St.

Johns Spotlight
Learning Today ... Leading Tomorrow

September 2010

Inside the Spotlight

Superintendent’s Message... 2
Bond Financing and Construction Updates... 3-4
Helping Parents Support Their Children’s Learning... 5
Online Safety... How to Interact with Others... 6
Get Involved. Stay Involved... 7-8
“Welcome back,” drivers Jackie Mehney CCRESA Allied Health Internships... 9
and Jimmy Prichard

www.sjredwings.org • 501 W. Sickels • PO Box 230 • St. Johns, Michigan 48879 • (989) 227-4001
 Message from the Superintendent
I love the first day of school. After 29 years in education, I’ve come to recognize that each school year begins with a renewed
optimism that drives me to help motivate our staff and students to achieve beyond what they thought was even possible.
This school year has an added twist with the tremendous renovation to our high school. While I am as anxious as everyone
else to see us breaking ground, I know that this is a year of planning with little actual construction evident to the community.
After the passage of the bond proposal, a great deal of energy and enthusiasm was generated around our schools. But I know
in my heart and in my head that we cannot rush this next stage. A renovation of this magnitude requires us to be precise and
unwavering in our resolve to get it right. I encourage community members to visit our newly launched bond project website
where we will document our progress in pictures and articles over the next three years: www.sjbondinfo.com.

Superintendent A new school year also brings us new faces. I am pleased to welcome five new teachers: John Ferden, Alexis Shaver, Abby

Ken Ladouceur Brewer, Yasmin Oberlin and Alicia Metcalf. We also welcome counselor Nicole Toft, Oakview South Elementary Principal Kerry

PhD Kelly and John Dingledine, principal of the Wilson Center. In addition, I am grateful that veteran administrator Scot Henry has
taken over as principal at St. Johns Middle School, allowing Mark Palmer to dedicate his time fully to St. Johns High School.
Along with this renewed optimism is the reality that Michigan public schools face serious challenges when it comes to funding.
It appears that the Governor and Michigan Legislature will put forth a budget before the October 1 deadline, but we already
know that schools will be hard hit by an economy that shows only minor signs of life. We remain steadfast to sensible
budgeting and maintaining a reasonable fund balance.
As always, I welcome input from the community and encourage you to contact me via email or phone. I also encourage
community members to get to know our schools. I love it when I meet people who don’t have kids in our schools at our
sporting events and music performances. They come to see our talented young people in action and that’s very heartening
to me. I’d love to see more community members at theater performances, choir concerts, band and orchestra events, as well
as football, soccer and swimming. In fact, mark your calendar for this fall’s high school musical, Damn Yankees – Nov 12th,
13th and 14th. It’s going to be a great show. Hope to see you there!

www.sjredwings.org • 501 W. Sickels • PO Box 230 • St. Johns, Michigan 48879 • (989) 227-4001 2
Bond Financing and Construction Plans Updates

A+ rating = interest savings more than $43 million

= fewer tax dollars
St. Johns Public Schools will save more than $43 million in interest over the life of
the bonds recently sold to finance facility improvements throughout the district—most
notably an extensive renovation to St. Johns High School. This translates to fewer tax
dollars required in order to retire the debt. The overall interest rate works out to be
around 3.5 percent.
The district received an A+ rating by Standard & Poor’s due to a number of economic
factors associated with the school district and Clinton County. A couple of months
ago in early May, voters approved the sale of more than $64 million in bonds to fund
Roy Piggott, SJPS Business Manager
improvements to the district’s facilities, technology and the purchase of propane-fueled
busses.
“Clinton County enjoys a relatively stable economy compared to other counties
throughout Michigan,” said John Czarnecki, executive director of the Clinton County
Economic Alliance. “And the St. Johns school district has done a good job in maintaining
its fund balance, and its A+ ranking has demonstrated to the financial markets a very
secure financial picture going forward. The school district is to be commended.”

How can I get stay informed with construction updates?

COMING SOON! Detailed information about specific renovations, improvements and
Kent Phinney
additions will be available both via a subscription to a Construction News Update
Kingscott Associates Architect
emailed newsbrief and at a new website dedicated to bond project updates. You may
also contact the SJPS office at 227-4002 or email bond@sjredwings.org.

www.sjredwings.org • 501 W. Sickels • PO Box 230 • St. Johns, Michigan 48879 • (989) 227-4001 3
 Advanced Placement

