Kalamazoo Public Schools NOVEMBER 2019 www.kalamazoopublicschools.com VOLUME 22, ISSUE 10 Like us on KPS Alumni Helping Teachers of Color Prepare for the Classroom Hailey Timmerman said she knows that William Wright is an education major at Western having a teacher of color always inspired her Michigan University, but here he is pictured as a high school senior when he worked in Woods Lake second to do better in school. grade teacher Marlean Wilson-Bridges’ classroom as “When I was little, I didn’t think about part of Education For Employment. Wilson-Bridges IMPORTANT DATES the importance of having a teacher of color, was Wright’s fourth-grade teacher and inspired him but I do remember feeling some connection to become a teacher. with Mrs. Bolton, like if my hair was messed Board of Education Meetings up, she knew how to fix it,” Timmerman Timmerman and William Wright, both Thursday, Nov. 7 & 21, 2019 said of her kindergarten teacher, who was 2017 Loy Norrix graduates, and Sarah Gi- 7 p.m. African-American. ramia, a 2015 Norrix graduate, are three of Administration Building Having a teacher of color “makes me the founding members and officers for Fu- 1220 Howard St. want to learn more,” she said. “It makes my ture Teachers of Color, whose mission is “to participation and attendance go up, because bring together future educators of color at Board Advance Meeting I feel I’m heard and I feel someone actually WMU with a focus on various topics related Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019 understands me as more than just the aca- to career preparation, academic success, 6:15 p.m. demic part of the classroom.” mentorship, community service outreach, Media Center Now, she and some fellow Kalamazoo and networking skills.” West Main Professional Public Schools alumni are working to help All of the students are part of the Future Development Center support developing teachers with Future Educator Program scholarship at WMU. The 1627 W. Main St. Teachers of Color, a new student group at group is advised by Marcy Peake, director of For more information, call Western Michigan University. (continued on page 3) (269) 337-1572 KPS Search Collecting Public Input, Survey Open Until Nov. 8 PreK-12 — No School Kalamazoo Public Schools has launched input meetings that were held throughout Nov. 1 an extensive campaign to solicit public in- the district in October. The information will put on the qualities the community wants be shared with the KPS Board of Education Elementary Conferences in the district’s next superintendent. to help board members develop the selec- Nov. 4-7 Former KPS Superintendent Dr. Mi- tion criteria for the next superintendent. chael Rice was named Michigan’s Super- The district hopes to hear from students Grades K-5 — Half Day intendent of Public Instruction in May. and their families; KPS alumni; district Nov. 7-8 KPS Deputy Superintendent Gary Start is employees; service providers in public, serving as the Interim Superintendent for private, and nonprofit sectors; employers; Grades 9-12 — Half Day KPS during the search process. In August, advocates; residents; and other interested Nov. 22 and 25 the Board of Education selected the Michi- stakeholders. gan Association of School Boards Executive KzooSuptSearch. The tentative timeline for the search in- Grades 6-12 — No School Search Services to help with its search for a The survey is being administered by cludes posting the job description by the end Nov. 26 new superintendent. the MASB Executive Search team on behalf of the month. The job posting would close in Community members are invited to of KPS and takes about 10 minutes to com- early January, with interviews scheduled in Thanksgiving Break participate in a confidential online sur- plete. Survey results will be combined with the spring. The board hopes to make a selec- No School vey available through Nov. 8 at: bit.ly/ input received from a series of community tion by the beginning of April. Nov. 27-29 RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER RESIDENTIAL Permit 709 Permit **ECRWSS** Kalamazoo, MI Kalamazoo, INSIDE Kalamazoo Public Schools is Hiring. PAID Find information at http:// Postage US Organization www.kalamazoopublicschools.com/ 49008 MI Kalamazoo, St., Howard 1220 Schools, Public Kalamazoo Full Calendar NonProfit Departments/HumanResources/ see page 14 EmploymentOpportunities Student Services Expanding to Provide the Social-Emotional Tools Children Need to Learn Long gone are the days in 95 percent of supporting school staff as they find the school and community which schools were respon- principals re- implement strategies that resources they need to be sible for just the mastery of ba- ported hav- create a positive school climate “The needs of successful in KPS. sic reading, writing and math ing students and support academic and According to the website