fields where students can create rather than simply purchase. Dr. Carrauthers frames the approach around a simple question McGhee often poses “Do our children have the skills to pay the bills?” The district maintains flexible classrooms that adapt to changing industry demands rather than rigid traditional instruction. All students must complete a college or career plan before graduation, and the district annually awards millions in academic scholarships. The Excellence Institute’s name applies not just to the building, but to the entire district culture, where instruction and outcomes aim for the same standard. ATHLETICS AS COMMUNITY CONNECTION Harper Woods made history in 2021 when it became the first Wayne County school to join the Oakland Activities Association, breaking into a conference that had been exclusively Oakland County territory for decades. The move gave the district access to competitive athletics across 26 sponsored sports among 24 member schools, elevating the profile of programs that had operated independently. Wilcher sees athletics as a showcase for what the district can accomplish. “Once you have the Excellence Institute going, the community has an opportunity to see up-to-date equipment and learn how to properly work out,” Wilcher says. “I want everyone to know that Harper Woods is a great place to be, [and] a great place to learn. We are working harder and harder to bring the community together and get our students out there in the public [eye].” The district plans to host its first kickoff classic at the University of Toledo next fall, moving the season opener to a university stadium. The event will increase visibility and attract attention to a small district that often gets overlooked. The Excellence Institute will transform how athletes train, with direct connections between the workout facility, track, and field allowing seamless transitions during practice and competition preparation. Wilcher highlights a virtual reality room designed specifically for football instruction, using technology developed by a colleague to teach game strategy and technique. Athletes studying culinary arts will learn how nutrition directly affects performance, creating practical connections between classroom learning and athletic success. The district competes in the OAA Gold division, where the boys’ basketball team recently captured a championship with four players earning first-team all-league honors. TECHNOLOGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE Operating within 2.2 square miles introduces constraints most districts don’t face, but Harper Woods has converted geographic limitation into strategic advantage.The district maintains a one-totwo technology ratio rather than the more common one-to-one model, with multiple classrooms equipped with WebEx, Cisco, and Zoom technology that students use daily. McGhee emphasizes the district keeps pace with technological advancement using innovative means. 271 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 11 HARPER WOODS SCHOOL DISTRICT
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