City PTSA - Welcome

GRPS and KISD Hold Parent/Community Symposium
Panel Speaks About Teaching, Technology, and the Future of Public
Education

WHAT: Teaching, Technology, and the Future of Public Education
Parent/Community Symposium

WHERE: Messiah Missionary Baptist Church
513 Henry Ave. SE

WHEN: Tuesday, June 1 2010, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

WHO: Dr. Richard Ferdig, Professor of Instructional Technology, Kent
State University
Todd Yarch, Principal of VOISE Academy at Chicago Public
Schools
Patrick Staley & Angela Newton, Teachers, VOISE Academy
Krista Ried, Interim Supervisor of Client Services and Teacher
Quality Coordinator, Michigan Department of Education
Susan Patrick, President/CEO, International Association of K-12
Online Learning
Dr. Bernard Taylor, Jr., GRPS Superintendent of Schools
Daniel S. Behm, Superintendent, Forest Hills Public
Schools

Continue reading "Symposium on Teaching, Technology and the Future, of Public Education" »

Posted by sj1potyraj@comcast.net at 07:49 AM | Permalink

WHAT: G.R. V.O.I.C.E. (Volunteer Opportunities and Involvement with Community Education) Symposium.

Two Ottawa Hills graduates, Jonathan Jelks (Talented Tenth Think Tank) and Jamiel Robinson (Director of the Open Book Project), have organized the G.R. V.O.I.C.E. (Volunteer, Opportunities, & Involvement with Community Education) Symposium. This event will be a POSITIVE community discussion that will include a panel presentation and Q & A session that focuses on how citizens of Grand Rapids can support the Grand Rapids Public School System to ensure the best possible education outcomes for our children. Topics to be discussed include: Parent and Community Engagement; Training students for Grand Rapids New Economy; Volunteer Opportunities; the City-School Partnership; Neighborhood Businesses and Community Organization Partnerships; and Advocacy for our Schools in Lansing.

Continue reading "OHHS GRADS ORGANIZE SYMPOSIUM ON VOLUNTEERING AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO SUPPORT GRPS" »

Posted by sj1potyraj@comcast.net at 09:46 PM | Permalink

Dear Parents:

MEAP examinations continue next week Tuesday (20 October) and Thursday (22 October).

All grade seven and grade eight students need a standard (non-graphing) calculator for their Math MEAP on Tuesday 20 October.
Please email gonzalesma@grps.k12.mi.us if your son or daughter needs a calculator.

Grade seven, eight, and nine students will take the MEAP examination on Thursday 22 October.
Grade seven students will take a writing test, grade eight students will take a science test, and grade nine students will take a social studies test.

We would like our students to perform at their best on these assessments.
Please make sure your student is well rested for the exams.
Please make sure your student arrives promptly to school.
Please ensure that your student eats a hearty meal before school.

Thank you!

Posted by gonzalesma@grps.k12.mi.us at 10:14 AM | Permalink

Thursday, May 28, 6:00pm to 7:30pm at Ottawa Hills High School auditorium, the community at large is invited to a meeting at which you can share important information, answer questions, and express your concerns and ideas. As most of us have heard, adequately funding our schools for the next two years is going to be extremely challenging and GRPS wants you to understand the issues and help develop collective solutions.

If you would prefer a face-to-face discussion, Superindendent Bernard Taylor, PhD, will be hosting monthly community office hours throughout the city starting in June. Here are the dates, times and locations for the first four meetings. (click "CONTINUE READING..." below).

If you have any questions or would like more information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

John Helmholdt Director of Communications & External Affairs
Grand Rapids Public Schools
PO Box 117
Grand Rapids, MI 49501-0117
Work: 616-819-3740
Cell: 616-481-2152
Fax: 616-819-2146
Web: www.grpublicschools.org

Continue reading "MEETING ON GRPS BUDGET CHALLENGES" »

Posted by Andy Bowman at 05:02 PM | Permalink

If you missed the GRPS School Board Candidates Forum on April 16th you can watch it on GRCC's channel 28

http://raidercast.grcc.edu/flash/grps/grps_candidates09/grps_player.html

April 27 Monday at 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
April 28 Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
April 29 Wednesday at 11:30 a.m.
April 30 Thursday at 1:30 p.m.
May 1 Friday at 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
May 2 Saturday at 7:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.
May 3 Sunday at 12:00 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Don't forget to VOTE on Tuesday, May 5th!

Posted by Andy Bowman at 03:31 PM | Permalink

The article below is from - Rapidgrowthmedia.org - 2/14/08 www.rapidgrowthmedia.org

Editor’s note: In the first-ever State of Our Schools Address, Dr.
Bernard Taylor, the superintendent of Grand Rapids Public Schools,
blasted short-sighted conventional wisdom and said the state of GRPS is
strong and getting stronger. Below are excerpts of his remarks delivered
publicly on February 9, 2008.

A Global Perspective
The future growth and success of Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS) is
not just an “education issue” or a “city issue.” It is a
regional issue. It is an issue about economic development, workforce
development and global competitiveness. It is about improving the
quality of life in our region. It is an issue that every person, family,
employer, and institution in the region has a stake in. The challenges
facing GRPS are not solved solely by our teachers, our principals, our
schools, or the district as a whole. They are going to be solved
together, in public-private partnership – as a community with common
goals and common interests. Doing what is best for our children and the
region as a whole must be our first priority.

Continue reading "Excerpts from State of Our Schools Address" »

Posted by Denise Blair at 04:52 PM | Permalink

The Challenge: GRPS has a perception problem that is in conflict with the reality, reforms, "rightsizing" and successes the district and our great students have achieved or are achieving - a perception that is adverse to the interests, goals, and advancement of our students and the district.

The perception problem is fostered by inaccurate or incomplete media accounts, lack of understanding, misinformation, false beliefs, and uninformed "kitchen table" and "street" talk.

The Opportunity: GRPS has a mass of "messengers" that number in the tens of thousands - 20,000+ students, nearly 40,000 parents and guardians, 4,000 employees, and a countless number of alumni, volunteers, and supporters - all of whom can help tear down the negative perceptions, uplift the positives, and advance the interests of our students and the district.

Continue reading "GRPS Truth Squad" »

Posted by Denise Blair at 01:29 PM | Permalink

What is GRPS "On the MIC"?
GRPS "On the MIC" is a proposed new initiative to engage GRPS students in helping to advance the stories, interests, issues, and happenings in and around our schools through media, advocacy, and communications.

MEDIA: We are in the Information Age. News and information is instanteneous and distributed through multiple mediums - television, radio, newspapers, email, websites, blogs, snail mail, etc.

Many local media outlets - television stations, newspapers, radio stations and on-line blogs and news sites - regularly report on GRPS issues, stories, events and accounts. Unfortunately, many of the stories are either inaccurate, incomplete, or fail to fully capture the real story. There are many stories, events, and grand happenings that also fail to be told or are not reported by the media.

It's time GRPS students get On the MIC and start our own reporting!

Continue reading "GRPS Students: On the MIC (Media, Issues, Communications)" »

Posted by Denise Blair at 01:03 PM | Permalink