Contents of this issue:
National Spelling Bee on television Thursday night
District hires most qualified teacher, despite union outcry
Benefits key to Gull Lake labor dispute
School board members did not vote on defeated tax
Climax-Scotts could privatize principal's job
Ypsilanti could save $700,000 with competitive busing contract
Mackinac Center Debate Workshops to award scholarships again
NATIONAL SPELLING BEE ON TELEVISION THURSDAY NIGHT
WASHINGTON — The finals of the National Spelling Bee will be
shown live from 8-10 p.m. Thursday on ABC, according to ABC News.
Some 275 students, ages 9 to 15, will complete. The winner will
receive $30,000 in money and scholarships, ABC reported.
"I think we're ready for prime time and I think America is ready
for spelling bees in prime time, too," Paige Kimball, the bee's
director who also is the 1981 champion, told ABC.
For the past dozen years, sports channel ESPN has televised the
second day of the bee. This year, ESPN will show final round
coverage the afternoon of June 1, with ABC showing the
championship rounds that evening.
Books, plays and movies about spelling bees have gained in
popularity since the National Spelling Bee has been televised,
ABC reported. Students from across the US, American Samoa, the
Bahamas, Canada, Europe, Guam, Jamaica, New Zealand, Puerto Rico
and the U.S. Virgin Islands qualified for this year's event.
There are 13 Michigan students competing this year, according to
the Detroit Free Press. Forrest Brazeal of Clarkston, one of
three home school students from Michigan in this year's bee, tied
for 28th place at the 2005 event.
SOURCES:
ABC News, "ABC to show spelling bee in prime time," May 26, 2006
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=1917204
Detroit Free Press, "Spelling bee generating more buzz,"
May 30, 2006
https://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060530/NEWS01/605300376/1003
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "Phonics, Whole Language and Literacy:
The Alphabet and American Education," Feb. 10, 2000
https://www.educationreport.org/2697
Michigan Education Report, "Teacher throws away the book on
literacy," Nov. 1, 2000
https://www.educationreport.org/3124
DISTRICT HIRES MOST QUALIFIED TEACHER, DESPITE UNION OUTCRY
WYOMING, Mich. — The Godwin Heights Public Schools hired a
retired teacher, who does not belong to the union, because he was
the most qualified candidate, according to The Grand Rapids
Press.
Tom Meyer, who teaches Advanced Placement biology, took a $30,000
buyout after the 2004-2005 school year, then signed an
independent contract for $77,000 to return to the classroom this
year, The Press reported.
"We did not have anyone who had taken AP training for biology,"
former Superintendent Patrick Murphy told The Press. "So I talked
to him to see if he would come back for 2005-06. He agreed."
Current Superintendent Valdi Gailitis re-approved the contract
when he was hired.
"For me, there were no red flags," Gailitis told The Press. "It
helped the district and it helped Tom as well. We were concerned
about losing him."
The teachers union filed a complaint, alleging the district
illegally negotiated with Meyer, according to The Press. Murphy
told the newspaper Meyer was not a member of the union after his
retirement, so the district was within its rights.
"I'm sure that will be determined at the labor-practices
hearing," Murphy told The Press.
SOURCE:
The Grand Rapids Press, "Godwin Heights teachers union protests
illegal negotiations," May 21, 2006
https://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-29/114819417017470.xml?grpress?NEG&coll=6
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Time to Take Another Look at
Teacher Certification," April 5, 2004
https://www.mackinac.org/6470
Michigan Education Report, "Labor contracts hurting Michigan
teachers and schools, study says," Nov. 2, 1998
https://www.educationreport.org/771
BENEFITS KEY TO GULL LAKE LABOR DISPUTE
RICHLAND, Mich. — Salary and benefit disagreements have yet to be
settled in the Gull Lake school district, according to the
Kalamazoo Gazette.
Superintendent Rich Ramsey said the teachers union is demanding
to keep its current health care coverage, which he calls "the
Cadillac of insurance," the Gazette reported.
School board Trustee David Kreager said personnel costs account
for more than 81 percent of the district's $24 million budget,
and will increase next year by $1 million even if salaries remain
the same, according to the Gazette.
The district and union have met nine times since last summer, and
have scheduled a fourth meeting with a state mediator, the
Gazette reported.
