Quarterback Kayd Coffman is one of four East Kentwood football players named to the Division 1 All-Region team by the MHSFCA (Michigan High School Football Coaches Association). Elijah Jones, Andrew Durr and James Jones also were chosen. See photos below. (Photo Courtesy, Falcon News Network)
The East Kentwood football team turned in a productive season this fall and a quartet of Falcons reaped some rewards of that success by being named to the All-Region team.
Junior quarterback Kayd Coffman, senior running back Elijah Jones, senior offensive lineman Andrew Durr and senior defensive lineman James Jones were all named Division 1 All-Region players by the MHSFCA (Michigan High School Football Coaches Association).
Quarterback Kayd Coffman
Coffman, who is being recruited by numerous Division 1 programs and was recently offered a scholarship by Michigan State University, turned in a big season in his first year as Kentwood’s starting quarterback. Coffman completed 56.5% of his passes this season for 1,594 yards and 11 touchdowns against just two interceptions.
“Kayd only threw two interceptions this season,” said East Kentwood Coach Tyrone Spencer. “I thought Kayd got better as he got more comfortable with the offense. He has a live arm and deceptive speed. I was more impressed with his decision making.”
For Coffman, the honor was the result of plenty of hard work put in to help the Falcons have a strong season as a team.
“It is a very good accomplishment, but that is not the thing you go into the year chasing,” Coffman said. “It is part of the process of doing the right things over and over and over. I thought that the season went really, really well for me as a first-year starter.”
Coffman has another year left at Kentwood and he and his teammates are already beginning to prepare for year two under coach Spencer.
“That (preparing for next year) started the day after the loss to Hudsonville,” Coffman said. “We are all looking forward to next year and we are ready to go get it.”
Having a year of experience in the new system also will pay off next season.
“There is so much growth ahead for us”
“Learning the new system definitely had its speed bumps,” Coffman said. “It was challenging at times, but it’s a great system for me and our guys. We became more polished running the system as the year progressed and there is so much growth ahead for us.”
East Kentwood running back Elijah Jones. (Photo Courtesy, Falcon News Network)
Running back Elijah Jones
While Coffman provided the Falcons with a threat through the air, Elijah Jones gave the Falcons a powerful force in the ground game. Jones rushed for 1,208 yards this season averaging 7.2 yards per carry.
“After starting the season slow with injury, Elijah became one of the biggest pieces of the offense,” Spencer said. “He doesn’t go down often on first contact and has the speed to outrun you. Elijah is a smart and tough football player.”
Jones was pleased with the honor and the season the team turned in.
“It feels great and I’m grateful for the honor,” Jones said. “I give thanks to God along with my family and coaches and teammates for all of their support. As a team, we had a great season and got better every game we played. Obviously, it was heartbreaking to lose to Hudsonville, but I still think we had a great season. Personally, I think I had a good season, but I feel there is always room to grow.
Jones, who also is attracting the attention of college recruiters, added 12 touchdowns this season.
“Hopefully, I will get the opportunity to play college football,” Jones said. “I’m still going through the process. Right now, I’ve been talking to Brown University of the Ivy League, Wayne State and Lawrence Tech.”
Offensive lineman Andrew Durr
Paving the way for the offense was a strong offensive line this season led by Durr. Durr helped anchor the line where his versatility was a major strength to the unit.
East Kentwood offensive lineman Andrew Durr. (Photo Courtesy, Falcon News Network)
“Andrew was key in the run game for us this year,” Spencer said, “which allowed us to rush for a little over 2,000 yards. He played every position on the offensive line and was our most consistent lineman.”
Thanks to his versatility, Durr lined up at right tackle, left guard and center during the season.
“My favorite position was center,” Durr said. “I thought I did a good job at center. I feel I helped solidify the middle of the line.”
Durr credited his coaches and teammates for helping him earn all-region honors.
“I’m incredibly thankful for everything my coaches and my teammates have done to get me this far,” Durr said. “This honor isn’t just about me. It’s about my team, my coaches and my family.
“Playing college football has always been a dream of mine for a long time and this recognition is another step towards making it a reality and it means a lot to know that the hard work I’ve put in is being recognized.”
Defensive lineman James Jones
On the other side of the ball, James Jones provided an anchor for the defensive line. Jones totaled 44 tackles for the Falcons including seven tackles for loss and a quarterback sack.
East Kentwood defensive lineman James Jones, Jr. (Photo Courtesy, East Kentwood High School)
“James is a strong defender who is hard to move in the middle of the defense,” Spencer said. “He’s more than likely going to win his matchup one-on-one. Many teams we played had to double-team him.”
Halloween is just around the corner and in high school football that means the state playoffs are also set to launch.
With the final week of the regular season in the books, a pair of local heavyweights, East Kentwood and South Christian, are both set to begin what they hope will be long playoff runs.
East Kentwood (5-4 overall) travels to Hudsonville (8-1) in the first round of the playoffs in Division 1 Region 1 at 7 p.m. Friday, while South Christian (5-4) hosts Holland Christian (6-3) at East Kentwood High School in Division 4 Region 1 at 7 p.m. Friday.
The Falcons finished the regular season with a 5-4 record after falling 45-27 to Rockford in the regular-season finale. The Falcons clinched a playoff berth with a 31-7 win against Jenison in Week 8.
The Falcons have made steady progress in their trek to the playoffs while playing a rugged schedule full of playoff teams.
“Our team has gained a lot of confidence the last couple of weeks,” said East Kentwood coach Tyrone Spencer. “I like where we are going right now and we are starting to hit our peak.”
The Falcons have a good mix of passing and running on offense and have been playing strong defense.
“I think we have done a good job of establishing the run and mixing in the pass,” Spencer said. “The last couple of weeks our defense has also been pretty stout, especially against Grand Haven and Jenison. Even the Grandville game our defense did a pretty good job at times containing that explosive offense.”
Offensively, the Falcons are led by quarterback Kayd Coffman and running back Elijah Jones. Jones rushed for 186 yards against Jenison after running for over 180 yards the week before against Grand Haven.
East Kentwood running back Elijah Jones. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)East Kentwood quarterback Kayd Coffman. (Courtesy, Falcon News Network)
On defense, the Falcons have been receiving solid play at all three levels.
“Our linebacker, Terence Kabanda, leads us in tackles,” Spencer said. “Our defensive line is a pretty stout group with Syncere Hobson-Washington, James Jones and Tyler Meeuwsen all doing a good job. Our sophomore safeties Donavan Jones and Major Barnes have done a good job of making plays.”
Kentwood is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2022 after missing out on the playoffs last year.
South Christian makes playoffs with win over Catholic Central
South Christian kept its string of playoff appearances going with a big 26-20 win against Catholic Central in the Week 9 finale to guarantee a spot in the playoffs. The Sailors have qualified for the playoffs the past eight years, including winning the Division 4 state championship two years ago and reaching the Division 4 state title game last year.
The Sailors improved to 5-4 for the season with the win against the Cougars.
The Sailors clinched their playoff berth in thrilling fashion as they trailed Catholic Central 20-10 at halftime before rallying in the second half with a pair of touchdowns to win the game.
In the third quarter, Carson Vis tossed a 26-yard touchdown pass to Bryce Kenyon and then connected with Tyler Brinks on a two-point conversion pass to cut the deficit to 20-18.
South Christian quarterback Carson Vis committed to play basketball at Western Michigan University. (WKTV, Greg Chrapek)
In the fourth quarter, the Sailors took the lead when Vis hit Brinks for a one-yard scoring strike for the winning touchdown. Vis then connected with Brinks for the two-point conversion.
Vis completed 24-of-31 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns and ran the ball 18 times for 59 yards.
Chuck DeHaan led the receiving corps with four catches for 93 yards.
Like East Kentwood, South Christian has faced a rugged schedule loaded with playoff teams. The Sailors opened the season with four consecutive wins before falling the past four weeks to bring their record to .500.
South Christian entered the Catholic Central game with a high-powered offense led by quarterback Vis, who passed for 219 yards and a touchdown in last week’s loss against Zeeland West. Vis also rushed for 62 yards and a touchdown. Vis has a variety of targets to pass to including Brinks, who had six catches for 99 yards against West and Owen Burgess, who caught 13 passes for 81 yards and DeHaan, who caught four balls for 35 yards and a score.
The MHSAA Football Playoffs conclude with the 8-Player Finals on Nov. 23 at Northern Michigan University’s Superior Dome and 11-Player Finals to be played Nov. 29-30 at Ford Field.
Kentwood Public Schools (KPS) is the recent recipient of two grants awarded by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) to support its innovative Grow Your Own programs for teacher education and certification.
KPS is among only 18 districts in Michigan to receive grant funding to support eligible teachers to pursue National Board Certification for the first time. The $6,600 grant will assist veteran teachers in achieving the esteemed National Board Certification credentials.
Additionally, Kentwood Public Schools has been selected by the MDE as one of 25 recipients of the Future Proud Michigan Educator EXPLORE grants. These funds will support students interested in careers in education, particularly those at East Kentwood High School who are part of the successful Educators Rising program. This program provides high school students with early training and real-world experiences in the education profession.
“Our district is greatly appreciative of these funds, which will support both established teachers in the classroom and future educators who are talented, thoughtful, and enthusiastic students at East Kentwood High School,” said Debbie Schuitema, Kentwood Public Schools Director of New Teacher Development and Curriculum. “These students have bright futures in our classrooms of tomorrow.”
Schuitema also emphasized how these grants align with the district’s goals. “One goal in our district’s strategic plan is to recruit and retain high-impact staff members who are committed to serving the students and families of Kentwood, particularly staff who are reflective of our community diversity,” she added. “These funds will be helpful in achieving this goal.”
For further details, please contact Tim Hargis, Kentwood Public Schools Director of Communications.
Kentwood Public Schools and the City of Kentwood have received $10.5 million in state grants for the district’s successful ARCH after-school and summer learning program.
The district and city will receive three 2024-25 Nita M. Lowry 21st Century Community Learning Center grants from the Michigan Department of Education and Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential. The grants will be distributed in increments of $2.1 million annually over the next five years to fund the ARCH program.
“We are thrilled and appreciative to receive these grants and continue to offer high-quality learning experiences beyond the school day and throughout the summer,” said Kentwood Public Schools ARCH Project Director Lori Bramble-Romeo.
The ARCH program – Academic enrichment, Recreation and the arts, Community and family services and Healthy Relationships – offers Kentwood students after school learning opportunities such as STEM learning, field trips, guest speakers, career exploration and other high-quality experiences.
“One goal in our district’s strategic plan is to ensure equitable opportunities and outcomes for our students,” Bramble-Romeo said. “The ARCH program plays a key role in achieving this goal.”
The City of Kentwood’s Parks and Recreation, Police and Fire departments coordinate with the district on a variety of programming. The ARCH program is offered from elementary through the high school levels and is available in the summer.
“We are delighted to partner with Kentwood Public Schools and provide students the opportunity to grow and learn outside the classroom,” said Val Romeo, the City of Kentwood’s Parks and Recreation director.
