End of School Year Preview | A2Schools Podcast | Week of May 15, 2023

In this week's podcast, Andrew Cluley talks with Superintendent Jeanice Swift.

We talk about what's going on across the Ann Arbor Public Schools in the last few weeks of the 2023-24 school year. This includes a few more stops on the Listen and Learn Tour and the last week to participate in the ThoughtExchange, upcoming music events including Picnic Pops, the AAPS STEAM and CTE Expo, graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2023, and the end of the school year.

In AAPS good news we celebrate a pair of Skyline students receiving recognition from C-SPAN for their video on how the state of Michigan has addressed gerrymandering.

Transcript

:05

Andrew Cluley

Welcome to the A2 Schools Podcast. I'm your host, Andrew Cluley, the Director of Communications here at the Ann Arbor Public Schools. This week. My guest is our superintendent. Dr. Swift, thanks for being here.

:14

Jeanice Swift

Good afternoon, Andrew.

:16

Andrew Cluley

And we're here to just sort of look at sort of a preview of some of the coming attractions as we're coming down to basically the last month of school, a little bit less, actually.

:27

Jeanice Swift

You know, we just crossed mid-May and I can't imagine how that happened because it seems like just yesterday, Andrew, we were welcoming our students for the beginning of the school year, and yet that's how it worked. So, crossing this threshold, we really get to where we're looking to end of the year, summer and fall. It's just a natural kind of high point in the school year.

:54

Andrew Cluley

It is amazing how the school year, while you're in the midst of it, can sometimes feel, I know for students in particular, like it's dragging on forever. But on the other hand, there's the alternative sense of it just went by in a snap.

1:08

Jeanice Swift

Absolutely and especially as busy as our students are, every day, every night, many, many activities. I think the time moves very, very quickly.

1:22

Andrew Cluley

That is true. And when we talk about in the evening, as you mentioned, we have been you were, I would say, and have been out on a tour over the last several weeks as part of our listening tour, Listen and Learn Tour and our getting some community engagement. How has how has that been going?

1:41

Jeanice Swift

You know, Andrew, it's been so wonderful to be out in the community. We've been in all areas of this greater Ann Arbor Public Schools attendance area in being out, in being a roundtable with students, with parents, with staff members. It has truly been meaningful to hear directly from those who live and work and bring their children to the Ann Arbor Public Schools each day.

2:13

Jeanice Swift

You know, I continue to be so impressed with the community that makes time to come together and talk about our public schools and how we will work together to educate our children. It's just truly a specialty.

2:32

Andrew Cluley

And we're. What kind of themes are we seeing? Are they in line with sort of the areas that we've been hearing over the last several years? Or are there some newer issues that are rising to the forefront?

2:46

Jeanice Swift

You know, we continue you do hear those themes that emerged during this three-years of challenge since the COVID pandemic began. Those themes around learning growth and achievement, academic learning, around student well-being, around high-quality staff, particularly during this time, and then also around safety and security. We're hearing all of those familiar themes, but really hearing some nuance that will inform our strategic planning process moving forward.

3:28

Jeanice Swift

We're hearing nuance around kind of I call it a back to the future kind of theme as we want to see our children really maybe not being on their devices some parts of the school day, we want to feel inspired by our school activities, really, that desire that most schools have been able to reinstate or to open up new activities maybe to 90, 95% of the before times.

4:02

Jeanice Swift

But really hearing from lots of parents who would like to meet other parents and make those connections and add back more, even more community school to community activities. So, I think there really is this kind of leveling up to celebrate what is the best in our Ann Arbor community. And we know that is about commitment to children. It is about connection to each other.

4:34

Jeanice Swift

It's about celebrating diversity and including, you know, everybody in, nobody out kind of approach. So, I have to tell you, Andrew, I've been inspired by every single individual who's attended. And I want to give a shout out to our government teachers over at Huron, Mr. White. And I think it's White and Long. And then there's a third teacher, forgive me.

