12-18-2017 Board Minutes

(Last Updated On: February 22, 2018)

BUCHANAN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, BERRIEN COUNTY, MICHIGAN

 

DECEMBER 18, 2017                        REGULAR MEETING                     BUCHANAN HIGH SCHOOL

 

CALL TO ORDER President, Dr. Harvey Burnett, opened the meeting at 6:00 pm

 

ROLL CALL PRESENT: R. Writer, J. DeVlaminck, D. Wentworth, C. Lee, S. Tobler & H.

Burnett

 

ABSENT: K. Laesch

 

  OTHERS PRESENT : Mr. Timothy J. Donahue and Mrs. Tricia Lowery

 

ADOPTION OF AGENDA

 

MOTION BY Member S. Tobler, SECONDED BY Member R. Writer the

agenda for the regular meeting of December 18th, 2017 be adopted as written.

ROLL CALL VOTE:  R. Writer, J. DeVlaminck, D. Wentworth, C. Lee, S. Tobler

& H. Burnett NAYS:  None     MOTION  ADOPTED

 

 
RECOGNITION OF VISITORS

 

Mr. Rob Habicht, Mr. Michael Kounelis, Mr. Ballard, S. DeMaio, B. Pruett,

K. Hurlbutt, S. Steinke, student & parent of student

 

COMMUNITY DIALOGUE/CITIZENS CONCERNS

 

None

 

CLOSED SESSION – STUDENT DISCIPLINE MOTION by S. Tobler, SECONDED by D. Wentworth, The Board of Education

move into closed session at the parent’s request for hearing on student

discipline.  ROLL CALL VOTE:  R. Writer, J. DeVlaminck, D. Wentworth,

C. Lee, S. Tobler & H. Burnett NAYS:  None     MOTION  ADOPTED

OPEN SESSION MOTION by D. Wentworth, SECONDED by C. Lee, The Board of Education

returns to open session.  ROLL CALL VOTE:  R. Writer, J. DeVlaminck,

D. Wentworth, C. Lee, S. Tobler & H. Burnett NAYS:  None

MOTION  ADOPTED

BOARD DECISION – STUDENT DISCIPLINE MOTION by H. Burnett, SECONDED by J. DeVlaminck, The Board of

Education adopt the following resolution:

 

WHEREAS, the administration has presented to the Board of Education,

a recommendation concerning the expulsion of a student who was in

violation of Buchanan School Board Policy #5530 on Friday,

December 8th, 2017; and

 

WHEREAS, the administration has notified the student and parent(s) involved

of the accusations against the student, the recommendation of expulsion, and

their rights to a hearing on this date;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:

 

The Buchanan Board of Education hereby chooses to expel student

#10017 from attendance in the Buchanan Community Schools effective

immediately for the remainder of the 2017-18 school year with the

following conditions to be met for possible reinstatement to Buchanan

High School in the first semester of the 2018-19 school year:

 

1)       Through the remainder of the 2017-18 school year, student #10017

must successfully complete current grade year while attending BVA, the

Step Up Program, or another alternative setting.

2)       The student must attend six sessions of counseling with an outside

the school district professional (responsibility of parent/guardian) and obtain a

release to report back to school from the counselor prior to re-admittance

meeting with the Superintendent of the Buchanan Community Schools.

3)       Upon the completion of the first two steps the student and parents/

guardians must contact the Superintendent of Buchanan Community Schools

to schedule a re-admittance hearing back into Buchanan Community Schools.

4)       Any recommendation will be reviewed by the Buchanan School Board

before a decision to reinstate student #10017 will be made.

 

ROLL CALL VOTE:  R. Writer, J. DeVlaminck, D. Wentworth, C. Lee, S. Tobler

& H. Burnett NAYS:  None     MOTION  ADOPTED

 

 

INFORMATION/REPORTS & NEW BUSINESS

 

Mr. Rob Habicht, Community Gateway Foundation, discussed topics of College

Savings Accounts & Buchanan Promise.  Mr. Habicht also discussed the

mission and vision statement of his organization and merit based school of

choice trends.  Mr. Habicht went on to talk about post-Promise tracking and

the number of applicants last year in comparison to this year.

 

Mr. Mike Kounelis, The Skillman Corporation, provided a presentation

concerning a list of suggested upgrades and fixtures for Buchanan High

School, Buchanan Middle School, Ottawa Elementary and Moccasin

Elementary.

 

SUPERINTENDENT /DEPARTMENT REPORTS

 

BHS, BMS, BVA, Moccasin, Ottawa, CTE & District Curriculum, Athletics,

Business Office, Food Service, Information Technology & Transportation

building/department updates were submitted respectively.

