Education

Godwin Heights elementary students are cultivating fruits, herbs and veggies for their families in a new school garden, thanks to a partnership with local non-profit, Hope Gardens.

Between the corridors of West Godwin Elementary is a courtyard area. Last spring, it was all pavement and grass. Now, it’s brimming with sunflowers, zucchini, watermelons, carrots, and cucumbers.

The garden is a collaboration between West Godwin’s TEAM 21 after school program and HOPE Gardens, a Wyoming-based nonprofit that teaches students in grades K through 12 sustainable ways to grow food.

In the future, new jobs will emerge and changing – and in some cases – be eliminated due to new technologies. Grand Valley State University president, Dr. Philomena Mantella, explained how higher education must evolve and meet the demand during Thursday morning’s Peter Secchia Breakfast Lecture.

“We expect students to come in at 18-years old and at 22-years old they leave and they’re set for a lifetime of change. It’s not going to work in the future that we have ahead.”

A recent state-wide poll indicates Michigan voters prefer any road funding budget not come at the expense of education and teacher retirement pensions.

As Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the state legislature negotiate increasing road and bridge repair funding, a survey by Lansing-based EPIC-MRA indicates 77 percent of Michigan voters say it’s important teachers and their retirement pensions be protected from any budget deal.

Parents and students are preparing for the start of the school year. For most families it begins by purchasing new school supplies and backpacks. For low-income families it can be a financial burden.

In Newaygo County, Fremont-based nonprofit TrueNorth Community Services and its partners Fremont Area Community Foundation and Gerber Foundation confront rural poverty head-on.

As summer heats up, parents are looking for simple ideas to keep children entertained and engaged indoors and out. School News Network turned to an area technology and media expert for some educational options.

After 33 years in front of a Kenowa Hills Central Elementary classroom, a retiring teacher shares her thoughts on how to bring more people into the profession and improve schooling for the students they serve.

For Kris Weller, it wasn’t about the big events or recognitions. It was the small moments…making meaningful connections and building relationships with students…that made her a more effective teacher.

She offered these thoughts from her decades of experience: