st. johns public schools - sept 2010 - spotlight

8/8/2019 St. Johns Public Schools - Sept 2010 - Spotlight

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September 2010

Inside the Spotlight

Superintendents Message... 2

Bond Financing and Construction Updates... 3-4

Helping Parents Support Their Childrens Learning... 5

Online Safety... How to Interact with Others... 6

Get Involved. Stay Involved... 7-8

CCRESA Allied Health Internships... 9

www.sjredwings.org 501 W. Sickels PO Box 230 St. Johns, Michigan 48879 (989) 227-4001

St. Johns SpotlightLearning Today ... Leading Tomorrow

Welcome back, drivers Jackie Mehneyand Jimmy Prichard


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www.sjredwings.org 501 W. Sickels PO Box 230 St. Johns, Michigan 48879 (989) 227-4001 2

Message from the Superintendent

Superintendent

Ken Ladouceur

PhD

I love the first day of school. After 29 years in education, Ive come to recognize that each school year begins with a renewed

optimism that drives me to help motivate our staff and students to achieve beyond what they thought was even possible.

This school year has an added twist with the tremendous renovation to our high school. While I am as anxious as everyone

else to see us breaking ground, I know that this is a year of planning with little actual construction evident to the community.

After the passage of the bond proposal, a great deal of energy and enthusiasm was generated around our schools. But I know

in my heart and in my head that we cannot rush this next stage. A renovation of this magnitude requires us to be precise and

unwavering in our resolve to get it right. I encourage community members to visit our newly launched bond project website

where we will document our progress in pictures and articles over the next three years: www.sjbondinfo.com.

A new school year also brings us new faces. I am pleased to welcome five new teachers: John Ferden, Alexis Shaver, Abby

Brewer, Yasmin Oberlin and Alicia Metcalf. We also welcome counselor Nicole Toft, Oakview South Elementary Principal Kerry

Kelly and John Dingledine, principal of the Wilson Center. In addition, I am grateful that veteran administrator Scot Henry has

taken over as principal at St. Johns Middle School, allowing Mark Palmer to dedicate his time fully to St. Johns High School.

Along with this renewed optimism is the reality that Michigan public schools face serious challenges when it comes to funding.

It appears that the Governor and Michigan Legislature will put forth a budget before the October 1 deadline, but we already

know that schools will be hard hit by an economy that shows only minor signs of life. We remain steadfast to sensible

budgeting and maintaining a reasonable fund balance.

As always, I welcome input from the community and encourage you to contact me via email or phone. I also encourage

community members to get to know our schools. I love it when I meet people who dont have kids in our schools at our

sporting events and music performances. They come to see our talented young people in action and thats very heartening

to me. Id love to see more community members at theater performances, choir concerts, band and orchestra events, as well

as football, soccer and swimming. In fact, mark your calendar for this falls high school musical, Damn Yankees Nov 12th,

13th and 14th. Its going to be a great show. Hope to see you there!


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Bond Financing and Construction Plans Updates

A+ rating = interest savings more than$43 million= fewer tax dollarsSt. Johns Public Schools will save more than $43 million in interest over the life of

the bonds recently sold to finance facility improvements throughout the districtmost

notably an extensive renovation to St. Johns High School. This translates to fewer tax

dollars required in order to retire the debt. The overall interest rate works out to be

around 3.5 percent.

The district received an A+ rating by Standard & Poors due to a number of economic

factors associated with the school district and Clinton County. A couple of months

ago in early May, voters approved the sale of more than $64 million in bonds to fund

improvements to the districts facilities, technology and the purchase of propane-fueled

busses.

Clinton County enjoys a relatively stable economy compared to other counties

throughout Michigan, said John Czarnecki, executive director of the Clinton County

Economic Alliance. And the St. Johns school district has done a good job in maintaining

its fund balance, and its A+ ranking has demonstrated to the financial markets a very

secure financial picture going forward. The school district is to be commended.

Roy Piggott, SJPS Business Manager

Kent Phinney

Kingscott Associates Architect

How can I get stay informed with construction updates?COMING SOON! Detailed information about specific renovations, improvements and

additions will be available both via a subscription to a Construction News Update

emailed newsbrief and at a new website dedicated to bond project updates. You may

also contact the SJPS office at 227-4002 or email [email protected].


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Advanced Placement

Bond Financing and Construction Plans Updates

Construction plans update

While construction will not likely begin at the high school until the summer of 2011 or later, a number of less visible steps are already occurring.

The Spicer Group of St. Johns is surveying the school properties. Their $28,500 contract was awarded by the Board of Education in June. We are

very pleased we could award one of the first contracts under the project to a St. Johns company, said SJPS Director of Finance Roy Piggott. As we

discussed during the bond campaign, we believe the project will be beneficial to our local economy.

Anticipating fuel savings between $65,000 and $85,000, in July the Board of Education approved the purchase of 20 propane-fueled busses from

Holland Bus Company, located in Holland, Michigan. Propane-fueled busses already meet EPA emissions standards that take effect 2014, whereas

currently marketed diesel-fueled busses do not.

Teams of staff and community members have dedicated countless hours this past year and into the summer to plan for the renovation and additions

to the high school. Its a huge undertaking, high school principal Mark Palmer said. The high school staff is very excited and weve had some great

meetings to encourage people to consider creative and innovative solutions.