5:06

Jeanice Swift

Who, they’re students are coming and we've had Skyline students and Pioneer students. And that really makes the conversation so much richer as well.

5:17

Andrew Cluley

And it’s so amazing because it's always it can be a challenge to get students who have, you know, a very unique and very important view on the schools, getting them to participate. So, it's great that they've been out there. And can we talk a little bit about what we're going to be doing with this information and also the information that we're collecting through the ThoughtExchange.

5:38

Jeanice Swift

So, we'll be going through the end of this month of May, a little bit more work to collect input and feedback. And part of that, Andrew, is doing those dedicated student events around in our schools. So, we'll do some more of those. And then by the end of the month, we'll be ready to move into that graduation season.

6:03

Jeanice Swift

And in those events. So, we'll be back into this work mid-June, say through mid-July, working with some graduate students to really analyze all of that raw data. We have, I think, millions of words. I want to say a bajillion, but I know the math teachers will call me on that. We have millions of words of response data, and we want to be sure that gets properly themed with the major themes, the minor themes, those, kind of low hanging fruit steps that we can take together.

6:46

Jeanice Swift

It's really important after a listen and learn that our community sees that full report and then some immediate action steps and then some planning for more medium- and long-term improvements. We're really excited about that process.

7:06

Andrew Cluley

All right. And there is still a chance to participate. We still have three meetings coming up in person and they are on Friday, May 19th. So hopefully you've got you heard this podcast right when it got released and you'll have a chance to participate on that one. It's at between 11:30 and 12:30, a Bring your Own Brown Bag Lunch at Veterans Memorial Park's meeting room.

7:30

Andrew Cluley

And then on Monday, May 22nd, between 6:00 and 7:30 p.m., there's going to be at the AAPS STEAM and CTE Expo at Skyline High School. We'll be talking a little bit more about that expo a little bit later on in the podcast.

7:45

Jeanice Swift

That's great.

7:46

Andrew Cluley

And then we have one on Tuesday, May 23rd from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Pittsfield Branch of the Ann Arbor District Library. So, there's still a chance to come out if you haven't participated, to share your thoughts. And then we also have, through May 26th, the online ThoughtExchange is an opportunity to leave your thoughts that way and also review and rate the thoughts that other community members have shared.

8:14

Andrew Cluley

We've gotten a lot of thoughts via the ThoughtExchange. Thank you to everyone who has participated both ways, but we're still very much encouraging everyone to get out, participate in this, either in-person or online.

8:29

Jeanice Swift

I'm really excited, Andrew. This Listen and Learn 2023 is really about turning the page, being back together in person, connected, and really thinking about our next steps as we plan the future of the Ann Arbor Public Schools. And we know that planning has to occur together in that kind of two-way conversation so that we ensure that we're moving forward as a community.

8:58

Andrew Cluley

And one more time you can go online to A2Schools.org/ListenLearn and that's where you can find a link to the ThoughtExchange if you haven't found it in your email. And also, you can get all the dates and of when these upcoming meetings are.

9:16

Jeanice Swift

That's wonderful.

9:17

Andrew Cluley

So, as we talk about upcoming events, we also have to be talking about Picnic Pops is this weekend. And while we are highlighting Picnic Pops, there are a plethora of musical events going on across the Ann Arbor Public Schools, the middle schools and high schools in the next several weeks.

9:39

Jeanice Swift

You know, I always say at times of the year like this, no one should ever be lonely or isolated in Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Public schools, there are at least three concerts every night this week, and I wish there were time to see and hear all of those amazing events. But you're right, we just have something every night.

10:04

Jeanice Swift

I wanted to share also that it was such a delight to be out on Saturday. Just looking back for a second, at our Washtenaw Elementary Science Olympiad, just the largest event of its kind in the country and schools from all over Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Public Schools, and private and parochial schools were represented and surrounding districts. And just seeing those students in second grade through fifth grade celebrating science, and they had a great time.

10:40

Jeanice Swift

We were over at Huron High School. The team was from early in the morning till late in the evening. It was great to get to be over there.

10:48

Andrew Cluley

And that was the 20th anniversary of the event. So, it's pretty amazing to see, you know, just how strong that is and just how many kids participate. As you said, from Ann Arbor, our AAPS students, but other students in Ann Arbor and also across the county.

11:07

Jeanice Swift

Exactly. And just giving a shout out to every one of those parents, you know, that Science Olympiad is parent driven. It is volunteer driven. The parents who founded it 20 years ago really wanted that emphasis and enrichment around science. And it has grown, as we've noted, to be among the best anywhere.

11:34

Andrew Cluley

So, we're talking about the science. And we already had mentioned the various music, the arts and that of course, that comes together as STEAM in the Ann Arbor Public Schools. And so, coming up on Monday, May 22nd at Skyline High School is our CTE, the Career Tech Education, and STEAM Expo. And it's always an interesting time because you get to see kids of pretty much from the youngest through high school, doing hands on learning and sort of showing off their, what they've learned.

12:08

Jeanice Swift

I just love going to that event and I love seeing how older students and younger students engage around the STEAM, learning together. And of course, our Project Lead the Way team and all of our STEAM team, not just at Ann Arbor Steam, but at all 32 of our locations. The STEAM learning is amazing. You know, Andrew, just last week, it's one of the spring lessons,

12:37

Jeanice Swift

our kindergartners were designing ways to protect the Three Little Pigs from the wolf. And I always love that lesson. And I was delighted to see one young female kinder, a little girl who had Andrew, the most formidable looking house for her pigs. It had a lot of spiked wooden picks around it, and I think that Wolf was going to be in trouble if he tried to come after her Three Little Pigs. So I love it.

13:12

Andrew Cluley

And the really exciting thing is I believe at the CTE - STEAM expo, there's even going to be a booth where parents are going to be given the opportunity to try and create their own structure to defeat not the wolf but the big bad fan.

13:31

Jeanice Swift

I love it, I didn’t know.

13:32

Andrew Cluley

Is going to blow it down. So that is a just a fun little thing to be looking out for.

13:38

Jeanice Swift

A lot of hands on, learning, a lot of connection, a lot of community. I can't wait till Monday night. Yeah.

13:45

Andrew Cluley

So, we talk about that and pretty much next week and then the following week graduations start taking place. Yes, the culmination of a student's time in the Ann Arbor Public Schools. We've got five graduations and they're coming up pretty quickly.

14:04

Jeanice Swift

And, you know, Andrew, it is the promise we make, you know, when we begin with students as young as two years of age in our district and have families who partner with us for a 13, 14 years and then to see this class graduate, the class of 2023 and cross that stage and receive their diploma. It is the seminal moment in really the critical mission that we fulfill.

14:38

Dr. Jeanice K. Swift

And I just can't wait. It's about 1250 graduates at six graduation events. They are more spread out. So, we begin on May 26th and we go for a couple of weeks there with ten days or so with graduations sprinkled all the way through. So pretty exciting. Actually, May 24th is WIHi Yeah. Yeah.

15:10

Andrew Cluley

The big dates are if you know, a Washtenaw International High School student, celebrate them on May 24th. Pioneer High School is on Friday, May 26th. Then on May 31st, that's a Wednesday, it’s Huron's day to shine, their grads. Pathway celebrates on Thursday, June 1st. And then we have Community on June 2nd. And Skyline, they always get to somehow get that last graduation, they make their students wait just a little bit longer and then they graduate on June 5th.

15:43

Jeanice Swift

I love it. Andrew, thank you for running through that list. And Skyline’s is a very kind of majestic with their banners and the Eagle. It's a great way to wrap the season and yet always delighted with each. It's just beautiful how each individual high school graduation really uniquely represents the school culture and the personalities of the students there.

16:13

Jeanice Swift

You know, Huron with the Huron River rat ears on the first student and the Huron River Rat tail on the last student, with Pioneer and that sea of purple with Pathways and with Community. Every single ceremony is a very special celebration and I can't wait.