Bond Financing and Construction Plans Updates

Construction plans update
While construction will not likely begin at the high school until the summer of 2011 or later, a number of less visible steps are already occurring.
The Spicer Group of St. Johns is surveying the school properties. Their $28,500 contract was awarded by the Board of Education in June. “We are
very pleased we could award one of the first contracts under the project to a St. Johns company,” said SJPS Director of Finance Roy Piggott. “As we
discussed during the bond campaign, we believe the project will be beneficial to our local economy.”
Anticipating fuel savings between $65,000 and $85,000, in July the Board of Education approved the purchase of 20 propane-fueled busses from
Holland Bus Company, located in Holland, Michigan. Propane-fueled busses already meet EPA emissions standards that take effect 2014, whereas
currently marketed diesel-fueled busses do not.
Teams of staff and community members have dedicated countless hours this past year and into the summer to plan for the renovation and additions
to the high school. “It’s a huge undertaking,” high school principal Mark Palmer said. “The high school staff is very excited and we’ve had some great
meetings to encourage people to consider creative and innovative solutions.”
Palmer said he’s been asked multiple times about when construction will begin. “It’s tough to tell people that it won’t be for at least another year,
but we want to get it right. So, taking our time with planning is important. Proper planning will allow us to get the most for our money, and allow us
to get a complete picture of what is and is not possible. We want to construct a facility in which the community will take great pride for enhancing
teaching and learning.”
He said he’s also fielding a number of questions about the portable bleachers at the football stadium. “People have noticed that we’ve removed a
number of sections on the home side,” he said. “Those portable bleachers were unsafe and needed to be removed. We’re still going to play football
at home, but the seating will not be the same.”
The district has arranged for temporary additional seating for the upcoming football season, and perhaps the 2011 season. Due to the time required
to complete the renovations, construction at the football field will begin following the 2011 season.
Construction and renovation progress has to be balanced with the need to limit disruption during the school year. Accordingly, the paving at the rural
elementary buildings will be undertaken during the summer of 2011. It takes time to survey and prepare the lots for paving—work that could not
begin in time this summer to be completed by this September.

www.sjredwings.org • 501 W. Sickels • PO Box 230 • St. Johns, Michigan 48879 • (989) 227-4001 4
 Helping parents support
their children’s learning
As parents ourselves, we understand that all parents want their children to succeed, now and in the years ahead. Admittedly, we struggle ourselves
when we see our children struggle. So here in St. Johns Public Schools, we’re committed to helping our parents support and encourage their children’s
learning and success in school.
Here are some suggestions and thoughts from our St. Johns Public Schools principals about how parents can help support their children’s learning:

Joe Bodarko, Eureka Melissa Dawes, Riley

“Use the Daily Assignment Books to facilitate discussion around the “Parents can support their child’s learning by reading to and listening
supper table, so when you ask ‘what did you do in school today,’ to her or him read on a daily basis, talking positively about school,
perhaps you can receive more than the typical ‘nothing’ reply.” and supporting projects and initiatives from school.”

Christopher Smith, Gateway Mark Palmer, St. Johns High School

“We’ll continue to forward recommendations – especially those related
to reading and behavior -- from the Michigan Integrated Behavior
and Learning Support Initiative, the Home and School Connection,
and the Parent Institute to parents on how to best support their
children’s learning needs.”
Kerry Kelly, Oakview
“Help your child understand the importance of going to school
and learning. Speak positively about school and school subjects.
Encourage perseverance and the ability to learn something and
work on it, even if it is difficult.”
“Encourage your child to take advantage of the comprehensive
program of academic and extra-curricular activities offered at
the high school. Research shows that involved students do better
academically and find school more enjoyable.
Once again we will be faced with higher academic requirements, but
I know we can reach them when our teachers and staff, our students
and their parents work together as a team. If your child or you ever
have a question or concern, please contact a teacher, counselor, or
office personnel. Know we’ll always be happy to help.”

www.sjredwings.org • 501 W. Sickels • PO Box 230 • St. Johns, Michigan 48879 • (989) 227-4001 5

How to safely interact with others online
There are really two types
of online safety issues
parents should discuss with
their children. In this issue,
we’ll review how to interact
safely with others, and in
our November issue we’ll
review how to be the same
person online and off.
We highly recommend
that you not only talk
to your children about
these issues, but establish
concrete expectations
and boundaries. For some
families writing a family
contract is great for
everyone. Your children
notice your behaviors and
will want to model what
you do!
www.sjredwings.org • 501 W. Sickels • PO Box 230 • St. Johns, Michigan 48879 • (989) 227-4001
Online Safety
There are many dangers on the internet. We should always be very careful about the information we share:
• Don’t share personal information. The Children’s Online Protection Privacy Act (COPPA) requires
parental consent before a child may share personal information (name, address, phone number, or Social
Security number). Let your kids know that you expect them to talk to you before ever sharing this kind
of information, especially when it comes to sharing photos and video.
• Install online protection tools. No filter is perfect but if your home network isn’t filtered at all, then it
becomes extremely likely that your child will run into unwanted material online. A free and excellent
option is http://www.opendns.com/familyshield.
• Passwords are like underwear ... you should change them regularly and keep them private! This is a
good reminder for children and adults. It’s a terrible feeling when any online account is compromised. Be
aware of what accounts you have, and the processes to recover an account if someone else gets control.
• Look out for scams … if it sounds too good to be true it probably is. Talk to your kids about phishing –
when someone masquerades as a trustworthy entity to acquire your sensitive information.
• Let your children know you’re always there for them. Encourage your child to talk with you immediately
if anything online makes them uncomfortable. Let them know that they’re not alone if they make a
mistake or poor decision.
You can install software that tracks computer usage and connections. The newest versions of the Windows
operating system includes these features. Consider openly utilizing these tools as a way of helping your family
be accountable to what they agree too. Let your children know that the online world tempts us to be someone
else, or spend too much time away from family friends, but you’re there to help them grow into a healthy
individual with the self-control to be safe.
6
 Get involved. Stay involved.

