Reimagining Michigan Avenue in Corktown
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Enroll Four-Year-Old Kids in Free Preschool Program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 12, 2022 Contact: [email protected]
Gov. Whitmer Reminds Parents There is Still Time to Enroll Four-Year-Old Kids in Free Preschool Program
LANSING, Mich. — Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Education are encouraging parents of four-year-old children across Michigan to contact their local school districts or visit GreatStarttoQuality.org to explore about getting their children enrolled in a Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP)—Michigan’s nationally recognized, state-funded preschool for four-year-olds.
“Every kid deserves a great start to get on track for long-term success, and that starts with preschool,” said Governor Whitmer. “Access to high-quality preschool makes a huge difference for kids, increasing their kindergarten readiness, putting them on track for 3rd grade reading proficiency, and boosting eventual high school graduation rates. Since I took office, I am proud to have made bold, bipartisan investments in the Great Start Readiness Program, Michigan’s free preschool program for four-year-olds, expanding it to serve 22,000 more kids by eliminating waiting lists. Getting this done will help kids in every region of our state, and I encourage parents to sign up for free preschool by visiting greatstarttoquality.org.”
In 2021, Governor Whitmer announced a bold plan to expand GSRP to ensure more Michigan children could get a great start to a quality education. Last summer, she signed into law the largest expansion of GSRP in the state’s history—allowing Michigan to eliminate waiting lists and serve 22,000 more four-year-olds. This year, the governor continued to work with the legislature to take the next step in expansion and help recruit enough teachers and classrooms to serve all eligible children.
The expansion of GSRP increases the opportunity for more families to enroll their children in programs that will better prepare the youngsters for kindergarten. Children that attend GSRP are more likely to enter school ready to learn, read by third grade, and graduate from high school on time.
“Preschool helps develop children academically, physically, and socially,” said State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice. “A high-quality early education program like GSRP helps children prepare for kindergarten and success later in school and in adulthood. I strongly encourage local and intermediate school leaders to work with their communities to expand GRSP pre-school to the maximum extent possible. An additional year of education at four years old is a research-based way to improve literacy, numeracy, and a wide range of outcomes for students.”
“We are excited that there was a bipartisan budget to support GSRP expansion across the state,” said Rebecca Josephson-Gorinac, Director of Early Childhood Services, St. Clair County RESA. “The increase in funding provides access to more resources to help reach families, support staffing of classrooms, and teacher compensation. We are seeing an increase in parent interest in preschool. Parents value preschool. We’re looking to expand and add three new programs in our community this year based on the number of applications we received.”
The GSRP program meets all 10 quality benchmarks recommended by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER)—quality benchmarks such as having teacher credentials; low staff-child ratios; smaller class sizes; and a research-based curriculum.
Parents can apply for GSRP’s 2022-2023 program year now! Parents can search for local GSRP programs through Michigan’s Great Start to Quality website or apply directly through their local intermediate school district here.
GSRP eligibility is primarily determined based on family household income (a family of four earning up to $69,375 a year is eligible). However, other factors such as a diagnosed disability, parent education, and primary home language other than English may also be considered. The program is offered as part-day and full-day with child care before and after school available in many areas. Some programs also offer transportation to families.
“We want all families to have experiences in the highest quality programs available,” said Cari O’Connor, Director of Early Childhood and Parent Programming, Montcalm Area Intermediate School District. “Through GSRP, we offer a high-quality experience and work to support healthy children in a whole child way. It’s more than a program; it creates a community that wraps around the child and the family.”
MDE worked with the advertising agency The Yaffe Group and DPTV to produce 30-second and 15-second public service announcement (PSA) videos to heighten awareness for the program. The videos are airing on Detroit PBS KIDS channel and The Michigan Learning Channel statewide.
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$55 Million Expansion of Michigan Reconnect Program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 11, 2022 Contact: [email protected]
Lt. Governor Gilchrist II Highlights $55 Million Expansion of Michigan Reconnect Program to Help More Michiganders Get Postsecondary Degrees Partners spotlight $6 million in new grants for Michigan Reconnect and Futures for Frontliners students
LANSING, Mich. — Today, during an event at Grand Rapids Community College, Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II touted the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2023 budget’s inclusion of $55 million for the Michigan Reconnect program, calling it an affirmation of the program’s ongoing success in easing the path for working-age adults to earn a college degree or certificate.
