Human resources dominated much of the Glen Lake Board of Education this week.
Bus driver Chad Kahler has retired after 26 years of service to the community school.
The Glen Lake Board of Education gave Kahler recognition for going the extra mile both literally and figuratively for the Laker community.
“(Kahler) has made countless impacts on students’ lives,” Superintendent Jason Misner said. “The most important thing he does besides keeping our kids safe and getting them where they need to be is building genuine, true, caring relationships.”
Back in 1997, Kahler came on board and it turned out to be such a joy he can’t believe he gets paid for this.
“It’s called Glen Lake Community schools and it is really a community,” Kahler said.
For the past month, Glen Lake has been on a search to find its next leader for the band program. After whittling down to four candidates, Elaina Abarrak was named the school’s next band director.
“Her rapport with the students at all grade levels, her teaching skills, and her leadership qualities make us feel excited for the future of the Laker bands,” Glen Lake Performing Arts and Choir Director Rob Stowe said in a statement to the board. “We strongly believe she will be a stellar addition to our excellent teaching faculty.”
Ben Maule, a former United States Coast Guard helicopter pilot, engineer, chief operating officer, and research fellow was hired to a secondary math position.
In addition, Leelanau County resident and former Leland graduate Kira Vasquez accepted a seventh and eighth-grade ELA position. Vasquez has a bachelor’s degree in recreational and is pursuing her Master of Education degree in instruction and curriculum through Grand Valley State University.
“She has a unique background in recreational therapy that brings a great perspective into the classroom,” Glen Lake Principal Dina Rocheleau said.
In other business during their first meeting of the month, the board approved a recommendation to increase salaries for food service workers, student support specialists and Great Start Readiness Program with first-year employees earning $19 per hour with compensation increasing by 50 cents for each additional year of service.
