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MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST
July 15, 2008

Contents of this issue:
  • Monroe schools begins firing process for math teacher
  • Jackson-area schools save with private energy conservation plan
  • Schools end mandatory volunteer requirements
  • Montessori school seeks charter status
  • Project seeks to enlarge ranks of scientists, engineers
MONROE SCHOOLS BEGIN FIRING PROCESS FOR MATH TEACHER
MONROE, Mich. — The Monroe Board of Education voted 6-0 to begin the tenure hearing process for a teacher who is accused of having sexual contact with a student, according to the Monroe News.

Kelly Anne Bussell has been on paid leave since late May and is also under investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. An internal investigation by the district accuses Bussell of "engaging in sexual acts with male students," according to a district document, the News reported.

"She absolutely denies all charges," local teachers union President Nikki Klonaris told the News. "What if no formal charges are filed? It seems Kelly has not been allowed due process. It's unfair to Kelly. It's frustrating."

State law requires a teacher to respond to tenure charges within 20 days. If Bussell appeals the charge, the Michigan Education Association school employees union will give her an attorney and will proceed with a hearing. The process could take anywhere from nine months to a year. Bussell is being paid her full salary of more than $44,000 while on administrative leave, according to the News.

SOURCE:
Monroe News, "Monroe moves to fire embattled teacher," July 10, 2008
http://www.monroenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080710/NEWS01/ 361656193

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Tenure law is impediment to school reform," May 12, 2000
http://www.educationreport.org/2874
JACKSON-AREA SCHOOLS SAVE WITH PRIVATE ENERGY CONSERVATION PLAN
JACKSON, Mich. — Jackson-area school districts have seen significant savings from contracting with private companies to manage energy consumption, according to The Jackson Citizen Patriot.

Northwest school district implemented a Trane energy program and has saved more than $840,000 over four years. That is about $300,000 more than Trane estimated. The district has used the savings to invest in more energy efficient furnaces and lighting, according to The Citizen Patriot.

Both Western and Jackson Public Schools have saved with programs through Texas-based Energy Education Inc. Western is at the end of its second year under the program and estimates about $100,000 in savings. The Jackson Public Schools has been working with the company since 2000 and has saved more than $2 million in utility costs.

"(Energy consumption) is an area we have some control over," Steve Bartels, energy manager for the districts, told The Citizen Patriot. "That's why it's so important that each school be able to do something to reduce consumption. To me, it's a no-brainer."

SOURCE:
The Jackson Citizen Patriot, "Energy plans save schools big cash," July 9, 2008
http://blog.mlive.com/citpat/2008/07/energy_plans_save_schools_big.html

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Districts could save money with private energy consultant," Dec. 12, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/8113

SCHOOLS END MANDATORY VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS
HOLLAND, Mich. — Citing increased demands on students, West Ottawa Public Schools is eliminating mandatory volunteer work, according to The Grand Rapids Press.

The change will affect students in the class of 2010 and beyond. Four years ago, the state attempted to require 40 hours of community service for students to receive Michigan Merit award money. The attorney general's office overruled the requirement, The Press reported.

Other schools have decided to keep a service requirement in place. Northview and Grandville public schools require service during high school, as do Black River charter public school and many parochial schools. Black River requires 60 hours of community service for high school students, while Grandville requires 20 hours, according to The Press.

SOURCE:
The Grand Rapids Press, "Schools feel pressure to end mandatory service," July 14, 2008
http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/2008/07/schools_feel_pressure_to_end_m.html

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Should students be required to complete 40 hours of community service to qualify for the Michigan Merit Award? No" Aug. 16, 2005
http://www.educationreport.org/7255

Michigan Education Report, "Should students be required to complete 40 hours of community service to qualify for the Michigan Merit Award? Yes" Aug. 16, 2005
http://www.educationreport.org/7256

MONTESSORI SCHOOL SEEKS CHARTER STATUS
NORTON SHORES, Mich. — A Norton Shores Montessori school has filed an application to become a charter public school authorized by Central Michigan University, according to The Muskegon Chronicle.

Enrollment has been declining at Michigan Dunes Montessori due to the weakening economy. The school once served students in grades pre-K through sixth, but now only serves students up until first grade.

"Our primary grades haven't been functioning because people just can't afford it, so they choose to go to public schools," School Director Claire Chiasson told the Chronicle. "The charter would really fill up our school."

CMU officials say that it was the only application received from the west Michigan area and that they should choose a school to authorize by Aug. 15.

SOURCE:
Muskegon Chronicle, "Montessori files to become charter school," July 14, 2008
http://www.mlive.com/muskegon/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-14/1216046703 66220.xml&coll=8

FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Full Educational Choice (Vouchers, Private Scholarships, Tax Credits and Universal Tuition Tax Credits)," in "The Case for Choice in Schooling," Jan. 29, 2001
http://www.mackinac.org/3273

PROJECT SEEKS TO ENLARGE RANKS OF SCIENTISTS, ENGINEERS
LAKE FENTON, Mich. — Students at Lake Fenton Middle School are building traffic signals, designing wooden toys and testing aviation models as part of a new effort to interest middle-schoolers in engineering and related fields.