“I was proud today to celebrate our historic budget investment in Michigan Reconnect,” said Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. “Reconnect is growing our economy, helping employers fill high-skilled job openings, and putting Michiganders on a tuition-free path to higher education and skills training. And there is even more to applaud. We recently added another $6 million in new grants to provide wraparound supports that reduce educational barriers and celebrated accepting more than 100,000 Michiganders into the program. Governor Whitmer and I will continue working with anyone to put Michigan’s adult learners on a path to a brighter future.” The Michigan Reconnect program, which provides free or reduced community college tuition for students 25 and older who have not yet earned a degree, was launched in February 2021.
Lt. Governor Gilchrist was joined by Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity’s Office of Sixty by 30 Director Sarah Szurpicki, Grand Rapids Community College President Dr. Juan R. Olivarez, Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce Vice President of Government Affairs Josh Lunger, and Michigan Reconnect student Morgan Brink.
A married mother of two, Morgan Brink and her young family understand the value of the Reconnect program. At 32, Brink never thought college was possible for her until the COVID pandemic presented a unique chance to rethink her next steps. Realizing that college was the path to a more secure future and an opportunity to demonstrate to her children the power of education, she decided to enroll in classes through Reconnect.
“Honestly, I barely graduated from high school,” Brink said. “Now, my daughter sees me studying and going to school and now she’s already talking about going to college. That’s the power of the Michigan Reconnect program – it’s for college degrees now and for our children later.”
Today’s event highlighted how Michigan Reconnect and Futures for Frontliners are creating a rewarding path to in-demand careers for Michiganders and encouraged more participants to join the Michigan Reconnect program.
“We are continuing to build support from all corners – the business and economic development community, elected leaders, educational leaders – to make the pathway easier for adult learners,” said Sarah Szurpicki, Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity’s Office of Sixty by 30 Director. “The numbers are truly amazing. The people of Michigan are showing up and enrolling in college like never before. We need to encourage even more Michiganders to start on the road to higher earnings and a more secure future.”
“We are proud of our success as a Michigan Reconnect and Futures for Frontliners partner as we strive to attract, train and graduate students for the high-paying and high-demand jobs that will drive Michigan’s, and our region’s, economic future,” said Dr. Juan R. Olivarez, Grand Rapids Community College President.
Dr. Olivarez praised the Reconnect and Futures for Frontliners programs as vital in overcoming the barriers that often stand in the way of a college education for so many adult students. He pointed to the growing number of enrollees at Grand Rapids Community College, which has enrolled 1,100 Reconnectors and 1,004 Futures for Frontliners students for the upcoming fall semester.
“The reliability and adaptability of talent is a key factor in keeping existing jobs in a community, and in attracting new companies to a region,” said Josh Lunger, Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce Vice President of Government Affairs. “The talent pipeline is strong in the Grand Rapids area. Michigan Reconnect and this new investment will make it even stronger.”
Today, Lt. Governor Gilchrist II also highlighted $6 million in grant funding to help defray other costs that often keep adult learners returning to college or enrolling for the first time through the Michigan Reconnect or Futures for Frontliners programs.
The new grants, which will be distributed by the state’s community and tribal colleges, can be used for books, childcare, internet access and transportation to help students pursue associate degrees or skills certificates. Grand Rapids Community College and other eligible institutions can distribute the allocated funds directly to eligible students who have completed at least one semester – with as much as $550 available per student per academic year.
To be eligible for the grants, students must:
The wraparound grants build on Michigan’s network of people and resources in place to provide students with the critical support they need to successfully enroll in classes and complete a skill certificate or associate degree program.
To help Reconnect students succeed with the steps leading up to enrolling with a community college, the state’s Reconnect Navigators are available to help applicants complete admissions and financial aid requirements, set career goals, identify relevant educational opportunities and create a plan to graduate. Navigators, who reach out to students after they have been accepted into Reconnect, will also connect students to additional programs and assistance offered by their community college and local partners to remove barriers to education.
