WBCH offers this space to area school superintendents to highlight news in their districts. This posting is from Hastings Area School System Superintendent Carrie Duits.

“Even as the Hastings High School Class of 2017 prepares for graduation, Hastings Area School System has begun enrolling for next school year. 

 

We’re excited to meet our incoming Young Kindergarten and Kindergarten students. We currently have teams visiting preschool programs such as ours at the Community Education and Recreation Center (CERC), Noah’s Ark, Headstart, and Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP). 

They share enrollment information and screen students who are ready for Young Kindergarten or Kindergarten. Tuesday, April 25, we will have open enrollment from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the administration office, 232 W. Grand St., Hastings. This is an additional opportunity for parents to come in and enroll their student in person. It’s always exciting to welcome new Saxons!

 

There are so many exciting opportunities awaiting our young Saxons—mostly because we have so many staff members willing to go above and beyond to provide wonderful learning opportunities outside of the classroom. A recent example is first year teacher Alyssa Fein and second year teacher Emily Thompson staring an after school club for 4^th and 5^th graders at Northeastern Elementary.

 

The club meets each Thursday after school to write a monthly newsletter that is distributed to students and their families electronically. Amy Jo Kenyon, the editor of at J-Ad Graphics met with the students to talk with them about journalism and being a reporter.

Community support and partnerships are what make Hastings Area Schools so great. Our students gain valuable recreation experiences through our ongoing partnership with Barry County YMCA. Many of our students participate in youth athletics and attend summer camp through the YMCA.

Our community also supports our Saxons through generous donations.

 

Monday evening the Hastings Area School System Board of Education accepted with great appreciation the following donations:

·      $9,894 from the 2^nd annual Hungry Games to support the backpack lunch program.

·      $20,449.12 from the Edythe Marshall Estate in support of the FFA to be used for an animal facility.

The board also approved:

·      A resolution which allows the continued levy at the statutory rate not to exceed 18 mills on all property, except principal residence and other property exempt by law required for the school district to receive its per pupil foundation allowance and renews the millage that will expire with the 2017 tax levy. The Board’s resolution is to seek renewal of the current 17.92 mills rather than increase to 18 mills.

·      A resolution authorizing administration to implement the School of Choice plan and to process and take action on student transfer requests.

·      The personnel report which included: Appointments- Karlee Diekhoff, district wide paraprofessional; Leah Hawthorne, CERC lifeguard; Samuel Wilson, substitute bus driver; transfer/reassignment- Beth Stevens, middle school principal; leave of absence- Casey Gergen Southeastern Elementary special education teacher; Kelly Ibarra, high school counselor.”