St. Johns Public Schools appreciates the active involvement of parents and other community residents in our schools. We value how our
parents and community contribute to the achievements and successes of our students, teachers and schools. So we invite everyone in our
community – parents of our students, grandparents, other residents, our businesses, our churches, civic and community organizations –
to get involved and stay involved with our schools.

East Olive
Our PTO president is Melanie Near; email her at mnear@casair.net for more information.
Parent-Teacher Conferences: week of October 11th

Eureka
At Eureka, we encourage our parents to get actively involved with our PTO, serve as volunteer readers and math tutors in the classrooms, and
volunteer for our annual Fall fundraiser, Spring Carnival and end-of-year Field Day.
Parent-Teacher Conferences: October 12th and 14th, 5-8pm both evenings

Gateway
Help us with our popular Family Fun nights, where we encourage family time with family movies, crafts, games and more.
The Gateway PTO meets on the third Monday of most months at 7:00pm. Our PTO President is Brenda Zelenka. Email our PTO at gatewaypto@
gmail.com.
Parent-Teacher Conferences: week of October 11th

www.sjredwings.org • 501 W. Sickels • PO Box 230 • St. Johns, Michigan 48879 • (989) 227-4001 7
 Get involved. Stay involved.

Oakview
Oakview has an active PTO; we meet on the third Monday of each month at 7:00pm in the Media Center. Our PTO President is Marcy Clarke.
Email our PTO at oakviewpto@gmail.com, and find more information via the Oakview web page by clicking on PTO Corner in the Menu.
Parent-Teacher Conferences: October 14th and 15th

Riley
Parents are encouraged and welcomed to volunteer in the classrooms in many capacities. Some parents work directly with students, while
other parents assist teachers with their clerical work.
Our PTO president is Nicole Michalski. Find more information via the Riley web page by clicking on PTO in the Menu.
Parent-Teacher Conferences: week of October 11th

St. Johns High School

Our High School staff will be hosting Curriculum Night/Meet the Teacher Night on Monday, September 13th from 7:00-8:30pm. Please come
to school and follow your student’s schedule, meet his/her individual teachers, and learn what is being taught in each class. We’ll even have
refreshments for you in the media center.
Parent-Teacher Conferences: October 14th, 5-8pm and October 15th, 9-11am

St. Johns Middle School

Parent-Teacher Conferences: week of October 11th

www.sjredwings.org • 501 W. Sickels • PO Box 230 • St. Johns, Michigan 48879 • (989) 227-4001 8
 Allied Health Internships Via
CCRESA Career Connections
Our St. Johns High School students can experience
multiple health care careers, rotating through various
health care settings including Clinton Memorial Hospital,
doctor’s offices, dental clinics, ambulance services,
physical therapy and pharmacies. These experiences
guide them as they determine their educational and
career paths after high school.
This internship opportunity caps the two-year Allied
Health program available through CCRESA Career
Connections. During the first year, students take four
Lansing Community College classes with the chance to
earn college credit. Students may then choose to apply
for an Allied Health Internship during the second year.
LCC instructor Karen Stutzman, MSN and RN, notes
“This internship is not for every student. The student
must be responsible, respectful, and self motivated.”
The Clinton County Regional Educational Service
Agency (CCRESA) Career Education Department
“ It’s a win-win situation. Students have the chance
to see the day-to-day expectations of various health care
careers. The employers have the ability to foster students

”
and mentor those that could be our future
provides career focused education programs. For more health care providers.
information, please contact your high school counselor, LCC instructor Karen Stutzman, MSN and RN
visit CCRESA’s website at www.ccresa.org, or call the
Career Connections department at 989-224-6831.

www.sjredwings.org • 501 W. Sickels • PO Box 230 • St. Johns, Michigan 48879 • (989) 227-4001 9