Tag Archives: Steelcase

Kent District Library goes mobile to reach underserved areas, improve reading proficiency

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

In Kent County, about 50 percent of the third grade students are at a grade level reading proficiency, and 50 percent are not. It is odds that the Kent District Library hopes to improve upon with the launch of its new bookmobile.

 

“There are several studies that have shown that if [students] hadn’t hit reading level proficiency by third grade they have a deficit that actually kind of hobbles their ability to be successful in further schooling efforts especially after they get done with high school,” said KDL Executive Director Lance Werner. “They face a struggle pretty much for the rest of their lives.”

 

However, by getting reading materials to students before or as they enter third grade, KDL hopes to help make a dent in the area’s third grade reading issues. To help with that, KDL decided to turn to an old program it offered about 30 years ago  — a bookmobile.

 

KDL Executive Director Lance Werner in the new KDL Bookmobile.

“A lot of people say, why not just use technology, and the honest God truth is not everybody has access to technology and sometimes taking a low tech solution makes sense,” said Werner during a recent unveiling of the bookmobile at Steelcase. “We want to make sure people have access to physical materials and actual books as well as technology.

 

“That’s the whole purpose of the bookmobile. It is literally a library on wheels.”

 

The bookmobile was made possible through a $208,000 grant from the Steelcase Foundation with a Frey Foundation grant covering the bookmobile’s materials and J&H Family Stores covering a full year of fuel.

 

The bookmobile is 36 feet long, 11 feet tall and 8.5 feet wide. It weighs about 22,000 pounds with the collection inside. That collection includes books, DVDs, audiobooks, magazines, and video games. The bookmobile itself is a hotspot and will also have hotspots available for checkout as well as iPads and computers. Additional, from April to October, the bookmobile will have two bicycles available for checkout.

 

The white, green and blue vehicle has a TV screen on the outside to allow for movie presentations. There is also a lift on the back of the bookmobile, so it is handicap accessible.

 

The new KDL Bookmobile was unveiled at a special event at Steelcase. The Steelcase Foundation helped to launch the project with a $208,000 grant.

The bookmobile will be visiting a number of locations from area schools to retirement centers. KDL Community Engagement Manager Sara Proano said materials can be tailored to a specific location. So if the stop is at a school, age appropriate items will be available, and if the stop is a retirement center, materials, such as large print books, will be geared more towards that age range.

 

Werner said the biggest focus is the areas that are underserved because they are rural and/or there are not libraries available.

 

“There are a lot of areas of Kent County that are underserved and we want to make sure we are able to reach people where they are at,” Werner said, adding that the bookmobile will be visiting schools in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas.

 

“We aim to be a part of the campus and have stops on their campuses to make sure that kids not only have excellent services from their media centers in the school, but excellent services from the Kent District Library and a lot of times school kids have the biggest transportation issues out of all of us and really for some of those kids the only chance they will get to visit the library will be to visit the bookmobile when it comes to their school.”

 

The bookmobile will run Mondays through Thursdays plus Saturdays. Fridays are reserved for special events and maintenance. The bookmobile will return to locations so that people have time to return materials, Werner said, adding that materials can be returned to any KDL branch.

 

For the bookmobile schedule visit kdl.org and go to events, clicking bookmobile under branches or go to kdl.org/bookmobile where people can request a visit from the bookmobile.

 

Annual Santa parade set to take place along Division this Saturday

City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, , , , , ,

The Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce and the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood, will host the 11th Annual Santa Parade on Saturday, Dec. 2 along S. Division Ave.

 

The parade is set to start at 10 a.m. with more than 60 participants, including five school bands. Participants will travel down South Division from 33rd Street to Murray Avenue. The grand marshall this year is Wyoming Department of Public Safety Chief James Carmody, who was recently named top chief by the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police.

 

In the parade will be police vehicles and fire trucks from both the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming. There also will be floats and vehicles from several of the parade sponsors such as The Rapids, Comcast, Costco, Hobart Sales & Service, Steelcase, Conumsers Energy, Diversified Protection, JX Peterbilt, Marge’s Donut Den, Supermercado Mexico, Two Men and A Truck, Liberty Tax Service, Godwin Plumbing, Celebration Cinema, and Brann’s Steakhouse & Grille.

 

“I’m fortunate enough to ride in the vehicle that pulls Santa” said Bob O’Callaghan, president and CEO of the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce. “They don’t see me of course, they see Santa, but the smiles and the pictures from mom and dad and all of the things that go on with it. It’s just a great community event.”

 

 

There will be free pictures with Santa at Brann’s Steakhouse & Grille, 4157 S. Division after the parade. Participants are encouraged to bring their own cameras.

