12-28-2017 Hartford Schools look forward to the New Year 2018;

CHAMPIONS… The Watervliet High School wrestling team won the Calvin Christian Team Duals Championship on December 9, 2017 in Grandville, MI. Standing are (from the left): Manager Emma Yazel; Isaiah Yazel – 2nd Place 152 lb; Team Captain Logan Swigart; Team Captain Klayton Marshall – 1st Place 135 lb; Assistant Manager Cody Nearpass; Team Captain Dylan Lynch – 2nd Place 160 lb; Jessee Height; Trever Pelton – 1st Place 103 lb; Jimmy Collis; Coby Hensley; and Coach Dan Isbrecht. Kneeling (from the left): Team Cap-tain Matthew Melcher – 1st Place 285lb; Cole Hunt; Korben Camp; Dillon Clemons – 2nd Place 112lb; and Alex Isbrecht – 2nd Place 119lb.

Hartford Schools look forward to the New Year 2018

By Jon Bisnett

The final 2017 Hartford Board of Education meeting on Thursday, Dec. 21 ended the year on an uptick with a positive Superintendent evaluation, unanticipated income, a new Business Manager and cake!

Superintendent Evaluation

 For the second consecutive year Hartford Superintendent Andrew Hubbard received solid marks from the closed session evaluation from the board conducted at the workshop meeting earlier in December. Hubbard scored on “Effective” rating described by Board President Ben Chambers as just a couple points shy of “Highly Effective” rank.

Responding to a post meeting interview question, the fact that the board did not extend Hubbard’s contract in the case of a positive review, Chambers stated, “His current contract was signed in February 2016, and was an extension that began in July 2016 and is good thru 2019. It had a merit pay increase and slight salary increase at that time. I know it’s typical for automatic renewals and/or extensions at evaluation time, but we are currently not set up that way. The entire board did not feel we needed to act after the completed evaluation in December 2016 as we just signed an extension thru 2019 a few months prior.

“My goal as Board President will be to have our committee meet this coming January or February and bring a new contract extension to the entire Board in March. We will also be reviewing language to try to clean things up and moving forward, I would like to see an extension or automatic renewal based on an effective or higher evaluation each December.

“Mr. Hubbard and the entire district worked extremely hard over the last few years on goals the Board of Education set as well as the primary focus of our Strategic Plan. I am very happy with the strides the District has made and the future we are moving toward. Mr. Hubbard’s leadership has been outstanding, and we will look at all the information as we look to extend his contract early in 2018.”

Finance Report

 Mike Hallgren thanked the Board for his retirement cake that preceded the meeting with the best kind of news his office can provide. Hallgren reports revenue is up by some $900,000 with expense increased to just over $600,000, leaving a projected surplus of $240,000 to equity. Hallgren noted the increased expense reflected the 1% across the board employee raises, while the additional revenue came from the increase in enrollment of 73 students. Casino revenue was also up while expenses also accounted for a new bus purchase, land acquisition near Redwood Elementary and the cost of the driver for the new city bus route. Hallgren thanked the Board for the opportunity to serve the school and was pleased to present this most positive budget amendment on his final appearance as Business Manager. He leaves the District with a positive equity position of 21%.

Newly hired Business Manager, alumnus Rebecca Drake, who has been sharing the desk with Hallgren for the last month, will head the business office come January.

Busses

 The District fleet is almost in-sync with the addition of two busses joining the fleet in calendar 2018. One will come from the 2017 budget and the latter from 2018 funding. The oldest bus in the current fleet is 17 years old and was red-flagged during a recent safety inspection. A $3-$4,000 repair will keep the bus in service until replacements arrive. By the end of 2018 the District will be back at full strength of 10 route busses and four back-ups.

Service Fund

A recommended amendment to the School Service Fund (lunch program) projects a revenue increase of $1,479 and expense of $9,565 for a projected deficit of $961, also reflective of the 1% salary increase to all staff.

Construction Fund

 A recommended amendment to the Construction Fund budget anticipates an increase in revenue due to various grants and energy savings rebates, while expenses of $456,838 expect to expense out all remaining contingency monies during 2018, leaving a zero balance.

Middle School Class Trip

 Teacher Jennifer Stubbs received unanimous approval from the Board for the Middle School trip to Washington D.C. for the dates of May 20 thru May 24, 2018. This is Stubbs fourth trip for the Middle School to visit the nation’s capital which will again feature the honor of placing a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown at Arlington Cemetery.

Superintendent Report

 Superintendent Andy Hubbard briefly reflected on a positive year for the District and sincerely thanked Mike Hallgren for all his mentoring and an outstanding job at keeping the District finances afloat. Hubbard looks forward to carrying on with the Board’s long-range plan objectives for 2018.

Student Activities

 Student Representative Olivia Ziemer shared holiday events throughout the High School including the annual National Honor Society shopping trip to help less fortunate students buy gifts for their families.

Reindeer Games will end the final day of school before the break.

President Chambers wished all a Happy Holiday as he adjourned the final meeting of 2017.

The Board meets next for the annual organizational session on Thursday, January 11 at 7:00 p.m.

Free youth mental health first aid courses offered

 Community members are invited to attend a series of free mental health first aid training courses on Wednesdays, January 10, 17, and 24 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Second Chance Church located within the Orchards Mall in Benton Harbor. All three sessions must be completed for certification.

The course is designed for adults who regularly interact with adolescents and teaches participants how to assist young people experiencing a mental health crisis until appropriate help is received or until the crisis resolves. Training reviews typical adolescent development, teaches a five step action plan to help young people in crisis, and helps participants understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders.

A training manual and certification is provided upon completion. Preregistration is required; call (269) 556-2808 or (866) 260-7544.

Senior Services

Hartford United Methodist Church, 425 E. Main St.

Monday, January 1, all sites and offices CLOSED Happy New Year!

Tuesday, January 2 Social/Coffee Hour, 10:00-11:30 a.m.; Tai Chi, 11:30 a.m.; LUNCH served at 12:30 p.m.; Card Games/ Euchre/ Hand and Foot/ Computer Help/ Crocheting, Knitting & Quilting, 1:30 p.m.

Friday, January 5 Social/Coffee Hour, 10:00-11:30 a.m.; Tai Chi, 11:30 a.m.; LUNCH served at 12:30 p.m.; Card Games/ Euchre/ Hand & Foot, 1:30 p.m.

All seniors, age 60 and older, residing in Van Buren County are eligible to participate in these programs and activities.

Any questions or comments, please contact Senior Services Paw Paw office at 269-655-8000. Rides are available from Van Buren Public Transit with no less than 24-hour advance notice at (269) 427-7921.

Coloma School Board adopts Governance Standards

By Annette Christie

The Coloma Community Schools Board of Education took a major step toward demonstrating its commitment to governing effectively on behalf of the students and communities it serves by formally adopting the Board of Education Governance Standards at its December 11 meeting.

“We are excited to be among the first school districts in Michigan to adopt the Board of Education Governance Standards,” stated Board President Heidi Ishmael.

The Board of Education Governance Standards were developed by school board members for school board members through the Michigan Association of School Boards. The Standards provide a shared, research-based framework for effective school board governance. Not only do they define the principals that should affect board decision-making, they also identify the specific behaviors of school boards and school board members that contribute to positive outcomes for students. They do so in simple terms as to be easily understood by board members and the entire school district community.

“We believe that adopting these standards locally will help our Board to be more effective and will hold us accountable to each other and our stakeholders,” said Board President Ishmael. “We have standards for students, teachers and administrators and now we have standards for our board as well.”