Sup. Kudlak reports three positive COVID-19 cases, 42 quarantines

At the Oct. 26 regular meeting of the Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education School Supt. Pete Kudlak gave an update on COVID-19 cases in the district.
He said since the beginning of the school year three persons have tested positive for COVID-19 and as a result 42 students had been quarantined.
Those quarantined were those who may have had close contact with the positive-testing people.
Monday’s meeting was second in-person meeting of the board since the meetings were shut down by COVID in the spring. The meetings now are in the Belleville High School Commons and there is social distancing and masks.
In business matters the board:
• Reconfirmed the Extended COVID-19 Learning Plan, which is required by the state every 30 days after implementation. This includes reconfirming how instruction will be delivered for each grade level during the 2020-21 school year. This reconfirmation also allows for public comments from parents and guardians on the Extended Learning Plan and a review of weekly two-way interactions. The board agreed to move this reconfirmation to the first meeting of each month, so they will do it again on Nov. 9;
• Heard reports from BHS Principal Stacey Buhro, Edgemont Principal Fred Abel and Owen Intermediate Principal Jason Salhaney. School Supt. Pete Kudlak asked the buildings to present to the board one of their school improvement initiatives that they will be working on this year, as well as an update on their COVID-19 School Safety Plan;
• Approved the retirement of teacher Jenifer Dapsi-Morse of Owen Intermediate School on Oct. 30, after 32 years of service;
• Approved employment of Jonathan Victor as an English teacher at Belleville High School as of Oct. 19; Kathleen Klotz as a guidance counselor at McBride Middle School as of Nov. 2; and Robert Buckley as a music teacher at Owen Intermediate School;
• Approved the retirement of Cynthia Lewis from the Transportation Department after 25 years of service, as of Nov. 1;
• Approved the resignations of Lori Hecksel from the Transportation Department after 16 years of service, as of Oct. 16; and Claritha Fortune-Seed from Transportation after two years of service as of Oct. 15;
• Approved the hiring of Ryan Tefertiller on Oct. 19 and Lisa Gilbert on Oct. 26 as custodians in the Plant Operations Department; and
• Went into closed door session to consider the reinstatement of Student 19020-004 for the 2020-21 school year. Student 19-20-004 was expelled during the 2019-20 school year and came before the Reinstatement Committee for consideration of Reinstatement after the expiration of the expulsion period. The student and parent met with the District Reinstatement Committee on Oct. 14 and a recommendation from that meeting was before the board. In open session the board voted to reinstate the student with conditions.