TROY School District Volume 4, Issue 1 NEWS FROM THE 2021 TSD GRADUATES!! SUPERINTENDENT Cortultios If anyone had tried to predict the challenges schools would face over the past year, no one would have believed it. A pandemic, shutdowns, cases spiking, then dropping, only to spike again. Mandates from the state, changing CDC and local guidance, teachers reimagining the way they engage with students— Dr. Richard Machesky only to reinvent it again as conditions and needs shifted. It would be easy to focus on what we couldn’t do this year. But I would rather focus on the incredible On a glorious June day at the outdoor DTE Energy Music Theatre, 1,000+ TSD seniors from all things we DID do—and what we can take away as we four Troy high schools received their diplomas in four separate graduation ceremonies. enter a much more “normal” environment in the fall. Congrats, class of 2021! You did it! See inside for stories and more photos. As you’ll read in this issue, there were many successes in the TSD this year. Elementary GOING THE EXTRA MILE TO CELEBRATE OUR 8TH GRADERS! students made gains in literacy. Middle and high Our administrators and teachers went the school students won state and national awards. extra mile to ensure that our soon-to-be freshmen High school student athletes were able to compete. wrapped up their middle school experience in style. Student musicians and performers found creative Staff from all four middle schools visited students’ ways to use the Arts to bring people together. We homes to deliver congratulatory yard signs, were able to celebrate the Class of 2021, with a WELL-BEING fantastic in-person graduation. surprising students and their families, who were moved by We never accepted that things couldn’t be this personal touch. done. We saw problems and developed solutions. We created L.I.V.E. and WIFI access centers. We Middle school ensured that no TSD student was left behind during graduates and their quarantines or shutdowns. We provided voluntary TO ATTEND families were also treated vaccine opportunities for staff and students. We fed to a “8th Grade Parade” thousands of children and families—and provided where staff celebrated their critical assistance on everything from internet access to basic needs to mental health. accomplishments and wished them well in their new adventures. Did we get everything right? No. There are certainly things we would have changed. But through it all, our focus on our students and the health and safety of all never wavered. ELEMENTARY STUDENTS SUCCEED DESPITE UNUSUAL YEAR When our youngest elementary students returned consistency of high-quality instruction and the District’s I’m proud of what we accomplished this year— to school this fall, teachers knew there would be gaps emphasis on literacy, regardless of whether we could and that we did it together, in true ONE Troy fashion. Our staff demonstrated extraordinary exibility in their learning. After all, when the state abruptly shut meet in person or over zoom. and our students showed incredible resiliency. We down schools last March, our Kindergarten and The results speak for themselves. Eighty pushed one another to think differently and never First Grade students were just hitting percent of students who were identi ed as said never. And because of that, we succeeded. their strides in reading and writing. reading below grade level in September have But thanks to the incredible work advanced so far that they are indistinguishable All of these things we will carry with us—and make us stronger, better educators, students and of our classroom teachers and reading from their peers in any other “typical” year. For members of this community. specialists, students are back on track. those who are still progressing, our teams are It is an amazing feat, given the obstacles providing multiple supports to ensure that the Have a fantastic summer, ONE Troy— schools have faced with quarantines “pandemic year” doesn’t have a lasting impact the best is yet to come! and learning disruptions as coronavirus on student success. Dr. Richard Machesky cases ebbed and owed. The key, for TSD students are thriving despite the Superintendent our lower elementary students, was the challenges of a challenging year! Troy School District 2 — Troy School District, June 2021 www.troy.k12.mi.us SCHOOL BOARD CORNER What an incredible 15 efforts worked, with infection rates dramatically Learning Center, replacing the disintegrating months since COVID-19 lower than our surrounding community, with no Niles Center. The TLC has allowed us to expand forced us to re-think signi cant spread in buildings. Walking school community programs and shift our Troy College how we deliver a quality hallways, I was surprised by how “normal” things and Career High School students to a state-of- education. Yes, it’s been felt for the kids. They were happy, learning, and the-art educational facility with rst-in-district extremely rough for our engaged. In spite of visible safety protocols, opportunities. Niles has been removed and the administration, teachers, classrooms looked welcoming as teachers lot rehabilitated, providing new space where our support staff, parents, and adeptly served both in-seat and remotely- preschoolers can run and play. students—but working engaged students. Our Employee Services and Business Karl Schmidt, President together allowed us to meet Services Teams recently secured new long-range Board of Education phenomenal challenges. contracts with every employee group, freeing us Let’s take a moment from labor negotiations for the next 3 years—a to celebrate some of the District’s notable situation we haven’t achieved in more than 10 accomplishments during this crisis. years. Now everyone can focus together on Thanks to a collaborative effort with the Troy providing a world-class educational experience Educational Association, Troy developed and for our kids. executed one of the few hybrid teaching systems None of this happens by accident—it is in the state allowing real time learning for both the result of many people keeping their heads remote and in-seat students. Beyond preserving clear in a crisis and working committedly for our a sense of common community between our children. As I speak with counterparts in other “roomies” and “Zoomies,” it allowed us to Michigan districts, I am struck by how exemplary quickly pivot to 100% remote teaching if a class our District team’s performance has been. The required a short quarantine. For its entire second year, our new Preschool Board of Education is sincerely grateful and we Our state-approved Return 2 Learn Plan safely executed in-seat learning for all students. want our entire community to know just how kept our staff and students safe. Our mitigation Last September we opened our new Troy good you are. Three TSD Schools Named Schools of Character BAKER STUDENTS Three Troy School District schools Cottone, “We strive to empower students to learn REIMAGINE FOOD DRIVE were named Schools of Character about and take action in the world through our Each year, as part of Baker Middle for 2021 by Character.org, a national CULTURE traits while fostering positivity amongst School’s social studies unit on food advocate and leader for character. Athens our community. Our staff has spent the past insecurity, students host a huge food drive to High School, Bemis Elementary, and Troy several years documenting and re ecting on how WELL-BEING bene t the District’s “Bridge the Gap” food Union Elementary achieved State School we have implemented the standards articulated pantry. Students start collecting food the of Character, and Bemis and Troy Union in Principles Framework for Schools. None of summer before and compete to be “Super WELL-BEING were also named National Schools our successes happen without a beyond Donors.” However, this year’s food drive, of Character. amazing staff, supportive parents and like so many other things, had to change due Athens’ Principal Lara hardworking kids.” to COVID. Baker students decided to hold ATTEND TO ATTEND Dixon acknowledged key staff “The Character Education a ONE Troy food drive at Morse Elementary in her building who went above process has been such a meaningful where folks could drive up, pop their trunks, ATTEND TO ATTEND and beyond: “I am proud of experience,” said Bemis’ Principal and students could unload, sort, and store all the all of us on this school-wide Jeremey Whan. “We are excited food at once. Baker students felt so strongly about effort and am especially grateful because our students are bene ting and making this re-imagined food drive successful that for Jessica Blake, Eric Flessa, and Asst. understanding how they can help to make they invited the community and other schools in Principal Dan Mills, as they have helped lead our world a ‘little bit’ better each day by being the District to help, and together they collected this work. It has been gratifying to watch our purposeful people who care about others.” enough food to ll the pantry--and feed families for commitment to character grow throughout the Superintendent Dr. Rich Machesky praised the entire school year. years.” the staff at each school, especially for their strong Each year, Character.org certi es schools leadership during the challenging environment and districts at the state level that demonstrate of COVID-19. “Congratulations on being named a dedicated focus on character development and Schools of Character. I know you and your teams have a positive effect on academic achievement,