Email: urbanski@godwinschools.org

Phone: 616-252-2070 x3008

We have an exciting week ahead at Godwin Heights Middle School!

Our 7th grade team will be heading to 3 Mile Project for a field trip to celebrate a fantastic school year. We’re proud of their hard work and can’t wait to enjoy this time together.

On Friday, our entire school will attend the Youth Summit, an event sponsored by the Kent County Youth Coalition. This important experience focuses on empowering students to make positive, healthy choices, especially regarding drugs and alcohol.

Thursday marks our final state-required test: MAP Math. Please help your student prepare by ensuring they get a good night’s sleep, arrive with a fully charged Chromebook, and come ready to finish strong.

Looking ahead, a reminder that final exams will take place on May 28, 29, and 30. If your family is planning to leave early for summer break, please contact the main office in advance to coordinate absences and any necessary arrangements for exams.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support!

Student Handbook / Manual del Estudiante

Student Code of Conduct / Código de Conducta

Website: https://ms.godwinschools.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GodwinMiddle

Tuesday, May 6: 7th Grade Field Trip to 3 Mile

Wednesday, May 7: Early Release; IBIM Award Ceremony

Thursday, May 8: Math MAP

Friday, May 9: Youth Summit
Monday, May 12: Board of Education Meeting

Thursday, May 15: 6th Grade Field Trip to Yankee Springs Recreational Area

Tuesday, May 20: Move Up Day
Thursday, May 22: 8th Grade Field Trip to Craigs Cruisers & Mac Dunes

Friday, May 23: Half Day
Monday, May 26: No School - Memorial Day
Wednesday, May 28: 8th Grade Farewell Night
Friday, May 30: Half Day for Students - Last Day of School

Attached below are next year's school dates –

simplify your future by adding these dates to your calendar!

We are pleased to announce that the Board of Education has unanimously approved Mr. Chad Conklin as the next Godwin Heights Superintendent of Schools, pending the finalization of a mutually approved contract.

Mr. Conklin brings a strong record of educational leadership and a deep commitment to student success. We look forward to working with him as we continue advancing the mission and values of our district.

Please join us in congratulating Chad Conklin on his new role.

It's time to register your students for next year!

Please click here to complete the process in ParentVue!

If you have moved out of district, please fill out a Schools of Choice (SOC) application for EACH student by May 16, 2025 at 4:00 p.m.

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week, and we recognize that YOU are your child’s first teacher. THANK YOU for all that you do as we work together to raise the next generation.

If you would like to reach out to your child's teachers to give them a word of encouragement, click here to see our directory.

Get ready for a unique week at Godwin Heights Middle School - from Monday, May 5, to Friday, May 9, the Student Council invites all students to take part in Spirit Week as we build excitement for our school-wide field trip to the Youth Summit on Friday.

Throughout the week, students can also join the fun by participating in the raffle fundraiser, supporting future Student Council initiatives and events. Daily winners will snag $10 gift cards, so don't miss this chance to make a difference and celebrate our vibrant school spirit!

Please note that students will be dismissed at 1:10 PM on Wednesday, May 7. If your student attends tutoring, they will be dismissed at 2 PM. TEAM 21 will be dismissed at 3:55 PM.

You're invited to celebrate student creativity Wednesday, May 7 3:00–8:00 PM at The Stray – 4253 Division Ave S, Suite A, Grand Rapids, MI 49548.

Join us for a special evening celebrating student creativity through art, writing, and music! Whether you submitted work or just want to support your friends, this is a great opportunity to be part of something inspiring.

Event Highlights:

• Free Admission
• Art Gallery & Silent Auction
• Award Ceremony
• Live Student Music Performances

Don't miss this creative and fun-filled evening—see you there!

Expectations

• Respect: Respect peers and adults
• Integrity: Enjoy privileges responsibly
• Discipline: Wait your turn and follow the rules.

You are allowed to bring a small bag with you on the trip, because you may want to bring deodorant, a change of shirt, shorts, socks.

