At approximately 9:20 a.m. on Nov. 10, police personnel from the Wyoming Police Department responded to 982 Lee Street SW (Godfrey-Lee Schools East Lee Campus) on the report of school staff locating a firearm in a student’s backpack.
The 15-year-old Godfrey-Lee student was taken into police custody without incident.
Godfrey-Lee’s school staff were able to safely locate this weapon by following word-of-mouth rumors that someone had brought a firearm into their school. The Godfrey-Lee school faculty’s commitment to the safety of their students is unwavering and truly exemplified by their diligence in following up on this matter.
This incident will be presented to the Kent County Prosecutor’s Office for a review of appropriate charges.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Wyoming Police detectives at 616-530-7300 or Silent Observer at 616-774-2345; 1-866-774-2345; or https://www.silentobserver.org.
From creative writing about apples to making music with ukuleles, area schools are offering innovative programming during the pandemic. Speaking of succeeding, if you were an essential worker from April 1 to June 30, you may qualify for the Future for Frontliners program. Scroll to the bottom for more information.
For more stories on local schools, visit the School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
There wasn’t much recognizable about Symone Gray’s apple, Martin Van Buren, after he got hit by a car in the Big Apple (School News Network)
Wyoming: Babysitting an apple
Ninth grade students at Wyoming High School get creative in their writing by telling the woes and tragedies of the apples they babysit. Want to get all the juicy sauce on this? Click here.
TEAM 21 Coordinator Ellen Veenkant tackled the change of coordinating the West Godwin Elementary’s drop-off and pick-up schedule (School News Network)
Godwin Heights: A real team player
With no parents allowed in its buildings due to COVID, West Godwin needed help coming up with a plan for pick up and drop off. TEAM 21 member Ellen Veenkant stepped up to the challenge, showing how much of a team player she is. For more, click here.
Kelloggsville music teacher Susan Iacovoni had to figure out a way to get her ukuleles to her students when COVID-19 restrictions meant they couldn’t come to the music room (Dianne Carroll Burdick)
Kelloggsville: Have cart, will travel
Some 140 years after the ukulele was introduced to Hawaii, in Kelloggsville schools, music teacher Susan Iacovoni is introducing her students to the “jumping flea” and watching with glee as their fingers make music, albeit haltingly at first. To learn more about the musical fun, click here.
Brookwood Elementary School Principal Lorenzo Bradshaw is the recipient of the 2020 NAACP Role Model Education Award
Kentwood: Prinicpal earns role model award from NAACP
This past October Kentwood’s Brookwood Elementary School Principal Lorenzo Bradshaw was virtually honored as the 2020 NAACP Role Model Education Award from the local Grand Rapids chapter of the association. Learn why Bradshaw tried to decline the honor and what he finds most rewarding about being in education by clicking here.
Adults attend a Kent ISD GED class (courtesy)
All Districts: Essential workers get high school diplomas thanks to state program
If you served as an essential employee between April 1 to June 30, you may qualify for Futures for Frontliners program. Through the program, eligible participants can earn a GED and/or job training or study at a community college such as Grand Rapids Community College. To be eligible, you must have worked at least 11 of the 13 weeks from April 1 to June 30. For more about the program, click here.
Going back to school is not the easiest path. There is, of course, the financial considerations, but if you have a full-time job and family, there are those obligations as well.
Aquinas College tries to offer a number of options for class times to make it convenient for working adults. (Supplied)
“It was tough, not gonna lie,” said Christine Lentine, senior director of Finance and Administration for Kids’ Food Basket, who recently attended and completed Aquinas College’s undergraduate CPA prep program. “I have a great husband who knows that this would require some extra work for him and balancing home life was good. Professionally, your regular job doesn’t stop when you have an exam. It was definitely a labor of love balance throughout the semester. And I did it.”
Another thing that made returning to the hallow halls easier was the 20% tuition discount offered by Aquinas College to members of the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce.
“Now is the day and age to take action” said Brenda Hennink, Aquinas’s director of Adult Student Recruitment. “There’s a sense of urgency to fill some of the talent gaps which have been heightened due to circumstances. The need to stand out has been increased.”
There’s always the hesitation of not having enough time to commit to schooling for full-time workers with personal lives outside of school, according to Hennink, adding that Aquinas tries to work within those personal schedules offering both daytime and evening courses to benefit busy day-time schedules with limited programs of study for evening courses.
