City of Ironwood's Daily News Source

E-T.C. Students Celebrate Christmas

Story and Photos by Arvo Toolanen
Video by Dan Goll

Ewen - December 17, 2009

Parents and friends attending Tuesday's concert were treated to a two hour concert filled with traditional and joyous holiday music. It was great fun listening to the students from Pre-K to the 12th grade perform at the same show. It certainly was interesting to see how the kids grow and mature in their musical skills.

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Above - video of Elementary School Students singing "Let There Peace On Earth" They did a wonderful job on a song that should set the tone for this joyous holiday season!

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HARLEM WIZARDS -vs- “LOGGERS”

Ewen-Trout Creek School Education Foundation
Presents
HARLEM WIZARDS -vs- “LOGGERS”
for an evening of
Trick Hoopz and Alley -oops !

Saturday, September 26th , 2009
* One show only - 6:00p.m.*

Advanced Ticket price $10.00
Tickets at the door $12.00

Come to Ewen for the Log Jamboree & Stay for the Big Game

Ewen-Trout Creek Gymnasium
Doors open at 5:30p.m. - Game starts at 6:00p.m.

Free autograph session after the game
Harlem Wizard Souvenirs - T-shirts, basketballs, Wizards Team Player pictures, and much more. . . will be sold at the game.
Refreshments will also be available

Photo above - IronwoodInfo.com photo at last year's game

ETC Selects Rayner

Ewen - July 31, 2009

Throwing caution to the wind the Ewen - Trout Creek School board voted 4-3 tonight to offer a contract to James Rayner. Rayner was selected over Manistique Superintendent, John Chandler, strictly on the basis of cost. The part-time position should pay Rayner $450. per day.

In spite of the tumultuous history of Rayner and the I.A.S.D. school district, it was the bottom line that made the difference to the cash strapped school district.

Earlier this week the school board tabled making a decision on the Superintendent position, until the Board President John Pinkerton, could be present to vote on the issue.

Earlier this week, sources inside the IASD told IronwoodInfo that the decision had already been made and that Pinkerton would select Rayner.

Chandler and Rayner came to the E-TC district under two completely different circumstances. Manistique School District was willing to share Chandler's services in order to reduce administration costs. Rayner on the other hand is on his last year with the I.A.S.D., which refused to renew his contract just two weeks ago.

The vote was four to three with Pinkerton, Schott, Driesenger and newly appointed board member, Fred Sliger voting to hire Rayner.

It was Sliger, who last Wednesday made the motion to postpone making the choice until Pinkerton returned.

The only member of the media present was Lou Bonagura from IronwoodInfo.

E-TC Stalls on Administrator Selection

Ewen - July 29, 2009 The E-TC school board met last evening in a regular session that was expected to bring closure to the district's search for a part-time administrator. However, newly appointed board member , Fred Sliger, derailed the selection by requesting that the item be tabled and that the issue be reviewed at another time. The search has come down to two candidates and James Rayner, the embattled superintendent from the IASD. The other candidate is John Chandler, superintendent of the Manistique School District, who is willing to help his current district's expense dilemma by working part-time in a second district. The Manistique district has approved sharing Superintendent Chandler with the E-TC district. Rayner, has one year to go in Ironwood, the 2009-2010 school year. The IASD school board voted not to extend his contract beyond this school year.
Mr. Sig Holkens, a member of the audience requested to speak on the issue. He advised the board not to consider Rayner. He cited the fact Rayner, has been a center of controversy, since his hiring on at the Ironwood school district. He went on to say that Rayner, has since lost the support of the citizens and the school board. The school board will reconsider the hiring, Friday evening at 7:00 pm. The District has yet to hire a new principal for the start of the school year.
The only media present for the meeting was Arvo Toolanen and Lou Bonagura from IronwoodInfo.com

