[Ang]

Let's put together the timeline: The plans for the north lot were proposed THEN DONE! I think the plan for the proposed career center were what is planned for the space south of the school building. The studies were being done, remember, when the lot got put down.
I know a coupl'a people on track team (their parents, actually) so I will ask them about the hallway running. They had gotten mats or runners to put in the halls, but I think they are just stored somewhere way out of the way.

When I worked there, they were rolled up and stored in the foyer outside the gym--in the glass hall. When they were not in season, the mats were moved to a storage closet.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...&TM=42781.2

Park Department agreement delayed

Deborah Sederberg
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - The Board of the Michigan City Area Schools delayed approval of a new agreement with the Michigan City Parks and Recreation Board Tuesday night.

School Board member Beryle Burgwald still had some question about who owns the land in question.

"Was there any discussion on whether the civil city owns Zilla Square?"

At the last board meeting he referred to an old title search back to 1930, which never mentioned the city as a title holder. No one answered that question.

The two boards have been squabbling for more than a year.

In about 1988, an agreement between the two boards granted park department programs the right of first refusal when the schools were not using the facilities.

In exchange, the park board granted MCAS a portion of Zilla Square which would allow for an addition to Marsh School.

The disagreement centered on which programs legitimately belong under the umbrella of the Park Department and on which facilities the park boards could use on any given occasion.

School Board President Jim Kintzele, who had been authorized to negotiate with Mayor Chuck Oberlie and the park board, said the questions of who has the right to use the facilities as well as a process for notifying MCAS when a group is added to the park department programs have been answered.

Board member Dr. Vidya Kora suggested delaying a decision until all school board members have had time to review the agreement.

Other discussion centered around whether board member Bill Greene should have met with City Council member Joe Doyle to talk with Bob "Bear" Falls, MCAS athletic director, about the matter. Greene explained, however, that he had been invited by Doyle to take a look at the gyms at Michigan City High School and did not think of the trip as a negotiating session. He said he thought of himself not as a school board member but as a taxpayer and a resident of the community.

Without casting doubts on Greene's motives, board Member Jeff Jones cautioned Greene and other board members. Like Greene, Jones has several roles in the community, "But we have to understand that when we go into a school building to see a school employee we are seen as a school board member."

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=46401.04

New school, 'new direction'

Joseph Malan
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - Wayne Barth already has a better impression of Lake Hills Elementary School than he did of Mullen.

"I like it," Barth said Sunday. "There's no comparison. It's got room, it's got the lights, it's got everything."

Barth, along with wife, Tammy, son, Jordan, 10, and daughter, Nicole, 5, signed a symbolic blue ribbon Sunday that marked the official dedication of the new school, 201 Ferguson Road.

The family joined hundreds of parents, students, faculty and staff at the early afternoon ceremony.

Haddy Achy, 5, said he likes the gym and new computers at the school. His sister, Hudah, 6, also likes playing on the computers.

The new technology also seemed to be the favorite among student council officers at the school, while they also expressed gratitude for having a separate gym and cafeteria, a feature not present at Mullen Elementary School.

The ceremony didn't get under way until approximately 2:15 p.m. because a downed power line on Center Street caused a two-hour power outage. When power was finally restored, Michigan City Area Schools Superintendent Michael Harding announced "a new direction" for the students, faculty and staff.

"The journey will be exciting and challenging," he said.

Following an invocation by the Rev. Roderick Hoffman, Michigan City Area Schools officials and other individuals who helped make the new school possible, offered additional thoughts on the direction of Lake Hills Elementary.

Phyllis Stark, Michigan City Education Association president, called the Lake Hills experience a "world-class education" that will allow students to succeed and excel.

School Board President Jim Kintzele welcomed the "beautiful, up-to-date building."

He knew, however, the building itself was not the most important thing about the ceremony.

"It's not the building, it's what goes on in the building," he said.

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=46401.04

Remodeling Mullen not easy

Deborah Sederberg
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - The old Mullen School was fun to see.

The library, situated in the center area of the lower level, was the first element to greet visitors. It had no real walls and it was interesting to look at. But it was difficult, if not impossible, to make presentations in the pleasant space without disturbing teachers and students in the classrooms, also built with a minimum of walls and doors.

The school was opened in 1969 when open classrooms and team teaching were in vogue. Thus, several teachers could be working with separate groups of students all at once in a large classroom.

Those who attempted to engage students in learning soon found it to be a distracting way to run a school.

Because of its shape and structure, Mullen did not lend itself to simple remodeling. For years, teachers did what they could to make learning easier for students. They used bookcases to build barriers that were not quite up to being walls.

Thus was born the new Lake Hills Elementary School, a $17 million, 85,000-square-foot building now occupied by 350 students.

No longer will the gymnasium have to double as the cafeteria, a happy relief from scheduling nightmares.

On opening day, Principal Connie Bachmann reminded students to use normal indoor voices in the lunch room. "You have new round tables now and you no longer have to shout down a long table to your friends."

