May 21, 2008 - Volume XVIII - Issue 9 - Dexter
High School - 2200 N. Parker Road - Dexter, Mi 48130
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Photos by JoJo Parin and Lauren Daugherty
Students’ cars sniffed, searched Olivia Scheffler staff writer
Drug sniffing dogs, approved by the board of education, made their first visit to the high school on May 1. During second hour, the dogs and their handlers went through the student parking lot and got hits for drug residue on eight cars. According to Principal Kit Moran, no tickets or penalties were given, but the visit was a success. He also said the police and the high school administrators tried to make the process as painless and as private as they could. “When the dogs and their handlers come, we don’t control,” he said. “We waited until we had a list of all the cars the dogs liked, and then we began matching license plates to the parents and kids the cars belonged to.” The search was more of a training run for the dogs, Moran said, so when a dog stopped at a car, they would be led away and another dog would pass the cars to make sure their was no confusion between the hit. After second hour, the dogs and their handlers left and the administrative staff began calling students whose cars were hit down to the office throughout the day. Moran said, “We weren’t accusing any of the students, but we did ask them if there was any reason the dogs would like their car.” Junior Alex Erber was one of the eight students brought down to the office. According to him, the staff handled the whole process really well. “They didn’t accuse me or make me feel guilty at all,” Erber said. “I thought at first
they had made a mistake when I got brought down. I was really surprised they wanted to search my car, but I didn’t really care if they wanted to because I knew I didn’t have anything.” Erber said he was asked some questions in the office, and his backpack was searched. After that, he was brought out to his car and School Liason Deputy Paul Mobbs looked in it. Nothing was found, but according to Moran, that isn’t uncommon. “The dogs are really smart and can smell if there is any residue in or on the car, or even if someone has smoked in the car recently,” he said. “It is possible that someone could have just smoked a joint and touched a couple cars, and the dogs would pick up that residue. Saline High School also had a visit from the dogs, and according to Moran, they got many hits inside the school. For this reason, Moran said the dogs will probably be back this year. Larry Cobler, President of the Dexter Board of Education, said the Board would support a second search as long as it was done in a safe and respectful way. Moran said that the biggest complaint he got was that parents were not called as soon as their kids were brought to the office. Although the students called down said they were comfortable with the whole process, Moran said he would make sure that in the future, the parents would be called. He said, “We care about the students here, and we don’t want Dexter to be a place where kids can go to buy and sell drugs.”
Bonding with technology School hopes new bond will bring better education Heather Siller news editor
Community members voted 1586 - 799 on May 6 to approve the $47,890,000 bond issue. The bond has a $0 tax levy increase, but the current debt levy will extend for an additional 7-10 years. The bond will mean improvements to DCS infrastructure and energy efficiency, security, traffic and pedestrian safety, technology, athletic fields and facilities, Wylie Pool, land acquisition for further growth, music and performance, transportation and the senior center. According to Principal Kit Moran what would eventually have happened if the bond had not passed is computers would break and the district would not be able to replace them to keep pace with the demand. However, since the bond passed Moran said students will be ready for the 21st century. “Specifically the bond will impact technology,” he said. “This means more computers. Twenty-five percent of the bond will go to technology. (At the high school) what we would really like is improvements to the mobile computer labs and to improve the wireless connection signals.” According to Board of Education President Larry Cobler, community member should expect to see improvements to the schools in two large ways: by the purchase of equipment like busses and also technology, out of the bond, that would normally have to be purchased from general funds, which will take a little pressure off the DCS budget. “This will in no way solve the budget problems we have due to inadequate state funding,” Cobler said.
“It will relieve some of the pressure.” Secondly, DCS will be able to pay for needed repairs, maintenance, safety and security and classroom equipment. In addition, Cobler said the district will be able to provide additional support to community members who attend functions in the arts and athletics. Superintendent Evelyn Shirk and DHS Principal Kit Moran both encouraged voters to vote yes on the bond issue so that the district could make improvements with buildings, buses and technology. And last September Shirk said she worried about the deterioration that would happen if the schools did not receive the bond money to help pay for their upkeep. Having the bond money in the district will also mean more money will be available to spend on textbooks and classroom materials because bond money will foot the bill for the school’s technology, transportation and building improvements that would have otherwise taken up that money. According to the Dexter Community Schools School Bond Issue, studies have concluded that strong schools play a key role in attracting new business to communities, providing good jobs for families, enhancing property values, recruiting outstanding professional staff, and providing community pride. “Over the last four decades, the community has chosen to rely on bonds to support the school infrastructure,” Cobler said. “If our general funding from the state does not increase so that we can devote more to these capital sustainment activities, and the community continues to value their school environment, it is possible that the community would choose to use the bond mechanism again in the future.”