Latest news with #GRPS
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
As summer begins, GRPS renovation projects ‘kicking into full speed'
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Thursday marks the last day of classes for students at Grand Rapids Public Schools. While they may be eager to begin summer vacation, administrators at GRPS are gearing up for a busy summer of their own — starting with renovations to the old Sigsbee Elementary building, which will soon become Southeast Career Pathways. The building, located on the corner of Fuller and Logan, is the first to receive funding from the $7 million is being invested to revamp the space that hasn't housed students in the district in over 10 years. Dark walls are being painted lighter, larger windows are being installed to bring in more daylight and new air conditioning systems — soon to be a hallmark of each building in the district — have also been installed. Upgrades will be complete in late July, but there's plenty more planned elsewhere in the district — including resurfacing Houseman and Briggs Fields and major updates to a number of other buildings. It's a , but leaders say it all starts at the former Sigsbee Elementary. GRPS future plans include security upgrades, electric buses 'This is the first major renovation project of the Reimagine GRPS with Us bond,' said Luke Stier, director of communications for the district. 'We want to create new, inspirational, flexible learning spaces, and that's what this project does.' The includes a wide range of projects that leaders say looks to create a more equitable district. Upgrades include a new environmental academy at Ken-O-Sha Park and expanding the existing Riverside Middle School to become a pre-K through 12th grade Montessori school. The district has also committed to installing secured entryways at each of its schools. 'This is really where it's kicking into full speed,' Stier said. 'It's renovation projects, building projects. It's also work across our district to improve things like transportation. We've seen big improvements throughout this year with on time performance. Really working at that from all aspects to create a better GRPS for all our scholars and staff.' GRPS approves plan to build new school at Aberdeen site The $7 million worth of renovations to create Southeast Career Pathways are just the tip of the iceberg. The Reimagine GRPS with Us bond will ultimately inject over $300 million into the district over the next few years. 'It's an exciting year,' Stier said. 'It's work that takes our entire team, our families, our community to come together to reimage GRPS. It's work that's well underway, and we're excited to see it continue.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘There's a student well-being crisis': Students, leaders gather for education summit
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — In the wake of sweeping federal budget cuts, more than 100 people gathered in Grand Rapids Saturday to sound the alarm on what many call a growing crisis: student well-being. Students, parents, educators, nonprofit leaders and policymakers put their heads together at the 2025 Education Summit, hosted by KConnect. The event focused on identifying the threats that students in school face and developing strategies to push for policy change. 'There's a student well-being crisis,' said Shayla Young, vice president at KConnect. 'There are many threats that are impacting or have the potential to impact the well-being of our young people.' Young said that through community interviews and focus groups, students helped build a list of top concerns. Some of those concerns include unmet basic needs, school violence, the role of family, substance abuse and social media. 'We shouldn't be saying that our young people have to be resilient. We should be saying that our system needs to be designed so our students can be well, all of them,' said Young. 'Ensuring that we have space to talk to young people matters.' Grand Rapids 'walk-in' aims to show support for public education Her daughter, 12-year-old Kennedi Young, sees these issues firsthand. 'I feel like it affects everybody,' Kennedi said. 'Even the laws, like what we can talk about and can't talk about in school.' She said Saturday's turnout made her feel heard. 'It means a lot, because it means that there's a group of people who are willing to do something and make a change for everything that's happening,' she said. The event featured a gallery walk with community partners, hands-on data exploration and open discussions that encouraged real policy advocacy. Salvador Lopez, the president of KConnect, emphasized the importance of including the voices of those most affected in finding solutions. 'I'm a first-generation college graduate. … That doesn't happen without community,' he said. 'So for me, it's about including people with lived experience that have been in and out of some of these issues. And we have students and parents and caregivers here today, and to me, that's where the solutions are.' GRPS shares renderings of new school at Aberdeen site Lopez said he hopes people understand that you don't have to be a politician to be involved in policy work. 'We have the ability through convenings like today to get in front of the policymakers and say, 'Our voices matter, our stories matter,'' said Lopez. Grand Rapids City Commissioner Lisa Knight spoke in front of the crowd, saying adults need to do more than listen. 'If we don't help them understand how powerful their voices are, then they have nothing to say,' she said. 'We need them to think. We need them to dream. We need them to have help. Without that hope, we don't have a future.' KConnect and its partners say this is just the beginning. They plan to continue facilitating conversations and turning them into action, helping the future of education thrive. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New sweepstakes to encourage Michigan students to fill out FAFSA
