You won't find a town called Lakeshore on a map, but you'll soon feel the Lakeshore community - and LANCER PRIDE - in your heart. We believe all children deserve an engaging and inspiring education - and the opportunity to discover and pursue their own paths. With Passionate educators, the latest technology and unique opportunities, Lakeshore does more than equip our students to succeed in life - we empower them to lead their lives with character and integrity.
Lakeshore Excellence Foundation
Through the generosity of our donors, the LEF has funded more than 70 academic projects, 40 hardware and software projects, and a wide variety of outreach, cultural and aesthetic programs, many open to the entire community. In 2016, we successfully completed our largest infrastructure project to date by investing $600,000 to transform all of our libraries into 21st Century Learning Centers. We are now poised to again reach higher: we’re reaching out for contributors to help us support the implementation of STEM throughout all grades levels at Lakeshore Public Schools.
On September 24, 2021, Board Trustee Tonya Jahnke resigned from the Board to return to the classroom as the Marketing Teacher at Lakeshore Public Schools. On October 19, the Board of Education interviewed nine candidates and appointed Bill Scaletta to fulfill the vacancy. We thank Tonya for her service and insight on the Board, and we welcome Bill to this important role.
On October 11, 2021, the Lakeshore Board of Education voted to approve updates to our Return to Learn Plan that will require indoor mask wearing for all staff, students, volunteers, and visitors in Lakeshore facilities, effective immediately. The universal masking requirement is being implemented to ensure we provide as normal an experience as possible for our students and staff, while also providing a safer environment for staff and students who are unable to be vaccinated, and who are immunocompromised. A letter from the district has been emailed to families.
The Lakeshore Return to Learn (RtL) plan is consistent with other local area district plans and is a product of an ongoing, collaborative effort among Berrien County schools and the Berrien County Health Department. This plan is designed to provide a safe, secure, in-person learning environment for all students and staff by mitigating the spread of COVID-19, while also providing the best educational environment for our students. The plan also provides flexibility to adapt to changes in our local conditions, as well as changing recommendations, laws, orders, or mandates from local, state, and federal agencies.
A key feature of this year's Return to Learn Plan will be “flexible mitigation” meaning that additional mitigation measures may be implemented as transmission rates increase. As transmission rates decline, so too would mitigation strategies. Below are some specific details of the plan that would be implemented if transmission rates remain low.
As a public school district and as educators, it is our responsibility to ensure staff and student safety, while also providing the best educational practices for the highest level of learning. Our decisions and actions have and will always reflect these important responsibilities. Regardless of one’s individual beliefs, please understand that Lakeshore Public Schools continues to recognize COVID-19 as a public health crisis. We will continue to partner with our colleagues. There are synergies to our collaboration and, thus, we will continue to align our actions where and when appropriate. As such, we must follow the guidance, laws, and recommendations of medical experts and local, state, and federal agencies.
Thank you for your patience, understanding, and support. If you have additional questions, please reach out to Superintendent Greg Eding or your building principal.
There exists in our nation and community considerable discussion around the teaching of Critical Race Theory in K-12 Public Schools. Critical Race Theory is not included in the curriculum of Lakeshore Public Schools. Our curriculum follows the state of Michigan K-12 education standards and Critical Race Theory is not part of those state required curriculum standards.
Our teachers are charged with teaching students to think objectively about a breadth of topics and to analyze and evaluate information from multiple perspectives. To support students’ application of analytical and evaluative thinking, teachers present information in a developmentally appropriate and neutral manner.
The Board of Education and our Lakeshore staff recognize that diversity among our students, staff, families, and community members exists and is integral to the District's mission to prepare students to successfully meet the challenges of the future. The recently passed resolution to create a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion action plan has unfortunately been portrayed as a vehicle for teaching Critical Race Theory. This is not accurate. The goal for the DEI action plan is to support the academic, physical, social, and emotional needs of ALL Lakeshore students and in no way aims to divide, blame, or advantage one group over another, as alluded to in some conversations around Critical Race Theory.
The Board is proud of this student-centered goal of sustaining a tradition of educational excellence within a safe, stimulating learning environment that recognizes and accepts the value of diversity.
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