Football coach and educator Thomas DeGennaro. (WKTV)
By K.D. Norris
ken@wktv.org
When Wyoming Lee High School head football coach Tom DeGennaro returned to the Rebels sideline last season, he inherited a team on a 21-game losing streak which had been outscored 474-56 the previous season.
He knew his team needed to get bigger, stronger and smarter on both sides of the ball — the school already had some speed in several track standouts. One thing the long-time district educator and coach already knew, however, was the heart and grit of the kids he would be working with.
At the Godfrey-Lee Public Schools Hall of Fame ceremony in January, as part of his induction into the hall, DeGennaro made his feelings clear about what it takes to be a Lee Rebel.
“I have been grateful to work with some of the toughest kids in the United States,” DeGennaro said in January. “To be a Rebel means you are willing to stand up against the establishment. You have to be willing to put yourself on the line when you stand up. Our kids here do this every day.”
His players willingness to put themselves “on the line” — and in the weight room — has been a big part in a new attitude for the football team, which won an opening-night game for the first time in nine years, an impressive 26-8 road win at New Buffalo last week.
The Rebels will now look to start a winning streak and go for two in a row this week as the WKTV video crew will be at Lee for a home game against White Cloud, on Thursday, Aug. 31, for a 7 p.m. game.
“Our offensive line opened up holes and our backs’ speed took over” against New Buffalo, DeGennaro said to WKTV this week. “Really, this started in the weight room back in October. The kids have bought in, and have committed to being better this year. Defensively we kept New Buffalo contained and had big time turnovers at crucial times.”
At New Buffalo, Lee jumped to a 14-0 first quarter lead on a 5-yard-run from senior running back Aridel Torres — one of those speedy track runners, and a 2016 OK Silver all-conference player — followed by a fumble return by senior linebacker JJ Williams.
After New Buffalo scored to make it 14-8 in the third quarter, Lee put the game away in in the fourth quarter with a 42-yard pass from senior quarterback Giovanny Santiago to Thomas Robinson and then a 2-yard-run from Santiago.
Not involved in the scoring, but a huge part of the Rebels’ ball control offense, senior quarterback Valentino Savala racked up 117 yards on 14 carries. Torres ended up with 51 yards on the ground, and both Santiago and senior running back Alex Deleon had 30 or more yards running.
Last season Lee lost to first New Buffalo and then to White Cloud to start this season, and DeGennaro deflected any talk of revenge or winning streaks.
“We expected to compete everyday in practice and that carries over into the game Friday night,” he said. “White Cloud will come out and hit us. We have to respond and be disciplined and execute the game plan. We are not looking ahead, White Cloud is the best team we play this week. We have to take care of this Thursday and look forward to getting better on Monday.”
WKTV broadcast the Lee vs. White Cloud game at about 10:30 p.m. on WKTV Comcast Channel 25, repeating on Saturday at 11 a.m. on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 and AT&T U-verse Channel 99 in Wyoming & Kentwood.
Both showings of the game will be preceded by a special 30-minute OK Silver football conference preview show produced at WKTV studios by WKTV sports volunteer Rob Gee and featuring two special guests. The video is also available on YouTube.
Wyoming high and Holland high were featured on WKTV’s first televised game of the fall season. (WKTV)
By Rob Gee
WKTV sports volunteer/news@wktv.org
The year was 2008.
President George W. Bush was finishing his second term in office, Barack Obama was running for a first term. The war in Afghanistan was only six years old, OJ Simpson was convicted of a crime that would send him to prison and Lehman Brothers was still in business.
2008 was the last time that Wyoming Lee High School football would start the season with a win. After eight consecutive years of opening the season with a loss, Lee started its 2017 football campaign with a win by defeating New Buffalo, 26-8, on Thursday, Aug. 24.
As part of WKTV’s 2017-18 high school sports game coverage schedule, the video crew will be at Lee this Thursday, Aug. 31, for a 7 p.m. game. For a complete list of local high school sports scheduled visit here.
