By By NORMA LERNER / Edwardsburg Argus
EDWARDSBURG - Edwardsburg Intermediate School Principal Scott Moellenberndt said he had "great pride" in being able to recognize outstanding fourth graders for their first place in the Cass County Spelling Bee.
In presenting the six winning students with certificates Wednesday night during a board of education meeting, he said it was the third consecutive year fourth graders represented the school well in the Cass County spelling bee. "They were highly successful because they studied hard," said Moellenberndt. He congratulated them along with Cindy Vernon, a fourth-grade teacher who coached the students.
Vernon also thanked the parents and grandparents for their help in picking them up from practice. "I appreciate all of your support," she said.
The winning students at the bee Feb. 27 at Southwestern Michigan College were Rachel Benjamin, Katherine Engle, Tarah Salguero, Brett Bowman, Kristen Miller and Andrew Shafer.
The board also heard from Eagle Lake School multi-age team teachers, Deb Kraska, Nichole Dohm and Dori Hughes who told about team teaching the students in second and third grades. Kraska said they work hard to meet the needs of the students. For science, Tim Monaghan, a local geologist, gave soil samples and told about earth studies. The students had to read books and create earth pictures.
Dohm showed the students about how to make chocolate with the help of parents. Students had to write papers about the history of chocolate. Now the students are writing ghost stories that are coordinated with Michigan stories. They are reading biographies on artists about fact and non-fiction.
Hughes said students are placed according to their developmental levels and their needs. She said they stay on the same topics in language arts programs and share the responsibility with parents. Hughes said it's nice to have the students two consecutive years. Some things need to be finished and/or things need to expand, she said.
The board will hold a special session at 7:30 p.m., April 19, to present the 2006-07 educational plan and budget.
Superintendent Sherman Ostrander said the budget reviews with departmental heads and administrators have been completed, and everyone was able to hold their bottom line in expenditures where they are at this time of year. He said the budget will be difficult. He said there is not a lot of room to cut with rising costs of health care, fuel and other things.
The board also approved a student fee for driver's training to be $200 this summer session. The cost will go up accordingly.
In personnel matters, it was approved to accept the retirement of Jack Rinehart, high school industrial arts teacher, and the resignations of Sonya Willis Bean, high school family and consumer science teacher; Ann McCullough, intermediate special education teacher; and Rachael Kutemeier, primary kindergarten teacher.