School Board meets in public once again, reinstates voting policy

On Oct. 12, the Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education met in person at the Belleville High School Commons, free at-last of state restrictions that kept them meeting by Zoom since COVID-19 struck last spring.
After Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order that allowed for virtual school board meetings, the policy to require members to be physically present to vote was suspended and they voted via Zoom.
On Monday the board voted unanimously to reinstate its policy that board members had to be physically present to vote.
The board also voted to revert to its original wording in Policy 5460 that says: “For subject areas and courses in which a final examination is used as the assessment for successful attainment of the subject area content, a grade of C+ or better is required.”
It had been changed to: “While our COVID-19 Continuity of Learning Plan is in effect, the subject areas and courses in which a final examination is used as the assessment for successful attainment of the subject area content, a grade of D- or better is required.” This was now removed.
In other business at the Oct. 12 regular meeting held in person at Belleville High School Commons, the board:
• Approved terminations for teachers: Diana Anguilm of Rawsonville Elementary, retired after 15 years, as of Sept. 8; Kevin Krug, administrator at Owen Intermediate, retired after 31 years, as of Sept. 30; and Melissa Michel of Belleville High School, who left after two years for another job opportunity as of Sept. 25;
• Approved resignation of two non-instruction staff members: Frank Murphy of Owen Intermediate, after one year of service, as of Sept. 14, with no reason given, and Keith Schenavar of Administration Building as of Oct. 30 after two years of service for a job opportunity;
• Approved hiring Laverne Ellis as a district floater paraprofessional, as of Sept. 28; and BreAnne Small for McBride Middle School as a paraprofessional as of Oct. 7; and
• Heard school presentations for educational programs at McBride Middle School and Rawsonville Elementary School.