Grand Rapids — Continuing progress at Grand Rapids Public Schools and the district’s plans for the future were front and center during the State of Our Schools address last Thursday evening at Ottawa Hills High School.
Superintendent Leadriane Roby, in her first such address since joining the district in 2020, said that “GRPS is a district that is on the rise.” She outlined some of the major developments from the first few years of her tenure, and updated community members on what’s ahead.
Safety, Security, Well-being
A key emphasis was placed on the safety and well-being of GRPS students. Roby said the ongoing “Reimagine GRPS With Us!” facilities plan will lead to district-wide safety and security upgrades, including secure entryways and security cameras at every GRPS school.
Each school is also currently being equipped with the Raptor visitor management system, which allows for quick, on-site background checks to be conducted for visitors.
The district is upping efforts to keep guns out of schools, handing out free gun locks to families, and increasing messaging on the importance of safe gun storage.
‘… as we’re reimagining the district, it’s going to be a different place that families are going to want to come to. … We’re moving in the right direction.’
— Superintendent Leadriane Roby
Also on the subject of student safety, Roby again expressed the district’s commitment to supporting immigrant families in the wake of changing federal immigration policies.
“So many in our community are facing real issues due to the increased immigration enforcement, and this fear is having some impact on our schools,” Roby said. “We vow to continue to provide support and resources to our families and staff as we are navigating these challenging times together.”
The district has issued guidance for what to do if an immigration officer visits a GRPS school; Roby said those protocols are in place to ensure the safety of all students.
“I want to say this very clearly: Every child has a right to a quality education. That is a commitment that will never change at GRPS,” she said.
Staffing, Attendance, Enrollment Gains
Roby also touted the district’s work to increase staffing and student opportunities. She said there are currently 93 vacant teaching positions in the district, down from almost 200 two years ago. She mentioned the district’s efforts to attract students to careers in education, including the Grand Rapids Community Teachers Initiative, a partnership with Michigan State University to provide no-cost education degrees to GRPS students.
Furthermore, Roby announced that the Academy of Teaching, Learning & Social Justice at Innovation Central High School will be renamed in honor of Hattie Beverly, who in 1899 became the district’s, and Grand Rapids’, first African American teacher. That dedication will take place at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 21, at Innovation Central High School, 421 Fountain St. NE.
“We will dedicate our teaching academy in (Beverly’s) name … forever honoring her legacy to our city,” Roby said.
Among the district’s achievements, Roby noted improvements in attendance and enrollment. Though attendance has been down since the pandemic, the district is making strides to bring it back up by working closely with families to find restorative, non-punitive solutions.
Attendance during the 2023-24 school year rose to nearly 88%, Roby said, adding that she believes that with continued work the district’s goal of 95% average daily attendance will be within reach.
Enrollment has also steadied, and Roby said that as the Reimagine plan unfolds and offers more opportunities for students, interest in joining or returning to the district should continue to increase.
Those additional opportunities include renovations to the Ken-o-Sha campus which will house a new environmental academy, a new pre-K-12 Montessori campus at the current Riverside Middle School site, the expansion of Ridgemoor Park Montessori through eighth grade, and full renovations at Campus Elementary, Mulick Park Elementary and Southwest Middle High. District performance halls and athletic facilities will also receive upgrades.
Roby noted that the district is also working with the Grand Rapids community to find new uses for buildings that are closing as a result of the Reimagine plan. East Leonard Elementary, which shut its doors last year, has been leased to the Grand Rapids Fire Department to use as GRPD facilities are being renovated, and a task force is looking into possible future uses for other shuttered buildings.
“This is what true community partnership looks like,” Roby said. “And I cannot wait to see what we’re able to do and accomplish together.”
‘Moving in the right direction’
In the lead-up to Roby’s address, the Ottawa Hills High School Drumline performed, and attendees were treated to performances by the Staff Notes — a choral group composed of GRPS choir teachers — and the Coit Creative Arts Academy Honors Choir.
Other speakers included GRPS Board President Kymberlie Davis, Grand Rapids Mayor David LaGrand and Innovation Central senior Barrett Vernon, who, despite being an “Army brat” and changing schools frequently, has found a home with the district.
“I’m very grateful that, when I graduate in three months’ time, it will be with a diploma that says, ‘Grand Rapids Public Schools,’” Barrett said, thumping his fist enthusiastically on the podium.
Roby told SNN that she felt her first State of Our Schools address went well, partly because there’s much to be excited about.
“There’s so many positive things that are taking place in our district,” she said. “Graduation rates are up, we have more kids going to college … and more people are coming into our district.
“And, as we’re reimagining the district, it’s going to be a different place that families are going to want to come to, and that’s what we’re most excited about. … We’re moving in the right direction.”
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