Category Archives: School Board
School districts count on students to show
By Derek Kim
Williamston Post staff writer
Williamston High School Principal Jeffrey Thoenes paid close attention to the size of his student body on Wednesday.
Feb. 13 was Count Day for Michigan public schools. Counts determine the size of the approximately 80 percent share of funding that school districts get from the state.
“We run our curricular, co-curricular and athletic programs with that money. Without Count Day, we would be nothing,” Thoenes said.
Thoenes, who is entering his third year at Williamston High School, said the daily routine does not significantly change despite the day’s importance. The secretarial staff receives the lion’s share of the work, tracking attendance and documenting a multitude of state-required forms. Continue reading
Second try for school repair tax on May ballot
By Michelle Armstead
Williamston Post staff writer
The Williamston School Board plans to put a tax proposal on the May ballot to fund school repairs. Voters rejected a similar proposal Nov.6.
The state allows the district to establish a sinking fund rather than a bond to pay for school repairs; according the Steve Cook, director of finance, the district’s debt structure does not levy enough millage to cover its current bonds. The last bond issue was given in 2005.
In December, it was reported that Williamston High School had cracked floors, leaking ceilings in multiple areas of the school and a broken boiler. The district reported that there were eroding parking lots, rusted doors and damaged carpeting.
With the sinking fund the money could be used to improve or replace heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems equipment; flooring such as carpet, tile flooring and rubber flooring; and sidewalks, parking lots, doors and windows.
These improvements have been put on a “wish list” made by Cook.
Moreover, Cook stated that there is several million dollars of expenses all together.
“For the most part there’s at least over $1 million to be spent in roofs alone,” he added.
Sinking fund school money battle continues
Williamston High School
By Cortney Erndt
Williamston Post staff writer
WILLIAMSTON — Williamston Community Schools still have leaking ceilings and a problematic boiler after the rejected Sinking Fund Proposal on the Nov. 6 ballot.
The proposal included a levy of 1.00 mill ($1 per $1,000 of taxable valuation) which would raise approximately $385,000 when first levied in 2012, beginning as soon as the proposal was passed. The sinking fund would have had a 10-year duration.
Local tax millage is levied on all property located in a local district. Allowable use of the district’s sinking funds would have been repairs on roofing, boilers, flooring and remodeling of existing school buildings.
The high school has been dealing with cracking floors, leaking ceilings and a broken boiler. School Board Member Steve Cook said the district also has eroding parking lots, rusted doors and damaged carpeting. Continue reading
New life for sinking fund proposal
by Dylan Sowle
Williamston Post staff writer
The Williamston School Board plans to take a sinking fund proposal back to voters following its defeat on Nov. 6.
The board decided Nov. 19 to attempt to get the proposal on the ballot early in 2013. The opportunity will come in either the February or May election, but the deadline to get the proposal on the February ballot is Dec. 4.
School board members seemed to agree that a lack of knowledge on the proposal, as well as a full ballot contributed to voters turning down the sinking fund. School board member Ernie Gaffner acknowledged this issue, saying that with so many issues on the ballot, people simply lost interest.
Continue reading
Voters reject sinking find tax proposal
By Cortney Erndt
Williamston Post staff writer
WILLIAMSTON — Williamston Community Schools’ sinking fund proposal was rejected on the Nov. 6 ballot.
The proposal included a levy of 1.00 mill ($1 per $1,000 of taxable valuation) which would raise approximately $385,000 when first levied in 2012. The sinking fund would have had a 10-year duration.
City of Williamston Precinct 1 was the only area that favored the proposal with 502 for the sinking fund and 468 against.
The issue failed 3,084 to 2,707. Williamstown Township rolled in 787 “no” votes, leaving Precinct 1 with the most voters against the proposal.
Continue reading
Sinking fund for schools to be on November ballot
by Lindsay Dunbar Williamston Post staff writer
The School Board of Education in Williamston has approved moving forward with its first Sinking Fund Ballot Proposal.
