New 'kid' at school excited for first day

As students surged to the buses at the end of the first day Thursday, one woman outside Oak Grove School seemed nearly as excited as they were.

Janice Matthews stopped some before they whisked by, asking if they'd mind having their picture taken.

"I love the first day. Everybody's happy," said Matthews, the new superintendent in Oak Grove District 68.

Although she officially started July 1, this was her first day as the boss with about 1,000 kindergarten through eighth-grade students in session at the Green Oaks school.

"I have this kind of fantasy -- I'd like to make it into a slide show," said Matthews of her photo spree. She'd also like to put it to music, with the "Welcome Back, Kotter" theme as the preferred background, and e-mail it to the 700 families in Oak Grove District 68.

She used that song to get the ball rolling Monday during a staff meeting. It's a feel-good attitude the Michigan transplant wants to spread.

"This is just a very appealing school to me because the whole district is under one roof. There's a family feeling," she said.

In early spring, Matthews was selected from 52 candidates as the district's fourth superintendent in seven years. Board members were looking for stability, and with her long career as a teacher, counselor, principal and administrator in Birmingham, Mich., they hope Matthews fits the bill.

"I was in my last district 23 years, so I'm not a fly-by-night person," she said.

Though relatively small, District 68 has been busy.

The district reached a contract with its 89 teachers in early June. Raises will average 4.75 percent for each of the four years of the pact.

Security cameras have been installed at entries, playgrounds and parking lots, and the middle school entrance is being reconfigured so visitors can't walk directly into the school. Security card access is also being installed.

Throughout the sprawling connection of additions to the original 1954 school building, work continues on a fast-track, $1.8 million batch of improvements to reduce energy costs. It's the district's largest construction effort in 10 years.

The district also has established an education foundation, which gives community members a tax-deductible opportunity to donate. That program will be rolled out to parents at curriculum nights beginning next week.