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December 11, 2014
Northville history teacher wins state honor
IKEA to install 40,000
solar panels at store
C
ANTON
- N
ORTHVILLE
NorthvilleHighSchool history
teacher Joe Cislo joined an elite
group of educators last week
when he was awarded the
Annette and Jim McConnell
History Educator Award from the
Council forHistoryEducation.
The award is named for the
founders of the council and is
presented to only six history
teachers in the state annually.
One of the criteria was the
demonstration by the teacher of a
commitment to providing quality
history education to students.
Cislo was nominated by a col-
league or school administrator
citing his ability to engage stu-
dents in learning history and his
innovative and creative teaching.
A history lesson plan consisting
of student-centered lesson, con-
nected to the Michigan
Standards and Benchmarks was
also part of the evaluation
process.
“Receiving the award feels
great. I love teaching, and it's very
encouraging to be acknowledged
in this way,” said Cislo, who
began teaching in Northville
about 14 years ago. He previously
taught in the the Grosse Pointe
andCicero, Ill, districts.
“I'm a history teacher, and I
really enjoy the narrative aspect
of my discipline,” Cislo said of his
motivation in teaching. “Working
with kids to frame the story,
develop the details, and make
connections to the modern world
-- these are the parts of the class-
room experience that I really
enjoy.
“Long after they're gone from
my classroom, I want my students
to be curious, to think about
things from multiple perspec-
tives, and to make informed
choices,” he said.
Cislo teaches U.S. History, AP
U.S. History and Big History to
ninth- through 12th grade stu-
dents at Northville High School.
Next year, he will be teaching
History of the Americas in the
International Baccalaureate
Diploma Program. He's also
taught creative writing and
advanced placement world histo-
ry and government classes.
Cislo earned his bachelors
and masters degrees at the
University of Michigan, and a
masters in teaching degree from
the University of Chicago, where
he didhis student teaching.
I'm a history teacher,
and I really enjoy the narrative
aspect of my discipline.
”
The 44,000 square-foot expansion of
the IKEA store in Canton will include
40,000 square feet of solar panels on the
roof.
IKEA officials last week said that the
solar panels would be installed beginning
next spring and completion is set for sum-
mer of 2015.
The solar addition will consist of 765
panels, and will produce 287,490 kWh
more of electricity annually for the store.
Including the existing system, the IKEA
solar installation of 4,925 panels will gen-
erate 1,426,490 kWh of clean electricity
yearly, the equivalent of reducing 984 tons
of carbon dioxide (CO2), eliminating the
emissions of 207 cars or powering 135
homes, according to company officials.
“We are happy to have this opportunity
to increase the amount of solar energy
generated and used by this store,” said
Matt Hunsicker, IKEA Canton store man-
ager. “This is another example of the
IKEA commitment to create a more sus-
tainable life for communities where we
operate.”
The development, design and installa-
tion of the enhanced solar power system
at IKEA was entrusted to Inovateus Solar
LLC, an industry-leading solar power dis-
tributor and integrator specializing in
large-scale solar installations.
Expanding this array contributes to the
IKEA solar presence of nearly 90 percent
of U.S. locations with a total generation
goal of 40 MW, officials said. IKEA owns
and operates each of its solar energy sys-
tems atop its buildings - as opposed to a
solar lease or power purchase agree-
ment- and globally has allocated $1.8 bil-
lion to invest in renewable energy
through 2015, reinforcing its confidence
and investment in solar photovoltaic tech-
nology, a spokesman said. Consistent with
the goal of being energy independent by
2020, IKEA has installed more than
700,000 solar panels on buildings across
the world and owns approximately 157
wind turbines in Europe and Canada,
with 104more being built in theU.S.
Santa,
baby
Santa and his elves
arrived at Maybury
Farm last weekend and
will be there from noon
unti l 3 p.m. this
Saturday and Sunday,
Dec. 13 and 14 and
again Dec. 20 and 21.
Santa will be waiting to
meet with children of all
ages on his antique
sleigh in the Maybury
Farm Welcome Center.
Children can bring their
wish list and sit with
Santa on his sleigh
whi le moms, dads,
grandmas and grand-
pas take photos. The
Welcome
Center
shelves will be stocked
with special Christmas
gifts including Maybury
Farm honey, jams, jel-
l ies, popcorn and
more. Admission is just a smile and a small donation to help feed the animals at
Maybury Farm throughout the winter months. Maybury Farm is located at 50165
Eight Mile Road, between Beck and Napier (do not enter at the state park).
Parking is complimentary. For more information, visit www.northvillecommunity-
foundation.org, call (248)374-0200.