What's more, teachers need not fear disturbing other teachers or students when they use the library (or the media center) for class presentations. The classrooms have real doors, as does the library.

Lake Hills is wired for 21st century technology as well, with special closets to protect the colorful spaghetti of wiring leading to a variety of technological devices.

The old Mullen simply could not accommodate some technology.

Superintendent Michael Harding says it is vital to provide equal education and opportunities to students in all school buildings.

As for students, they all love their new lockers and most love the stage that can be used from the music room or the cafeteria/auditorium.

And so on Sunday, the new Lake Hills School was dedicated.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=21625

MCAS denies school-change rumors

Deborah Sederberg
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - A little more than a dozen people attended Tuesday's Michigan City Area Schools board meeting to protest a redistricting map involving Coolspring Elementary School that administrators say does not exist.

Several Coolspring parents say a redistricting committee member told them of a map indicating children living east of Johnson Road will go to Springfield instead of Coolspring school.

Carla Shephard, a kindergarten assistant at Coolspring, stands squarely against moving Coolspring students to Springfield.

Matt Gibson, who prepared some flyers to distribute to other Coolspring parents urging them to attend the board meeting, said people buy their homes where they buy them "because we want our children to go to decent schools.

"I don't see why I should pay my taxes for Coolspring Township and send my children to Springfield Township School. They should go to Coolspring Township School."

Coolspring Township Trustee Dennis Metheny echoed his thoughts.

"We want Coolspring students in Coolspring Township School," he said.

Betsy Kohn, a member of the redistricting committee and the MCAS director of communications, as well as another redistricting committee member said they have never seen the map the Coolspring parents described.

Kevin McGuire, director of technology and co-chair of the redistricting committee, also told the board and the audience talk about any map was rumor.

After the meeting, several people stood at the back of the board room to discuss the issue further. The conversation soon disintegrated into a shouting match, but board members were not part of it.

Jeff Koza, a Coolspring resident, said he does not trust the board nor the superintendent.

"We need more transparency," he said.

Each school will have a parent meeting to discuss redistricting, and the board will have a meeting to discuss the issue with the public before the plan is approved.

"We'll have a workshop meeting," School Board president Jim Kintzele said.

Offering a bit of good news, Kintzele said negotiations on the teachers contract, which expired in June 2007, are going well, and he's hopeful for a settlement.

Phyllis Stark, Michigan City Education Association president, said she feels hopeful as well.

The teams met to negotiate after the regular board meeting.

The disagreement over how and when the Michigan City Parks and Recreation Board programs may use MCAS facilities, however, seems settled. The board approved a memorandum of understanding Tuesday.

Offer made to save driver’s ed
By Deborah Sederberg

Staff Writer

MICHIGAN CITY - A former coach is willing to risk a last-minute drive to the basket to rescue driver's education for Michigan City Area Schools teens.

At Tuesday's School Board meeting, Assistant Superintendent Carla Iacona said school officials have been unsuccessful in trying to secure cars from local dealers.

For years, she said, the cars came from Hirsch Ford-Lincoln Mercury Inc.

"But it's the economy," she said, and with a couple of board members noted car dealers in many communities have been hit by the recession.

Iacona said MCAS often used a half-dozen cars and sometimes eight.

But former Rogers High School basketball coach Earl Cunningham offered to contact local dealers.

Cunningham, who formerly worked at Team Honda, told Iacona he was sure he could get vehicles for the program.

"We have tried," Iacona replied.

In addition, Cunningham suggested with creative scheduling, say from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and perhaps split between two instructors, the school could get along with fewer cars.

"I bet I could design a schedule using two cars," Cunningham offered.

Cunningham briefly stepped out of the board room. When he returned, he said, "I just called a few former driver's ed teachers," he said. "They laughed and said we never had cars by March 10."

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=56653.86

Account of board meeting disputed
In response to the incorrect information that was in Wednesday's article ["MCAS denies school-change rumors"], factual information should be reported, not misquotes. I applaud Carla Shepherd for preparing and distributing fliers and her statement pertaining to Coolspring Township taxes and that Coolspring Township children should attend Coolspring Elementary School. Without the fliers the community would not have been aware of the redistricting issue. This is due to poor communication from the school administration to the residents.

For the record, I stated it wasn't an issue who attends Coolspring School, but as it stands it is already overpopulated. And the children living within their township should attend the school closest to them. I questioned the school administration on accountability and strategic planning, which deals with these facilities. Part of the strategic plan is community involvement. Without proper notification through the school system, how does a community become involved? Some of the board members seemed unaware of the redistricting, nor have they contributed their input as of yet.

As for the remark pertaining to a shouting match after the meeting, it was more of a discussion among the parents and the misinformed reporter. It seemed as if [reporter] Deborah Sederberg had sided with the school administration and based her article upon her conception and not the facts. I don't believe in the he-said she-said, so, as a community, take the time and watch the March 10 MCAS board meeting on channel 97.

Matt Gibson

Michigan City

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=21969

MCAS discusses summer school

Deborah Sederberg
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - A vague conversation about labor negotiations and its effect on the summer school schedule left a room full of people scratching their heads at the Tuesday meeting of the board of the Michigan City Area Schools.

