negatively affect their social and emotional well being. Study after study reinforces that. Studies show children are spending hours on devices — far in excess of the half-hour to hour limit that is recommended for children 3 to 7 years of age. A National Institutes of Health study launched in 2018 has found that children who spend more than two hours a day on screens scored lower on language and thinking tests. Dr. Jennifer Cross, a pediatrician at New York-Presbyterian Komansky Children’s Hospital sums up why screen time can be detrimental in a NY-Presbyterian newsletter: “When I see children walking with a parent or being pushed in a stroller, they are often playing on a smartphone or a tablet and not paying attention to anything else around them. They will not learn about the world around them if all they’re doing is looking at a smartphone. This will not just affect their ability to learn new things, but also how they interact with others and how language develops.”

What we need to think about is not just how much time children are spending on devices — but how much less time that means they’re spending on other activities: playing outside, reading books, manipulating toys, playing board games and learning to get along with friends, drawing, painting, singing a song, cutting with scissors— or any of the other activities our teachers suggest like going on picture walks, counting, or talking about their feelings.

Technology obviously offers the world — and children — many benefits, but at a fundamental level interacting with a screen cannot replace interacting with their parents or other caring adults — or the real world. Interacting with a screen cannot replace interacting with you — your child’s first and best teacher. It cannot replace reading a book together, talking about their favorite cereals in the grocery store, playing I Spy on a car ride, imagining what the characters in your favorite movies might do next. It cannot replace all the lessons that might be shared just by paying attention to each other instead of the screen. Give your child the gift of time away from the screen — and give yourself the gift of time with them talking, reading, sharing, and learning together.

Kalamazoo Public Schools recently shared the exciting news that the district’s graduation rate for the 2023-24 school year showed significant improvement over previous years. The district graduation rate increased from 65.85 in 2023 to 75.31 in 2024. Not only did the district post its highest graduation rate for the last 17 years (with the exception of the virtual year for Covid), but the district rate improved by almost 10 percentage points. All of our high school programs — Kalamazoo Central, Loy Norrix, Phoenix and the Kalamazoo Innovative Learning Program — showed significant improvement. But perhaps most importantly, that overall increase represented substantial improvements to graduation rates for all subgroups of students, including significant growth for African American male students and Hispanic female students. The graduation rate for African American male students rose 20.1 percent from 47 percent in 2023 to 67.1 percent in 2024. For Hispanic females, the increase was 12.1 percent, from 67.9 percent in 2023 to 80 percent in 2024. Likewise, African American females saw an increase of 3.7 percent, and Hispanic males’ graduation rates improved 3.3 percent. Graduation rates for white females improved 7.3 percent, white males 3.1 percent, economically disadvantaged students 7.9 percent, and for students with disabilities 3.2 percent. With more than 30-plus years of experience, I can honestly say these gains impress me as an educator. These numbers inspire great pride and confidence in the ability of our students to work hard and to learn the lessons and skills they need to thrive and succeed.

The improvements only expand my respect for our educators and staff and their ability to teach and inspire our students. I want to thank the principals at those buildings for their leadership in guiding these improvements, which have led to these increased rates of success: Valerie Boggan at Kalamazoo Central, Chris Aguinaga at Loy Norrix, Ajamian Gardner at Phoenix; and Kimberly Kirshman at Kalamazoo Innovative Learning Program.

While we are pleased with the news that the district’s rate of improvement in graduation rates outpaced the rate of growth for the state — KPS improved by 9.4 percent compared to the state’s increase of 1.1 percent — we know there is much work ahead of us. The graduation rate for the State of Michigan in 2024 was 82.8 percent, which is also its highest rate in 17 years and comes under the leadership of State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice, Kalamazoo’s former superintendent. As a district we are confident that we can reach that standard, however, we aspire not only to match that rate but to exceed it. The district has established a goal of having a 90 percent graduation rate by 2030. You will find that Academic Excellence is listed as the first pillar of the district’s new strategic plan. Every initiative in the district, from improving attendance to promoting early childhood education, from increasing career and technical education opportunities to providing social-emotional supports — is designed to serve the goal of helping students attain the skills they need to succeed in school and graduate.

I want to thank everyone in our district — students, families, teachers, principals, counselors, support staff, and the Board of Education — for their focus on improving graduation rates and helping us attain academic excellence. There is no greater goal for a school district than to have all students be able to walk across the stage at graduation knowing they are able to conquer the world.

There is much to be thankful for as the superintendent of Kalamazoo Public Schools. I am thankful for a tremendous group of colleagues, who are dedicated to educating and caring for our children. This includes senior leadership, administrators, teachers, and all of those who work directly with children every day: paraprofessionals, activity helpers, tutors, social workers, librarians, nurses, and more. There are hundreds of KPS staff who help care for students throughout the district. These include dedicated food service workers who prepare hundreds of thousands of meals each year, office staff who answer your questions, bus drivers who safely transport students, facilities personnel who clean and repair our buildings, technicians who care for your child’s musical instruments and technology, and the mailroom staff who deliver supplies to keep the schools running.

There are so many people dedicated to this venture of educating your children, please join me in taking a minute to thank them this season. I am thankful for our families, who support the work that we do by reading to children in the evening, reviewing homework, attending conferences, providing treats for bake sales, tending gardens, working book fairs, checking in with teachers, offering their expertise to organize career fairs, or supporting our sports teams. We know that this work of educating our children is a collaborative venture, and every effort by a caring adult amplifies the work that we do during the school day. I am thankful for the community, which continues to astound me with its generosity of talent, collaboration and financial support.

We know that schools cannot survive without the involvement and support of community members who understand the vital importance of raising children who are educated, critical thinkers, imbued with the skills they need to go out and do great things when they leave our schools. But mostly, this season, I want to say how thankful I am for our students. They are a constant source of amazement. It is one of the delights of being an educator to walk into a classroom of engaged students, with their minds soaking in the day’s lessons, to hear their questions, to read the spark of imagination in their writing, to see them overcome challenges and to find success. It takes a lot of work to be an educator and to inspire learning, but let’s acknowledge that it also takes a tremendous amount of work to be a student. Learning is not passive or easy. It is among the most challenging, intense, and rewarding work we do in our lifetimes.

Our students do their best to give us their best on a consistent basis. And for that, I am grateful. But I am grateful for more than that. I am grateful for who they are and for all of their energy and enthusiasm and potential. As we get older, it’s sometimes difficult to remember to greet the day with that kind of joy. But, there it is every day in our schools. Our students bring the promise of the day to us like a gift. In this season of light, it is important to acknowledge that your children are the greatest source of joy, delight, and inspiration. Thank you for sharing your joy with KPS.

Out of all of the community partners that a school district relies on to build success for its students, there is one group that matters more than any other: our parents. You have heard this before. Parents are our students’ first teachers. Parents are our students’ biggest cheerleaders. Parents make a difference. This is a truth that I have experienced as a teacher, a principal, a deputy superintendent, and now as a superintendent. The strength of any district is only amplified by parents who show up and support the work we do in the classroom with your children — and with all of the children in the community. We cannot do this work without parental support and involvement.

The efforts we launched last year that aimed to tackle critical issues of attendance and behavior are essential measures to ensure students can find success when they are in school. Parents are key to the success of those efforts. Making students understand the importance and value of being in school all day, every day begins at home. Making sure students understand how their behavior affects not only their grades but the ability of everyone else in their class to learn and succeed is a lesson that has to begin at home. Celebrating success is all the more meaningful when parents are invested in those achievements. I appreciate the support of the parents and community members who have seen how these measures have improved the climate and culture in our buildings and — how along with renewed attention on instructional quality, professional development, and the protection of instructional time — has led to improvements in student achievement.

