Elementary complex renamed in Monroe
5/5/2010MONROE - A Monroe Public Schools campus that began a new life last year as an elementary complex has a new name.
The board of education voted last week to change the name of the Hollywood Cantrick Elementary campus to Arborwood North and Arborwood South.
Christine Butler, assistant superintendent of elementary education, said the name change follows a recommendation to the board from a special committee of school staff, parents, and students.
The name refers to the many types of trees and plants that grow together and recognizes that the campus grew out of last year's elementary school reorganization.
Also, Arbor Avenue ends at the south edge of the Cantrick building and Hollywood Drive.
For several years Cantrick was an early education school.
It again became an elementary school for the 2009-10 school year after closure of other elementaries in a districtwide downsizing and consolidation.
Hollywood houses kindergarten through second grade. Third through sixth graders attend Cantrick.
In other action, Ryan McLeod was appointed principal of the high school. The principal of the middle school, Mr. McLeod, will replace Ralph Carducci, who is retiring at the end of the school year.
Mr. McLeod has a bachelor of science degree and secondary teaching certificate from the University of Michigan at Dearborn and master's degree in educational leadership from Eastern Michigan University.
He joined Monroe schools in August, 2003, as assistant principal at the middle school.
He will be paid $97,668 a year.
Rick Arnett, executive director of human resources, said a recommendation will be made to the board at this month's meeting on filling Mr. McLeod's position at the middle school.
The board also approved using more than $700,000 in sinking fund tax money for construction and renovation projects at three school buildings.
The $526,000 bid from Envision Builders of Wixom, Mich., was the lowest of 13 submitted to expand cafeteria and food-service facilities at Custer Elementary School.
The project calls for doubling the kitchen size and expanding the cafeteria to include cabinets and folding tables and benches.
Ken Laub, assistant superintendent of business, said the construction project, which involves removing the south wall in the cafeteria and building new concrete-block and brick walls, will allow the school to accommodate more students and add a second serving station.
"This addition will allow the school to reduce the number of lunch periods from six to three and to provide quicker lunch serving to our students," Mr. Laub said in a news release.
The project, which also includes new concrete walks, curbs, and a new concrete barrier-free ramp near the main office, is to begin after the last day of school on June 7.
Also, the board awarded a $106,900 contract to replace part of the roof at Monroe High School to Roofcon, Inc. of Brighton, Mich.
The project includes removing about 28 square feet of existing roof and insulation and installing new insulation and a roofing system that carries a 20-year guarantee.
A $49,100 contract was awarded to Royal West Roofing of Whitmore Lake, Mich., to replace the roof at Riverside Early Learning Center.