How is Pinckney Schools combatting low enrollment? Preschoolers

PINCKNEY — Rick Todd is essentially a lifelong Livingston County resident. The Brighton High School graduate has spent 12 years as superintendent of Pinckney Community Schools , bookmarked by the devastating economic downturn that saw the community’s population fall and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

And yet, Todd feels PCS is pretty healthy, buoyed by a growing investment in preschool offerings and flattened enrollment numbers (an improvement after years of significant decline).

“We’re about 20-25 minutes from a major highway, so we’re not one of those communities that's going to experience natural growth most years,” Todd told The Daily. “We’re tucked away a little bit, but this is a very close-knit community that has always supported its schools."

The expansion of the district's preschool program is one of its most notable recent achievements, Todd said. In preparation for the state’s emphasis on universal preschool as a free option for all families, Pinckney has expanded its program to six sections, including full-day. Its curriculum is heavily tied to supporting student literacy.

As an added bonus, more students enrolled in preschool could mean more students enrolled in kindergarten, and the district as a whole. As of July 12, preschool enrollment for the 2024-25 school year was 110, about 25 students higher than last year.

“We want to make sure that our students coming out of preschool are ready for kindergarten,” Todd said. “And that we’re poised to be ready to go to universal care. We’re hoping that those families will feel connected with the district in a way that (allows them) to stay with us into elementary school.”

That’s an important consideration, since enrollment in Pinckney Schools has dropped from 5,000 more than 15 years ago to about 2,000 today. The lack of affordable housing and an aging population remain challenges for the district, as it strives for stability at a time when families are naturally smaller.

“We can (thrive) as long as we’re not losing more than a few students each year," Todd said. "We want to grow, and I want to find ways to be an advocate of that growth."

In a recent interview with The Daily, Todd spoke on other district touchpoints, including his role:

What, if anything, has changed about your job as superintendent?

Todd: "I consider this a positive change, but we have to make sure we’re doing everything we can to help our community retain a high level of trust in (us). We’re making a conscious effort to be as transparent as possible. Getting families into our schools and meeting with our administrators and our teachers is the best way to do that.

"We’re not perfect, but we’re looking for ways to get better. One example is with our Watch Dogs Program, which Sheriff Mike Murphy is a contributor to. That's designed to have parents help us in the schools.

"I also have to be aware that our parents are raising their kids in a time of high anxiety. That’s true for both students and adults. We understand that parents are entrusting (our schools) with their most precious commodity."

What roles do anxiety and mental health play for administrators and teachers, and how they help students?

Todd: "The first step is educating staff. We've spent time with (experienced professionals) learning about trauma-based training and the role neuroscience plays. The more we learn, the better we can understand. We know there are 24 key attributes in how we can interact with students in grades K-12. We want to engage with them and provide them with access to social workers and other support staff as needed.

"We held roughly eight mental health workshops this past school year in-person within the district and they were very well attended. That’s a great way to help build trust. After all, we all struggle with anxiety at one time or another."

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How are funds being spent from the 2020 bond? Is there another bond on the horizon?

Todd: "We were fortunate to pass that $59 million bond in 2020, right in the middle of COVID. I really thank the community for that support. Spending-wise, we’re coming to the end of that bond as (the money from it) was for some (facility) projects that were necessary around the district. We have some big projects wrapping up, like HVAC units, a new high school roof, flooring and more. Next year we have a new parking lot going in at one of our elementary schools. Infrastructure was the intent of that bond.

"We want to make sure our dollars from that bond last as long as possible and we don’t want to lean on the public every time we have a new expense."

How are your staffing levels?

Todd: "We’ve been able to recruit administrators and educators. There’s no issue there, as our teachers are fully staffed. I’m also proud to say that our bus driving group is fully staffed, as well. I know that's a challenge for many districts. We've even added new bus drivers so we can now take students to field trips and more sporting events.

"The biggest challenge we have is with special education support staff, aides and paraprofessionals. That's been a struggle since COVID. There’s been this dramatic shift where those professionals are earning $15-$20 per hour, but they can also be paid that working in retail as (hourly wages have risen). We know these positions can be challenging. We’re trying to arrange schedules and be as creative as we can with sharing staff and the like."

What other challenges does the district face today?

Todd: "We now live in a time that no longer strives for unity. Some people work from a place of extreme rather than collaboration. It's tough when some (parents) are resistant to cooperation.

"Beyond that, Pinckney itself is a story of resiliency, persistence and grit. We’ve closed schools and had to work hard to readjust and reconfigure our resources given the (lower enrollment numbers). But we’re making progress."

— M. Alan Scott is a freelance writer for The Livingston Daily. Contact the newsroom at newsroom@livingstondaily.com .

This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: How is Pinckney Schools combatting low enrollment? Preschoolers