We have made great strides over the past year. You will see that in the story about our improvements in attendance and student achievement elsewhere in the Excelsior. The other thing you will notice is that it is very clear there is still much work to be done. There is much work that can be done — with your continued help. My first request is for all parents to carefully monitor your child’s progress. That is most easily done through our PowerSchool Parent Portal at kalamazoopublicschools.powerschool.com. Parents can find everything from attendance records, calendars, email notifications, test scores, report cards and school bulletins there. It is an invaluable resource that can help you stay involved and on top of your child’s progress and needs. The simplist way to access the portal is through the KPS app, which can be downloaded from your phone’s app store. But outside of that vital virtual way to check in and be involved, we would love to see you at at school conference, PTO meetings, sporting events, plays (all of the fall musicals are coming up in November and December), GradBash committees, multicultural celebrations — all of the things that help build a sense of community.

Your involvement and help will make these events stronger but your presence has an even more important impact — it signals to your children that you value our schools, that you think the work they do (we do) in their schools is valuable and worthy of your time and interest. It tells them that you are paying attention and they should too. There are many other ways you can impact your student’s success. Read to them early and often. Create a quiet place for them to study at home — and ask about their school day and what they have been learning. Limit their screen time, which will not only give them time to study but will help with their social emotional health. See yourself as a partner with the school — not an adversary — and help us help your student find success. If you struggle or if your child is struggling, talk to our school staff. We are here to help and support our families. Thank you for being our most important partners in ensuring our children succeed and are excited about school, learning, and becoming the best possible versions of themselves.

I love sports. I’m a frequent spectator and huge fan of some teams (the Ravens, Orioles, Chiefs, Lakers and Steelers) that may not be too popular around here. I am after all a native of Maryland and a long-time Missouri transplant. But I am also learning to become a Lions fan and recently attended one of their games for the first time. There is something thrilling about watching a great game no matter who your team is. It’s not the blow out games that are the most exciting — but those games where you can see the teams battle back and forth.

The push and pull, the talent and skill energize you and makes you cheer — or groan — louder. You might always be rooting for your team, but when you see the other team pull out some magic to take the score the other way, you can’t help but be amazed by the hard work and strategy that goes into keeping the fight alive. You can see that same grit, determination and talent on our high school sports fields and courts and pools. The thrill is just as palpable — but perhaps in different ways — for high school and middle school teams. Student athletes put their all into their games. They don’t do it for expensive championship rings. They aren’t going to be playing in bowl games with famous entertainers at the end of a season. They don’t have endorsements and million dollar contracts on the line. There is something more pure in their competitions to best their opponents.

If you haven’t been to a game in a while, I encourage you to check out what our teams are doing. Throughout the year, you can watch football, tennis, swimming, soccer, volleyball, cross country, basketball, golf, baseball, softball, wrestling and a host of other sports. You can find games listed on our district website calendar, but you can also find complete high school schedules at www.maroongiants.bigteams. com/main/calendar or www.lnknights.com/. As you’ll read elsewhere in the Excelsior, a lot goes into our athletic program. It is designed not only to give student athletes the opportunity to excel in the sports, but to also learn discipline, grit, a strong work ethic, the value of practice, how to lead and how to follow, how to win and how to lose with dignity.

Athletics allow students to build connections within their schools with fellow students, coaches, teachers and other staff. The student body is enriched by sharing in the pride that comes from watching their classmates battle in the name of the school, learning the alma mater, celebrating wins, and consoling each other after losses. There is one way that you can help make our sports program stronger this year — and that is if you come out to cheer for our student athletes. If you have a free night, come check out a game — any game really — because all of our athletes deserve your support. These are young people doing the right thing, participating in a positive activity, learning about sportsmanship and strategy, going for the “W” with all they have. Our young people pour their hearts into their games. And, win or lose, that is something to cheer about.

Did you  see the Olympics? The international sports competition recently finished in Paris. Every day brought new feats to marvel at, amazing athletic achievements, and stunning prowess that inspired one (however briefly) to try to find your own inner athlete. We will long remember Simone Biles, who radiated confidence every time she took to the gymnastics arena. We’ll marvel at the way Torre Huske and Katie Ledecky knifed through the water in the pool. We will celebrate how Noah Lyles overcame Covid and asthma to win bronze. We will smile when we remember how Stephen Nedoroscik had one job to do and he performed it to perfection to win two bronze medals and the nickname “Pommel Horse Guy.”

My question for students, parents and staff is: What are we dreaming of for this year? Do we want to have a good school year? Do we want to have a better school year than last year? Do we want to do a good job or do we want to do a great job? Are we going to go for the gold? What do we aspire to accomplish? Who do we want to be as a school district? In 2023, the W.E. Upjohn Institute issued a report called, “Behind the Numbers: Comparing College-Going Outcomes of Kalamazoo Public Schools to Those of Similar Urban School Districts in Michigan.” The key takeaway from the report is that college enrollment had fallen in Kalamazoo in recent years — as it had across the country and the state. But, when compared to similar districts across the state, KPS consistently outperformed its peer districts. The report states, “Overall, Kalamazoo Public Schools have generally outperformed similar urban districts in college enrollment and completion rates. … Every year for the past five years, KPS rates of college enrollment have been at least 10 percentage points higher than comparison districts.” Here is where I’d like to stop to ask a very serious question. What do you think about that comparison? Do you think, “KPS really does well compared to similar school districts.” Or do you think we can do better, that people should think of Kalamazoo Public Schools as simply one of the best districts in the state.

When I was in Washington, D.C., we had 26 high schools. When I was charged with turning around one of the lowest-performing high schools, the mindset for some was that our data was terrible, but it was better than some of the other schools’. My mindset was we cannot compare ourselves to poor performing schools — or even similar school districts. If we do not aspire for greatness then we settle for mediocrity. Kalamazoo Public Schools has tremendous resources. We have amazing teachers and principals and district leaders. We have students of promise, who have The Promise. This district has more community support than any other school district I have had the privilege to work in. What are we going to do with those gifts? KPS has the talent. We have the crowds of parents and community members cheering on our students and our teachers, hoping that this year is our best ever — and that next year will be better than this one. All that remains is the work. And, I know there is a lot of work to be done and that our training schedule is grueling and it is long. It will be a team effort to achieve the greatness we know our district holds within it. I promise that I will be right here working alongside you, reaching for the gold.

This is the time of year when we celebrate students of all ages moving from one phase of their educational career to the next. We have kindergartners moving to first grade, fifth graders moving to middle school, and eighth graders moving to high school. These are all special occasions, but I enjoy high school graduations the most. Outside of graduating from college, high school graduations are probably the most impactful on a young person’s life. It’s an amazing time of transition as young people move into adulthood. It is truly a time in life that should be celebrated. I want to take this opportunity to share a few words of wisdom — some advice or suggestions that, looking back, I would have benefitted from hearing when I was a young person.

• Appreciate family members, friends and those who love you. Life moves fast, and in most cases these are the people who will be there for you through good times and the rougher portions of your life. Spend time with them, listen to them, and learn from them. Family and friends are important. As you move into the next phase of your life, value the people who care for you and provide support.

• Take advantage of the amazing opportunities in Kalamazoo. We have great colleges, universities, businesses, organizations, and, of course, The Kalamazoo Promise. Please take advantage of the abundance of resources present in our great city. Most seniors participating in graduation ceremonies across the country right now do not have the vast resources we have. The Promise is an amazing gift that simply is not offered anywhere else in the country. I want to thank the anonymous donors who make the Promise possible. As a city and community, we cannot thank you enough.

• Enjoy being young. Have fun. Work hard and play hard. Eat pizza, ride roller coasters, play video games, and laugh as much as possible. You deserve it.

• Sometimes the difficult, hard road is Dr. Darrin Slade A Message from the Superintendent the best pathway. The decisions that you make when you graduate from high school will dramatically impact your future. Think your decisions through. Involve the people who love and care about you in those decisions. Do not shy away from making the hard, difficult, or more challenging choice. Taking the easy road is not always the best decision. If you were accepted into a college, university, or trade school and have decided not to go just because it may be hard or difficult work — rethink your decision. Knowledge is power. Hard work, dedication, and perseverance usually pay off in the end. You have the skills and talent necessary to be successful. Make it happen.

• You are amazing. Seriously, you are amazing. You are unique and special. There is only one person on this earth with the combination of skills, personality traits and positive attributes that you bring to the table. You can do anything and can be anything that you want to be in life. You can become an engineer, microbiologist, accountant, soldier, social worker, mechanic, counselor or teacher. Let me say that last one again — you can become a teacher if that’s what you want to do and we truly need you. The teacher shortage is real and I personally invite any one of you to come back to KPS. You can make your dreams become a reality. Just work hard and believe in yourself.

• Life is not a fairytale. You will experience days of both sunshine and rain. Please make the best of them both. In life, you learn from all of your experiences. Do not let obstacles block your dreams. You are amazing. You can do anything. I want to thank everyone in the community for a great year. I’m proud to be the superintendent of Kalamazoo Public Schools. Together, we accomplished a great deal this year in KPS: Improved student achievement, improved overall climate, and, of course, improved district attendance. Thanks goes out to our teachers, staff and students for their incredible work. And, of course, none of these accomplishments would be possible without our parents and family members, who are the unsung heroes in education, and the incredibly generous and supportive Kalamazoo community partners who help this district thrive. Congratulations to the class of 2024. You did it, and we are all proud of you.

Kalamazoo Public Schools has emerged from its spring testing season. Although we call them summative assessments now, many parents are more familiar with the term standardized testing. For much of the month of April, staff and students devoted their time and attention to the task of taking and proctoring these tests across the district.

The tests given included: • The Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP), which was administered online to students in grades 3 to 7 to measure their knowledge in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics according to state standards. It was also given to students in grades 5, 8 and 11 to measure their knowledge of science and social studies.
• The PSAT 8/9 was administered to measure ELA and math skills among eighth-grade students and ninth-grade students.
• The standard PSAT is used to evaluate ELA and mathematics skills of students in grade 10. It also helps students prepare for the…
• SAT college entrance exam, which is given to every high school junior as part of the Michigan Merit Examination. That test consists of the free SAT with Essay to test ELA and mathematics; the ACT WorkKeys, which is a work skills assessment; and the M-STEP for science and social studies.

Coordinating and administering these tests is a huge task, so kudos to the teachers, administrators and other staff members who contribute to making sure this undertaking goes as smoothly as possible. And, thank you to the students for doing their best on these tests to demonstrate Dr. Darrin Slade A Message from the Superintendent the skills and knowledge they’ve worked so hard to attain, and to our parents for everything you do to ensure students are prepared for the rigorous testing schedule. Standardized tests or summative assessments are important for the district because the state and federal governments use the information on the tests to make a host of determinations on everything from policy decisions to accountability measures to funding. And the tests are used to set standards that give KPS an opportunity to examine certain benchmarks across time, which can help us evaluate achievement across the years. For better or worse, the tests are also used by some to compare school districts.

These tests are important but flawed tools, in part because of what they don’t measure. For instance, many might assume that the tests always measure what is taught in school. While that may be generally true, it’s not an absolute. School districts may have variances on what specific concepts are taught and when during a school year. Topics may not be covered in one district’s chosen textbooks or curriculums. Also, how well a student, groups of students, or a district performs can be heavily influenced by what students learn outside of the school setting. Even if one could assure that every single child received the exact same exposure to the same concepts, with the same expert instruction, how could anyone factor in the very different life experiences a child has at home or in the world?

On a standardized test that asks a child to identify the natural structures in the Grand Canyon, the child who has been to the Grand Canyon has a much better chance of answering the question than one who has never been there. Or, the child whose parents have read to them every night presumably has a distinct advantage on a standardized test over the student who is new to the country and is still learning English or the one whose parents struggle with their own literacy. Standardized tests also don’t measure the many other kinds of learning that go on in our schools every day. There is not a place on standardized tests for art and music.

The tests don’t measure social emotional learning and interpersonal skills. They have little room for a measure of creativity or skills that might serve a student well in But the most important connections students will make is with like-minded students who share their interests in science, Miller said, “With participants from all four KPS middle schools, students are sure to meet at least one new friend during their KMSI summer experience.” the world of work, such as teamwork and adaptability. Testing is a fascinating but challenging aspect of the world of education. We will continue to work on improving our test scores, because they are an essential part of the educational landscape today. But just as importantly, we will continue to provide a quality education for our students, one that has an impact far beyond the limited measure of standardized tests.

In education, you hear a lot of discussion about graduation and high school completion rates, because we know that when people think about success in the K-12 realm they are looking at those measurable outcomes that come after 12 years of schooling. It might not be apparent but K-12 educators are also highly focused on the other end of the process — the when and how students begin their education. What we as parents, educators and school systems do for our very youngest students has a huge impact on not just academic skills but on essential social-emotional skills that help our children succeed later in life. Being aware of the tremendous brain development and skill acquisition that occurs early in life can help ensure that our children receive the enrichment and nurturing that they need in their earliest years. The State of Michigan’s MiKidsMatter website states that 90 percent of a child’s brain develops by age 5. Ninety percent. That is astonishing. That’s why this time of year is one of the most exciting in the school year.

On March 6, KPS will hold its annual kindergarten and PEEP (PreKindergarten Early Education Program) orientation at all 17 of our elementary schools. No reservations are required to attend either the 9:30 a.m. or the 5:30 p.m. session. Parents can attend by themselves but are encouraged to bring their incoming students to meet teachers, principals and other staff, tour the school, and learn about the exciting adventure that awaits them. You can find more about enrollment and orientation on pages 6 and 7 of this edition of the Excelsior. While we often think of public education as being a K-12 system, the truth is that we are really a Pre-K to 12th grade system. Prekindergarten learning opportunities are no longer considered a luxury but are regarded as essential to ensuring children can develop skills that will help them succeed in the future. MiKidsMatter says that high quality preschool experiences help children with hands-on learning; social skills; communication skills; developing curiosity; life skills experiences; and early reading, math and science skills. A good preschool experience can lay the foundation for a life-long love of learning and independence.

Research that has followed young students from the 1960s has shown that those who participated in early childhood education opportunities experienced benefits ranging from positive health outcomes to future academic success in elementary school, according to Dr. Michael Little of North Carolina State College. He also emphasizes the need for school districts to work hard to provide smooth transitions between preschool and the K-12 experience, so students and districts build effectively on the skills students bring from their PreK experiences. At KPS our PEEP classrooms have lots of room for children to move, there is a low ratio of students to adults, the teachers are specially trained to meet the needs of young learners. And, PEEP teachers know that when we talk about “learning” for pre-kindergarten age students, what were talking about is exploratory play that allows them to test boundaries and try new social and academic skills in a way that excites and engages them — because play is the best learning experience for small children. Please join us for our PEEP and kindergarten orientation on March 6 for your child’s exciting first steps into a world of growth and independence.

Spring is the stuff of promise. Summer may be wonderful with the full sun, beach weather, and vacations, but spring, that time of transition, is immensely inspiring with its transformative powers. With spring, the world resets before our eyes. Suddenly, we see new possibilities in the warmer weather, the sunnier days and every shoot pushing through the ground. With spring’s arrival, we know things are going to change. This spring, Kalamazoo Public Schools will begin thinking about its own transformation with the launch of its first comprehensive strategic planning process in almost 10 years. Every school district needs a strategic plan to help it identify its goals and objectives for the next several years and establish strategies for achieving those goals and objectives.