The grants, which are based on availability of federal funds and appropriation in the state budget, go into effect on July 1, 2024 and extend to June 30, 2029.
The National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators recently announced that Kentwood Public School’s Endeavor Elementary School has been nationally recognized as a Distinguished School, according to an emailed statement from KPS administration.
The honor is only awarded to two schools within the state of Michigan. Selected schools must show excellence in education as evidenced by student achievement gains.
“The team at Endeavor Elementary demonstrates excellence and tenacity in their work on a daily basis,” KPS Superintendent Kevin Polston said in supplied material. “We are extremely proud of Endeavor’s achievement and commitment to academic achievement for all students.”
Endeavor Elementary won the award for excellence in serving English Learners. Schools are recognized for their approaches to teaching and learning, professional development opportunities, individualized programs and strong partnerships between schools, parents and the community. The selection criteria for this award included the multilingual learners’ achievement on WIDA assessment and school accountability data.
“This is a whole team award. All of our staff have played a crucial role in loving and educating our multilingual learners,” Mark Bea, principal of Endeavor Elementary, said in supplied material. “From our KPS central office who provides clear direction, to our school EL program and EVERY teacher who creates the family environment and targeted instruction to make it happen; from our food service, custodial, and paraprofessionals who provide critical services, to our office and itinerant staff who offer unending support.
“Together with the efforts of students, parents, staff and a supportive community we can achieve true excellence!”
Out of the top nine Michigan schools, MDE identified two other Kentwood elementary buildings, Glenwood and Discovery, for their success with English Learners.
The Michigan Department of Education will cover the cost for travel, food and lodging for three staff members to be recognized at the National ESEA Conference. The conference, held in New Orleans, offers opportunities for staff members to learn from nationally recognized leaders and experts in education. Participants can also network with colleagues from all over the United States.
When it comes to getting young students engaged with robotics as part of their STEM technology education — including Kentwood Public Schools Red Storm Robotics program — it can’t wait for high school.
So Kentwood Public School’s middle school robotics program will send its teams, five of them, against others schools when it hosts the FIRST Tech Challenge Kentwood qualifier, hosted by Red Storm Robotics, on Saturday, Nov. 6, from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The challenge will take place at the East Kentwood Freshman Campus, 6170 Valley Lane Dr. SE, and the public is invited to the free event. (There was no in-person challenge in 2020 due to the pandemic. There was a virtual challenge.)
“I’ve been impressed with the FIRST robotics programs,” Wendy Ljungren, Chief Operating Officer for Anzen Unmanned and one of the adult leader of Red Storm Robotics, said to WKTV. “The students that go through FIRST have the STEM and teamwork skills needed for our country to continue to advance.”
The FIRST Tech Challenge is a national program of FIRST Inspires where “students learn to think like engineers,” according to program material. Teams design, build, and code robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams. Robots are built from a reusable platform, powered by Android technology, and can be coded using a variety of levels of Java-based programming.
This year’s tech challenge, Freight Frenzy, is presented by Raytheon Technologies and will have students race against time to transport “essential goods and explore the future of transportation,” according to supplied material.
Continuing WKTV Journal’s series “WKTV Voices: 9/11 at 20 — Our Islamic neighbors 20 years later”, a modern American family working hard to attain the American Dream — who just happen to be Muslim.
Aamir and Halima Ismail are residents of Kentwood and members of Islamic Center of West Michigan. Aamir works as manager of financial systems for Amway and Halima works as a school improvement administrator for Grand Rapids Public Schools. The couple have two children, teenage boys Ibrahim and Da’ud , both of whom attend Kentwood Public Schools.
This special WKTV Voices project presents video interviews, and online/print stories, covering a range of personal stories of the 9/11 attacks and their impact over the following two decades. Following previous background interviews dealing with American Islamic history, global politics, and the current Islamic world, we present the voices of Muslim community leaders and, most importantly, local Muslim American citizens, especially young people who grew up in the age of 9/11. (If you have a story to tell us, contact Ken@wktv.org.)
The Ismails — she was born in the United States while he emigrated from Pakistan — have worked hard and prospered in West Michigan. They love the diversity of students in Kentwood Public Schools and live here partially due to that diversity.
But it does not mean they haven’t had to have “that talk” with their sons, a talk to prepare them in case they face any discrimination or other forms of bias.
“I think we have had to explain to them that there are matters of the faith and what they do represents the faith, and so I think we have used that to our benefit to help them see what they do is a representation of the faith, ” Halima Ismail said in the interview. “They haven’t necessarily come to us with instances of hostility but they have been encouraged to explain their faith, have been interested in sharing that information with their school and in their classes.
“But we do feel that, as parents, we have had to sit down (with them) and say ‘If you feel bullied, if this happens, if you are in the hostile environment, to walk away and speak to an adult.’ That is something, we have had those conversations.”
WKTV Journal’s “Voices: 9/11 at 20 — Our Islamic neighbors 20 years later” airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos. Online/print stories are available by searching “9/11 at 20” on WKTVJournal.org. You can also search Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the Hashtag #voices9/11at20.
Aamir and Halima Ismail on the set of WKTV Journal In Focus June 2021. (WKTV)
WKTV Journal In Focus recently welcomed Kentwood Public Schools Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff in to talk about his years of service to the school system and its students. (WKTV)
Michael Zoerhoff has held many titles in the Kentwood Public Schools community over the last three decades, the latest of which has been Superintendent of Schools since 2013. He started as a teacher and, people will tell you, never quite got that out of this system. At the end of this unusually trying school year, he will be retiring.
Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff, Kentwood Public schools. (Supplied/KPS)
WKTV Journal In Focus recently welcomed Superintendent Zoerhoff in to talk about his years of service to the school system and its students, about ending his tenure during an unprecedented, unpredictable time for education, and — of course — we’ll find out what’s next on his journey.
Recently, when the KPS Board of Education announced its selection to become the district’s next superintendent, board president Mimi Madden said about about Zoerhoff that he “has nurtured and developed strong leaders on his administrative team.” Talking to WKTV, we go in-depth about his accomplishments, including always being teacher to students and a mentor to younger educators.
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (For dates and times on Channel 26, see our Weekly On-air Schedule. For dates and times on Channel 99, visit here). All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
If contract negotiations conclude as anticipated, Kevin Polston will have the same title in local education cycles — Superintendent — it is just that his office will be at Kentwood Public Schools rather than at Godfrey-Lee Public Schools.
Kentwood Public Schools Board of Education announced today that Polston has been selected to become the district’s next superintendent and that it is “engaging in contract negotiations” to finalize the selection. Current KPS superintendent Michael Zoerhoff will be retiring at the completion of this current school year.
“Our candidate pool was exceptionally strong and our internal leadership team is outstanding,” KPS board president Mimi Madden said in supplied material. “The unanimous vote to offer the position to Superintendent Polston will continue the tradition of leadership excellence that our community has come to expect.”
Madden, in the KPS statement, said the board’s expectation is of a seamless transition.
Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff, Kentwood Public schools. (Supplied/KPS)
“Superintendent Zoerhoff has nurtured and developed strong leaders on his administrative team,” Madden said. “These individuals have led their respective areas competently and capably before and during this global pandemic. We are confident that this commitment to the Kentwood mission will continue in the years to come.”
Prior to becoming a superintendent of Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, in 2017, Polston spent 15 years in the Grand Haven Area Public Schools, first as a teacher and then moving into administrative leadership as an assistant principal, curriculum specialist and finally principal, according to his Linked In page.
As superintendent at Godfrey-Lee, Polston led the largely minority-student district though a difficult transition of educational technology and school community image — including the high school’s sports teams becoming known as “The Legends” — as well as handling a 2019 partial building collapse at a middle and high school complex with some portions nearly 100 years old.
Godfrey-Lee Public Schools Superintendent Kevin Polston speaks at State Board of Education meeting in 2017. (State Board of Education)
He also, last year, led a community and educational leadership effort to pass a $17.8 million school district bond measure that will modernize the district’s building and infrastructure in nearly every aspect.
He and his team have also worked to make Godfrey-Lee’s heavily Spanish-speaking population an asset to the district and its students.
In the KPS announcement, it as noted that “his experience as the son of a Palestinian immigrant, and first generation college student, is a story that mirrors many Kentwood families. Mr. Polston’s work in West Michigan reflects his passion for the power of education and the importance of strong partnerships between school systems and the communities they serve.”
“I am humbled and honored to serve as the next superintendent of Kentwood Public Schools,” Polston said in supplied material. “My personal vision of ‘changing the world through opportunities for students’ is one Kentwood has carried out through the vision of ‘Excellence and Equity in Education’.
“I look forward to building positive relationships with staff, students, families, and the community of Kentwood as we collaboratively continue the longstanding tradition of excellence.”
Polston holds degrees from Grand Valley State University and from Michigan State University. He was also named by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer early this year to the lead the COVID-19 Return to School Advisory Council, a statewide body of educators and others.
With few items on Kent County’s May 4 ballot, and the corresponding low voter turnout, local voters backed property tax funded financial requests from both Kentwood Public Schools and Kelloggsville Public Schools.
With unofficial final results from the Kent County Elections office, Kentwood district voters approved a bond measure, by a margin of 3,739 to 1,776, the will allow the Kentwood school district to be able to borrow up to about $192 million and issue general obligation tax bonds to repay it.
The turnout was about 11 percent of the almost 50,000 registered voters in the district, according to the county elections office.
Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff, Kentwood Public schools. (Supplied/KPS)
“The outcome of this election demonstrates the strong partnership between the Kentwood community and Kentwood Public Schools,” Kentwood Public Schools Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff said to WKTV. “Together with our staff, parents, partners and volunteers, we remain committed to providing an education of equity and excellence to every student in a Kentwood school.”
In addition, “we are pleased that our facilities are utilized by all ages within our community. From the pools to the tracks, from seniors to toddlers, Kentwood Public Schools is a resource for the entire community. This vote demonstrates that our community recognizes the district as a center point of engagement for all ages and backgrounds.”
In the Kelloggsville school district, with unofficial final results from the Kent County Elections office, voters approved an extension of an existing non-residential, non ”homestead”, property millage, as well as an additional temporary 2-year 0.5 mill increase, by a margin of 486-240.
The turnout was about 8 percent of the about 9,200 registered voters in the district, according to the county elections office.
“Thank you (to the voters) for your continued support of Kelloggsville Public Schools,” Eric Alcorn, Kelloggsville Public Schools director of human resources, said to WKTV. “We are grateful for the trust you have in us to make sound educational decisions for the district and our students.”
Kentwood bond measure details
Nearly every building in the Kentwood Public Schools system will see improvements paid for by the bond proposal — yet the proposal will lower the net millage from the prior year of a school system already the lowest in Kent County, according to district information.
Kentwood Public Schools serves about 9,000 students. (Supplied/KPS)
Overall, the bond proposal would fund 10-plus years of improvements to district infrastructure and educational technology, that “would provide programs, technology, and facilities for current and future needs,” according to a district statement prior to the vote.
