Meet our 2025 Lincoln Heights Support Staff of the Year, Shelby Bruursema!
Shelby is a paraprofessional. She was nominated for going above and beyond, her endless compassion for students, and sunny disposition.
Congratulations, Shelby! 💜💛
Shelby is a paraprofessional. She was nominated for going above and beyond, her endless compassion for students, and sunny disposition.
Congratulations, Shelby! 💜💛
📣 Back to School is almost here! Be sure to check out the Back to School Open House & Orientation Info on the back page of the GPS Schoolhouse News, which was delivered to all district residents last week! 🏫📬
📅 Don’t miss important dates and details to help your student start the year strong!
📅 Don’t miss important dates and details to help your student start the year strong!
Meet our 2025 CSF Support Staff of the Year, Nina Antcliff!
Nina is a bus driver for many students in our district. She was nominated for her caring attitude, genuine passion, and willingness to go above and beyond.
Congratulations, Nina! 💜💛
Nina is a bus driver for many students in our district. She was nominated for her caring attitude, genuine passion, and willingness to go above and beyond.
Congratulations, Nina! 💜💛
📢 Attention Families!
✅ New to the district? Enroll your child now! https://www.gpsjackets.org/page/enrollment
🔁 Returning families? Log in to PowerSchool to verify and update your student’s info ASAP. https://greenville.powerschool.com/public/
This helps us plan for the school year and ensures we have the correct contact info for communication and emergencies.
⏳ Don’t wait — do it today!
Thank you for helping us prepare for a great school year! 💜💛
✅ New to the district? Enroll your child now! https://www.gpsjackets.org/page/enrollment
🔁 Returning families? Log in to PowerSchool to verify and update your student’s info ASAP. https://greenville.powerschool.com/public/
This helps us plan for the school year and ensures we have the correct contact info for communication and emergencies.
⏳ Don’t wait — do it today!
Thank you for helping us prepare for a great school year! 💜💛
We are asking all GPS families to log into PowerSchool and complete the enrollment verification forms for the 2025-2026 school year. This includes confirming emergency contacts and verifying that your child will continue attending.
Please follow these steps to complete your child's enrollment verification: Login to the parent portal or app, select forms from the left navigation menu/more button, then click on the enrollment tab to get started. Here is the link to login: https://greenville.powerschool.com/public/
If you have any problems accessing your PowerSchool account, please contact the GMS office at 616-754-9361.
Completing these forms are essential to ensuring your child is ready to start the 25/26 school year. Thank you!
Meet our 2025 High School Support Staff of the Year, Judy Beckler!
Judy has been a paraprofessional with Greenville Public Schools for over 37 YEARS! She worked her first 28 years at Cedar Crest Elementary, then moved to GMS with her one-on-one student. Seven years later, she took an opportunity at the high school. Judy can't see herself doing anything else other than experiencing young adults becoming grown adults on their way to the future!
She was nominated for going above and beyond her daily responsibilities and being a leader whenever there is a student in need.
Congratulations, Judy! 💜💛
UPDATED Open House information with adjusted times for our 6th grade families
Medication information for the 2025-2026 school year...
We're excited to begin a new school year! GMS will be open to welcome students and their families August 12 and 13.
Meet our 2025 Lincoln Heights Teacher of the Year, Robin Rowland!
Robin has been a Yellow Jacket from the very beginning and teaches 3rd grade at the same school she was once a student at! She is a proud mom of two sons, Teagan and Gavin, and was blessed with her first granddaughter last September. In her spare time, she enjoys camping along Lake Michigan, traveling south to swim in the oceans, feeding and bird watching, and tending to her flowers all summer long.
Robin says: "My highlight would be 'winning?' a coin drive contest. Students put the most money into my jar and that gave me the unforgettable moment of kissing a screaming pig well over the suggest decibel limit, including a mouth and snout covered in slime, grime, and an awful stench of who knows what. What an honor that was!"
Students think she doesn't notice them picking their nose, but when they politely place their hand over their nose and mouth to invade their nose with picky fingers, she totally knows what they are doing! She also notices them being the first person to get grossed out when they see another student doing the same thing 👃
Congratulations, Robin! 💜💛
Robin has been a Yellow Jacket from the very beginning and teaches 3rd grade at the same school she was once a student at! She is a proud mom of two sons, Teagan and Gavin, and was blessed with her first granddaughter last September. In her spare time, she enjoys camping along Lake Michigan, traveling south to swim in the oceans, feeding and bird watching, and tending to her flowers all summer long.
Robin says: "My highlight would be 'winning?' a coin drive contest. Students put the most money into my jar and that gave me the unforgettable moment of kissing a screaming pig well over the suggest decibel limit, including a mouth and snout covered in slime, grime, and an awful stench of who knows what. What an honor that was!"
