October 2022

When I say we have a lot going on at the school, that might in fact be an understatement. In thinking of topics for this month’s superintendent’s corner I couldn’t pick just one thing to write about. Instead, I went in the opposite direction. I’ve decided to highlight as many things as I could think of so that you can get a sense of just how much we have to offer at our humble little school. This list is not really in any particular order.

Archery
The first thing that comes to mind is archery because it’s the most recent activity that we offered. It was an easy thing to get up and running since we used to offer archery in the past and all the equipment is still in pretty good shape. So far we’ve only had one session but hope to offer more in the future.

Cross country skiing and snowshoeing
This is another program that is easy to run since all the equipment is up for grabs. We’ve increased our stock of skis and will even “rent” to anyone who wants to borrow our gear. Just come see us at the school once the snow starts flying!

Hunter Safety
Back by request, we’re offering hunter safety at the end of November. Responsible hunter education is a core component of understanding Michigan’s hunting laws and regulations. We want our kids to be able to enjoy all aspects of the wonderful natural resources we are surrounded by and to do so safely.

Safety and Security
School safety is at the forefront of every administrator’s mind. We are doing everything in our power to keep our students happy, healthy, and safe. This means working with professionals in the field to enhance our security while at the same time applying for grants that provide us with the resources we need to operate safely. Additionally, we complete all of our safety and security drills to the best of our ability and will never stop looking for ways to help improve upon what we already do.

Field Trips
Our students go on a multitude of field trips throughout the year. Some might argue that we travel too much but I argue that we don’t travel enough. Experiential learning and getting outside of “your bubble” is vital to understanding the world around you. We hope that our trips are not only fun and enjoyable but are also informative and inspiring.

Botvins Life Skills
Along with our TRAILS to wellness SEL work, we are now offering programming to help students with decision making as it relates to their everyday lives. Botvins is a data-driven program taught by licensed professionals from the local health office. We are very happy to be offering this opportunity for our upper elementary and middle school students.

Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS)
BBBS is a nationally recognized organization that pairs older students with younger students in a mutually beneficial partnership that is intended to strengthen leadership skills while offering mentoring opportunities. We have ten students currently completing BBBS work (five bigs and five littles).

Salmon in the Classroom
This DNR run program is a way to enhance the science curriculum at school. We were given an aquarium that will house our salmon eggs and our students will be responsible for raising the salmon into fry before releasing them into the local waters in the spring. Hands on learning at its finest.

Internships
Once our students enter their junior year they are eligible to apply for an internship at a local business. These office campus opportunities are beneficial on many levels. They allow students to take ownership of their own learning, provide a sense of responsibility, and help them gain real life experience.

Small engine class
We’ve revived the old shop at the school (at least somewhat) and are now offering a small engine repair class. We were gifted 10 Briggs and Straton engines and almost $2,000 worth of tools. This was enough to get going and we now have our junior/senior class wrenching away under a new set of LED lights.

Athletics
Kudos to our student athletes, especially the girls for playing multiple sports in a single day. We are not only offering soccer in the fall but also offer girls volleyball too. Basketball is on the horizon which will go through the winter and then when the snow melts it’ll be golf season soon enough. Our athletics programming is definitely back in a big way.

Esports
New this year is our Esports offering. Students can learn valuable skills like teamwork, communication, and resilience while participating in video game competitions. The Michigan Department of Education is absolutely moving in the direction of creating a state-wide Esports league and we want to be at the forefront. Esports athletes follow the same athletics code of conduct as our soccer, volleyball, basketball, and volleyball athletes.

School Forest
Our disc golf course has been the highlight of our school forest work this year. Students are afforded the opportunity to get outside and enjoy the fresh air while competing with one another at Superior Pines. Keep an eye out for a work crew day that will take place in the spring to help prepare the course for what will likely be a tournament in August.

Teacher Professional Development (PD)
The best schools have the best teachers and our school has some pretty awesome teachers. In order for them to improve even further, we offer professional development both in-house and outside of Grand Marais. Teachers are provided a PD stipend and are encouraged to seek out professional development opportunities they want to take advantage of.

Classroom work
It is truly incredible the number of things that our teachers offer to our students right in the classroom. The elementary school is often visited by professionals in one field or another who take time out of their day to work with our kids. The middle and high school are also quite actively engaged in all things learning and it is not uncommon for you to see our students moving about in their work.

Daily walks
You may have noticed our elementary school (and to a lesser extent our middle and high school) taking walks throughout town just after lunch time. We feel this is a great way for our students to work off that energy and help focus for the afternoon. It’s also great physical exercise and helps them work on how to act in public. If you see them around, don’t hesitate to wave!

This list is not exhaustive and I’m sure I’m forgetting a whole bunch of things but it’s only October and these are the things that came to mind now that we’re a quarter of the way through the school year. Maybe for my April post I’ll revisit this list and add the things I missed when they come to me from now until then. Our school is unique in that it’s so small so there’s a lot we cannot offer to be sure. But, you have to play the cards you’re dealt and I feel like we’re winning every day with what we do offer.