Albion suspends community service requirement for graduating seniors this year

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 January 2021 at 9:24 am

Assistant superintendent, Mary Leto, announces she will retire on June 30

ALBION — The Board of Education is suspending the 30-hour community service requirement for seniors who haven’t met the threshold.

Their graduation credits will be adjusted from 23.5 credits to 23. That is still more than the state graduation requirement of 22 credits.

During its monthly meeting on Monday, the board also voted to give seniors who were scheduled to have internships the opportunity to reschedule a different course or be released following the third block. Parent permission will be needed for early dismissals.

In other action at the Board of Education meeting:

• The board was notified that Mary Leto, the assistant superintendent for instruction, will retire, effective June 30, 2021.

Michelle Powley, the high school secretary, also notified the district she will retire on Jan. 31.

“We have some pretty significant retirements coming up which will leave a very big hole in the district,” said Board of Education President Kathy Harling.

Leto has been one of the district’s top administrators for several years. She was at Monday’s BOE meeting.

“It will be very difficult to imagine not having you here Mary because you’ve been such a huge part of the district for so long,” Harling said.

• The board accepted an anonymous $1,000 donation to be used to purchase a sewing machine in the 12:1:1 life skills program. The sewing machine will go to a graduating senior in the 12:1:1 program who shows an interest in sewing as an ongoing life skill. The award recipients will be chosen by the 12:1:1 high school teacher and the high school principal.

• The Board of Education approved the following extracurricular athletic appointments: