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. I hope you are all enjoying the Memorial Day Weekend. I am writing this week's update from a hotel room in Grand Rapids. My parents had never been to Grand Rapids, and it is not a bad drive from Chicago, where they are this month. We went to the Grand Rapids Art Museum and the Grand Rapids Public Museum, both wonderful places to spend some time. I strongly urge anyone with the time and the means to visit those places to do so. We had a nice dinner last night and then walked to a great ice cream place for dessert. It was a nice, quick family trip. As always, my parents ask how work is going, and I was able to regale them with so many great stories about what we have been able to do this year.

Thus, this weekend, I was reminded of all the incredible work we have accomplished and all the work yet to finish. When I arrived almost three years ago, we set ambitious goals for our district—1) 85% 4-year graduation rate, 2) 90% daily attendance rate, and 3) 11,500 enrollment. We had set a timeline for the 2025-2026 school year, or, as we like to say, 85 by 25, etc.

I have been thrilled with our progress on the graduation front. And this year, we increased our enrollment for the first time in decades. We have also made huge strides in attendance. When we set those district-wide goals, we were just getting back to school in person and had a 70% daily attendance rate in 2021-2022. Last year, 2022-2023, we raised it to 76%. It was a tremendous gain, but still well away from 90%. This year, we think we will break back above 80%, another indication of the great work of our staff, students, and families. However, as we dig deeply into the data around attendance, to get to 90%, we will have to really band together and focus as a community on getting all our students to school.

Even with the gas cards and CATA cards, we still know that transportation is an issue. This summer, we will try our best to get all our K-8 students routed according to the mode of school transport that fits them best. But we are going to have to do more to make it easier to increase attendance. In addition, we need the entire community to help push our students to attend school as many days as possible. So, I ask you all: what can we do together to move the needle?

We are going to try to make it easier to have families send all their students to the same school, thus making transportation easier. We are going to try to support families sending their students to the closest possible school to their homes, so that children can walk to school or at least travel less. We are going to try to work with Dean Transportation to help them get more bus drivers. We are thinking of everything we can, but we need your help.

This newsletter reaches thousands of people who care deeply about the Lansing School District. We know that the more we work together to solve our issues, the better it will be. So, this summer, we will be putting together an attendance taskforce, meeting a few times in July and August to ideate around ways we can go into next year with a clear focus on hitting that 90% attendance rate by 2025-2026. If anyone is interested in joining the "Attendance Taskforce," please don't hesitate to email me directly. I know that together, we will be able to increase the attendance rate for our district.

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

Julian is the Class of 2024 Valedictorian of Lansing Eastern High School. He is an International Baccalaureate Full Diploma Candidate with a 4.46 grade point average. While at Lansing Eastern, Julian participated in Varsity Swim, Boys Volleyball, theater, and the Asian American Club.

He has chosen to attend the University of Michigan. He has been awarded a full tuition scholarship through the Russell and Frances Schneider Endowment. His future career goal includes one that will make a long-lasting positive impact on the community, and he has a strong interest in education policy. Julain has had a strong and positive impact on the Quaker community. We are so proud of you!

Sexton High School celebrated outstanding performances in the CAAC White Championships, with multiple athletes securing back-to-back titles in their respective events.

Zionae White, a senior, displayed her dominance in the shot put by winning the championship with a throw of 35 feet 7.5 inches. This marks her second consecutive win in this event, having previously clinched the title in 2023.

Similarly, Marcus Glynn, also a senior, triumphed in the boys' shot put with an impressive throw of 49 feet 6.5 inches. Like Zionae, Marcus has maintained his top position for two consecutive years, earning the championship title in 2023 and 2024.

In the sprints, Tayvian Smith, a junior, excelled in the 100-meter dash. With a remarkable time of 11.02 seconds, Tayvian won the CAAC White Championship, securing his second consecutive title in this event.

Hurley Young, a senior, showcased his speed in the 200-meter dash, winning the championship with a time of 22.63 seconds. Hurley also claimed this title in 2023, marking his second consecutive victory in the event.

Freshman Cayla Bouyer made a spectacular debut. She won the CAAC White Championships in both the girls' 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash. Cayla set a new CAAC White Conference Meet record in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.4 seconds and triumphed in the 200-meter dash with a time of 26.26 seconds.

Sexton High School boasts four athletes who have achieved back-to-back CAAC White Championships in 2023 and 2024:

• Zionae White (Girls Shot Put)
• Marcus Glynn (Boys Shot Put)
• Tayvian Smith (Boys 100-Meter Dash)
• Hurley Young (Boys 200-Meter Dash)

These remarkable achievements not only showcase the dedication and talent of our track and field athletes but also set a high standard for future competitions, inspiring the entire Sexton High School community.

The Lansing School District survey window is open in May to gather feedback from families. Families will receive survey links via email and are encouraged to participate and provide honest responses. The district aims to use this input to improve school quality and better serve you. If you have any questions, please get in touch with the district at info@lansingschools.net.

Thanks to the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation and the Youth Service America (YSA) Grant, youth volunteers and AmeriCorps members were recently able to create four raised garden beds at Forest View Elementary! The next project on the agenda for this grant is a greenhouse at the Student Development Program at Don Johnson Fieldhouse. The greenhouse will accompany a new gardening and nutrition education initiative at the development center. Stay tuned — more details to come!

Make sure to fill out your transportation application as soon as you can — this ensures that you can get the transportation your child needs: whether it be a seat on the school bus, a gas card, or CATA card. At the jump, you will be able to get instructions for filling out the application and using gas cards as well as CATA maps.

Questions regarding transportation for the 2024-25 school year?

Call the Transportation Assistance Team at (517)755-3017.

May 27 — No School | Memorial Day

May 29 — Parent Community Advisory Council Meeting | 6:00 p.m. | 4200 Wainwright Ave.

June 5 — Half Day High Schools

June 6 — Half Day High Schools

June 6 —Board Meeting | 6:00 p.m. | 519 W. Kalamazoo St.

June 7 — Last Day | Half Day for All Schools

June 8 — Graduation

June 13 — Board Meeting - Information Study Session | 6:00 p.m. | 519 W. Kalamazoo St.

June 19 — District Closed | Juneteenth

June 20 — Board Meeting | 6:00 p.m. | 519 W. Kalamazoo St.

Did you know that you can subscribe to our calendars?

Visit www.lansingschools.net/district/calendars, select the school(s) whose calendar you would like to subscribe to, and tap the tiny calendar at the top right. For more detailed instructions, click here.