School board spends $206,000 on new BHS security cameras

By Paul W. Henning
Independent Editor
At the Aug. 25 meeting of the Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education, the board unanimously approved a $206,000 internal security camera upgrade for Belleville High School.
The current cameras are 14 years old and officials said the upgrade is needed. Some of the equipment is not functional any more and the new cameras will capture a better picture quality than the current ones.
The parking lot camera replacement was the first phase of the project followed by this second phase. Installing the 200 new cameras will be paid for by grant money and sinking fund.
The work will be done during school hours to save money. The plan is to exchange the cameras one by one keeping security intact as the 30-90-day project moves forward.
Some of the cameras will be upgraded from a single lens to a multiple lens to provide increased coverage. Capricorn is the company that will do the work. It is the company the upgraded the parking lot cameras.
In other items on the agenda, the board:
• Approved the many amendments to the school policy that had their first readings at the previous board meeting;
• Heard the district is eligible for the reduced/free lunch program because the student body is over 50% eligible;
• Learned the district is ten employees short of a full staff of paraprofessionals. The starting pay for a paraprofessional is $17.10 per hour;
• Approved the resignations of Susan Hough of McBride after two years of service; Amanda Wright of Tyler after four years of service; Karen Morelli of BHS after one year of service; Jeff Moore, director of curriculum, after 18 years of service; Jack Loria of Edgemont after 18 years of service, and Jessia Schwartz-Olma after 16 years of service. Ruth McTere was terminated; and
• Approved hiring Jodi Weak for Edgemont, Angela Harris-Schultheis for BHS, Ariana Seward for BHS, Donna Kudisiak for Edgemont, Helena Solano for BHS, Melissa Barger for BHS, Nikiana Sell for BHS, Mark Tooley for McBride, Jillian Leaym for Tyler, Jenny Linne for the Early Childhood Center, Melanie Snyder for BHS, and Rebecca Johnson and Sean Jenvey for Transportation.