Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By RALPH ANSAMI
Hurley — The Hurley School District is nearing the $10,000 mark in funds raised for COLE’S Foundation, the school board learned on Monday.
Cole Ruotsala, son of Aaron and Moireen Ruotsala, of Ironwood, died of cancer before he was able to attend school and the couple formed the foundation in his honor.
Since its participation in COLE’S Foundation beginning in 2008, the Hurley second grade class has averaged raising between $1,000 to $2,000 a year through pledges for an annual walkathon from families and friends of the school district.
Pledges will be sought soon throughout the district for this year’s efforts, according to second grade teacher Michelle Santini.
The school board also heard a presentation from Rose Barbacovi, a high school English teacher, on tenth and 12th grade English classes. She said she finds that students are more successful when they collaborate in groups to discuss literature and when teachers also get together to discuss strategies.
Barbacovi discussed ways to get students more interested in reading, with the key being to present books they’d like.
In poetry, she said productive discussions result when students have varying interpretations of the poet’s work.
Making students better writers is also part of Barbacovi’s efforts.
District administrator Chris Patritto said he has been impressed with the robotics team that has been preparing for competition. It is made up of 12 students from Hurley, Bessemer and Ironwood.
The students are working on constructing their first robot for competition this winter.
Current school board member Maria Sokol will be the lone candidate on the ballot for the school board in the spring election.