To find an opening day with Lee winning by more than 18 points, one must go all the way back to 1998, when Lee opened the season with a 64-0 win over Bloomingdale.
By no means does this set Lee up for a winning season but sure does set a tone for a different season than what Lee students have become accustom to having been 1-32 in their last 33 games.
A big catch and touchdown by speedster Thomas Robinson, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. and a defensive touchdown by JJ Williams, secured the win for the Rebels.
In other Wyoming-Kentwood area opening-night action:
Wyoming Kelloggsville was a winner in their game against White Hall by a score of 26-23, as ultra-Back Thomas Griggs scored once on the ground and once as a receiver to lead his team to the win as the Rockets try to repeat as OK Silver conference champs.
Godwin Heights defeat Hamilton, 45-35, as Susu Davenport started right where he left off last season in being an exciting playmaker.
South Christian defeated Holland Christian, 40-12, as quarterback Andrew Haan threw for a couple touchdowns and their dynamic cornerback/wide receiver Jared Gordon intercepted a pass and then scored on a reception in the next series for South Christian. Gordon went on to have a second interception later in the game.
East Kentwood got in on the winning night for area teams by crushing Macomb L’anse Creuse North, 45-6.
Wyoming High School lost its opener to Holland, 28-6, in a game that was close right up until the fourth quarter.
Tri-Unity also lost its opener to St. Philip Catholic Central (Battle Creek) by a score of 14-8.
Interested in being a WKTV sports volunteer, working game production or writing for WKTV Journal? Visit here for a story.
Community members are invited to honor those who have given their lives in service to our country as the City of Wyoming holds its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 29.
Mayor Jack Poll will host the ceremony, which begins at 7 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Garden, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW. The service will be recorded by WKTV and aired at 8:30 p.m. that evening as part of the station’s Memorial Day programming.
The hour-long ceremony will feature:
• Guest speaker Joe Clemens, who served for eight years as a cryptographer with the U.S. Marine Corps Special Operations Capable Forces. Since retiring from the service, Clemens has focused his energy helping homeless veterans access the services they need – from housing, food and clothing to job training, education grants and healthcare coverage.
• The Lee High School Band, under the direction of Kevin Gabrielse, who will perform select numbers during the prelude, “On a Hymnsong of Phillip Bliss” by Holsinger during the program and “God Bless America” at the closing of the ceremony.
• A performance of Taps by Bronson Swan, a graduate of Lee High School and a veteran of the U.S. Navy.
Photo by Harriet Sturim
• The Wyoming Department of Public Safety, who will fire a rifle volley salute to the service men and women who have died.
“The City of Wyoming is honored and privileged to recognize the men and women who have served in our armed forces and those who continue to serve,” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, director of community services for the City of Wyoming. “This Memorial Day, the City again gathers with our fellow citizens to pause and reflect on those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms.
“We invite all to come and join us for this special tribute at the Veterans Memorial Garden.”
Those who attend are encouraged to arrive early and bring a blanket or folding chair. Parking is available at the Wyoming Senior Center and Pinery Park. The City will have handicapped accessible parking located in front of the Wyoming Department of Public Safety, as well as some additional spaces.
Attendees are invited to view the brick walkway and arch installations in Veterans Memorial Garden. Titled “Duty,” “Honor” and “Country,” the arch installation was completed last year when “Country” was installed. The arches signify the words spoken by Gen. Douglas MacArthur in 1962 as he reflected on what it means to be a member of military service.
Seniors Jailene Rodas-Sandoval junior Thomas Robinson and senior Ramses Larabel play “Happy Birthday” on their electronic instrument, which involves a computer program. (Photos courtesy of School News Network.
Though his rendition of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” was a bit ding-y, Lee High School senior Scott Peuler looked pleased with himself as he finished the tune by hitting glass bottles filled with different levels of water with a miniature drumstick.
Nursery rhymes were the ditties of the day in teacher Steve Feutz’s engineering class, as students demonstrated the connections between engineering and sound. Senior Israel Hernandez strummed “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” on a tiny harp made with wood and rubber bands. Sophomore Jennifer Pablo, juniors Paul Villarreal, Maura Mendoza and Adriana Sanchez and senior Betty Almanzo played “Hot Cross Buns” on a xylophone-inspired percussion instrument made of Pringles cans and cardboard.
