Van Buren Public Schools receive SET SEG Safety Award

On Monday, Oct. 14, the Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education received a framed certificate, “Safety is No Accident Award,” from the School Employees Trust/School Employers Group (SET SEG) in Lansing.
Darlene Wood of SET SEG said this is one of five awards given out in the state and praised Van Buren Public Schools for having an improved loss ratio.
Annually, SET SEG recognizes five members of its Property/ Casualty Pool and Self-Insurer Workers’ Compensation Fund, Wood said. An awards committee considers claims history, minimal losses, safety measures and cooperation regarding safety recommendations when making its selections.
In other business at Monday’s one-hour-and-20-minute meeting, the board:
• Approved an update to the policy on Wireless Communication Allowance and Staff Use of Wireless Communications Devices. Supt. Pete Kudlak said the district wants to change its current way of handling and maintaining staff cell phones in a way to make it simpler for everyone involved in the process. They currently bought devices and services. The policy was changed to a monthly stipend of $50 for those required to have a wireless communication device as a condition of their employment, which are about 24;
• Approved the resignation of Kanika Spears as a teacher at Owen Intermediate School after two years of service as of Oct. 4;
• Approved hiring Kelli Suvada as a paraprofessional in Student Services as of Oct. 14;
• Heard presentations from Belleville High School and McBride Middle School staffs. Supt. Kulak asked the buildings to present to the board one of their school improvement initiatives that they will be working on this year. BHS representatives spoke about what they are doing to solve problems for ninth graders, including those ninth graders reclassified as ninth graders at the end of the school year for not passing enough credits (in 2016-17 it was 61, in 2017-18 it was 39, and in 2018-19 it was 58), behavior problems, and 63% responding in a survey that they did not have an adult looking out for them. McBride staff spoke of the Reading/Writing Workshop that is showing great results;
• Heard student Kenneth Farr tell the board he failed a test and although he got 100% on all his homework, he got an E in the class. He said that wasn’t fair. Angela Mears said from the audience that there is a new marking policy and he will be able to take the test as many times as he wants until he passes it or gets an A, whatever his goal is. Supt. Kudlak congratulated Kenneth for standing up for what he believes and urged him to talk with his principal at McBride on the situation. Kudlak referred to Kenneth as one of his chess champions;
• Heard Director of Instruction Jeff Moore and Human Resources Director Abdul Madyun talk about the health competition put in place for employees by Human Resources. They spoke of a basketball competition on Wednesdays, just getting started; and
• Heard Kudlak say he has been out and around telling the story of the proposed bond issue that will be on the Nov. 5 ballot. He said he has talked to those both in favor of and against the proposal. Kudlak said the most important thing is to be sure to vote.