Van Buren School Board considers 86 pages of policy updates

At the Sept. 23 regular meeting of the Van Buren Public School Board of Education the board heard a report from president Amy Pearce on the 86 pages of updates recommended for the board’s policy.
Some are recommended by Thrun Law Firm to be in line with the law and some are recommended by the board’s policy committee.
Among the policies being updated include: Code of Ethics; Board Meetings/Organizational; Open Meeting Act and threat; Electronic Meetings; Sexual Harassment; Operations, Finance, and Property / Gifts and Donations / Distribution of Printed Material and Advertising in School; Bloodborne Pathogens; Asbestos Management (law); Firearms and Weapons; Pregnant Workers; Anti Harassment; Whistleblowers; Employee Complaint Procedures; Workplace Accommodations; Personal Communication Devices; Use of District Property; No Expectation of Privacy; Performance-Based Compensation for Teachers / Administrators; Student Discipline; Removal of Third-Grade Reading requirement; Reading Assessments; and Student-Initiated Clubs.
The policy updates will be voted on at the next regular meeting on Oct. 9.
The board also approved Board Policy #5707, the School Wellness Policy, as recommended by Thrun Law Firm and discussed in detail at the Sept. 11 meeting. This is required by state law to be approved by Oct. 1.
The policy has to do with unpaid student meal charges, that won’t be a problem now that meals are free. But there are past-due amounts for various reasons and after the district tries to collect and fails, the past-due amounts will have to be written off as bad debts in the food department.
Then the district will pay off the debts from the general fund. The general fund will then be reimbursed by a government grant.
In other business at the 44-minute meeting, the board:
• Approved Sixth Grade Camp 2023, Nov. 7-10, for about 180 sixth graders from Owen Intermediate School and 10th, 11th, and 12th grade counselors. They will go to YMCA Camp Copneconic in Fenton by bus at a cost to students of $225 each;
• Approved resignations of teachers Heather Palmer of Tyler/Savage after six years of service as of Sept. 30; Thomas Purcell of Owen after seven years, as of Sept. 23; and Kelly Jesue of Savage after six years as of Oct. 7;
• Approved the resignation of Crystal Humbarger, a paraprofessional, after one year of service as of Sept. 8;
• Approved the employment of Kaci Chandler and James Trussell for BHS Food Service as of Sept. 12; Matthew Wegienka as custodian in the Building & Grounds department, as of Sept. 18; and Justin Watson, as a school bus aide, as of Sept. 19;
• Heard Linda Clayton, class of 1971, thank the board for allowing the All-Class Reunion to be held at BHS on Sept. 16. She said it was the smallest group they ever had, barely over 100 people. She said the Robotics Club made T-shirts for alumni as they waited and this is a fund-raiser for the club. Millie Baker, class of 1944, the reunion treasurer, also was present at the board meeting. Clayton pointed out that Baker will be celebrating her 80th class reunion next year;
• Heard BHS student Natalie Payne, student board member, tell about how Spirit Week started that day and that the Homecoming football game is 7 p.m. on Friday. The Homecoming dance is Saturday;
• Heard School Curriculum Director Jeff Moore and Supt. Pete Kudlak report on how the NJROTC group is growing, so much that another teacher has been approved by the Navy along with a $150,000 grant for equipment. A large number of uniforms were donated to the BHS program by another school which no longer offers the program. Supt. Kudlak said the district also is working to reduce the size of classrooms by using federal ESSER money;
• Learned two freshman members of the BHS Equestrian Team – Lilly Sanchez and Lily Giacalone — have won a district championship and are going to the regional meet this weekend. The team/club is Division D, Reserve Champion, MIHA District VII; and
• Went into closed-door session to consider the potential reinstatement of Student 21-22-074 for the 2023-24 school year. The student was expelled during the 2021-22 school year. After considering the details in closed session the board went back into open session and voted to reinstate the student with conditions.