At the heart of the process, the district will consider questions such as: Who are we as a school district, who do we want to be, and how will we achieve the goals necessary to become the school district we want to be? The new strategic plan will serve not only as a roadmap for the district’s future, but it will be a valuable tool for sharing this information with stakeholders, so they fully understand where the district is and where it plans to go. It will also help our committed community partners understand the role that they play in the future of the district. Already, we have begun discussing the process for developing our next strategic plan with the KPS Board of Education as well as senior leadership. The first work in this process begins with what is known as a SWOT analysis of where we are as a district and examining operations in terms of:
•Strengths — What are we doing well? What unique resources do we have that we can capitalize on as we continue to build and grow?
• Weaknesses — Where do we need to improve? Are there disadvantages that we need to address? Are there areas in which we compare unfavorably to others and that we want to change?
• Opportunities — Looking forward, what is happening in the world that we need to pay attention to? Are there trends that we can leverage to our students’ advantage? Can we be smart and identify the world events and forces that we can use to be more effective educators?
• Threats — What are the things outside of our control that may negatively impact the work we do, that inhibit the growth that we seek? Understanding these elements will help us create measurable goals and objectives to help us track our progress and ensure that we continue moving forward in our mission to provide the best possible educational opportunities for all of the children in our community and to give them every opportunity to find success. Key to the success of our strategic planning process will be input from multiple sources. Obviously teachers, staff, students and parents will be able to provide insights, but so will community leaders, volunteers, churches, neighborhood associations, higher education leaders, business executives, and more. Anyone who cares about KPS and the broader community is encouraged to attend one of the many input sessions that will be launching this month. In addition to meetings at each school building, the district will hold community sessions to gather comments from as many people as possible. The plan will become richer and stronger through your involvement in the process. Kalamazoo has tremendous resources and none is greater than the people who live here and care about the community and our children. Through our strategic planning process, we hope to build new partnerships and coalitions to continue our strides toward making KPS the best district possible.

Kalamazoo Central and Loy Norrix high schools recently had successful runs of their fall musicals. I was fortunate enough to catch Loy Norrix’s impressive production of the classic musical “Oklahoma!” by Rodgers and Hammerstein. Others tell me that Kalamazoo Central’s show, “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical,” was a highly entertaining, high-energy show. There is something thrilling about watching student productions. It’s different from the excitement of watching the perfectionism of professional theater. Students certainly aim for excellence, but student productions capture an energy and excitement that professional theaters wish they could bottle. For some of these high school performers, it is the first time they have stepped on a stage and put themselves in front of an audience.

There is a palpable camaraderie between the students, many of whom we can safely assume are making lifelong friendships as they come together to “put on a show.” It may be surprising for you to hear that the thrill of watching a student performance or listening to a student concert is not unlike the excitement that comes with watching a well-fought athletic competition with one of our sports teams. When you’re watching a football or basketball game, there’s something special about the energy young athletes put into every competition. To witness them gel as a group to gain 10 more yards to set up the play that results in a basket as the buzzer sounds, or to see them cheer on their teammates to drive across the finish line is exciting and inspiring. Those events are thrilling to watch as a spectator and as an audience member, but they are also thrilling to witness as an educator. Extracurricular activities, such as sports and the performing arts, allow students to put everything that they learn in the classroom into practice in a real-world setting. They take all of that intelligence, their interpretive skills, problem-solving abilities, their creativity, the hard-won resilience, and team work they’ve developed and learn how those abilities can foster success outside of the classroom. It is exciting for them and it is a delight for an educator to see them stretch themselves.

As we start 2024, please encourage your children to try a new extracurricular activity. Kalamazoo Public Schools offers a variety of extracurricular activities for students to participate in, whether it be competing as an athlete to learning an instrument and being able to perform with a school ensemble or a group like Kalamazoo Kids In Tune. Younger students can challenge themselves in the Global Reading Challenge or computer clubs, and high schoolers can find everything from the traditional yearbook and school newspaper to esports teams to political and social justice causes to apply their talents and nurture their interests. Extracurricular activities are not only wonderful for our students because of the ways they allow them to stretch their knowledge and their skills; but also for the way they allow students to create communities with their peers.

