Godwin Heights Public Schools

"I simply want to say thank you. Thank you for choosing a profession that changes lives. Thank you for believing in our students, especially when they need it most. Thank you for the compassion, resilience, and dedication you demonstrate every day." ~ Chad Conklin

At our district-wide kick off, Superintendent Conklin awarded staff that have dedicated 5+ years of service to our students at Godwin Heights.

Ryan Miller / Band Teacher

Ja-Relle Thomas / Middle School Secretary

Amber Rateau / Middle School ASD Teacher

Lluvia Saucedo / 2nd Grade Teacher @ West

Reagan Shapton / 3rd Grade Teacher @ North

Jonathan Zavala / Custodian

Haylee Drake / 1st Grade Teacher @ West

Beth Gonzalez / 2nd Grade Teacher @ West

Riley Stearn/ 1st Grade Teacher @ West

Julie DeWit / Kindergarten Teacher @ West

Stacey Ballinger / Kindergarten Teacher @ West

Evette Ingram / Bus Driver

Krysten Meyer / SpEd Para @ West

Kimberly Curtis / Instructional Para @ West

Lynn Bradford / Instructional Para @ West

Amy Nienhuis / Instructional Para @ West

Vicki Whalen / Reading Para @ North

Josie Awe / Reading Para @ North

Sydney Judnich / ML Para @ MS

Jeff Ells / Science Teacher @ HS

Sarah Beres / Social Studies Teacher @ HS

Yolonda Brown-Burnette / Math Teacher @ MS

Elijah Cox / T21 Group Leader @ MS

Mason Allen / ML Para @ HS

Biola Zuniga / ML Para @ MS

Amya Dickson / T21 Group Leader @ North

Jason McMillan / T21 Group Leader @ MS

Yaren Villagomez Vega / T21 Group Leader @ MS

Valeria Zamora Guerrero / ML Para @ HS

Missy Swinger / Van Driver

Selina Aguilar / SpEd Para @North

Patrick Herdegen / Premier Sub- EduStaff @ West

Mya Pringle / T21 Group Leader @ West

Ashlynn Currier-Swanson / T21 Group Leader @ West

Angela Danzeisen / Instructional Para @ West

Please visit our district website at: godwinschools.org/annual-notices for more information on required annual notices for our district families. these notices include important information about the following:

• Severe Weather & Emergencies
• AHEARA Notifications
• Intention to Destroy Special Education Records
• Personal Curriculum
• Title IX
• FERPA
• McKinney-Vento Homeless Act
• Pesticide Applications

Districts are required to send information home to parents and caregivers on the safe storage of firearms. This is in accordance with the “Safe Storage Laws,” MCL 28.429, MCL 380.1313a, and MCL 380.1313b. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services provided this information to the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) for distribution.

Specific resources required to be sent home to parents and caregivers include:

• What is the Secure Storage Law in Michigan.
• Safe Storage Notice.

Additional resources and information can be found on MDE’s Safe Storage Law webpage. Questions may be directed to MDE’s Office of Health and Safety at MDE-OHS@Michigan.gov.

MDE is sharing the following message from the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity:

The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity is preparing to launch the new Youth Employment Permit Portal, a centralized online system that will modernize the state’s youth employment permit process and make it more convenient and accessible for minors, families and employers.

Local school districts and nonpublic schools will no longer issue youth employment permits.

Beginning Oct. 2, employers and minors will use the new portal to complete the youth employment permit process through one statewide system. For additional information and updates, visit Michigan.gov/YouthEmployment.

Are you a superfan? Don't miss out on seeing the Fighting Wolverines in action. Visit our new athletic website for up to date games, scores, purchase the latest Wolverine apparel and shout outs to our athletes.

Fall athletics are off to an exciting start at Godwin Heights, with our football, volleyball, and soccer programs competing hard and making their mark early in the season!

Football has gotten off to a strong start with impressive wins over Holland and Comstock Park. The Wolverines continue to build momentum and are setting their sights on making a playoff run this fall. The season has also brought the Godwin Heights community together, with a successful Community Tailgate that gave students, families, alumni, and community members an opportunity to celebrate Wolverine football. Attendees also had the chance to see the Marshawn Kneeland Legacy Mural, honoring the impact and legacy of one of Godwin Heights' own. With plenty of football still ahead, the team is focused on continuing to improve and compete at a high level.

Volleyball has also been making noise this season with wins over Zion, Orchard View, and Grace Christian. The Wolverines have competed extremely well in the OK Silver, showing that they belong among the conference's top competitors. The team continues to make a splash in the OK Silver and looks to build on its strong start throughout the remainder of the season.

