[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=57416.73

MCAS, Unions Come To Partial Agreement

Deborah Sederberg
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - The Michigan City Area Schools has come to a partial agreement on a contract with one of the three unions representing corporation employees.

"We have come to an agreement on language, on day-to-day items," Superintendent Michael Harding said at Tuesday's board meeting.

The accord came with the Michigan City Educational Employees, which represents secretaries, paraprofessionals, instructional assistants, lunch-room monitors and bus monitors.

"By Indiana law, only the teachers have the right to collective bargaining," board member Beryle Burgwald said and then asked why Harding hadn't waited to bring the news to the board at a time when the whole contract, including salaries, would be settled.

"Salaries and benefits are dependent upon the budget," Harding said, "and we don't yet know what that will be.

"It has been customary to negotiate the language to establish a trusting relationship."

Since the status quo will continue until 2008, Burgwald questioned again why the partial settlement should be brought to the board.

Contract language addresses assignments and how those assignments will be made, Harding said, and it seems prudent to have those matters resolved before the school year opens.

Tuesday's meeting marked the first reading of the language settlement. The board likely will approve it at its Aug. 28 meeting.

Salary negotiations likely will not begin until November.

Also Tuesday, Harding said a new band director has not yet been hired. In addition, no one has been hired to serve as principal of Joy Elementary School.

Former Joy principal Sadie Jenkins resigned at the end of the last school year, and band director Johann Sletto resigned after the school year ended, in the middle of parade season.

Meanwhile, parents and other volunteers have stepped in to fill the void, to keep the program going through the summer. Football season begins Friday. Traditionally, students would have worked with the director through the summer to prepare a new half-time show.

Board member Kathy Lee said Nate Cook, who had assisted Sletto with the marching band, has been working with students this summer to prepare the show, which was written before Sletto left. "And the parents have really stepped up," Lee said. "The kids have been practicing every day."

Harding said Michigan City High School Principal Mark Francesconi has interviewed several band directors, but so far, no one has been hired.

[JHeath]

Joy School is still without a principal...Great way to start the school year!

[Ang]

Dale was awesome!! I was so sad when he retired. I was at Plant Planning at the time and worked closely with all the bldg principals. Dale and Walt Zmuda (Marsh) were tied for my favorites. Then came Lisa Suter (Springfield) and she quickly moved to the top of list along with Sally Roberts (Pine). Dale retired my first year at the High School so I never got an opportunity to know the new person. From what I understand, she wasn't very popular, but that was heresay. I don't know for sure what she was like. I can't imagine that they would start school with no principal. That's just crazy!! Although, being that it's MCAS, I'm not too surprised. They are very slow on the uptake most of the time.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=46580.97

New Principal For Joy Elementary
Karen Williams, a teacher with 26 years of service with the Michigan City Area Schools, has agreed to serve as acting principal at Joy Elementary School.

The administration hopes to appoint Williams to the position of principal of Joy for this school year.

Superintendent Michael Harding will present his recommendation to the Board of Trustees at its next meeting on Aug. 28.

Williams has taught at Edgewood, Joy and Mullen elementary schools, Barker Junior High School/Middle School and Rogers High School.

She has held a number of extra-curricular positions as well. She has been a team leader at Barker Middle School, a remediation tutor and a Safe Harbor after-school teacher.

In addition to her years at MCAS, Williams spent six years at the Chicago Public schools as a teacher and counselor and two years teaching in Hillsborough County, Florida.

Sadie Jenkins, former Joy principal, resigned at the end of the last school year.

[JHeath]

Thank goodness!