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| Livonia Observer; Sunday, February 24, 2008 | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Feb 24 2008, 11:43 AM (731 Views) | |
| Administrator | Feb 24 2008, 11:43 AM Post #1 |
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'We are still Webster' By Rebecca Jones STAFF WRITER If you stand in one place too long at Taylor Elementary, you'll get spun around, says music teacher Melodie Provencher, one of many people helping prepare the building for Monday's arrival of students. The school they're calling Webster @ Taylor is a whirlwind of activity. For a few days now, trucks have been arriving, with computers, equipment salvaged from Monday's fire at Webster Elementary and donations from parents. A box of new squishy balls was delivered, another good sign, but somebody had to figure out where they go. In the front office a woman called out, "Phone, I need a phone." All the phones were busy. To principal Shellie Moore's amazement, it's all coming together. "(On Thursday), we started getting some of our stuff back," Moore said Friday. "Today, the first boxes of contents from teachers rooms started arriving." The media specialist drew a layout on a dry erase board for carpenters to set up the library. Books, which were not damaged, will arrive the first week in March. It will take a little bit longer to see if music instruments survived despite smoke and water damage, Provencher said. Moore said the school community is eternally grateful for the outpouring of support. Just hours after the suspected arson fire broke out, everyone put their focus on getting Taylor ready. As soon as the heat was turned on, "people were here to help," Moore said. "I have never seen an effort like this before." The school will have an open house for Webster families from 2-4 p.m. today, Sunday, Feb. 24, so students can see where their classrooms are and parents can learn about transportation issues. "I know I'm going to be with the same people, but the whole school is going to be different," fourth-grader Alexann Zahara said. "My class is Room 15, Door 7. I don't get it." Taylor is set up differently. "It's going to take some adjusting for us, but it's nothing we can't manage," Moore said. Things like privacy screens to accommodate special needs of students in the moderately cognitively impaired program will be in place. The school has also been working with local special education directors in 13 other school districts that bus students to Webster. Webster also serves the district's academically talented students. Sixth-grader Alexia Anagnostopoulos cried when she heard about the fire and she's sad she won't be able to graduate from Webster after attending since second grade. "I guess we're just going to have to deal with it," she said. In school, students will work on a memory board, sharing photos and memories of Webster. "It's all part of dealing with the loss," Moore said. "We are still Webster," said program specialist Ellen Stefaniak. Webster students gathered Friday afternoon at the Livonia Community Recreation Center to make decorations for their new school. Fifth-grader Grace Owen thinks going to Taylor will be exciting. "We'll have desks finally," she said, instead of big plastic tubs to hold their stuff and tables to work at. It will be nice to have air conditioning, too. Students set up a blog to share their feelings. A third-grader wrote: "I feel like a million pieces of my heart is breaking. ... I am very sad about all of my stuff being destroyed. I also am sad about all the hard work I have done in art class. ... I hope they find the person who did this to my school and throw him/her in jail." http://www.hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...laUZv8bnzjV4%3D |
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| Administrator | Feb 24 2008, 11:45 AM Post #2 |
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LPS candidates share ideas about enrollment, programs By Rebecca Jones STAFF WRITER Patrice Mang still thinks she can make a positive impact on the Livonia Public Schools board, so after some consideration, she's running again. Greg Oke, in his first year on the school board, said he wants to help make LPS a more competitive district. Tom Bailey, finishing up his first term, said there's work to be done, like improved communication among the community and with legislators who control school funding. The three candidates - with ideas about enrollment, school buildings and educational programs - are running for two seats in May's election. Unlike last year's race, in which the Legacy Initiative decision to close schools factored in just about every discussion, the candidates said that issue will probably take a back seat. "We need to focus on where we're at right now," Mang said. Oke wants to talk about all-day kindergarten, for instance, which he said could pull some young families into the district, and offering Chinese language programs at the high school and middle schools. He'd also like to see the district's aging elementary schools updated. "My goals mainly center around doing things that help the district become more competitive when compared to other districts," Oke said. He said he's tried to talk to people on both sides of every issue. Mang ran against Oke last year for a one-year seat, and Oke said he considers her the strongest of the candidates that didn't get elected then. Mang said, "I still think I would be a good candidate not only for the Board of Education. I would be good for the whole educational system." She is primarily concerned about the