Schools

Whitmer signs bill forgiving up to 4 snow day make-ups

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed legislation to forgive Michigan schools from rescheduling up to four snow days that occurred during an artic deep freeze in which she declared a state of emergency. The law will let schools not count the Jan. 29-Feb. 1 period toward a cap on snow days. State law forgives districts from making up six days that …

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Two millage proposals approved by voters

Two St. Joseph County school districts were given a green light by their respective voters Tuesday, as ballot requests in White Pigeon and Sturgis school districts were successful. Unofficial results show White Pigeon’s request for renewal of 1 mill – originally approved in 2014 – passed with little room to spare, 263 yes votes to 254 opposed. White Pigeon Community …

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Leader of Kalamazoo schools chosen as state superintendent

Michigan’s Board of Education has selected Kalamazoo Public Schools Superintendent Michael Rice to be the next state superintendent. The board voted 5-3 for Rice on Tuesday after conducting final interviews with three candidates. Once a contract is signed, he will lead the state Department of Education, starting in July and making $216,000 a year. Board members say they liked Rice’s …

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Glen Oaks presents E.J. Shaheen Award

Reid Leaverton is this year’s recipient of the E.J. Shaheen Award, which was presented during Friday’s Glen Oaks Community College commencement. Leaverton teaches classes and oversees the new agricultural equipment technology program at the college. Born and raised in San Diego, Leaverton served as president of his high school’s FFA Chapter. Glen Oaks hired Leaverton in 2017, and in his two short …

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Glen Oaks celebrates new grand concourse

After a year and a half of planning and eight months of construction, Glen Oaks Community College is staging the reveal of its new, $2.2 million grand concourse. The day-long celebration starts at 8 a.m. Wednesday. Later, the school will offer lunch to its students to showcase some of the new menu options now available through the GO Café. Then, …

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Glen Oaks nursing students scoring high on exams

Nursing school graduates at Glen Oaks Community College are setting the pace in scores for the National Nursing Board Examinations, according to statistics reported by the National Council State Board of Nursing. According to William Lederman, Glen Oaks director of nursing, test scores for 2018 show that licensed practical nurses from Glen Oaks scored a 96.42 percent average on their …

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Glen Oaks to raise tuition

Glen Oaks Community College Board of Trustees voted last week to increase tuition and fees for the 2019-20 year Bruce Zakrzewski, dean of finance, said a 3 percent tuition increase and a $1 increase on the student activity fee will be imposed beginning in the fall. There will be some changes to course fees, particularly in nursing, he added. With …

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TrineOnline offers enhanced path to degrees for students

Trine University is enhancing and expanding its online degree programs with the launch of TrineOnline, a new approach designed to be convenient and cost-effective for students seeking to complete an associate’s, bachelor’s or master’s degree. The launch comes a month after Trine was recognized by US News and World Report in its annual listing of Best Online Programs. TrineOnline will …

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Michigan lawmakers may forgive snow days after frigid temps

Michigan lawmakers are considering whether to cut schools some slack after frigid temperatures and other weather caused a high number of snow days. State law forgives schools from making up six days that have been canceled, and schools can get a waiver for three additional days. Some legislators from both parties say the wintry weather has been so extreme that …

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New principal at Sturgis Middle School

Chris Gerbers has been selected as principal at Sturgis Middle School. Gerbers has served 16 years as an administrator, teacher and coach for the past 16 years in Indiana. He had been a school administrator the past 11 years and comes to Sturgis from Hamilton, Ind., where he served as junior and senior high school principal the past three years. Gerbers …

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