Downriver Today

Southgate community schools recently went over the successful reopening of one of its school buildings.

The Southgate Community school district recently reopened its North Pointe Elementary school and started an International Baccalaureate program as well. During a Dec. 13 board of education meeting, the board received a presentation from teachers and administrators on how the program has gone this year. One part of the program that families and students loved so much was the exhibition nights, where on the last Thursday of each month parents can come in and have their students show them what they are learning about and working on during that month.

Some of the teachers also shared their current lessons and development plans with their classes. The first and second-grade teachers showed how the class just finished an experiment with light and stained glass, as well as learning about sound through making their own instruments. The third and fourth-grade teacher talked about how students were making inquiries into organizations and governments, making their own posters, books, or board games to showcase what they learned.

North Pointe Elementary Principal Danielle Jozwiak talked about the North Point leadership team. The school came up with a list of tasks that students could help with around the school and had the students formally apply for the task through a mock job interview.

"We have some very ambitious third and fourth graders," Jozwiak said at the meeting. "It's the biggest class that we have with big personalities, so we thought we'd put them to work. When we came up with this idea, it was really neat because they took it and they ran with it. So we thought of the North Point leadership team to show how principled they are, which is one of our other leadership traits."

Quite a few students and parents spoke of their experience in the school. Students spoke to the board about what they liked in the school: their own lesson plans, learning Spanish and inviting in their families. Parents were very grateful for the school to be back open as it gave their kids confidence and energy back after the pandemic, bringing them back to life and bringing back up their academic accomplishments after online learning.