School Community

GRAND BLANC, Michigan State Rep. Paul Scott began the year as a rising political star.

The Grand Blanc Republican ended it as a private citizen, booted from office by voters in the first recall of a member of the state Legislature since 1983.

He lost in November by a margin of just 197 votes, eight-tenths of 1 percent of the 24,000 cast by voters in the 51st State House District, which encompasses Atlas, Argentine, Fenton, Grand Blanc and Mundy townships, along with the cities of Fenton, Grand Blanc and Linden.

Scotts recall the first successful recall of a state lawmaker in 28 years tops the list of The Flint Journals most newsworthy stories of 2011.

In January, Scott, 29, was beginning his second term as a state representative. The GOP had just taken control of both chambers of the Legislature, and a new Republican governor who would become a strong supporter of Scott also took office.

Scott was named chairman of the House Education Committee, giving him a powerful role in shaping education legislation.

Along with supporting Gov. Rick Snyders budget, which included cuts to K-12 funding, Scott played an instrumental role in teacher tenure reform that passed during the summer. He also publicly bashed the Michigan Education Association, the states largest teachers union.

The moves sparked the recall effort, with the MEA chipping in $140,000 to help remove him from office.

Scott countered that by collecting nearly twice as much from donors, including lobbies representing education reform and businesses.

FIVE PAUL SCOTT RECALL MUST-READ STORIES

Paul Scott recalled: The rise and fall of Michigan’s Republican wunderkind

Full coverage of Paul Scott recall; first Michigan lawmaker recalled in 28 years

History of a recall: Timeline shows events leading up to Tuesday’s recall election against state Rep. Paul Scott

All eyes turn to Michigan’s 51st District as Paul Scott recall campaign enters final days

Special interest groups spend thousands on Rep. Paul Scott recall effort as Supreme Court keeps issue on November ballot

For all of Mlive’s coverage of the recall, .

The recall made for sour relations between parties and created a harsh atmosphere in Lansing, said House Democratic leader Richard Hammel, D-Mt. Morris Twp.

It was probably as partisan as Ive seen it, Hammel said.

Since leaving office, Scott said he has fielded job offers from the private sector, many for consulting work, and still is deciding whether he will run for his seat again in November.

So far hes enjoying life as a private citizen, spending time with his young son and catching up on sports.

Its really good, he said, completely stress-free.

What hes noticed most about politics since leaving Lansing is how much concern over having a political future affects lawmakers decisions.

I think in that bubble in Lansing, theres way too much political calculus going on, he said. People just need to focus on why they ran.

Gary Carnahan, one of the organizers behind the recall effort, said the group was successful not only in ousting Scott but also in slowing down the aggressive education reform efforts coming from Lansing.

We havent seen anything like that since (Election Day), Carnahan said. Im not saying thats a permanent effect, but I think it sent a ripple through the state Legislature.

In February, voters will decide among Republican nominee Joseph Graves of Argentine Township, Democrat Steven Losey of Linden and Green Party candidate Cary Neuville-Justice of Linden to fill Scotts state representative seat until the November election.

Up next: Check back here for a list of all 10 top stories in order.

• A teacher describes torn feelings at watching a student be handcuffed and taken to a hospital.
• Former Chancellor Cathie Black is the winner of a 2011 Fifteen Minutes Award.
• A new community education journalism endeavor is set to take root in Macon, Ga.
• A rap version of Strunk and Whites classic writing handbook, Elements of Style.
• After a favorable ruling for a teacher accused of making a threat, bills and lost time remain.
• Analyzing Washington Irving High Schools scores and finding evidence of success.
• And a DOE official responds to a protest against Washington Irvings planned closure.
• A PEP member who runs a teen-pregnancy nonprofit defends the citys sex ed mandate.
• A first-grade teacher on how she taught herself to teach gender-variant children.

The head of the company that owns Edexcel, one of England’s biggest exam boards, said today it is to overhaul its procedures by filming and publishing its seminars.

It follows a probe into exams boards that found teachers were apparently tipped off about how to secure top grades for students

It came as one of three examiners suspended following the Daily Telegraph investigation denied that they had cheated but expressed regret over some of her comments and said: “I am only human.”

Steph Warren, of Edexcel, was recorded telling a reporter posing as a teacher that “you don’t have to teach a lot” and that there was a “lot less” for pupils to learn than with rival courses.

