Invest in success

As a member of the Board of Education I believe that it is required for us to responsibly invest in success. Education is constantly evolving and it is not enough to simply rest on the success of the past. The pandemic created challenges for all districts, and I believe that in Grand Haven we are suited to not just get back to normal but to reach new heights as a district and a community.

Several years ago the community supported GHAPS with implementing 1:1 Technology with the passing of a needed bond. At the start of the pandemic, as many districts were desperately trying to acquire devices, GHAPS was already well positioned with a device for every student. Continuing to invest in our technology as well as platforms that best make use of existing technology will ensure that our students and staff are equipped for years to come.

Over this past year, a number of incidents have once again brought student safety back to the forefront. We must continue to invest in systems, training, and infrastructure that will aid in keeping our students safe. In my work with the OAISD I was able to participate with the Ottawa County Sheriff Tactical Team’s drills active shooter drills in a neighboring district. This gave me a unique vantage point of the challenges faced in responding to a situation in a school environment. Further, my work with the Ottawa Area Secure Schools Network allowed me to study the large topic of school safety on a building, district, and community level. This forced me to remember that student safety pertains to both the catastrophic events and the more mundane everyday occurrences. I’ve spoken to teachers and staff who were present at horrific events in other states and discussed not just those days but the months of dealing with the aftermath.

Aging buildings and shifting population requires us to look at how to best manage our current building and infrastructure needs. “The New High School” is the newest building in the district and yet is about old enough to celebrate it’s 25th anniversary. The majority of our elementary schools were built in the 1950s and 1960s when education and our community looked very different. Lakeshore Middle School (“The Old High School”) was also built in the 1950s and has numerous issues that are in need of being addressed in one way or another. Many of these buildings were not built to efficiently support modern education and require refurbishments or even more in order serve as safe places of learning for our students.

Effectively supporting our students requires community support. Partnering with the community and school administration is the only way that we provide the best education possible while ensuring sustainable finances in an ever changing environment.