New Buffalo school board accepts letters of retirement from high school principal, longtime teacher

SCHOLASTICS

New Buffalo school board accepts letters of retirement from high school principal, longtime teacher

BY FRANCESCA SAGALA

Members of the New Buffalo Area Schools Board of Education accepted, with regret, letters of retirement from two long-serving members of New Buffalo Area Schools at their Monday, March 28, meeting.

Board members accept the letter of retirement from high school principal Wayne Butler, effective Friday, Aug. 19, 2022.

In his letter, Butler said that the “16 years that I have served New Buffalo Area Schools and community have been some of the most enriching and rewarding experiences in my professional career.”

“Thank you for the opportunity to serve as a member of the Bisonstrong team,” he said.

Board members accepted the letter of retirement from Rebecca Hartley, sixth grade teacher, effective July 29, 2022.

In her letter, Hartley, who’s been a teacher at New Buffalo for 43 years, said her “road trip” there began when she was in a Title One position at the elementary school before switching to the middle school, where she educated “in excess of 2,500 young minds.”

“I’m not sure where this next road will lead, but I’m thankful that New Buffalo was a part of my road trip,” the letter said.

Before expressions from the public, board president Lisa Werner read from the school district’s agreement that it has with the city regarding an SRO that states that the “district shall be involved in the selection of process of this officer who is selected to serve as a school resource officer; however, the chief of police shall make the final determination of who serves as school resource office.” Mike Cluster is being replaced as school resource officer at the middle/high school, with New Buffalo Police Sgt. Russell Tillery being named to the position. Parent Jacqueline Odenwald said that one of her daughters, who’s been attending school here for nine years, has been bullied every day. She said her sister had her “feet removed off the ground and she was body slammed” and the school “did nothing.”

“The middle school principal thinks I’m supposed to teach my daughter a better way to deal with bullies because doing his job is too hard,” she said, adding that the “one person she could go to that she trusted is gone – that’s shameful.”

Keith Carlson, director of operations, gave a yearly report.

He said that NBAS employs eight full time custodians and two part time groundskeepers (one full time and one-part time in summer).

Each day, the custodial staff cleans 204,000 sq. /ft. of floor space, including all restrooms and locker rooms, as well as cleans transportation, fieldhouses and the multiplex press box. The custodians average 25,500 sq/ft cleaned every day.

As scientific evidence changed concerning surface contact contamination and contagion of Covid-19 and variants, cleaning protocols have changed in the district. Classrooms are no longer required to be disinfected between changes and specials. Teachers continue to have disinfectant and wipes at their disposal should they wish to disinfect their classrooms.

Projects for 2022 include completing the new STEAM, Recreation, and Pavilion project. The high school/ middle school courtyard project has been completed, as well as the tennis court lighting. The installation of new high school/middle school skylights will take place next week.

Board members also heard an update on the district’s technology from Jacob Stella, technology director.

The one-to-one district currently has over 200 iPads, approximately 350 Chromebooks in second through eighth grade, 36 Kindles in the middle school, about 200 MacBook Airs for students, 85 MacBooks for staff, 24 Windows desktops in the SmartLab, 12 Windows laptops throughout the district, and 15 Promethean SmartBoards. Projects for the 2021-2022 school year have included replacing Chromebooks in second grade and the middle school, adding a set of 30 Chromebooks and laptop cart to the Bison Afterschool Enrichment (BASE) program, replacing older sound systems, implementing a new PowerSchool enrollment system, and adding wireless internet around the

In her letter, back side of the elementary school.

Hartley, who’s Board members approved the been a teacher at proposal from TPC Technologies,

New Buffalo for Inc. for Performing Arts Center 43 years, said her Enhancements in the amount of “road trip” there began when she was in a Title One position at the $244,836.40. Superintendent Dr. Jeff Leslie said that the list of enhancements includes elementary school replacing all sound systems and light before switching to systems, the curtains and “all the the middle school, bells and whistles to get this up to the where she educated capabilities the kids and staff deserve.” “in excess of 2,500 Board members approved the young minds.” proposal from Custer for furniture for the STEAM building (which Leslie said is “starting to come to completion”) in the amount of $29,184.75. The employment of Rich Knoll as 2022 varsity assistant softball coach was approved. Board members did a first reading of the following board policies: 1616 - Staff Dress and Grooming, 3216 - Staff Dress and Grooming, 4160D - Bus Driver Qualifications-Diabetes, 4216 - Support Staff Dress and Grooming, 5511 - Dress and Grooming, 6110 - Grant Funds, 6114 - Cost Principles - Spending Federal Funds, 6325 - Procurement - Federal Grants/Funds.

AREA EGG HUNTS COMING NEXT MONTH

The New Buffalo American Legion Post 169 will host an Easter Egg Hunt at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 16.

The hunt will feature three age group waves, with prizes in every egg. Children can also enjoy a visit from the Easter Bunny and a complimentary bag lunch, courtesy of the New Buffalo Business Association.

The Legion is located at 19139 U.S. Highway 12 in New Buffalo.

The Lakeside Association will once again sponsor its popular Easter Egg Hunt at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 16, in Lakeside Park (Lakeside Road and Red Arrow Highway) next to the Gazebo.

The fun afternoon for children as well as adults will include the Easter Bunny generously delivering many eggs, so guests should bring a basket for snatching up these treats. Prizes and fun activities will be featured for all. —

STAFF REPORTS

‘BEN’S FRIENDS’ TO MEET NEXT MONTH AT BREWSTER’S

Ben’s Friends, a national support group for people in the hospitality industry struggling with addiction, has launched a New Buffalo chapter. The first meeting will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday, April 18, at Brewster’s Italian Café (11 W. Merchant Street). Meetings will be held at the same time and location every Monday thereafter. The chapter will be led by New Buffalo hospitality veterans Konnor and Kim Koch, and will welcome anyone who has found, or is struggling to find, sobriety while working in the food and beverage industry. This new chapter marks the second Michigan-based location for Ben’s Friends, following the support group’s Detroit chapter, and brings a welcoming resource to hospitality workers in the surrounding areas. — STAFF REPORTS

Meeting seeks public input on school sports mergers

BY STAN MADDUX

Input was sought from citizens Tuesday, March 29, on whether the New Buffalo and River Valley school districts should combine more of their school sports programs.

About 30 people at the New Buffalo School Vance Price, a teacher and coach at New Buffalo, said he’s concerned some students will no longer participate in sports from the travel involved between the schools. “I’m worried about transportation. I’m afraid we might lose some of those kids,” he said. Board meeting were informed a 30% decline in student enrollment at both high schools since 2009 has made finding enough players on some teams a real challenge.

The prospects of gaining student enrollment to eliminate the need appear slim because the price of purchasing a home in both districts is out of reach for most young families and the number of children per household nationwide keeps declining, officials said.

“If we don’t want to do this then we need to come up with a solution to this,” said New Buffalo School Board member Chuck Heit.

According to officials, high school enrollment in New Buffalo has fallen from 272 in 2009 to 182 presently.

The number of high school students at River Valley has dropped from 246 to 171 during the same time period.

Both school districts have already merged their football and wrestling programs.

Aaron Kaminski said his 13-year-old son has enjoyed his time in the combined wrestling program.

“Everything worked out just fine,” he said.

High School Athletic Director Matt Johnson said some athletic programs in New Buffalo, like boys’ basketball and girls’ volleyball, have solid participation; however, the need for more student athletes is more pressing for other sports, like baseball and softball.

He said the driving factor behind the idea is not to win more games but to give students the best athletic experience possible.

Johnson said the student experience suffers when teams are not competitive and low numbers also make hiring qualified coaches more difficult.

He said coaches also feel forced sometimes to withhold disciplining players for misconduct to ensure they can field a team.

“We fight it all of the time,” Johnson said.

Other options cited included cancelling some athletic programs so there’s enough students for the remaining sports, requiring students to take part in extracurricular offerings to graduate and making no changes. Johnson said any additional mergers of sports programs would likely start at the middle schools because the process required by the state for doing that is easier and less time consuming than at the high school level. School Board President Lisa Werner said most of the push back to the idea is from adults because of tradition and the long rivalry between the school districts. “The kids just want to play,” she said.

Real Estate Agent Pete Rahm said more affordable housing is the answer to enrollment declines but developers wanting to build here only want to put up expensive homes because they’re more profitable.

He also said his firm sold 76 homes in both school districts last year and out of state buyers up 65% of the sales.

Buyers from outside the area are typically interested in a second home.

“For us to increase enrollment, it’s going to be tough,” he said.

Brendan Duffner, who has three elementary school daughters, urged all of the sports programs to be merged.

Duffner said he’s a college football referee at the Division 3 level and participation in those sports is on the decline.

Fewer students taking part in sports here would exacerbate the problems caused by low enrollment.

“We’re better together than separate in my opinion,” he said.

The River Valley School Board also held a similar meeting Tuesday to discuss the possibility of combining more sports programs.

Werner said the next step is for members of both school boards to meet and share the public sentiments they received along with other data before moving closer to a decision.

Johnson said it’s possible some mergers could happen before the start of school in the fall but more likely prior to the 2023-24 seasons.

SPORTS

From the Bleachers

COLUMN BY KURT MARGGRAF IN CHICAGO

Back in the day, The Byrds

had a hit record. The opening lyrics to their song went like this...“To everything turn, turn, turn. There is a season turn, turn, turn.”

It was true then as March Madness ended the basketball season, the baseball season began in April and ended in September when the football season began. Everything was nice and orderly and each sport had the sports world spotlight shining directly on them.

Over the years, seasons have lengthened and playoffs have expanded, until we get what we have now. While many fans are interested in college basketball, some are looking forward to the beginning of the baseball season and still more are anticipating the football college draft.

As for myself, I’m enjoying all of the activity, but I sometimes yearn for the good old days.

