New Buffalo school board approves employment of new band director

SCHOLASTICS

New Buffalo school board approves employment of new band director

Members of the New Buffalo Area Schools Board of Education approved the hiring of Ayrielle Hoyt in the position of high school band director at their Monday, July 28, meeting.

Hoyt will be replacing former director Christina Baumann, who resigned in June after accepting a position at the Lakeshore School District.

“She has big shoes to fill but I think she’s up to the task – she has a great background,” New Buffalo Area Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeff Leslie said, adding that there were nine applicants.

He added that Hoyt has worked for smaller school districts such as New Buffalo as well as bigger ones, like in South Bend.

Hoyt said she taught band at Riley High School in South Bend for eight years and taught band for grades sixth through 12 down near Carbondale, Illinois, for four years before that. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in music education from Illinois State University in Bloomington, Illinois.

BY FRANCESCA SAGALA

“I’m really excited to be here – I got to meet a lot of kids today for pre band camp, so I was really excited to just jump right in and get started,” Hoyt said.

Board members approved the 2022-2023 Athletic Handbook.

Board member Heather Black alluded to a discussion they’d had at the June meeting about the minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA. The following is stated in the handbook: “Students must have a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA and have passed four of five classes in the previous trimester in order to begin competition at the beginning of their sport season. If a student does not have a 2.0 or better GPA, he/she will be ineligible for competition until the mid-term grade check.”

Students with less than a 2.0 GPA can appeal his/her eligibility status to the athletic director, the principal, and the superintendent.

Per the handbook, under certain circumstances, the students can sign a “probation contract” and then they can play once they

come here “while working toward obtaining the GPA requirement; however, at all times, a student must maintain the minimum set by the MHSAA, which is 66% of courses enrolled.”

The handbook also states the following: “Beginning at the three-week mark, if a studentathlete is failing a course, he/ she will be referred to the student advocate.”

“They’ll have the support we got between small classes, homework club, the technology, our teachers, we got awesome teachers - so they’re able to bring their grades up,” Leslie said. In a statement after the meeting, Leslie said that students that move in from other districts may come in with a lower GPA.

He added that he didn’t feel it was fair to “punish” students from other districts, who he said may not have been in that position of struggling with their grades if they’d been starting at New Buffalo from the “get go.”

Leslie added that once the students arrive at New Buffalo and “get here with everything that we’ve got,” they’ll be able to raise their grades.

Leslie added that grades will be checked every week, something that Morgan Motycka, assistant to the athletic director, shouldn’t have a problem doing.

Board members accepted the resignation letter from Melissa Ashdown, who worked in the custodial department. Leslie said she has a “great attitude” and is a “hard worker” and that it’s unfortunate she must relocate from the area.

Board members approved the employment of both Madeline Selby and Julie Wamser in the position of a paraprofessional.

Board members approved hiring the following band camp 2022 employees, pending background approval: Samuel Loomis, woodwind and Chase Ehlert, brass (Leslie said that they worked at band camp previously).

Board members approved the resolution of the four-year lease of computer equipment from Apple, Inc. Leslie said Apple requires them to do this annually and that it’s already been budgeted for in the 20222023 fiscal year budget.

The following lunch prices for 2022-2023 were approved: elementary, $2.75; middle/ high school, $3 and adult lunch price to be determined.

Superintendent Dr. Jeff Leslie welcomes Ayrielle Hoyt to the district

BARGAINS TO BENEFIT MUSEUM AT U.S. 12 SALE

The Region of Three Oaks Museum (TROTOM) will once again host its huge “Highway U.S. 12 Sale” in the heart of Three Oaks Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday, Aug. 12-14, with proceeds going to support the TROTOM’s programs and activities.

Some 25 to 30 vendors will have booths set up in Carver Park and on the grounds of Three Oaks Elementary School, and the museum will also offer items for sale in the park pavilion, as well. It’s all part of the US-12 Heritage Trail Garage Sale, which stretches across Michigan along U.S. 12.

The museum’s site will offer bargain-hunting and browsing in a pleasant, shaded green space, and there will be food for sale, as well— sloppy joes, pulled pork, sausages, hot dogs and walking tacos, as well as drinks and chips. Again, proceeds from food sales will benefit the museum, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving and presenting the history of the area, located at 5 Featherbone Avenue in Three Oaks.