Kentwood Public Schools serves more than 9,000 students, includes about 1,200 staff, and is responsible for 22 buildings, including 17 schools, totaling over one million square feet of structures on over 450 acres of sites.
“This bond referendum will allow us to enhance health and safety features within our facilities,” Superintendent Zoerhoff said. “For instance, our child nutrition food service teams are excited about having full service kitchens in each of our schools. The fresh food that will be provided for our students, in every building, will empower them to learn and succeed.
“In addition, while we cannot predict the next pandemic or problem that our society will face, we can predict that technology will continue to play a critical role in the lives of our students.”
Kelloggsville millage extension details
The Kelloggsville Public Schools district received voter support of a millage two years ago, and the current and approved extension would allow that millage to “be renewed by 18.0181 mills ($18.0181 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 2 years, 2022 and 2023, and also be increased by 0.5 mill ($0.50 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation) for a period of 2 years, 2022 and 2023,” according to the official Kent County elections ballot proposal information.
According to information supplied by the district, the proposal “is a renewal to be levied against non-homestead property. Resident properties are exempt from being taxed by this proposal (no cost to the homeowner). This is a renewal on business properties and not homes. The renewal will notcost the homeowner any additional taxes.”
The Kentwood Public Schools Board of Education will hold second interviews for the now-two finalists — Nkenge Bergan of Kalamazoo Public Schools and Kevin Polston of Godfrey-Lee Public Schools — on May 5, as the district moves to hire a new superintendent after Michael Zoerhoff leaves the position at the end of this school year.
The Board of Education, and the Michigan Association of School Boards, which is assisting the search, announced today, April 30, that after six first-round interviews this week the Board of Education has selected the two candidates for second-round interviews this coming week.
Scheduled to be interviewed on Wednesday, May 5, are Bergan, director of student services, Kalamazoo Public Schools (6 p.m.), and Polston, Ed.S., superintendent, Godfrey-Lee Public Schools (7:15 p.m.).
According to the announcement, interviews will be held in person, with appropriate social distancing, at the Kentwood Administration Building, 5820 Eastern Ave., in Kentwood. Community members, staff and students are encouraged to watch the interviews online as they take place. The district website (kentwoodps.org) will have viewing instructions and more information.
There will also be an option for limited in-person seating and viewing opportunities at the administration building during the interviews. To accommodate proper social distancing, the Board of Education asks that interested persons RSVP to attend the interviews in person by emailing: interviews@kentwoodps.org.
The Kentwood Public Schools Board of Education will interview six finalists — including two in-house candidates and the current superintendent of Godfrey-Lee Public Schools — on April 28-29, to replace Michael Zoerhoff as superintendent, who will leave the position at the end of the school year.
The Board of Education, and the Michigan Association of School Boards, which is assisting the search, announced today, April 20, that the Kentwood Public Schools superintendent posting closed on April 6, “with considerable interest and 31 applicants,” and Board of Education has selected the six candidates for first-round interviews.
Scheduled to be interviewed on Wednesday, April 28, are Tracy Reed, chief academic officer at Fort Wayne (Indiana) Community Schools (at 6 p.m.); Marcus Davenport, Ph.D., superintendent of Beecher Community Schools (7 p.m.), and Kevin Polston, Ed.S., superintendent, Godfrey-Lee Public Schools (8 p.m.)
Scheduled to be interviewed on Thursday, April 29, are Evan Hordyk, executive director of secondary education, Kentwood Public Schools (6 p.m.); Nkenge Bergan, director of student services, Kalamazoo Public Schools (7 p.m.); and Jamie Gordon, executive director of human resources, Kentwood Public Schools (8 p.m.).
According to the announcement, interviews will be held in person, with appropriate social distancing, at the Kentwood Administration Building, 5820 Eastern Ave., in Kentwood. Community members, staff and students are encouraged to watch the interviews online as they take place. The district website (kentwoodps.org) will have viewing instructions and more information.
There will also be an option for limited in-person seating and viewing opportunities at the administration building during the interviews. To accommodate proper social distancing, the Board of Education asks that interested persons RSVP to attend the interviews in person by emailing: interviews@kentwoodps.org.
Kentwood Public Schools serves more than 9,000 students, many of which are shown in this undated photo from a pre-pandemic student gathering. (Supplied/KPS)
Nearly every building in the Kentwood Public Schools system would see improvements should voters support a bond proposal by the district on the May 4 ballot — a proposal which would actually lower the net millage from the prior year of a school system already the lowest in Kent County.
But two of the items of focus in the stated planned uses of the building and infrastructure funding are in direct response to lessons learned about the need for workforce training for students and for heightened health and safety capabilities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“A number of improvements are being made in light of the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to the district’s 2021 Bond Proposal Fact Sheet. “These changes focus on student health and wellness.
“As a vibrant growing community, KPS needs additional facilities to maintain small class sizes and safe distancing in key areas. In a COVID-19 era, facility renovations and additions such as kitchens and cafeterias, athletic facilities, playgrounds and restroom modifications help to ensure health and safety for students and staff.”
One of the students in the Kentwood Public Schools’ “very hands on” Red Storm Robotics program. (Supplied/KPS)
The fact sheet also takes notice of the need for workforce options for students — “Our community needs skilled plumbers, carpenters, auto mechanics, and first responders. This bond will enhance the facilities that serve these areas and provide students with cutting-edge vocational learning opportunities that will serve our community for years to come.”
Overall, the bond proposal would fund 10-plus years of improvements to district infrastructure and educational technology, that “would provide programs, technology, and facilities for current and future needs.”
Kentwood Public Schools serves more than 9,000 students, includes about 1,200 staff, and is responsible for 22 buildings, including 17 schools, totaling over one million square feet of structures on more than 450 acres of sites.
Official ballot proposal info
If passed by voters, Kentwood Public Schools would be able to “borrow the sum of not to exceed One Hundred Ninety-Two Million One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($192,150,000) and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds …” according to the Kent County elections office ballot statement.
“The estimated millage that will be levied for the proposed bonds in 2022 is 0.21 mill ($0.21 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation), for a net 0.25 mill decrease from the prior year’s levy. The maximum number of years the bonds of any series may be outstanding, exclusive of any refunding, is thirty (30) years. The estimated simple average annual millage anticipated to be required to retire this bond debt is 2.26 mills ($2.26 on each $1,000 of taxable valuation).”
One of Kentwood Public Schools’ 22 buildings, including 17 schools, totaling over one million square feet of structures on more than 450 acres of sites. (Supplied/KPS)
As further explained in district-supplied material, if approved, this bond would extend the current debt tax levy from 2044 to 2058. It would decrease the debt tax rate by .25 mills, from 4.25 mills to 4.00 mills in 2022, and “the debt tax rate is projected to remain at 4.00 mills through 2038 and projected to decline further in the future.”
Also detailed in district-supplied material, such bond proposals are the means by which a public school district asks its community for authorization to borrow money to pay for capital expenditures. Voter-approved bond funds can be spent on new construction, additions, remodeling, site improvements, athletic facilities, playgrounds, buses, furnishings, equipment, technology, and other capital needs.
“Funds raised through the sale of bonds cannot be used on operational expenses such as employee salaries and benefits, school supplies, and textbooks,” according to the material.
Funds from such bond proposals are independent of the support the district receives from the State of Michigan for annual operations on a per pupil basis, but “the bond would likely have a positive impact on the annual operating budget for existing facilities.
“It would allow the district to reallocate operating funds that are currently being spent on aging facilities, mechanical systems, and technology. The savings generated from new and cost-efficient facilities could be redirected to student programs and resources.”
For more information about Kentwood Public Schools bond proposal visit the district website at kentwoodps.org/bond2021.
How and when to vote
The Michigan Secretary of State recommends that to register to vote by mail for the May 4 ballot voters should do so by Monday, April 19. Individuals may also register to vote online at Michigan.gov/vote, or in-person at the City of Kentwood City Clerk’s office through May 4, with the required documentation.
An undated State of Michigan Absentee Ballot return envelope. (WKTV)
According to supplied material, due to COVID-19, the Secretary of State will continue mailing absentee voter ballot applications to all registered voters. Registered voters must complete and submit the application to receive their absentee voter ballot. To vote by mail, fill out the application and sign it, and then mail or email it to the city clerk. (When filling out the application, if you check the box to be added to the permanent absentee voter list, you will get an application mailed to you before every election.)
If you registered to vote after absentee voter ballot applications were mailed, applications may be obtained online at Michigan.gov/vote. Absentee voter ballots are available by through May 4, 2021.
This week WKTV Sports will record two featured games, a girls basketball game at Kelloggsville High School and a hockey match from Kentwood’s Ice Arena.
Starting off, Sparta will visit Kelloggsville for an OK Conference Silver girls basketball contest on Tuesday, March 9. The Spartans enter the game with a 6-3 overall record (4-2 in conference) and coming off a home win against Godwin Heights. The Rockets enter at 3-6 (3-5 in conference) but coming off a tight, 27-26, loss to conference leader and undefeated Comstock Park (8-0, 5-0).
WKTV will cover high school hockey this week. (WKTV)
Later in the week, on Friday, March 12, the WKTV crew will be at the hockey game between Kenowa Hills and East Kentwood. The Falcons enter the week with a 1-10 overall record (0-6 in OK Red), but coming off their first win of the season, at home (8-5, over Northview) followed by a tough, 3-2, loss to Jenison on the road. Kenowa Hills is 8-2, and 1-0 in a 3-team OK Conference Gold.
The Tuesday contest will tip off at 6 p.m., and WKTV will record the game and replay it later Tuesday night, at 11 p.m.; then Wednesday, March 10, at 11 a.m., with more replays to be scheduled, and it will available on-demand later. (See details at bottom of story.)
The Thursday hockey match will have the puck drop at 4:40 p.m., and WKTV will record the game and replay it later Friday night, at 11 p.m., then Saturday, March 13, at 11 a.m., with more replays to be scheduled, and it will available on-demand later.
To see both featured games on WKTV on-demand visit WKTVlive.com.
Additionally, the remainder of the WKTV featured game tentative schedule has the WKTV truck and team covering the Tuesday, March 16, girls and boys basketball games when Zion Christian visits Grand River Preparatory (at 5:30 and 7 p.m.), and then the Thursday, March 18, girls basketball game when Zeeland East visits Wyoming high (at 7 p.m.).
We are also tentatively scheduled to cover the girls district Division 2 tournament at Godwin Heights, with Godwin Heights, Kelloggsville and Lee all set to participate.
WKTV featured games will be on cable television in Wyoming and Kentwood on Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 Community Channel, on various days and times the week after. See the programming schedule at wktv.org. For more information on WKTV coverage of winter high school sports, follow us at wktvjournal.org/sports.
Kentwood Public Schools Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff has announced that at the end of this school year he will retire after 33 years as a teacher, coach, principal and district administrator — working with students all along. (Supplied/Kentwood Pubic Schools)
Kentwood Public Schools announced this week that after 33 years of service in the district Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff plans to retire on June 30, 2021, at the conclusion of the 2020-21 school year.
