Education

OWOSSO — The city of Owosso and Owosso Public Schools are partnering to apply for a federal grant that would enable students to walk and bike to school more safely.

CORUNNA — A pair of Memorial Healthcare employees recently was honored by the Michigan Occupational Special Populations Association for their work with programming for local high school students.

OWOSSO — Three students from Salem Lutheran School have been named local winners in the 52nd annual America & Me essay contest.

LANSING — The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Monday said more than 800,000 children whose access to school-provided meals has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic have begun to receive food assistance benefits.

CHESANING — Jonathan Falco knows his time at Chesaning High School is coming to an end, but as graduation approaches, the senior is keeping his options open in terms of a long-term career.

ELSIE — Ovid-Elsie senior Mary Sopocy enjoys working with numbers because she likes to “work hard on a problem and get the right answer.”

OWOSSO TWP. — Children at Pleasant Valley Mobile Home Park now have a safe place to play, thanks to the efforts of a local Eagle Scout.

LANSING — From traversing the sandy beaches of Saugatuck to touring NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Tracy Foster and Shannon Cooper-Toma have made it their mission to provide eye-opening experiences for kids.

MORRICE — Morrice Junior/Senior High School students will learn remotely through March 12 after a second high school student in as many days tested positive for COVID-19.

MORRICE — Morrice Junior/Senior High School is canceling all athletic events and practices for the remainder of the week after a high school student tested positive for COVID-19 Monday.

LAINGSBURG — From working on the electrical team in robotics to performing on stage as part of the drama club, Dawson Shastal’s had a diverse array of experiences at Laingsburg High School.

CORUNNA — Corunna Public Schools is moving forward with two bond proposals school officials say would allow the district to house all of its kindergarten through third grade students in one building and upgrade athletic facilities, all while keeping taxes relatively low.

LAINGSBURG — A senior at Laingsburg High School with a knack for business is the first student in the school’s history to be accepted at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

CORUNNA — Corunna Public Schools currently offers families the choice between in-person and online instruction, a means of accommodating varying levels of comfort amid the coronavirus pandemic.

OWOSSO — Construction at the Owosso Middle/High School campus under the district’s $45.5-million bond is nearly complete, but plans for a grand opening ceremony remain in flux amid the coronavirus pandemic, Superintendent Andrea Tuttle said Monday.

NEW LOTHROP — New Lothrop Junior/Senior High School students will conduct classes remotely for the remainder of the week — and extracurricular activities will be temporarily suspended, as more than 100 students and staff self-isolate due to possible COVID-19 exposure.

CORUNNA — Elizabeth Forbes, a senior at Corunna High School, is happy to be attending school in person, after learning from home last spring and part of the fall semester.

MORRICE — Morrice Junior/Senior High School teachers will have extra time to engage with online students, thanks to a substitute coverage plan unanimously approved Monday by district’s board of education.

OWOSSO — Lauren Gaskin’s senior year has been dramatically altered by the coronavirus pandemic, but in a time of great uncertainty, the 17-year-old is keeping things in perspective.

SHIAWASSEE AREA — The downward trend of public school enrollment in and around Shiawassee County — exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic — appears to be leveling off, according to preliminary numbers released this week.

MORRICE — Morrice Area Schools administrators are investigating schedule changes at the high school level that would allow teachers additional time to engage with online students.

DURAND — Goldyn Graham’s grandmother inspired her to pursue a career as a physical therapist.

MORRICE — Throughout her 20-plus years in public education, Michelle Falcon’s philosophy has remained the same: Put students first.

MORRICE — Morrice Junior/Senior High School will be closed to in-person instruction through Monday after a student tested positive for COVID-19.

DURAND — In recognition of the desires of student-athletes throughout the state, the Durand Area Schools Board of Education Monday unanimously approved a resolution supporting the resumption of high school athletic competition.

BYRON — Byron High School senior Regan Kopesky has aspired to a career in the medical profession since she was a child who had to endure heart surgeries and saw how doctors helped her.

OWOSSO — Two Owosso Public Schools staff members are receiving special recognition for going the extra mile.

DURAND — The Durand Area School District has been awarded a School Bus Replacement Grant, the district announced this past week.

NEW LOTHROP — High school senior Delaynee Bitterman’s 4.03 GPA should come in handy for her future plans to attend Saginaw Valley State University and pursue a career as a crime scene analyst.

CORUNNA — The seven branches of the Community District Library now have Wonderbook Read-Alongs available for preschoolers through early chapter book readers.

OWOSSO — The first group of veterinary technology students are now on campus at Baker College of Owosso.

NEW LOTHROP — New Lothrop Area Public Schools announced in a letter Tuesday that a student has tested positive for COVID-19 — the fourth district since the holiday break to report at least one case.

CHESANING — While many aspire to be in the spotlight, Olivia Distelrath is more than comfortable working behind the scenes.

BYRON — Bob Cassiday enjoys living and working in a small town — one of the many reasons he is seen as well-suited to the position of superintendent of Byron Area Schools.