Van Buren School Board passes added COVID detail, 5-1

The Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education gave School Supt. Pete Kudlak the power to change district learning from in-person and remote to all remote without a vote of the board.
At Monday’s meeting of the board of education the vote was 5-1 to approve Supt. Kudlak’s request for the change to the Extended COVID-19 Plan Approval. The plan needs to be confirmed every month and sent to the state.
Board President Amy Pearce was not present at the meeting because she reportedly was in quarantine.
Supt. Kudlak said he made a modification as to what could be done if they had to go all remote. He said he asked the board’s attorney and the attorney said the amendment could just be added to the plan and the board would vote on the plan as usual.
Outgoing board Trustee Keith Johnston voted against confirming the plan with the new amendment giving Kudlak the power to change the method of education without a vote of the board.
“I’d like to the public to have a say,” Trustee Johnston said.
“If there was an outbreak in one building, I could close one building,” Kudlak explained. “It gives flexibility.”
“I think public input is more important,” Johnson said, noting a special board meeting can be called for a vote.
Kudlak said this is a COVID-related change and a parent who wants in-person classes wouldn’t want that if there were 42 positive cases.
Vice president Susan Featheringill, who was chairing the meeting, asked Johnston if he was uncomfortable voting now, and Johnson said, “No, I would vote no right now.”
Trustee Simone Pinter said if the health department recommended closing the classrooms now, the board would have to have a board meeting to do so.
Johnston said he didn’t feel comfortable having Kudlak make the decision.
Kudlak said the health department could come in and say the district is in Phase 3. He said if Wayne County decides the rates are too high, they could give a recommendation to close and the board decides whether to listen to that.
When the board discussed how long Kudlak could shut down in-person learning, Kudlack said he thinks it would be short-term, keeping the students out for a while. Long-term would be closing the classrooms until February.
“I think this is a safety thing,” Kudlak said. “If we feel it’s not safe to have kids in there, we could close for a two or three-week period.”
He said the health department gives an update every two weeks and gives a recommendation.
“While in our building, they are super-safe,” he said of the students. “I guarantee, they’re not acting that way at home.”
Kudlak said the health department recommends how long it takes to clear up an outbreak.
In other business at Monday’s meeting, the board:
• Received information on a proposed crosswalk from Country Walk subdivision to Savage Elementary School that would save two school bus runs into the subdivision. The project has been under consideration for about a year and a half and involves reducing the speed in front of the school to 25 mph during school hours and putting in a device where students could push a button and it would stop traffic. A traffic study showed there is not enough traffic for a full light. A $21,695 lump sum to Spaulding Dedecker to complete civil engineering design work is being recommended as a first step and will be considered at an upcoming meeting;
• Received information on Plante Moran Bid Packet #2 (Group A) for the next part of the Early Childhood Development Center now under construction southeast of the high school. The packet will be brought to the next meeting for a vote;
• Was introduced to the new student board member Olivia Sylvestre, who is senior class president. She told the board she is in remote learning and it has been going very well for her;
• Approved hiring the following remote teachers: Amanda Haas at Tyler Elementary, Khaii Mason at Savage Elementary, Emily Nadrowski at Edgemont Elementary; and Kimberly Lammers at Rawsonville Elementary; along with remote interventionist Cristine Gulu at Rawsonville Elementary;
• Accepted the resignation of Brenda Thomas from the Transportation Department after one year of service; and the terminations of Yvette Gorecki from Transportation after six years of service and Michael Dotson from Plant Operations after one year of service;
• Approved the employment of custodian Christopher Tharpe and IT support representatives Hussein Alakhrass and Devin McCafferty; and
• Heard presentations from Haggerty, Savage, and Tyler schools on their programs.