SPOKES VOL. LXIV NO. 20 November 21, 2017
Our Greeter this morning was Dene Hadden as we met at South Haven High School for our meeting and a tour of the remodeled facility.
We opened our meeting with Pledge of Allegiance and Art Ayers offered our invocation.
Guests:
Our guests today included prospective member Dan Thompson, Nick Tuit’s wife Nancy and Jeff Postma and John Weiss from the South Haven Public School Foundation. Dan is up for membership so any members with concerns should contact President Renner.
Spotlight:
Our Spotlight today was focused on the South Haven Public School Foundation. Jeff Postma and John Weiss represented the foundation. Jeff Postma presented information about the foundation – which had been started in 2012 and has been giving out grants for approximately four years. Each year the foundation gives out ten $500 grants to teachers who have needed or innovative projects for their classrooms.
Jeff passed out a list of all of the grants that the foundation has granted to this point and he talked about the variety of things they have done, from supporting the History Club going to nationals, sponsoring the Light Up the Night program and even a worm farm.
The Foundation has begun soliciting funds from businesses and other organizations and naming grants for those sponsors. Beginning this winter, two grants per year will be named Rotary Grants.
Dene Hadden presented Jeff and John with a check for $5,000 from our educational fundraiser last spring. This money will be deposited in the South Haven Community Foundation and held as an endowment for the school foundation. With this donation, there will be about $17,000 in the endowment which pays out between a 3.5 and 5.5 % return to be used for the named Rotary grants.
Music:
We did not do music this morning as Dottie did not make the trip to the high school. However, we did get to see the new band room and remodeled choir and orchestra rooms at the high school.
Announcements:
- Snowbirds are reminded to let Bob Straits and Rhonda know when you will be gone and to take care of your financial arrangements prior to leaving.
- Our Christmas Party has been scheduled for Tuesday, December 12th at Hawkshead. Please put this date on your calendar. A sign up list has been passed around.
- Bell Ringing will take place on Saturday, December 23rd. Please put this date on your calendar and plan to give us a (cold) hand.
- Based on the survey results and board discussion, it has been determined that we will not put on a pancake breakfast next Labor Day.
- We received two thank you notes from LMC students who have received scholarships from funds we raised.
- The Southwest Michigan Land Conservatory also sent a thank you note for our donation and indicated that the Pilgrim Haven site will be open to the public next spring.
- Art Ayers thank all of those who worked at the Thursday night dinner last week.
50/50
No tickets so no winner this week. We will try to grow the pot next week.
Fines:
- Sargent-at-arms Tom Ruesink reminded us that while there are no fines today in the interest of time, he will hit us pretty deeply over the next month, so bring a big bankroll!
President Renner introduced our speaker, Bob Herrera.
Dr. Herrera spoke very briefly about the bond issue and indicated that about 95% of the work at the high school is done and programing is going on or is planned to begin soon.
Bob indicated that there were several students who would guide us around the school in small groups.
We closed the meeting with the Rotary Four Way Test (which needs some practice w/o our banner).
We then divided into groups of four or five and were guided around the renovated building.High lights included the new Student independent Learning area – a former courtyard that was enclosed for student learning space - the newly designed language arts classrooms, the brand new science rooms and the technology area that included Art, Project Lead the Way and Fab Lab areas.
We also saw the new guidance or “Student Success” area and the amazing new cafeteria and food service area.Each group got to visit the renovated gym with its new floor, walls, windows and weight room.Not included in the tour were new and updated locker rooms that bring the facility up-to-date some forty years after the advent of women’s sports.
We also got a glance at the pool where everything put the actual pool itself has been updated, including mechanical, air handling systems, filters and piping, deck and tile and other amenities.
Through-out the building and especially in the classrooms, the high level of technology was very evident, down to the individual computers that each student was issued.
Next week’s program: What is DACA
Next week’s Greeters: Don Hodgman and Deb Davidson
Editarian: Dene Hadden