16:40

Andrew Cluley

And then after graduation ceremonies, we only have a few more days so that there will be the promotion ceremonies as middle schoolers get ready to fill those seats the high schoolers that just graduated have left. And then on June 9th, last day of school.

16:58

Jeanice Swift

Yes, I can't believe it in yet there's such excitement this time of year as students. You know, I was with fifth graders on Saturday and I asked them about their level of readiness for middle school. And I have to tell you, they cheered. They were so excited to go to middle school. So, I think really, as parents and as adults, we may, you know, have some concerns here and there.

17:23

Jeanice Swift

But our students are ready. They're excited. There are already thinking, especially since transition day, a couple of weeks ago, they're already thinking about that next grade or that next transition level.

17:40

Andrew Cluley

So, there's a lot of exciting things between now and June 9th. But as you said, we're already then looking ahead to the summer and next year, next fall.

17:49

Jeanice Swift

We are and you know, our summer programs in summer enrichment camps are second to none. So, folks can find that right on our website. Just Google summer, Ann Arbor Public Schools. It’ll come right to it. And we have so much, including several weeks of safety camp for our youngest learners and that is an important rite of passage in memory for all of our students in the Ann Arbor Public Schools. And then all the way through, we have a very robust high school summer learning program as well.

18:29

Andrew Cluley

That'll take us right up to August 28th when we're back at it for the start of next school year.

18:35

Jeanice Swift

That's right. And we appreciate our parents and our community and our staff because we are again this year and I know folks understand that the state has added to our minimum number of days. So, we are beginning those four days during that week prior to Labor Day and actually serves a really great transitional purpose because our students come in and they have an opportunity to learn their teacher, learn their classes for middle school and high school, get that locker combination memorized in four days, and then to have that Friday through Monday Labor Day weekend.

19:21

Dr. Jeanice K. Swift

So, on the Tuesday following Labor Day, we are actually beginning week two and really getting into the learning.

19:29

Andrew Cluley

And our students will be off to a good start at that point.

19:32

Jeanice Swift

Exactly 2023-24.

19:36

Andrew Cluley

Well, that good start reminds me it's the good news segment on the A2 Schools Podcast. And today we're going to celebrate a couple of Skyline students. They are Amelia Repp and Ava DeBenedet, who were honored by C-SPAN last week for a video that they produced, they got an honorable mention award from C-SPAN, and their video was about the gerrymandering and what Michigan has done to address gerrymandering. So, it's exciting that they got this recognition.

20:08

Jeanice Swift

It is so exciting. Congratulations to our Skyline students. And you know, I understand the C-SPAN team actually came out to Skyline and they were awarded right there at school and I can't wait to see the video.

20:24

Andrew Cluley

And just highlight the fact that the students are part of the Communication, Media and Public Policy magnet.  And that's led by Ross Dunbar. He's the co-lead teacher of the magnet.

20:34

Dr. Jeanice K. Swift

How exciting. So, we congratulate those students and of course, their teachers and support team at Skyline.

20:44

Andrew Cluley

All right. Well, thank you very much, Dr. Swift, for joining as we have this discussion about sort of the exciting last couple of weeks of this school year and what's to come.

20:53

Jeanice Swift

Thank you, Andrew. I just want to thank our students, our staff and our parents for an amazing 2022-23 school year. We have really crossed so many thresholds in having our students learn and grow, and it is an exciting time of the year and we're reminded we are. We're at this point through all of our partnership and work throughout this school year together and I'm deeply grateful for the support and partnership of everyone.

21:26

Andrew Cluley

And thank you for listening to the Ann Arbor Public Schools podcast, the A2 Schools Podcast. As always, if you have any questions about the Ann Arbor Public Schools, the first place to go is our website A2Schools.org. If there's a topic you'd like to have us discuss on a future episode, please email communications@A2Schools.org with your suggestion. And once more, thank you for listening to this week's edition of the A2 Schools Podcast.