Soccer has been another bright spot this fall, earning wins over Belding and Hopkins. The Wolverines have established themselves as a strong contender in the OK Silver and will look to continue their success as they push toward the postseason.

We are proud of the hard work, determination, and competitive spirit our fall athletes and coaches are displaying. Go Wolverines!

Godwin Heights Public Schools has a proud partnership with Feeding America West Michigan. They provide mobile food truck pantries to our school district once a month.

One in every 9 people. At least 261,000 people in West Michigan and the Upper Peninsula are food insecure—meaning they don't have consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. Food insecurity exists for a variety of reasons, and anyone can experience a bout of it. Feeding America West Michigan, believes hunger is unacceptable and that their community has the power to change lives—one meal at a time. That’s why they've assembled a network of partners that they work alongside on their mission to relieve hunger and increase food security in West Michigan and the Upper Peninsula.

Our Feeding America truck distributions will now be every month on WEDNESDAYS!

Location: Godwin Heights High School - 50 35th Street SW (4:45 - 6:00 pm)

• Oct. 7
• Nov. 4
• Dec. 2

We’re excited to share some big changes at Godwin Learning Center as we begin the new school year!

Over the summer, the Learning Center made an exciting move from its previous location to the first floor of Godwin High School. This new location brings our students closer to resources and opportunities available to our high school students.

With the Learning Center now located within the high school, students have greater access to academic support, counseling services, extracurricular activities, and other school resources. This expanded access creates new opportunities for students to connect with staff, participate in the school community, explore their interests, and receive the support they need to reach their goals.

The Learning Center is also introducing Edmentum, our new and improved online courseware platform. Edmentum provides students with a modern learning experience and additional tools to support their progress through their coursework.

There are exciting new opportunities for students at Godwin High School this year! We are thrilled to introduce three new electives—Interactive Media, STEAM in Sports, and AI as a Co-Pilot—designed to connect student interests with hands-on, relevant learning experiences. From exploring esports and emerging technology to analyzing real athletic performance data and discovering how AI can support learning and creativity, these courses are giving students new ways to investigate, create, problem-solve, and prepare for an ever-changing world. Take a look at what our students have been up to so far!

In Spencer Long’s AI as a Co-Pilot class, students are learning how to use one of today’s fastest-growing technologies as exactly that—a co-pilot, not a replacement for their own thinking and creativity. Students are beginning by exploring how artificial intelligence works and building skills in effective prompt writing, large language models, and AI-powered creative tools, while also learning the importance of keeping the “human” in the loop. For their first assessment project, students put those skills into action by designing their own Children’s Museum Exhibit using Google Gemini and Canva AI. Students used AI to help brainstorm, research, develop ideas, and create visual elements, but they remained the designers and decision-makers—evaluating AI-generated information, refining their prompts, making creative choices, and turning their ideas into an original final product. As the course continues, students will dig deeper into important topics such as AI bias, misinformation, ethics, and environmental impact before using AI to develop a business simulation and eventually create a major project based on their own interests. The goal is not simply to teach students how to use AI, but to help them become thoughtful, creative, responsible users who know when to trust it, when to question it, and when their own human intelligence matters most.

In Derek Stoneman’s STEAM in Sports class, students are getting the chance to answer questions about sports with something more meaningful than, “because it looked faster!” So far, students have worked in teams to design and carry out their own sports-related investigations while learning what makes an investigation reliable and trustworthy. They are developing skills in asking testable questions, writing clear procedures that others can replicate, collecting meaningful data, identifying potential sources of error, and using evidence to support their conclusions. For example, students recently put these skills into action on the basketball court, investigating how distance affects shooting accuracy while practicing careful procedures, data collection, and analysis. Now, students are taking their learning to the next level with athlete-tracking vests that provide real performance data, including speed, distance, acceleration, and intensity. Students will apply what they have learned about designing strong investigations to data collected from our own student-athletes. The goal is for students to ask their own questions, analyze authentic performance data, and discover how science and technology can help us better understand the world of sports!