skills. experiencing behavioral expectations. our students for the Learning Policy Institute, The needs of our students personal or This year Shannon Parlato, millions of children every are greater than ever, and family crisis. who has worked for the school are greater year are affected by adversity, schools — more than ever — are Schools, ac- district for 16 years as an ranging from violence to food Gary Start, Interim than ever …” insecurity. These adverse life looked to as a key resource for cordingly, Superintendent elementary school educator and all of the challenges and trau- have incorpo- teacher mentor, was hired as a conditions can result in stress, mas facing children and their rated social-emotional learning Tier 2/3 Interventionist. When The third Student Services attention deficits and behavior families. into their curriculum programs one looks at the interventions position added to the district issues. According to 2016 Scholas- to help students learn to man- a school can offer students, was that of restorative re- That reality requires schools tic survey of almost 5,000 pub- age their emotions, set goals, the Tier 1 basic interventions entry coach. Katelyn Root to infuse their teaching with lic school educators, a majority and learn how to make good de- address the needs of about 80 to brings a background in juvenile social and emotional learning of principals reported that their cisions. 90 percent of the children in the and social justice, youth and supports that help children students: Kalamazoo Public Schools district. programming, mindfulness in learn to deal with trauma, l Experienced family or per- was very lucky over the last Tier 2 and Tier 3 interven- schools, mental health, and manage stress, and to express sonal crisis two years to add three new tions are needed for about 10 to family therapy to this role. their frustrations and fears in l Needed mental health ser- positions to facilitate a multi- 15 percent of the children. The She is examining barriers that positive and productive ways. vices pronged system of supports in goal of Parlato’s position is to keep students and families We know that it is important l Lived in poverty our schools. help schools develop support from having a strong, positive for students to learn to read and l Came to school hungry Heather Misner has worked plans to help students succeed. attendance record. write and calculate. In today's l Required health care ser- for KPS for 20 years as a teacher, Parlato works not just with sup- These staff members join an world, it is also essential that we vices administrator and instructional ports in the school, but she can expanded team of four clinical provide our schools, students l Were homeless coach. But, two years ago she help create an integrated service social workers who have been and families with the socio- l Needed support as an Eng- took on the role of climate and plan for the student that involves added over the past two years. emotional support they need, lish language learner. culture coach for the district. the parents, school and commu- They, too, are focused onso our children are prepared to According to Scholastic, Her position is focused on nity resources. helping students and families tackle those academic challenges. THINK DEEPLY. ACT JUSTLY. When you join the innovators of Calvin University, you won’t just LIVE WHOLEHEARTEDLY. get an education—you’ll pursue AS CHRIST’S AGENTS OF RENEWAL IN THE WORLD. a deeper purpose. Devote your gifts to God, and transform your part of the world. Calvin University joyfully participates in the Kalamazoo Promise. calvin.edu/go/kps 2 EXCELSIOR November 2019 www.kalamazoopublicschools.com KPS Alumni Helping Teachers of Color Prepare for the Classroom (continued from page 1) diversity and community out- can go into,” he said. “Just hav- ers — all teachers, not just teach- reach initiatives in the College of ing one of two teachers of color, ers of color — is changing. Education and Human Develop- could have a huge impact on the Timmerman became in- ment. students that see us in the class- terested in teaching after a high The Harvard Graduate room.” school job teaching students School of Education magazine Being in the classroom about drug and violence pre- says that according to the U.S. means not just that he is in front vention with Prevention Works. Department of Education, about of them as a visual role model, but There she learned to love working 50 percent of the public school that he has a chance to be a strong with students. student population is nonwhite, voice for academic excellence. “I hadn’t thought about ed- while 80 percent of public school “A lot of students I’ve ucation as a career before,” she teachers are white. worked with have seen me before said. “People say the pay is bad. While there has been some in high school sports, but they You’re disrespected.