From the Office of the Governor

by Jennifer M. Granholm, Governor of Michigan

It’s time again for school bells to ring throughout the state, signaling the beginning of another academic year in Michigan. While our children were on summer vacation, Michigan’s schools and communities have been working harder than ever to make sure that all of our children have the same opportunities to succeed and get the world-class education that they deserve.

Citizens and educators from around the state are reaching out to embrace our children by working together in new and exciting ways at a number of levels. Schools and state government are partnering with community and business groups, recognizing that folks at the local level know best how to help our children succeed in school and in life.

In 2003, we created Family Resource Centers in 19 of our high priority schools; this fall, 20 more will open around the state. Each center pools resources of local human services and agencies so that students and families can more readily access services. This collaboration helps students get the important services they need, while allowing teachers and school officials to concentrate on their most important duty—educating tomorrow’s leaders. In my office, Karen Aldridge-Eason, on loan from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, is leading the State’s formal partnership with the foundation community to support the Administration’s vital early childhood initiatives.

MI CONNECTIONS, a Department of Labor and Economic Growth program, aims to increase the number of young people with disabilities who complete high school and enter high-tech and technology-related employment or who pursue further education. The Michigan Commission for the Blind and Michigan Rehabilitation Services are working closely with the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) to implement MI CONNECTIONS, in which participating students take industry tours, job-shadow workers in low- and high-tech fields, and serve as interns. Local MI CONNECTIONS sites will require collaboration among local school districts, technical centers, community colleges, Michigan Works! service centers, centers for independent living, and community rehabilitation organizations.

For those times when parents can use a little extra help and support, Mentor Michigan was created to ensure that all Michigan youth have ongoing relationships with dependable, caring individuals. Under the leadership of Michigan’s First Gentleman Daniel Mulhern, the program works to support, strengthen, and sustain mentoring and meet the needs of nearly 2,661 Michigan children still waiting for a mentor.

I have charged Lieutenant Governor John Cherry’s Commission on Higher Education and Economic Growth with finding ways to double the percentage of Michigan citizens who earn college degrees and other credentials of further education. The Lieutenant Governor’s Commission brings together a diverse group of education, business, community, and legislative leaders to suggest ways to increase the number of our students who enter and successfully complete college or vocational training. These community leaders are investing time in this task because they see a strong connection between an educated workforce and our state’s ability to retain and attract new jobs and grow our economy.

These are just a few examples showing how communities and schools are working together at the state and local levels. As never before, businesses, communities, and educators are coming together to build what parents have always wanted, programs that produce and nurture highly educated, highly skilled, value-oriented citizens who will be successful in life and in the new knowledge-based economy. The superintendents, principals, and teachers who are working to improve student achievement in high priority schools should inspire us. Through teamwork and commitment to quality education, we can develop a 21st century workforce that will make Michigan a powerhouse in the national and global marketplace. The real power of teamwork, however, shows up closer to home—in the classrooms and in students’ lives. Our children are our future and they deserve no less than our total commitment to making that future bright.

For more information about the Governor’s education initiatives, visit www.michigan.gov/gov or call (517) 373-3400.

For more information about MI CONNECTIONS, contact: Marcie Alling, (517) 335-0390. For more information about Mentor Michigan, visit www.michigan.gov/mentormichigan or call (517) 335-4295.