Students in Aaron Daldos’ Interactive Media class have already been immersed in many new, complex, and exciting aspects of the world of esports! So far this year, students have explored the legal side of video game design, diving into topics such as copyright, trademarks, Creative Commons, and intellectual property. They have also learned about the importance of developing a positive growth mindset—an essential skill in a field that is constantly evolving and preparing students for careers that may not even exist yet! One of the students’ favorite parts of the course is, of course, Purposeful Play! Students research, analyze court cases, and design informational materials while also having built-in opportunities to experience and evaluate the games they are studying. Games such as Halo, Rocket League, Fortnite, and more help bring their learning to life while motivating students to engage deeply in their work. And there is much more to come! Upcoming topics include Protecting Your Digital World, Building a Resume, Game Design: Visual Appeal, Digital Photography, and more—all designed to help students build relevant skills for the increasingly technology-driven world around them.

Our 6th grade students had an exciting opportunity this week to attend GR Tech Week, where they experienced technology, innovation, and future career possibilities firsthand!

Throughout the field trip, students interacted with a variety of hands-on exhibits and explored how technology is being used in the world around them. Some of the biggest student favorites included VR headsets, 3D printing pens, digital gaming, and coding.

One of our staff members shared that the best part of the experience was “seeing students light up when they learned something new or saw how something worked.” That excitement was echoed by our students, who described the experience simply as, “It was so cool!”

Experiences like GR Tech Week are an important part of helping our students begin thinking about their interests, strengths, and future possibilities. Even in 6th grade, exposure to new technology and careers can spark curiosity and help students discover something they may want to explore further.

This experience was a great example of our Know, Grow, Together vision in action—knowing what sparks our students' interests, providing opportunities for them to grow through new experiences, and working together with our community to connect learning today with possibilities for their future.

A big thank you to our 6th grade staff, chaperones, and everyone who helped make this opportunity possible for our students!

A new school year brings new beginnings, and for our third graders, this year marks a particularly special milestone: their first year in our 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade building. Moving from one school building to another can bring a mixture of excitement, anticipation, and even a few uncertain feelings. With a new building comes new routines, new responsibilities, new opportunities, and new expectations. While change can sometimes be challenging, it can also be rewarding.. It provides each of us with opportunities to learn, grow, discover our strengths, and become the successful and productive citizens we are capable of becoming. We are excited to welcome our third graders and look forward to watching them grow throughout this important year!

Third grade is a year of tremendous academic growth. As students enter this new chapter, they are challenged to become more independent and accountable for their learning. Expectations in English Language Arts, particularly reading, become more rigorous as students strengthen their ability to comprehend, analyze, communicate, and apply what they read. Mathematics also brings increased expectations as students build upon foundational skills and develop more complex problem-solving and reasoning strategies. Our goal is to challenge every student while providing the support, encouragement, and instruction they need to be successful.

Along with increased academic expectations comes increased responsibility for behavior and decision-making. Our students are expected to demonstrate respect, responsibility, kindness, perseverance, and readiness to learn each day. We believe that students thrive when expectations are clear, consistent, and intentionally taught. Through our Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) system, we work proactively to create a safe, positive, and supportive learning environment where all students can succeed academically and socially. Rather than simply responding to misbehavior after it occurs, PBIS allows us to define, teach, model, and reinforce positive behavioral expectations. Students are recognized and rewarded for making positive choices, while inappropriate choices result in appropriate and consistent consequences designed to help students learn from their decisions.

Character education is an important part of this work. We strive to help students understand not only what positive behavior looks like, but also why it matters. Through intentional modeling, conversations, and daily opportunities to practice positive character traits, students learn that the way they treat others, respond to challenges, and take responsibility for their choices helps shape the culture of our school. These are lessons that extend far beyond the classroom and help prepare students to become responsible, compassionate, and contributing members of their communities.

This year also brings another exciting milestone for our third graders: their first experience with the M-STEP. While standardized testing may feel like something new, our students will be well prepared through the learning and growth that takes place in their classrooms every day. The M-STEP provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate what they have learned and to show the progress they have made throughout the year. We encourage our third graders to approach this experience with confidence, perseverance, and a positive attitude.

Perhaps one of the most exciting parts of joining our 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade building is becoming a member of a House Team. Our House System brings students and staff together across grade levels to build community, belonging, teamwork, and school spirit. Each student becomes part of a smaller, supportive group where they have opportunities to develop relationships, collaborate with others, participate actively in school life, and celebrate one another's successes. Our five Houses—Space, Fire, Wind, Water, and Earth—help create connections that extend beyond individual classrooms and grade levels.

As our third graders settle in at North Godwin Elementary, we hope they recognize that they are not simply entering a new school—they are becoming an important part of a larger school community. They will be challenged to work harder, think deeper, make responsible choices, show kindness, and take greater ownership of their learning. They will also discover new friendships, new opportunities, new strengths, and new reasons to be proud of themselves.

