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Club Updates
The golf outing is tomorrow and there is one slot open.
We have 3 students attending the Life Leadership Conference. They need a ride home from Ferris State University at 1 PM on Saturday 18 June. If anyone is able to help, please get in touch with Carol Swart.
There was a sign-up sheet for helping at the Jump!4Polio greeting the skydivers. There are 3-hour shifts from 9 AM until 9 PM. Talk to Ed Swart.
Incoming President Elizabeth Scott will be hosting a pot-luck and Rotary visioning time at her house on Tuesday 14 June.
Nick Cassidy, Holland Public School Superintendent
Nick traced the K-12 grade environment from 1994 when Michigan changed the funding model. 1995 was when charter schools started in Michigan. Holland Public Schools (HPS) has gone from an enrollment of 5,000 students in 14 buildings in 2000 to 8 buildings with slightly under 3,000 students currently. The pandemic and the changes in instruction that it caused led to a decline in academic and social development.
The declining birth rate and the increase of educational opportunities like charter and homeschooling have been a challenge to all community schools. Holland schools are limited to the geographic area of the city which caps the total number of possible students.
During this time the schools have started a number of initiatives that have enriched their educational offerings. These include Holland Language Academy (bi-lingual instruction), Transitional Kindergarten (a school readiness program), Early College program (granting an Associate's Degree through the schools), more health and wellness opportunities for families, and other programs. These programs have helped to maintain a high quality of education for students in the district. HPS and its students have been recognized for their excellence.
The nationwide trend of mental health and school security issues is also felt in Holland. There is also the difficulty of hiring teachers because of fewer college graduates going into education, teachers changing careers, and retirement. Even with all of these challenges, HPS is committed to valuing and taking care of its staff and providing the best educational environment.