Policies to include suicide hotline on students ID tags

At the Sept. 27 regular meeting of the Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education the board unanimously approved a list of 34 policy updates that it discussed at its Sept. 13 meeting and then took up another list of eight updates to approve at its Nov. 12 meeting.
The new list of policies, proposed by its attorneys at Thrun Law Firm, includes printing a suicide hotline telephone number on all student identification tags for grades 6-12. The number, either national, state, or local that is available 24 hours a day, may also be put on the school website homepage and in a prominent location in the school counselor’s office.
This is in addition to the suicide prevention policies already in place that requires teachers to watch students for unusual depression, expressions of suicidal thoughts, and threatening or attempting suicide or self-harm.
Other policies, which are all in the Series 5000 policies for “Students, Curriculum, and Academic Matters,” addressed family engagement, Title I funds, academic credit, retention, medication, and honoring a “Do-Not-Resuscitate Order.”
Board vice president Susan Featheringill presided at the meeting for president Amy Pearce who was absent.
Also at the Sept. 27 regular meeting, the school board:
• Was advised the following teachers have been awarded tenure for the 2020-21 school year: Walter Boykin, Mark Fransen, Kayla Hale, Jennifer Kitchen, Julie Komaromi, Jennifer Lange, Thomas Purcell, and Morgan Youngs. School Supt. Pete Kudlak explained teachers qualify for tenure after their fifth year of teaching, or after their third year here, if they already had tenure at another district;
• Approved the resignations of teachers Victoria Lindenfeld as of Sept. 17 after zero years at Belleville High School for personal reasons; and Khaii Mason, as of Oct. 1, after less than a year at Tyler Elementary, for a job opportunity;
• Approved the terminations of the following non-instructional staff: Constance McKenzie as of Sept. 13 after zero years at Edgemont Elementary for personal reasons; Kaleena Bauer as of Sept. 16, after two years at McBride Middle School, termination; and Lisa Myers from Rawsonville Elementary, as of Oct. 1, retirement after 26 years of service;
• Approved employment of the following non-instructional employees: Tierra Cox as paraprofessional at Edgemont Elementary as of Sept. 20; Leonard Wojtyna as a bus aide as of Sept. 21, NyBrionna Lewis as a bus aide as of Sept. 23, Zannon Carter as a custodian as of Sept. 27, and Mychal Darty as Student Safety Liaison at BHS as of Sept. 7;
• Heard a presentation on a proposed McBride Middle School Reading Intervention program, the Houghton Mifflin Read 180 program, which is used by Flat Rock and Riverview. The board will be asked to approve the $58,152.10 cost of the program at its next meeting. The Read 180 is planned to be used in a three-year cycle, starting this fall and ending in spring 2024 for students performing in the bottom 30% in reading as measured by NWEA and M-Step tests;
• Was introduced to student representative to the school board, Natalia Payne, who is in the tenth grade at BHS. She reported that the Powder Puff football game between the senior and junior girls is on Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. She invited the public to support this event. (It is to earn funds for the classes of 2022 and 2023. Tickets at the gate are $5.) The FAFSA meeting to apply for financial aid for college will be at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 6 at BHS, and BHS Spirit Week is Oct. 4-8, with the Homecoming game on Oct. 8 and the dance on Oct. 9 at the Commons. There will be several student representatives to the board and Natalia is the first one this year;
• Heard Financial Director Sara Cortese report that Karen Waller of the food department is having problems providing food due to labor issues and supply shortages, but she is ensuring meals meeting restrictions are being provided, but with a narrower selection;
• Heard Human Resources Director Abdul Madyun report that the district’s self-insurance plan has moved to Blue Cross Blue Shield with good terms that won’t cost more and the exact same benefits as the previous company. The switch will take effect Oct. 1. Madyun also said they are still hiring but hope to have a full staff soon. Filling special education slots has been a struggle, he said;
• Heard Director of Special Education Karen Johnston thank the transportation department for going to special trouble for the special education children to make sure they get where they need to be. She also thanked the parents for being patient with the changing route time;
• Heard Director of Instruction Jeff Moore report that virtual parent-teacher conferences will be Oct. 13 and 14 at BHS and Nov. 3 and 4 at Owen Intermediate;
• Heard Supt. Kudlak report the early childhood center construction is moving along and there is a punch list of things that need to be completed. The furniture is back-ordered, he said. He also noted that the school nurse set up a COVID shot clinic at BHS that day and will have a clinic at Owen on Thursday; and
• Went into closed-door session at the end of the meeting and then came back into open session to consider reinstatement of Student 20-21-003, who was expelled during the 2020-21 school year. The board voted in open session to reinstate the student with conditions.