SOURCE:
Kalamazoo Gazette, "Gull Lake teachers air contract concerns,"
May 22, 2006
https://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1148318545289080.xml?kzgazette?HTEN&coll=7
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Report, "School districts wrestle high health
care costs," March 7, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7611
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "MESSA Reference Page,"
March 10, 2006
https://www.mackinac.org/7643
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS DID NOT VOTE ON DEFEATED TAX
BIRCH RUN, Mich. — Two Birch Run school board members did not
vote May 2, a day that saw a $1 million non-homestead tax issue
in their district lose by nearly 80 votes, according to The
Saginaw News.
Rodney McNalley, president, and Michael Braun, treasurer, did not
vote, The News reported. The ballot measure was defeated 231-153.
The 18-mill levy on commercial property, second homes and some
agricultural land will be given a second chance in the August
election.
McNalley told The News a "family issue" kept him from voting. The
newspaper could not reach Braun for comment.
If the millage fails again in August, the district could cut four
administrator positions, reduce busing and implement pay-to-play
fees for athletics, The News reported.
SOURCE:
The Saginaw News, "Two board members did not vote," May 19, 2006
https://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-19/1148044947254890.xml?sanews?NECN&coll=9
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Secret Ballot?" May 22, 2006
https://www.mackinac.org/7708
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "A Voter's Checklist for
School Elections," April 28, 2006
https://www.mackinac.org/7688
CLIMAX-SCOTTS COULD PRIVATIZE PRINCIPAL'S JOB
CLIMAX, Mich. — The Climax-Scotts Community Schools could sign a
competitive contract with an intermediate school principal as
part of an overall cost-saving plan, according to the Kalamazoo
Gazette.
The district is anticipating a $234,000 deficit next year, and
could save $20,000 on benefit and retirement costs by contracting
for the position, the Gazette reported. The district also is
considering cutting four positions for a savings of $146,000,
reducing custodial hours, which could save $19,500, and moving
the fourth grade class to the elementary building, thereby
eliminating one bus run and saving $8,000, according to the
Gazette.
SOURCE:
Kalamazoo Gazette, "Climax-Scotts school board looks for $234,000
in cuts," May 22, 2006
https://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1148318465289080.xml?kzgazette?HTEN&coll=7
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Ypsilanti could privatize top
administrators," Jan. 17, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7551
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "Survey: School Outsourcing
Grows," Aug. 1, 2005
https://www.mackinac.org/7212
YPSILANTI COULD SAVE $700,000 WITH COMPETITIVE BUSING CONTRACT
YPSILANTI, Mich. — Ypsilanti Public Schools could save $700,000
if it signs a competitive contract with a private busing company,
according to The Ann Arbor News.
Ypsilanti, Willow Run and Lincoln schools are considering a joint
privatization of busing services, since all three are located in
Washtenaw County. Ypsilanti is looking to erase a $4.6 million
budget deficit, The News reported.
Ypsilanti Superintendent James Hawkins said the savings could be
realized through lower salary and maintenance costs, according to
The News.
SOURCE:
The Ann Arbor News, "Pooling of school bus service proposed,"
May 23, 2006
https://www.mlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-3/114839525632760.xml?aanews?NEY&coll=2
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Education Digest, "Districts consider busing contracts,"
March 21, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7653
Michigan Education Digest, "Muskegon ISD looking to privatize
busing," March 7, 2006
https://www.educationreport.org/7639
Michigan Education Digest, "GRPS private busing gets positive
reviews," Sept. 6, 2005
https://www.educationreport.org/7344
MACKINAC CENTER DEBATE WORKSHOPS TO AWARD SCHOLARSHIPS AGAIN
The Mackinac Center for Public Policy will again award four
$1,000 college scholarships to the winners of an essay contest
following this year's High School Debate Workshops.
Workshops are scheduled for Sept. 25-28 in Livonia, Jackson,
Grand Rapids and Traverse City. Essays will be judged by a panel,
and authors of the winning essays will receive a $1,000
scholarship. Students must attend a workshop to apply. For
further details please call (989) 631-0900.
MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST is a service of Michigan Education
Report (
https://www.educationreport.org),
a quarterly newspaper
with a circulation of nearly 150,000 published by the Mackinac
Center for Public Policy (
https://www.mackinac.org),
a private,
nonprofit, nonpartisan research and educational institute.
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