Board of Education reviews annual board policy updates

On Monday, Aug. 11, the Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education held its regular meeting at the Administration Building with the only administrative item on the agenda being the first reading of updates to 38 board policies as recommended by the Thrun law firm.
The updates will be presented to the board for the second reading and final approval at its regular meeting on Aug. 25.
Board president Amy Pearce gave a synopsis of the changes recommended by Thrun to stay in line with changing laws. She said as the administration changes, the changes in the law rolls down.
President Pearce said while the district could adopt a policy to start a charter school, it will not adopt that policy now, adding “Maybe someday. Not now.”
The many updates also included the policy that the district will issue safe storage for firearms information to all families as of Oct. 1 and post it on the website, as well.
Also, students who are the age of majority, 18, can make their own decisions and represent themselves.
The many proposed policy changes are available for review by the public by calling the school superintendent’s office.
In other business at the Aug. 11 meeting, the board:
• Accepted the resignations of teachers Cynthia Labor of Edgemont Elementary as of Aug. 31 after four years of service; Shahna Currie of Belleville High School as of Aug. 20, after four years of service; and Aubrey Banning of the Early Childhood Center as of Aug. 20 after one year of service;
• Approved employment of Rebecca Ross in the administration department as director of community education as of Aug. 1; employment of teachers Jennifer Wampler at Tyler Elementary, Tanika Craig and Gwynn Bell at BHS, and Matthew Peterson at McBride Middle School; teacher-alt.-certified Benjamin Temkow at BHS; Holly Crisler at Early Childhood Center; and Kamari Delfine as toddler teacher at the ECC. All teachers were hired as of Aug. 27;
• Approved the Aug. 15 retirement of non-instructional staff member Randy Fisher of Owen Intermediate School after 39 years of service and the Aug. 4 resignation of Gregory Martinez of building and grounds after less than a year of service. Also approved was the Aug. 5 termination of Michael Ellerby of buildings and grounds after less than a year of service;
• Approved the employment of Ruth McTere for food service at BHS and Autumn Laretz as cook/manager at McBride, with start dates to be determined. Also approved was the Aug. 14 start date of Terri Bono as secretary at Tyler Elementary School;
• Heard school superintendent Pete Kudlak say that Rebecca Ross recently retired as director of the Early Childhood Center after many years of service to the district. When the district posted the new position of director of community education, he said they were pleased to see that Ross applied and she was hired for the post. He said she will direct a new program of paid, after-school classes in a wide variety of subjects, including art, swimming, pickleball, how to do taxes, and whatever else they can come up with. This will be to keep students active positively after school and for adults, as well, he said;
• Heard Kudlak say the state doesn’t have the budget yet for schools and it was supposed to be done by July 1. He said the district doesn’t yet know how much it will get per pupil as opening day approaches. He said the state budget year begins Oct. 1, so it absolutely has to be done by then. He said the state wants to use K-12 school funding to fund roads;
• Heard trustees David Shall and Wade Fields report on last Saturday’s Robotics successful fundraiser at Lodge Lanes. Fields said they made more than they spent;
• Heard Pearce say she was in the “band camp mode” and the 175 kids in the BHS band will go off the Camp Tamarack on Monday, Aug. 18, and return on Friday, Aug. 22, and give an after-camp concert at 5 p.m. at BHS;
• Heard parent Angela Mears say her son Cooper is a senior this year and she will be announcing fundraisers for the class of 2026. She said at the BHS open house from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. there will be food trucks and on Sept. 25, the Carpenter Road Red Robin will give a percentage to the class if customers mention BHS class of 2026; and
• At the end of the regular meeting at 7:40 p.m., went into closed-door session to consider the potential reinstatement of Student 24-25-010 for the 2025-26 school year. The student was expelled during the 2024-25 school year and came before the reinstatement committee for consideration of reinstatement after the expiration of the expulsion period. A recommendation from that committee was before the board at the closed session. After discussion, the board came back into open session and voted to reinstate the student with conditions. The meeting ended at 8:27 p.m.
Board vice president Dionne Falconer and trustee Victor DeLibera were absent from that night’s meetings.