You will be allowed to use your phones while on the field trip. Be responsible in using them:

• No videos or photos of anyone without their knowledge or permission.
• Phones are turned off and put away when we return to school.
• This will be a trial run for Youth Summit.

A sack lunch will be provided by the school.

• You are allowed to bring snacks with you.
• Per 3 Mile: no popcorn, nerds, or other tiny snacks that are hard to vacuum are permitted AT ALL!
• (also NO GLITTER)--not that you’re going to eat that….
• You MUST eat it in the designated area ONLY!
• Clean up after yourself.

• You are allowed to bring your own equipment for the skate park. They do not allow anything with a handle. This means that skateboards, longboards, ripsticks, and roller skates are OK. NO BIKES OR SCOOTERS ARE ALLOWED. Mrs. Urbanski will drive the school van, and all equipment will be transported to and from 3 Mile with her.

You represent Godwin whenever you are out in the community– do so with PRIDE!

• All medications must be picked up by 10AM on Friday, May 30th.
• Medications not picked up will be destroyed on Monday, 6/2.
• Email the district nurse at meagan.schaefer@godwinschools.org if you want to pick them up or have them destroyed on the last day of school.
• In your email, please include your child’s name, date of birth, medication, and which school they attend.

• Yearbooks ordered by last Friday, May 2 will be delivered to the school office and distributed before Friday, May 30.
• Orders placed after May 2 will incur shipping fees and be shipped directly to your home.

Don't miss out on this year's memories—ordering your yearbook is quick and easy! Simply visit store.geskusphoto.com and log in with your personal webcode (found on the inside cover of any photo packages or proofs you received) to place your order. Prefer to order by phone? Call Geskus Customer Service at 616-453-4170, and one of their representatives will be happy to assist you.

All middle school students are participating in state testing and district level assessments. These tests are designed to measure students' academic progress based on Michigan State Academic Standards. Please do your best to get your student to school on time, well rested and nourished, and with their charged chromebook.

6th Grade Testing

Thursday, May 8- MAP Math

7th Grade Testing

Thursday, May 8- MAP Math

8th Grade Testing

Thursday, May 8- MAP Math

Our departing eighth grade students are invited to particpate in a cherished tradition here at Godwin Middle School. This year, our Farewell Night will take place on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at Godwin Heights High School, located at 50 35th Street.

We encourage students to dress in their finest attire for this special occasion, and ask that all 8th grade students arrive no later than 5:45 pm to gather in the band hallway behind the auditorium, where they will line up for the procession.

Please read the following letter for more information!

We are excited to offer our Summer School Program, designed to help students maintain or improve their academic skills in Math, English Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, and Multilingual Learner (ML) support. Details can be found in the "Introduction Letter" below. If you are interested in enrolling your child, please complete the registration below by May 26th.

Thank you to everyone who helped support our Donate for Donuts Fundraiser on Friday, April 25th. Because of the tremendous support, G-Club was able to raise over $400 for the Nancy Vandenberg Scholarship - our most successful Donate for Donuts to date!

Special thank you to all the staff who volunteered their time to help with the event:Tracy Krafft, Patti Reeder, Alexi Wolf, Mark Holsworth, Tracy Dlugas, and Derrick Vormittag all gave up part of their morning to help us sell donuts Also thank you to Kim, Chad, and Mike Durga for supporting and promoting the event. A big thanks to our facilities team Jen and Gary, who had our tables and trash cans set up and ready to go - you made our morning setup so much easier. Finally, thank you to everyone who contributed by stopping by, purchasing a donut, or promoting the event - it made a difference.

We know loading students up with sugar and sending them to class at 7:30am isn't always the easiest way to start a Friday so we appreciate everyone's patience and flexibility with our fundraiser and we look forward to doing it again next year! Have a great day.

Godwin Heights G Club

The Kent County Health Department (KCHD) wants to notify you that a case of measles was confirmed in a Kent County resident. Please read the attached letter for details.