Palmer said hes been asked multiple times about when construction will begin. Its tough to tell people that it wont be for at least another year,

but we want to get it right. So, taking our time with planning is important. Proper planning will allow us to get the most for our money, and allow us

to get a complete picture of what is and is not possible. We want to construct a facility in which the community will take great pride for enhancing

teaching and learning.

He said hes also fielding a number of questions about the portable bleachers at the football stadium. People have noticed that weve removed a

number of sections on the home side, he said. Those portable bleachers were unsafe and needed to be removed. Were still going to play football

at home, but the seating will not be the same.

The district has arranged for temporary additional seating for the upcoming football season, and perhaps the 2011 season. Due to the time required

to complete the renovations, construction at the football field will begin following the 2011 season.

Construction and renovation progress has to be balanced with the need to limit disruption during the school year. Accordingly, the paving at the rural

elementary buildings will be undertaken during the summer of 2011. It takes time to survey and prepare the lots for pavingwork that could not

begin in time this summer to be completed by this September.


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Online Safety

How to safely interact with others online

There are really two types

of online safety issues

parents should discuss with

their children. In this issue,

well review how to interact

safely with others, and in

our November issue wellreview how to be the same

person online and off.

We highly recommend

that you not only talk

to your children about

these issues, but establish

concrete expectations

and boundaries. For some

families writing a family

contract is great for

everyone. Your children

notice your behaviors and

will want to model what

you do!

There are many dangers on the internet. We should always be very careful about the information we share:

Dont share personal information. The Childrens Online Protection Privacy Act (COPPA) requires

parental consent before a child may share personal information (name, address, phone number, or Social

Security number). Let your kids know that you expect them to talk to you before ever sharing this kind

of information, especially when it comes to sharing photos and video.

Install online protection tools. No filter is perfect but if your home network isnt filtered at all, then it

becomes extremely likely that your child will run into unwanted material online. A free and excellentoption is http://www.opendns.com/familyshield.

Passwords are like underwear ... you should change them regularly and keep them private! This is a

good reminder for children and adults. Its a terrible feeling when any online account is compromised. Be

aware of what accounts you have, and the processes to recover an account if someone else gets control.

Look out for scams if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. Talk to your kids about phishing

when someone masquerades as a trustworthy entity to acquire your sensitive information.

Let your children know youre always there for them. Encourage your child to talk with you immediately

if anything online makes them uncomfortable. Let them know that theyre not alone if they make amistake or poor decision.

You can install software that tracks computer usage and connections. The newest versions of the Windows

operating system includes these features. Consider openly utilizing these tools as a way of helping your family

be accountable to what they agree too. Let your children know that the online world tempts us to be someone

else, or spend too much time away from family friends, but youre there to help them grow into a healthy

individual with the self-control to be safe.


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Get involved. Stay involved.

www.sjredwings.org 501 W. Sickels PO Box 230 St. Johns, Michigan 48879 (989) 227-4001

OakviewOakview has an active PTO; we meet on the third Monday of each month at 7:00pm in the Media Center. Our PTO President is Marcy Clarke.

Email our PTO at [email protected], and find more information via the Oakview web page by clicking on PTO Corner in the Menu.

Parent-Teacher Conferences: October 14th and 15th

Riley

Parents are encouraged and welcomed to volunteer in the classrooms in many capacities. Some parents work directly with students, whileother parents assist teachers with their clerical work.

Our PTO president is Nicole Michalski. Find more information via the Riley web page by clicking on PTO in the Menu.

Parent-Teacher Conferences: week of October 11th

St. Johns High SchoolOur High School staff will be hosting Curriculum Night/Meet the Teacher Night on Monday, September 13th from 7:00-8:30pm. Please come

to school and follow your students schedule, meet his/her individual teachers, and learn what is being taught in each class. Well even have

refreshments for you in the media center.

Parent-Teacher Conferences: October 14th, 5-8pm and October 15th, 9-11am

St. Johns Middle SchoolParent-Teacher Conferences: week of October 11th


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Allied Health Internships ViaCCRESA Career Connections

Our St. Johns High School students can experience

multiple health care careers, rotating through various

health care settings including Clinton Memorial Hospital,

doctors offices, dental clinics, ambulance services,

physical therapy and pharmacies. These experiences

guide them as they determine their educational and

career paths after high school.

This internship opportunity caps the two-year Allied

Health program available through CCRESA Career

Connections. During the first year, students take four

Lansing Community College classes with the chance to

earn college credit. Students may then choose to apply

for an Allied Health Internship during the second year.

LCC instructor Karen Stutzman, MSN and RN, notes

This internship is not for every student. The student

must be responsible, respectful, and self motivated.

The Clinton County Regional Educational Service

Agency (CCRESA) Career Education Department

provides career focused education programs. For more

information, please contact your high school counselor,

visit CCRESAs website at www.ccresa.org, or call the

Career Connections department at 989-224-6831.

Its a win-win situation. Students have the chance

to see the day-to-day expectations of various health carecareers. The employers have the ability to foster students

and mentor those that could be our futurehealth care providers.

LCC instructor Karen Stutzman, MSN and RN

st. johns public schools - sept 2010 - spotlight

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