The only requirements to participate in the tuition discount is that person must be at least 23 years of age and the company they work for is a member of the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce.
The only requirements for the Aquinas tuition program for WKACC members are the person must be at least 23 years of age and that work full-time or pastime for a business they work for is a member of the WKACC. There is no limit to how many members can use the discount and it can be used for a degree or non-degree.
Classes at Aquinas start every eight weeks so enrollment is when it is most convenient to the student, Hennink said, adding that the discount lasts for seven consecutive years or until a degree is received, whichever comes first.
Continued eduction provides an avenue for personal growth, according to Lentine, which is perhaps why several WKACC members, like Lentine, have taken advantage of this discount.
“It’s really important to not just fall into the status quo and not improve, to make sure we’re improving each day better than the day before,” Lentine said. “Especially at a nonprofit organization, our community is entrusting us with their donor dollars and staff time. And the work that we put into the community depends on the quality of our staff’s education. And so while it can be tough for short-term the long-term payoffs are going to be worthwhile for you as a professional as well as for the team you work with and your company.”
But is the discount worth it?
“Definitely,” Lentine said. “Any type of discount is really helpful. So it not only influenced my decision to go back to school but also to be at Aquinas as opposed to a larger online university for those classes.”
By Officer Jenni Eby City of Wyoming Department of Public Safety
Welcome to the Traffic Tuesday question. Each week, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety posts a question on Tuesday, and the answer posted Thursday. **Please do not post the answer in the comments, so that others have a chance to answer on their own** Note: the answer can be found on both the WKTV Journal website and in the community social media site Nextdoor.
This week’s question: You are behind a school bus, when it stops and activates its flashing red lights. What is the closest you can stop behind the bus?
No closer than 20 feet
No closer than 25 feet
No closer than 35 feet
No closer than 50 feet
Answer: You can be no closer than 20 feet from a school bus while the red lights are activated and flashing.
Our partners at School News Network take a final look at the Class of 2020 along with some changes taking place. For more stories on local schools, visit the School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.
MySchool@Kent Principal Danielle Hendry expected summer school enrollment to be large this year (School News Network)
All Districts: Summer school is in session
To get its pre-Labor Day start wavier, Kent ISD decided to offer free summer school to all of Kent County which meant a boost to MySchool@Kent which is the Kent ISD’s summer school program. This summer, the program will have three times its average number of students, but Principal Danielle Hendry said “If a student needs this extra learning opportunity then we are happy to provide it.” Click here to learn more.
In 2012, Kent Innovation High was recognized as a National Demonstration School by New Tech Network (School News Network)
All Districts: Kent ISD to close Kent Innovation High
Citing low attendance and the inability to recruit students for the 2020-2021 school years, the Kent ISD announced it will be phasing out the Kent Innovation High program. Students currently enrolled will be able to complete the program. It leaves on a high note as more area schools has implemented project-based learning within their programs. For more about Kent Innovation High, click here.
Students locally and elsewhere turned out in mass protests following the 2018 shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida (School News Network/Dianne Carroll Burdick)
All Districts: The Class of 2020: learning to roll with it
“History books are going to write about you.” The epic quote says it all as the Class of 2020 wraps up their school year. Most of the students lives are bookmarked by 9/11 and the COVID-19 pandemic. Discover all the ups and downs this class has faced and how the students have learned to “just roll with it.” Click here for more.
Help your child adjust to back-to-school sleep schedules gradually. This will help them be alert and eager to learn by the time class starts. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Good sleep habits tend to take a vacation when school is out for the summer.
Long lazy days. Staying up late. Sleeping til noon. It’s all part of the fun.
But in the weeks leading up to the first school bell of the year, don’t forget to plan an adjustment to your child’s sleep routine. It’s never too early.
“It’s natural to be flexible with bedtimes in the summer,” said Jason Coles, MD, a pediatric sleep medicine specialist with Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. “But … you’ll want to transition to a more normal routine. The day before school begins isn’t the time to start—kids need to gradually adjust to a new sleep schedule.”
Begin adjusting bedtime and wake time now to work toward the following recommended amount of sleep each night:
Children 3 to 5 years old: 11 to 13 hours
Children 5 to 12 years old: 10 to 11 hours
Teens 13 to 18 years old: 9 to 10 hours
The best way to make bedtime earlier, Dr. Coles said, is to decrease bedtime by 15 minutes every three to four days, giving your child time to adjust.