Business Matters: Steelcase and Microsoft design technology-enabled spaces to enhance creativity

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Photo provided by Steelcase Inc.

Steelcase and Microsoft Corp. have joined forces to explore the future of work, developing a range of technology-enabled spaces designed to help organizations foster creative thinking and better collaboration. These spaces seamlessly integrate the best of Microsoft Surface devices with Steelcase architecture and furniture. Today the companies unveiled five new “Creative Spaces” showcasing how Steelcase and Microsoft can help organizations unlock creativity for every employee.

 

Additionally, Steelcase and Microsoft announced:

  • That Microsoft is expanding its partner network into the world of design by bringing in select Steelcase dealers as authorized Surface Hub resellers.
  • Steelcase and Microsoft are working together to develop technology-enabled workplace solutions built on Microsoft Azure IoT technology.

“The problems people face at work today are much more complex than they used to be. They require a new creative way of thinking and a very different work process,” says Sara Armbruster, vice president of strategy, research and new business innovation for Steelcase.

 

“We believe that everyone has the capacity for creative thinking, and people are happier doing creative, productive work. Together, Microsoft and Steelcase will help organizations thoughtfully integrate place and technology to encourage creative behaviors at work.”

 

The companies’ exploration of creative work found that creativity is a process in which anyone can engage and requires diverse work modes as well as different types of technology. People need to work alone, in pairs and in different size groups throughout a creative process, and they need a range of devices that are mobile and integrated into the physical workplace. Additionally, spaces should inspire people without compromising performance.

 

For more information on Creative Spaces and the partnership between Microsoft and Steelcase, go here or here.

 

DRCWM wins $50,000 Steelcase grant for Wyoming schools Restorative Circles project

3-bottom, Area Education, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Crime Prevention, Education, Hard News, Non-Profits, , , , , ,

By Victoria Mullen

victoria@wktv.org

 

adam bird photo of Chris Gilman
DRCWM’s executive director, Christine Gilman (Photo by Adam Bird)

Thanks to a $50,000 grant from the Steelcase Foundation, the Dispute Resolution Center of West Michigan (DRCWM) will further develop its Restorative Justice Program for Lee Middle School in Wyoming, Kelloggsville Middle School and Wyoming High School over the next two years.

 

Spearheaded by its executive director, Christine Gilman, DRCWM began its restorative justice program at Lee Middle School in the fall of 2013. The services target students, staff and the community.

 

The Steelcase grant will also provide funding to have the three current facilitators become licensed by the International Institute of Restorative Practices (IIRP). Once licensed, the facilitators will be available to train “Introduction to Restorative Practices” and “Using Circles Effectively” to school administrators, teachers and others who wish to invest in the training so that they can join the paradigm shift away from punitive methods of discipline and towards restorative solutions to problematic behavior.

 

Chris and kids courtesy of Godfrey Lee Public Schools
Christine Gilman leads a restorative circle. (Photo courtesy of Godfrey Lee Public Schools)

Why restorative justice?

Bullying and out-of-control conflict at home or school have far-reaching consequences, with negative effects on communities and society. Without intervention and support, such negative exposure can inhibit youths’ emotional and cognitive development, prohibit healing, lead to serious health issues later in life and may perpetuate the cycle of violence.

 

“If you just get suspended, the fight is still going to be going on in your head,” said Gilman. “When you come back to school, you’ll probably be 10 times angrier than when you left.

 

In addition to quelling disputes and developing proactive plans to address misbehavior, restorative practices positively influence the school environment by teaching effective, non-violent ways to handle anger, frustration, and conflict. Restorative practices foster the development of empathy, which creates a more caring and safe environment.

 

According to the Council of State Governments, during 2012-2013, Michigan students with disabilities lost 190,036 days of instruction due to suspensions and expulsions. Students who are removed from the classroom as punishment are more likely to repeat a grade, drop out or enter the juvenile justice system. In monetary terms, every student who drops out is estimated to lose $250,000 in lifetime earnings, according to the Michigan Student Advocacy Center.

 

adam bird photo of circles
Photo by Adam Bird

What restorative justice does

 

A school-based restorative justice program provides an early intervention for youth who are beginning to demonstrate problematic or delinquent behavior. When students are suspended, they are not learning, and they are not resolving the issues that led to suspension.

 

Often the issues that led to suspension are exacerbated during the student’s absence from school. Further, students who are harmed by others are not typically addressed in school disciplinary measures; whereas in circles they can express their feelings, make suggestions for reparations, and learn more about why the incident occurred. Additionally, circles allow students to take responsibility for their actions, face up to what they have done, apologize and make amends—actions which are likewise not part of traditional discipline.

 

Restorative practices (including facilitative conferences and circles) offer a holistic approach to school discipline and problem solving. These practices been proven to decrease the number of suspension/expulsion days and disproportionately higher suspension days for non-white students and special education.

 

Circles are used in a wide variety of instances, including threats of fights; social media issues; bullying; vandalism; and to help restore relationships after suspensions. Circles can be used instead of suspension, to complement a shorter suspension, or to help reintegrate students into the school community following suspension.

 

better DRCWM logoRather than look at which rule was broken and then doling out traditionally prescribed punishment, at-risk students may be sent to a circle for resolution. During a discussion led by the circle facilitator, the students come up with solutions to the issues raised. Circles help students look at what happened, determine the harm done, talk about how the harm can be repaired, and discuss how future harm can be prevented.

 

The facilitator draws up the restorative agreement in the students’ own words. When the students are satisfied with the content of the restorative agreement, they sign the document.

 

“Accepting an apology is almost as good as giving an apology,” Gilman said. “When you see that empathy, it’s really cool. I have seen the light go on. The best thing is while I’m typing up the agreement, they’re giggling, laughing and talking,” she said.

 

For more information on Restorative Practices, visit DRCWM’s website here.

 

Additional reporting from School News Network.

Wyoming-area Students will ‘Shadow’ Professionals on Groundhog Day

Education, Upcoming Events, , , , , , ,


By Victoria Mullen

Punxsutawyney Phil isn’t the only one who will emerge with great expectations on Groundhog Day.*

On February 2nd, area high school students will participate in Groundhog Shadow Day 2016 (#GSD16), an event that allows young people to follow (aka ‘shadow’) professional mentors at a number of local workplaces.

Sponsored by Kent Intermediate School District (Kent ISD) Career Readiness, students will get an overview of their selected company’s industry, the day-to-day operations of specific departments, positions available and requirements for successful employment, such as level of education, career pathways and the like.

“The event gives students the opportunity to ‘pull back the curtain’ on the world of work and to experience ‘a day in the life’ at a job that interests them,” said Amy Pierce, Kent ISD Career Exploration Coordinator – Engineering, Advanced Manufacturing, and Construction, who spearheads the event. “Last year 143 students participated; this year we are poised to have 269 students at 45 companies mentoring under 136 community members.”

In 2015, 87.5% of participating students said that the event increased their understanding of career options. Some found that they are already on the right track to pursue the career field that they shadowed. Many made connections that they believe will prove beneficial later on.

“My career aspirations were further strengthened, and I am more confident about how I will go about pursuing these goals,” said one student.

“I learned that my career field is very team based, which I
like,” said another.

A third student replied, “I really like how ‘real’ it was. It wasn’t like the TV shows that center around a profession; this was a real-life experience.”

This year, students will explore such fields as Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources; Architecture and Construction; Arts, A/V Technology and Communications; Marketing; Finance; Health Sciences; Engineering; Business Management and Administration and many more.

“The aim is to help students make educated decisions as they contemplate their post-secondary career and academic choices,” said Pierce.

There will be opportunities to interact with a variety of professionals with different levels of responsibility, education and experience, and students may engage in a hands-on activity or demonstration that reflects the skills needed in that sector. Also on the docket is a preview of current or recent projects so that the students can understand some of the potential work demands required.

Participating organizations and businesses include John Ball Zoo, Spectrum Health, Erhardt Construction, FOX 17, City of Grand Rapids; Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women (GROW), Resurrection Life Church, Priority Health, Grandville Public Schools, Grand Rapids Urban League, West Michigan Flight Academy, Amway, Steelcase and others.

*You know the drill: Each year on February 2, Phil emerges from his temporary home on Gobbler’s Knob, located in a rural area about 2 miles (3.2 km) east of the town of Punxsutawyney (do not ask me how to pronounce that). According to tradition, if Phil sees his shadow and returns to his hole, he has predicted six more weeks of winter-like weather. (What is not clear is what happens if Phil does not return to his hole.) However, if Phil does not see his shadow, he has predicted an “early spring.” The date of Phil’s prognostication is known as Groundhog Day in the United States and Canada, and has been celebrated since 1887. Source.

It’s win-win, kids. Hidden in the fabric of the lore is the fact that the first day of spring is March 20, which is nearly eight weeks from February 2. So, people complaining about Phil seeing his shadow should just chill. If he sees his shadow, spring is still early by nearly two weeks. If he doesn’t see his shadow, we’ll have an early spring, although just how early is not specified. Even Phil has his limits.

Either way, it’s an early spring.