Schools

In Brief: School Board Hires 2 New Administrators, Student Artists Honored

A round-up of news from Tuesday night's school board meeting at Amerman Elementary School.

Two new administrators hired

The Northville Board of Education voted Tuesday night to approve the contracts of two administrators, including the replacement for who will assume the role of superintendent on July 1.

Taking over Gallagher's spot as assistant superintendent of instruction for the district is Robert Behnke, who will be coming to Northville from Lakeland High School in White Lake where he is the principal.

The board approved a two-year contract at $133,735 annually. He was one of 58 applicants.

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Gallagher announced the decision, saying of Behnke that he has demonstrated “success in instructional leadership.”

The board also approved the contract of a new human resources director. David Rodgers – who is currently director of instruction and administrative services for the White Hall district in western Michigan – will assume the post on July 1.

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His two-year $131,180 annual contract was unanimously approved.

Friends of Northville makes big donation

The Friends of Northville Parks and Recreation presented the Northville Educational Fund with a $100,000 check to purchase artificial turf for the high school.

Township trustee and Friends of Northville Parks and Recreation member Marv Gans was on hand to present the donation to the foundation. He told the crowd that the group is a “rather quiet, behind-the-scenes group.”

“We’re very pleased we can do this,” he said. “It can be used by the community. That’s why it fits our bylaws.”

Amerman wins award for science improvements

A representative from School Employers Trust and School Employers Group (SET SEG) presented principal Steven Anderson with a 2011 Education Excellence Award and road sign to hang on Eight Mile near the school.

The honor was awarded because of Amerman’s strides in excellence in science, including increased scores in the MEAP science test.

Student art to be displayed in district offices

Students were recognized at the meeting for being selected to donate their art to the school district.

The work of the students, who range from elementary to middle to high school, will be displayed in the district offices. Each year, teachers select students to display their art.

This year’s selected student artists are:

  • Kylie McKaskill, third grader at
  • Miranda Esser, first grader at
  • Sam Fielden, third grader at Amerman Elementary
  • Sarah Naughtin and Paige Molloy, third graders at
  • Elizabeth O’Connor, third grader at
  • Morgan Vos, second grader at
  • Colin DuQuet, eighth grader at
  • Hyeji Cho, eighth grader at
  • Lauren Lovdahl, senior at
  • Taiki Fujimori, senior at Northville High School
  • Samantha Sergi, senior at Northville High School
  • Claire McIntire, senior at Northville High School

School board opts out of Schools of Choice

The board voted to opt out of Schools of Choice, a program which would allow students from outside of the district boundaries to elect to attend Northville through open enrollment.

That is something the district cannot handle because it does not have excess capacity, said board president Joan Wadsworth.

The district currently has a similar provision which allows about 30 children of employees to attend Northville schools.

“Once we bring kids in, they’re in for the rest of their academic careers,” board member Ken Roth said.

He added that the cost to keep them in Northville schools would fall on the district from the point at which they come into the district until they graduate.


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