School Board approves second bond sale, as approved by voters

On Nov. 8, a resolution authorizing the issuance and sale of up to $9 million in bonds was passed by the Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education.
This is Series II in the three bonds planned after voters approved up to $35,490,000 million in bond sales for school buildings and sites on Nov. 5, 2019. The Series II bonds, in $5,000 denominations, will be General Obligation Unlimited Tax bonds.
The resolution states the bonds shall bear interest at a rate not to exceed 5%, but not less than 1%, per annum, payable on Nov. 1, 2022 and then semiannually thereafter on the first day of May and November in each year through 2045.
Series II construction focuses on projects for Owen, Tyler and Savage Schools and this was explained in detail at the Oct. 25 meeting by Rob Kakoczki of Plante Moran Cresa.
Projects for Owen will include renovating classrooms, replacing corridor lockers, upgrading the mechanical system, upgrading PA and fire alarm systems, and expanding the parking lot to include a dedicated bus loop.
This construction will take place over the summer of 2022, with work on some areas to begin in April.
At Savage and Tyler new playground equipment and mechanical system upgrades will be installed. Both schools will have more projects in Series III projects coming in the future.
Series I bonds were used mainly for construction of the Early Childhood Development Center, which is complete and will be occupied in January.
In other business at Monday’s one-hour meeting, the board:
• Approved an agreement with the Van Buren Educational Support Team, where the paraprofessionals and bus aides will receive a $2 per hour raise and the previous 50-cent-per-hour raises for 2022-23 and 2023-24 are void. All other groups in VBEST will receive a 50-cent-per-hour raise and will continue to receive the previously agreed upon 50-cent-per-hour raises for 2022-23 and 2023-24. Also, any new paraprofessional hired with experience will be allowed to enter at the wage scale equal to their years of experience and their start date will be used for bidding seniority. Human Resources Director Abdul Madyun said these changes were necessary in this new hiring climate;
• Heard building presentations from McBride, Owen, and Edgemont schools;
• Approved the resignation of Sarah Igonin, a teacher at McBride Middle School, after two years of service as of Nov. 6, for a job opportunity;
• Approved the hiring of teacher Cynthia Labor for Edgemont Elementary as of Oct. 27, teacher Carley Duey for Tyler Elementary as of Nov. 10, teacher Kori Buford for Belleville High School as of Nov. 15, and special-education teacher Kris Mysliwiec for Owen Intermediate as of Nov. 15;
• Approved termination of Lristin Dewey from the Transportation Department on Oct. 21 after six years of service; the termination of Audrey Rappe of Special Services on Nov. 1 after zero years of service; the resignation of Kyle Price of Plant Operations for a job opportunity on Oct. 30 after less than one year of service; the resignation of Patricia Moceri of Food Service after six years of service on Oct. 28 for a job opportunity; and the resignation of Matthew Wegienka of Plant Operations on Nov. 29 after four years of service for a job opportunity;
• Heard School Supt. Kudlak say the high school’s Air Rifle Team competed in Ohio with many teams from different states and at least two of the team members did very well in preliminary results;
• Heard Jason Salhaney, principal of Owen School, say that sixth-grade science camp was to begin the next day. Later in the meeting, parent Angela Mears said she thought there were no field trips this school year. She wanted students to be able to take the usual trip to Washington, D.C. Supt. Kudlak explained the district’s thinking in not allowing that this year; and
• Heard Board President Amy Pearce say her husband is an airline pilot and belongs to a group that is offering Aviation STEM for high school in a four-year aviation program aimed at operating drones or becoming a pilot. She said 800,000 new pilots will be needed by 2030 and she will get more information to present to the district.