Teachers

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - A Maine state lawmaker has proposed a bill that would allow teachers and other school employees to carry concealed firearms at school. Republican state Sen. David Burns says he has been thinking of similar legislation for about a year but made his proposal in response to the death of 20 students and six educators at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school last month. Burns' bill would require school employees carrying concealed guns to take a firearms training course and undergo a psychological exam.

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. - The wait is over for anxious Benton Harbor High School teachers wondering if they have jobs. The district laid off its entire staff, close to 60 teachers, this spring as part of a "turnaround plan" to avoid a state takeover. The plan requires 50% of the current staff be replaced. "This letter is your notification that you are rehired for the 2013-2014 school year, and your position will be special education 5th through 6th grade. " Emily Hecht reads a portion of a letter she received from the administration Friday morning.

National Educators Association-South Bend teachers ratified a new two-year contract late Thursday afternoon. Teachers ratified the contract, 93 percent yes to 7 percent no. The contract, though a two-year contract, is retroactive, meaning it ends in August 2011. That also means in essence, negotiators will be back at the bargaining table in a little more than a year. South Bend Community School Board members now must take a ratification vote. That vote may come at the board’s April 26 meeting, it’s next regularly scheduled meeting.

It's going to get a little chilly Thursday night, especially for Jodi Kayser and Lacy Buck. The LaVille teachers are spending the evening on the roof of the school for “Pennies for Patients.” The students made their goal of raising $1,600, so the teachers are paying up in their own way. Thursday afternoon the teachers climbed up on the roof and will stay there until Friday. The money raised benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

ALBION, Ind. (AP) - Teachers in a northeastern Indiana county may soon be carrying guns in school if officials accept a proposal from the county sheriff. Under Noble County Sheriff Doug Harp's plan, officials would choose up to four teachers in each school to undergo firearms training and be appointed as special deputies. The teachers' authority would be limited to school buildings. The Central Noble (County) School Board voted Tuesday night to consider the idea. Harp has delivered the same proposal to the East and West Noble School districts northwest of Fort Wayne.

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. — Schools everywhere are looking for ways to cut costs, and often that means laying off teachers. But St. Joseph schools in Michigan hope they won't have to send out any pink slips. They are paying teachers to encourage them to retire. Superintendent Allen Skibbe might have to make some tough decisions by April 15. "On April 15 we issue layoff notices to teachers that we won't be bringing back due to budget cuts," said Skibbe. But the district hopes a new plan will help them avoid sending out any pink slips.

SOUTH BEND — As state takeover at three South Bend schools is a possibility, two Riley High School students took matters into their own hands, literally. They used 1,000 Styrofoam cups to spell four simple words: “WE SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS” It was a message for South Bend to see. "We care about the teachers in our school," said Carolyn Shank, a Riley High School student. Shank and student Katie Snedaker got right to work. "Our hands were out and really cold," said Sneadaker, "but we got them all up. " With the help of some of their classmates, it was easy to see how everyone left their mark.

MISHAWAKA — School City of Mishawaka will have to cut at least 25 teachers in order to balance the budget over the next two years. Superintendent R. Steven Mills told people at a community forum at John Young Middle School Tuesday night that even more teachers may have to be cut unless other savings are found. Only four citizens offered suggestions for ways to save that money Tuesday. Sanjya Gillespie suggested charging another dollar for field trips, charging a small fee for students to participate in athletics and cutting down on the number of papers sent home with students.

ST. JOSEPH, Mich. - The tragedy in Newtown is leaving some parents questioning the safety in schools. School officials in Berrien County spent the weekend reviewing security plans a nd preparing for the "psychological toll" the Newtown shooting may have on students and teachers. Schools in Berrien County, Mich. and St. Joseph County, Ind. have counselors available to students but say they aren't fielding too many questions, especially among younger kids. But WSBT did talk to some older students who say the tragedy is very much on their minds.

MICHIGAN CITY - The suspect in the murder of a retired Michigan City teacher has been captured in South Bend. Last Thursday, June 6, police were called to the 500 block of E. 8 th St. in Michigan City in regards to a welfare check. When they arrived, they found a person dead inside his apartment. The victim was 66-year-old Henry Whitten. An autopsy the next day determined Whitten was the victim of a homicide. According to the Michigan City News-Dispatch, LaPorte County Coroner John Sullivan said Whitten died from a brain bleed caused by blunt force trauma.

MICHIGAN CITY - Police are investigating the death of a retired Michigan City teacher. Officers on Thursday were called to the 500 block of E. 8 th St. in regards to a welfare check. When they arrived, they found a person dead inside his apartment. The victim is identified as 66-year-old Henry Whitten. An autopsy was performed on Friday, and the cause of death has been ruled a homicide. Police say the case is being aggressively investigated. Anyone who knows anything about the case is asked to contact Detective Cpl. Greg Jesse at (219)

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. - The wait is over for anxious Benton Harbor High School teachers wondering if they have jobs. The district laid off its entire staff, close to 60 teachers, this spring as part of a "turnaround plan" to avoid a state takeover. The plan requires 50% of the current staff be replaced. "This letter is your notification that you are rehired for the 2013-2014 school year, and your position will be special education 5th through 6th grade. " Emily Hecht reads a portion of a letter she received from the administration Friday morning.

There's strong opposition from educators after the Michigan House Education Committee approved a bill Thursday morning that would require student performance to be a primary factor in determining teacher salaries. According to online news site M-Live.com, only teachers hired after the possible adoption of the bill would be affected. Under current law, student performance is only one of several factors used in determining salaries - along with a teacher's education and experience.

It's going to get a little chilly Thursday night, especially for Jodi Kayser and Lacy Buck. The LaVille teachers are spending the evening on the roof of the school for “Pennies for Patients.” The students made their goal of raising $1,600, so the teachers are paying up in their own way. Thursday afternoon the teachers climbed up on the roof and will stay there until Friday. The money raised benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

SOUTH BEND - Celebrating excellence in teaching, the South Bend Community schools have given Sue Panzica the Teacher of the Year Award. She teaches kindergarten at Swanson Primary Center. Panzica has been teaching for 37 years. “Thank you very much,” replied a much-appreciative Panzica. “It really is an honor to be chosen and to represent South Bend Community Schools. It's a wonderful school corporation. We have wonderful families here.” For her efforts, Panzica will get a $1,000 professional growth grant, a plaque and a golden apple.

PLYMOUTH - Some parts of northern Indiana picked up nearly a foot of snow Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. North Webster recorded the highest amount in our area at 11.9 inches. Plymouth had 11.3 inches and Goshen and South Bend had nearly 8 inches of snow. It made for dangerous driving conditions, forcing many area schools to run on a two-hour delay or cancel classes altogether. A big snow like that, especially in March, isn't something people who live in and around Marshall, Kosciusko, Starke, Pulaski and Fulton counties are used to seeing, but kids who got a day out of the classroom and on the sledding hill in Plymouth's Centennial Park didn't complain a bit.  Neither did their teachers who made it out into the elements.

LAKE STATION, Ind. (AP) - An Indiana teacher who wrote a threatening message on a chalkboard after having what students called a "meltdown" during class is the subject of investigations by police and school officials. WLS in Chicago reports ( http://bit.ly/162XEDs ) Lake Station police met Monday with students and officials at Edison Junior-Senior High School to discuss the message scrawled by the teacher last week. The message was in a multiple choice format, like on a test.