TR school board meeting Monday

Three Rivers Community Schools has called a special meeting for 8 a.m. Monday at Superintendent Roger Rathburn’s office.

The lone agenda item indicates a “resolution to borrow” will be contemplated by the district’s seven-member board of education. The unidentified expense ties in to an energy-conservation project approved by the board earlier this month. The project is part of a Performance Agreement for Comfort, which provides services designed to reduce energy use and operational costs.

The energy-efficiency measures are expected to save the district about $200,000 annually, district officials said.

Paraprofessionals agree to contract

Members of the Three Rivers Community Schools Board of Education earlier this week approved a contract agreement with the district’s team of paraprofessionals.

The union representing the 42-person group of paraprofessionals – the Service Employees International Union – agreed to the one-year contract. Terms of the deal include no changes in salary and a decrease in the number of sick days from 10 to eight.

TR Schools – Reorganizational meeting

Three Rivers Community Schools’ Board of Education will see the positions of president, vice president, secretary and treasurer filled by the same people for the 2010-11 fiscal year as they were the previous year.  Following action at its annual reorganizational meeting Monday, Susan Schmidtendorff was nominated and approved as president, Matt Bradford as vice president, John Rentfrow as secretary and Waneta Truckey as treasurer.  In another matter Monday, Schmidtendorff, Christy Trammell and Pete Bennett were sworn in to begin new terms.

Smaller budget for TR schools

The Three Rivers Community Schools Board of Education has adopted a budget for its 2010-11 fiscal year. The $22.7 million budget reflects a $1.2 million reduction from 2009-10. It will go into effect July 1.

District officials said components of the budget include an expected decrease of 32 students, resulting in a loss of more than $230,000; a total of 169 school days as a result of longer days at all buildings, a measure that translates into a projected savings of $100,000; and the allocation of funding for three new buses, as the district will implement a single-bus run this fall.

In addition, the district hired a dozen new teachers to replace a group of more than 20 who retired within the past month. District officials expect to realize savings through a difference in pay to first-year teachers compared to high-end salaries for veteran staff members.

TR graduates Class of 2010

Three Rivers High School has 177 new alumni, as the class of 2010 was graduated Friday night at the high school gymnasium.

Receiving special acknowledgment was Principal Dan Ryan. The 61-year-old Ryan will be retiring later this month and leaves behind a nine-year legacy as high school principal. Ryan spent 27 of his 30 years in education as an employee of Three Rivers Community Schools.

New principal at TR High School

The position of Three Rivers High School principal is expected to be filled by a 13-year Constantine Public Schools employee.

Jean Logan, 45, has been offered the position currently filled by Dan Ryan. The 61-year-old Ryan is retiring at the end of the month following a 30-year career in education.

Logan’s administrative credentials are two years as assistant principal at Constantine High School and the past three years as principal of the 300-student Constantine Middle School. A Centreville resident, Logan grew up and attended school in Caro, a community in the Thumb region of Michigan.

Logan said she would someday like to be a school district superintendent and saw the opportunity in Three Rivers as a logical next step toward her ultimate goal. Logan and district officials are expected to work out contract details later this month. She will be introduced at the district’s June 21 board of education meeting.

Next Page »