New principal Amy Scott has named science teacher Kevin St. Onge to be lead teacher for kindergarten through-grade12 at Les Cheneaux Community Schools. It is a leadership and administrative role he will serve in addition to teaching classes, and Mrs. Scott announced her decision at the Monday, August 18, school board meeting.

Also discussed at the meeting was the resignation of one staff member and another faculty member, and final changes to teaching assignments.

The choice to have one lead teacher for all three schools, versus

one for the high-school and another for the middle and elementary schools, is part of Mrs. Scott's vision to streamline the district's administration and create a system in which the school functions as one cohesive unit, she explained.

Her decision was supported by a unanimous school board vote.

The move toward a single administration was initiated by the school board this spring, when it chose to hire one principal to replace former Elementary Principal Eric Cardwell and High School Principal Randy Schaedig, noted trustee and board secretary Marcia Perkins.

Mr. St. Onge will lead special projects, such as revision of the school handbook, professional development, and a school leadership team, assist teachers to implement the Michigan Merit Curriculum, and mete discipline when Mrs. Scott is out of the building. He also will serve as a a liaison between the faculty and the administration.

If successful, the lead teacher position will be made permanent, noted Superintendent Rod Goehmann.

Mrs. Scott announced that the district will provide five full days of kindergarten, rather than four, to allow the young students more time to learn the basics.

Mr. Goehmann explained that the state legislature plans to mandate all districts provide five days of kindergarten within the next five years, so doing so now at Cedarville makes the district more competitive. Several other area districts have also implemented five day kindergarten programs, he said.

Middle-school and high-school special education teacher Kim Cardwell has resigned to take a similar position in Rogers City, and Les Cheneaux Community Schools, which has less than two weeks to fill the position, is now interviewing candidates, Mr. Goehmann announced.

It is a difficult position to fill on short notice, he said, owing to the expertise needed to provide 20 to 30 students with specialized instruction. If a suitable candidate is not found soon, the district will hire a long-term substitute teacher, he said.

The final components of the school's master schedule have been completed. Changes have been made since last month to help guide the large number of students who signed up for online classes through Michigan Virtual High School (MVHS) during the first hour of the school day. To help guidance counselor Patricia Feldhake monitor the MVHS students, social studies teacher Scott Barr has been assigned to mentor the 12 first-hour students. Most of the trustees said they like that idea, because if frees up Ms. Feldhake during first hour, a prime time for her counseling services.

Carl McIntire was the lone trustee to vote against the measure, saying Ms. Feldhake was hired to be MVHS class mentor and should be there for the first hour, too.

Mrs. Scott said she remains coordinator throughout the day, but monitoring of the large number of students for the first hour is needed.

Another major change in the schedule is designed to ensure that Dawn Wilcox remains focused exclusively on literacy programs to help struggling elementary school students. She had been scheduled to teach sixth grade for one-half of each day. Christine Cloud is now assigned that responsibility.

The sixth grade will be moved to the elementary wing of the school for one-half of the school day. Mr. Goehmann explained that this is simply a location change and does not reflect a change in educational philosophy.

Custodian Glenda Opolka has resigned, and Mr. Goehmann said the job will be posted, with interviews expected to begin soon.

A new source of revenue for the district will be seen this fall when Les Cheneaux Community Schools business manager Kris Hill begins to keep accounts payable and provides other financial services for the Ewen-Trout Creek Consolidated Schools, which chose to contract for its financial services as a cost-cutting measure. The Eastern Upper Peninsula Intermediate School District got the bid and subcontracted components to the Les Cheneaux and Tahquamenon school districts.

The value of Les Cheneaux's contract is $10,000. Some of the funds will augment Mrs. Hill's income and some will benefit the district directly, but Mr. Goehmann said the amounts have yet to be determined.

There will be an open house at the school Tuesday, August 26, from, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., for parents of middle school and elementary school students. Parents will meet Mrs. Scott and complete education forms for their children.

Completing paperwork ahead of time is part of an effort to ensure that the maximum amount of school time is used for education, Mrs. Scott said. Parents on vacation or otherwise unable to attend will be able to fill out the forms and return them to the school office.