On April 17th, Concord Schools showcased its motto, “small school, big opportunity,” through the innovative programs it has developed. Students and staff had the honor of welcoming former governor Rick Snyder, State Representatives Kathy Schmaltz and Steve Frisbie, as well as members of Adrian Public Schools, to observe these opportunities in action.
Though Rick Snyder is not in politics anymore, he still tries to do his part in Michigan education. According to bridgemi.com, Snyder speaks on problems in school systems and tries to find the best solution for how to improve them.
He has recently been working on a statewide plan that could change how schools operate their system and help students to do better. The purpose of this visit was to see how a small school takes a unique approach to learning. The main focuses were the team teaching model, multimedia, robotics, art, entrepreneurship, and industrial arts. Guided by high school students, the officials were allowed to see these programs firsthand and ask questions along the tour.
Each room showed the visitors what students do regularly and how it helps them learn in creative ways. Their visit concluded with a panel that included four high school students, two high school teachers, two second graders, and a fourth-grade teacher. Allowing anyone to ask questions, the panel was able to provide additional information to our visitors as to the opinions of both teachers and students about the educational process.
Eighth grader Ayla Blossom was one of the entrepreneurial students who showcased her work. As the guests viewed the goods each student made, they were surprised by the support for their business and purchasing items. Blossom shared, “They bought some of my Michigan coasters. I did not feel like they were going to, and I was amazed.” It made her realize that just because her business is small, it does not mean that people won’t support her.
Audrey Pyle, a phenomenal freshman, was asked to be a part of the panel at the end of the tour, Pyle shares, “I like that we could talk to them, about what we did like and don’t like about our school, and what they can do better in their schools, and show the creativity of what our school brings to the table, and hopefully we can help some people out in the future.”
Principal Jill Snyder explained that this visit was among six others to schools using innovative ways to teach students. The objective was to see if this approach was actually helping the students, which by the end of the visit was made clear it was. Snyder shares, “It was an honor to welcome state representatives and a former governor to a school district that continues to prioritize innovation and student success. Visits like this are rare, and they provided a valuable opportunity to highlight the meaningful learning experiences taking place across all grade levels. Observing these interactions was a point of pride, as students and educators confidently shared their work, reflecting both their achievements and the learning process behind them.”
This information will possibly help with the legislative efforts to get two bills passed this spring that allow innovation districts in the state of Michigan. This encourages those schools that are excited to change the opportunity to do so. It is not a requirement, but rather a way to keep accountability standards while allowing much more flexibility. This creates more freedom in the classroom and helps students who may not learn in traditional ways gain the knowledge they need.
Colton Gray, a junior, helped guide the guests throughout the visit. Gray shares, “It’s incredibly valuable to have public policy makers visit our school and observe our learning firsthand, because the decisions they make in Lansing directly impact our education along with students across the state.”
At first, Concord may seem like an unexpected choice for a visit, but when given the chance to truly look into each program, it becomes evident why it was chosen. Former Governor Snyder explained his reasoning behind visiting: “I had heard you were doing some very innovative things. That you are doing the future of learning, not just the past, and it’s exciting to see. And I’m even more excited that I got to hear from real students.”
Concord proves that the size of a school does not define the incredible things that it can do. The future of education at Concord and in Michigan continues to grow. As Snyder says, “Take the handcuffs off, go innovate.”
