The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education Monday night, approved the hiring of a man from Nebraska as the Elementary Principal/Schuler Principal/Curriculum Director position. Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein said a committee comprised of himself, departing Principal Cam Smith, a teacher and parent from Schuler, interviewed seven candidates for the position. One of the candidates accepted a position with another district. The remaining six individuals came from within and outside of the district, and were equally qualified for job, according to Amstein, but one in particular stood out.

Mr. James Northwick, Elementary Principal at the Emerson-Hubbard, NE School District, approved as the Schuler Principal/Curriculum Director. (photo from the E-H School District website)

Amstein recommended the Board approve the hiring of James Northwick, who is currently the serving his fourth year as Elementary Principal at the Emerson-Hubbard School District in Emerson, NE. Amstein said when he spoke with Dr. Dave Jones, Superintendent of the Emerson-Hubbard District, the first thing Jones told him was “I knew you were going to call.”  Amstein learned since Northwick has been with the E-H District, the test scores in the struggling district have consistently shown gains, and that Northwick was good at disseminating the test score data, and applying it to the classroom.” Amstein said Northwick holds “A lot of promise, and has a strong work ethic.” The man is married, and has a one-year old child. He is also a native of Ankeny, Iowa.

In other business, the Atlantic School Board approved an increase in the 2013-2014 School Lunch Prices. Food Service Director DeeAnn Schrier told the board the Federal Government is recommending a two-percent increase to reflect the cost of inflation, plus 2.93-percent, for a total increase of 4.93-percent. For Atlantic, that means the cost of lunch at the high school would be going up to $2.40. At the Middle School, lunch will cost $2.35, Schuler $2.35, and at Washington, $2.10. Schrier said the increase is not what she wants, but she was left with no choice because of the Federal Standards. She says if the district doesn’t meet the standard of $2.59 for the cost of lunch over a period of five-years, the General Fund will have to make up for the difference.

The Board Monday also approved the resignation of the following staff: Pat Allen, Ticket Manager (effective June 30th); Steve Blazek, Varsity Boys Basketball Coach (effective at the end of the 2012-13 school year); Taylor Hasting, Cheerleading Sponsor (effective the end of the school year); Sheila Hayden, Nat’l. Honor Society Advisor (effective 8/15/13); Bruce Johnk, High School Ag Teacher (effective the end of the school year); and Michelle McLaren, Jr. High Boys Basketball Coach (also effective at the end of the school year).

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on Saturday of a Pottawattamie County man, on drug charges. 25-year old Trey Garrett Drake, of Oakland, was taken into custody on felony charges of Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana and Failure to Affix a Drug Tax Stamp, Aggravated misdemeanor charges of: Possession of Controlled Substance Hash 2^nd or Subsequent, Possession of Controlled Substance Cocaine 2^nd or Subsequent offense, and Prohibited Acts. He also faces a simple misdemeanor charge of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Drake was taken to the Cass County Jail where he posted $16,325 bond the following day and was released.

And, on Friday, April 5th, deputies in Cass County arrested 32-year old Steven Robert Pedersen, of Atlantic, on a District Court Warrant for Failure to Appear. Pedersen was taken to the Cass County Jail where he posted $500 bond and was released.

The Atlantic Police Department reports the arrest of two people over the past couple of days. On Saturday, April 6th the Atlantic P-D arrested 46-year old Robin Havens of Atlantic for Domestic Abuse Assault. She was transported to Cass County Jail and booked in.

On Sunday, April 7th the Atlantic Police Department arrested 19-year old Kala Moellenkamp of Atlantic on a Cass County Warrant for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. She was transported to the Cass County Jail and booked.

Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer was allegedly assaulted last Friday by an inmate at the Page County Jail. According to the Sheriff’s Department, the incident occurred at around 1:10-p.m., as Palmer was transferring 18-year old Keven Daniel Harris, of Bedford, from one cell to another. During the incident, the Sheriff suffered a cut to his lip. Harris was not hurt in the melee. The man was charged with felony assault on a Peace Officer.

If convicted, Harris faces up to 5-years in prison. His bond was set at $5,000. Harris was being held in the Page County Jail on an original, felony charge of Sexual Abuse in the 2nd degree, with bond set for that alleged offense at $25,000. His total bond now amounts to $30,000.

(12-p.m. News)

The Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund continues to support local school libraries again this year, by purchasing a series of NFL books for the Schuler Elementary School, and multiple copies of a series of books by Coach Sloth, for the Washington Elementary students. Both schools are located in Atlantic.

Pictured: Janice Dickerson, Melanie Petty, Grant Petty (Photo courtesy Melanie Petty)

Trevor’s mom Melanie Petty, said reading was one of Trevor’s favorite things to do, and the Foundation named in his honor hopes that by bringing in new books each year, other children will develop a lifelong love of reading, as well.

Trevor was 21-years old, when his life was lost during a Council Bluffs apartment fire, in 2009. He was a graduate of the Atlantic High School.