Grupo Antolin donates robotic arm to school district for teaching

At the May 10 meeting of the Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education, Curriculum Director Jeff Moore announced that the business Grupo Antolin, located in Shelby Township, donated a robotic arm to the district.
He said the district will be getting another robotic arm for the software and plans to get training this summer so teachers can learn how to teach this.
Director Moore said the students will be able to go right to a job after graduation with this kind of knowledge.
Also at the May 10 in-person meeting, the school board:
• Approved hiring the following teachers for the 2021-22 school year: Paige Fordice for McBride Middle School math; Aminah Ali, Elizabeth Snoes-Clinton, Whitney Aumiller, and Sabrina Carlin for elementary positions in yet-to-be-determined schools; Blake Miller for Belleville High School physics; Audrey Bonham and Jessica Hernandez-Lopez for BHS Spanish; and Samantha Cherwalk for BHS English;
• Approved the resignation of Laura Harper after one week as custodial floater; and the retirements of LaDonna Fogg as a non-instructional staff member at Edgemont Elementary after 23 years as of June 17 and Michael Signorelli in district maintenance for 23 years as of July 12;
• Approved the employment of Rachel Murdock as a paraprofessional as of April 27;
• Heard Supt. Kudlak say the high school went on a two-week pause April 22 because of the number of COVID cases, but the case numbers are on a downward trend. He said there currently were five positive cases and 14 quarantines. He said they found a couple of cases came from school contacts. There was one at Owen and those at BHS that caused the school to close. Supt. Kudlak said they might have a Pfizer shot clinic at BHS for students, but there are no dates set. He said they could get 150 shots and if not enough students take them, the extra would be open to the staff and community;
• Heard the mother of Haggerty twin students and the students’ grandmother ask the board to allow the girls to attend Tyler Elementary in the fall, rather than Rawsonville Elementary, which would be the school they are assigned to by where they live. The mother and grandmother both live in Van Buren Township. The mother said the grandmother lives near Tyler and takes care of the girls before and after school while the mother is at work. The grandmother said the mother can’t afford to pay for the twins to have before and after school care at Rawsonville. Board president Amy Pearce said the board will take all of their information and review it and get back to them. “I will let you know,” Supt. Kudlak said;
• Heard a report from BHS senior Michael Novay, who will be attending Central Michigan University this fall as his education to become a doctor begins. Michael told of the senior recognition zooms that week and the prom in the courtyard at BHS for a sit-down dinner on May 15, but he didn’t know how much dancing there would be. He told of graduation ceremonies at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. on May 27 on the BHS football field and a senior drive-through instead of the usual senior party after graduation; and
• Heard Supt. Kudlak say 39 people applied for the BHS principal’s position and that has been whittled down to three and the recommended principal will be brought to the school board at its next meeting.