Students combined innovation, precision – and a little Mother Goose – to make instruments that created different pitches and notes for the latest project in the class, which started this school year. Feutz, who has taught math for five years, has undergraduate degrees in aerospace engineering and music theory, so fitting a music-themed project into the class was natural.
“Music is my biggest passion, then engineering, math and science,” said Feutz, who sings and plays trumpet and piano.
Juniors Paul Villereal and Maura Mendoza hold up their Pringle-can percussion instrument.
Physics is involved in how sound is created, he noted. Students experimented by using household objects turned into instruments. “There’s four different instrument groups and they all sound a little different,” he said.
The class touches on many types of engineering, giving students an idea of skills needed in the local workforce. The demand for engineers and designers in manufacturing outstrips supply by at least double, according to the West Michigan Talent Assessment and Outlook report, published in September 2016. This is largely due to a shortage of graduates needed to fill vacancies for industrial and electrical engineers.
“My whole goal is to teach them what engineers do and how they do it,” Feutz said. His students learn to follow an engineering design process: come up with an idea, build, test, and improve if necessary.
Every project touches on a different branch of engineering. Students studied aerospace by designing cardboard gliders with egg containers and launching them off the school’s football stadium press box. They studied electrical engineering by creating gadgets that involve circuitry, remote controls, trains and other inventions.
They also built wooden cabinets into existing tables, now in classroom use, and spaghetti bridges, with one group of students competing in the Ferris State University Spaghetti Bridge Competition in March.
“I’ve liked being introduced to different types of engineering,” said Israel Hernandez, demonstrating how his harp strings make lower sounds depending on how taut the rubber bands are pulled. “We’ve done stuff with electricity and wiring – basic stuff – but it was cool to learn. This class gave me an interest in civil engineering.”
Junior Jeffrey Anderson plays his pan flute, made of straws and tape.
Paul Villarreal said he enjoys having the chance to make things by hand. “It helps you learn the basics of what you need to put something together. It takes math to different levels and puts it all together.”
“I’ve done things in this class I haven’t done in any other class,” added Scott Peuler.
The class started as a trimester course, but because of student interest was expanded to include Engineering A B and C, allowing the option for a full year of engineering.
It’s great for students who like to tinker and spend their time making things, Feutz said.
“It’s cool to see kids who don’t like the traditional classroom model, who really like being able to do hands-on things and build,” he added. “They essentially make a mess of the classroom, make something out of it, and make it their own.”
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
Well, the stats are in from the big Earth Day event at the 2017 Community Clean Up Day in the City of Wyoming and they are nothing short of amazing. Wyoming residents showed up in droves — the stats speak for themselves:
Approximately 400 vehicles went through the site
15,000 pounds of electronics recycling — including 140 Tube TVs — were collected
5,096 pounds of household hazardous waste was dropped off
4,400 pounds of metal were recycled
43 dumpsters were filled and
60 tons of refuse hauled away by Plummer’s Disposal
Five Godwin and Lee High School students pitched in, and so did nine family and friends of City of Wyoming employees. And 44 City of Wyoming employees were on hand to make sure the big Earth Day event was a success.
Godfrey-Lee Public Schools inducted six new members into its Hall of Fame late last month, and while the most Rebel-rousing acceptance speech was given by — no surprise — long-time football coach and educator Thomas DeGennaro, the district’s hall of fame is for more than only athletic personalities.
The induction ceremony, which took place prior to a boys basketball game on Jan. 20 at Lee High School, also included a war hero, a university professor, a long-time school board member, a school band leader and a woman who gave back to the school system almost up to her last day.
Football coach and educator Thomas DeGennaro. (WKTV)
DeGennaro — who has served as teacher, principal and now, again, varsity football coach — was the final of the inductees to speak, and he spoke clearly about what it means to be a Lee High Rebel.