We are thrilled to welcome our third graders to this next chapter. Change may bring challenges, but it also opens the door to growth and possibility. Together, we will encourage our students to embrace the journey, learn from their experiences, celebrate their successes, and continue growing into confident, capable, and compassionate young scholars. Welcome to our building, third graders—we are so glad you are here!

This summer, Godwin Heights Public Schools celebrated an exciting investment in our students when West Godwin was awarded $2.9 million through a Class Size Reduction Grant. The grant, submitted in the spring by a team of district leaders, provided an opportunity to significantly reduce class sizes and create more individualized learning experiences for our youngest students. The grant supports a two-year pilot and provides funding for five additional teachers, classroom technology, and administrative costs associated with expanding our instructional team.

Thanks to this funding, five new classrooms were created at West and were fully staffed and ready for students before the beginning of the school year. The additional classrooms allowed us to reduce class sizes so that no classroom exceeded 19 students, with many classrooms serving as few as 16-17 students. We also hired four instructional paraprofessionals, further lowering student-to-teacher ratios and providing additional opportunities for small-group instruction, individualized support, and meaningful connections between students and staff.

This investment is particularly important for our students' reading and math literacy development. The early elementary years are foundational to learning to read and developing early math skills, and smaller class sizes allow teachers to provide more targeted instruction, monitor student progress more closely, and give students additional opportunities to practice and receive immediate feedback. Our team also continues to closely monitor student data to ensure that our second graders are building the skills and confidence needed for a successful transition to North Godwin.

The Class Size Reduction Grant represents much more than the addition of classrooms and staff. It is an investment in the future of our students. By creating smaller learning environments and increasing instructional support, teachers are able to meet students' individual needs and provide the strong reading and math foundation they need to thrive. We are grateful for the work that made this opportunity possible and excited about the impact this investment will have on our students and our school.

Last Friday, West Godwin hosted our first Principal’s Coffee of the school year, and it was a wonderful opportunity to welcome our newest students and their families to the Godwin Heights Public Schools community. We introduced our kindergarten students and their teachers and celebrated the beginning of an exciting journey for the Godwin Heights Public Schools Class of 2039. It was a special morning filled with excitement, pride, and the joy of seeing our youngest learners begin their school experience.

Our kindergarteners are already off to a great start! They have been learning classroom routines and procedures, participating in engaging activities that build early reading skills, and developing their counting and number sense. Just as importantly, they are learning how to work together, play together, share, listen, and make new friends. These first weeks of school are about building relationships and creating a strong foundation for learning, and our kindergarten teachers have been doing an incredible job helping students feel safe, welcomed, and ready to learn.

The Principal’s Coffee gave families an opportunity to see the excitement happening inside our kindergarten classrooms and to connect with the people who will play such an important role in their children’s first year of school. We are thrilled to welcome the Class of 2039 to Godwin Heights and look forward to watching these students grow, learn, and build memories together throughout their journey with us.

The Godwin Heights Public Schools Board of Education does not discriminate on the basis or religion, race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its program, activities, or employment. Further, it is the policy of this District to provide an equal opportunity for all students, regardless of race, color, creed, age, disability, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, place of residence within the boundaries of the District, or social or economic background, to learn through the curriculum offered in the district. For concerns or questions regarding the above discrimination statement, contact the EEOC Compliance Officer at 15 – 36th Street SW, Wyoming, MI 49548. Telephone: (616)252-2090. If your questions are not adequately addressed, refer your concerns to the President of the Godwin Heights Board of Education, 15 – 36th St SW, Wyoming, MI 49548.

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Godwin Heights Administration Building -

Superintendent - Chad Conklin

Assistant Superintendent of Instruction and HR - Michelle Krynicki

Assistant Superintendent of Operations and Finance - Matt Hickson

15 36th Street SW

Wyoming, MI 49548

616.252.2090

Godwin Heights High School and Learning Center -

Principal Mike Porco

50- 35th Street SW

Wyoming, MI 49548

616.252.2050

Godwin Heights Middle School -

Principal Kim Urbanski

100 Wexford St. SE

Wyoming, MI 49548

616.252.2070

North Godwin Elementary -

Principal Steve Minard

161 - 34th St. SW

Wyoming, MI 49548

616.252.2010

West Godwin Elementary -

Principal Karen Baum

3546 Clyde Park Ave. SW

Wyoming, MI 49548

616.252.2030

Early Childhood Center (ECSE) -

Dr. Derek Cooley

28 Bellevue St. SE

Wyoming, MI 49548

616.252.7000

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