Andy Kowalczyk has served as Superintendent of the Pinconning Area School District (PASD) since 2022. Before that, he served as an administrator in both Pinconning and Bay City Public Schools. The PASD serves people in much of northern Bay County including Pinconning city as well as Gibson Township, Mount Forest Township, Pinconning Township, Garfield Township, and Fraser Township. It extends from the northern edge of the county to Linwood Road. In all, more than 1,000 students attend schools in the district.
QUESTION: What’s going well for your district?
ANSWER: Our facilities have received a nice upgrade this year. We replaced over half our roofs, played our first game on our new soccer field, and hosted cross country events at our new wooded track north of town. Our booster club purchased a large scoreboard for our stadium that is the talk of the town. We have an amazing staff that enjoy working at PASD, which is evident by our recent test scores. Dedicated and caring principals support our students, teachers, and families.
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Photo courtesy of Pinconning Area School DistrictThe Pinconning school facilities got an upgrade this year. The district replaced roofs, played its first game on a new soccer field, and hosted cross-country events at a wooded track north of town.Q: What challenges do you anticipate the district facing in 2025?
A: The mental health concern for our students that starts in early elementary.
Q. How will you make the most of district’s assets? How will the district address the challenges?
A: Marketing the assets will be important. We have made numerous efforts to help families with mental health concerns. We have partnered with the Cook Center to provide one-on-one virtual parent coaching and many virtual seminars on hot topics (motivating, anxiety, social media) where parents can talk to experts anonymously. We are also getting ready to open a Student Based Health Center. Not only will this provide medical support, but it will provide mental health opportunities to our students in need.
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Photo courtesy of Pinconning Area School DistrictPinconning offers small class sizes and is only minutes from surrounding cities. Affordable housing is available for district employees. Q: Since COVID-19, student scores on standardized tests have dropped. Even before COVID-19 closures we saw early literacy rates dropping. Are we starting to see those numbers turn around? What is the district doing to help students gain ground, especially since the pandemic ended?
A: The PASD has had a great run recently with our test scores. We continue to look for ways to improve by holding grade-level meetings that look at data, curriculum, and teaching strategies. Our small class sizes make a huge difference in allowing teachers valuable time to work with small groups and individuals who need extra support. We also have a great student-to-paraprofessional ratio which can also provide small group and individual support.
Q. Recruitment and retention of staff has been a highly-publicized issue for schools across Michigan. What is your district doing to recruit and retain staff?
A: We need to let potential staff know we have small class sizes, buildings where staff and students are like family, and many additional opportunities outside of the classroom to impact students and increase their salary. Our area is also a great place to live and start a family. We are minutes from Bay City and Midland and have affordable housing with no traffic. Our collective bargaining agreements have made our salaries comparable or in line with districts around the Great Lakes Bay Region.
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Photo courtesy of Pinconning Area School DistrictThe Pinconning Spartan football team faced off against Beaverton this fall. Q. Recently, the state created programs such as Michigan Reconnect and the Community College Guarantee to help people earn degrees beyond high school. How does your district plan to help students take advantage of these opportunities?
A: We talk with students at all grade levels about careers and then get more specific about post-secondary training in middle and high school. Our counselors do a great job with post-secondary discussions and what is best for our students. There have always been difficult discussions with students on how to pay for the training or college. The new programs from the state will now make this discussion easier.
Q. What is one thing you wish the community at large understood about public schools? What do the public schools need from the community?
A: All public schools provide amazing opportunities for students. If a student has a dream of being a doctor, lawyer, mechanic, or any career you can think of, we have opportunities to make that dream come true. The plan may include dual enrollment, online classes, career center, or work-based learning opportunities. Our community can support us by providing work-based learning or job shadowing positions. They may be asked to come in and speak to students at career events or mock job interviews.
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