By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
Sarah Roebuck, a fifth-grader in the gifted and talented program at Woodbridge Elementary School, shared with Zeeland school board members Monday night of how the program and its teachers have challenged and encouraged her in her learning, and also of how she found a community of supportive, like-minded friends.
“Spending two years together (in the program) has bonded us, as well as created an environment where we feel like we all belong,” Roebuck said. “People sometimes think you’re weird when you’re different from them, but in GT, we’re all ‘weird together,” and that’s part of what makes it so fun.
“GT has made school more than a place. It has become a community, a home, a place where everyone is welcome. We can’t create bonds that took two years (to build) in a few hours with a new program.”
Roebuck was one of more than 20 speakers who appealed to the ZPS school board and administration Monday night to rethink its plans to revamp its specialty education programs, including cutting the gifted and talented program at Woodbridge and closing the ZQuest project-based learning school within Roosevelt Elementary that has been in existence for the last 14 years.
More than 100 parents and students packed the meeting room of the ZPS administration building, the vast majority there to express opposition to the restructuring plan outlined recently by Superintendent Rod Hetherton. Some speakers expressed frustration that the decision was made without input from parents and students.
“What concerns us most about the recent decisions is the noticeable lack of transparency,” said parent Kari Thoreson, who has had her children go through ZQuest. “Last fall, we received a survey to complete that was fairly basic, and I know some parents didn’t even receive it, so it wasn’t thorough by any means. The accompanying communication stated that administrators would be transparent and collaborate with parents, pending the survey’s results. In the end, this did not happen at all. There was no communication after the survey, (other than the announcement) that ZQuest is closing.”
“We all know that it’s best for kids to have stability,” said Kevin Haisch, a parent who has had children go through ZQuest. “With students in ZQuest being uprooted from their friends, their teachers, their school calendar, their building, it’s (created) a complete lack of stability. It’s hurting our children. It’s causing anxiety, mistrust and a fear of what’s to come.”
Mike Dalman, who was principal at Woodbridge until his retirement in 2021, spoke out in support of the gifted and talented program that has been based at the school.
“The current gifted and talented program provides students of high intellectual ability an environment which maximizes their learning potential,” Dalman said. “As a building principal, I saw a program that did not require ancillary staff – we had one teacher for each classroom of students. In fact, there were years when we were able to decrease a fourth- or fifth-grade class, in mine or other buildings, because of GT.”
Under the plan outlined by Hetherton, the district will offer two specialty pathways – which have been named the West Track and East Track. The West Track, which will be based at Quincy Elementary School and will feed into Creekside Middle School, has been dubbed Z-PBL (Zeeland Project-Based Learning), which Hetherton says will combined the best elements of ZQuest and the gifted and talented program. The East track involves the consolidation of ZPS’ Spanish immersion program into a single building at Lincoln Elementary, and will feed into Cityside Middle School.
A five-member administrative team, led by Hetherton, worked on developing the restructuring plan over the past year. Hetherton said the team “reviewed enrollment trends, program participation, staffing needs, financial stability and feedback from families and staff.”
“What emerged was an opportunity to strengthen our specialty programming in ways that reflect what our community has asked for while working to make sure that these opportunities remain sustainable for the long term,” Hetherton said in a statement released by ZPS.
The review of ZPS’ specialty programs came as the district is facing financial challenges. When the school board passed the budget for the 2025-26 school year in June of last year, the district projected a deficit of $5,027,972. As of January, that projected deficit had grown to $6,981,474, Hetherton said during a presentation on the program changes Monday.
“It became very clear that while we found it very important to follow the (district’s) strategic plan and create programs and structures that were best for all kids and all learners, we also had to do something around this issue (of finances),” Hetherton said during his presentation. “That’s a lot of money. In two-and-a-half years we would be broke if we don’t fix this.”
The restructuring of ZPS’ specialty programs is expected to save the district $1.1 million, Hetherton said.
