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It is the mission of Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District to provide leadership and services to local school districts.
It is the vision of Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District to be an indispensable partner with every district we serve.
Current News
On board! Char-Em ISD receives $50,000 award for innovative STEM initiative that will have students building recreational boards in career tech
Many teenagers surely would get on board with being able to design and build ready-to-ride skateboards, longboards, snowboards and paddle boards during the school day. With the help of a new $50,000 grant, students in Char-Em ISD Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs will be able to start doing just that. “‘Gone Boarding’ is a national program with curricular resources to provide students with a real-world project and get them active in outdoor sports,” said Linnea Gibson, K-12 Science Consultant for Char-Em ISD and the Northern Michigan Learning Consortium. The grant funding was announced as part of a larger Michigan investment in STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math - that is bringing $800,000 to education agencies. Char-Em ISD will coordinate a regional professional learning committee for the new Gone Boarding initiative, including educators from districts in Cheboygan-Otsego-Presque Isle ESD and Northwest Education Services in Traverse City. This committee will help provide learning opportunities for educators and students to dive into Gone Board activities and projects. The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity’s (LEO) MiSTEM Network announced the funding as the first step in its expanded $1.75 million competitive Playbook Mini Grant program. In Northwest Michigan, Gibson said the receipt of this grant launches the Gone Boarding program within existing Career and Technical Education courses - such as woodworking, CAD, graphic design, and marketing - allowing students to design and fabricate boards while collaborating with local partners. “We have several local partners who are interested and willing to support this program including Little Bay Boards, Woody's Adventure Sports, Shaggy's Copper Country Skis, local skateparks, and more,” Gibson said. Char-Em ISD will coordinate a regional network of trained educators integrating hands-on, project-based STEM learning that deepens student engagement. By the end of the...
Char-Em ISD, NCMC partner to bring adult students with disabilities into the mix of daily college life
A new group of about a dozen 19- to 26-year olds has become part of the daily rhythm at North Central Michigan College as they dine at the Iron Horse Cafe, work in the kitchen, help clean computer labs, and traverse the campus. In fact, most people would likely assume they are students at the Petoskey college. And that’s the whole point. While these students are college age, they are part of the adult transition program operated by Char-Em ISD’s special education department. New this school year, the program moved from Taylor School to the college, giving these young adults with disabilities the chance to experience college life with their same-age peers while building skills for work and independence. This unique partnership between the ISD and NCMC was the idea of ISD special education teacher Devin Wise, who wanted her students to experience daily life amongst their peers while learning crucial life skills. It kicked off in September and has exceeded expectations, Wise said. “It is so great to look out and see our students having lunch with NCMC college students, asking them questions, and becoming more social,” said Wise. “Everyone at the college has been so welcoming and accepting.” The ISD operates two adult transition programs for 18-26 year olds with disabilities; one in Petoskey and one in East Jordan, at what is known as the Mill Street campus. When the Petoskey classroom operated out of Taylor School, Wise was accustomed to taking students to job sites throughout the community each week, including at NCMC - which is where the idea clicked to inquire about a classroom. “Our students are already familiar with the college, from coming here for work each week, some for several years now,” said Wise. “I thought, wouldn’t it be so great if the college could be our home base?” She presented her idea to the ISD’s Director of Special Education, Lauren Ringle, and Superintendent Scott Koziol. Both got to work making it a reality. “Our biggest goal of the...
ISD State of Community reports 2026
See the Early Childhood / Great Start Collaborative State of the Community report on this page, after the ISD overview 30 years of Career and Technical Education in Char-Em ISD! There continue to be many uncertainties in the world of education, but one constant supported by our regional communities is Career and Technical Education, also known as the skilled trades or vocational education. For 30 years, our region has generously supported CTE programming across the 11 public school districts in Charlevoix, Emmet, and northern Antrim counties - and the initiatives keep growing! Char-Em ISD Career Tech begins with fun experiences for our littlest learners, with hands-on activities such as touring career vehicles. In grades K-8, students can participate in Career Academy for Kids summer camp, which offers a dozen classes from STEM to photography, small engine repair to cooking. Each June, 8th-11th graders can enroll in one of five focused camps: Cosmetology, Public Safety, Lineworker, Taxidermy, and Welding; and 6th-10th graders can enroll in the Construction Technology Academy. These hands-on camps are an excellent introduction to high-demand career fields. If you have K-8th graders in Char-Em, they likely have had a visit from Char-Em Street STEM and our mascot, Eureka! This unique mobile STEM trailer visits thousands of students each year, bringing them the latest gears, gadgets, and gizmos to develop skills and interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) fields. When it comes to high school CTE programs, Char-Em ISD’s offerings are second to none. Instead of a regional career tech center where students would travel to each school day, our 1,000-square-mile ISD required us to do things differently. Char-Em offers its courses in local high schools which are available to any student, in any district. By design, this consortium allows local communities the ability to provide programs that are essential for their economies. Petoskey High School, for...
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Alanson Public School
Beaver Island Community School
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Central Lake Public Schools
Charelvoix Public Schools
Concord Academy Boyne
Concord Academy Petoskey
East Jordan Public Schools
Harbor Springs Public Schools
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Our Mission
It is the mission of Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District to provide leadership and services to local school districts.
It is the vision of Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District to be an indispensable partner with every district we serve.
Char-Em ISD is proud to have achieved accreditation by AdvancED for a second 5-year period effective July 2016. The AdvancED Accreditation Commission determined that Char-Em ISD engages in a continuous systemic process of improvement, and has effective and efficient quality assurance controls throughout the system. This achievement recognizes the quality of services provided by the ISD through the leadership team and governing authority, the dedication and service of the professional staff, and the support of community stakeholders.