Project Lead the Way is a national, nonprofit educational program working to increase the number and diversity of students in science, math, engineering and technology, so-called STEM fields. With corporate partners, the organization has developed a curriculum package for middle and high school classrooms with courses ranging from robotics to civil engineering to architecture.

About 80 Michigan schools will have all or part of the Lead the Way curriculum in place by this fall, and about 75 teachers are spending part of this summer learning how to implement the program in their classrooms.

"This was designed because kids weren't taking classes to become engineers," said Bill Rae, a Lake Fenton Middle School teacher and master teacher for the project.

SOURCE:
Michigan Education Report, "It's hard, but it's fun: Project seeks to enlarge ranks of scientists, engineers," July 15, 2008
http://www.educationreport.org/9661

FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Huron County teachers win DTE Energy grants," March 11, 2008
http://www.educationreport.org/9324

MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST is a service of Michigan Education Report (http://www.educationreport.org), an online newspaper published by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy (http://www.mackinac.org), a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational institute.

Contact Managing Editor Sarah Grether at
mailto:med@educationreport.org

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http://www.educationreport.org/pubs/mer/listserver.aspx?Source=MED

Related Topics: Education
Michigan Education Daily
Wed., September 1, 2010
"An aviation school in Michigan is one example of a new generation of public charter schools designed to serve niche audiences." >>
Tue., August 31, 2010
"A 10-year-old Windsor boy who completed part of his education in Michigan is being denied entry to public high school in Windsor even though he's completed the eighth-grade curriculum." >>
Mon., August 30, 2010
"Principal John Hoving is using Facebook as a way to promote Bay City All Saints Central School as well as to head off possible cyber bullying." >>
Sun., August 29, 2010
"Royal Oak Public Schools students will be featured in an Oct. 12 episode of MTV's "If You Really Knew Me," a cable television program that the producer describes as "students trying to be accepted for who they are."" >>
Sat., August 28, 2010
"Public schools in Michigan were offered an automatic "A" on part of their annual state report card this year, a one-time arrangement that may have spared some from being unaccredited." >>
Fri., August 27, 2010
"More than 1,000 teacher retirements will allow Detroit Public Schools to recall all teachers from layoff and hire up to 300 more to fill staffing gaps." >>
Thu., August 26, 2010
"Inland Lakes Schools is considering hiring a private firm to provide custodial services as a way to save money, but a union representative says that new federal funding makes such a move unnecessary." >>
User Comments
carol peterson
education is an all around development for a child
he should be mentally and physically strong


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carol peterson
education is an all around development for a child
he should be mentally and physically strong >>
johnstfu
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Aarowman
Public servants like Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Senators, Congressmen, Judges, Secretaries of Various Departments and the like should be first to be compensated for performance.
The idea that the playing field for students is level everywhere is as Quixotic as thinking all politicians are honest and competent.
There are neighborhoods where only Portugese or gang sign language is spoken, where the parents both work two jobs to pay rent, where getting to school and back is more dangerous than Iraq and Afghanastan.
This Secretary of Education has to remove the silver spoon, roll up his sleeves and take his superior intellect attitude into the trenches and show the poor slobs that are taking their teachers jobs for granted how he would do it. Just because his mommy used to help out in Chicago doesn't give him the Congression Medal of Honor. Actually he's a stuffed shirt pretending to know it all.
How much do you want to bet that he wouldn't attempt entering these neighborhoods let alone these schools without security. >>
verdemont resident
This article is tucked away yet is profoundly correct. Parents are pseudo parenting little objects of consumption. Teens, professionals, working moms like the "idea" of a child but are not in for the long haul and everyone loses.

Schools are enabling parents to do precious little. The time parents spend with their children is the only thing that matters. Bussing needs to be cut, school breakfast, lunch, and afterschool care needs to be stopped. Parents will grow that bond by sacrificing the nails, hair, parties, drugs, quads, vacations, etc. and making a lunch for their child and arrangements to be home when the child is out of school. No one is that poor that they can't provide a boloney sandwich, a baggie of pretzels, an apple, 50 cents for a milk, and two cookies each day.

Please respond!

>>
JackI
Is it true that young ones today are losing interest on these subjects? Obviously, the White House is promoting programs that will help students on coping up with math and science subjects. But, The federal government thinks that the quality of math and science education can repair credit with the scientific community and improve US education with a few <a rev="vote for" title="U.S. Government Spends $250 Million on Science and Math" href="http://personalmoneystore.com/Payday-Loans/ ">payday loans</a> of sorts. In reality, it will take far longer to accomplish than they might think – US educators can't even get students to accept that "irregardless" isn't a word, and the difference between their, they're, and there – our students can't even learn their own language! It's a noble aim, to be sure, but throwing money at it may not work in the long run. >>
beggarsall
I am a teacher in the same county who is presently trying to quit the union. Like Caldwell, I strongly disagree with the MEA.

This article was timely.

Rob Olson
Pittsford Area Schools

>>
rickolson
I agree this is a change worth making. I describe some of the uneven effects of the idea on my blog at http://rickolson.blogspot.com/2009/08/statewide-health-insurance-plan-for.html which you may also wish to read.

The devil will be in the details, so this is one we will need to monitor closely.

Rick Olson from Saline, former school Business Manager >>
MichelleO

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QUEEN_BEE_09
I AGREE >>