Anyone with items they’d like to donate for the museum to sell is encouraged to bring them to Carver Park on Thursday, Aug. 11, between 5-9 p.m. Anyone wanting to reserve a vendor’s space should email Julie Sittig at trotommuseum@gmail.com. — STAFF REPORTS

Preparing for ‘Michigan’s Longest Garage Sale’

The U.S. 12 Heritage Trail Garage Sale, or “Michigan’s Longest Garage Sale,” is set to take place Friday through Sunday, Aug. 12-14, along U.S. Highway 12.

Every year, individuals clean out their attics and stake out their front yards along the U.S. 12 corridor stretching over 200 miles from New Buffalo to Detroit. Shoppers and bargain seekers will find antiques, collectibles, furniture, dishware, fresh garden produce, homemade jams and jellies, live entertainment and much more. The sales can be found along the highway at homes, farms, businesses, parking lots and fields. Some areas will have large numbers of vendors, while others may be scattered. Perhaps even more interesting than the “treasures” are the people others meet along the way. As they drive the country roads on their quest, shoppers will be privy to incredible stories related to the individuals and the items they sell and see a plethora of items that only their grandmother could love.

The nation’s second oldest highway, U.S. 12 is an old Native American trail from Detroit to New Buffalo on the state’s southwest coast. It is one of 16 Michigan State Scenic Byways, designated by the state Legislature to preserve the state’s historic highways. Since the sale started in 2003, it has taken place during the second weekend of every August.

Anyone who is interested in hosting a garage sale is encouraged to register his or her sale for free on the new U.S. 12 Heritage Trail website. Those who register will have their sale online be a part of the list of sales included in the interactive online map and a page listing all the sales, which can be viewed and printed prior to the sale. Items of all shapes and sizes are sold along the route. There is no cost to register a sale on the map.

Rentable locations are also available throughout the U.S. 12 Corridor Sale route. Visit the website to contact folks who offer spaces for rent. Another way to find a spot is to keep an eye out for signs advertising vendor spaces while driving along the route. Those who want to list their location as a space to rent a garage sale should register their sale on the website for free today.

Michigan’s Longest Garage Sale continues to grow in popularity with people in Michigan and the surrounding states. Visitors and people who are hosting sales are encouraged to upload stories to the U.S. 12 Heritage Trail website about their experiences.

As an outdoor event, there should be more than enough space to allow for social distancing outdoors at the U.S. 12 Garage Sale. With the help of all participants, this event will go on while protecting the safety and health of everyone. For the safety of all participants, it is the public’s responsibility to follow state and local guidelines that are in place Aug. 12 -14.

Everyone is asked to please drive safely and to slow down while traveling U.S. 12. Please pay special attention to pedestrians while driving, parking, exiting a vehicle and visiting the sales during the weekend.

For more information about Michigan’s Longest Garage Sale and other attractions visit the U.S. 12 Heritage Trail website at www.us12heritagetrail.org and like us on Facebook @ US 12 Heritage Trail. — STAFF

REPORTS

Lakeside Association’s Ice Cream Social to raise money for scholarships

What is summer without ice cream - and what is better than ice cream and cake in beautiful Lakeside Park?

The public is invited to come join the fun at an annual community tradition, the Lakeside Association’s Ice Cream Social, from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6, at the Lakeside Park Gazebo on Lakeside Road and Red Arrow Highway.

Meet, mix and mingle with neighbors, friends and family while enjoying homemade bake goods and ice cream from Scoops in Bridgman. This year, the Rotary Club of Harbor Country will again join the Lakeside Association in partnership to raise money for local high school scholarships.

A $5 ticket gets guests ice cream, homemade cake and cookies and more. There will also be live music by The State Street Five featuring summertime melodies and sing-along

favorites for young and old. Kids can try their luck at the Fish Pond and win a prize. And of course, there will be the traditional cake auction, high school, $3 and adult lunch where Harbor Country’s best bakers contribute delectable items that are sold to the highest bidder.

For more information visit www.thelakesideassociation. com or call 312-305-0496.

The event is sponsored by The Lakeside Association of Harbor Country. All proceeds will go to the Scholarship Fund benefiting high school seniors in the River Valley School District.

The Lakeside Association is a longstanding organization that invites residents to participate in their community through holiday parades, the Ice Cream Social, Garden Walk and History Walk. Volunteers from the association also help maintain the Lakeside Park, a restful green space in the village center. — STAFF REPORTS