 

Mr. Donahue reminded the Board of the January 8th reorganizational meeting.

 

Board Vice President, Sandy Tobler agreed to be representative on the

Hall of Fame Committee.

 

MEETING MINUTES

 

MOTION BY Member R. Writer, SECONDED BY Member D. Wentworth, The

minutes of the regular meeting of November 20th, 2017, be adopted as written.

ROLL CALL VOTE:  R. Writer, J. DeVlaminck, D. Wentworth, C. Lee, S. Tobler

& H. Burnett NAYS:  None     MOTION  ADOPTED

 

WARRANTS MOTION by J. DeVlaminck, SECONDED by S. Tobler, The Board of Education

approve the payment of payroll of $1,021,567.69 and the payment of

expenditures of $338,467.43 for invoices from the General Fund and the

payment of payroll of $20,751.16 and the payment of expenditures of

$90,900.50 for invoices from the School Service Fund.  ROLL CALL VOTE:

R. Writer, J. DeVlaminck, D. Wentworth, C. Lee, S. Tobler & H. Burnett NAYS:

None     MOTION  ADOPTED

 

BUCHANAN VIRTUAL ACADEMY & BUCHANAN STEP UP GRADUATION CERTIFICATION MOTION BY Member J. DeVlaminck, SECONDED BY Member H. Burnett,

upon satisfactory completion of district requirements for high school

graduation, the Board of Education hereby approves:

 

Buchanan Virtual Academy:               Noah Knowlton

Buchanan Step Up:                                Elani Brock

 

To be certified for graduation.  ROLL CALL VOTE:  ROLL CALL VOTE:

R. Writer, J. DeVlaminck, D. Wentworth, C. Lee, S. Tobler & H. Burnett NAYS:

None     MOTION  ADOPTED

 

OPPOSITION TO SENATE BILLS 584-586 AND 366

 

MOTION BY Member H. Burnett, SECONDED BY Member R. Writer, The

Buchanan Board of Education adopt the following resolution:

 

WHEREAS, a public school district is tasked with providing for the safety and

welfare of its students and to educate students in a safe and nurturing

environment.

Whereas, in Michigan Gun Owners, Inc. v Ann Arbor Public Schools (318 Mich

App 338 (2016)) and Michigan Open Carry v Clio Area School District (318

Mich App 356 (2016)), the Michigan Court of Appeals found that school

districts have the authority to promulgate policies that ban the possession of

firearms on school property and at school-sponsored events; and

 

Whereas, Senate Bill 584 would allow an individual with a Concealed Pistol

License to request a special endorsement to carry a concealed firearm into

no-carry zones, such as schools, day cares and stadiums with only a minimal

amount of additional training; and

 

Whereas, Senate Bill 586 would prohibit local Board of Education decisions

on whether or not to allow weapons on school property by amending Public

Act 319 of 1990 to include a school district, community college district and

public library in the list of public entities that are prohibited from enacting

firearm regulations stricter than any federal or state law; and

 

Whereas, Senate Bill 366 would create a concealed pistol license for people

ages 18-21, instead of the current law that does not allow concealed carry for

anyone under the age of 21; and

 

Whereas, SB 584 also bans the open carry of firearms in pistol-free zones to

address the disruption this has caused in schools, this bill is being sold as a

compromise to the “open carry issue,” however, it is not a compromise that

the education community supports; and

 

Whereas, our concerns are focused on the safety of our students, staff and

others visiting our campuses. Allowing more guns in schools is not a solution

and places more people in harm’s way, including our students. Moving to a

concealed carry system only hides the danger of a gun on campus; and

 

Whereas, SB 586 would not allow a district to set policies regarding firearms

except for their own students and staff, this would not cover visiting students

or staff for extracurriculars or those who participate in shared time programs;

and

 

Whereas, even with the most well-intentioned individual, accidents happen.

With more guns in schools we are fearful of mistakes that could put the

1.5 million students that walk the halls of our K-12 buildings every day

without incident in unnecessary danger. This is too big a risk to take

with their lives; and

 

Whereas, we have seen tragic shootings over recent years and even weeks in

and around schools, nothing in this legislation will bring these incidents to an

end nor will it create safer schools; and

 

Whereas, having armed citizens in our schools will likely increase emergency

response times. It will hinder the ability of law enforcement to quickly take

charge of a situation because they would first have to identify who is a

licensed CPL holder and who is the active shooter; and

 

Whereas any weapon on school property can disrupt the educational process

for the school community and a 2015 EPIC/MRA poll showed that a majority,

57%, of the general public opposed concealed carry in schools; and

 

Whereas the Board of Education of Buchanan Community Schools believe

the only people that should have guns on school property should be

uniformed public safety officers;

 

Now, therefore be it resolved that the Board of Education of Buchanan

Community Schools opposes Senate Bills 584-586 and 366 and urges

lawmakers and the Governor to allow local school boards to enact their own

policies regarding weapons on school grounds; and

 

Be it further resolved that copies of this resolution be sent to Gov.