In the Nov. 12 announcement, Zoerhoff offered appreciation to the KPS Board of Education, the Kentwood community, district staff, and, of course, all the students he has worked with and for over the years.
Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff, Kentwood Public schools. (Supplied/KPS)
“It has been an honor and privilege to serve this community over the past thirty three years,” Superintendent Zoerhoff said in supplied material. “It is with a sense of sadness but also deep gratitude that I retire from this wonderful profession.”
In an industry where leaders frequently change school districts, Zoerhoff spent his entire 33-year career in Kentwood Public Schools, serving as a teacher, coach, principal, assistant principal, assistant superintendent and finally as superintendent, according to the announcement.
“When I began my career in 1988, I was proud to be a Kentwood Public Schools teacher,” he said. “Even at the end of my career, that pride of teaching still remains. I am proud to be a Kentwood educator and I am proud to work with such a talented and dedicated staff.”
Board, community support has been consistent
“In an uncertain time, Mr. Zoerhoff has brought stable leadership to our community and our school system,” Mimi Madden, president of the Kentwood Public Schools Board of Education, said in supplied material. “His consistent drive over the years to help all students receive an education of excellence has been a guiding light for students, parents, teachers and staff members.”
Zoerhoff, however, credited district success to students, staff and parents “working together for excellence,” especially in community support to pass bonds and millages, which improved the facilities and increased safety.
“Our community understands the link between quality schools and safe and stable neighborhoods,” Zoerhoff said. “This community values both quality facilities and the hard work of our teachers and staff members.”
In addition to accepting Zoerhoff’s retirement announcement, the Board of Education will establish a superintendent search process.
“Listening and being responsive to our Kentwood community, both internal and external, has always been important,” Madden said. “This will continue during the Superintendent search process. In the coming month, we will establish a direction that maintains this tradition and identifies our next steps.”
Although Zoerhoff will be retiring as superintendent, his two children will continue to attend Kentwood Public Schools and his family plans to remain within the Kentwood community.
“I am confident that Kentwood Public Schools will continue to excel,” he said. “We are a thriving global community, a vibrant example of different perspectives and traditions growing and excelling together. Kentwood Public Schools has a very bright future.”
Kentwood Public Schools has joined several local public schools districts by closing school buildings and beginning temporary virtual education for all students after a series of positive COVID-19 test results.
In an Oct. 24 letter from district Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff to parent and students, and posted on the district website, the district explained its decision to cease in-person education at its East Kentwood Freshman Campus and the East Kentwood High School buildings from Saturday, Oct. 24 through Friday, Oct. 30.
“On Friday, October 23, 2020, we learned of another COVID-19 positive case at East Kentwood High School and/or the East Kentwood Freshman Campus,” the district letter stated. “In the past week on the East Kentwood Campuses, we have now had seven positive cases and currently have 123 individuals who are in quarantine. We worked late into the night Friday with the Kent County Health Department (KCHD) and they have made the recommendation that we close both the East Kentwood Freshman Campus and the East Kentwood 10-12 Building next week to allow for contact tracing and deep cleaning.”
Students will receive further detailed information from their teachers and principals regarding next week’s class schedule and how learning will continue, according to the letter.
“This decision is very difficult and not made without a great deal of discussion and advice from the Kent County Health Department,” according to the letter. “We apologize for the hardship this puts on our students, staff and families. The recommendation from the KCHD is intended to break and eliminate cycles of transmission and keep our EK Community safe. It is important that we all take the necessary steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 so we can stay safe and continue to offer in person school for our students, staff and families.”
The Kent County Health Department will conduct contact tracing and may contact members of the East Kentwood schools community for further follow up if it is determined that they were in “close contact” with an person who has tested positive.
“We are moving forward under the guidance of the Kent County Health Department and all measures have been taken to protect the wellbeing of our staff and students,” the letter states. And both buildings will be “thoroughly” cleaned and disinfected following district protocols.
If persons in the district community have any questions or concerns regarding COVID-19, the district recommends contacting the Executive Director of Human Resources, Jamie Gordon, in the KPS Administration Offices at 616-455-4400.
Kentwood Public Schools latest back-to-school plans, announced in a district-wide letter July 27, includes a two-week remote/virtual education period for all students as the district prepares for a possible return to in-school learning and parents can have more information before making their decision on having their students attend school at home or in classrooms.
Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff, Kentwood Public schools. (Supplied/KPS)
“Kentwood Public Schools is bound by the directives from the Governor’s Office, the Michigan Department of Education and the various Health Departments,” Kentwood Public Schools Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff said in the letter from his office. “Since the guidelines from the Governor’s Office are yet to be finalized, KPS planning has to remain highly flexible.”
The district conducted several parent surveys over the past several months, according to the letter, and the “results identified a split perspective. Many families want school to start with ‘in person’ learning; while others want to start with remote/virtual learning.”
As of July 27, Kent County is labeled to be in “Phase 4” of the Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s reopening plan, which means schools may open for in-person learning. with restrictions. But if the Governor moves to the county to “Phase 3” then schools must stop all in-person learning and go completely to remote learning.
According to the district letter, the current plan begins school on Monday, Aug. 24, with all students involved in remote/virtual learning for the first two weeks. On Sept. 8, the day after Labor Day, parents can choose to shift their student to the option of in-person learning.
The stated reasons for the two-week remote/virtual beginning of school include:
In addition to being introduced to the academic content that will be studied for the term, the first two weeks will be focused on training students and staff on the safety protocols and cleaning procedures for a safe in-person return.
Students and staff will learn “positive habits and behaviors” for successful remote learning should in-person learning be shut down and virtual learning become the only option.
Those households intending to use the remote/virtual learning option will be able to have computers delivered to students needing a device, and families will have an opportunity to evaluate our new remote learning platforms and compare them, to “make an informed choice when in person learning becomes an option on September 8.”
“Kentwood Public Schools will also have time to observe and learn from those area districts that engage in person student learning immediately,” according the letter. “We can benefit from seeing what others do or fail to do.”
Mask and busing policy detailed
If in-school education is available and chosen, the Governor’s current Return To School requirements are that students and staff in grades 6-12 must wear a face mask if they are attending in-person learning, and students in grades K-5 will be “strongly encouraged” to wear a face mask.
Kentwood Public Schools “has worked with our business partners and Spectrum Health to purchase many approved face masks for those who do not have one, forget to bring it to school or lose their mask,” according to the district.
And while busing will be provided for students who attend in-class school, “we will follow the requirements in the Governor’s Return To School regarding social distancing and face mask covernings. This will require us all to be flexible as there will be a limited number of students allowed on each bus run. Those bus runs will be published and communicated once we know how many families need transportation.”
While the exact mode of education for Kentwood Public Schools students is in flux, Superintendent Zoerhoff, in the letter, made clear the district’s ultimate goal.
“Kentwood Public Schools, together with parents and the community, will educate all students in a safe, secure environment,” he said. “We are committed to excellence, equity and diversity in education. Our goal is for each student to master and apply the essential skills to be a successful, productive citizen.
“These challenging times will pass, but the quality education that your children receive at KPS will serve them for a lifetime.”
For more information on Kentwood Public School’s back-to-school plans and other COIVID-19 related district communications visit kentwoodps.org/covid-info.
The story of a 2019 cooperative project between the City of Kentwood police department and the Kentwood Public Schools Red Storm Robotics team, a robot that reached full operation in 2020, was a good news story early this year.
And despite Kentwood schools, and WKTV Journal, seeing big changes in how they did business starting in March due to the COVID-19 restrictions, it is still a good news story — a tool for Kentwood police to help them make better decisions in the field and an example of the high level of interaction between the city’s schools and city staff that Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley relentlessly advocates for.
“What I love about this is always investing in the next generation,” Mayor Kepley said in March when WKTV was producing a video project on the Red Storm Robotics project with the police department. “And this is just another opportunity, and really a great opportunity, to invest in the next generation. … The city working with the school, working with professionals, using technology, and more importantly investing in the very individuals who will be leading this community in the future.”
The police robot project is a prime example of not only engagement with the students but of also giving advanced students a lesson in real-world, on-the-job, design of robotic technology.
Of course, Red Storm was up to the challenge presented by the police department.
WKTV talked with Mayor Kepley, Kentwood Police Chief Richard Roberts and Sgt. Jeff Leonard, and instructors/parents of the Red Storm Robotics project, including Adam Veenendaal, Mark VanderVoord and Wendy Ljungern.
But most importantly, we talked with students of the program past and present, including Jason Gray-Moore, Kerim Puczek, Jacobi Thompson and Annalise Welch.
For more information on Kentwood Pubic Schools’ Red Storm Robotics program visit their website at redstormrobotics.com.
Glenwood Elementary second-grade teacher Lauren Heald leads her class earlier this school year using the Capturing Kids Hearts model (School News Network)
Godfrey-Lee: Gaming club doubles membership its first season
The Godfrey-Lee’s first esports club grew from 18 students last fall to 40 middle and high schoolers competing in games such as Super Smash Bros., Ultimate, Fortnite, Overwatch and Mario Kart. In-person gaming clubs are growing in local districts and beyond. Other area esports teams include Catholic Central, East Grand Rapids, Lowell, Rockford, Sparta, Kentwood, West Catholic and West Michigan Aviation Academy. Aquinas College hosts sports competitions and West Michigan University has built an arena to accommodate esports. For more, click here.
Kentwood teachers are using KPS Remote Learning and Tech Talk as a go-to spot for tech tool instruction (School News Network)
Kentwood: Teachers tap into one another’s knowledge for remote teaching
Kentwood Public Schools educators have been sharing their knowledge and the tools they use in their classrooms with other teachers as the district quickly switched to remote learning due to the state-mandated closure of schools to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Just how did they accomplish this? Click here to learn more.
Director of Dining Services Monica Collier, far right, holds her statewide award for Breakfast Hero given to her by Mindy Grant, Michigan Breakfast Program grant manager, second from right. Lee Middle and High School student council members surround the breakfast cart Collier implemented (School News Network)
Godfrey-Lee: I’ll take that to go, please, for geometry class
With most of the students at Godfrey-Lee receiving free or reduce meals, you would think breakfast would be popular, but turnout was quite low for the morning meal. That is until Godfrey-Lee Dining Services Director Monica Collier created the breakfast cart program last fall, earning a state award for her idea in early March before the mandatory school closure due to COVID-19. To learn more about the breakfast cart program click here.
Last fall, visual art teacher Jesse VanderBand’s students worked in teams of four to create artwork for the Legends change. (School News Network)
Godfrey-Lee: New mascot, log to be inspired by student designs
A key component in creating the new logo for Lee High School is student input according to Godfrey-Lee Public Schools Superintendent Kevin Polston. Curious on what students view as the new mascot? Click here to find out.
