Renovations, student growth, ‘furries’ on the menu at M.P.S. board meeting

The Midland Public Schools Board of Education approved more than $2 million in bids for construction, paving and renovations across the district.

At the Feb. 28 meeting, the board was presented with three different bids.

• The first bid is for district-wide renovations, including resurfacing of the Midland High and H. H. Dow High auxiliary gym floors and the H. H. Dow High track, pool infill and flooring replacements at Jefferson Middle School, and soffit replacements. ($1,146,710)
• The second bid calls for installation of new HVAC equipment in Northeast Middle School. ($848,008)
• The third bid is for paving work at the H. H. Dow High band, and at Jefferson’s receiving and athletic/staff parking. ($399,710)

Superintendent Michael Sharrow told the City Paper that work on these projects is expected to commence over the summer.

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COVID-19 restrictions easing further

During public comment, Jefferson faculty member Greg Roan reflected on the district’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, expressing optimism in less students getting tested than in the past. However, Mr. Roan urged the board to get more input from faculty and staff on how M.P.S. can improve going forward.

“Hopefully, we are in the clear on COVID for this school year,” Mr. Roan said. “…I’m here to ask you to take a hard look at our district and not just scratch the surface of a spreadsheet. But come to the schools and speak to the building administrators, teachers, paraprofessionals and support staff, to see what we are facing every day.”

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Mr. Sharrow told the City Paper that Midland Public Schools currently has no remaining COVID-19 restrictions, aside from contact tracing protocols, which he expects the Midland County Department of Public Health to change soon.

In the Feb. 28 weekly communique, M.P.S. confirmed that students are no longer required to wear masks on school buses, following the CDC’s recent order ending mask mandates on busses. Masking for students, faculty, and staff also remains optional at all M.P.S. facilities.

Parents turn attention to student club, ‘furries’

A few parents raised issues over middle school children getting enticed to attend after-school club meetings at the Alphabet Safe Space Club – which introduces material about LGBTQ issues to students – without parents’ knowledge or input.

One individual, Mindy Cox, claimed that a parent’s daughter at a middle school was invited to this club by a school staff member without the parent knowing what the club was, and that lists of student clubs with their meeting times were not sent out to parents.

Mr. Sharrow told the City Paper that he doesn’t think the parents who brought up their issues with the Alphabet Safe Space Club have enough accurate information to back up their claims.

Ms. Cox was followed by Lisa Hansen, who previously made a statement at the December 20, 2021 meeting about at least one M.P.S. school allegedly providing litterboxes for students who identify as “furries.”

“My label should be ‘concerned parent,’ but I’ll take ‘litterbox lady’ if it’ll bring attention to what’s going on in schools across our country,” Ms. Hansen said, expressing that she still believes the “furry behavior” is “happening here and in schools across our great nation.”

Superintendent Sharrow flat out denied Ms. Hansen’s original claim in a January 20 communique after it had resurfaced on social media, calling it a “false statement/accusation.”

District provides update on student growth assessment

Penny Miller-Nelson, associate superintendent of curriculum, instruction and assessment, gave an update on academic growth goals which were set by the district at the beginning of the school year.

The district is NWEA MAP testing to measure students’ performance in reading and math. As required by state law, the district provided the February update for mid-school year, and will provide another update on growth progress at the end of the school year.

Ms. Miller-Nelson told the City Paper that the goals set are simplistic, showing growth in students who show either considerable or even slight improvement.

She stressed that NWEA testing is being used by the district to provide a bird’s-eye view of how students are performing overall, and that the district is working to help each student individually, including those who showed slight improvement but still need learning help.

“We’re going to peel back the layer and understand what the assessment means,” Ms. Miller-Nelson said, likening the assessment to a temperature check: “…You look at other signs and symptoms of wellness and unwellness.”

Out of the students who were tested, 78% of elementary and 60% of middle school students showed improvement in reading, while 86% of elementary and 77% of middle-school students showed improvement in math. For high school students, only 47.9% of those tested showed reading improvement, while 62.3% improved in math.

Ms. Miller-Nelson estimates that more than 90% of elementary and middle-school students were accounted for in the latest report, while approximately “low-to-mid 70” percent of high school students took the NWEA assessment.

On COVID-19, Ms. Miller-Nelson told the City Paper that the pandemic undoubtedly had an impact on students, with virtual learning and social isolation taking place.

“We have teachers who are working so hard to meet the needs of students,” Ms. Miller-Nelson said.