Joseph Rapdas, a third-grader at Clear Lake Elementary, writes his name on the blackboard as Oxford students went back to school Tuesday. For more back to school photos see pages 14 and 15. Photo by Casey Curtis.

It’s a new year for the Clarkston Board of Education, with a new trustee, schedules, and assignments.
Stephen Hyer was reelected board president in a 4-3 vote. Karen Foytech earned the three votes.
‘I didn’t expect to be nominated,? Foyteck said. ‘There are no special priveledges (as president), just extra work.?
Hyer said he is looking forward to the new school year.
‘It will be a challenging year,? he said. ‘I appreciate my collegues electing me.?
Other officers are Vice President Barry Bomier, Treasurer Ron Sullivan, and Secretary Joan Patterson.
Cheryl McGinnis took her seat on the podium for the first time, volunteering for Oakland Schools designate, Oakland County School Board Legislative Committee representative, Michigan Association of School Boards legislative member, and Policy Revision Committee.
The school board renewed its membership in lobbying groups National School Board Association, $4,750 dues, and Michigan Association of School Boards, $7,171.
The associations lobby state and national public officials and public opinion on issues such as school funding, health care costs, and curriculum standards.
McGinnis and other board members, who can attend if they wish, will attend association meetings for informational purposes only.
‘If there is a need for an action item, I’ll bring it back to the board first,? McGinnis said.
Last school year, Clarkston trustees were asked to vote on issues, Patterson said.
‘I was surprised ? we went there for information and were asked for a vote,? she said. ‘We didn’t know that would be asked of us.?
If asked this year, board members should abstain, Sullivan said.
NSBA will host two conferences in Washington D.C. and its annual conference in Orlando, Fla. If a Clakrston board member wants to attend, the board will have to consider and approve travel expences before registration.

Local engineering professionals bringing A World In Motion back to Clarkston schools this year are hoping to expand the program.
They’ll need some help, though.
“We’re looking for additional volunteers from the community,” said Mary Ann McCracken, GM lead engineer for fullsize trucks.
“The more we get, the faster and easier it will be to grow this,” said Bob Ferer, assistant program manager for fullsize trucks at General Motors.
The program was started in 1990 by the Society of Automotive Engineers to improve American students’ math and science education.
AWIM programs run at Clarkston, Springfield Plains, and Pine Knob elementary schools. They hope to expand it to Bailey Lake Elementary and Sashabaw Middle School.
“Within the Clarkston School District, we have been concentrating on fourth and fifth grade, but would like to grow the program into the middle school also, if we can get the volunteers to support it,” McCracken said. “It’s an opportunity to leave work and go out and support the community.”
“Volunteers get so much out of it,” Ferer said “They serve as a role model for the kids.”
Volunteers for the program have mostly been engineers from General Motors Corporation. Rick Wagoner, GM chairman and CEO, is on the AWIM Executive Committee,
and Ed Koerner, GM chairman, is on the AWIM Advisory Committee.
AWIM also has volunteers from Chrysler Automotive, Dow Automotive, and Iafrate Construction. Many are also parents of students in the schools.
“Participation in this program is very rewarding,” McCracken said. “I personally have thoroughly enjoyed the enthusiasm that the students exhibit as they work on their projects within their teams.”
Volunteers spend an hour a week during seven-week sessions in grades 4-12. Anyone with engineering or scientific experience is welcome.
“We hope to increase participation from other engineering and technical individuals from the community,” McCracken said.
“Retirees are a great untapped resource,” Ferer said.
During sessions, volunteers share stories and lead practical workshops, geared to state science standards and benchmarks. Students work together in teams of 3-4 to design, test, and build a product based on the specifications set forth by a fictitious company called Earth Toy Designs.
At the end of each session, groups prepare a formal presentation, delivered to a board of professional engineers.
“I’ve had four years in the program, I’m always impressed with the answers we get, with the amount of thought,” Ferer said.
To volunteer, go to www.awim.org. Navigate to “volunteer signup,” and designate “Clarkston Schools” as area of interest. This year’s session is expected to start in January, although a 5th-grade program would start earlier.
“I’d like to start in late fall with the fifth graders,” Ferer said. “There’s an opportunity to take a group to the SAE Olympics in March at the Ren Cen.”
Students would get to meet with industry leaders at the Detroit event, he said.

