Keystone Academy school board seeks new board member

Are you interested in becoming a school board member?
The Keystone Academy school board is looking for a new board member since present board vice-president Amy Gusfa has resigned to take a job opportunity in Cincinnati.
At the March 12 board meeting, Gusfa explained that her husband, who originally is from Cincinnati, has had a job that kept him traveling on the road for years. With his new job in Cincinnati he won’t have to travel.
She said she starts her new job in April and so the March 12 meeting was her last meeting as a board member.
The open seat is a member-at-large position, so candidates do not have to have children in the school or be an educator. Board members also do not have to live in the community.
The way it works is that the local school board nominates a candidate for the seat and that must be approved by the charter school authorizer, Bay Mills Community College.
The position is appointive not elective, such as in traditional public schools.
A National Heritage Academies brochure said board members serve approximately five hours a month, essentially to prepare for and participate actively in board meetings. The terms are for three years that can be renewed.
There is no financial compensation and board members do not do fund raising.
“There is the reward of knowing that you are helping to mold a child’s life,” the brochure said, inviting the public to learn more about the school by visiting keystoneacademy.org .
Keystone Academy is a free public charter school located at 47925 Bemis Road in Sumpter Township and has 768 students in grades Young 5’s to 8th grade.
Other board members are: chairwoman Vesta Losen, treasurer Carol Manley, secretary Susan Meland, and William Johnson.
Those interested may call Keystone at (734) 697-9470.
In other business at the March 12 meeting the board:
• Heard Reg Ion, the grandfather of two Keystone students, give suggestions for ways to manage the pick-up-students part of the day that leads to traffic being disrupted on Bemis Road. He said the main problem is that they don’t have enough parking, but that’s the fault of the Sumpter Planning Commission that approved their plans when the building was constructed. The board and Principal Keturah Godfrey listened to his suggestions and said they will look into making the pickup more efficient. Godfrey told Ion that she is both principal and superintendent in this single-school district and she has “an incredible open-door policy” where people can come in at any time to talk to her. She invited Ion to come in with any other suggestions or comments. “You don’t find that in traditional public schools,” Ion said;
• Heard Principal Godfrey say the school could use three more Chrome Books per grade for a total of 27 new units. The Chrome Books cost $250 per unit for a total of $6,750. She said this in response to a board question of what the board could buy for the staff for Teacher Appreciation Week and National Charter School Week on May 4-8. They directed Godfrey to come up with a proposal for the next meeting;
• After a public hearing, passed the Revised School Safety and Anti-Bullying Policy to go along with the legislature’s changes, especially on cyber bullying. Although Keystone already had cyber bullying policy, this has more complete wording to protect anyone reporting cyber bullying and keep their name confidential. “Cyber bullying is increasing exponentially because of the availability of technology,” said the board’s attorney LaRae G. Munk. The new law goes into effect March 31;
• Approved the Revised Wellness Policy to comply with federal laws. The U.S. Department of Agriculture changed its policy and added requirements for compliance. Munk said the revised policy went before the federal auditors and the federal legal counsellors at NHA to make sure Keystone’s operations are compliant; and
• Approved the 2015-16 school calendar.