But she told the Commons Education Committee: “We have not cheated. We have not told them anything at all. We are not teaching the exam to teachers. We are explaining the specification.”

The potential closure of the technology center has been a source of division in the city since the superintendent announced his intentions in October. Wardynski, during a breakfast between the council and the board, said technical education needs to be offered in neighborhood schools to attract more children.

“It’s no longer something that’s apart,” Wardynski said.

Though automotive courses could stay at the technology center, the majority of the career programs would be moved to Grissom, Huntsville and Lee high schools, which are the largest of the city high schools.

Grissom would have an emergency medical technician program, as well as courses in cyber security and biomechanical systems engineering. Huntsville High would have computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing, precision machining, welding, HVAC training and the building trades.

If the automotive program is moved, it would be moved to Huntsville High.

The new Lee building, which will also house New Century Technology High, would offer the largest number of programs, including robotics, electrical engineering, cyber security, game technology, app design, certified nursing and licensed practical nursing and music production and digital media.

Among the smaller high schools, Butler High would get an EMT course and a culinary arts program. The central office is also being moved to Butler.

Wardynski said placing culinary arts at Butler would give the district a chance to highlight that program when students prepare food for functions at the central office.

Huntsville High would also serve as a second location for the culinary arts program.

Columbia High School would have health sciences and aviation mechanics programs. Johnson High would get commercial driver’s license and licensed practical nursing programs, as well as legal coursework, such as court reporting and forensics.

Wardynski also plans to move the school district’s Drake Avenue annex, which houses offices related to areas including maintenance and security, to the tech center building. That would allow the system to expand Huntsville High School.

Councilman Richard Showers, a retired tech center instructor, questioned moving the programs from its centralized location, saying he’s been fielding numerous calls from parents.

“For 36 years, I thought it was working,” Showers said.

Wardynski said the move would make the district’s career readiness program more attractive by integrating it with the traditional high school.

“It’s about bringing the kids back a little closer to the high schools,” the superintendent said.

The change would also force teachers to rethink which students they encourage to take technical courses by “bringing it into their field of responsibility,” Wardynski said.

He also told Showers that concerns over transportation costs are not a factor.

“The transportation is free,” Wardynski said. “We’ll use the same buses we use to take the children to school, and we own (use of) those buses all day.”

Showers also questioned statements that Wardynski made about the lack of certification offered at the technology center.

“Every one who went through my program was given a certificate,” Showers said.

Wardynski explained that he was referring to industrial certification.

“Certification that the industries recognize when students go out to find jobs,” Wardynski said.

Inappropriate post? Alert us.

The opening of a new school for blind and deaf children near Belfast offers pupils the chance to reach their full potential, its principal has said.

Staff at the Jordanstown School said it is the only facility of its kind anywhere in Ireland or Britain and caters for both deaf and visually impaired children.

The new building was officially opened by the Duchess of Gloucester, but the school has a history that stretches back to the 1800s.

The new purpose-built facility has become a reality due to the patronage and support of the Trustees of the Ulster Society for Promoting the Education of the Deaf and the Blind, which started work in 1836 when the first school was opened in Belfast. The new school has been funded by the Board of Trustees, without government funding.

“Staff and pupils are in awe of, and thoroughly enjoying, this wonderful new working environment which provides them with the very latest in assistive technologies and gives every pupil access to a rich and inclusive curriculum,” Principal Anne Magee said.

“For pupils who have sensory impairments the complexity of communication can become a barrier to learning and cause difficulties with concentration, achievement and happiness.”

She added: “By offering an individual approach to communication, Jordanstown School gives pupils who are deaf or visually impaired the confidence and ability to learn and grow to their fullest potential.”

The school, which has around 50 pupils, is equipped with the latest testing and therapy facilities. These include a large hydro therapy pool, specialist therapy rooms and training rooms.

The Duchess toured the school, meeting both pupils and staff.

And before unveiling a plaque to commemorate the official opening, she listened to 16-year-old student Aoife Devlin, who is blind, sing a solo, “The Prayer”, in English and Italian, while the song was signed by 17-year-old Jamie Rea who is deaf.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees Rev Clyde Irvine described the opening of the school as one of the happiest days in the long history of the Society.

He added: “This project has been a major commitment but we are pleased that we have been able to fund, design, and manage the project to completion.”