From left, Taylor Ross, Noe Martinez, Ashley Soto, Vivian Nguyen, Norell Gill, Lisbeth De Los Santos and Keonica Hamilton operate the Wolf Den. (School News Network)
Wyoming: Shirts, slushes and spirit
Have you been to The Wolf Den at Wyoming High School? What you’ll find is a store offering the latest black and purple gear. To show your Wolf Pack Pride, click here.
Third grader Josie Day wears her team name on her head. (School News Network)
Kentwood: Third graders have the solution to organizing toys in messy bedroom
Students at Explorer Elementary tackle the task of keep a room clean by creating toy storage containers. Want to see what they created? Click here.
Schools are emphasizing thorough hand-washing and sanitizing, and keeping students home from school if they show symptoms of coronavirus or flu. (School News Network)
All Schools: School hope for the best but prepare for coronavirus anyway
From ultraviolet lights to detect germs to hand washing, area schools are doing a lot to help prevent not only the spread of coronavirus but other flus as well. To learn more, click here.
Kentwood’s Sylvia James, right, is sworn in to serve on the the Kent ISD School Board. James is also serving as Trustee on the Board of Education for Kentwood Public Schools. (Supplied/Kent ISD)
By WKTV Staff ken@wktv.org
The Kent ISD School Board recently announced the appointment of Sylvia James to fill the opening on the board created when Bill Joseph retired. James is also serving as Trustee on the Board of Education for Kentwood Public Schools.
According to the ISD statement, in addition to her service in Kentwood’s public school system, she has extensive professional experience in operational and strategic human resources practices and management at Pridgeon & Clay, Inc., and previously with Steelcase, Spectrum Health and Robert Bosch, LLC.
“We are pleased to welcome Sylvia to the Kent ISD School Board and look forward to enlisting her experience, passion and dedication to serve all students in the Kent County area,” Ron Caniff, Superintendent, Kent ISD, said in supplied material. “The board is grateful to Bill Joseph for his 18 years of service, countless insights and many contributions throughout the years. We look forward to continuing this important work with Sylvia’s leadership and commitment to public education.”
James has lived in the Kentwood area for more than 25 years and is interested in expanding her reach to help meet the needs of students throughout the region, according to the ISD.
“I love how Kent ISD works collaboratively with all of the districts to provide programs and services to the residents of 23 public and non-public school districts.” James said in supplied material. “I am committed to ensuring that our students are well educated, as we provide for their safety and welfare.”
James was sworn in at the February Kent ISD School Board meeting. She will serve until the June 2021 election, at which time she can run to serve the remainder of Joseph’s term, through 2025.
Kent ISD is a regional educational service agency “devoted to achievement for all students,” and provides instructional and administrative services to more than 300 schools, 20 public districts, three non-public districts, and many public school academies and non-public schools.
For more information on the Kent ISD, see kentisd.org.
Sen Dim, who is from Myanmar, works on her project about Bhutan. (School News Network)
Kentwood: ‘All Their Stories Come Together’
In Valleywood Middle School teacher Jane Van Hof’s seventh grade English class — a portrait of diversity in itself– students are studying the stories of people forced to flee their native lands. For the project, dubbed “A Refugee Story,” they are delving into research on refugees and learning about those in their community. What did they learn? Click here to find out.
Andrea Donovan preps her students for the human catapult as part of a collaborative STEAM-PE week. (School News Network)
Godfrey-Lee: Human catapult, shadow-dodging teaches movement & so much more
Here’s a story gathering some STEAM: A group of Godfrey-Lee teachers have come up with games that are more than just play, but may create builders, engineers and life-long physical fitness buffs just by introducing unique ways to keep fit and create while doing it. To learn how they are accomplishing this, click here.
For more stories on area schools, visit the School News Network website schoolnewsnetwork.org.
The box-shaped, motor-propelled robot scuttled across the floor of Buck Creek, with Valleywood Middle School eighth grader Amaya Eggleston controlling it via remote.
“That’s so cool!” said Amaya, who helped build the marine ‘bot with classmates Ajla Lelek, Sarah Vokoviak and Sumayah Hanson and teacher Bobbijo Zoerhof.
The robot took its first dip on a recent afternoon. It will play a significant role in an eighth-grade community project, a year-long environmental study of the creek and its levels of pollutants. Teachers and students are working on the project with funding help from Groundswell, a coalition of community partners creating opportunities for hands-on environmental learning.
Sumayah Hanson controls the underwater robot. (School News Network)
The robot is powered by three motors and equipped with a camera that shows images of the creek floor onto a fish-finder screen. The girls are using a 3D printer to make sensor boxes and tube endings. While they are still tweaking and tinkering, the robot can already move through the creek and record underwater images on its camera.
The robot will soon be used to test the water for phosphates, nitrates, turbidity, pH level and temperature. Social studies teacher Bobbijo Zoerhof and English teacher Jane Van Hof have classes assigned with studying and recording levels throughout the year, which they expect could vary due to water runoff. They will present findings to neighbors and post readings on a website.
“I love making this stuff with my team,” Amaya said. “It’s exciting to know we can help more than ourselves just doing this. I hope it helps people — the students at our school — to know what our water’s like.”
The project is cross-curricular, involving reading and writing in English Language Arts and mapping a region and environmental laws in social studies.
Students read the book “A Long Walk to Water”, about an 11-year-old African girl who regularly walks eight hours to fetch water from a pond.
Valleywood students correlated the story to the mapping of fresh water, and also the robot with water quality testing. In social studies, they focus on how humans interact with their environment.
“The robot connects with fresh, healthy water, where to locate the water and how to keep the water supply healthy,” Zoerhof said.
The underwater robot includes motors, a tether, fishfinder and camera. (School News Network)
Multifaceted Outdoor Learning
Zoerhof and VanHof partnered with Groundswell, which is housed in the College of Education at Grand Valley State University, by attending an outdoor learning session in October at Garfield Park.
Zoerhof said she learned about remote operated vehicles from a workshop years ago, and came up with the idea to use one to collect water samples. The girls will head to the creek several times this school year to control the robot as it gathers samples. This eliminates the need for students to gather icy samples themselves.
The robot will collect water samples over the course of the school year. (School News Network)
“We thought, ‘Why don’t we use the robot to test the water year round instead of having a student do it? Plus, with the camera, it can see to the depth that we can’t,” Zoerhof said.
Before the robot began its submarine-like mission, students this fall mapped the schoolyard, sketching and with Google Maps to analyze water runoff patterns and natural features of the landscape. They will also plant a native nursery, also funded by Groundswell, on the creek’s edges and study whether the plants impact pollutant levels.
Zoerhof chose the girls to work with the robot because of their interest, both in STEM-related learning and the outdoors. The girls have also worked with 3D printing.
“I hope we can show all the pollution that’s in there and people will help clean it and get rid of what causes more pollution,” said Ajla.
Added Sara: “It’s a big privilege to know you are a part of something that can make things better.”
For stories on area schools, visit the School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
Swoosh it, bank it, launch it from the three-point range. Whatever you do, recycle it.
That was the message from Discovery Elementary School fifth grade students Emani Armstrong, Amaya Proctor, Drew Geurink and Andrew Kenyi, who designed and created “Chute Hoops,” a collection bin with two mini hoops for bunched up bottles and other plastic items.
“We are doing this because every year 36 million tons of waste is thrown into the landfills,” said Drew, reading from the group presentation. “Half of it is recyclable. Americans throw 35 billion water bottles in the trash. If we use our product, we can reduce that amount.”
From left: John Bizimana, Loghan Sterkenburg, Dion Preniqi, and Landon Ward focused on water conservation
Added Emani: “We do want to make recycling more fun for kids.”
The students were among several groups in Kentwood Public Schools’ PEAKS program for gifted and talented students working to answer the question, “How do we make Discovery Elementary more green?”
They presented to a panel of judges final ideas around composting, eliminating plastic and styrofoam, conserving water and recycling. The team, dubbed the Air Michiganders, netted the win for their Chute Hoops plastic ball design.
“I love, love, love the idea,” said judge Eric Kelliher, a Kent ISD Career Readiness consultant. “You’ve taken something kids are kind of doing and made it more engaging. I think a lot of kids will be late to class because they will be shooting baskets.”
Students used design thinking to create their prototypes
Discovering Ways to Solve Problems
Students, first tasked with solving a problem in the community, chose to explore how to make the school “greener” after learning about engineering. They tapped into the knowledge of a Steelcase engineer who explained how to build according to LEED certification standards.
They used design thinking to come up with solutions to make the school more environmentally friendly, ideas that could feasibly work. “The whole point is I wanted it to be something we could see happen at Discovery,” said teacher Amanda Barbour, who participated in training on design thinking through Kent ISD.
Chute Hoops has two hoops for bunched up plastic
The first step in design thinking — the “empathy” phase– involves determining the needs of people who are facing a problem. Students interviewed Principal Deb McNally, a custodian and four other staff members who pointed out some less-than-green situations.
Top areas included plastic waste, food waste and water use. Students designed projects based on those areas, creating prototypes to address the waste.
After initial presentations to staff members, they tweaked their projects for the final design challenge. Judges included Kelliher; Kentwood STEM coordinator Nancy McKenzie; and Hristijana Kulasic, a paraprofessional.
Other designs included a compost bin/greenhouse combo to help eliminate food waste and grow food for the cafeteria, to be managed by a fourth and fifth grade garden club; bamboo trays to replace styrofoam trays; and a food smasher for efficient composting.
For more stories on area schools, visit the School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
From left: Bryce Barnes, Hudson Vitcans, Barbara Hoolihan and Jenelle Williams present on a biodegradable lunch trays. (School News Network)
Homeless, with Homework: A new School News Network series on homelessness in schools and its connection to housing. As costs rise and the rental market has low availability, nearly 2,500 students in Kent ISD public schools are facing homelessness. These stories look into what’s led to the issue and how it impacts students. For more on the series, click here.
When students in Kent County schools are identified as homeless, district coordinators have items ready — school uniforms, backpacks, coats, school supplies, bus passes, even mattresses.
What’s become more and more difficult is helping families find adequate shelter.
Schools — urban, suburban and rural — are seeing increased numbers of homeless students and fewer options for housing because of high rents and scarce vacancies. Coordinators who work with students and families facing homelessness ask where they are staying and inform them about 211 services including shelter information. But they often can’t do much more. Even shelters have long waiting lists.
The school coordinators say families are living in cars, campers, motels and, most commonly, in “doubled-up” arrangements with other families.
“I really feel, truly, when it comes to finding a house, I’m more of just emotional support because there aren’t options,” said Sarah Weir. She is Kentwood Public Schools coordinator for the McKinney-Vento Act, federal legislation that helps children continue to go to school even if they don’t have a permanent home. (To receive services, such as transportation, under the act, they must be identified as homeless, according to certain criteria.)
Casey Gordon, who coordinates the McKinney-Vento Act grant for Kent and Allegan counties at Kent ISD, said more students are facing prolonged homelessness and are being newly identified as homeless.
Sara Weir
“It’s directly related to the lack of affordable housing,” she said.
