Board of Trustees recognizes Monfort Elementary students, teachers and administrators

At the June 3 Shelby Township Board of Trustees meeting, the Board recognized Isaac Monfort Elementary School students, teachers and administrators for their various service programs such as a successful 2014 Kids Against Hunger campaign.

Throughout this year’s program, the students at Monfort collected more than $13,000 and packed more than 40,000 meals for hungry children across the globe.

“Principal Zimmerman does a great job giving her students a sense of community awareness and their place in the world beyond their school,” Township Supervisor Rick Stathakis said. “The way that Monfort students, staff and parents work together to find different ways to expand education is nothing short of exceptional.”

Through the various community awareness events at Monfort Elementary, Stathakis said his time meeting with students at the school has been mutually beneficial.

“Principal Zimmerman is always looking for new ways to open students up to different views of the world, and through that I’ve been able to meet with students and share our different perspectives,” Stathakis said. “And I have always been impressed by how bright and in touch her students are. I think I actually learn more from them than vice versa.”

Stathakis said that the relationship he has formed with Zimmerman and her staff is another sign of the successful partnership between Shelby Township government and Utica Community Schools.

Citing the success of the Shelby Township Police Department’s D.A.R.E. program in building relationships between students and police, Stathakis said he appreciates the chance afforded to him by Monfort to increase communication between students and government officials.

“Our D.A.R.E. officer, Leslie Heisler, does a tremendous job building relationships with students, so they have a realistic, positive view of our police officers,” Stathakis said. “I know my meetings with students pales in comparison to the amazing work done in our Police Department’s D.A.R.E. program, but any way we as government can support our schools is invaluable for the entire community.”