Context and Community at My School

    The student diversity at (school name) is extensive and a point of pride for the school. As noted on the cover of the informational pamphlet for the school, the mission statement affirms that (school name) “provides a Christ-centered PK-12 education to children of all ethnic heritages and income levels, equipping them to serve God and society to their fullest potential”. The pamphlet provides a glimpse of the broad backgrounds present in the school, stating that the student body is comprised of students from 37 countries. In class discussions students are encouraged to share of their unique families and heritage when applicable; celebrating student diversity is important to the school. Of the 520 students enrolled at (school name), 79 belong to 4th and 5th grade classrooms (NCES, 2015-2016). The racial/ethnic makeup of the student body is as follows: 5 American Indian/Alaska Native, 23 Asian, 140 Black, 148 Hispanic, and 204 White. Due to knowledge acquired from observing the students in Mrs. S's 4th and 5th grade classroom, it appears that some students are likely fluent in a language other than English. However, English is the only language I have heard spoken in the classroom, even amongst student conversations. 

    The (school name) is a Christian Institution, and although not affiliated with a particular denomination of Christianity the school is associated with the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) and Christian Schools International (CSI)(NCES 2015-2016). Students routinely display their faith through academics and discipleship programs, examples of which are a “Quizbowl” (Bible verse memorization contest), mentorship of younger students from older students, morning devotions, and praying over the class and worshipping together. Students seem at ease in these situations and regard them as a normal part of school. 

    The (school name) is located in (city) in (county). Of it’s 3,690 residents, eight-percent are white, twelve-percent black, and seventy-seven percent Hispanic with the remainder a mix of Native, Asian, or Two or more races. The median household income is $31,179, making over 45 percent of the population below the poverty line, more specifically with 59 percent of children in poverty. The median owner occupied housing unit value is $59,100, with five percent or less homes valued above $100,000 (Census reporter, 2017). 

    The Educational Attainment of the population has 39 percent with a high school diploma or higher and just over 3 percent with a bachelor’s degree or higher. These statistics are about 50 and 10 percent (respectively) of those for the greater Grand Rapids area, putting these individuals at a significant disadvantage. In households with children between the ages of five and seventeen, an overwhelming 75 percent speak Spanish at home, with only twenty percent speaking English. This is logical when considering that forty-one percent of residents are foreign born, with ninety-one percent of these birthplaces being in Latin America and eight percent in Africa (Census Reporter, 2017). 

    The (neighborhood) community appears to be resilient in face of poverty and structural inequality. The ways in which the area is underfunded is apparent through the deteriorating roads riddled with potholes, many houses with a disheveled or dilapidated appearance, and few businesses with visible success. However, there do seem to be some resources that could be utilized for the 4th and 5th graders upcoming unit on writing and researching on the topic of Slavery. One such resources is the Grandville Avenue museum. According to the community website (2015), this organization serves to educate museum-goers on the history of the neighborhood, with part of its focus on the lives of the first African Americans who called it home. Another resources available for students is the Cook Library Center, which offers support for students’ intellectual development. This resource would be an incredible asset for the research portion of the unit; the Library Center would help by providing abundantly more resources for students to use in their research, allowing them to deepen their understanding. 

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Sources:

- Census tract, Kent MI. (2017). In Census reporter. Retrieved from https://censusreporter.org/profiles/14000US26081003900-census-tract-39-kent-mi/

- Cook library center. (n.d.). In Grandville Avenue Arts and Humanities. Retrieved from http://gaah.org/clc

- Grandville avenue museum. (2015). In Roosevelt Park neighborhood association. Retrieved from https://rooseveltparkna.org/grandville-avenue-museum/

- Potter's house- search for private schools. (2015-2016). In National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/privateschoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&Zip=49323&Miles=20&SchoolPageNum=2&ID=AA001178