The Central Montcalm Public School Board of Education approved in a 6-0 vote to pursue the concept of having an armed resource officer on campus. At the board’s regular meeting Wednesday, Stanton City Manager James Freed gave a brief overview of the proposal to have a city police officer on the school property for approximately 20-25 hours per week, beginning with a trial period from March 1 to the end of the school year.

The Central Montcalm Public School Board of Education started off the new year with an organizational meeting to elect officers prior to Thursday night’s regular meeting.

Central Montcalm Public School may follow in the steps of neighboring Lakeview Community Schools by hiring a police officer for the district in conjunction with the city of Stanton.

When Central Montcalm Public School students begin new class schedules at the semester break in January, there will also be some teachers with new schedules, as a result of layoffs of staff.

The Central Montcalm Public School Board of Education approved a request from the Stanton city manager and amended general and food service funds at Wednesday’s meeting. Stanton City Manager James Freed explained how the city is in the process of upgrading water and sewer systems to improve the quality of water and improve fire protection for residents.

Although the Carson City-Crystal Area Schools Board of Education originally approved plans to add to restroom facilities to Carson City Elementary School, questions over the timing and the cost of the project have proved insurmountable at this time. The school board voted 6-1 on Wednesday to reject a bid for restroom renovations. Board President Tom Wilcox cast the lone dissenting vote.

A decline in student enrollment at Central Montcalm Public School can be blamed on fruit — or rather lack of it. A preliminary student enrollment count showed the district recorded 30 less students than expected for the 2012-2013 school year. This year’s poor fruit crop was mentioned as one of the reasons for the decline.

In the 1850s, Danish pioneer Christian Johnson wrote home from the settlement of Greenville, extolling the “good timber land, good wages, earnest people, good government and nice girls.” In 1856, his schoolmate, August Rasmussen, and his wife, Ane, ventured to the new land and by 1857, 40 Danish immigrants joined the settlers, beginning the influx of Danish settlers to the Montcalm County area. Danish researcher Lisabeth Pedersen will present “The Founders of Big Dane Settlement” at 7 p.m. Monday at the Greenville Area Community Center. She will present a historical and cultural perspective on Danish immigrants who arrived in Greenville more than 130 years ago. The free lecture will be followed with a meet and greet reception.

The general store at Heritage Village lodges the post office and, just like in days of old, is a place where children flock to buy their penny candy and homemade pickles from a crock. The store, located near Montcalm Community College, has a menagerie of historical artifacts on display and is one of 26 restored buildings in the quaint Heritage Village that aims to preserve the past.

Art and language arts students at Central Montcalm Public School will have the opportunity for a European trip. The school board voted 7-0 Monday night to approve a 10-day trip from March 27 to April 1, 2014.