School districts each year start their count of homeless students in July. During the first few weeks of school in Grand Rapids Public Schools, 194 students newly reported as homeless.
“It was huge. We had to rush,” said Edna Stewart, the district’s homeless/foster care coordinator. Last year, 953 students were homeless in the more than 15,300-student district compared to 661 in 2017-2018.
‘ALMOST EVERYONE I WORK WITH IS WORKING, THEY JUST CAN’T AFFORD THE RENT. SO MANY ARE DOUBLED UP.’
– Sara Weir, Kentwood Public Schools
Weir, who is in her fourth year in the position, said last school year 216 students were identified as homeless in Kentwood. This year that number was already at 165 in mid-November. “It’s never been this high in the three years before this,” she said. “It’s been the busiest start that I’ve ever had.”
Rural and suburban areas are seeing similar trends, say district coordinators. In Cedar Springs Public Schools in late October, Ashley Reynolds has already worked with 75 students. Last school year, 60 registered by the end of the school year. In Comstock Park, Missi McPherson has already assisted 42 homeless students. Last year’s total was 61.
No Place to Call Home
Gordon said the issue is as much a problem of housing availability as affordability. Grand Rapids has less than 4 percent of rental units available, which is one of the lowest rates in the country.
Casey Gordan
“That means we have lots and lots of people applying for every apartment and home that’s available,” Gordon said. “Landlords and rental companies then have a variety of applicants to choose from. They look at every factor, including incredibly high credit scores. Anyone who has a barrier in their past credit history, it becomes very difficult for them to find an affordable unit.”
Gordon said she received eight calls in one week from people asking for rental assistance. “They are working multiple jobs and still don’t have enough to make their rent payment.”
However, there aren’t enough resources to meet demand for help paying the rent. “We absolutely have a dire need for more resources to keep people stable,” she said.
‘THEY ARE WORKING MULTIPLE JOBS AND STILL DON’T HAVE ENOUGH TO MAKE THEIR RENT PAYMENT.’
– Casey Gordon, Kent ISD
That’s the case on Grand Rapids’ rapidly developing West Side, where skyrocketing rents have driven out many residents, while homes for sale are hard to come by and out of many buyers’ price range. So says Jim Davis, a city planning commissioner and executive director of Westside Collaborative, an alliance of nonprofits and faith-based agencies that works to support equity and quality of life for all. Davis says renters may hear from landlords, “Hey, we love having you, your lease is up. We’re going to take your $900 a month payment and it’s going to be $1,800, but we hope you’ll stay” – not a realistic option for most.
Related Story: ‘We didn’t notice they’re gone’ – A West Side resident with two children in Grand Rapids Public Schools, Jim Davis worries about the families who can’t afford to live in that booming area and the impact on schools.
Skyrocketing Rents
With 43 percent of families not earning enough to afford basic needs, according to a reportcompleted by the Michigan Association of United Ways, incomes aren’t aligning with housing prices.
Units that advertise as affordable often really aren’t, Stewart said.
“Affordable housing here is not affordable housing. Who are you really targeting when you say ‘affordable housing’ and you promote these new apartments being built? You are not targeting (those) in need of that housing.”
Edna Stewart
In Kenowa Hills Public Schools, which had 173 homeless students enrolled last school year, area hotels and motels serve as temporary living arrangements.
“In the last five years, that’s been the trend they’ve seen increasing,” Gordon said. “People from Grand Rapids and northern parts of Kent County and many other districts are landing in the hotels in Kenowa Hills.”
In Kentwood, Weir said most families that come to her — about 10 each week — have exhausted their options. Minimum wage jobs paying $9.45 per hour — that’s $1,638 a month for a 40-hour week (if one got paid in full for every week of the year) — don’t come close to paying the bills.
‘AFFORDABLE HOUSING HERE IS NOT AFFORDABLE HOUSING. YOU ARE NOT TARGETING (THOSE) IN NEED OF THAT HOUSING.’
– Edna Stewart, Grand Rapids Public Schools
“They can’t find a place,” Weir said. “Almost everyone I work with is working, they just can’t afford the rent. So many are doubled up — more than ever before.”
Weir has families facing sudden homelessness because apartment complexes are hiking rates and not renewing leases, forcing families to move when prices increase. “We are running into a lot of people who have a place to live and they think everything is fine, then they get kicked out because (the property owner) can charge more.”
Weir used to print out lists of available rentals. Now, she helps families get on a list for shelters. One Kentwood family living out of a car was 21st on a waiting list to get into a shelter.
“I tell them the best thing is to keep your eyes open when driving around,” she said, noting that private homeowners aren’t always as strict about credit and eviction records.
Waiting Lists, Shelters, Hotels
In Comstock Park, McPherson, educational support services coordinator, said many of her families — working two or three low paying jobs to make ends meet — are priced out of the rental market. She had 15 students in early November living in Grand Rapids shelters.
“They were on the waiting list so Salvation Army was putting them up in hotels until there were openings,” McPherson said. (Under the McKinney-Vento Act, students have the right to be transported to their district of origin if needed and feasible.)
Missi McPherson
About a quarter of students in Comstock Park schools live in the York Creek Apartments, where two-bedroom units start at $785. If families lose those units, there are few other options available. One hotel in the district offers extended stays, but it’s full too, she said.
“When a house or apartment comes available that’s reasonably priced, it’s snatched up very quickly. There’s just not the availability out there. We are so small and there are not that many rental properties outside of York Creek,” McPherson said.
In Cedar Springs, “We are the highest we’ve been since we’ve had a homeless liaison,” Ashley Reynolds said of the 75 homeless students she’s worked with so far this year.
“There were two houses listed for rent and two of our families went to look at them, but they were like $1,600 for a three-bedroom. They just don’t have the means to afford that.”
‘WHEN A HOUSE OR APARTMENT COMES AVAILABLE THAT’S REASONABLY PRICED, IT’S SNATCHED UP VERY QUICKLY.’
– Missi McPherson, Comstock Park Public Schools
A fire at Red Flannel Acres, an affordable housing community in the district, destroyed eight units, displacing several families and leading them to double up with other families.
Another trend is living in campers or tiny cottages on campgrounds, Reynolds said. “We have a couple families who have campers that are going to try and stay in there all winter. You never want to see that, but then if they don’t have anywhere else to go it’s better than nothing.”
Prices Higher than Many Can Afford
Many families live on incomes above the poverty level, but don’t earn enough to cover basic needs.
Statewide, of 3.935 million households, 14 percent lived in poverty in 2017 and another 29 percent had incomes under what’s needed to cover basic expenses.
In Kent County, including those living below the poverty line, 37 percent of families did not earn enough to cover basic needs.
As for wages, 61 percent of all jobs in Michigan pay less than $20 per hour.
Ashley Reynolds
Gordon hopes to see increased community efforts to help families afford housing, keep their jobs, be able to work — and have their children go to school without worrying about being displaced at the end of the day. “We need real affordable housing,” she said, adding, “$1,200 a month is not affordable housing for a family of five that has one income and little ones.”
Action Needed Locally
Gordon said many cities and counties across the nation are taking steps to increase affordable housing options. They are tapping into grant sources, incentivizing developers and working through planning commissions.
The issue can be controversial, however, because of the stigma surrounding affordable housing. Communities often resist multi-family residences.
‘WE HAVE A COUPLE FAMILIES WHO HAVE CAMPERS THAT ARE GOING TO TRY AND STAY IN THERE ALL WINTER.’
– Ashley Reynolds
But city master planning should prioritize long-term stability and growth, without increasing family and youth homelessness, she said.
“We see some very hopeful things but we also see problems that continue to be a problem. The ‘We don’t want affordable housing here. Why would we incentivize multiple family units?’ It is a tension between everyone wanting a wonderful place to live, work and be, but how do you ensure you have equality in that system?”
Nevertheless, she said, people can work together for the benefit of all.
“Business owners, politicians and the city really have a significant interest in ensuring we are a community where everybody is able to live and work and get around.”
For more stories about local schools, visit the School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
In talk-show style form, news anchors Janna Barba and Angelica Ferrell spiced up their announcements with lots of enthusiasm recently during Tiger Talk, the new Townline Elementary School news broadcast.
The anchors introduced a segment on the school walk-a-thon and the harvest festival with some light-hearted conversation.
“Summer has turned into fall and we are already into October,” said Angelica.
Added Janna: “Before we know, the leaves will be painted with colors of fall.”
“Do you know what my favorite part about fall is, Janna?” continued Angelica. “Halloween! As you know I am new to town. Do we get to have any Halloween parties?”
The program then cut to an interview with the Parent Teacher Council president about the fall fun before it was time for a segment on school behavior expectations, Tiger PRIDE, including interviews with students and staff.
“Let’s roll the video!” Angelica announced.
Anchors Janna Barba, left, and Angelica Ferrell read the news for Tiger Talk. (School News Network)
The Weekly News
These chatty cats like taking the mic and wearing their journalism hats while recording in the hallway-turned studio. As fifth graders, they and their classmates are in charge of bringing the news to students and teachers through announcements and on-site interviews on Tiger Talk, named after the school’s mascot. Students record an episode on Friday mornings, then it’s sent to teachers to show in their rooms during the week. It’s also posted on the school’s Facebook page for parents.
“It feels important,” said Angelica, shortly after completing the final cut of their most recent broadcast. “I learned to show our PRIDE.”
That’s PRIDE, as in Problem Solve, Respect, Independence, Demonstrate Responsibility and Excellence, she said. That’s been one of Tiger Talk’s topics.
Tiger Talk first aired this fall as a way to efficiently get news out to staff and families. Principal Michelle Downs said her daily announcements over the intercom were disrupting instruction, and she wanted to get students involved in communicating the happenings at school.
“We thought, ‘Why not videotape kids doing a talk show to get that information sent to teachers?” she said.
Alycia Cruz watches the iPad screen as she records. (School News Network)
Building Solid Skills
Tiger Talk involves more than just announcements. Students have interviewed teachers about the school’s literacy night and about new furniture and carpeting. They also interviewed a local firefighter about school safety drills. Students videotaped kindergartners practicing a fire, lockdown and tornado drill.
“It’s important because it will let our parents know how we are acting in school,” said Trendon Holliman.
Students rotate positions, serving as anchors, on-location anchors, and production crew. Media lab paraprofessional Brooke Schachermeyer coordinates and writes the script.
“Our hope and our goal is to have all fifth grade students participate at one point in the year,” Downs said. “What’s been exciting for me is you can see kids in a different setting, a different light. We are starting to see those who are naturals. They like being in front of the camera. They communicate very well.”
The Tiger Talk team involves all fifth graders at Townline Elementary, who rotate jobs (School News Network)
Others prefer to be behind the camera, involved in production, she said.
Another benefit has been increased parental involvement. After parents watched the Tiger Talk segment on reading night, attendance was doubled over last year’s event. “It was the first time we’ve run out of food. We had 160 people show up,” Downs said.