“I have been grateful to work with some of the toughest kids in the United States,” DeGennaro said. “To be a Rebel means you are willing to stand up against the establishment. You have to be willing to put yourself on the line when you stand up. Our kids here do this every day.
“They overcome obstacles that would unimaginable to surrounding districts. Many of our students are immigrants, or children of immigrants, much like my grandparents … These students overcome language, cultural and other challenges that stall most students learning process. Not only do they overcome these obstacles, they excel. … The establishment loves to keep these kids down, but they rebel. They are Rebels.”
DeGennaro’s history in the district includes taking a position on the Lee High faculty in 2002, teaching U.S. History and Geography as well as a variety of other elective social studies courses. But it is on the football field where he did most of his teaching. In 1998, he took over the Rebel football program and coached the first Lee football team ever to make it into the MHSAA playoffs, when his team went 8-2 in the fall of 2006. After an eight-year absence from the sidelines at Lee Field, he returned this past fall and has begun the process of rebuilding a program that has not experience much success since his last season in 2007.
Starting in 2007, the Rebel Hall of Fame selection committee, comprised of members of the Board of Education, district administration, faculty, alumni and the Godfrey-Lee community has selected alumni, staff and other individuals associated with Godfrey-Lee Public Schools in recognition of their achievements and contributions.
The six new members joined forty-two other individuals and one athletic team in the Hall of Fame. David Britten, superintendent of Godfrey-Lee School District, was master of ceremonies of the event.
This year’s inductees also included Staff Sgt. Daniel Hayes, Lee High School class of 2004; Dr. Carl J. Bajema, class of 1955; Dennis E. Groendyke, class of 1979 and Board of Education member from 1999 to 2016; Christine Vettese, district SIG Coordinator for 2010 to 2013; and Robert Hill, high school band director from 1967 to 1981.
Douglas Greenwold, class of 1960, was also selected but requested to delay participation in the induction ceremony until 2018.
Personal stories of dedication
Staff Sgt. Hayes is a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan military operations where, with the 101st Airborne Division, he earned the Purple Heart for injuries sustained in combat in Iraq in 2006. He was later personally awarded the Silver Star, the third highest decoration for valor for gallant actions and devotion to duty, while serving in Afghanistan in 2010. In 2011, he sustained another injury and earned a second Purple Heart. His award was accepted by his aunt.
Dr. Carl J. Bajema, with his wife, Claudia.
Dr. Bajema, after graduating from Lee, earned his Ph.D. in zoology from Michigan State University and retired from Grand Valley State University with the designation of Professor Emeritus in 2007 following a forty-three year teaching and scientific research career. He was also the recipient of the 2009 Distinguished Volunteer Service Award from the Historical Society of Michigan.
And his wife, reading from a statement and speaking for him due to a medical condition that hampers his ability to speak clearly, revealed a little of Dr. Bajema’s own history.
“When I learned I was to receive this Rebel award, I dug into my archives for my report cards, I actually had all my report cards,” Claudia Bajema said, as Carl waved an old report card for the audience to see. “Well, I can assure you that anyone viewing those would not conclude that I would be given one of these prestigious awards.
“I left my mark on the high school in an unconventional way. For several years following my graduation … my lab mate and me were given as an example of how not to do experiments. … we were in a hurry and failed to read all the instructions on how to conduct an experiment … (and) a chemical reaction caused an explosion, a volcano of sorts, leaving a very nasty stain on the ceiling.”
Dennis E. Groendyke
Groendyke, Board of Education member from 1999 to 2016, is a lifelong resident of the district who chose to raise his own family of seven children here and watch them attend Godfrey-Lee schools, according to supplied material. He concluded his service this winter following 17 years, including four-and-one-half years leading the board as president. A strong supporter of athletics, he has provided many hours of volunteer coaching for baseball and softball, including weekend clinics for youth during the school year.
“I love this district, I love the people in it, most of all I love the children,” Groendyke said. “My heart will always be here.”
