Schools

Members of the White Pigeon Community Schools Board of Education last week hired Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. as the district’s construction manager for projects funded by the five-year, 3-mill sinking fund renewed by voters in May. Superintendent Ron Drzewicki  said it’s estimated that the sinking fund will generate approximately $1 million of revenue per year for the projects over the five-year span. …

A Constantine Public Schools policy committee will have an abundance of information to review next month, following a special meeting its board of education conducted Wednesday. Staged in light of a series of policies employed following an incident last month, the district asked the public for feedback during what turned out to be an hour-long gathering. About 50 participants gathered …

An English teacher at Sturgis High School has been named the recipient of the 2012 John E. Oster Award. Stephanie Harker Schau, a 1985 graduate of Sturgis High School, was presented the award during a Monday luncheon sponsored by the Sturgis Rotary Club. Created by Oster’s widow, Jo Ellen, the John E. Oster memorial recognizes teaching excellence in Sturgis Public …

Hohner Funeral Home and its staff are hosting a vigil and prayer service to remember victims of the Newtown, Conn., school massacre. The hour-long program starts at 6 tonight and takes place at Hohner’s Arnold Street location in Three Rivers. Pastor Bob Anderson will lead in prayer. Director Gabe Adams said a register book will be available, and cards or …

Here’s a reminder that the Constantine Board of Education will stage a special meeting today to review policies and procedures stemming from the recent investigation of sexual conduct demonstrated by a pair of 5-year-old boys. Set for 5:30 p.m. at the high school library, the meeting will include a look at policies applied during the police investigation of the incident.

Sturgis Public Schools Superintendent Tom Langdon said an email he sent to parents over the weekend served as a reminder that the district employs practices to make its school buildings as safe as they can be. The district’s second-year superintendent said the email was in light of the shooting spree that killed 20 children at a Connecticut elementary school last …

An outbreak of the flu in Constantine Public Schools has prompted Superintendent Chuck Frisbie to close the district’s schools Tuesday and Wednesday. Frisbie said the 1,434-student district saw an absence rate of about 15 percent last week. On Monday, about 25 percent of Eastside Elementary’s population was absent, about 15 percent more than usual. Vomiting and children showing symptoms consistent …

Union faculty members at Glen Oaks Community College have issued a vote of no confidence in school president Gary Wheeler. The 23-4 vote was taken last week, with four of the college’s 31 union faculty members abstaining. The vote was brought to the attention of Glen Oaks’ board of trustees at its meeting Wednesday. Faculty union president Chad Worthington presented …

Congressman Fred Upton has announced his service academy nominees for the 2013-2014 academic year. According to a media release, the nominees have excelled both academically and athletically at their respective schools and have gone through an extensive selection process. The selection process included an interview with Upton’s Academy Advisory Board, which is comprised of local community leaders. Upon approval by …

Glen Oaks Community College is one of four Kalamazoo-area junior colleges to reach a reverse-transfer agreement with Western Michigan University. Signed earlier this month, the arrangement allows students who obtain credits at Glen Oaks and Western to combine credits from both schools and apply them toward an associate’s degree. In most cases, the agreement will benefit students who attend one …