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Armada Schools selected
as an innovative district

Joins 13 other state schools
as Project ReImagine site

by KELLI KREGER
Observer Special Writer

      Armada Area Schools is among 14 school districts statewide to be selected as a demonstration site for Project ReImagine, a Michigan Department of Education (MDE) challenge that encouraged school districts to create bold and innovative ways of learning.
       According to the MDE, the demonstration districts' proposed ideas will be used in the state's application for Race to the Top, which is a federal grant funding competition.
       Armada Area School's Superintendent Dr. Arnold Kummerow said he met two to three times a week last summer with a visionary and innovative committee to meet the Aug. 1 deadline for Project ReImagine.
       Along with Kummerow, other members of Armada's Project ReImagine Committee are: Armada High School Principal Phillip Jankowski, early elementary Principal Susan Curry, Buildings and Grounds Supervisor Jim Ballard and Macomb Academy of Arts and Sciences Director Elsie Ritzenhein.
       "I was delighted to learn from State Superintendent Flanagan, that we were selected as one of 14 school districts to be a part of Project ReImagine and to have our previous, present and future visions for educational innovations be recognized," said Kummerow.
       A key element of the district's proposal is to create flexible learning levels for elementary students, which Kummerow said will focus on an individual student's readiness and proficiency, rather than the traditional structure based on age.
       Kummerow explained that the proposed idea would combine curriculum into levels. For example, kindergarten and first grade would be considered level one. If a student is advanced and has accomplished all of level one in a year, they will move up to level two. Therefore, each level may be comprised of different ages of students, but they would be at the same learning level.
       Kummerow said he considers an at-risk student to be one who is not meeting their full potential and having individualized learning levels would allow each student to achieve success based on their own strengths and weaknesses. He explained that if a bright student is sitting in class bored, they are at-risk because they are capable of doing more advanced work to keep them engaged. Having individualized levels would allow them to meet their fullest academic capabilities.
       Kummerow said the concept has not been finalized and may take several years to develop. He added that each student will be given the necessary support to assure that they are successful with the curriculum that will raise the bar for each grade level.
       Armada has partnered with Michigan State University regarding the immersion of a Mandarin Chinese program. The school has already introduced Mandarin to its classrooms, but will expand with the programs in 2010 as one of its proposed Project ReImagine initiatives.
       MSU will be funding the hiring of a full-time Mandarin teacher from China for three years as part of Armada's Chinese/American Kindergarten total emersion program.
       The program will be optional and would allow kindergartners to spend half a day learning the Chinese language, arts and culture and the other half of the day in the regular classroom.
       Armada has also established a relationship with the Ministry of Education in Chongqing, China, which will coincide with the high school Mandarin program.
       Kummerow pointed out that China is an expanding country, and said its important to look at that and have students prepared for the future by understanding other countries. He said through the understanding of Mandarin, students will be able to visit China, and communicate with them to represent the U.S.
       He said the high school program will assist with students to continued learning of Mandarin through universities and allow them to be competitive in the job market as it changes everyday.
       The district's proposal also included partnerships with Macomb Community College to open alternative energy labs at the high school, which may include the building of wind turbines. They have also partnered with MCC to create a dual-enrollment program that would allow students to take two years of post secondary education, which would lead to an associate's degree.
       Kummerow said that he will be working with a steering committee this year to continue planning the proposed initiatives for Project ReImagine.
       According to Kummerow, being selected as a demonstration site allows Armada to have the MDE assist in changing certain mandates from the state in order to accommodate for the progress of the district's innovative ideas.
       "It's my hope, that this will enable Armada schools to have access to the resources needed to make our vision a reality," said Kummerow.
       He said it is his goal to be a model district that will allow other districts to adapt to the to the way Armada Area Schools operate in terms of bettering education.
       The Michigan Department of Education received a total of 71 proposals for Project ReImagine. It is yet to be determined if additional federal funding will be awarded to the demonstration districts. The first deadline for the MDE to contend for Race to the Top Funds, which holds over $4 billion, is January 2010.
       Other districts chosen as demonstration sites for Project ReImagine were: Lakeview , Comstock, Detroit, Farwell, Grand Rapids, Ingham Intermediate School District, N.I.C.E Community Schools in Ishperming, Oxford, Utica, University Preparatory Academy in Detroit, Mason-Lake ISD, Saginaw ISD, and Traverse Bay Area ISD.
       Kummerow said he will receive more specifics about being a demonstration site at a technical meeting that will be held Dec. 8 with the MDE.