Another part of the restructuring that is generating opposition is a planned transition away from ZPS’ Venture Academy and Michigan Virtual coursework to Z-Virtual, a unified online pathway for those seeking a flexible learning environment. Venture Academy is a non-traditional high school that provides an individualized approach to academic and social/emotional needs. Some of its students say the program has literally saved lives and has helped them graduate where otherwise they might not have made it.
“Getting rid of Venture would not just remove a program from a schedule,” said Taylor Caauwe, a sophomore at Venture, as several of her classmates stood behind her to show support. “It would remove a support system that helps students reshape their thinking, strengthen their resilience and rise above the challenges they face. Venture is more than an option, It is an opportunity for growth, healing and change.”
With Z-Virtual, students could enroll in individual online courses while remaining connected to their home school, or choose to participate as full-time online learners supported by Zeeland educators at home or at school, Hetherton said.
ZPS also plans to create extension programs for fourth- and fifth-graders – titled 4E and 5E – at their home elementary buildings.
Several board members expressed their thoughts about the restructuring after Hetherton’s presentation. Trustee April DeWitt called it “a sad day.”
“I’ve been on the board for 10 years, and I want to say for at least nine out of the 10 we’ve talked about GT and what to do with it … It’s always been (a question) of what do we do with this program,” DeWitt said.
Trustee Heidi Geerlings said while she “agrees to disagree” with the plan, she said the board’s policy gives the administration the power to make programming decisions.
ZPS has about 500 students enrolled in its specialty programs, Hetherton said.
In the statement released by ZPS, Hetherton said that he is excited about the direction the district’s specialty programs are headed.
“Change can be difficult, especially when people feel connected to programs their children have experienced,” Hetherton said. “At the same time, our responsibility is to make thoughtful decisions that position Zeeland Public Schools to continue offering exceptional opportunities for students today and for years to come.”
Zeeland Record
Sarah Roebuck, a fifth-grader in the gifted and talented program at Woodbridge Elementary School, shared with Zeeland school board members Monday night of how the program and its teachers have challenged and encouraged her in her learning, and also of how she found a community of supportive, like-minded friends.
“Spending two years together (in the program) has bonded us, as well as created an environment where we feel like we all belong,” Roebuck said. “People sometimes think you’re weird when you’re different from them, but in GT, we’re all ‘weird together,” and that’s part of what makes it so fun.
“GT has made school more than a place. It has become a community, a home, a place where everyone is welcome. We can’t create bonds that took two years (to build) in a few hours with a new program.”
Roebuck was one of more than 20 speakers who appealed to the ZPS school board and administration Monday night to rethink its plans to revamp its specialty education programs, including cutting the gifted and talented program at Woodbridge and closing the ZQuest project-based learning school within Roosevelt Elementary that has been in existence for the last 14 years.
More than 100 parents and students packed the meeting room of the ZPS administration building, the vast majority there to express opposition to the restructuring plan outlined recently by Superintendent Rod Hetherton. Some speakers expressed frustration that the decision was made without input from parents and students.
“What concerns us most about the recent decisions is the noticeable lack of transparency,” said parent Kari Thoreson, who has had her children go through ZQuest. “Last fall, we received a survey to complete that was fairly basic, and I know some parents didn’t even receive it, so it wasn’t thorough by any means. The accompanying communication stated that administrators would be transparent and collaborate with parents, pending the survey’s results. In the end, this did not happen at all. There was no communication after the survey, (other than the announcement) that ZQuest is closing.”
“We all know that it’s best for kids to have stability,” said Kevin Haisch, a parent who has had children go through ZQuest. “With students in ZQuest being uprooted from their friends, their teachers, their school calendar, their building, it’s (created) a complete lack of stability. It’s hurting our children. It’s causing anxiety, mistrust and a fear of what’s to come.”
Mike Dalman, who was principal at Woodbridge until his retirement in 2021, spoke out in support of the gifted and talented program that has been based at the school.