Robert Hill
Hill was Lee High band director from 1967 to 1981, where he yearly took a “sometimes unruly” group of teen musicians unifying them into well organized marching and concert bands, according to supplied material. A visible teacher and mentor, he could be seen leading his bands at every home football and basketball game, believing that the band was central to inspiring young athletes and building school pride. His musical talents also carried him to perform with the Grand Valley State University faculty orchestra.
“This high school has, and always will, have a very special place in my heart,” Hill said. “I will always remember the joy of teaching students.”
Roberta Burke, sister of Christine Vettese.
Vettese was district SIG coordinator from 2010-13. She died in 2015. When Lee High School needed help with academic improvement to get off a state list of low-performing schools, she came out of retirement from East Grand Rapids schools and applied her many leadership, curriculum, and personal relationship skills to serve as a principle leader in that effort, according to supplied material. Through her advocacy, guidance and dogged persistence, she helped secure grants in excess of $3.5 million dollars over the three years to support the work of teachers, administrators, and students.
Her sister, Roberta Burke, accepted the award.
“I know if she were here today, she would say … its all about the students, and how to get them to be the best they can be,” Burke said, pointing to the heavens. “I know she is looking down right now and saying ‘bravo’ ” for what the district has accomplished.
What is Thanksgiving Day without football? Just turkey and mashed potatoes.
Again this year, WKTV will offer a day full of high school football coverage focused on teams from the Wyoming and Kentwood communities.
WKTV’s Channel 25 will run its 16th Annual Turkey Bowl, a 15-hour special starting at 9 a.m. that highlights high school football games from this past season.
Our schedule includes two East Kentwood high games during the team’s 4-5 season and two Wyoming high games, exciting October contests against Rockford and South Christian during the team’s 5-4 season, and the always exciting clash between Wyoming’s Lee and Godwin high schools. The day is capped off with Kelloggsville high capping off an outstanding 8-2 season (5-0 and a conference title in the OK Silver Conference) with its opening round playoff game against Allendale.
Times and teams:
9 a.m. Hudsonville vs. East Kentwood
11:30 a.m. East Grand Rapids vs. Wyoming
1:55 p.m. Wyoming vs. South Christian
4:30 p.m. East Kentwood vs. Rockford
7 p.m. Lee vs. Godwin
9:15p.m. Allendale vs. Kelloggsville
Ya, we know the Lions will be playing on Thursday, but why not blend a little high school action into your football day?
Two area graduates – one from Wyoming and one for Kentwood – were listed as among the 2016 scholarship recipients from the Grand Rapids Community Foundation.
2015 Lee High School graduate Monica Rivera received the Achille & Irene Despres, William & Andrea Scholarship which she will use toward her associate of science degree. She is a sophomore at Grand Rapids Community College.
Rivera recalls a moment in her childhood in San Luis, Mexico, when she developed hives after eating shrimp and had to wait in line for three hours before a physician could attend to her. “I remember thinking, ‘Wow, what are the people with real emergencies doing? There really is a need for physicians,” Rivera said. Fast forward a few years to when one of Rivera’s grandmothers in Michigan took a fall and had to wait two weeks to see a Spanish-speaking physician.
These stories are just two of many reasons why Rivera wants a career in healthcare. She hopes to one day be a bilingual physician and do missionary work in underserved areas in the U.S. and abroad.
For Rivera, this scholarship means she is able to work less and give back to her community even more. According to her, charity and empathy are important values to her family, so this scholarship frees Rivera to continue volunteering with refugee families settling in West Michigan.
2016 East Kentwood High School graduate Cheyenne Williams
2016 East Kentwood graduate Cheyenne Williams received the Donald J. DeYoung Scholarship which she will put toward her study of education and childhood development at Ferris State University, where she is a freshman. This scholarship is given annual to a student who has had contact with the family court. It was created in honor of Donald J. DeYoung, who was a Kent County probate judge.
Williams, who grew up in the foster car system, plans to study childhood development so she can guide other children, whether as a teacher or as a liaison in a hospital helping sick children better communicate with their doctors and families.
