Schoolcraft Superintendent Nate Ledlow announced the upcoming return of performing arts electives at the November school board meeting. The district has already begun looking for teachers to organize the returning electives, drama and choir.
“Some things just went away with COVID, and no one can explain why,” said Ledlow. “That’s one thing that shouldn’t have. We need to meet the needs of all of our kids, and that’s one of them. Choir and drama should always be a part of Schoolcraft Community Schools, and we are excited to bring them back.”
The new programs will be an opportunity for students with interests in acting, dancing, singing, and other performing arts to earn the same recognition as Schoolcraft’s student athletes and club members. The drama program will allow students to produce plays and musicals that will be performed before a live audience.
Before introducing other electives into Schoolcraft’s curriculum — such as the Gone Boarding program — administrators have issued student interest surveys to collect data and decide whether the program is worth offering. However, no surveys were conducted before the approval of restoration of theatre and choir programs to Schoolcraft’s curriculum.
“We just knew this would be popular,” said Ledlow, “and we want to do right by our students.”
Ledlow hopes that the theatre and choir electives will be open for student enrollment by February 2026.
The board approved a network update to replace Schoolcraft’s firewall and core switch. The firewall, originally installed in 2014, was reported to be at the end of its life by Technology Director James Weiss. If the firewall were to completely fail, Schoolcraft’s network would be vulnerable to data breaches and other threats to security. The board approved a few additional updates to the network alongside those requested and was able to secure a discount on purchase and installation fees.
Members of the board expressed gratitude for having a very supporting and loving community and commended the success of Schoolcraft’s athletic teams and coaches. Athletic Director Bryan Applin expressed optimism for the remainder of the school year: “If your football team has a great fall season, the rest of the school year feels good.”
