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Wednesday, May 7, 2008
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Soon the Whitney’s enlisted the help of some community members, and the annual petunia planting project began. In the 1980s, the Keep Vassar Beautiful Committee received permission from former City Manager Dana Reed to plant petunias to the library.
For several years, the Keep Vassar Beautiful Committee has held a donation drive prior to planting day in order to aid in the costs of the flowers, said committee member Suzanne Lane.
This year, volunteers will set up at locations at local banks, credit unions and Central Shop-Rite beginning at 9 a.m. Friday.
Resident Jane Bodimer has helped collect donations since 1992.
“I’ve worked the (donation drive) for years,” Bodimer said. I enjoy talking to people. It’s just one of those things. People donate to make Vassar beautiful.” Bodimer began collecting because she hasn’t been able to get down and plant petunias on planting day, she said.
“I enjoy doing it for my town,” she said. “I feel like it’s my duty since I can’t get down and plant. I’m able to see a lot of people I wouldn’t see otherwise.”
Kate Roth has also volunteered during the collection drive for several years, she said.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Roth said. “I know a lot of people and I like the job because I see a lot of people I know and otherwise wouldn’t see.”
Roth has lived in Vassar since 1940 and enjoys the city’s annual petunia planting, she said.
“It’s the highlight of the year,” she said.
Roth is known around town for providing candy and bubble gum to children during the donation drive.
“I tell the children to fill their pocket and they get a kick out of that,” she said. “I’ve always enjoyed kids.”
Roth and her daughter, Donna Gillies, look forward to planting day each year. Roth often helps remove the plants from the flats and drops them in the ground before children come by to finish the planting, Gillies said.
“It’s a big deal for the town,” Gillies said. “We look forward to coming out and doing that (again this year).”
Residents may come out and lending a helping hand and trowel on planting day. The planting will begin at 9 a.m. May 17 at the park. Lunch will be served at 11 a.m. in the park.
Contributions may be mailed to Keep Vassar Beautiful, P.O. Box 126, Vassar, MI 48768.
VASSAR — The Transitions Class at Vassar High School participated in its first community cleanup April 22 to celebrate Earth Day.
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Class members Amber Lewis, Krystal Dennis, Tiffany Smith, Miranda Smith, Jesse Baumgarner, Shayne Brown, Brandon Smith and Scott Kasper began the day with a cleanup at the Rail Trail, and later did some yard work at the homes of two local senior citizens.
“It was a team effort,” Dennis said. “Our specialty is working together.”
It was obvious that the group has developed a great rapport with each other and their teacher, Dorothy Richardson, now in her second year of teaching the Transitions class. Richardson taught at Bridgeport for four years before coming to Vassar.
For about 15 years, the Transitions class has been preparing students for the “real world.” They balance check books and, during the second semester of the school year, work at jobs at businesses in the community who volunteer their time to help the kids learn valuable life lessons.
The students have also developed an attachment to Richardson.
“She’s a good teacher,” Dennis said.
“She’s not a good teacher,” argued Miranda Smith. “She’s a Wonderful teacher.” Miranda designed an Earth Day T-shirt for the class this year. The class had a chance to pick from two shirt designs.
Around Christmas time, the class performed a play at the Veterans’ Hospital and Stratman Manor in Saginaw, and sold chocolate coins around St. Patrick’s Day to earn a chance to get outside on a beautiful spring day and help out the community.
“They’re great students and they work really hard,” Richardson said.
With Richardson’s leadership, the group has continued to become more involved with the community. Richardson said that she is grateful to the staff at Vassar High School for the freedom they give her to work with the kids and the support they provide for the class fundraisers. She also expressed her appreciation to local businesses that give her students the opportunity to work three days a week.
Students from the class work at places like Cook GM Super Store, Kelly O’Brien Saloncafe’, the Vassar Veterinary Center, Paul the Barber’s barber shop, 5 and 10 Discount, Karr’s Kafe, Vassar McDonald’s, Magic Years Pre School, Kids are the Neatest! Child Care and Preschool Center and Central Shop Rite “The community has always been pretty good about letting the kids come and work,” Richardson said.
VASSAR — Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB) representative Carl Hartman presented the school board with information about its superintendent search during last week’s regular board meeting.
During recent weeks, the MASB conducted meetings with staff members and community members in order to receive input about their needs and wants in a superintendent, Hartman said.
“We talked to a number of folks about important leadership qualities as we look to replace your superintendent,” Hartman said. “We wanted to get a feel for Vassar other than what we already knew. The people we talked to care about Vassar’s history.”
Many of the individuals who talked with MASB representatives were looking for the same qualities in a superintendent, Hartman said. Individuals wanted a superintendent who was honest, lives within the district, someone who knows about being a superintendent and someone with a proven record with leading a staff, among others, Hartman said.
As of last week’s board meeting, 18 candidates had applied for the superintendent position, Hartman said.
“We have (candidates) will all kids of experience and all different kinds of folks,” Hartman said.
The Vassar School board will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. April 28 at the high school library to review the applicants and determine which applicants will be invited to interview. The board will conduct initial interviews the week of May 5, Hartman said. Second interviews will be conducted the following week. The MASB hopes the district will be able to announce an appointment and offer a contract by May 19, Hartman said. A contract should be approved June 9 and a new superintendent should be available in the district July 1.
Vassar Public Schools Superintendent Randy Middlin announced to the board of education during its January session that he would retire July 1 after serving with the district for 34 years. Middlin has spent the last nine years as the district’s superintendent.
“Having spent 50 years in school, starting from kindergarten in Iron Mountain, I thought it was time to graduate and pursue new interests,” Middlin said. “I will miss the day to day involvement with the schools and families, but look forward to spending more time with my wife, family and friends.”
Among other actions, the school board granted tenure to Joni Johnson, Jamie Strauss, Kimberly Webb, Michael Paul, Andrew Tallman and Daniel McIntosh. Board members also granted fourth year probation to Kelly Coons, Jason Kiss and Angela Zeck and granted third year probation to Toni Crandall, Amy Kochany, Holly McTaggart, Michelle Hoerlein, Michelle Karp, Mandy Shepherd, Dorothy Richardson, Stephanie Freiheit and Carla Phillips. Board members also granted second year probation to Matthew Sucaet, Sarah Piazza, Lindsey Simko, Lucas Welson and Jared Grysko.
The next regular board meeting of the Vassar School Board will be held at 6:30 p.m. May 12 at the high school library.
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