Jackson County Intermediate School District

🎉 New roles. Familiar faces. The same commitment to serving Jackson County students, families and schools! 🫶

As we get ready for the 2026–27 school year, we're excited to celebrate several members of the JCISD team who are stepping into new leadership roles!

👏 Maureen Keene – Superintendent
👏 Dan Draper – Assistant Superintendent / Principal
👏 Amy Rogers – Director of Special Education
👏 Lynne Thompson – Director of Finance
👏 Ray VanZandt – Senior Manager of Operations

Not pictured:
⭐ Lauren Bailey – Assistant Director of Finance
⭐ Thomas Berkemeier – Business Manager
⭐ Anita Graham – Assistant Director of Human Resources

These talented leaders have dedicated years to JCISD, and we're excited to see them continue making a difference in these new roles.

🎉 Congratulations to all! We can't wait to see what the new school year brings!
Jackson Area Career Center JCISD North Campus Tigers JCISD Central Campus

We're excited to share that Jackson County ISD earned FOUR national awards from the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA), including:

✨ 2 Awards of Excellence
✨ 2 Awards of Merit

These honors recognize outstanding communication efforts that connect students, families, staff and our community with the opportunities and services available through JCISD.

The award-winning projects included:

📚 Talking is Teaching – promoting early literacy across Jackson County

🎓 Picture Yourself Here Open House Campaign – helping students discover opportunities at the Jackson Area Career Center

🚔 Law Enforcement Program Traffic Stop Reel – showcasing hands-on student learning and career pathways

💙 Bend the Trend Newsletter – supporting employee wellness and engagement

What makes these awards especially meaningful is that they're judged not just on creativity, but on impact. They recognize communication that successfully informs, engages and inspires action.

🎉 We're proud to tell the stories of our students, staff and programs—and grateful to be recognized on a national stage for that work.

🎓🌟 A Celebration of Achievement, Growth, and Possibility! 🌟🎓

From our youngest graduates taking their first big step forward to our young adults preparing for the next chapter of their lives, last week's Graduation Day at JCISD Central Campus was a day filled with joy, pride, and inspiration for more than two dozen students across our programs!

🎉 Congratulations to:
🎓 5 graduates from the Ravens Kindergarten program
🎓 1 graduate from the Redhawks program
🎓 3 graduates from JCISD North Campus Tigers
🎓 7 graduates from Project SEARCH
🎓 10 graduates from the Bulldogs program

🎉 The room was filled with proud families, friends, teachers, administrators, Board of Education members, and community supporters - all gathered to celebrate the incredible journeys of these students. Each graduate's journey has been filled with growth, perseverance, and achievement. Their success is a reminder that with support, encouragement, and opportunity, amazing things are possible!

🫶 A special thank you to Karen Richard from Culver's, whose message reminded us of the value, talent, and potential that every individual brings to the workforce and community.

💙 Congratulations, graduates - we are so proud of each of you! Keep believing in yourselves—the future is bright! 🎓🌟 JCISD Young Adult Program Michigan Project SEARCH Consumers Energy Culver's

🌟 CELEBRATING OUR WHOLE CHILD CHANGEMAKERS! 🌟

Last week, the JCISD Whole Child Collaborative came together for our annual Year-End Celebration to recognize the incredible people, schools, and organizations working every day to ensure Jackson County students are healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. ❤️

🏫 School Champion: East Jackson Elementary – for creating a culture where every student belongs, every family matters, and whole-child support drives student success.

🏆 Educator Champion: Vandercook Lake MS/HS Social Worker Bryana Johnson – for her tireless advocacy, student-centered leadership, and commitment to supporting the academic, social-emotional, and basic needs of students and families.

🤝 Community Organization Champion: Jackson County Health Department – for removing barriers to learning through health services, youth programming, prevention education, and family support.

💙 Community Partner Champion: Sarah Sabin, Family Service & Children's Aid – for championing school-based mental health, building powerful community partnerships, and ensuring young people receive the care and support they deserve.

🎉 The celebration was also an opportunity to recognize the progress and collaboration between schools, families, agencies, and community partners who are making a difference in the lives of children across Jackson County.

