School Briefs: District Names Support Person of the Year

The Support Person of the Year Committee, led by Principal Mikki Cheney, named Para-Educator Laura Cressey as Hartland Support Person of the Year.

Described by those who nominated her as someone who gives 100 percent, is a team player, and has a caring attitude that provides students with a safe learning environment, Cressey accepted the award amid thunderous applause in front of a standing audience.

This is Round's second such accolade this year. The school's physical education teacher, Matt Conway was named earlier this month. 

"I'm speechless," Cressey said to the crowd after the announcement. "I love my job. I love what I do. I love the Round School family, and I am just very happy to have been a part of (Round) this year. Thank you."

Superintendent Shares ESA Update on State Aid Plan

Hartland Superintendent Janet Sifferman shared an update from the ESA Legislative Group that she received Monday afternoon that called the school budget deal reached last week "improved" but "still troubling." 

ESA Legislative Group is comprised of 15 Educational Service Agencies representing 136 school districts and more 220,000 students.

Sifferman read the first page of the document which says "the overall plan remains disappointing" and that "it is the first time in the history that Michigan schools have been cut when there are available resources to do otherwise."

Of the additional $330 million, $150 million is used as an incentive package for specific reforms — a plan the document says "uses a carrot and stick approach with more stick that carrot."

The document later says the governor and Republican majority are rolling the political dice to cut schools while cutting taxes.

"While many of our ESA friends in the legislature have stood up for our interests and worked to make a tough bill better, when they go yes, they still remain for a massive 'riverboat gamble' that pays for a huge business tax cut with a pension tax and school money. … Let's hope they succeed and turn around the negative spiral of school finance to once again make Michigan proud of her strong K-12 system."

See attached PDF for the complete update.

Board Selects Candidates for LESA Election

The board chose Livingston Educational Service Agency board incumbent LuAnn Loy and Donald Cortez as the candidates for whom they would cast their votes in this year's LESA election.

Loy, Cortez and Michael Yenshaw are the three candidates vying for two open seats on the LESA board who holds their board elections every two years. This year's election will take place on June 6.

Loy, resides in Brighton and has served on the board since June 2005. Cortez is from Marion Township and Yenshaw is from Oceloa Township.

At a previous meeting board president Kevin Kaszyca was named as Hartland's voting representative for the LESA election with Trustee Thom Dumond acting as alternate.

Board members for LESA are elected by the school boards of member districts.