VBPS board approves $1,054,728.56 for new furniture for three schools

At the Sept. 11 meeting of the Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education, the board voted to allocate $1,054,728.56 for new furniture for three schools – McBride Middle School and Savage and Tyler elementaries.
That figure includes a contingency of $50,000 to move and dispose of the old furniture said James Williams, director of plant operations.
He said the board had discussed the purchase in detail at the previous meeting and there has been a slight increase of about $35,000 in the McBride bid. He said the plan is to replace what furniture they can during the Christmas break and then finish off during the Spring break.
He said the difference in costs between Savage and Tyler is being reviewed and they will be evened out.
In other business at the 46-minute meeting, the board:
• Was advised that School Supt. Pete Kudlak is missing this meeting because he has COVID. Board president Amy Pearce said this is the first time in five years that he has missed a meeting. But, she said, he is in constant contact with her by phone even though she keeps telling him he is supposed to rest. Board member Calvin Hawkins also was absent from the meeting;
• Heard the first reading of a board policy change as needed by the state by Oct. 1. The board will approve it at the next meeting, as recommended by its attorney. 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, they will have to be written off as bad debts. Then the district will pay off the debts from the general fund. The general fund will then be reimbursed by a government grant. Other policy changes will also be presented at the next meeting, Sept. 25;
• Approved the resignation and retirement of teachers Kristen Strawsine, who resigned Aug. 25 from McBride Middle School after more than one year of service; and Julie Komaromi, who retired Sept. 13 from Savage Elementary after seven years of service;
• Approved hiring Andrew Kozelka as a STEM teacher at McBride Middle School as of Aug. 28; Chinetta McLeod as a speech pathologist at Tyler Elementary on Sept. 11; Susan Hough as art teacher at McBride on Sept. 5; and Thomas Caprara as a social studies teacher at McBride as of Sept. 11;
• Approved the resignations of Edith Jenkins from Food Service on Aug. 28 after two years of service; Erica Schimmel as a paraprofessional on Aug. 27 after one year of service; and Sheree Smith as a bus driver on Aug. 28 after one year of service;
• Approved hiring Angela Weatherspoon and Iris Jenson for Food Service at BHS as of Aug. 31; Florence Baker for Food Service at BHS as of Sept. 8; Consuello Turner as Kitchen Manager at BHS as of Sept. 7; and Stacy English as Family Liaison at the Early Childhood Center as of Aug. 28;
• Heard Boy Scout Kenny Farr, of Troop 793, report on the completion of his Eagle Scout project at Rawsonville Elementary School. He passed before and after pictures around to the board members. Board president Pearce thanked him for working to improve his former elementary school;
• Heard the student board member report that the Powder Puff Derby is 7:30-8:30 p.m., Sept. 27; the Craft Show is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Nov. 18; and Homecoming is Sept. 30;
• Heard special education director Julian Frazier report that there is an increase in students with Individual Education Programs in the district, going up from 690 last school year to 750 this year;
• Heard Human Resources Director John Leroy report that he met with Alicia McGovern of the local Edward Jones office to set up a financial wellness program for staff. He said the goal is to start classes on finance for staff each quarter;
• Heard president Pearce say that she has been talking with Supt. Kudlak about the chatter on social media. One is about class sizes and that will be worked out, which happens at the first of every school year. Also, she said, there is a lot of chat about transportation. She said the policy is that students who live up to a mile and a half from BHS do not get transportation. She said also they do not transport schools of choice students. Those students who didn’t register for transportation are being discovered and so the routes are being reevaluated;
• Also heard president Pearce say the BHS Band Review is at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 20 at the football field. She said the district is very fortunate to have Mark Laginess coordinate the project, which is a showcase of halftime shows by bands from six districts. She also announced that 144 students and 30 parents of the BHS Marching Band are preparing for a trip to Disney World and they are flying this year; and
• Went into closed-door session with the school district attorney to discuss a legal matter.