School News Network

01/14/2026

Who knew we had a very own student-powered space museum in Byron Center Public Schools? Such a cool opportunity for students to learn from their peers!

01/14/2026

Matt Vriesman, 2023 National History Teacher of the Year, offers more then 60 free lessons on his website, Empowering Histories.

Vriesman, who teaches at East Kentwood High School, wants to make sure as many students as possible are being taught history based on established scholarship by professional historians and include diverse sources from minority communities.

“Those are the sources that make students sit up and say, ‘Wait, what?’ Those are the engaging sources — when you are taking the standard narrative and questioning it and starting to explore ‘Why is the narrative this?'"

Kentwood Public Schools East Kentwood High School-KPS The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History College Board Grand Rapids Public Museum

East Kentwood’s own award-winning history teacher is making sure all teachers have access to curriculum resources.

01/13/2026

Congratulations to the East Kentwood High School We the People team!

01/13/2026

We may not know who let the dogs out but Kenowa Hills Alpine Elementary is letting WATCH D.O.G.S. (Dads Of Great Students)! The program is re-launching at Alpine for dads, stepdads, grandpas, uncles or other male role models to sign up and spend a day working with students and staff.

Learn more about this volunteer opportunity at Kenowa Hills Public Schools and how you or a male loved one can sign up: https://www.schoolnewsnetwork.org/2026/01/09/re-launched-elementary-program-seeks-male-volunteers/

01/12/2026

Rockford Public Schools' bond perception and engagement survey is available through Jan. 18.

Rockford Community Services

The district is seeking feedback from the community about its failed 2025 bond attempt.

01/12/2026

Twice a month, Godwin Heights Middle School students explore special interests in math, science, literature and the arts. Follow along as videographer Brett Atwood shares what students are learning and what they love about Zero Hour. Godwin Heights Public Schools Michigan Association of Superintendents & Administrators Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB)

Godwin Heights Middle School’s Zero Hour program allows students to explore interests in their favorite content areas, such as math and literature.

01/12/2026

We are planning for the future of School News Network and your feedback matters to us!

What do you enjoy about our coverage of your schools? What would you like to see more of? How do you interact with SNN? What can we do better or differently? We want to hear your thoughts.

Please take our 2026 audience survey (linked in the comments below) by February 27. Your comments will help us plan improvements and reach more people with our articles, podcasts and videos. We will not ask for names, so your answers remain completely anonymous and confidential.

Look for a report on the survey results coming this spring. Thank you for your input!

Byron Center Public Schools, Caledonia Community Schools, Cedar Springs Public Schools, Comstock Park Public Schools, East Grand Rapids Public Schools, Forest Hills Public Schools, Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, Godwin Heights Public Schools, Grand Rapids Public Schools, Grandville Public Schools, Kelloggsville Public Schools, Kenowa Hills Public Schools, Kentwood Public Schools, Kent City Community Schools, Kent ISD, Kentwood Public Schools, Lowell Area Schools, Rockford Public Schools, Sparta Area Schools - Sparta, MI, TK Schools, Wyoming Public Schools

01/10/2026

The Young Historians Club, recently relaunched by Sparta high-schoolers with help from the Sparta Township Historical Commission, is getting students acquainted with the past and teaching them how to preserve it for the future.

Sparta Area Schools - Sparta, MI Sparta High School - New Site

The Young Historians Club recently relaunched with help from the Sparta Township Historical Commission.

01/10/2026

Newly implemented at Byron Center Public Schools' Heritage, Brown and Marshall Elementaries, the Inchy’s Book Vending Machine is designed to help boost literacy rates, encourage students to read more and implement a system to reward positive behavior.

Read more about this fun and engaging opportunity for young readers:

New book vending machines at Byron Center elementaries encourage students to read more and demonstrate positive behavior.

01/09/2026

Looking for something to do this chilly weekend? The Rockets and the Wolves will come face-to-face at the Van Andel Arena this Saturday. The game for Kelloggsville and Wyoming is set for 1 p.m. with tickets at $5.60! Kelloggsville Public Schools Wyoming High School Wyoming Public Schools Kelloggsville High School

Let's fill those seats up at THE Van Andel next weekend! The KV Varsity Boys Basketball Team will be playing at the VAN ANDEL ARENA!

You can watch the Rockets take on the Wyoming Wolves Saturday, January 10, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. for just $5.60 AND your ticket purchase will get you into a Grand Rapids Gold game too!

You can purchase your tickets online or at the door.
https://www.gofevo.com/event/Kelloggsvillevs2

01/09/2026

Grand Rapids Public Schools is inviting the community to weigh in on what should be done with the former Stocking Elementary and Alexander Elementary sites. Public meetings to gather feedback about the shuttered schools are scheduled for Jan. 14 and 15.

The district will host a series of community meetings to determine what the future holds for two decommissioned school sites.

01/09/2026

A recent hour-long cooking session offered students in the Lowell Middle School cognitively impaired classroom a chance to mix more than ingredients. They practiced speech and motor skills — communicating and collaborating, while learning cooking basics. The SPOT Group provides activities for students to work on speech and motor skills simultaneously. Lowell Area Schools

A new class brings together speech and occupational therapy — proving to be a good mix for Lowell middle-schoolers.