MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – After a year of successful input from the area, the final 2025 installment of the Lake Superior Community Partnership’s Breakfast and Business series focused on education early Friday morning.
“It’s not just about kids in classrooms, it’s about supporting families to make sure they can send their kids to those classrooms, and about making sure that our partners in Lansing understand that these investments all impact our entire economy,” said LSCP CEO, Christopher Germain.
LSCP partners from the surrounding area came to enjoy breakfast and hear from three panelists. This included Superintendent of N.I.C.E. Community schools, Bryan DeAugustine, Executive Director of the Upper Peninsula Construction Council, Mike Smith, and Superintendent of Marquette-Alger RESA, Greg Nyen.
The morning covered updates from across their school districts, as well as from Smith, on how local CTE programs have impacted Upper Michigan students.
“I think it’s great for awareness,” he said. “You have a group of people that get to learn a little bit more about the programs and educational opportunities that exist within the Upper Peninsula for seamless pathways into the construction trades.”
A major topic discussed by both superintendents was the matter of this year’s late state budget, and how it affected schools around Michigan, along with a provision in the new budget (31aa, section 9) asking school districts to give up confidential attorney-client privileges in some cases, in order to receive its allotted funding.
“That’s another really glaring problem with the way the budget was unveiled this year,” said DeAugustine. “I really worry about some of the other schools around the state, including some of the schools in the Upper Peninsula that operate on much smaller margins. I feel the people of Michigan deserve better from our leaders.”
Another key point surrounded mental health in students, as state funding hasn’t been able to match with the skyrocketing of these issues over the last decade.
“We have some students that need help that we can’t provide at schools, because typically schools can’t afford to have an in-house psychologist or psychiatrist,” explained DeAugustine. “It’s been something just throughout the years that hasn’t been funded, and it’s got to be a priority.”
The LSCP will return with more unique Breakfast & Business events beginning in January.
