School Board member voices dismay at loss of eight beginning teachers

At a brief meeting of the Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education on June 8, Trustee Sherry Frazier noted the resignations of eight teachers who had worked for the district for one or two years.
“It’s sad to see we’re losing eight first-year teachers,” Trustee Frazier said, and then revised her figure to state that two of those had been teaching two years.
“They’ve all resigned,” Frazier said.
“I hope it’s not a sign of where we are in this district,” Frazier said. She asked if there is action being taken to replace these teachers and she was assured the Human Resources office is starting the hiring process.
Frazier also noted on the agenda was the hiring of an afternoon custodian supervisor, which the district hasn’t had in years.
She said there are now only four elementary schools and only six or eight people to supervise.
Frazier said she talked to the superintendent and he advised her that James Williams, who is in charge of buildings and grounds, can’t be at the schools from 6 a.m. to 10 at night and needs help.
She said she also was told Williams is responsible for the storm water report, which is very lengthy.
Frazier didn’t mention the new hire’s name, but it is Stephen Jones who until Monday worked in a security role at the district. (On Monday he worked both his old and his new jobs.) Before the security job was privatized, he worked for the district for two years.
Frazier said she was told the new supervisor will be at the high school, also. She said although the position has been unfilled for many years, it is being reinstated.
“I’m glad we have someone from within the district who is familiar with the school district … and familiar with procedures,” Frazier said.
Frazier went on to say she thinks board members should voice concerns at the table.
No other board members made personal comments about items on the agenda at Monday’s meeting.
“I get criticized for asking questions,” Frazier said, explaining that people are asking her why the district is hiring someone after all these years.
She pointed out the maintenance department has been slashed to the bone and everybody’s doing more with a lot less.
In other business at the 19-minute, June 8 meeting the board:
• Approved hiring Deborah Leedy as Human Resources’ Executive Assistant as of June 1; Stephen Jones as Afternoon Custodial Supervisor/Building Operations as of June 8; and Sara Cortese as Accountant in the Finance Office as of July 6;
• Approved the requested terminations of the following support staff: Joe Januszyk, retiring after 30 years in Plant Operations/Maintenance, as of June 30; Christina Wright, retiring after 25 years in the Finance Department/Payroll, as of July 31; David Tighe, resigned as bus mechanic in the Transportation Department after four years of service, as of May 27; and Pam Crawford, resigned May 31 after a leave of absence March-June, following 1.5 years of service as Human Resources/Executive Assistant;
• Approved the requested retirements as of June 30 of the following teachers: William Bragenzer, 37 years, BHS; Jennifer Dudick, BHS, 31 years; and Catherine Cutting, Owen, 16 years;
• Approved the resignation of teacher Anne Pichini, Rawsonville, 1 year, as of May 8; and the resignations of the following teachers as of June 30: Thomas Ambrose and Kevin Botos, both BHS, 2 years; and resignations of the following teachers after 1 year as of June 30: Rachael Bazzy, Tyler; Kathy Haydon, Owen; Mary Reinhard, BHS; Jayanthi Reddy, BHS; and Bradley Tucker, BHS;
• Approved leasing school buses to the Boys & Girls Club for summer 2015 field trips: Skateland West, Westland, July 8; Turtle Cove Water Park, HCMA, July 15; Rolling Hills Water Park, Ypsilanti, July 28; and Comerica Park, Detroit, July or August, date to be determined. Cost is $35 per hour per bus plus $1 per mile per bus;
• Approved leasing school buses to Huron Valley Ambulance for its Camp 9-1-1 at the U-M Boathouse in Van Buren Park. One bus is needed Aug. 12 for a field trip to St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ypsilanti and one is needed for a trip to the Van Buren Township Fire Hall #2 on Belleville Road on Aug. 13;
• Approved renewing membership in the Michigan Association of Schools Boards for the 2015-16 school year at a cost of $7,453. It was noted that MASB membership allowed participation in the SET-SEG insurance pool which resulted in a Workers’ Compensation Pool Premium Reduction of $69,804 for the Van Buren Public Schools;
• Approved membership for Belleville High School and McBride Middle School in the Michigan High School Athletic Association for the 2015-16 school year. The application noted there are 700 students in grades 7 and 8 at McBride;
• Heard School Supt. Michael Van Tassel report that the survey for the sinking fund was approved by his cabinet and some people in the community already have been surveyed. He said he wants to make sure all the data is back before bringing it to the board and he thinks that may be at the June 15 work/study session or the June 22 budget meeting;
• Heard Van Tassel say the June 15 meeting will be at 7 p.m. at the administration building instead of the high school as previously planned because crews will be cleaning the high school. On the agenda will be a budget hearing and a report by Curriculum Director Diane Kullis on the NWEA test scores and how the district did. Van Tassel said there have been “nice strides”; and
• Was informed the voting on the budget will take place at the June 22 meeting, which will be held at 7 p.m. at the administration building.