Karen Gentry

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Karen Gentry covers Comstock Park. She moved to the Grand Rapids area in the mid-1980s and has been a resident of Comstock Park since 2002. She understands the complexity, rewards and challenges of the teaching profession as she has five years of experience as a high school teacher at River Valley High School in Three Oaks, Mich. and St. Stephen High School in Saginaw. As a reporter for the Advance Newspapers and Mlive she covered Sparta, Kent City and Northview schools. She is happy to be a part of the great team of journalists at School News Network and writing about Comstock Park Public Schools. She is a graduate of Lake Michigan Catholic High School in St Joseph, Michigan and Central Michigan University. Read Karen's full bio

Mentor group brings sense of belonging, accountability

Comstock Park Karen Gentry

A group of middle school boys enjoyed meeting on Wednesdays for donuts, camaraderie and mentoring as a fun way to discuss what’s going on in their lives. A school social worker and deputy from the Kent County Sheriff’s Department offered support and guidance...

Maturing, overcoming obstacles and planning for the future

Comstock Park Karen Gentry

Aiden Bond has worked through mental-health struggles, COVID and more on his way to graduation...

’Heroes for the day’

Comstock Park Karen Gentry

This year about 20 dads participated. Before the pandemic, that number could reach more than 100...

Special needs preschooler thrives in inclusive program

Comstock Park Karen Gentry

Alivia Brewer is a non-verbal, special needs preschooler, who has become an integral part and a calming presence in her preschool class...

’Michigan Chillers’ author visits Pine Island

Comstock Park Karen Gentry

Students meet Michigan author and compete for most minutes read during Reading Month...

Exploring digital skills through pop art, animation and a family journal

Comstock Park Karen Gentry

Animation and other projects introduce middle schoolers to coding and the Google platform...

Showing leadership, one opened milk carton at a time

Comstock Park Karen Gentry

This second-grader sets an example by dispensing straws, opening milk cartons, and reading to younger students...

District sees first enrollment bump in 14 years

Comstock Park Karen Gentry

More students fuel optimism for future growth in Comstock Park Public Schools...

Flexibility, family atmosphere & credit recovery

Comstock Park Karen Gentry

The program has grown from 22 students two years ago to 39 students currently. Last year, 95% graduated and the other 5% earned diplomas over the summer session...

Care, concern, collaboration and relationships: pandemic positives

Comstock Park Karen Gentry

Despite the many obstacles of the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers have seen positives shine through in the form of lessons — and gifts — they’ve experienced as a result of being forced to try new things...

New math program a hit with elementary students, teachers

Comstock Park Karen Gentry

More rigor, an engaging format and digital resources impress users so far. The new K-5 curriculum cost the district $114.000...

Middle school LINKS program off to great start

Comstock Park Karen Gentry

This is the second year for the LINKS program, a peer-to-peer support program that pairs a general education student with a student with special needs...

’Relationships are everything’ for new Pine Island principal

Comstock Park Karen Gentry

Brian Morrison is the new principal for Pine Island Elementary School. SNN gets to know him in this edition of Meet Your Administrators...

High school principal shifts to human resources, strategic planning

Comstock Park Karen Gentry

Dan Holden has been named the district’s new assistant superintendent of human resources. He will continue as co-principal of the high school with Tony Petkus, former assistant principal and athletic director...

Senior leads with calm & confidence

Comstock Park Karen Gentry

He’s involved in soccer, jazz band and Student Council. The future engineer leads his class academically and is a positive influence...

From regular trouble to focused & mature

Comstock Park Karen Gentry

This potential future corrections officer knows what it takes to turn things around...

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School News Network reports on the 20 public school districts in Kent ISD, which enroll more than 102,000 students. Founded in 2013 as an initiative of Kent ISD, we are supported by local districts and community sponsors, and powered by an experienced team of reporters, editors and multimedia journalists. We specialize in covering classroom teaching and learning, analyzing the many issues facing students and highlighting the education magic that happens each day in our public schools.

Not just a volunteer, but ‘a piece of the library’

He is demonstrating how important English is in business

New ‘fami-LEE’ leader fueled by coffee and community

This teacher enjoys the sincerity & hilarity of high-schoolers

Simulated crime ties science, critical thinking & data analysis

Opportunities abound at first in-house career fair

Partnership with Black-founded nonprofit brings dedicated learning space

Levitating cars? Anything’s possible in STEM Academy

State of the Student tackles four big topics

High-schoolers talk mental health with education leaders, legislators

Student news crew interviews state superintendent

Cultural fair: Students share countries, culture

Karen Gentry

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