“The best thing you do is be a teacher,” Cheyenne said, even though she once thought she’d never want to be a teacher. One day she looked closely at the three-year-old girl she babysat. “I relalized I’d love to do this every day,” Williams said. “I’d love to teach kids right and wrong and be someone they can look up to for guidance.”
For Williams, this scholarship means that “the world still values education and teachers. It still sees people who have gone through hardships as relevant and contributing to society —not just as charity cases.”
2016 graduation ceremonies kick off tomorrow and run through next week.
It’s May. The weather is finally warm. The flowers are blooming and it’s time for more than 1,500 students to take their final walk down the aisle to receive their high school diplomas.
In the Kentwood and Wyoming areas, there are 11 schools hosting graduation ceremonies within the next two weeks. Here is a rundown of dates and the top students for each school.
Starting out of the graduation ceremonies will be South Christian High, which will graduate 154 students Thursday, May 25. Graduation is set for 7 p.m. at Kentwood Community Church, 2950 Clyde Park Ave. SW. The school has three valedictorians: Joshua Boers, Colin Hartgerink and Nicolas Kuperus. The remaining students in the top ten are: Peyton DeRuiter, Lucy Dykhouse, Cassidy Huizinga, Hannah Koning, A.J. Samdal, Bradley Scholten and Alex VanKooten.
On Friday, May 26, both East Kentwood High School and Godfrey’s Lee High School will be hosting their 2016 graduation ceremonies. Lee High School has around 90 students walking down the aisle at 7 p.m. at Resurrection Life Church, 5100 Ivanrest Ave. SW, Grandville. Making up the 2016 Lee High School top ten are Leonardo Vallejo, Emily Fishman, Selena Knutson, Dino Rodas, Allison Fisher, Giselle Perez, Ivan Diaz, Alonso Lopez-Carrera, Alejandro Vargas and Oliver Lorenzo.
East Kentwood High School’s graduation isat 7 p.m. May 26 at the school’s stadium, 6230 Kalamazoo Ave. SE. The rain date is May 27. Making up the top ten are Andy Ly, Megan Callaghan, Makaela Dalley, Nolan Meister, Sara Anstey, Marilyn Padua, Tran Vo, Hao Nguyen, Venesa Haska, and Matthew Richer.
Tri-Unity High School and Wyoming High School will have graduation ceremonies on Tuesday, May 31.
Wyoming High School will have 265 students graduate at 7 p.m. May 31 at Grand Rapids First Church, 2100 44th St. SW. The top ten are Montana Earegood, Kayla Kornoelje, Stella Achiyan, Naomi Nguyen, Nhu Quynh, Christopher Hanson, Jada Haines, Rachel Bolt, Lazaro Cruz, and Kelly Gonzalez Diaz.
Tri-Unity Christian School will be graduating 17 students at 7 p.m. May 31 at Resurrection Life Church, 5100 Ivanrest Ave. SW, Grandville. The top two students for the class are Lisa McKelvey and Alissa VanderVeen.
Godwin High School has 126 students graduating on Wednesday, June 1. Graduation ceremonies are at 7 p.m. in the school’s auditorium, 50 35th St. SW. The valedictorian is Esteban Romero Herrera. The salutatorian is Taylor Jarrett. The rest of the top top are Ashley Soto, Sandra Rivera, Chloe Fritz, Amel Causevic, China Nguyen, Karen Barrose, Hector Zoleta and Alex Mosley.
Several area schools will be hosting graduation ceremonies on Thursday, June 2.
Kelloggsville High School’s 2016 graduation ceremonies are at 7 p.m. June 2 at Kentwood Community Church, 2950 Clyde Park Ave. SW. The class has 140 students this year. The top ten are: Lan-Phuong Ton, Lucynda Pham, Kim-Ngan Nguyen, April M. Savickas, Shayla Huong Huynh, Ashley Duong, Chantal Lopez, Loc Tran, Michael Truong, and Sang Tran.
The Potters House will be graduating 44 students at 7 p.m. June 2 at Plymouth Heights Christian Reformed Church, 1800 Plymouth Ave. SE., Grand Rapids. The valedictorian is Ashley VerBeek and the salutatorian is Emily Stout.