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A new state-funded sweepstakes has been launched to encourage Michigan students to complete the — the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. GRPS 'encouraged' by education dollars in Whitmer's budget proposal Alongside the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential and the Michigan College Access Network, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer introduced the sweepstakes on Wednesday. In all, the sweepstakes will give away $900,000 — 10 $50,000 prizes and 40 $10,000 prizes. The Federal Student Aid office distributes approximately $120 billion annually to help students from lower-income homes afford college. Beverly Walker-Griffea, the executive director of , says the sweepstakes will encourage more students to take advantage of a program that removes obstacles to so many potential paths of success. Grand Rapids 'walk-in' aims to show support for public education 'It's not only the $50,000 (prizes), but it makes you eligible for career training of up to $4,000 with the Michigan Achievement Scholarship. It means that you can attend your local community college tuition free,' Walker-Griffea said during a news conference. Whitmer says this is another step in her administration's commitment to lowering the cost and expanding access to higher education. She also launched the Michigan Achievement Scholarship and the Michigan Reconnect program, which provides tuition assistance to Michiganders 21 and up to go back to school to earn skill certificates or an associate's degree. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
GRPS shares renderings of new school at Aberdeen site
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Grand Rapids Public Schools has of the new elementary school being built to replace Aberdeen Academy. The new elementary will be built behind the current Aberdeen building. Officials expect it to open in 2027. Once the new school opens, it will replace Aberdeen and Palmer elementary schools, and the current Aberdeen building will be demolished. Why GRPS is proposing a new Aberdeen school The district shared plans for the new school at a Tuesday meeting with community members. According to GRPS, the design is intended to reflect the Red Hawk mascot: There are two classroom 'wings' around the body of the school. The interior design will feature organic colors and forms, aiming to create a collaborative, inviting atmosphere and help students 'take flight,' the district said. It will include a media center and a dedication wall, according to the plans. With a price tag of $38 million, the construction will be funded by funds from a bond voters in 2023. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jenison students plan fundraiser for North Carolina flood victims
GEORGETOWN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Third grade teacher Tina Ryan asked her students at Sandy Hill Elementary a question at the beginning of the school year: How can Sandy Hill help the victims of the North Carolina flooding? It was part of the school's focus on project-based learning, and it has led to an event that's grown bigger than she could have hoped. The students are planning a benefit concert Friday, March 7, inside the Jenison Junior High gym. The goal is to help students still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, where flooding destroyed their elementary school. 'We learned about how bad the flooding was in North Carolina, and we talked about how the people were suffering so much,' Ryan explained. 'The kids just really jumped on board with it and they started brainstorming ideas.' All of the third graders in the school are involved in the project and are learning important skills along the way, especially empathy. 'At third grade age, that's a skill they're just kind of starting to learn. And so it's teaching them how to put themselves in other people's shoes,' Ryan explained. They're also learning about teamwork, compromise and organization. Grammy-nominated teacher passes on love for music to GRPS students Maddie Koning and Isaac Sonka are two of the students involved in the project, and their excitement is clear. 'I was actually the one who came up with the concert idea,' Isaac declared, explaining how they worked in teams to brainstorm ideas. Maddie's group presented a plan for refreshments. 'My group was a lemonade stand, so that's what we're going to be doing at the concert,' she said. 'And there's going to be food and a used book sale.' The kids graded all of their ideas using the 'N.U.F.' approach, deciding if the idea was new, useful and feasible. 'For mine, I remember it was for new, 9.5; for useful, 8.5; and feasible, 8.5,' Isaac recalled. Hudsonville teacher hopes to inspire students through NYC Marathon The concert idea ended up being the winner, but the class found a way to incorporate the other team's ideas, too — hence the book sale, lemonade stand and bake sale. Local cover band The House Cats volunteered to perform at the concert, which will also feature talented staff members in the district and the Sandy Hill third graders singing 'We Are the World.' The kids have been able to put a face to their project. They joined a Zoom call last week with the students in North Carolina who will benefit from the concert. They talked for about 30 minutes about their likes and dislikes, what their schedules are like and what the Sandy Hill kids have planned. 'They really liked it. They liked all of our ideas, and we talked about this fundraiser,' Maddie said. Isaac added that it made him 'really happy because I was seeing the exact people that we were going to help.' The kids in North Carolina lost their building to flooding, missed weeks of school and are now attending class in two different buildings. They haven't been able to do any of the normal, fun activities in their school year, so the money raised from the concert will go toward sending them all on a field trip. Doors open at 6 p.m. Friday at the Jenison Junior High gym, with a suggested donation of $5 per person. Even if you can't make the concert, organizers say you can still donate using cash or Venmo (@SandyHillFamilyConnection) with the label '3rd Grade Gives.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