We know that for some students, extracurriculars are the reason why they come to school. Some students may struggle in the classroom or they may have social-emotional challenges that make learning difficult, but the right extracurricular activity can provide an invaluable connection to the school setting that gives them the motivation they need to keep coming. For some students, that extracurricular may be the one fun, joy-filled thing in their life. It may be not just a game or a few notes in a concert — it may be the thing that gives their life meaning or makes them smile when the world is too challenging. At KPS, we strive to connect with students on multiple levels. Every success on the court, every round of applause heard from the stage, every feeling of pride that comes from having a work of art displayed in the community contributes to students who are confident learners willing to take on new challenges and who can find ways to make their own success and joy. Every activity can provide an education for a student. Encourage yours to explore as many opportunities as possible.

People love the start of a new year. There’s a sense that we can begin fresh — with new plans, new goals, new possibilities. Truth is that any day can serve as a temporal landmark for a new beginning. It might be a birthday, an anniversary, the new year, the start of a month, the beginning of the week, or … today. For me, July 1, 2023, was a huge landmark. I began my tenure as superintendent of Kalamazoo Public Schools. I appreciate the KPS Board of Education and the Kalamazoo community for giving me the opportunity to help guide the district. Since then, the district has made a good start on several new initiatives, many of which were discussed in the 90-day goals that I outlined for the board last summer.

Among the goals highlighted then were to:
• Create and build relationships
• Identify needs of the district
• Begin to address needs of the district, including transportation issues
• Focus on areas related to student achievement, school climate and safety

One of my primary focuses has been on building relationships within the district and with members of the broader community, such as The Kalamazoo Promise and the Rotary Club of Kalamazoo. If we have not had the opportunity to meet, please attend one of the superintendent information sessions happening this winter or spring. These meetings are a chance for us to discuss the work going on in the district, such as the implementation of our attendance and discipline initiatives and how these changes are designed to create learning environments that support stronger academic achievement. I have also been a frequent visitor in our schools to observe our dedicated principals, teachers and other staff. They are working hard every day, and my hope is that our new policies will make their jobs easier — and help our students more readily engage in learning. Speaking of which, one of my greatest pleasures has been working with our students. Young people never cease to amaze me with their energy, enthusiasm and intelligence.

As an educational institution, our goal is to ensure that all of that potential is given a strong foundation on which to flourish. We have been able to do that by addressing other issues mentioned in my 90-day goals. We took steps to resolve existing transportation challenges. New pay scales for drivers have helped create a more stable transportation crew and eliminate the bus cancellations that made it difficult for students to get to school. That was a key issue that had to be tackled to make headway on improving attendance. Elsewhere in the Excelsior, you can read about the new attendance policies and some of the fun ways our schools are seeking to encourage students to be in school, ready to learn every day. In meetings, school and community members voiced concerns about behavior and discipline in the district. To that end, we instituted new behavior expectations to improve the climate and culture in our schools.

The majority of KPS students understand and follow the rules, but for the few that find it difficult to do so, we have made it clear that their behavior is not going to be allowed to disrupt learning for everyone else. That is our main goal; to ensure our students have all of the educational opportunities they need to succeed in the future. By encouraging students to be in school every day, and giving them calmer, more focused school environments, we have been able to turn our attention to helping students concentrate on learning, because improving student achievement is our No. 1 goal. Moving into the new year, it is important to remember that we can start over at any time. Every day is Day 1 — if not a new year then at least a new day. To that end, please look for information in the coming weeks about our new Saturday School program for students who need extra support to enhance their reading and math skills. Students need to know that if we missed a goal yesterday, there’s no reason why we can’t hit it today, why we can’t begin anew. The important thing is to keep working, to keep striving, to bring a renewed sense of purpose to every day.