The NCAA basketball tournament started out with all kinds of upsets, and for the first time in history, a team that was seeded 15th advanced to the Elite 8.

Now that we have reached the Final 4 though, we have the usual suspects —Duke takes on North Carolina and Kansas opposes Villanova, and the winners will play for the championship.

I’m usually not very good at prognostications, but I feel that Duke will win one more for Coach K, and Kansas will beat Villanova. Kansas just seems so strong that I believe they will then knock off Duke and be crowned champions.

Maybe next year a dark horse will emerge and we can root for them, but this year the perennial powers are at it again. The great thing about that is all four finalists are playing really well, and we should get a couple of great games.

The beginning of the baseball season is just around the corner, and I’m starting to get excited. All winter long, I was sure that the Cubs were going to be really bad this year but as the season nears I’m starting to think that the playoffs are not out of the question.

I really like the Cubs decision to acquire Japanese slugger Seiya Suzuki. From early reports, Seiya has a great personality and is fitting in with the team already. His presence in the clubhouse will help the team have some fun and he should be their best player on the field.

Pittsburgh and Cincinnati don’t seem to want to compete this season and there will be a couple of extra playoff teams, so if the planets align just right, maybe the Cubs can sneak into the playoffs.

The White Sox seem to be a sure thing, so baseball in Chicago should be fun and exciting.

Marty Rubin said, “Moderation is healthier, but excess is more fun.”

Talk to you next week. Peace, love, and happiness.

Residents protest the proposed Union Green on Red Arrow Highway

The former Riveria Gardens, the site of the proposed Union Green

Residents fight to ‘keep the magic of Union Pier’ at Union Green protest

BY FRANCESCA SAGALA

Residents of Union Pier took to the streets on the snowy morning of Saturday, March 26, to voice concerns over a potential development that they said could drastically alter the all the surrounding communities – Lakeside, Harbert and soon, Sawyer – have one. “In the 1800s and 1900s, what would’ve happened if, in Chicago or New York, somebody didn’t have the foresight to set aside land to be for area’s overall character.

While holding up signs that read “Say No HighDensity Development in Union Pier” and “Keep the Magic of Union Pier,” the group of around 30 people stood around Townline Avenue along Red Arrow Highway in downtown Union Pier before marching across the street to a 1.05-acre site located just down the road.

Once the home of Riviera Gardens (the former structure still sits on the property), the site located at the corner of Red Arrow and Goodwin Avenue is now the proposed location for Union Green.

According to the Impact Statement posted on the Chikaming Township website, it’s being proposed for the development to have 18 dwelling units and one commercial space.

Barb Price, who’s lived in Union Pier for more than 50 years and whose husband’s family has been there since 1935, said the group was protesting because “we don’t want urban development in rural Union Pier.”

“In our wildest dreams, we envision a park but, if there was a development, it should be more like the density of other developments (in the area) – we don’t even see them, they have big trees and landscaping and that’s not the way this one is presented,” she said.

While Price added that development is “inevitable,” she said that one can “try to make it fit in,” such as by keeping the trees.”

“For me, that’s the important part – the greenery,” she said.

Suzanne Koeningberg, who’s had a house in Union Pier since the early 1980s, said the homeowners were concerned about the quaint area becoming “very crowded.”

“This townhouse development would just add to congestion in this area - according to the ordinance, you can have four people to a bedroom, these are three-bedroom units, and 18 units are proposed... There could be hundreds of people on this one-acre lot, and we’re just concerned about the congestion,” she said. She echoed Price’s sentiments that a park would be a better use of the space, adding that enjoyment of the people?” she said. Basia Klincwicz, who’s resided in the community her whole life, was holding a sign that said, “Union Green is Not Regenerative Township Planning.” “It has a beautiful charm that I grew up with that was an escape from the urban setting, from high density and we love people coming around here and whatnot - but we also want to preserve our biosphere,” she said. Klincwicz added that she doesn’t want to see the habitat be destroyed, such as by cutting down trees and building mansions, as it has been in other communities. “I don’t want to see that trend continue – we want to preserve the beauty we have here,” she said.

In July 2021, developer Brad Rottschafer presented the Union Green site plan to the Chikaming Township Planning Commission.

In February, members of the Chikaming Township Planning Commission approved 4-1 an amended plan with conditions that included getting a variance.

At their March 15 meeting, members of the Chikaming Township Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) rejected the variance request that would allow 76% residential use on the first floor along Red Arrow and 100% residential use on the first floor along Goodwin Road.

Per the updated zoning ordinance that was adopted in last November, the property is in the Union Pier Corridor (UPC) portion of the new C-U Union Pier Mixed Use District and Overlay District.

The Union Pier Site Standards table regarding the corridor states the following: “Residential may be allowed in the rear 50% of the floor, however; the front 50% must be for commercial use.” The ordinance goes on to state the following: “Commercial first floor shall extend for the entire width of the front of the building as viewed from the adjoining public street.”