Transforming the natural gas heating system at St. Ignace Area Schools to one that burns wood chips will be studied under a program designed to save money and stimulate the forest products industry in the U.P. Meeting Monday, January 12, the St. Ignace Board of Education approved the study, which will provide specifications, a layout, and construction drawings, and include information on the availability of an affordable supply of wood.

The total cost of the study is between $6,000 and $7,500, with half of the expense covered by a grant from the U.S. Forest Service. The school will chip in between $3,000 and $3,750.

Project BURN-UP was designed to stimulate the development of Upper Peninsula's woody biomass industry and is sponsored by the U.P. Resource Conservation and Development Council.

A preliminary study done last fall revealed the school could save about $79,000 a year in heating costs. About $580,000 would be needed to convert the school to the biomass heating system. A grant might be available to fund the conversion, said Superintendent Mike Springsteen, who recommended the board approve the feasibility study. Otherwise, it would take about eight years to amortize the change-over cost with the savings.

The seats of two board members, Jane Weiss and Rick Litzner, will be on the May 5 school election ballot. Mrs. Weiss, who said she will run again, came on the board completing 10 months of a vacated seat and has been elected to two additional terms. She is the current president of the board. If Mr. Litzner runs again, it would be his fifth term on the board. Currently serving as vice-president, he said he is not sure if he will run.

School board terms are four years.

Mr. Springsteen said he often gets asked about bus funding, although it is not on the ballot this year. Voters, he said, approved a bus millage in 2004 to levy 0.21 mills. That is set to expire in 2011. The school's oldest bus was built in 1997 and is used as a backup vehicle. Bus mechanic Randy Gustin, he said, has done a good job with a preventative maintenance program.

A reception was held at the beginning of the meeting to recognize school board members for their work and for volunteering their time to serve on the board. Mr. Springsteen told about 20 people who had gathered for the reception that each board member attends one board meeting a month and at least one committee meeting. The foundation of a successful school, he said, is a good school board.

LaSalle seniors and band members Angela Cena and Nickole Lanczak read a letter of appreciation to the board and Mr. Springsteen presented plaques.

Board members in addition to Mrs. Weiss and Mr. Litzner are secretary Cathy Campbell, treasurer Mike Grogan, and trustees Sean Arthur, David Latva, and Ann Massey.

The board is in the process of evaluating the superintendent and themselves.

The board was asked for a letter of support for a five-year grant program designed to increase physical activity in the school and community. The board took no action Monday having just received the information, but is expected to address it at the committee level and make a decision at its next meeting.

The program is being offered to the seven-county service area of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, who received the grant. It was awarded to seven communities around the country by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Funding is $160,000 for the first year and $400,000 for each of the next four years.

Mackinac and Chippewa counties would be the focus of the first two years of the program. The tribe is seeking one school in each of the two counties to begin the program. Called Strategic Alliance for Health, it would develop ways to support healthy lifestyle behaviors, primarily to combat obesity.

Donna Norkoli, project coordinator with the tribal Health Center, and Mary Pemble- Swiderski, family nutrition educator at Michigan State University Extension, gave the presentation.

Betsy Wheeler gave a presentation on the Accelerated Reader program, demonstrating how parents can track a child's progress on the Internet and receive e-mail alerts each time the child completes a test. The reading program motivates students to read books and tracks what they learn from each story, including vocabulary. Mrs. Wheeler is the middle school librarian, a teacher's aide, and the LaSalle High School yearbook advisor.

LaSalle English teacher Kathy Schacht updated the board on the spring trip planned for England and France with 16 students from ninth grade through twelfth grade. Five adults will supervise the group.

LaSalle High School

Principal Don Gustafson said 44% of high school students, or 102 students out of 232 at the school, are participating on an athletic team. That is a high percentage, he said, and does not include other student programs like band or music. Extracurricular activities have a positive relationship to later success of a student, he said.

"We have a lot of student that are involved," he said. "It helps them learn time management and a commitment to responsibilities."

Middle School

Principal Gregg Fettig said that sixth grade social studies and science teacher Heather Brady will begin her Michigan Mathematics and Science Teacher Leadership Collaborative Assignment this week at the Eastern Upper Peninsula Intermediate School District (ISD). She will be working at schools around the district all semester. The program will explore the best practices and strategies in teaching science. She will report her findings to teachers in the district and work with Lake Superior State University science and biology professors and Michelle Ribant, a science curriculum consultant with the ISD.

Rachel Wallin, a qualified middle school science teacher, will be her long-term substitute teacher. A grant from the program will pay for Ms. Wallin's salary.

The spelling bee competition for grades five through eight will begin in the next few weeks. St. Ignace will host the district spelling been Thursday, February 5, at 1:30 p.m. Schools participating include St. Ignace, Moran Township, Mackinac Island, and Engadine.

Two students from each grade level will be chosen to qualify for regional competition.

Elementary School

Principal Kari Visnaw said an Internet-based computer program, Power School, tracks students' assignments and test scores and is being used by 45% of parents. The program allows students and parents to view grades online as soon as they are posted by the teacher.

Mrs. Visnaw said, although parent usage is not high, it is showing progress in the school's efforts to communicate with families.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the board went into closed session to discuss an offer it has received to purchase a building that could be used as a bus garage. No decision was made.

The school board next meets Monday, February 9, at 7 p.m. in the middle school library.