Van Buren School Board OKs $202,356 worth of high-tech bus cameras

The fleet of school buses in the Van Buren Public School district will soon have high-tech cameras in all their buses, with power so strong it can see what the students are looking at on their cellphones.
At Monday’s regular meeting, the school board unanimously approved the purchase and installation of new camera/GPS units for the fleet at a total cost of $202,356 from the Enhancement Millage, which was approved for county school districts by voters.
Finance Director Shareen Barker had led a district committee into researching cameras for the buses and they came up with the recommendation to buy these cameras from Radio Engineering Industries, Inc.
She gave a detailed presentation on the equipment at the Sept. 25 school board meeting and then brought it forward for official action at Monday’s regular meeting.
“Our cameras on the buses are outdated and replacement parts are scarce,” she wrote in a memo to the board. “Some of our buses do not have operating cameras. Our GPS does not work currently on any of the buses. We formed a committee and researched bus cameras/GPS to determine a sustainable system that met the committee’s safety concerns and other requirements.”
She said various systems were researched and the REI system met the objectives of the committee to transport the students safely.
She explained the system includes Wi-Fi upload, a backup hard drive, 360-degree view from the front to back, roof to floor and between seat viewing. There is video/audio clarity, round the clock customer support, multiple bus cameras, safety monitoring of speed, braking, G-forces, stops, and multiple reports.
School Supt. Pete Kudlak said the cameras record but no one looks at the recordings unless there is a problem or a report of something wrong. The bus drivers will be trained in using the “event marker” to help find information. The cameras hold a year’s worth of information.
The cameras are expected to be installed in all buses within the next three to five weeks.
In other business at Monday’s meeting, the board:
• Accepted the gift of two tennis ball machines to Belleville High School by the Van Buren Civic Fund;
• Approved the 2016-17 fiscal year report from Taylor & Morgan auditors;
• Heard a report from McBride Middle School Principal John Leroy and his staff on new things they are doing this fall, including exploration classes at the end of the day, Thumbs Up meetings that discuss every student in the school every Wednesday, and teachers teaming up;
• Approved the retirement of Savage teacher Tonya Porzondek after 15 years of service; Evaristo Rodriguez of Owen / McBride, after three years of service, for other employment opportunity; and Peter Fashho of Belleville High School after two years of service for other employment opportunity;
• Approve the hiring of Marcia Rosen as a MSRP teacher at Haggerty ECDC and Navasart Mardoyan as a teacher at Owen, both as of Oct. 3;
• Approved hiring Janet Parris as a food service worker at McBride as of Sept. 5; and Elon Thomas for the Savage afternoon shift for Buildings & Grounds as of Oct. 2;
• Approved Sixth Grade Science Camp for about 225 students at Owen Intermediate School for Nov. 13-17 at YMCA Camp Copneconic in Fenton. Cost to student is $230 each and fundraiser was available;
• Was informed that teacher Jessica Moore won an Excellence in Education Award from the Michigan Lottery. She was presented with a $1,500 award, plus $500 to be used for her classroom;
• Heard Human Resources Director Abdul Madyun report that a committee has been put together to look at insurance for the school district, since it is a big expense and they want to get options;
• Heard Supt. Kudlak announce that Count Day was last Wednesday and a report will come to the board. He said the state aid currently is based on a blended rate of 4,651.64 students. He also announced that the district’s new Chess Club started earlier that day at McBride Middle School and they had 25 students attend, plus lots of volunteers. Another Chess Club starts at Owen Intermediate on Wednesdays; and
• When asked about the committee that was to look into the use of Haggerty School, Supt. Kudlak said the first meeting was held last week and they are breaking up into five different components to study, including financial and educational. He said they plan to finish by the end of January.