East Lansing Schools

The combined water polo team of East Lansing and Holt High Schools (HOTEL) has qualified for Michigan Water Polo Association’s Regional tournament for the first time ever. Regionals will be held October 30 and October 31 at Saline High School. HOTEL faces Ann Arbor Pioneer, the number-four ranked team in the state, at 7:45 p.m. on Friday. If HOTEL wins the game on Friday, they will qualify for a spot at the MWPA state tournament for the first time in the co-op’s history.

The East Lansing School Board took a major step toward reopening the shuttered Red Cedar Elementary School on Monday Night, adopting a resolution to appoint a committee charged with “initiating innovative educational programming in fall 2016 for pre-k through grade 5 at Red Cedar, as mandated by the 2012 resolution, and on or after the Fall of 2016, but no later than the Fall of 2017, at Donley.”

The doors of Red Cedar Elementary School may be reopened under some form of alternative programming, according to a proposal under discussion by the East Lansing Board of Education.

Board member Kath Edsall introduced a proposal to initiate pre-Kindergarten through 5 programming in the closed elementary school. The motion, to be brought back to the board for action Oct. 12, also included some alternative programming at Donley Elementary School.

From left, Dori Leyko, Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment; Bree Anderson, co-chair; Mary Ellen Vrbanac, sexual education director; ELSH seniors Aiden Foster-Fishman and Isabella Ndlebe; parent Melissa Fore

After a spring rocked by controversy and national media attention, the East Lansing Sex Education Advisory Board is ready to get down to business and revamp the curriculum for elementary, middle and high school.

Tonight is the first meeting of the Sex Education Advisory Board for the East Lansing School District.

The board will discuss the school’s sex ed curriculum at 7 p.m. in the board room of the lower level of the East Lansing High School, 509 Burcham Drive.

In its July meeting, the East Lansing Board of Education approved the creation of the advisory board to include 16 members, two of whom are pupils in the school district. It was not clear this morning the identities of the members.

Other meetings of the board will take place Oct. 14, Nov. 11 and Dec. 9. 

Andrew Person throws the ball in during the first half of a conference game against Holt High School

The Trojans scored one goal (Zach Lane) in the first half and the other three in the second half (Josh Wolfinger, Quinton Hay, and Ian Carroll respectively) as they cruised to a 4-0 win over the Holt Rams.

The passage of Labor Day and first snap of cold weather mean one thing for students across the state of Michigan: back to school.

As alarms are set, assignments are hurried through, and backpacks are packed, the return to school is different for each student. Right here in East Lansing, I found a vast diversity of thoughts on coming back to the hallowed halls of ELHS.

Arnosti

Superintendant Robyne Thompson speaks at last night's meeting

Students are feeling a little squeezed in some of the classrooms in East Lansing Elementary schools and the administration may be forced to move some students to ease the pressure.

Dr. Robyne Thompson, Superintendent, told the East Lansing Board of Education Monday night that second grade classroom levels have “exploded” this year, especially at Pinecrest and Marble schools.

Update: The following message was posted this morning on the ELHS Students for Gender Equality public Facebook page: "the event Party with a Purpose: A Call for Consent, is changing a bit. Originally the event was to be held at ELPL. However protesters have heard about the event and have been harassing the library, threatening to protest. (The library has been supportive of us, so no worries there.) However, in an effort to create a safe environment where everyone will feel comfortable we have to switch venues.

The East Lansing High School Men’s Soccer team captains. From left to right: Chris Wallace, Quinton Haye, Ian Carroll, and Zachary-Michael Lane

Above: Artist’s rendering of the planned building at 565 East Grand River Avenue, at the northwest corner of Bailey Street and Grand River Avenue. (Does not show the controversial plaza, which would use the current third lane of Bailey Street, closest to the building.)

Incoming Marble Elementary Principal Sarah Scott

In two weeks, Marble Elementary School students and parents will be greeted by a new face as they enter their school.

Sarah Scott, most recently principal of Valley View Elementary school in Bellevue, was approved by the East Lansing Board of Education Monday night as the new principal of Marble Elementary.

Scott replaces Dori Leyko as principal. Leyko has been promoted to Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment. Her appointment was also made official by the board Monday.

East Lansing High School’s school newspaper will not be placed under prior review by the school administration this coming school year, and may even be considered to be a “public forum” in the future – giving its student journalists the highest standard of protection under the U.S. Constitution.