Dear Parents/Guardians,

We appreciate your continued support of our after-school tutoring program as we work to provide additional academic support for our students. We wanted to share a few important updates regarding the program:

• Permanent Tutoring List: We are currently utilizing 88% of our available tutoring space. To ensure we are prioritizing students who need the most support, we will begin removing students from the permanent list if they have Cs or higher in all their classes. Additionally, moving forward, any student added to the permanent list must be approved by the course proficiency team.
• Daily Sign-Ups Still Available: All students will still have the opportunity to sign up for tutoring during advisory each day if space is available.
• Attendance Expectations: To ensure students receive the full benefit of tutoring, we ask that they arrive on time and stay for the full session unless previously arranged.
• Pick-Up Procedures: Students will be released from tutoring classrooms at 3:15pm. Please plan to pick up students near the main office entrance off of Wexford.
• Please remind your student to bring necessary materials, including assignments or classwork they may need help with.
• If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to durga@godwinschools.org or kathryn.golden@godwinschools.org.

Thank you for your partnership in supporting student success!

Serena Haas, Team 21 Site Coordinator

Phone: 616-292-4111

Email: serena.haas@godwinschools.org

Regular Schedule (Mon-Thurs)

2:35 - 3:00 → Eat

3:00 - 3:30 → Recess

3:30 - 4:00 → Homework

4:00 - 4:15 → Journals

4:15 - 4:30 → Snack & Bathroom Break

4:30 - 5:00 → Physical/Academic Enrichment

Early Release Schedule

1:10 - 2:00 → Recess

2:00 - 2:35 → Eat

2:35 - 3:00 → Homework

3:00 - 3:15 → Journals

3:15 - 3:30 → Snack & Bathroom Break

3:30 - 3:55 → Physical/Academic Enrichment

Athletic Director: Brandon Kimble (616) 252 -2054

Click here for a map of athletic locations.

Per the Student Handbook:

Semester Eligibility – A student will be ineligible for the next semester if he or she fails more than one class at the end of the semester. An incomplete shall be considered as failing until a grade is given. Written notification from the teacher to the athletic director that the athlete is now passing a class is required for renewing eligibility.

Weekly Eligibility – Grades will be checked each Friday during the semester and any student failing two or more classes will be ineligible until the grades become passing.

Sign ups were in person during lunch Monday, April 21. More details to come.

If you have any questions, please contact the coach: Kenzie Mulder: 616-256-3627

Practice is 3-5pm at Hillcroft Park right next to the high school football field. Please bring your baseball glove and cleats (and any other baseball gear you have and would like to use). Dress for the weather and make sure it is something you do not mind getting dirty as we will have to slide, etc on certain days. If you have any questions please don't be afraid to ask!

Coach Andrew Underhill

andrewunderhill48@gmail.com

(616)-970-1523

Practice Time: 3-4

Practice Locations: Carl Bahre Field (nice weather) or High School gym (bad weather)

If you have any questions, contact Coach John Mathews at 616-272-2829 <coachdog54@gmail.com> or Coach B at nick.blaskowski@godwinschools.org.

Practice is every day 3-4:30 at the soccer field. If one team has a game, the other team has practice. If you have any questions, please contact Coach Reese at reese.stuart@godwinschools.org or Coach Shane at shane.cox@godwinschools.org.

If you are interested in playing volleyball this fall, please click below to sign up! Even if you have never played, but want to, grab a friend and sign up! We would love to have you!

If you have any questions, you can contact Kyle Jelke at kyle.jelke@godwinschools.org, or stop by the athletic office at the High School after school.

You may download the following document or pick up a copy in the middle school office. These forms are due to the athletic office by Friday, May 23.

Godwin Heights Public Schools proudly partners with Feeding America West Michigan which provide mobile food truck pantries to our school district once a month. These distributions are at 4:45 pm in front of the high school on these dates:

Wednesday, May 21, 2025 (new date)

Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
Wednesday, August 6, 2025
Wednesday, September 10, 2025
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Wednesday, November 12, 2025

Wednesday, December 10, 2025

If you have your own bags, please bring them!

Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 7:00am - 3:30pm

Front Office Email: susie.yoder@godwinschools.org

Español: dolores.perez@godwinschools.org

Location: 100 Wexford St SE, Wyoming, MI, USA
Phone: 616-252-2070