Fifth grade teacher David Schmidt said Tiger Talk not only helps meet fifth-grade Michigan technology standards, it also shows students explore different career options and gives them experience in communication. It’s a perfect precursor for working on East Kentwood High School’s student broadcast, Falcon News Network. “It’s always nice to show how we can use technology to communicate in a really positive way,” Schmidt said.
Also, “It’s just plain fun. It’s really cool when we are sitting here in class and the video is on and everyone’s watching one of their classmates present… all the kids get to really cheer on and encourage each other.”
The students are also shining as school leaders, said fifth grade teacher Leeann Seymour, who students interviewed about a courtyard being turned into a garden. “It builds confidence and it’s fun when they see younger kids in school. They are kind of like school celebrities.”
For more stories on local schools, visit the School News Network, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
Pinewood Middle School eighth grader Shay Wilks said she reads four to six books a month. While visiting the school library recently, she commented on the book, “Blended” by Sharon M. Draper. The main character is a biracial girl. It’s one of her favorites.
“She has my same skin tone,” Shay said. “Sometimes she would get bullied for her skin tone, and sometimes I do too.”
Eighth grader Allie Watkins discovered the book ‘Warcross,’ by Marie Lu, during a challenge to read diverse books
Shay said the fact she related to the character was one reason she loved the book.
That kind of connection is what Kentwood educators are seeking in stocking teachers’ classroom libraries with diverse books that reflect students’ cultures and backgrounds, and through which students can learn about others’ cultures and circumstances.
“We are the most diverse district in the entire state and seventh in the nation. We are very proud of that,” said Melisa Mulder, secondary ELA intervention coach, who is leading the effort.
Mulder attended a Michigan Reading Association Conference on the importance of classroom libraries, which prompted her to survey middle and high school teachers about the number of books in their rooms and if they consisted of diverse titles. “My hunch was our libraries were not as diverse in terms of the amount of books they should have or in showing what our kids represent.”
Minority cultures remain underrepresented in books. In 2015, according to statistics compiled by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, just 7.6% of children’s books had African or African American characters; 3.3% had Asian or Asian American; 2.4% had Latino; and 0.9% had Native American.
“It’s really about inclusion and wanting them all to be represented,” Mulder said.
Eighth grader Shay Wilks peruses the school library
Mission: Stock Libraries
The survey found most classroom libraries did not have the minimum 300 books recommended by the Michigan Reading Association, and the ones they did have lacked diversity. 75% of teachers had about 100 books, with the majority of teachers using their own money to buy them.
Mulder presented a plan to to Evan Hordyk, executive director for secondary education, who supported her efforts. The Board of Education approved the purchase of $1,500 in books for each secondary English language arts teacher, about 78 district-wide. The goal is to allocate $1,000 per teacher next school year, too, and $300 every other year to follow to keep titles current. Teachers, using a list of considerations about creating diverse book collection, ordered the books they wanted, and replaced outdated titles.
Pinewood’s library clerk, Kelly Austin, is championing the effort. Last year she and librarians at Crestwood and Valleywood middle schools started “Books for Us,” a program in which students are challenged to read a minimum of six books representing diverse authors and characters.
Last school year, more than 50 students read, journaled and held lunch meetings to talk about the 10 books, which were chosen by the librarians. The culminating event included hearing a guest speaker, a catered lunch and voting on their favorite book. Students received a T-shirt, commemorative bookmark and swag bag. The challenge starts again in November.
Another way to get books in students’ hands is through the KDL Bookmobile,which visits Pinewood every three weeks. Students can check out books right from the traveling library. The district has also ensured that all students have a library card.
The overarching goal, Mulder said, is equity. Students who feel connections with books are more motivated to read, and therefore will become more skilled at it.
Eighth grader Shay Wilks has learned how books can be a mirror and a window for a reader
Finding ‘That Book for that Kid’
Added Austin, “If I have books in here that are not by diverse authors and do not represent the kids, that’s not equitable because you can’t come in here and find a book about your experience. …“To me, it’s important to listen to them and to get their input about what books we have, what books they are enjoying.”
She said finding a reluctant reader a book she or he loves can help them develop a joy for reading.
“Building the love of reading is like the icing on the cake… If I don’t try to keep my library current and diverse I may never find that book for that kid.”
English-language learner teacher Diana McDiarmid said her students are benefiting from the new books on her shelves. She’s had trouble finding books for students who come from all over the globe. “It’s going to impact them a lot because they will actually have books they want to read… It’s something they can connect with.”
Eighth grader Allie Watkins read all 10 titles in the “Books for Us” challenge, and loved “Warcross” by Marie Lu, which represents the Chinese culture. “I thought it was so cool to learn how different people react to different situations,” Allie said.
She said her classmates will like finding books that reflect their culture and through which they can learn about others.
“It will benefit them because their are people here from all different cultures. It will be nice for them to read books from many cultures.”
For more stories on area schools, visit the School News Network, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
School may be in session but for Denise Kooiker, aka School Supply Santa, collecting school supplies does not stop just because the bell has rung.
“Once school starts, people can bring supplies right to Byron Ministries for the following year,” Kooiker said. “Our main part we tried to do before school starts, but we receive items throughout the year.”
School Supply Santa’s main push for collections takes place in July and August when donation boxes are put out at many area business. Staff from 36 area schools are invited to an event in August where they can pick out items for students in their school.
Almost 1,100 backpacks were handed out along with about 46,000 school supplies at the 2019 event. Schools serviced by the program include Byron Center, Godwin Heights, Godfrey-Lee, Kelloggsville, Kentwood and Wyoming.
It was 12 years ago when Kooiker, a hair stylist, had a client tell her about the needs for her students.
“I was naive,” Kooiker said. “What do you mean kids don’t have school supplies?”
She started School Supply Santa by filling her car and now has a storage facility along with the space at Byron Ministries for donations.
So as area residents hit the stores for sales throughout the year, keep in mind of the needs of area students, Kooiker said. Items most needed are dry erase markers as many schools do not use chalkboards but dry erase boards.
“Backpacks are always a big thing,” Kooiker said. “It is such a confidence booster. It is hard to come to school without one or one that is old and frayed.”
For a complete list of school supplies, visit the School Supply Santa website, schoolsupplysanta.com
On the second day of school, Meadowlawn Elementary School second-graders met the person their teacher called the “boss of the state,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who told them about using grit and perseverance to do her job.
“Sometimes it can be a very overwhelming job,” Whitmer, the state’s 49th governor, told students in teacher Julie Brill’s class, after explaining that she’s in charge of making sure people have good schools, clean water and decent roads. “You feel like there is so much to do, like there’s a lot of pressure and you don’t feel like there’s enough time to get everything done.”
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer talks about grit with second-graders (School News Network)
She said she had to move past criticism when deciding to run for governor, and ignore the naysayers. “There were people who said, ‘We’re not ready for another girl governor,’” said Whitmer, the second female Michigan governor, following Gov. Jennifer Granholm. “It kind of hurt my feelings.”
“I decided instead of listing to people who weren’t being supportive … I was going to listen to people who said, ‘Yes, you can do it.’”
Whitmer told students the hardest part of her job is facing adversity.
“The work we have to do is way more important than anything else,” she said. “I have to make sure I have a budget passed that will pay for things like your school, and support your teacher and support your education. And it’s not done yet. It’s getting late. I think it’s hard to continue to be optimistic and show people we have the ability to do this. We’ve got to show grit and do the work.”
Whitmer said she worked her way up to becoming governor after growing up in Grand Rapids, graduating from Forest Hills Central High School and attending Michigan State University. She then worked as a lawyer and served as a state representative and state senator. She is the mother of two teenage girls.
“Even on the hard days of governor when I might need an extra cup of coffee, there is no such thing as not showing up to work for me,” she said. “I always need to show up for work, just like you need to show up ready to learn.”
After talking to students, Whitmer told the media that the current impasse in finalizing a state budget is putting unfair pressure on schools.
Legislators are still negotiating the $60 billion budget, wrangling over road and school funding. Whitmer’s proposed 45-cent gas increase to generate $2.5 billion in annual transportation revenue has not been well received by Republicans. Her budget also proposes a $120-180 per pupil increase for school funding, including a weighted formula in which more-expensive-to-educate students, like special education, low-income and English-language learner students, receive higher rates. The current budget is set to expire Oct. 1.
‘I ALWAYS NEED TO SHOW UP FOR WORK, JUST LIKE YOU NEED TO SHOW UP READY TO LEARN.’ — GOV. GRETCHEN WHITMER
School districts, who had to meet a June 30 deadline to finalize their budgets, are operating on estimated per-pupil foundation grant numbers.
“They are making decisions; they are starting class, based on some assumptions of what the legislature may or may not put on my desk and what I may or may not sign,” Whitmer said. “It’s a terrible way to do business. It’s one of the obvious problems of the legislature taking a summer break without getting a budget signed.
“This is the pressure we’ve put on every school district across the state of Michigan,” she added.
Kentwood teachers told Whitmer they would like to have resources for technology needed to work with English-learners, as well as for more counselors.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer answers questions from the media. (School News Network)
“We are coming into schools and we have a wide variety of kids with a wide variety of backgrounds, and we need a lot of different programs that need support through funding in order to help us better meet the needs of our students,” Brill said.
Brill also wants legislators to know that standardized testing should not be the only measure of success. “It’s not the only determining factor for a child, and it’s very frustrating as a teacher when a child is reduced to a test score which is just a single snapshot in time. … There are so many things we don’t know what they are coming in with on a day-to-day basis.”
Superintendent Michael Zoerhoff and students said they were excited to welcome the governor.
“It’s always nice when our top elected official can come to our schools, show her support for schools and meet our kids,” Zoerhoff said.
Second-grader Daniya Harris said she learned being governor is an important job. “It is hard to be governor. I think she’s helping kids believe in themselves.”
For stories on area schools, visit the School News Network website at schoolnewsnetwork.org.
Students had questions for the governor. (School News Network)
A school ad shows a student larger than life because of all the new school supplies and clothes she got. But for some local residents, just purchasing the basic school supplies can be a momental task.
“In one of the places I recently volunteered, I talked to families who stated ‘My next paycheck would have to go toward school supplies,’” said WKTV Journal host Donna Kidner Smith.
It is the reason that Denise Kooiker created the School Supply Santa more than 10 yeas ago.
“I am hairdresser and I was at work one day and one of my clients was telling me about the need for school supplies and how much teachers spend on their classrooms and to help their students,” Kooiker said. “I was totally unaware of the need for school supplies.”
Kooiker discovered that more than 94 percent of teachers spend an average of $500 of their money on classroom supplies, she said. She created School Supply Santa to help teachers help those students who need it, Kooiker said.
Through Aug. 7, various locations throughout the Wyoming, Kentwood, Byron Center ,and Grand Rapids area are serving as collection sites. Some of the Wyoming locations are Amethyst Beauty Bar, Beltline Bar, Edward Jones, For the Kids Gymnastics, Maple Hill Golf, Peach Wave, Shape Your Life, and the YMCA – Spartan on Gezon Avenue. In Kentwood, some of the drop off sites are Breton Garden Family Dentistry, DJ’s Landscape Management, Grand Coney Diner, Fast Signs, and the Omelette Shop. For a complete list of locations, visit schoolsupplysanta.com.
