Grosse Pointe school board approves
layoffs, looks to greenhouse renovation

The Grosse Pointe Board of Education undertook an unpleasant, but traditional springtime duty at its Monday (April 23) meeting: Approving the layoffs of 13 teachers for the 2012-13 school year.

Some may be called back, depending on enrollment changes over the summer. The notices are contractually required for planning purposes.

Jon Dean, assistant superintendent for human resources, noted this year’s number was considerably lower than previous years, which always exceeded 30. read more...

A hundred Brownell students will
present 'Beauty and the Beast'
 musical

Brownell Middle School students will present "Beauty and the Beast, Jr." on March 27-30. In this classic tale set in a provincial French village, beautiful Belle falls in love with the Beast while trying to fend off the misplaced affections of the conceited Gaston. Will love conquer all and save the day?
read more...

Grosse Pointe North’s
'Anything Goes' banners went

Two banners promoting Grosse Pointe North’s production of “Anything Goes” are missing. The banners were hung up mid-February at Moross and I-94 and Vernier and I-94, and disappeared in the past few weeks. Grosse Pointe North’s Drama Club asks that the banners be returned, no questions asked. For more information, please contact Lorie Kamm at lkamm86@aol.com or 313-808-0462.

Grosse Pointe South student artwork
chosen for national exhibition

A mixed-media piece by Melissa Bryan, a 2011 Grosse Pointe South graduate, is one of 30 student artworks selected from more than 40,000 portfolios worldwide for the AP Studio Art National Student Exhibit. 

Bryan's portfolio was submitted as part of the final exam for South's advanced placement course in studio drawing. Pieces for the exhibition were chosen after a portfolio scoring conducted by educators in high school and college art. read more...

Head Start gets a second chance as
Grosse Pointe school board reconsiders

The changes on the Grosse Pointe school board brought by last November's election became clearer Monday night (Feb. 27), as the group took another run at initiating a Head Start program at Poupard Elementary School. read more...

Grosse Pointe Board of Education
starts year with new alliances

A new superintendent, and a new board, took their seats Monday night (Jan. 23) at the Grosse Pointe Board of Education meeting. And if anyone doubts the landscape is a different one, following the retirement of Superintendent Suzanne Klein and the election of two new board members last November, the actions at Monday's meeting were a reminder. read more...

St. Paul Catholic School's
Forensics Team takes 1st place

St. Paul Catholic School's Forensics Team achieved top honors and walked away with many individual awards in a competition Dec. 10 at St. Thecla School in Clinton Township. read more...

Our Lady Star of the Sea teacher
nominated for national history prize

Paul Ignagni, 7th-grade teacher at Our Lady Star of the Sea School, has been nominated for the 2012 National History Teacher of the Year Award, sponsored by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History in New York.

The award recognizes teachers of grades 7 through 12 who demonstrate a commitment to American history with creativity and imagination in the classroom while effectively using documents, artifacts, historic sites, oral histories and other resources to energize students. read more...

Falling aid may trigger pay cuts
for Grosse Pointe teachers by 2013

When members of the Grosse Pointe Education Association ended a long labor impasse with their approval of a new contract last year, one that linked their compensation to state aid to the district, all were aware that teachers could face pay cuts somewhere down the road.

Few expected it to be so soon. read more...

In run for Grosse Pointe school board, Roeske says he's a 'Boy Scout'

Dan Roeske, 49, says he hopes to bring a “Boy Scout demeanor” to the Grosse Pointe Board of Education. Roeske, left, who has lived in Grosse Pointe for just over 20 years and has three children in the public schools, enjoys racing sailboats, skiing with his family and giving back to the community through participation in Boy Scouts and PTOs.

What do you think is your most important qualification for the school board?

I think that the biggest thing I would bring to the board is a sense of working collaboratively. I’ve been a board observer, and I think that the board can work without being divisive. And I hope that the ability to be collaborative and work together in a cohesive manner – to make sure that we’re all kind of lining up our arrows pointing the right way – is what I’ll bring. read more...