Ewen-Trout Creek Announces Fourth Quarter Honor Roll

	Honor Roll 1 all "A's"
	Grade/Year: 06 Berglund, John J 4.00 Grade/Year: 07 Brady, Alexis I 3.91 Brown, Lane J 3.74 Jarvi, Joseph W 3.91 Grade/Year: 08 Besonen, Kaleen J 4.00 Driesenga, Rebekah M 3.95 Lindberg, Drake M 4.00 Grade/Year: 09 Jarvi, Jacob M 3.89 Johnson, Whitney R 3.84 Grade/Year: 10 Kaare, Lacey M 3.89 Robl, Carter S 3.84 Grade/Year: 11 Byrne, Kelsey E 3.95 Gibson, Taylor C 4.00 Pietila, Alissa K 4.00 Grade/Year: 12 Lindberg, Jeffrey S 4.00 Scott, Elizabeth J 3.89
	Honor Roll 2 - 3.0 and Above
	Grade/Year: 06 Anttila, Ryan J 3.67 Cribb, Alexis R 3.24 Driesenga, Tanner M 3.33 Isabel, Cody A 3.43 Johnson, Tia M 3.06 Metas, Andrew M 3.38 Moilanen, Jacob M 3.76 Niemi, Molly M 3.62 Potvin, Zachary J 3.19 Schaad, Alexandrea N 3.05 Sliger, Tess O 3.17 White, Sadi R 3.14 Grade/Year: 07 Besonen, Cheyenne T 3.09 Fisher, Jacklynn A 3.39 Galloway, Chloe N 3.28 Hautamaki, Mitchell Z 3.22 Hearns, Nicholas M 3.50 Hinds, Jerad C 3.24 Moilanen, Mariah K 3.10 Niemi, Taylor J 3.76 Oakgrove, Isiah R 3.10 Perttula, Gerald S 3.38 Powelson, Kimberly D 3.22 Sexton, Melissa J 3.67 Warnke, Rebecca S 3.28 Grade/Year: 08 Besonen, Cole L 3.45 Borseth, Michael T 3.61 Gordon, Dillon S 3.72 Hazen, Alexander M 3.33 Hemming, Rebecca L 3.10 Isabel, Beverly J 3.19 Kauss, Keith W 3.11 Maki, Logan A 3.28 Maves, Elizabeth A 3.62 McGeshick, Zoey V 3.90 Sexton, Cassandra A 3.62 Shauver, Melinda N 3.11 Sliger, Jillian L 3.89 Tapani, Alaina M 3.56 Grade/Year: 09 Berndt, Misty D 3.72 Borseth, Corren C 3.17 Grayvold, Daniel A 3.89 Johnson, Rae Ann M 3.00 LaPlant, Jordan M 3.72 Nordine, Jonathon L 3.06 Pietila, Sabrina E 3.67 Tahtinen, Ryan G 3.33 Grade/Year: 10 Gwyn, Paige E 3.72 Helppi, Rebecca A 3.71 Jarvi, Emily J 3.67 Lannet, Colin A 3.45 Laudicina, Katherine E 3.83 Livingston, Daniel J 3.61 Livingston, David A 3.56 Grade/Year: 11 Abramson, Paul A 3.22 Brown, Alex G 3.00 Freund, Leslie W 3.34 Hintze, Brittney E 3.43 Mayle, Christopher A 3.61 Grade/Year: 12 Ahlskog, Colin M 3.83 Berger, Lucas E 3.06 Cummings, Brittany N 3.33 Dembraski, Benjamin M 3.50 Freund, Brenda C 3.06 Gustafson, Mary G 3.89 Hazen, Robert E 3.09 Johnson, Shane M 3.33 Macias, Hailey A 3.28 Miskovich, Jackie J 3.67 Roberts, Ashley E 3.34 Sironen, Justin M 3.00 Tulppo, Blake R 3.45 Ursitti, Max H 3.22
	Congratulations to All the Honor Roll Students and to the 12th Grade Honor Roll Students Great Job and Good Luck in your future pursuits!

Ewen-Trout Creek
4th Annual Variety Show

Ewen - May 18, 2009

The Ewen - Trout Creek School presented it's fourth annual variety show this past Friday. The show was a great success. Performances consisted of singing, musical, and dancing acts. There were also two skits performed in the show.

There was also a dance performance by Makenzie & Cameron Polkky which was self choreographed .

All the performers did a really terrific job on stage. There was only one glitch with a compact disk that temporarily stalled one act. But, the young troopers Breann Kugler & Madelyn Cronkright hung in there until the audio was repaired. Unshaken by the glitch the girls tried several times before completing their song "Love Story". They did a great job.

One of the skits showcased a swami who told several students their fortunes, or to be more accurate "Their Misfortunes" . Finally after several bad fortunes the swami was given the boot.

Another skit was done to the rap song "Little Miss Riding Hood" Daniel Grayvold sang the song and played the part of the wolf. It was a really good performance. Those who regularly attend the musical productions at ETC know that they can expect a first class performance from the very talented Daniel Grayvold.

