By By KATHIE HEMPEL / Niles Daily Star
NILES-Seventeen Niles Community Schools' teachers received tenure at Monday night's school board meeting.
The board approved tenure for Trevonda Goins of Ballard Elementary School. At Ring Lardner, five teachers were given tenure: Beverly Daugherty, Christine Lace, Michelle Ignowski, Ann James, and Alicia Ruff.
Niles High School had 11 teachers granted tenure: Jennifer Freeze, David Belden, Amy VanDalsen, Kara Gibson, Matthew Hamill, Steve Karsten, Marilyn Klimek, Jenny Nate, April Payne, Jennifer Erickson and Patrick Stier.
A request was granted for two students from the Business Professionals of America club to attend the National Convention in New York on May 9 to 13. Club advisor Michele Clement will accompany the students on their trip.
Steven "Woody" Woelfel, 18, will be one of Niles' representatives at the convention. He recently won a gold medal at the state meet in financial math and analysis.
"The gold medal suggests that he probably got a perfect score in the event open to anyone who attended the state gathering," Clement said.
Danielle Foster, 18, is the other Niles student heading off to New York. She will represent the Michigan Executive as State Historian and as such will be a voting delegate at the national convention.
"While there both will attend breakout sessions on leadership and college preparation. This is an excellent opportunity for the students," Clement said.
In other business a first reading of policy revisions concerning such issues as student assessments, criminal history record checks and the fingerprinting of employees, professional development with regard to student suicide, electronic harassment and bullying of staff, applicants, students and with regard to school visitors.
Cindy Wickham, principal of Northside Child Development Center shared a video on activities that promote social and emotional growth for young students. The video was shown in conjunction with April being Young Child in Michigan month.