Parent alleges repeated assaults at Woodcrest elementary; asks board to investigate supervision and reporting

A Woodcrest Elementary parent told the Midland Public Schools board on April 20 that his daughter has been assaulted multiple times this school year and that school staff failed to follow procedures to document and notify the family.

"A child was punched in the head twice, and your school made her apologize for it," Adam Ryan said during public comment. Ryan described a sequence of incidents he said included a written email to the teacher identifying students who were harming his daughter, an incident two days later in which the teacher was present but no incident report was filed and the family was not notified, and a follow‑up interview that Ryan says occurred with a substitute principal while the child was alone. He asked the board to investigate recess supervision practices, ensure the school resource officer process was completed and make certain students are not required to apologize to their attackers.

Superintendent and board members acknowledged the comment and said administration would follow up with the family. The board did not take an immediate vote; trustees asked administration to review the documentation Ryan said he would submit and to report back to the board.

The board also heard other public comments on safety and facilities; Don Hinkle urged hiring professional school security consultants and praised performing arts staff for a recent production.

The allegation in public comment was presented as the parent’s account. The board response at the meeting was a pledge to follow up, not an investigative finding.