loss of students over the past two years and said she will be reaching out to different groups to find out what their concerns are. Bailey said he wants to spend more money on educational programs, such as expanding the career center programs and bringing foreign language to lower grades. The district has taken steps to combat the drop in enrollment, like the partially funded college savings program for incoming kindergartners. He said the school buildings are in good shape, thanks to careful spending of the sinking fund. As for the Legacy Initiative, Bailey said although he voted against it, "once the vote was taken, I got behind my board and supported them 100 percent." "I'm not saying every 't' has been crossed or every 'i' has been dotted, but we're still working on it." http://www.hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/.../802240553/1027 |
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| Administrator | Feb 24 2008, 11:47 AM Post #3 |
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Sidewalk replacement notices coming in April By Alex Lundberg STAFF WRITER Just as the coming of fall means residents have to get ready to rake leaves, the end of winter means Livonia property owners have to take responsibility for replacing broken sidewalk segments. The city is getting ready for the annual sidewalk replacement program which will include 947 locations throughout the city, just less than half of them in Section 22. Section 22 of the city is bordered by Five Mile on the north and Schoolcraft on the south between Farmington and Merriman Roads. The preliminary elements of the program were laid out at Wednesday's city council meeting. According to Public Utility Manager Kevin Roney, this should be old hat to residents by now. "It's our annual program," he said. "Property owners are responsible for covering the costs." The city will go out for bids on the sidewalk work. Once those bids are received and the contractor chosen, a letter will go out informing the residents and letting them know the cost per foot of the city's plan. Those letters will start appearing at property owner's homes and businesses in April. Council President Laura Toy said she'd like to look at the letter beforehand, noting that the wording of the letters "are a little heavy-handed." Council member James McCann said they might be, but again it's nothing new. "The city has to make sure the sidewalks are safe for all residents," he said. "Each citizen is responsible for the care, shoveling and salting the sidewalks need." McCann said the program is only targeting those blocks of sidewalk that are broken and create dangerous situations. He also said letting the city contractor do the work and getting billed afterward is the cheaper choice. http://www.hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/.../802240551/1027 |
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| Administrator | Feb 24 2008, 11:48 AM Post #4 |
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Webster fund-raiser planned A rocking chair and a rug used for second-grade story time, a quiz bowl game, and other touches made Webster Elementary classrooms feel like home to students and teachers are the kinds things that insurance probably won't cover after Monday's fire. The PTA is planning a spaghetti dinner fund-raiser for 6 p.m. Friday, March 7, at Webster's new headquarters, the Taylor Elementary building. "Obviously the school has insurance," said Shelly Morell, mother of a second-grader and organizer for the fund-raiser. "Those things aren't going to be replaced unless we get some money to replace them." A September PTA walk-a-thon raised $14,000, which provided funding for items the teachers requested, like digital cameras, mobility aids and other learning tools. Some of those items arrived a week before the fire. "Those teachers put even more of their own personal money into their classrooms," said Morell, of Westland. Restaurants including Buca di Beppo, Eastside Mario's, Laurel Manor, Corsi's Banquet Center, Luigi's and Valentino's offered to help. Two Westland City Council members pledged funding. Tickets for the fund-raiser are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Organizers plan to serve salad, entrees (including some appropriate items for a Friday in Lent), beverages and desserts. The event is open to families from all the schools. Donations are also being collected for a silent auction. http://www.hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/.../802240546/1027 |
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| George | Feb 24 2008, 09:13 PM Post #5 |
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Advanced Member
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"I'm not saying every 't' has been crossed or every 'i' has been dotted, but we're still working on it." Tom, Isn't it your job to make sure they are? The district should always have the t's crossed and i's dotted on everything and they don't. Somehow you still can't see what's going on can you or maybe you just don't want to believe that there could be major concerns in our school system? What is it going to take to have our board open their eyes? |
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| Nikki | Feb 25 2008, 11:33 AM Post #6 |
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Veteran
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The ceiling could fall on them in the board room and they would'nt even notice. They would just continue with the meeting......the next item on the agenda is.... |
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