West Michigan Aviation Academy has 94 students in its 2016 graduating class. Graduation is at 7 p.m. June 2 at the school, 5363 44th St. SE. Making up the top ten are Abigail Kathleen Austin, Cindy Ngoc Ha, Connor Hendrik Hogan, Jonathan David Ketcham, Jason Thomas Kilgore, Hayley Elizabeth Latham, Jaxyn Bennett Ryks, Emily Ann Seykora, Samantha Rae Stuart, and Joshua Zane Vogeli.
West Michigan Lutheran High School is proud that its eight graduates will graduate with over a 3.0 GPA. The graduation baccalaureate service begins at 7 p.m. at the school, 601 36th St. SW, Wyoming. Valedictorian is Allison Klooster and salutatorian is Joshua Andree.
On Friday, June 3, Grand River Prep High School has 113 graduates for 2016. This year’s graduation is at 6:30 p.m. Calvin College’s Van Noord Arena, 3195 Knight Way SE. Class valedictorian is Christa Fernando. Salutatorians are Ajilan Potter and Megan Lawrence. The rest of the top ten include Victor Rojas Garcia, Samrawit Kahsay, Taitum Male, Julia Lammy, Antony Nguyen, Giselle Uwera, Mckenzie Male, Hai Truong and Kendall Garland.
School Removed from Priority Schools List, But Needs Remain High
by Erin Albanese
Senior Travis Emmons looks up definitions in a dictionary
Lee High School freshman Paul Villarreal wrote down his vocabulary words: “zest,” “campaigner,” “poliomyelitis” and “delegate” while in the Scholastic READ 180 classroom. The program, which blends online and teacher-led instruction, helps students become better readers.
“It has helped me to read in a lot of ways and understand words I didn’t know. It encouraged me to read at the level I need to be at,” said Paul, whose grades have increased as a result.
Godfrey-Lee Public Schools funded Scholastic READ 180 with a School Improvement Grant, allocated by the State of Michigan after Lee High School was designated a Priority School. The program now serves about 150 high-school students including 43 English-language learners.
In 2010, Lee was placed on the list of the lowest 5 percent of schools in achievement, according to the state’s Top-to-Bottom list rankings. Because of the designation, then called “Persistently Low-Achieving,” the district received the $2.1 million grant to start new programs and add staff. Results were positive, and the district was allocated another $900,000 in SIG funding in 2013.The state recently lifted Lee’s Priority School designation, following a span of four years during which the school saw a huge spike in achievement in standardized test scores and then another big drop. Superintendent David Britten pointed out the pattern: scores rose after SIG funding allowed for more programs and staffing, and then decreased again once funds ended and much of what had been added was eliminated.The timeline goes like this: By 2011, Lee High School students’ tests jumped to the 33rd percentile of Michigan schools. In 2012 and 2013, they scored 63rd and 56th, respectively. But SIG grant funding ended on Sept. 30, 2013, and last year, students placed in the 11th percentile.
Lee has been able to maintain some initially SIG-funded programs, like Scholastic READ 180, which teachers say continues to have a big impact.
“It has been a great program,” said Kim Plum, high-school reading specialist. “If they are not reading at grade level it makes social studies, science, language arts and math much more difficult. Our job is to increase vocabulary and reading ability so they can do better in all their core classes.”
The Burden of Poverty: A Backpack of Heartache is a continuing series on poverty in the schools and how it affects students’ learning. We will examine not only the problems poverty creates for students and their families, but the schools and strategies that are helping disadvantaged students succeed.
‘We Had Moved On’
The Scholastic READ 180 works to boost students’ reading ability and comprehension.
There’s a lot of good happening at Lee High School. The close-knit, small school was recently recognized for having one of the top graduation rates in the state, at more than 95 percent. It has been named one of the top high schools in the state, when poverty is factored in, according to the 2012 and 2014 Michigan Public High School Context and Performance Report Card by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. And enrollment has increased since 2002-2003 from 1,492 to 1,947 today as families, many Hispanic, choose Godfrey-Lee as their district of choice.
