School Board president endorses Supt. Kudlak’s school closing decisions

“I support your decision on school closings,” said Van Buren Public Schools board president Keith Johnston at Monday’s regular meeting, addressing School Superintendent Pete Kudlak. “You took a lot of heat.”
President Johnston said he would rather have Supt. Kudlak err on the side of caution in closing the schools on dangerously cold and icy days.
“You did the right thing,” Johnston said.
Supt. Kudlak told the board that earlier that day he hit the “submit” button to get waivers from the state for three of the “snow days” that were added to the six that are allowed by law.
The Van Buren Public Schools had a total of 11 “snow days” so far this school year, so there are still two to make up.
Supt. Kudlak said by law, schools have to have at least 180 days with at least 1,098 hours of instruction. If the state decides to allow either 180 days or 1,098 hours, the Van Buren district could have longer days in the coming months to make up the time.
Or, districts could have the 180 instructional days requirement waived if legislation is introduced, makes it to the governor’s desk and is signed.
In a related report, Human Resources Director Abdul Madyun said two school maintenance workers were out very early on Feb. 21 to layer kitty litter on the slick rural roadways leading up to railroad crossings to provide traction for buses in Sumpter and Van Buren townships, when they saw a flashing light.
Workers Joey Weick and Shelia Weginenka said they investigated and found an elderly man had slipped in his driveway and was on the ground.
They helped him up and got him back into his home. They asked if there was anything they could do for him and he asked them to get his mail, which they did. The incident was in the 14000 block of Elwell Road.
In other business at Monday’s school board meeting, the board:
• Approved the second, and final, reading of a board policy update recommended to #6146 by Thrun Law Firm, to comply with IRS guidance;
• Heard reports by board members Susan Featheringill, Darlene Loyer Gerick, Amy Pierce, and Calvin Hawkins on board member certification classes they took at the Michigan Association of School Boards’ Winter Institute at the Detroit Marriott hotel, Feb. 8-10;
• Approved hiring Kevin Danner as a Belleville High School custodian as of Feb. 11;
• Went into closed-door session to consider a reinstatement request for a student who was expelled during the 2016-17 school year. The student wished reinstatement for the 2018-19 school year. When the board came back into regular session, it voted to reinstate him;
• Heard Supt. Kudlak report that Michigan Association of School Boards’ Lobby Day is April 17 in Lansing and if any board member wants to go, the board member should contact him to register;
• Heard Supt. Kudlak report St. Anthony Catholic Church is closer to the final steps on the sale of some of its property to the school district. He said the official land division is expected to be done by April 1 or 2; and
• Heard Pierce say she attended the Wayne County Association of School Boards’ New Board Member presentation, which gave an overview of RESA. New board members were urged to become “Lansing savvy,” she said.