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Classrooms for All

Districts in Kent County and nationwide are diverse, with students representing various races, ethnicities, identities and cultural backgrounds. This series highlights the many ways diversity is a strength for students, teachers and communities alike. Even as much of the nation is roiled by conflict over immigration and racism, SNN will feature diversity as a source of cultural competence and real-world education.

Books represent students in state’s most diverse district

Kentwood Erin Albanese

Educators in Kentwood Public Schools prioritize stocking library shelves with books featuring diverse characters and by diverse authors...

District, literacy center helps parents learn English

Kentwood Erin Albanese

Learning English helps immigrant parents help their children in school...

Students showcase biculturalism during Hispanic Heritage Month

Grand Rapids Erin Albanese

Lessons all month focus on Hispanic culture, contributions...

Christmas in August wraps up

Classrooms for All Alexis Stark

After 15 years serving West Michigan schools, School Supplies Santa goes out the way it came in: providing teachers with school supplies for the new school year...

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She’s shaking things up

Grand Rapids Community College Alexis Stark

As the first female director of bands at GRCC, Professor Shannon Shaker seeks to ensure everyone has access to a high-quality music education...

A celebration of nations

Kentwood Erin Albanese

In traditional clothes and waving flags, students celebrated their home countries during the Parade of Nations...

From classroom to lunch room, schools help Afghan students adjust

Places of Refuge Charles Honey

The recent influx of refugee students from Afghanistan has put teachers on the front lines of helping students adjust academically and recover from trauma...

On his own since 12, refugee student sets his sights on college and career

Kent ISD Morgan Jarema

‘Education is the universal key to unlocking any door,’ says Myanmar native an...

He’s a leader who is always learning

Student Leaders Morgan Jarema

Kent ISD’s interpreter program, now in its second year, is helping ESL students find purpose in their new country using gifts they honed in their native countries...

First-gen college grad gives credit to parents, K-12 years

Caledonia Alexis Stark

Amer Bektaš is the son of Bosnian refugees, a sports enthusiast and radio voice, and is months away from being the first generation in his family to graduate college...

Around the world in seven holidays

Classrooms for All Alexis Stark

Students celebrated holidays as diverse as the number of cultures and languages spoken at the school...

Professor co-authors antiracism glossary

Classrooms for All Erin Albanese

The Antiracism Glossary for Education and Life includes 48 terms and how people have experienced them...

Area schools prepare for the arrival of Afghan refugees

Classrooms for All Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

More than 200 participants have attended Kent ISD programs designed to highlight ways to welcome students and their families...

District begins multi-year effort to improve equity, scholar success

Classrooms for All Erin Albanese

A multi-year initiative, District Equity and Scholar Success Team, will work to embed equity practices into all areas of education...

Students focus on equity in letters to Board of Ed

Classrooms for All Erin Albanese

The Equity Project is a new twist on an argumentative writing unit. Normally, teacher Katie Sluiter assigns a topic, but this year she knew students had a lot on their minds...

Today’s classrooms look more like the world

Classrooms for All Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

Kent County schools are experiencing substantial change in the racial and ethnic makeup of their students, with classrooms looking more and more like the society and world around them...

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ABOUT US

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.

Her career path was laid in first grade

She helps students develop language, read, write & grow

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

He is demonstrating how important English is in business

Mobile Farm Science Lab ‘udder-ly’ engaging

Partnership pairs high-schoolers with scientists for real-world research

Simulated crime ties science, critical thinking & data analysis

Opportunities abound at first in-house career fair

Newcomer students experience first Thanksgiving

Learning life skills ‘where life happens’

State of the Student tackles four big topics

High-schoolers talk mental health with education leaders, legislators

Classrooms for All

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