🙌 Thank you to everyone who continues to lead, serve, advocate, and innovate on behalf of our students. We are grateful for your dedication and inspired by the impact you're making every day! East Jackson Community Schools
Jackson County Health Department Family Service and Children's Aid (FSCA) Vandercook Lake Public Schools

👋🏽 GOODBYE TENSION - HELLO PENSION! Twenty JCISD employees are celebrating retirement this year, including Superintendent Kevin Oxley, who is retiring after 21 years of leadership and service to our organization! 🎉

❤️ Several retirees and their loved ones gathered for a special celebration earlier this week honoring the incredible impact they’ve made on students, families and educators across Jackson County.

🫶🏼 The evening also included a heartfelt in memoriam tribute to longtime Assistant Director of Human Resources Cheryl Lemons, whose family attended as her nearly 30 years of dedication and service to JCISD were honored and remembered.

🌟 THANK YOU to all of our retirees for the difference you’ve made throughout your careers. Congratulations and best wishes on this exciting next chapter — you’ve earned it!

📣 Special shoutout to Jackson Area Career Center Culinary Arts students for the amazing meal and service, and to the JACC Agriscience program for the beautiful centerpieces that each retiree got to take home as a keepsake of the celebration! 💐

🏅🎉 STATE CHAMPS! 🎉🏅

🏆 The Michigan Center Jr./Sr. High Unified Special Olympics team represented Jackson County this week at Special Olympics Michigan’s Unified Day at Michigan State University — and brought home a FIRST PLACE finish in Bocce Ball! 👏

Unified Sports brings students with and without intellectual disabilities together through teamwork, competition, and inclusion.

🙌 In addition to coming in 1st, several students also earned 2nd place finishes throughout the competition. We are so proud of these student-athletes for their determination, sportsmanship, and incredible accomplishment in their first year participating in the Unified Games! Special Olympics Michigan Michigan Center High School Michigan Center School District

🎉💙 Friendship, inclusion and unforgettable memories! 💙🎉

🌟 Students and staff in the Western JCISD middle school and high school classrooms recently celebrated the end of another amazing year with their Peer to Peer LINKS groups!

🤩 Peer to Peer LINKS programs help build meaningful friendships and create opportunities for students of all abilities to learn, grow and connect together throughout the school day. These programs promote inclusion, kindness, leadership and belonging — and the impact reaches far beyond the classroom. ✨

🫶 Thank you to all of the students, staff and LINKS peers who helped make this year so special. The friendships built through these programs truly show the heart of JCISD. ❤️

💙🍎 This week, we celebrate the incredible people who help write the story of the Jackson County ISD every single day! ✏️📚

💫 Whether you're face to face with students everyday, or behind the scenes supporting staff and families, your dedication, compassion and hard work do not go unnoticed. THANK YOU for all you do to make a difference in the lives of students, families, fellow educators, and our entire Jackson community.

We’re also especially proud to celebrate two outstanding Jackson County ISD educators recognized as TOP TEACHERS by Jackson Magazine this week:
🏆 Lauren Sager - Cosmetology Instructor at the Jackson Area Career Center, Teacher of the Year
🏆 Hadleigh Houghton - Special Education Teacher at Northwest High School, Top Teacher

👏 Their recognition reflects the passion and excellence happening across JCISD every day.

❤️ To every member of our JCISD team: thank you for helping write our story and for making a lasting impact on Jackson County students and families.
Jackson Magazine Northwest Community Schools Jackson Area Career Center

👏 We’re proud to celebrate Amy Rogers, Assistant Director of Special Education (and soon-to-be Director on July 1!), on this incredible honor!

🤩 Amy is the kind of leader whose impact is felt in the lives of those she serves. Her passion for education is rooted in a deep belief that every student deserves dignity, opportunity, and a path forward. She leads with empathy, builds strong relationships, and is all about collaboration and community.

🫶 That spirit is exactly what this award represents—honoring JC alumni who demonstrate leadership and a meaningful impact on their communities through service and a commitment to the greater good—and that’s Amy, through and through.

💙 Congratulations on this well-deserved honor, Amy! ❤️

Congratulations to alumna Amy Rogers, recipient of the 2026 Dr. Ethelene Jones Crockett Distinguished Alumni Award! Discover how her impactful work as an educator is making a difference—and how Jackson College helped launch her journey.
https://youtu.be/TMMgd8_sEKg