“The current gifted and talented program provides students of high intellectual ability an environment which maximizes their learning potential,” Dalman said. “As a building principal, I saw a program that did not require ancillary staff – we had one teacher for each classroom of students. In fact, there were years when we were able to decrease a fourth- or fifth-grade class, in mine or other buildings, because of GT.”
Under the plan outlined by Hetherton, the district will offer two specialty pathways – which have been named the West Track and East Track. The West Track, which will be based at Quincy Elementary School and will feed into Creekside Middle School, has been dubbed Z-PBL (Zeeland Project-Based Learning), which Hetherton says will combined the best elements of ZQuest and the gifted and talented program. The East track involves the consolidation of ZPS’ Spanish immersion program into a single building at Lincoln Elementary, and will feed into Cityside Middle School.
A five-member administrative team, led by Hetherton, worked on developing the restructuring plan over the past year. Hetherton said the team “reviewed enrollment trends, program participation, staffing needs, financial stability and feedback from families and staff.”
“What emerged was an opportunity to strengthen our specialty programming in ways that reflect what our community has asked for while working to make sure that these opportunities remain sustainable for the long term,” Hetherton said in a statement released by ZPS.
The review of ZPS’ specialty programs came as the district is facing financial challenges. When the school board passed the budget for the 2025-26 school year in June of last year, the district projected a deficit of $5,027,972. As of January, that projected deficit had grown to $6,981,474, Hetherton said during a presentation on the program changes Monday.
“It became very clear that while we found it very important to follow the (district’s) strategic plan and create programs and structures that were best for all kids and all learners, we also had to do something around this issue (of finances),” Hetherton said during his presentation. “That’s a lot of money. In two-and-a-half years we would be broke if we don’t fix this.”
The restructuring of ZPS’ specialty programs is expected to save the district $1.1 million, Hetherton said.
Another part of the restructuring that is generating opposition is a planned transition away from ZPS’ Venture Academy and Michigan Virtual coursework to Z-Virtual, a unified online pathway for those seeking a flexible learning environment. Venture Academy is a non-traditional high school that provides an individualized approach to academic and social/emotional needs. Some of its students say the program has literally saved lives and has helped them graduate where otherwise they might not have made it.
“Getting rid of Venture would not just remove a program from a schedule,” said Taylor Caauwe, a sophomore at Venture, as several of her classmates stood behind her to show support. “It would remove a support system that helps students reshape their thinking, strengthen their resilience and rise above the challenges they face. Venture is more than an option, It is an opportunity for growth, healing and change.”
With Z-Virtual, students could enroll in individual online courses while remaining connected to their home school, or choose to participate as full-time online learners supported by Zeeland educators at home or at school, Hetherton said.
ZPS also plans to create extension programs for fourth- and fifth-graders – titled 4E and 5E – at their home elementary buildings.
Several board members expressed their thoughts about the restructuring after Hetherton’s presentation. Trustee April DeWitt called it “a sad day.”
“I’ve been on the board for 10 years, and I want to say for at least nine out of the 10 we’ve talked about GT and what to do with it … It’s always been (a question) of what do we do with this program,” DeWitt said.
Trustee Heidi Geerlings said while she “agrees to disagree” with the plan, she said the board’s policy gives the administration the power to make programming decisions.
ZPS has about 500 students enrolled in its specialty programs, Hetherton said.
In the statement released by ZPS, Hetherton said that he is excited about the direction the district’s specialty programs are headed.
“Change can be difficult, especially when people feel connected to programs their children have experienced,” Hetherton said. “At the same time, our responsibility is to make thoughtful decisions that position Zeeland Public Schools to continue offering exceptional opportunities for students today and for years to come.”
Olive Whitlock (left) looks on as Taylor Caauwe appeals to the school board and administration not to disband the school and replace it with a new online pathway called Z-Virtual. Both students are sophomores in the Venture Academy alternative high school program.
Zeeland Public Schools Superintendent Rod Hetherton explains the rationale behind the restructuring of the district’s specialty programs.
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