Schools

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 …

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, …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

A project at Glen Oaks Community College has turned into an award-winning undertaking. College president David Devier said Jones and Henry Engineers, Frederick Construction, and Glen Oaks Community College received the “Public Works Project of the Year — Environmental” award by the American Public Works Association, Southwestern Michigan Branch. Supplying and treating water for the new Devier Student Suites became …

The St. Joseph County Intermediate School District board last week approved two new positions. The first is a support specialist to work in the human resources and business office. The other is a braillist to translate and transcribe activities to support the vision team and programs for visually impaired students are both needed. The board also approved revised budgets for …

A man in charge of transportation at a southwestern Michigan school district has died while shoveling snow. Portage district officials say Mike Westbrook died Saturday from a heart attack. Superintendent Mark Bielang told families that Westbrook’s “work impacted every student who rides a bus.” He says Westbrook was “masterful” at bus logistics in the Kalamazoo-area district. More than 5,000 Portage …