For example, if your child is going to bed at 11:30 p.m., have him start going to bed at 11:15 p.m. for a few days, then 11 p.m. for a few days, and so on. If your bed time goal is 10 p.m., it’ll take a while to reach it.
Making sleep a priority can be challenging. Especially considering the growing body of evidence that early school start times prevent adolescents and teens from getting the sleep they need.
“Sleep is such an important element in a child’s success at school and their overall health and well-being,” Dr. Coles said. “Just like with adults, lack of sleep can negatively affect memory, concentration, mood and attitude. It’s well worth the effort to ensure that your kids get the sleep they need.”
Dr. Coles noted, however, that it’s equally important to focus on wake-up time.
“Kids will have a hard time falling asleep earlier if they’re not waking up earlier,” he said, suggesting having the alarm ring earlier and earlier leading up to the school year.
“Bright light exposure and physical activity, specifically in the morning, help this process to happen quicker and feel more natural,” Dr. Coles added.
Dr. Coles offers these 8 tips for healthy sleep habits:
Steadily adjust to earlier sleep and wake schedules well before school starts. This will adjust biological clocks to the new schedule.
Avoid physical activity before bedtime and encourage physical activity in the morning upon waking.
Establish a relaxing bedtime routine. Reading before bed is a good choice for kids of all ages.
Create a sleep environment that is cool, quiet, dimly lit and comfortable.
Keep television, video games and other electronics out of the bedroom. Avoid using them within one hour of bedtime.
Eliminate or reduce caffeine.
Eat well. Avoid big meals right before bed.
Increase activity (not near bedtime). Exercise and regular physical activity during the day improves sleep at night.
Even on weekends, keep a regular sleep schedule and avoid extremes. Having a regular bedtime every day increases the likelihood that kids, including teens, will get optimal sleep.
Keeping your child on a sleep routine will make it easier to wake them in the morning and they’ll feel better and more rested during the school day.
But don’t expect this to be easy.
“A change in sleep habits is hard, especially when kids want to make summer last and not think ahead to school,” Dr. Coles said. “Younger kids are more likely to question why they have to go to bed before the sunset. Remind them that good sleep means more energy to have fun the next day.”
Your little one’s first day back to school isn’t that far off. Now is the time to think about new strategies for a productive school year. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
By Sue Gunnink, Spectrum Health Beat
It’s always difficult transitioning from the laid-back summer schedule to the hectic schedule of the school year.
It usually takes a good month or so to get back into the groove, at least to where you feel confident everyone in your household is back on track.
And once you’ve gotten into the groove again, don’t you wish you could keep it going all year long? Wouldn’t it be great to keep everything running smoothly ’til next June?
It just so happens that a few handy tips can keep your family functioning like a well-oiled machine, at least when it comes to nutrition and meal preparation.
We all know that one of the best tools in the toolbox is the lunchbox.
Here’s how to keep your meals on track all year long:
Pack ahead
Pack lunches the night before to avoid the rush in the morning. This gives you more time to plan meals, which increases the chances you’ll select nutritious foods. Have your kids get involved in the lunch packing, too. They’re more likely to eat the food in their lunch when they’re involved in the process.
Be a portion pro
To simplify lunch preparation, cut your fruit into individual portions for the week. For example: If you have three kids and want them to have fruit each day of the week, you can cut 15 containers of fruit on Sunday night.
Get stocked and ready
For after-school snacks, consider stocking healthier items that are easy to grab, such as trail mix, unbuttered popcorn, or peanut butter on sliced apples or pears.
Coordinate schedules
Plan dinners in advance. On Sunday night, take a moment to survey your family’s schedule for the coming the week, identifying nights that involve sports practice, school activities, special events and so forth. Plan the meals accordingly. Consider having one night where your child is responsible for coming up with a meal.
Prep and freeze
Consider preparing and freezing meals well in advance. Once every few months, you can make a large batch of a particular food item, such as lasagna, then divide it into dinner portions. These can be frozen and labeled for easy use later on.
Are you interested in learning more about balanced nutrition? Schedule a personalized appointment with a Spectrum Health registered dietitian or call 616.391.1875 to register for a group class series.
