Page 37 - LearningSCAPES 2021

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Roger Bearup, Superintendent, Grandville Public Schools
Roger has been the Superintendent of Grandville Public Schools since 2015. Before that was a teacher, principal, and assistant superintendent. He has 31 years of educational experience. Roger has been on several panels across West Michigan discussing mental health, social/emotional learning, and how districts can support students and adults. Grandville Public Schools has
a continued student mental wellness focus through the Be Nice program, along with the employment of social/emotional counselors and mental wellness coordinators.
Christy Buck, LLBSW, Executive Director, Founder, Mental Health Foundation, Be Nice Program
With over 33 years of experience in mental health, Christy passionately leads the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan. Her desire for transforming and saving lives through mental health education led her to develop two programs – be nice. and live, laugh, love – and become a certified instructor in Mental Health First Aid. Christy and her staff have educated thousands of individuals each year through their education programs and other various speaking engagements and presentations.
Friday, October 15, 2021 - 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
“This School is for Us?”; Creating Change in Underserved Communities
1 LU
On the first day of school in Laraway, IL, the students and families asked, “Is this school for us?” They found it unbelievable that their underserved communities would deserve a new school, one that contains all the innovative learning opportunities of more affluent and less diverse neighboring communities. Social equity in education has proven to be the true path out of poverty. (IDRA, Intercultural Development Research Association). The school board and the superintendent held this knowledge in their hearts and weathered the nine-year process of community engagement, empowered by disruptive optimism. We will share this transformational story step by step from community advocacy, passing a referendum, staff and student engagement, pre- occupancy prioritization, interactive educational design, construction of the PreK-8 learning environment, to post occupancy evaluation research results. We will demonstrate how creating grade level neighborhoods, educational planning overcame staff concerns by documented reduced bullying during the first year of occupying the new school. Thanks to improved educational outcomes, and increased student motivation, the new Laraway School became the 2020 John H. Shaw Award, issued by the Association for Learning Environments’ (A4LE) Midwest Great Lakes Region (MWGL).
Learning Objectives:
• Outline community engagement planning strategies and pre-bond services.
• Investigate how educational environments impact learning in post occupancy evaluations.
• Identify attributes of schools as community centers, providing education for families, 24/7.
• Participate in a discussion about lessons learned and how space can support anti-bullying strategies.
Robin Randall, AIA, ALEP, LEED BD + C, Principal and Director of PreK-12 Education, Legat Architects
Robin is leader of the national PreK-12 Education practice at Legat Architects. She connects personally to each project ensuring the design of every learning environment supports diversity and engages students in a culture of inquisitiveness. Robin’s 35 years of experience includes designing and planning award winning educational centers from early learning, elementary, middle, high school including specialty learning environments. Her current research is on How Building Teach Kindness.
Dr. Joe Salmeiri, PHD Education, Superintendent of Schools, Laraway CCSD 70C
Dr. Salmeiri is the superintendent of Laraway CCSD 70c where he serves the community working side by side with the school board and his administration team. He is an experienced leader with a demonstrated history of working in underserved