Students think she doesn't notice them picking their nose, but when they politely place their hand over their nose and mouth to invade their nose with picky fingers, she totally knows what they are doing! She also notices them being the first person to get grossed out when they see another student doing the same thing 👃
Congratulations, Robin! 💜💛
Please register any NEW bus riders by August 1!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd1Ok6bqtOly7zo2VPLpHyCoG_OVYBPIbnBI9MY1uJiPz74Eg/viewform
If your student rode the bus last year, you do not need to re-register. For more information, please visit www.gpsjackets.org/transportation
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd1Ok6bqtOly7zo2VPLpHyCoG_OVYBPIbnBI9MY1uJiPz74Eg/viewform
If your student rode the bus last year, you do not need to re-register. For more information, please visit www.gpsjackets.org/transportation
Meet our 2025 Baldwin Heights Teacher of the Year, Samantha Brooks!
Samantha teaches a 1 - 2 loop at Baldwin Heights which means she gets to keep the same class for 1st and 2nd grade! She loves the relationships she gets to build. She has a beautiful blended family of 3 boys with a 4th on the way! They love to spend their time outside exploring, biking, and swimming.
Samantha says: "The highlight of my time with GPS is the academic and social growth I get to be a part of with my students. I am always so proud of their hard work, determination, and curiosity to learn."
If she could return to school as a student for the day, she would choose to be in preschool so she could have rest time every day! 🛌
Congratulations, Samantha! 💜💛
Samantha teaches a 1 - 2 loop at Baldwin Heights which means she gets to keep the same class for 1st and 2nd grade! She loves the relationships she gets to build. She has a beautiful blended family of 3 boys with a 4th on the way! They love to spend their time outside exploring, biking, and swimming.
Samantha says: "The highlight of my time with GPS is the academic and social growth I get to be a part of with my students. I am always so proud of their hard work, determination, and curiosity to learn."
If she could return to school as a student for the day, she would choose to be in preschool so she could have rest time every day! 🛌
Congratulations, Samantha! 💜💛
Meet our 2025 Middle School Teacher of the Year, Tara Hunter!
Tara is an 8th Grade Social Studies Teacher at GMS. She just completed her 16th year of teaching! She enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, reading, playing with her dog, and summer days at the lake.
Tara says: "The highlight of working at GMS is the staff and students. My teaching team is exceptional! Together, our collaboration, dedication, and innovation seeks to inspire students during their important middle school years. Middle school is a unique age, standing at a pivotal stage of growth both academically and personally. These rapid changes in students make teaching a daily adventure. Every day is a new day with new challenges and new rewards."
The best excuse a student ever gave was the classic "the dog ate my homework." However, this excuse came with physical proof as the student attempted to salvage the pieces of the assignment to turn in. They handed in a piece of paper that was torn apart, had teeth marks on it, and dried dog slobber. 🐕
Congratulations, Tara! 💜💛
Tara is an 8th Grade Social Studies Teacher at GMS. She just completed her 16th year of teaching! She enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, reading, playing with her dog, and summer days at the lake.
Tara says: "The highlight of working at GMS is the staff and students. My teaching team is exceptional! Together, our collaboration, dedication, and innovation seeks to inspire students during their important middle school years. Middle school is a unique age, standing at a pivotal stage of growth both academically and personally. These rapid changes in students make teaching a daily adventure. Every day is a new day with new challenges and new rewards."
The best excuse a student ever gave was the classic "the dog ate my homework." However, this excuse came with physical proof as the student attempted to salvage the pieces of the assignment to turn in. They handed in a piece of paper that was torn apart, had teeth marks on it, and dried dog slobber. 🐕
Congratulations, Tara! 💜💛
Meet our 2025 Middle School Support Staff of the Year, Kelly Taft!
Kelly has worked for GPS for over 20 years, with 15 in the middle school library! She is also the athletic coordinator for the middle school. Kelly and her husband Bill have three kids, one grandson, and a granddaughter on the way. Kelly is a comfort dog handler for Jack at the middle school, and hosts Ritz from Walnut Hills.
Kelly says: "The highlight of my time at GPS has been coaching many athletes and watching them grow and improve, chaperoning many East Coast trips, and seeing how much the comfort dogs can help some of our kids. The kids relax and just enjoy touching them and it makes them comfortable to talk."
If this award came with a lifetime supply of something, Kelly would wish for a lifetime supply of maid service! 🧹
Congratulations, Kelly! 💜💛
Meet our 2025 Cedar Crest Teacher of the Year Winner, Kathy Doorn!
