Virtual reality rooms will enable students to participate in international classroom experiences, connecting them to learning environments across different countries. Meanwhile, the culinary arts program takes a practical approach to nutrition education.“Students have a level of control of what goes into their body and how to consume food,” McGhee explains, emphasizing the reduction of sugars and salts. The facility also addresses socialemotional learning, recognizing that technical skills alone don’t guarantee career success. Community members will have access to the track and workout facilities during designated hours, making the Institute a shared resource rather than an exclusive school amenity. RETHINKING EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES Dr. Michael B. Carrauthers, Chief Academic Officer, rejects the language that has dominated education policy discussions for decades. “We don’t focus on narrowing the achievement gap,” Dr. Carrauthers says. “We think that is deficit thinking. We want our students to be opportunity-ready.” The distinction matters in a district where 83.36% of students are Black and more than half qualify as economically disadvantaged. Deficit thinking assumes students are behind. Opportunity-ready thinking assumes students need the right tools. The curriculum aligns with this philosophy through what Dr. Carrauthers calls asset-based instruction. “We want them to move from being consumers to producers,” he explains. “When you’re a producer, you can own your own things. You can own your own business; you can set your destiny. When you are a consumer, you are always at the whim of what people are selling to you.” Harper Woods serves a demographic that represents some of the largest consumer groups in the country, making this transition particularly relevant. The district offers programs in marketing, information technology, web design, radio and TV broadcasting, culinary arts, graphic arts, 3D printing, entrepreneurship, construction trades, eSports, and cybersecurity, all 269 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 11 HARPER WOODS SCHOOL DISTRICT
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