Oxford students went back to school Tuesday after nearly three months of fun in the sun.
Lockers were opened, school supplies unpacked and hugs exchanged all over the district. For some, it was the very first day of their school careers. For others, it was the first day of their senior year.
As usual, The Leader will continue to be your official source of school news from board of education meetings and sporting events to classroom projects and special assemblies.
If it involves Oxford and Addison kids, you’ll find it here.

While students around the Lake Orion school district may not all have been celebrating the first week of school last week, there was a group of students found in Webber Elementary School’s Classroom 1 that were.
The students, members of Webber Community Preschool, were happy to be back with the teachers and friends, learning and having fun.
Currently three preschool sessions are offered for ages three and four, with a Monday through Thursday half-day session, a Monday and Wednesday half-day session and a Tuesday and Thursday half-day session.
Fees are offered on an annual, semi-annual or monthly basis.
Community preschool is hosted through Lake Orion Early Childhood, and enrollees do not have to be residents within the Lake Orion school district.
There are still spots available at the preschool hosted at Webber, as well as ones located at the Community Education Resource Center (CERC). For more information, call Early Childhood at (248)693-5439.

Hard to believe summer vacation is over and it’s once again time to hit the old books.
Rest assured, the Oxford Leader is ready to cover a wide variety of school events, from the classrooms to the athletic fields to the stage. Want to see your students in the paper? Let us know what’s happening by calling (248) 628-4801 or e-mailing shermanpub@aol.com.

Brandon Twp.- The school district has not had a police liaison officer since the board cut the position in July.
Now, more than three months into the school year, the district is feeling the effects of his absence and building principals have brought concerns to Superintendent Lorrie McMahon about not having the school liaison officer.
‘He defuses stressful situations, he works with families, he investigates lots of things going on, he spends needed time at all the buildings,? said McMahon during the finance committee meeting Tuesday. ‘His position is one that if he’s doing the job well, we shouldn’t even know he’s there. He interferes to keep things from happening. We miss that.?
McMahon requested that finance committee members Greg Allar, Luke Frye and Debbie Schummer take a recommendation to the full school board to bring back the school liaison officer for six months, the remainder of this school year, effective immediately. The move would cost the district about $50,000.
Allar was in agreement with bringing back the school liaison officer, but Frye and Schummer said they ‘had pain? with such a decision.
‘Is it worthwhile for a six-month period?? asked Frye. ‘We may not have the money next year… Anything we reinstate is short-term because we know we’re going to have to cut again.?
‘I want him in the buildings, but we’re asking so many other people to give, a lot,? said Schummer. ‘That’s a lot of money for six months.?
McMahon said she looks at the liaison officer as value added to the district and said he keeps kids in school and out of trouble, adding to student achievement.
Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Pete Burkett, Brandon substation commander, said, ‘Without having our eyes and ears in there with a liaison officer, we haven’t been able to effectively take care of incidents occurring in the schools. We’re nowhere near as effective as we were when we had a deputy there. Now when we get calls, they get different officers responding who aren’t trained to handle school-type situations and we don’t have the personal touch we would have with a dedicated school liaison officer.?
Reinstatement of the school liaison officer will be on the school board agenda at the next regular board meeting set for 6:30 p.m., Dec. 13, at the central district office, 1025 S. Ortonville Road.

The minute those big yellow buses pulled up, summer was officially over.
Kids sobbed and parents rejoiced as Oxford’s K-12 students went back to school Tuesday. Stayed tuned to the Oxford Leader throughout the year for the most complete school coverage anywhere.
From student achievements and sports to school board meetings and curriculum changes, the Leader has it all.
The Leader is an absolutely essential school supply for both students and parents. To get a $30 per year subscription, call (248) 628-4801. Operators are standing by.
For more back-to-school photos from Daniel Axford, please see Page 22. ? CJC

The holidays are over and classes are back in session after a week off, but that doesn’t mean there’s no more fun. From left, Springfield Plains Elementary students Lauren Navodi, Emmalyn King, Sophia Love and Katelyn Bradstreet gather, Monday, to work on a 3D puzzle during some free time. Photo by Andrea Beaudoin

Clarkston public school students have almost two more weeks of summer vacation left, but for students of Oakland Christian School’s Clarkston chapter, classes started Monday.
Located in Clarkston Community Church, 6300 Clarkston Road, the school offers early childhood and licensed childcare, and kindergarten through third grade.
For more information, call Principal Erin Akers at 248-625-1324.