The state allows school districts to establish a sinking fund rather than going the traditional route of a bond.
Charles Hasemann, school board member, explains that the sinking fund will be created by gathering the local tax millage levied on all property within a district. “All properties in the district will be taxed,” said Hasemann.
The sinking fund will be used to maintain buildings. It cannot be used on small capital items such as computers, textbooks or furniture. The fund is for high-priced projects such as new boilers, flooring or roofing.
Continue reading
Williamston crossing guards receive raise
By Mallory Estepp
The Williamston Post staff writer
WILLIAMSTON — Crossing guards for Williamston’s elementary schools received a pay increase after a yearlong wait.
Crossing guard Teri Nelson has been working at the elementary school for seven years. She never received a raise until March 26.
The pay was raised from $9.24 to $12 per hour.
“Michelle Van Wert asked for us to have an increase from $9.24 to $11 and then another councilman said, ‘No, they should make $12,’ and now we make $12,” said Nelson.
The vote was unanimous.
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Scattered clouds spoil Sunshine Week
March 11-17 is Sunshine Week, so we checked to see how well the sun shines in Ingham County. Let’s call it mostly cloudy with some bright spots.
Sunshine refers to light that the Freedom of Information and Open Meetings acts bring to government. The laws are intended to help citizens see how their governments operate and spend their money.
On Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 29, the Spartan Online News Network, powered by Michigan State University journalism students, emailed most of the municipalities and school districts in Ingham County with a simple request. The students asked how many Freedom of Information Act requests these entities had received in each of the five preceding years. They cited the FOIA in their requests.
Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act says local government should respond or ask for an extension within five business days. We felt the request could be answered quickly, without straining local clerks. In some cases, this was true. In others, we have not heard back, long after the five-day response period has passed.
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Williamston Schools Foundation Adds Two New Trustees
By Sean Gagnier
The Williamston Post Staff Writer
The Williamston Schools Foundation has named two new trustees to its executive board. Both Jennifer Dewane and Melissa Smith are mothers of students in the Williamston School district and their addition is expected to bring new energy to the board.
“Both are successful professional women with the skills and talents that status implies,” said Jeanne Van Wieren, of the Williamston Schools Foundation. “Also, both are mothers of Williamston school students, so their connection to the school district is very strong.”
The goal of the schools foundation is to gather funds for the district from private individuals and dispense them across the schools in order to benefit teachers and students at each school. Funds raised will help teachers with programs designed to get students active and involved in school as well as for the purchasing of any necessary equipment for school usage.
Funds from the Williamston Schools Foundation went to help geocaching efforts at Explorer Elementary as well as to bring in a resident artist.
This year the Williamston Schools Foundation funded multiple projects across many Williamston schools including; a new kiln for the art program at the Williamston Middle School, geocaching tools for Explorer Elementary students and robotics at the elementary and high school levels. Funding also went to bring in a resident artist to help teachers at Explorer and Discovery Elementary Schools to use the arts as teaching tools.
The Williamston Schools Foundation raises about $40,000 annually from their two primary fundraisers, the Education Wins! Raffle and the Williamston Schools Foundation Golf Outing. This year the raffle will take place a month earlier, meaning anyone seeking to enter should contact the Williamston Schools Foundation soon.
Education Wins! Raffle Chair Tom Tuggle stressed the importance of the raffle to the school district and to the community in a statement released by the Williamston Schools Foundation.
“The on-going generosity of area residents and our sponsors, make it possible for the Williamston Schools Foundation raise the almost $40,000 it awards to the Williamston Community Schools every year,” Tuggle said. “(Residents) support helps us make the great ideas from our teachers become reality. You can do a good deed AND just might win a little extra green for yourself. Don’t miss out on this opportunity.”
With the addition of Smith and Dewane the Williamston Schools Foundation members hope to make a commitment to raising funds to pay for enhancements to the Williamston Community School’s curriculum. This includes a strong network within the community, excellent people skills and an interest in education.