But high-poverty schools face complex needs, and in Godfrey-Lee, which this school year enrolled 1,947 students, 38 percent of students live below the federal poverty line, the highest in Kent County; 95 percent receive free or reduced-cost lunch; and 34 percent of students are classified as having limited English proficiency, the second highest in the state.
Britten said there is much irony in what has occurred since the 2010 designation, from how being labeled “failing” allowed students to “succeed,” to how funneling money to the high school didn’t address needs at Lee Middle School and its two feeder elementary schools.
Britten said he wasn’t expecting the notification that State Superintendent Mike Flanagan removed Lee High from its designation as a priority school.
“It surprised us. We had forgotten all about it. We had moved on,” Britten said, noting district leaders submitted their final report to the state in September 2013 concerning the designation.
The SIG grant allowed Britten to put in place things that had long been on his wish list, resources school leaders knew were needed to turn the school around academically.
“Just about everything we wrote into the SIG grant were things that we wanted to do but didn’t have money to do,” he said.
Despite the added money, district finances were still stretched thin, so the new programs and staffing had to be supplemented with money from the district’s operating budget. Cuts were made in other areas.
“We had to cut a lot of other stuff,” Britten said. “The second year of the grant I didn’t even hire a high school principal. I did it myself. I was superintendent and principal at Lee High/Middle and East Lee (the district’s alternative high school), just to save money to sustain these programs. It’s very expensive.”
More Equitable System Needed
Lee High School freshman Paul Villareal studies vocabulary words.
Britten was one of the first educators to write about the strong correlation between students’ family income levels and achievement. (See School News Network Article)
He said students at Godfrey-Lee are hardworking and capable of learning, but face greater barriers to success, often starting two to four years behind more affluent students.
For sustained school improvement to occur, he said, funding must be allocated more equitably. Though the SIG money was beneficial for the high school, the real problem high-poverty schools face is systemic, starting in early elementary school.
“The problem is primarily in the middle school and its feeder elementary schools,” he said. “Our middle school and (third- through fifth-grade) elementary are rated very low in the state, even when poverty is taken into account, compared to the high school.
“We haven’t fixed any of the issues we are wrestling with.”
According to a press release from the Michigan Department of Education, Lee High School was among 27 schools removed from Priority School status.
“The 27 schools are among the first schools placed in Priority School status, back in 2010,” the press release states. “Since then, the schools have established and implemented school redesign plans that took them out of the bottom 5 percent of schools in the state’s Top-to-Bottom list; met their academic growth objectives in math and reading; and met the required 95 percent student participation rate on the state assessments.”
“This is evidence that low-achieving schools can, and do, improve,” said Superintendent Mike Flanagan in the release. “Every child wants to learn, and every child can learn. The key is finding the best strategies to help them, and staying focused on them.”
What the School Improvement Grant Funded
Scholastic READ 180, a blended online and teacher-led reading program
Three academic coaches from the Institute for Educational Excellence to work in leadership, math and language arts, in classrooms with teachers
A new teacher-evaluation mode, using results that fed into professional development planning
Merit pay for school, leaders, teachers and staff
Eight days of professional development tailored to the district’s needs
A new algebra curriculum that included Algebra Camp and technology equipment
Bi-weekly teacher collaboration built into the school day
An extended school year from 168 to 177 days
Support services and staff including a freshman advocate to serve the unique needs of ninth-graders, and a 10th-grade adviser
Changes Since SIG-Grant Funding Ended
Literacy and data coaches discontinued. The district hired the math coach directly using other district funds and retained the leadership coach for just 20 days this past year.
Merit pay was discontinued
Additional SIG-funded professional development was discontinued
Algebra Camp was discontinued
The extended school year for high school students was discontinued, although the entire district was eventually increased to 177 days during contract bargaining. The added cost was absorbed by the district.
The 10th-grade adviser was discontinued, but reassigned as full-time high school guidance counselor due to the retirement of a part-time counselor. The added cost was absorbed by the district.
