Open preschool program open houses this week; NYC schools reopen after snow
Families with children who turn 4 by Dec. 1 can learn more about tuition-free preschool options at Kent ISD Great Start Readiness Program open houses this week. New York City public schools reopened for in-person learning Tuesday, one day after a powerful winter storm blanketed parts of the city with over 20 inches of snow.
Open houses schedule and enrollment
The “PreK Here I Come!” events run from 4: 15-5: 45 p. m. Thursday, Feb. 26 and 9-11 a. m. Friday, Feb. 27 at locations across Kent County and in the Thornapple Kellogg school district area. Some locations are open both days. Enrollment for next school year is open now and continues as long as spots in classrooms are available.
Who qualifies and age cutoff
All families qualify for tuition-free pre-K for their 4-year-olds as part of Michigan’s PreK for All initiative; the program is available to children who turn 4 by Dec. 1. Families can enroll 4-year-old children in full-day preschool classrooms throughout the area.
Locations, times and providers
There are many openings in Kent ISD public districts, and in private and charter school districts, community-based organizations such as YMCA, and in child care centers such as Appletree and Milestones. Most locations offer preschool Monday through Thursday, and select GSRP classrooms are offered Monday through Friday. Families are encouraged to contact GSRP at 616-447-2409 for openings and schedules.
The coverage area includes these districts: Byron Center, Caledonia, Cedar Springs, Comstock Park, East Grand Rapids, Forest Hills, Godfrey-Lee, Godwin Heights, Grand Rapids, Grandville, Kelloggsville, Kenowa Hills, Kent City, Kent ISD, Kentwood, Lowell, Northview, Rockford, Sparta, Thornapple Kellogg and Wyoming. The initiative was founded in 2013 as an initiative of Kent ISD, is supported by local districts and community sponsors, and is powered by an experienced team of reporters, editors and multimedia journalists. The 20 public school districts in Kent ISD enroll more than 102, 000 students. Kent ISD | 2930 Knapp NE | Grand Rapids MI 49525
City schools reopen amid storm
New York City public schools resumed classes Tuesday, one day after the storm that dropped over 20 inches in parts of the city. The Grasmere section of Staten Island recorded nearly 30 inches of snow — the highest total across the five boroughs. Children on a snow day used plastic saucers and sleds on a hill on February 23, 2026 in Brooklyn as the northeast U. S. experienced a nor'easter.
Staten Island backlash and transit
Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella said borough officials asked City Hall for an exemption that would have allowed Staten Island schools to remain closed while other boroughs reopened, but “we were met with basically silence. ” Fossella called the city’s snow response “horrible” and said reopening schools was “a big mistake. ” He added: “The secondary, tertiary streets … are impassable. How do people get out of their homes? How do they get about when they go to school, get back to work, commuters? It’s just not there. ”
Fossella said some Staten Island schools saw attendance plummet, with reports of up to 90% of students absent at certain schools and roughly 70% absent at some intermediate schools on the South Shore. The borough’s limited transit options compounded the problem: the Staten Island Railway suspended service between Tottenville and Huguenot, while trains running north operated on an hourly schedule, and buses were seen stranded on snow-covered streets throughout the day.
Fossella said, “It was just a big mistake, putting family and kids in harm’s way. One more day of keeping the schools closed would not have been the end of the world. ” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani acknowledged frustration from some families but announced that schools would resume as scheduled. “I do have some tough news to share. School will be in person, ” Mamdani said, adding jokingly, “You can still pelt me with snowballs when you see me. ” Snowfall totals climbed into the double digits in several communities across NY, NJ and CT, and main roads in some boroughs were largely cleared while many residential streets remained snow-covered or impassable, with cars buried under heavy drifts and some driveways still blocked by plowed snow.
Families interested in the Kent ISD Great Start Readiness Program open houses should note the dates and times and may contact GSRP at 616-447-2409 for details about classroom openings and schedules.
Closing: The PreK Here I Come! open houses are set for Feb. 26 and Feb. 27 across Kent County and Thornapple Kellogg area locations; in New York, the decision to reopen schools after a major storm drew sharp criticism from Staten Island officials and complicated transit and attendance on the ground.
