VB School Board gives Supt. Van Tassel ‘highly effective’ rating

The Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education gave School Supt. Michael Van Tassel the top “highly effective” annual rating for his work at its regular meeting March 16. Supt. Van Tassel also had his contract extended for another year, making it good until June 30, 2018.
Board members said they offered Van Tassel a raise, but he declined. His base pay in 2014 was $132,502.46, plus benefits, for a total cost to the school district of $191,118.49.
Board policy requires the board, no later than March, to evaluate the performance of the superintendent. A summary statement of that evaluation was developed by the board after a closed-door session evaluation of the superintendent’s performance.
Under Van Tassel’s contract, unless his contract is extended and salary set for an additional year by June 30 or written notice to the contrary is given by the board by 90 days before June 30 (April 1), the contract automatically extends for another year.
Board Secretary Kevin English read a summary of the evaluation.
The evaluation begins: “Superintendent Van Tassel continues to exceed our expectations for effectiveness. His leadership is comprehensive, attending to all areas of operation and planning, while taking on extraordinary challenges without missing a beat.
“We are especially pleased with the methodic and long-range building he has done of both human capacity and effective processes. Our school district has never before, to our knowledge, invested so systematically in ongoing training, development, and continuous improvement.
“The results are evident in increased attention to staff morale, fewer parent complaints, better financial stability, incremental improvements in facilities, and – most importantly – the 21st Century curricula, materials, and teaching practices that have been producing above-average growth in student learning …”
In other business at the March 16 meeting, held at Edgemont Elementary School, the board:
• Approved the recommendation to name Melissa Lloyd as new principal for Owen Intermediate School with a one-year term for the 2015-16 school year at a salary of $94,416 plus fringe benefits offered to all administrators. Lloyd currently is an assistant principal at Belleville High School, with a base salary of $83,494.36 for 2014, plus $52,370.14 in administrative benefits for total compensation of $135,864.50. Lloyd holds a Master of Science degree in Educational Administration from the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania and is working on her PhD in Educational Studies: Urban Education at Eastern Michigan University;
• Approved budget amendments for the 2014-15 budget as recommended by Finance Director Shareen Barker;
• Approved a field trip, March 19-22, to the Amway Grand Hotel in Grand Rapids for the Business Professionals of America State Leadership Conference. Teacher Tracie Mckeon said she will drive three 10th and 12th grade students to the event to compete and network with other students from across the state. The trip is sponsored by the Business Club at no cost to the students;
• Approved the retirement of teacher Kristian Sefcik of McBride after 17 years of service as of June 30. She is on a leave of absence for the 2014-15 school year;
• Approved the resignation of teacher Scott Hunwick of McBride after 10 years of service as of March 9. He also is on a leave of absence for the 2014-15 school year;
• Approved the resignation of Laura Lintner of BHS after 10 years of service as of Feb. 27, for other employment, having accepted an administrative position;
• Approved the following terminations: Angela Ledford of Rawsonville, 20 years as a paraprofessional as of Feb. 23, resigned; Josephine Armstrong, cafeteria, 16 years in Food Service, as of Feb. 25, retired; Harvey Chesney, district-wide tech specialist for 14 years, as of March 6, resigned; and Diane Spivey, cafeteria, Food Service for 20 years, as of Feb. 18, deceased;
• Approved hiring Brandice Dorris as Fringe Benefits Accountant at the Administration Building, as of March 2; Qin Xu as of March 9 and Katerina Tyner as of March 10, both paraprofessionals at Edgemont Elementary;
• Heard a presentation on BHS curriculum by staff members led by Principal Abdul Madyun; and
• Listened to a parent report bullying of her son at Owen Intermediate School. Her name and phone number were taken and she was called the next day. Principal Jeff Moore met with her to discuss her concerns.
The March 16 meeting started off with a 52-minute closed-door session for the board to discuss the superintendent’s evaluation and contract negotiations. The audience waited until 7:55 p.m. to begin the meeting posted to begin at 7 p.m.