Kathy started teaching in 1986 before computers, white boards, copy machines, and printers! She has taught in three districts across many different classrooms, programs, and subjects and is rolling into her 40th year teaching (time flies when you love what you do)! She lives with her husband and they have a daughter, son-in-law, and three lovely granddaughters. She loves being outdoors, hiking, fishing, and enjoying nature, reading, singing, and catching up with friends.
Kathy says: "The highlight of my time at GPS has been teaching at Cedar Crest. This building does the most to wrap around and support kids. The staff cares so much and our students belong to all of us. I love that in my teaching I can impact all students and help them find their strengths. It is such a wonderful building with a clear vision from our principal and every staff member. We support our kids and we support each other. It makes teaching every day a joy."
If this award came with a lifetime supply of something, Kathy would want it to be a lifetime supply of extra time to spend with family and friends, time to recharge, relax, and have fun. 🕓
Congratulations, Kathy! 💜💛
Meet our 2025 Cedar Crest Support Staff of the Year Winner, Tayler Hoover!
Tayler is a Transitional Kindergarten Paraprofessional at Cedar Crest Elementary, which she loves! Her family includes her husband, two daughters Adalyn and Lainey, and an energetic golden retriever. As a family, they love camping, playing sports, and swimming.
Tayler says: "my biggest highlight of working for GPS has been building relationships with my students. The excitement they have when you walk into the classroom each morning is one of the best feelings, my days are filled with play, fun, and learning!"
The strangest thing Tayler has ever pulled out of her pocket after a day in Transitional Kindergarten are a rock, cedar leader chips, and a mini marshmallow 🪨
Congratulations, Tayler! 💜💛
Meet our 2025 High School Teacher of the Year, Andrew Samson!
Andrew is the choir teacher and a 2008 alumni of GHS! Andrew is married to his wife Becca, and they have four children: Isaac, Matthew, Lucy, and Sophia. In the mornings, you can find Andrew in the weight room or on the basketball court, and after school, he enjoys reading, watching Detroit sports, and spending time with his family. Fun fact: the first group of kindergarteners he ever taught are going to be seniors this fall!
Andrew says: "Taking over the program that I grew up in has been a dream come true for me as an alumnus. Some personal highlights have included seeing my students succeed as individuals in our state organization through things like Solo & Ensemble and Honors Choir, and also coordinating the Village Green Singers Alumni Choir this past January and February."
When asked if he relates more to Mr. Feeny or Mrs. Frizzle, Andrew says he's more Mr. Feeny. Teaching a high school elective means he gets the same students year after year, and team teaching the middle school choirs means he could be working with the same students for 5 or 6 years! This creates a lot of mentorship opportunities for him and his students the same way Mr. Feeny was a mentor to his students long after they left high school. 👓
Congratulations, Andrew! 💜💛
Meet our 2025 Baldwin Heights Support Staff of the Year, Sara Brimmer!
Sara is the principal's administrative assistant at Baldwin Heights. She has been happily married to her husband Gabe, for 25 wonderful years, and they are both GPS alumni! They have two children, Ashton and Ethan. They are also the proud hosts of Lola, the Baldwin Heights comfort dog, who brings so much joy to their lives! Their family loves to camp, travel, and stay active together in their spare time.
Sara says: "At Baldwin Heights, the family atmosphere truly shines - it's a place where "it takes a village" comes to life. The Baldwin staff exemplifies this by genuinely looking out for our students, staff, and community. Over the years, some of my favorite highlights have been helping implement the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, coaching Odyssey of the Mind, and, most recently, our amazing Baldwin PTO Color Run. Baldwin isn't just a school - it's a community I'm proud to be a part of every day."
One of the funniest moments Sara has ever had at school is when a student genuinely believed she had teleportation powers. She had been dropping off food and supplies to their house, often arriving before the school bus. The next day, the student told her they thought she could teleport 🛸
Congratulations, Sara! 💜💛
There will be a Special Board of Education Meeting on Monday, June 23, 2025, at 6:00pm at the Central Services Facility (1414 Chase Street, Greenville) to approve the 2024-25 Final Budget Amendments and the 2025-26 Proposed Budgets and any other necessary business.
Meet our 2025 Walnut Hills Support Staff of the Year, Morgan Gross!
Morgan has been a paraprofessional at Walnut Hills for almost two years. She is married and has two boys, Robbie and Hunter (and a corgi named Cooper). She loves to spend time with her family in her spare time.
Morgan says: "The highlight is honestly just my whole job. I work for and with the most amazing people. The kids are so awesome and it just makes it the absolute best job!"
When asked if she would rather do indoor recess with 25 kindergarteners or supervise 5th grade lunch on the last day before Christmas break, Morgan answered - "Oh, easy. 5th grade lunch time. Inside recess can get way too crazy." 🤪
Congratulations, Morgan! 💜💛