The board had no question about recommendations made by Jan Radford, director of curriculum and instruction, but Phyllis Stark, president of the Michigan City Education Association, warned that if the board approved the matter as first presented, the union would be forced to file an unfair labor practice complaint with the Indiana Education Employment Relations Board.

"We received something at the negotiating table that is different from what you received," Stark told the board.

To say any more about the matter, she said, would put the union in danger of being accused of negotiating in public.

Assistant superintendent Carla Iacona, filling in for Superintendent Michael Harding, who was absent from the meeting, stepped as carefully as Stark did as she tried to discuss the matter without being specific.

The corporation faced a deadline because the summer school schedule is to be set by April 1.

The teacher's contract expired in June of 2007, Stark and Iacona agreed. They further agreed that teachers continue to work status quo - under the requirements of the old contract.

Most of the summer school schedule would fall under status quo, they agreed.

"My recommendation then is to go with status quo," Iacona said.

The board then approved summer school for high school students, special education students, transition camp for middle school students, preschool and the gifted-and-talented program.

In another matter, the board approved a trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C., for training programs for plant planning director Dave Williamson and an assistant. Board member Don DuLaney carefully questioned Williamson, who said he would be in classes from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. for four full days.

The trainers will be from a software company that is designed to assist the corporation with keeping inventory of and with maintaining school equipment.

Board member Bill Greene supported the training.

"Mr. Williamson saves this corporation a lot of money," Greene said. He was convinced that further training would enable Williamson to save the MCAS even more. "I want to stick up for Dave on this," he said.

[Ang]

They make a good argument for right-to-work...
Them and the OG people.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-to-work_law

Right-to-work laws are statutes enforced in twenty-two U.S. states, mostly in the southern or western U.S., allowed under provisions of the Taft-Hartley Act, which prohibit agreements between trade unions and employers making membership or payment of union dues or "fees" a condition of employment, either before or after hiring.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...&TM=36974.1

Pelath gives MCAS board legislative update

Deborah Sederberg
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - It's raining, Scott Pelath says.

At Saturday's special Michigan City Area Schools board workshop, State Rep. Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, said it is time to start digging into the state's rainy day funds.

State revenues are coming in way below expectations and unemployment figures are up to about 11 percent.

Creating a budget this year is more difficult than usual, Pelath said.

The process "started with flatlining education," he said.

He doesn't understand that kind of thinking.

"The single most important thing we do," he said, "is to provide for the public schools."

With the K-12 reserve fund and rainy day funds, school funding could increase by 2 to 3 percent.

"My view is that it's raining," Pelath said, and noted a flatline budget represents a budget cut because costs increase every year.

The state this year takes over responsibility for the school corporation's $46 million general fund.

But that change also means, "We have no property tax buffer for the general fund," Pelath said.

About education's share of federal stimulus dollars, board member Dr. Vidya Kora asked, "Will we in Michigan City have local control?"

Pelath hesitated a moment, then said, "I hope so."

Indiana likely will get $4.4 billion.

"We've got to use some dollars to be sure higher education is not cut," Pelath said.

Some will be distributed through Title I dollars, which are spent on programs for students at-risk of failure.

"Of course," Pelath said, "the Senate sees it this way: They want to cut state education dollars" in proportion to the extra money Title I will bring to education from the stimulus money.

In a related matter, "We've talked about putting people back to work" with stimulus money, Pelath said. The legislature has discussed the possibility of adding some state dollars for that purpose as well by funding road repairs and other infrastructure work.

The governor also will have about $190 million in discretionary funds.

"The governor will want to put it in cash reserves," Pelath said. "I know that's what he'll want to do."

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=25939

I wonder if anything will ever happen because of this.

Driver hit dog, kept going
Recently my family suffered the loss of a dear family member. At 10:45 a.m. Thursday, our dog Daffy was hit and killed in front of our house by a Michigan City Area Schools employee driving one of their pickup trucks. We are fully aware that accidents do happen, and we take the responsibility for her getting out in the first place.

Our issue and concern is that this gentleman didn't even bother to stop. Actually he paused for a brief moment, and then took off down Barker Road. What kind of a person hits a 60-pound dog in the road and doesn't even bother to stop to see if the animal is OK? We as parents, a school system, and community try to teach our children the difference between right and wrong constantly throughout their lives.

We feel that this particular MCAS employee basically told our 4-year-old son, who witnessed this tragedy, that hit and run, and having no regard for another life, are no big deal. I hope whoever this person is you are sitting around your table with your family, having your morning coffee, reading the paper and come across this letter. I hope you are aware that our family is sitting around our table throughout the day, not only mourning the loss of our dear pet Daffy, but also trying to explain the harsh realities of the world to our 4-year-old son. Unfortunately, there are some people in this world who are that cruel, heartless and inhumane.

You tell me how to explain such a thing to an innocent child who shouldn't have to learn that lesson at such a young age.

Deni Strop

Michigan City