We Are GR April 2019
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April 2019 | Section B Early Childhood: 6 Nutrition: 7 Summer Camp Guide: 8 Athletics: 13 Your Bond Dollars at Work for Our Children The Transformation Plan, originally approved in the 2012-13 school year, is about developing, reinvesting, and expanding school choices. As another school year comes to a close, we want to provide another update to our community regarding the progress of our bond projects. The bond pledged to secure, connect, and transform our district. Three years in, and that is exactly what it is doing. TRANSFORM Southwest Community Campus and Plaza Roosevelt Status: In progress If you drive by the Clinica Santa Maria located on the corner of Grandville and Franklin, you will see that work has already begun. New affordable housing is under construction, built by Habitat for Humanity. Plaza Roosevelt—a partnership between Dwelling Place, Ferris State University, Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities, Grand Rapids Public Schools, Habitat of Humanity of Kent County, Hispanic Center of Western Michigan, Mercy Health Saint Mary’s, Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association, and the Resident Partner Committee—will ■ SEE BOND UPDATE / B2 Ribbon cutting at Ridgemoor Park Montessori, August 2017. How Are You Enjoying We Are GR? The We Are GR Newspaper is a joint publication of Grand Rapids Public Schools and the City of Grand Rapids. We want to make sure that it is meeting the needs and wants of our community. Take a brief survey and you will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win a $50 gift card! Please visit surveymonkey.com/r/WeAreGR2019 Thank you! 2 GRPS News April 2019 Grand Rapids Public Schools Bond Update Continued from B1 April 2019 be a transformation to the Roosevelt Park Grand Rapids neighborhood and GRPS. Construction is Board of Education already underway for the new Southwest Community Campus High School, and Kristian Grant, President the $20 million project is expected to be Jen Schottke, Vice President completed for the fall of 2020. John Matias, Min. M.A., Secretary City High Middle School Raynard Ross, Treasurer Tony Baker, Ph.D. Status: In progress Kymberlie Davis While the outside of the school looks José Flores, Ed.D. untouched, it’s a whole new space inside. Katherine Downes Lewis The $17 million renovation included the Kimberley Williams installation of air conditioning and a new Teresa Weatherall Neal, M.Ed. heating system for the whole building, Superintendent of Schools as well as LED lighting throughout the academic wing. Classrooms received new New playground at Buchanan Elementary. Equal Opportunity Institution: Grand Rapids Public window treatments, refinished hardwood Schools, as an Equal Opportunity Institution, floors, and furniture. Science labs received complies with federal and state laws prohibiting the same, plus new cases, counters, fume degree. visitors to sign in through the office, many of discrimination and harassment, including Title IV and Title VII (with amendments) of the 1964 Civil hoods, and Smart Boards. The school was Union High School our buildings were not built for the complex security concerns of the 21st Century. Many Rights Act, Title IX of the Educational Amendment of also given a new secure entry and an updated Status: Upcoming schools have had reconfigured entrances and 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, front office. While the project is nearly Veterans Readjustment Act of 1974 as amended 38 Covering nearly a quarter of a mile, offices to meet today’s standards. completed, final work is anticipated to be USC 20-12 and the Americans With Disabilities Act completed between now and summer. Union High School will receive $17 million of 1990. The District will not discriminate against in investment. A bond advisory committee CONNECT Ottawa Hills High School any person based on race, sex, sexual orientation, has been formed to help aid the project and Our Management Information Services gender, gender identity and expression, height, Status: In progress is working with our Facilities Department to team has distributed and installed new weight, color, religion, national origin, age, marital Home of the Bengals, Ottawa Hills plan the renovation to ensure it meets the technology throughout the district. More status, pregnancy, disability or veteran status. The High School will receive $17 million in needs of our students. than 4,200 Chromebooks and iPads have District’s Civil Rights Compliance Officer is Larry Johnson. Mr. Larry Johnson may be contacted at investments to renovate the school for Buchanan Elementary been distributed to students. This helps support the district’s new science and math 1331 Franklin SE, P.O. Box 117, Grand Rapids, MI students and incoming career