We’ve all been there: the car won’t start and we don’t know why. That’s where auto mechanics save the day, and that’s what students are learning in Ron Denning’s automotive maintenance and repair class at Grandville High School.

Grandville is one of many districts building their own programs in career and technical education, alongside a Kent ISD effort to double enrollment in CTE programs by 2030. (Read our series on these efforts here.) In this episode, Denning and student Shane Pauuwe talk to host Charles Honey about the benefits and possible careers in auto repair and other CTE fields.

For more great stories about the changes and challenges of school districts in West Michigan, check out our website, School News Network.org. And if you have ideas for future programs, feel free to send them to us at SNN@kentisd.org. Thanks for listening, and happy studying!

Brianna Vasquez de Pereira, a Kent School Services Network coordinator in Kentwood, discusses the questions and fears of immigrant families about President Trump’s deportation plans. (Note: This podcast was recorded prior to President Trump’s inauguration and his order removing schools as sites protected from apprehensions by federal deportation agents.)

For more great stories about the changes and challenges of school districts in West Michigan, check out our website, School News Network.org. And if you have ideas for future programs, feel free to send them to us at SNN@kentisd.org. Thanks for listening, and happy studying!

As parents and educators grapple with the ongoing problem of gun violence in schools, ensuring safe storage of guns at home has become a prime focus of averting tragic shootings by young people. Eunice Benavidez, a social worker for Kelloggsville Public Schools, has launched a district-supported initiative to educate parents about safe gun storage in compliance with Michigan law. A volunteer for the Be SMART gun safety organization, she helps parents obtain gun locks and spreads the word that shootings are the leading cause of death for children and teens. We talk with Benavidez to see how well the initiative is going since its implementation earlier this year.

Be SMART offers free community presentations about secure firearm storage. To request a presentation in Kent County, email BeSmartGrandRapids@gmail.com. Elsewhere in Michigan, email BeSmartMichigan@gmail.com.

If you have ideas for future programs, feel free to send them to us at SNN@kentisd.org. Thanks for listening, and happy studying! Check out all the podcast episodes below.

For more great stories about the changes and challenges of school districts in West Michigan, check out our website, School News Network.org. And if you have ideas for future programs, feel free to send them to us at SNN@kentisd.org. Thanks for listening, and happy studying!

A recent survey found 72 percent of K-12 teachers say students being distracted by cell phones in their classroom is a major problem. Some states and school districts have adopted policies restricting their use by students during the school day, including Forest Hills Public Schools near Grand Rapids, Michigan. Study Hall welcomes David Simpson, principal at Northern Middle School, and Ari James, a senior at Northern High School, to see how that policy is going five years after it took effect.

For more great stories about the changes and challenges of school districts in West Michigan, check out our website, School News Network.org. And if you have ideas for future programs, feel free to send them to us at SNN@kentisd.org. Thanks for listening, and happy studying!

For more great stories about the changes and challenges of school districts in West Michigan, check out our website, School News Network.org. And if you have ideas for future programs, feel free to send them to us at SNN@kentisd.org. Thanks for listening, and happy studying!

Study Hall welcomes Marla Anderson, who is just beginning her teaching career this fall as a first-grade teacher at Kent City Elementary School. A Kent City native, she is excited to enter a profession badly in need of new teachers. Along with her mentor, veteran kindergarten teacher Angela Sabin, Marla talks about the challenges and rewards of teaching, preparing her lessons and getting her classroom ready for the kids — including a brand-new coat of paint.

For more great stories about the changes and challenges of school districts in West Michigan, check out our website, School News Network.org. And if you have ideas for future programs, feel free to send them to us at SNN@kentisd.org. Thanks for listening, and happy studying!

Kentwood — In this episode, “Study Hall” welcomes recent Crossroads Alternative High School graduate JB Barnes and his dad, Kevin Barnes. JB was recently featured as a Kentwood Public Schools Grad with Grit in School News Network because of his incredible academic turnaround — from nearly failing out of school to finishing his final semester with As and Bs.

JB has sickle cell disease, which causes chronic pain and other complications. He was hospitalized frequently during his school years, causing him to fall behind in class. He also had major behavioral issues, and the pain didn’t help his mood.

JB moved in with his dad, Kevin, at age 14, and Kevin’s guidance and advice helped JB make better choices. The pace and one-on-one attention at Crossroads also eventually led to a “180-degree” change for JB, teachers said, and a new outlook on the future.

Listen in as JB talks about why he made the changes he did and Kevin Barnes talks about why it’s important to keep believing in your children and supporting their dreams.

If you have ideas for future programs, feel free to send them to us at SNN@kentisd.org. Thanks for listening, and happy studying!

For more great stories about the changes and challenges of school districts in West Michigan, check out our website, School News Network.org. And if you have ideas for future programs, feel free to send them to us at SNN@kentisd.org. Thanks for listening, and happy studying!

Study Hall welcomes Jerry Hopkins, Kenowa’s superintendent for the past 13 years, and Robyn Bradford, a district teacher for the past 32. The veteran educators reflect on a tumultuous decade that saw students forced to learn at home by a global pandemic, controversies over books and teaching content, and changes in family dynamics. Through it all, they agree, “students are students,” and schools strive to meet their needs, support their learning and fuel their dreams every day.

For more great stories about the changes and challenges of school districts in West Michigan, check out our website, School News Network.org. And if you have ideas for future programs, feel free to send them to us at SNN@kentisd.org. Thanks for listening, and happy studying!

“Study Hall” welcomes Jordan Poisson, a Lee High School graduate who is now a school counselor at Westwood Middle School in Grand Rapids Public Schools. School News Network has followed Poisson’s story over the past 10 years as she went from a student overcoming the obstacles of living in poverty, to a college student pursuing several degrees, to now working as a school counselor herself. In this episode, Poisson talks about the highlights and challenges of working with middle school students, how she relates to them in a unique way and how she helps them learn about careers, college and other options for their future.

For more great stories about the changes and challenges of school districts in West Michigan, check out our website, School News Network.org. And if you have ideas for future programs, feel free to send them to us at SNN@kentisd.org. Thanks for listening, and happy studying!