CLASS NOTES
PAGE-8A
Thursday, February 22, 2007
A collaborative effort of the South Lyon Herald, the South Lyon Education Association and the South Lyon Community Schools
Guest Column
Schmeichel’s vision
brings success to
South Lyon schools
Photo by HAL GOULD
Kent Lake Elementary School fifth-grade teacher April Lewis was named Teacher of the Month in February. She was recommended by former student Julie Kempany, who is now an eighth grader at Centennial Middle School.
Teacher found surprise niche in education
By Nathan Mueller
STAFF WRITER
April Lewis walked down the hall
during lunch Friday at Kent Lake
Elementary School, greeting many
students with a cheerful hello.
Lewis, who had planned a far different career when she started college, has now found her niche —
teaching fifth-grade students.
And she owes it all to the father of
a young girl she met at church during
her sophomore year at Michigan
State University.
“I was going to Michigan State for
business — I had never thought about
teaching,” Lewis said. “But her father
asked what I was going into, and I
said, ‘Business.’ He told me I should
look into teaching. I did some soulsearching and it changed my whole
world around.
“It worked out nicely. I can’t even
imagine being in the business world.”
Her current students can’t imagine
it, either. And even former students
remember the impact Lewis had on
their lives. Her recommendation as
the South Lyon Herald’s February
Teacher of the Month came from a
former student, Julie Kempany, now
an eighth grader at Centennial
Middle School.
“She was a good teacher,”
Kempany said. “Funny and patient.”
When Lewis was told she had been
nominated by a former student, her
face lit up.
“I always tell my students, ‘Make
sure you come back and see me,’”
she said. “But you never know if they
will. I just feel very flattered and
happy because I have touched someone’s life.”
After making the career change,
Lewis landed her first job in 1999 at
Dolsen Elementary.
She had never thought of working
in South Lyon schools until meeting
Dolsen Principal Jim Soubly at a job
fair.
“He is a phenomenal person, and it
seemed like a family-type of district,”
she said.
Lewis stayed at Dolsen for six
years. She spent one year at
Centennial when it was still an elementary school before returning to
Dolsen. She moved to Kent Lake this
year so she could be with friend and
co-worker Lori Davis.
“It was sad to leave Dolsen,” Lewis
said. “But (Kent Lake) had an opening and it was an opportunity for me
to team with my best friend.”
Kent Lake was also very welcoming of her services.
“She genuinely cares about the
progress of her students,” said Kent
Lake Principal Kim Dancer. “Her
rapport is professional, but she has a
way to connect with students informally about their lives.”
Lewis can only laugh when she
thinks about what life would have
been like had she stuck to business.
And the spontaneity of teaching is
what brings her to the classroom
every day.
“I can honestly get up every day
and be excited,” she said. “It is guaranteed someone will do or say something to make me smile.”
She hopes that smile is something
her students carry with them as they
get older.
“I want the students to get a sense
of who they are and have faith in
themselves to accomplish all their
goals,” she said.
And she tells them the same motto
her father once shared with her.
“There is nothing to it, but to do
it.”
Nathan Mueller is a reporter for
the South Lyon Herald. He can be
reached at (248) 437-2011, or by email at [email protected].
Submitted photo
Making wishes come true
Students in first and second grade at Brummer Elementary sit with all their donations on Feb. 9 to celebrate the 100th day of
school. The students collected 100 cans of food to donate to Helping Hands, 100 returnable bottles and 100 nickels, dimes
and quarters to donate to the Make-a-Wish Foundation and each student brought in 100 pennies to adopt a Cocoa Tree in the
rainforest. The also did numerous other activities with the number 100 to celebrate the day.
There is an old saying I have referenced a few times
in my career, it goes something like this, “If you don’t
where you are going, any road will get you there.”
Without a focus, a commitment or a vision, “things” seldom get done.
As a building administrator in South Lyon Schools, I
can certainly attest that the route we have chosen is
toward affecting student achievement. The journey the
district has taken over the past 10 years was described in
a recent Herald article authored by Dr. Jean Schmeichel,
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction,
Technology and Assessment
(CITA). I would encourage
anyone who did not see the
article to go back and review
the incredible strides we
have made.
The
comments
Dr.
Schmeichel relayed were
actually a result of a comprehensive study that was completed last year, focusing on
why we have done so well.
My intent for this column is
not to review the details of
the study but, more so, to
reflect
on
how
Dr.
Schmeichel’s vision and David Phillips
leadership has paved the
road and lead South Lyon’s student performance to the
levels of success in which we have received acclaim.
As building principals we have embraced Dr.
Schmeichel’s vision and belief that only “knowing”
what to do is half the equation. It is “doing” what needs
to be done that makes the real difference. Aside to the
fact that we respect her central office role as the person
we report to, the principals view Dr. Schmeichel as our
advisor, mentor and teacher. Under her guidance
through the years, principals and coordinators have
emerged as true instructional leaders. Through leadership development, Dr. Schmeichel has made it possible
for her field administrators to minimize our “knowing
and doing gap,” ultimately having a profound impact on
the results cited in the study.
In each of our own ways, administrators have witnessed first hand Dr. Schmeichel’s courage and commitment toward what she refers to as “the relentless focus
on achievement.” Space limitations will not allow this
column an opportunity for a complete reflection on our
journey with Dr. Schmeichel, but the following testimonials from her instructional team sum up a few shared
impressions:
“In every organization, there are people whose leadership stands out. These individuals demonstrate their
skills by providing their time and talents that encourage
others to be the very best, while they, themselves,
remain in the background. Among the people in our
school district who fit that definition is Dr. Jean
Schmeichel. She has provided administrators with enormous volumes of educational research, current best
practices, and practical instructional strategies that have
enabled us to guide our staffs to new heights.”
“I feel very fortunate to work in a district that has
been shaped by Dr. Schmeichel's vision. As someone
just beginning the administrative portion of my career, I
consider her a role model for her clear focus on continual improvement of student achievement.”
“It has been an honor to work with Jean. Her deep
knowledge of teaching and learning, along with a passion to do what is best for students, has helped us to
develop a system that focuses on achievement and
accountability.”
“Her leadership provides administrators and the
instructional staff the structures necessary to function as
change agents and build on our shared visions.”
“Dr. Schmeichel is truly a courageous leader. She is
not afraid of putting herself at the often-difficult helm of
change, as long as she knows that it is for the good of
our students.”
“Dr. Schmeichel is a true visionary... unafraid of
doing the right thing for students, even though it may not
be initially popular. She is a person of deep principles
and deep conviction.”
“I am certain each one of my colleagues would agree
with me that Dr. Schmeichel has modeled for the principal’s the expectations we need to replicate in our buildings. There are no smoke and mirrors in her focus. And
for all that is important to Dr. Schmeichel makes us all
better administrators and teachers too!”
The South Lyon community should find comfort in
the fact that there is a dynamic leader in its midst working below the radar to continuously improve the performance of administrators, staff and students. We are
always looking for a better way to help the learning
process.
This brings me back to my opening comments. Dr.
Schmeichel has not only identified the destination but
the road we take as well. It may sound a bit “old school”
but the expectation comes with a tremendous amount of
wisdom and support. Her knowledge and insight is valued by her administrative team. This is important when
the charge from Dr. Schmeichel sounds much like the
Nike slogan, “Just Do It”… and we do!
David Phillips is principal of Centennial Middle
School.
uesday Night
Steak and Shrimp Dinner
$12.95
127 E. Lake St. (10 Mile)
South Lyon
248-437-9000
Wednesday Night
Fish & Chips All-U-Can-Eat
$9.95