academies. Status: Completed 49501-0117 or (616) 819-2100. The District’s Title Starting fall 2019, the Academy of curriculum. Instructional staff devices have The $13 million renovation was IX Coordinator is Kurt Johnson. Mr. Kurt Johnson Hospitality & Tourism will be the first of 6 also been upgraded for teachers, staff, and may be contacted at 1331 Franklin SE, P.O. Box planned academies for Ottawa Hills. Along completed in August 2018. principals. Classrooms throughout the 117, Grand Rapids, MI 49501-0117 or (616) 819- with aesthetic upgrades, including flooring, Museum School district have been upgraded with new state- 2010. paint, and a newly located main entrance, Status: Completed of-the-art, interactive, wireless projection Title IX Annual Athletics Compliance Report: the building will be reimagined to align with capabilities. Nearly 90% of technology The $10 million renovation was Grand Rapids Public Schools is committed to the planned academies. has been distributed and the remaining is securing athletic equity and provides annual Title completed in August 2018. anticipated to be deployed between now and IX reporting to the athletes and parents in an effort Other programs located at Ottawa Hills Ridgemoor Park Montessori summer. to bring increased attention and resources towards will benefit from the renovation, including Status: Completed ensuring that gender equity as required by Title the Historically Black Colleges and We look forwarding to continuing to IX of the Education Amendments for 1972, Grand Universities (HBCUs) partnership, which The $1.5 million renovation was share the progress as we continue to break Rapids Public Schools annual report is available at provides students support, school visits, and completed in August 2017. ground, cut ribbons, and celebrate our www.grps.org. scholarships; and the Early Middle College SECURE transformation! To comply with the Every Student Succeeds Act program, which allows students to graduate (ESSA), parents may request information regarding after one additional year with both their Student and staff safety is our greatest the professional qualifications of the student’s high school diploma and an associate of arts concern. Although our schools have had classroom teachers. secure entrances and requirements for all Please contact Micky Savage, Director of Human Resources, in Human Resources via email Asbestos Notice [email protected] or at (616) 819-2028. Asbestos is a general name for a group of naturally periodic surveillance, cleaning, disclosure efforts and school occurring minerals composed of small fibers. These fibers building areas containing asbestos. Any person may review April 2019 are very strong and resistant to heat and chemicals. The mere the management plan at the Grand Rapids Public School’s is published four times per year by presence of asbestos in a building does not mean that the Facilities Management Department, 900 Union, Grand GRPS Communications Office health of the building occupants is endangered. When left Rapids, Michigan 49503, during regular business hours (8:00 Grand Rapids Public Schools intact and undisturbed, asbestos-containing materials do not am to 4:00 pm). Plans may also be found on the district’s 1331 Franklin St. SE, P.O. Box 117 pose a health risk to building occupants. There is, however, website at grps.org/facilities-asbestos-info. Grand Rapids, Michigan 49501-0117 Phone: (616) 819-2149 potential for exposure when the material becomes damaged or Alternatively, any person may request a copy of the disturbed. Because of these problems associated with asbestos Fax: (616) 819-3480 plan by writing the Grand Rapids Public Schools Facilities www.grps.org www.WeAreGR.com exposure, the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act, or Management Department, 900 Union, Grand Rapids, AHERA emphasizes that asbestos in school buildings must John Helmholdt, Executive Director of Michigan 49503. There is a cost involved in reproducing the Communications & External Affairs appropriately managed. document of approximately 10 cents per page. Grand Rapids Kyle Pray, Director of Communications Grand Rapids Public Schools has an asbestos management Public Schools will send a copy out of the management plan & Enrollment plan that addresses contact persons, training, inspections, within 5 business days of receiving the request. Javier Cervantes, response actions, operation and maintenance activities, Communications Coordinator Miranda Burel, Administrative Assistant April 2019 GRPS News 3 GRPS Grad Rates Increase for 7th Consecutive Year Grad Rates Up Nearly 60% Since 2012 The Michigan Department of Education recently released the graduation rates for the 2017-2018 school year. For the seventh consecutive year, Grand Rapids Public Schools saw an increase in districtwide graduation rates. Since Superintendent