About Michigan Reconnect Michigan Reconnect is the largest effort in state history to ensure that Michiganders who are 25 or older and do not have a college degree have an opportunity to earn an associate degree or skills certificate with free or deeply discounted tuition.
Since Michigan Reconnect launched, over 100,000 Michiganders have been accepted into the scholarship program and nearly 18,000 have enrolled in a community college, helping to drive success toward Gov. Whitmer’s Sixty by 30 goal of having 60% of Michiganders with a postsecondary degree or skills certificate by 2030. In Kent County alone, there have been approximately 6,500 Reconnect applicants.
Michigan Reconnect pays the cost of in-district tuition for eligible adults who want to pursue an associate degree or skills certificate at any of Michigan’s public community colleges, including its three tribal colleges. Eligible residents can attend community college tuition-free at a community college where they are considered in-district. For those who are not considered in-district by a community college, Michigan Reconnect will still cover up to the in-district portion of tuition.
More information is available at Michigan.gov/Reconnect.
A recording of the event can be found here.
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Novavax COVID-19 vaccine now available for Michigan residents
Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 11, 2022 CONTACT: Chelsea Wuth, 517-241-2112, [email protected] Novavax COVID-19 vaccine now available for Michigan residents ages 18 and older LANSING, Mich. – Michigan residents ages 18 and older now have another COVID-19 vaccine option – Novavax – to help protect them from serious illness and death due to the virus. On July 13, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization for Novavax COVID-19 vaccine for use among people ages 18 years and older for a two-dose primary series. This was followed by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ recommendation for use of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine in this population and endorsement by CDC. “Having multiple types of vaccine offers more options and flexibility for people receiving COVID-19 vaccines,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, MDHHS chief medical executive. “COVID-19 vaccines remain our best defense against the virus, helping prevent serious illness and death. We continue to urge Michiganders who have not yet been vaccinated to get the vaccine as soon as possible.” The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine is the first COVID-19 protein subunit vaccine recommended for use in the United States. During clinical trials, it was found to be over 90% effective in preventing serious illness from COVID-19. Adults ages 18 years and older should receive a two-dose primary series separated by three to eight weeks. A shorter interval of three weeks between the first and second doses is recommended for:
Currently, a booster dose using any COVID-19 vaccine is not authorized for adults in this age group who receive a Novavax primary series. A limited number of doses of Novavax COVID-19 vaccine will be distributed and not all providers are expected to carry Novavax COVID-19 vaccine. In Michigan, about 100,000 doses are available for order by vaccine providers. To locate providers offering Novavax, visit vaccines.gov. To date, over 6.7 million Michiganders ages 5 and up have gotten at least their first dose of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines. Eligible Michiganders are encouraged to stay up to date on vaccinations, which includes booster doses that provide extra protection, and residents of long-term care facilities where outbreaks can spread quickly and extra protection is strongly recommended. MDHHS also encourages Michigan residents to pay attention to local guidance as some communities may be at a higher risk of COVID-19 transmission. To schedule a primary or booster dose of the COVID vaccine, visit vaccines.gov. To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit Michigan.gov/ For more information about COVID-19 in Michigan, visit Michigan.gov/coronavirus |
Spotted Lanternfly Found in Oakland County
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“Although not unexpected, this is certainly tough news to share due to its potential to for it to negatively impact Michigan’s grape industry,” said McDowell. “Spotted lanternfly has been moving closer to the state over the last few years. MDARD, along with our state, local and federal partners, has been working tirelessly to inform and educate growers and the public about this highly invasive insect.”
“MDARD and MDNR are working with the United States Department of Agriculture to define the extent of the infestation,” said Mike Philip, MDARD’s Pesticide and Plant Pest Management Division Director. “Although we can’t pinpoint exactly how it got here, it likely hitchhiked on nursery stock brought in from an infested state and has possibly been here for several months. We are in the assessment stage of response, but it is important to note that typical pest management techniques have not proven effective for eliminating the pest in other states.”
Spotted lanternfly moves easily on firewood, tires, campers, vehicles and more. Prevention and early detection are vital to limiting the spread of spotted lanternfly. If you find a spotted lanternfly egg mass, nymph or adult, take one or more photos, make note of the date, time and location of the sighting, and report it online to Eyes in the Field. Photos are necessary to verify a report and to aid in identification.