Pictured above Ava Moilanen opening the show singing "Our Song"

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Ewen Trout Creek School District
Still in Charge of its Own Destiny

Ewen - March 31, 2009

A large number of ETC's employees, parents and students came to the Monday evening school board meeting to find out what the board intended to do about the current school deficit. The district has a 1.5 million dollar deficit.
The Superintendent gave the school board until the close of business March 30th to submit an acceptable deficit reduction plan to the State Department of Education.

All of those gathered for the disposition of the staffing changes waited through a closed session that lasted more than one hour.

When the board meeting returned to open session board member, John Pinkerton read a letter received from Michael Flanagan, Superintendent of Michigan Education.

Flanagan thanked the board members for meeting with himself and his staff a few weeks ago. The meeting was done by teleconferencing. Flanagan did not accept an invitation to come to the district and hold the meeting at ETC.

The meeting was also Intended to provide insight in to whether or not it would become necessary to determine that the district has a "serious financial problem" that would require the state to initiate the first steps of the Local Government Fiscal Responsibility Act CPA 72 of 1990).

Flanagan told the board " As you probably know, this could result In the appointment of an emergency financial manager. This individual would be granted responsibility for all financial operations in the district including the authority to renegotiate both employee and service contracts, reprioritize spending and payment schedules, privatize services, recommend the reorganization or consolidation of the district, sell or authorize the disposal or use of assets, and exercise all other authority over school district
. financial decisions. "

As specified by Flanagan "By statute, an emergency financial manager is Installed to right-size a district's financial situation. The manager is appointed for a term of one year. It is likely that a manager would attempt to make all necessary budget reductions Within that one year term, and may do so without the regard or sensitivity a local school board would normally afford In making these decisions. In effect, the local school board would lose its authority to influence those decisions. "

It was Flanagan's viewpoint that "Based on our meeting, I think the district's board and administration have the ability to effect the necessary Changes and I will not proceed with PA 72 at this time. However, that will require the Ewen Trout Creek School Board To make very tough decisions immediately to assure that the district budgets for 2008-09 and following years show significant progress In eliminating the deficit.

The State Superintendent made it perfectly clear that the Ewen-Trout Creek Consolidated District must provide a Deficit Elimination Plan that meets the following requirements:

The DEP must show a positive fund balance at the end of Fiscal Year 2011-12. In keeping with our policy In other districts; we will expect the district to show an approximate annual deficit reduction of $500,000 until It disappears completely In June of 2012.

The DEP must provide assurance that the district Is working in cooperation with the Gogebic Ontonagon Intermediate School District to develop a plan for shared services. The DEP narrative should Include mention of the services consolidated and a planned implementation date. We will follow up with separate correspondence to Bruce Mayle at the ISD to facilitate thIs process.

The local school board must provide assurance that it has seriously contemplated all current employee contracts and begun to reduce the staffing and expenditures to levels commensurate with the revenue and pupil counts, We would also encourage the board to explore what other districts of similar size and revenue base are doing to provide educational services. We will be looking for the results of this exploration in the expanded narrative portion of the DEP.
Once the DEP is adopted the board must actively participate In the budget process to assure that plan is implemented.
Monthly budgetary control reports showing the district's progress on the plan will be submitted to MDE for review.

Flanagan finished his letter stating "I understand MDE staff members have followed up with you in subsequent weeks and are working with you to develop an appropriate deficit elimination plan. As Indicated In the meeting, however, it is your responsibility to adopt a financial plan and budget to assure that limited financial resources available to the district are utilized lnnovatively and appropriately. As you know; we are quite concerned with the severity of the deficit as the longer a district remains in deficit the more difficult it Is for the board to assure a quality education to current and future pupils. I know you share these concerns and I look forward to hearing of your progress. "

Following the reading of the letter ETC School Superintenden, Lee Lindberg proposed the following corrections to the proposed budget.

Reduce the school year to 147 days
Eliminate one bus route
Eliminate Transportation Director
Reduce BST Teacher, a Phys Ed Teacher and a counselor to 5/7 time
Reduce 2 social studies position to 5/7 time.
Eliminate one elementary 3rd grade teacher position
Eliminate one part-time science/math H.S. position
Eliminate Life Skills teaching position
Eliminate one Jr. High School teaching position

There was as could be expected a great deal of discussion following Mr. Lindberg's announcement. He and the board made it very clear that they were making these cuts because of the state mandate. No one has come forward with a more viable solution to the fiscal dilemma.

The board voted to accept the recommendations of the District Superintendent.