Dear Parents and Community Members:
We are pleased to present you with the Annual Education Report (AER), which provides key information on Creative Technologies Academy's 2023-24 educational progress. The AER addresses the complex reporting information required by federal and state laws. The school’s report contains information on student assessment, accountability, and teacher quality. If you have any questions about the AER, please contact Autumn Mattson, Superintendent, for assistance.
We also have the 2025-26 School Year Calendar finalized!
CTA Elementary Highlights
A Message from the Principal, Mrs. Bialkowski
February always marks a big milestone in any given school year; the 100th day of school! We also find ways to pack all kinds of celebrations and teaching into the shortest month of the year. New W.I.N. groups started this month and our elementary students have been learning all about being Empowering Chargers. They have collected dozens of canned goods for North Kent Connect, and the upper elementary students have been working hard on their Influential African American projects & presentations in honor of Black History Month. It’s been a great month to be a Charger!
Global School Play Day
Global School Play Day is observed annually every first Wednesday in February and this year it was held on February 5. CTA has been participating in this event for the last 4 years!
From the organization’s webpage: “This holiday promotes the importance of unstructured, regular play for children. The campaign was started by a group of six educators in 2015. They realized that playtime for children was decreasing both at home and in school, leading to negative consequences for the children’s development. They immediately took action and initiated Global School Play Day, with over 65,000 children participating in its very first year.”
CTA Secondary Highlights
A Message from the Principal, Mr. Zuver
February was another amazing month for the CTA Chargers Middle School and High School.
Winter Sports wrapped up with Girls and Boys Varsity Basketball finishing their seasons. Our Middle School Girls Basketball team is still competing and is looking to finish strong. Girls Soccer is just around the corner.
Our teaching staff has been working hard analyzing test data to see where our biggest areas of need are up to this point in the year and are making adjustments to ensure that we are giving our students the best possible opportunities to be successful.
Several of our High School students had the opportunity to attend Grand Rapids Community College to tour the Building Trades and Construction programs. This was a wonderful experience for our students and they got to do a lot of “hands on” work while they were there.
It is hard to believe that March is right around the corner, we will soon be in the sprint to the finish line of the year.
Go Chargers!
~Brett Zuver, Secondary Principal
Bowling, Family Engagement Committee
The Parent Engagement Committee organized a fun Saturday Bowling day for our students at Sparta Lanes and the students and families who attended had a blast.
First Semester Honor Roll Students
We celebrated both our Middle School and High School Honor Roll students from First Semester with recognition at our assemblies as well as a special donut party for them. We had a very large number this semester which is very exciting.
6th Grade: Dalton Lillie, Margaret Bean, Landyn Bennett, Trent Benson, Addalyn Dusendang, Noah Elliott, Charlotte Bialkowski.
7th Grade: Abigail Gambil, Noah Rohne, Xander Egbert, Jade McKinnon, Zoe Napieralski, Ryan Fisk, Gabriella Lopez, Isaac Brinks, Callen Phillips.
8th Grade: Leilani Beattie, Nolan Bean, Mya Brinks, Samuel Elliott, Bailey Raap, Megan Reichelt, Nelida Romero, Eliot Schaap, Hannah Talaga, Emerson Walters, Lynley Whitney.
9th Grade: Donovan Botruff, Elisabeth Fouts, Ethan Gambil, Hannah Graham, Aubrey Lopez, Selah Rohne, Micah Rypma.
10th Grade: Colren Bailey, Calyssa Brinley, Owen Carroll, Jayden Danks, Lance Forman, Abigail Fouts, Ian Gibson, Penelope Rose, Zander Spielmaker, Olivia Starr, Jax Stebelton, Knoxx Toth, Joshua Watson, Lane Ziomkowski.
11th Grade: Isaac Bucholtz, Olivia Davenport, Jeffrey Dells, Ryan Dykstra, Caleb Elliott, Adrian Fisk, Nathaniel Fouts, Josiah Graham, Melody McIntosh, Natalie Reichelt.
12th Grade: Nathan Brewer, Emily Cobb, Jacob de la Rosa, Emma Jones, Addalyn Lopez, Blake Raap, Sage Sidlauskas, Alexxander Toth, Brooke Van'tHof, Logan VandenBoss, Abigail Wright.
We are honored to celebrate the graduation of the Creative Technologies Academy Class of 2025 on Friday, May 16, 2025. This milestone event is a time to recognize the dedication and achievements of our students as they step into the next chapter of their lives.
We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Bill Pink, President of Ferris State University, as our 2025 Commencement Speaker. Dr. Pink is a passionate educator and leader who has dedicated his career to advancing student success and expanding opportunities in higher education.
About Dr. Bill Pink
President, Ferris State University
Dr. Bill Pink became the 19th president of Ferris State University in 2022, making history as the first African-American to hold this position since the university’s founding in 1884. He is a strong advocate for student success and workforce development, embodying Ferris State’s mission of providing opportunities and empowering students to thrive.
Before leading Ferris State, Dr. Pink served as President of Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC), where he championed access to education and strengthened community partnerships. His leadership experience also includes serving as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City Campus.
Beyond his work in higher education, Dr. Pink is actively involved in shaping policy and economic development at both regional and national levels. He serves on several boards, including Corewell Health West Michigan, TalentFirst, The Right Place, and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) executive committee. In 2023, he was appointed as co-chair of the Higher Education Working Group for Governor Whitmer’s Growing Michigan Together Council, helping to develop a long-term vision for Michigan’s higher education system.
Dr. Pink holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Instructional Leadership and Academic Curriculum from the University of Oklahoma, a Master of Education in Physical Education and Secondary Education from the University of Central Oklahoma, and a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Professional Education from Oklahoma Christian University.
We are honored to have Dr. Pink join us for this special occasion, and we look forward to his inspiring message for our graduates, families, and community
Important Dates
March 1: Drop & Go Movie Night (Must have signed up by 2/28).
March 5: Elementary Curriculum Night
March 13: Talent Show Auditions
March 14: Early Release
March 19: Board Meeting
March 21: Early Release
March 28: Early Release