Area residents are encouraged to bring donations to those locations. Items needed are backpacks, crayons, colored pencils, dry erase expo markers, ear buds, erasers, solid color folders, glue sticks, Post-it notes, Kleenex, pencils, markers notebooks, three-ring binders, composition notebooks, and headphones.
Kooiker said some of the school supplies, such as backpacks, do take a beating over the course or a year, so buying the cheapest item is not always the best option.
“Some of the less quality backpacks will rip fairly quickly,” Kooiker said.
Staff and teachers from Kentwood Public Schools, Wyoming Public Schools, Godwin Heights Public Schools, Godfrey-Lee Pubic Schools, Kelloggsville Public Schools, and Byron Center Public Schools will attend a special event in August to pick up the school supplies. The staff from the schools then distribute it to students who have a need, Kooiker said.
Last year, School Supply Santa collected 1,219 backpacks, more than 38,000 school supplies, which supported 34 local schools, grades K-12, and more than 2,500 students.
And while the 2019 season for collections is coming to a close, the School Supply Santa does collect year around, Kooiker said. If you are interested in donating or volunteering for School Supply Santa, visit schoolsupplysanta.com or the Facebook page, School Supply Santa.
Some of the volunteers for the School Supply Santa. (Supplied)
Eighth-graders Sakai Baker, Jaiden Woodson and Jazzmin Groendyke all found something they wanted on shelves stocked with brand new books during Pinewood Middle School’s Summer Book Bag Shopping event.
“I like these books,” said Sakai as he chose a “Goosebumps” mystery.
“I like this one because I can probably relate to it the most,” said Jaiden, about the novel “The Stars Beneath Our Feet.”
“This gives me a chance to refill my shelves,” said Jazzmin, as she chose a graphic book called “Green Hornet.”
Seventh-grader Kyla Mallard chooses three books from the same series
District-wide, more than 400 Pinewood, Valleywood and Crestwood middle school students went summer-book shopping to end the school year, each choosing three free books to read while school’s out. They brought their new reads home in bags, with the option to bring them back to swap them in the fall.
The giveaway, led by Melisa Mulder, secondary English-language arts intervention coach, aims to get books into students’ hands so they can stay on track with their reading. “Many of them don’t have books at home, so it’s also helping them build a library,” Mulder said.
Keeping Pace by Turning Pages
Students who received books are in Read 180, an intervention program for struggling readers, in special education or are English-language learners.
Mulder joined district media specialists in shopping for 2,000 books representing different genres, diverse authors and characters for the event. Kentwood Public Schools is the most diverse district in the state. Books are funded through state at-risk funding.
Seventh-grader Brooklyn Botello said she enjoys historical fiction
Her message: “Read. It’s really that simple.”
“The most important thing is that we want them to have a choice because we want them to be motivated to read, engaged and excited about it. A lot of them are cracking their books open and reading already,” Mulder said at the end of the school year.
She’s held the event at Pinewood for 10 years, this year expanding it to the other schools. Mulder wants to guarantee students have access to books, especially during the summer.
According to the Johns Hopkins University study Lasting Consequences of the Summer Learning Gap, more than 80 percent of children from economically disadvantaged communities can lose one to three months of reading skills over the summer, and the loss is cumulative. But providing books of students’ choice for summer reading produced as much or more reading growth as attending summer school, according to the book “No More Summer-Reading Loss.”
“They work so hard over the year and then in the summer if they don’t keep reading they lose traction,” Mulder said. “Keeping the ball rolling over the summer makes such a tremendous difference.”
Mulder is also involved in an initiative to build classroom libraries, stocking their shelves with books that represent students’ various tastes and backgrounds.
Seventh-grader Shy’Ana Thomas was ready to enjoy some new reads. “It’s really good getting a chance to pick out books and stay busy over the summer in an educational way,” she said.
While wearing a brown, shaggy beard, third-grader Mia Fisher did her best impression of a Greek scientist also known as a mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor and astronomer.
“I am Archimedes,” said Mia, during the PEAKS program share night for parents and others at Discovery Elementary.
Fifth-grader Alpha Kabda demonstrates the flashlight as part of his project ‘Light and Power’
Mia and her classmates’ wax museum projects brought innovators to life. “He was a Greek scientist who invented the Archimedes principle and also discovered hydrogen and a way to measure objects before we had scales. I picked him because my passion is Greek mythology and I like to read about it.”
Mia said her favorite subject is self-selected reading.
“I do like to read a lot,” admitted Mia, who just started PEAKS this year. The comprehensive third-through-eighth-grade gifted and talented program, stands for Parents, Educators and Kids = Success.
The share night involved third, fourth and fifth graders showing off their long-term projects; which along with the wax museum of famous folks, covered the innovative history of everything from drones and phones to light bulbs, robotic and 3-D printing.
“All the students are focused on innovation,” said Amanda Barbour, gifted and talented coordinator and fifth grade PEAKS teacher at Discovery. “We are committed to providing students with real-world learning opportunities through project-based learning and field experiences. Our goal is to create student-centered experiences in the most current fields of learning and also prepare them for the vital professions of the future.”
Ottawa County Deputy Larissa Jones listens to her nephew, fifth-grader Owen VanderVeen, explain how a body camera works at his display about police gear
Innovating Thinking
Fourth-graders chose topics showing innovation.
“Their project required them to write business letters to experts in their field to help support their research and obtain artifacts to display,” said Barbour, whose students had a tri-fold board and artifacts on display.
Fourth-grader Shane Nshime, whose project was titled “3-D Printing, Innovation in Print,” said he wanted people to know all the different things about printing.
“I picked this topic because it’s very new, only 40 years old, very interesting and has a vivid past,” said Shane, who learned about Hailey Dawson, 9 , who has a 3-D printed hand and was the first person to throw out the ceremonial first pitch in all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums.
Shane said he likes researching interesting topics.
“I think it helps me learn faster and learn more. It prepares me for the future.”
Fourth grade PEAKS teacher Joe Westra said his students emphasize innovation.
“My fourth grade kids spend a lot of time learning about what drives innovation,” said Westra, who is in his 14th year teaching. “Quite often an innovation comes from a need or a want or a problem.”
Third-grader McKenna Joseph describes the life of Thomas Edison. Her favorite part of the project was figuring out the costume
Prototype Pros
Barbour said fifth graders studied innovation as well, but then had to become innovative by creating a prototype.
“These students had to write business letters, obtain a mentor in their field of study, interview their mentor, use the engineering design process to create a prototype and create a website,” Barbour continued.
Fifth grader Alpha Kabba said he chose the topic of lighting and power outages because it has ample information and sources. His mentor was Scott Jones, director of product management at Pelican Products, a California-based company that designs and manufactures portable lighting systems, temperature-controlled packaging and protective cases.
“Talking to him was fun,” Alpha said. “We had to send letters to 15 companies, and I did a handwritten letter so he’d know I put the work into it.
Third-grader Mia Fisher explains the journey of Archimedes
“I think this program has a lot of opportunities. When I get older and want to get a job and tell people I did something like this. I think it would increase my chances of getting a good job.”
Alpha’s prototype is a double-sided flashlight with a solar panel. If one side stops working, the solar panel distributes the energy to power the other side.
Discovery principal Deb McNally said the goal in PEAKS is for the children to learn through community experience, by studying big picture themes and using a curriculum that allows deep and accelerated faster study.
“It’s not just doing a report, but it’s connecting the world and pieces and people and ideas,” McNally explained. “These are all kids that got the information quickly.”
For more stories on area schools, visit the School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
Third-grader Alyana Borden talks about the Reliable Red Cross as Clara Barton. (School News Network.)
East Kentwood senior Kyle Dent has not only excelled in football and baseball for the Falcons; he also has succeeded in the classroom.
As a quarterback, he passed for 1,800-plus yards with 17 touchdowns. This spring in baseball, he sported a .300 batting average with 13 runs and nine stolen bases.
East Kentwood standout Kyle Dent looking to score from third base during a Falcon baseball game (courtesy photo)
In the classroom he carried a 3.88 GPA, and earned all-academic honors throughout high school. He’s also involved in coaching EK football camps for students in grades 2-5.
“He demonstrates leadership on and off the field and embodies what a Falcon should be,” baseball coach Marty Jackimowicz said of his two-year captain. “He has a great work ethic in practicing and tries to help others around him to also elevate their play.
“Beyond baseball, Kyle is a really great person,” Jackimowicz added. “He is always there for his teammates and classmates and wouldn’t hesitate to help anyone who needed it. He has a great personality and people are naturally drawn to him because of it.”
A four-year letter winner in baseball, Kyle played shortstop and pitched for the Falcons, and also was the team’s leadoff hitter.
East Kentwood senior Kyle Dent had a .300 batting average with 13 runs scored and nine stolen bases this spring (courtesy photo)
Gridiron Standout too
Football coach Tony Kimbrough said Kyle also was a captain on his team last fall because of his strong work ethic and overall leadership abilities.
“He led our team to a record of 9-2 and (we) went undefeated in the OK Red Conference,” said Kimbrough, who played football at Western Michigan University, in the Canadian Football League and Arena Football League. “Great teammate and one of the most positive players I have ever coached. He is the model for the term student-athlete.”
Kyle, who completed 60 percent of his passes and was named First Team All-Conference last fall, will continue his football career at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He plans to major in athletic training with hopes of attending physical therapy school thereafter.
“As for football and baseball, I’ve been playing them ever since I was able to,” said Kyle, who also wrestled for a couple years in high school. “I picked up the sport of wrestling in about third grade, really only to better my agility and conditioning for my other main sports.”
He said he doesn’t stray far from sports no matter what time of year it is.
“Whenever I am not in practice or in a season, I find myself doing a lot of training for them, intense training and more relaxed and fundamental training,” he said. “I love to just go out and throw, whether it’s a baseball or a football. I find this to be a great way to relieve stress for me as well as keep me occupied.”
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Voters for both Kentwood Public Schools and Kelloggsville Public Schools passed millage renewal requests for their respected districts at yesterday’s election.
Kentwood Public Schools was seeking a renewal of its current 10-year operating millage, an assessment of 18 mills on non-homestead properties. The millage would be renewed through 2029. Voters approved the renewal 3198 to 786.
The millage provides approximately 16.9 percent, or more than $18.2 million, of the school district’s annual operating budget.
Kelloggsville voters were asked to renew the district’s operating millage, an assessment of 17 mills on non-homestead properties, and to increase that millage by .5 or 50 cents per $1,000 taxable valuation. The proposal passed 301 to 154.
The increase, according to the ballot language, is to help restore millage lost as a result of the reduction required by the “Headlee” amendment to the Michigan Constitution of 1963. The additional millage would raise about $2.6 million for the district in 2020. The Kelloggsville millage proposal is for two years.
