Principal's Message

Dear Parent(s) and/or Guardian(s),

I hope this communication finds you, your family, and your children safe and healthy. As you know, the first day of school is
Monday, August 19th, and it’s approaching extremely fast. I wanted to take a moment and welcome everyone back as we
begin to prepare for our Fall return at Godwin Heights Middle School. For the past 11 years, I’ve had the privilege to serve
as both a middle school teacher and principal in the Godwin Heights School District. During this time, I have had the
wonderful opportunity to build strong relationships with our students, staff, and community. This year, our goals are around
the theme of “ANCHORed in Achievement.” We believe that at Godwin Heights Middle School, we are grounded in
academic success, nurturing all students, committed to breeding success in all we do, working hard to ensure all have
success, believe each day is a new opportunity to grow and that resilience is the best way to overcome challenges.

Godwin Heights is my home and I couldn’t be more excited to start this new school year. As the Principal of the Middle
School, my main focus will be to ensure Godwin Heights Middle is a place where learning is a priority, where our
staff/students look forward to attending on a daily basis, and where parents feel supported knowing the needs of their
children are placed first.

To accomplish this goal, our team will continue the work to align our secondary programming "beginning with the end in
mind” to provide our students with a seamless transition between Middle and High School buildings. We will continue to
focus on College and Career Readiness and develop systems that meet the needs of each and every child to ensure they
reach their full potential. As we move forward, it is important we work together to keep the best interest of our students at
the forefront to prepare them for each grade level, graduation, and beyond. If any questions about the bridging of our
6-12 buildings arise, please feel free to reach out to me or any of our team members with the contact information below.

Middle School Office Hours and Contact Information
● Monday - Friday 7:00 AM - 3:30 PM
● Office Phone Number: 616-252-2070
● Mrs. Urbanski (Principal) - [email protected]
● Mrs. Nelson (Assistant Principal) - [email protected]
● Mr. Durga (Dean of Students) - [email protected]
● Ms. Yoder(Principal’s Secretary) - [email protected]
● Ms. Perez (Attendance Secretary) - [email protected]
● Mrs. Golden (Middle School Counselor) - [email protected]

Student Schedules
All MS students and parents will be able to pick up a hard copy of their MS schedule at orientation on the 6th.

Middle School orientation will occur on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This event will allow you to
tour the middle school, pick up your student's schedule and Chromebook, meet with and sign up for community support,
learn about the impacts of bullying and the importance of attendance, win some prizes, and have a meal.

 

Middle School Student Pictures
Middle School student pictures will be taken on Orientation Day at the Middle School. Your physical order form is attached
to this letter. Student pictures will be used to issue their Student ID, which can be used to receive their free breakfast/lunch
and for entry to athletic events. This picture will also be used in the yearbook.

Student and Community Supports
We are blessed to have many community partners working closely with our school to ensure we are educating the whole
child. Many of our community partners will also be present to share with you all the resources they offer and give you
opportunities to sign up or enroll in many of their programs.

Student Start and Dismissal Times
In an effort to align the secondary programming, the District will maintain student start and end times at the Middle and
High School buildings. Both buildings will continue to start each day at 7:30 AM and end at 2:35 PM. Please click on this
link to see the Middle School Daily Schedule.

Student Drop-Off/Entry
School starts at 7:30 AM. Please do your best to drop your student off as close to 7:00 AM. Students will be able to enter
the building starting at 7:00 AM to enjoy a hot breakfast provided by our cafeteria staff!

 

Dismissal
The school day will end at 2:35 PM and students will be expected to leave the building immediately after 2:35 PM. This will
allow our custodial staff to begin the process of cleaning and sanitizing the building to get ready for the next school day.
Students who need support from teachers will have the opportunity to stay after school for assistance. Teachers and
parents should work together to coordinate dates and times when students will receive help after the final bell.

Chromebooks
Godwin Heights will be providing Chromebooks for every student to start the school year. Chromebooks will be distributed
during the scheduled orientation days for your students. If your child still has not returned a previous school year
technology, please bring those devices to orientation with you.

Breakfast and Lunch
At Godwin Heights Public Schools, it is our goal to meet the needs of our students both academically and physically.
Currently, Godwin Heights is able to offer free breakfast and lunch to all students at the Middle School. Lunch and
breakfast will be served in the cafeteria daily, so please have your student arrive at school no later than 7:00 AM. Our food
service staff will be working to provide hot breakfast on a daily basis to support our student's nutritional needs.

As always, the education and safety of your child is the number one priority of Godwin Heights Public Schools. We look
forward to an incredibly successful 2024- 2025 school year.

 

Sincerely,
Kimberly Urbanski
Godwin Heights Middle School Principal