Schools

Sturgis Public Schools hired three teachers this week. District officials during their Monday board meeting approved the employment of Darcy Ford, Megan Wait and Lauren Howell. Ford will teach Great Start Readiness Program at Jerolene School, while Wait and Howell will be assigned separate third-grade classes at Eastwood School.

Glen Oaks Community College officials voted to accept the retirement of president Gary Wheeler effective June 30, 2014. The date is one year earlier than Wheeler’s originally planned final day as GOCC president. Wheeler, who joined the Centreville-area junior college in 2008, voluntarily moved his retirement date 12 months sooner. The offer was affirmed by board members during a special …

The contract for Constantine Public Schools Superintendent Chuck Frisbie was extended into 2016 by district officials this week. Frisbie, who has served five years as chief of the county’s third-largest school district, will remain on board at least through the end of the 2015-16 academic year. District officials gave Frisbie a glowing review during Monday’s board meeting. The 51-year-old Frisbie, …

Last weekend’s Three Rivers Relay for Life event was a success, as event organizers said they surpassed their goal by a slim margin. Danielle Rohrer, 2013 relay for Life chairperson, said this year’s goal was $132,000, and toward the conclusion of the 24-hour event, it surpassed the goal by more than $1,600. A small amount of additional pledge dollars are …

Reconstruction of the tennis courts at Three Rivers High School is underway, as Southern Michigan Bank & Trust has been selected to provide the loan for the project. In action at last week’s Three Rivers Community Schools Board of Education meeting, members adopted a resolution for an installment purchase agreement with SMB&T for a loan in excess of $550,000. Homer-based …

It appears Three Rivers Community Schools Superintendent Roger Rathburn will finish his career with the district. Rathburn and Paw Paw Public Schools Superintendent Mark Bielang were the finalists for the job of superintendent of Portage Public Schools. Portage officials announced Friday afternoon their decision to offer the post to Bielang. The 50-year-old Rathburn made public last year he would be …

After a ten-year hiatus, Glen Oaks Community College is pleased to announce it has recently completed maintenance and restoration work on three of the six tennis courts on campus and they are now open for public use. “Our maintenance crews patched up quite a few cracks, some of which were pretty severe,” said Bruce Zakrzewski, dean of finance and administrative …

The Three Rivers Community Schools Board of Education is looking toward the selection of a new superintendent to succeed Roger Rathburn who has announced his intention to retire from his current post in 2014. Since making his announcement, Rathburn has also surfaced as one of two finalists for the position of superintendent for the Portage Public Schools. The selection issue …

The Three Rivers Area Community Foundation (TRACF) has awarded over $20,000 through scholarship endowment funds. The TRACF has been serving the Three Rivers area and surrounding townships since 1975. Its mission is to build endowment funds and redistribute those investment returns back into the hands of the community. By focusing on people, organizations, and sustainability, the Foundation addresses community needs …

The Southwestern Michigan College Board of Trustees adopted the college’s 2013-2014 operating budget during its June 17 meeting held on the Dowagiac campus. The budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 is a balanced budget of $22,824,000. Board Chairman Dr. Fred L. Mathews said, “Southwestern Michigan College has adopted a structurally balanced budget each and every year since the …