RODGERS ELEMENTARY GOVERNOR WHITMER

Roundtable Discussion Focuses on Students’ Needs Post-Pandemic welcomes

BY ANNA SWARTZ PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT WHITEMAN

Cheerleaders, smiling students and staff lined the decorated halls on March 21 to greet Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer at Rodgers Elementary in St. Clair Shores. Whitmer participated in a roundtable discussion in the school’s media center to have “a candid conversation” about the current needs facing educators.

“As we are doing this work, it's just so helpful for me to get into districts and hear a little bit about what you're seeing, what is working, what you think we can learn from, and try to implement [that] across the state,” Whitmer said.

Roundtable participants included Lake Shore Superintendent Joe DiPonio; district educators Deb Peacock, Kim Rueger-West, Rebecca Asni, Billie Wilson, John Daly, Jeff Lip and Dave Warehall; parent Melissa Florek and student Lauren Maciejewski.

DiPonio opened the discussion by addressing Whitmer: “I just can't tell you how excited we are to have you here today. He also expressed appreciation for her education budget, saying: “We've been able to do things that we just have never been able to do.” Regarding her fifth budget for the state, Whitmer said: “I'm really proud that...we've made a historic investment in education. Every year it’s grown... It was long overdue. But then with the pandemic, no question that the need is so much greater.”

Mental Health First

The social emotional health of the students was a prominent topic of the discussion.

David Warehall, who teaches math and architecture at Kennedy Middle School, has noticed a wider learning gap among students since the pandemic. “Trying to regain normalcy has been a struggle for a lot of students,” says Warehall. “It’s more difficult to bring about this intrinsic motivation that allows them to want to learn, to succeed in my classroom.

Asni, who has been working as a social worker at Rodgers Elementary since November 2020, is concerned about students’ mental health. “I've definitely seen anxiety and depression skyrocket.”

Asni felt confident that Whitmer left that day knowing that schools need more resources, even ones like Lake Shore that are fortunate to have one social worker in each building. “We really have to address mental health first. ...[Students] need to feel regulated and safe and secure mentally before they're even capable to access that learning to show academic growth.”

Florek, a 1999 Lake Shore graduate who has an 11th and third grader in the district, understands that teachers are doing far more than providing children with an education. “They're taking on a lot of children's emotions and stress and trying to teach them how to manage those feelings. I wanted [Governor Whitmer] to know that there are never too many resources for our school staff.”

‘Skilled in Dealing with Human Hearts and Minds’

DiPonio praised educators for the important and challenging work they do every day. “This is a profession that needs skilled individuals – skilled in dealing with human hearts and minds... and skilled at inspiring so that [students] can do things that they never thought they were capable of.”

Lake Shore High School Sophomore Class President Maciejewski spoke about teachers’ willingness to be available for tutoring – the focus of Whitmer’s MI Kids Back on Track Program. “[Tutoring] has a really big impact on students, because you get step-by-step instruction, and you have that safety net support.”

The key to success is knowing that teachers and administration have the best intensions for all students, says DiPonio. “When there's that level of trust that exists between the home and the school, then everything is possible.”