Shows
Study Hall from School News NetworkAfter first year in the classroom, new teacher loves her job: ‘I feel like I could just keep going’At the start of the school year, Kent City first-grade teacher Marla Anderson said she was excited to begin her rookie year as a public-school teacher. At the end of the school year, she said she’s excited to begin her second year next fall. After talking with Anderson last September, we caught up with her on the day before school let out to see if she was still happy she went into teaching. The short answer? “I wouldn’t change it for the world.”For more great stories about the changes and challenges of school districts in West...2025-06-1927 min
Study Hall from School News NetworkMultiracial Black Student Alliance celebrates ‘spreading culture and diversity’Each week at City High Middle School this year, about two dozen high schoolers gathered to celebrate and learn about Black culture, from music and cooking to history and current issues. But the Black Student Alliance isn’t restricted to Black students; in fact, the majority are not African American. Founding members Elijah Jones and IMara Smith Skyers talk about the group’s ambitious array of activities and the importance of students from all backgrounds to share their cultural diversity. For more great stories about the changes and challenges of school districts in West...2025-05-2231 min
Study Hall from School News NetworkYoung brains, big potential: From birth onward, special-ed services can make a lifetime of differenceQ: How early do special-education workers in Kent County begin helping children with special needs? A: From the time they’re born. As part two of our discussion about the possible closure of the U.S. Department of Education and its potential impacts on special education, Study Hall talks with Lindsey VanDyke, a coordinator of Kent ISD’s Early On program serving children from birth until age 3. Serving an average of 3,000 children per year, Early On works with parents to identify their child’s developmental delays or disabilities and refer them to special-ed services that will maximize their educational growth...2025-04-1814 min
Study Hall from School News NetworkWhat would closing U.S. Dept. of Education mean for special education in Kent County?President Trump’s March 20 executive order calling for closure of the U.S. Department of Education has special-education advocates worried about the harmful impact that could have on services for students with disabilities. In today’s episode, Kirsten Myers, Kent ISD assistant superintendent of student services, and Mark Higgins, special education finance supervisor, explain what special-ed programs provide, how they’re funded and how they could be harmed by dismantling or downsizing the U.S. DOE.For more great stories about the changes and challenges of school districts in West Michigan, check out our website, School N...2025-03-3136 min
Study Hall from School News NetworkA career in auto repair? For some students, it starts in high schoolWe’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 repai...2025-02-2532 min
Study Hall from School News NetworkCommunity-school worker: immigrant students and families apprehensive about Trump deportation plansBrianna 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 happ...2025-01-1028 min
Study Hall from School News NetworkTouched by gun violence tragedies, social worker educates families to safely store their gunsAs 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...2024-12-0626 min
Study Hall from School News NetworkNo cell phones in class? It’s a good thing, this student and principal sayA 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...2024-10-2129 min
Study Hall from School News NetworkFirst-year teacher wants students to know ‘you can have fun while learning’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, Sc...2024-09-0330 min
Study Hall from School News NetworkWhat it means to be a ‘Grad with Grit’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.2024-06-2435 min
Study Hall from School News NetworkSuperintendent and teacher talk about a decade of challenges and rewardsStudy 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...2024-05-2830 min
Study Hall from School News NetworkCounselor who overcame challenges clicks with middle schoolers “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 le...2024-04-2230 min
Study Hall from School News NetworkAdvocating for people with disabilities with Lowell High School junior Ezequiel “Q” GonzalezStudy Hall welcomes Lowell High School junior Ezequiel “Q” Gonzalez, who School News Network featured as a student leader in the article, "A voice for others, he inspires and educates." In this episode, Q talks about his involvement at Lowell High School in drama, choir and Model UN. As a person with disability, he talks about how systems impact people with disabilities, common misconceptions, and his dreams for the 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 idea...2024-03-1521 min
Study Hall from School News NetworkWhy teaching truth in history matters, with History Teacher of the Year Matt VriesmanStudy Hall welcomes East Kentwood High School history teacher Matt Vriesman, who was recently named National History Teacher of the Year by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Vriesman talks about his website Antiracist APUSH, which provides lessons to help students identify and expose policies that have led to racial disparities in American society. In his classroom, students learn that historians are on a quest for the truth and how learning the truth is empowering. For more great stories about the changes and challenges of school districts in West Michigan, check out our website, School News N...2024-02-1636 min
Study Hall from School News NetworkWelcome to Study Hall, a podcast about education magicFounding Editor Allison Kaufman and Managing Editor Erin Albanese talk about how and why our uniquely cool School News Network.org publication was formed, what our laser-guided mission is and how our team of go-getter reporters goes about covering 20 school districts. Plus a brief discussion of classic table-top study hall games. Yes, it gets crazy, but it sure is fun! 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 the...2024-01-0830 min