Rick Snyder and the district’s State Representatives and Senators.

 

ROLL CALL VOTE:  R. Writer, J. DeVlaminck, D. Wentworth, C. Lee, S. Tobler

& H. Burnett NAYS:  None     MOTION  ADOPTED

 

BOARD POLICIES – SECOND READING

 

MOTION BY Member H. Burnett, SECONDED BY Member D. Wentworth,

The Buchanan Board of Education approves the second reading of the

following NEOLA – volume 32, NO. 1; new, revised, and or deleted policies

and adopts said policies.

 

POLICY Description
0166.01 Consent Agenda
0167.1 Voting
1421 Criminal History Record Check
1439 Administrator Discipline
2410 Prohibition of Referral or Assistance
2414 Reproductive Health and Family Planning
2418 Sex Education
3121 Criminal History Record Check
3139 Staff Discipline
4121 Criminal History Record Check
4139 Staff Discipline
7540.03 Technology – Student Technology Acceptable Use & Safety
7540.04 Technology – Staff Technology Acceptable  Use & Safety
7540.05 Technology – District Issued Staff Email Account
7540.06 Technology -District Issued Student Email Account
8142 Criminal History Record Check
8321 Criminal Justice Information Security (Non-Criminal Justice

Agency)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                ROLL CALL VOTE:  R. Writer, J. DeVlaminck, D. Wentworth, C. Lee,

S. Tobler & H. Burnett NAYS:  None     MOTION  ADOPTED

 

2018 SUMMER TAX RESOLUTION

 

MOTION BY Member H. Burnett, SECONDED BY Member D. Wentworth,

The Buchanan Board of Education adopts the following resolution:

 

WHEREAS, this Board previously adopted a resolution to impose a summer

tax levy to

collect 100% of annual school property taxes, including debt service, upon

property located within the District and continuing from year-to-year until

specifically revoked by the Board.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

 

1. The Board, pursuant to 1976 PA 451, as amended (Revised School Code),

invokes for 2018 its previously adopted ongoing resolution imposing a summer

tax levy of

100% of annual school property taxes, including debt service, upon

property located within the District and continuing from year-to-year until

specifically revoked

by the Board and requests each city and/or township in which the District is

located to collect

those summer taxes.

 

2. The Superintendent or designee is authorized and directed to forward to the

governing body of each city and/or township in which the District is located a

copy of this Board’s resolution imposing a summer property tax levy on an

ongoing basis and a copy of this resolution requesting that each such city

and/or township agree to collect the summer tax levy for 2018 in the amount

specified in this resolution. Such forwarding of the resolutions and the

request to collect the summer tax levy shall be performed so that they

are received by the

appropriate governing bodies before January 1, 2018.

 

3. Pursuant to and in accordance with Section 1613(1) of the Revised School

Code,

the Superintendent or designee is authorized and directed to negotiate on

behalf of the District

with the governing body of each city and/or township in which the District is

located for the

reasonable expenses for collection of the District’s summer tax levy that the

city and/or township

may bill under MCL 380.1611 or MCL 380.1612. Any such proposed

agreement shall be

brought before the Board for its approval or disapproval.

 

4. All resolutions and parts of resolutions insofar as they conflict with the

provisions

of this resolution be and the same are hereby rescinded.

 

ROLL CALL VOTE:  R. Writer, J. DeVlaminck, D. Wentworth, C. Lee,

S. Tobler & H. Burnett NAYS:  None     MOTION  ADOPTED

 

2017-18 BUDGET AMENDMENT

 

MOTION BY Member J. DeVlaminck, SECONDED BY Member D. Wentworth,

The Buchanan Board of Education accepts the 2017-18 revisions to the

General and Special Program Appropriations as amended per the

attached adjustments.

ROLL CALL VOTE:  R. Writer, J. DeVlaminck, D. Wentworth, C. Lee, S. Tobler

& H. Burnett NAYS:  None     MOTION  ADOPTED

 

BUCHANAN HIGH SCHOOL INTERVENTIONIST REQUEST FOR LEAVE OF ABSENCE – BRYAN PEARSON

 

MOTION BY Member D. Wentworth, SECONDED BY Member R. Writer, The

Buchanan Board of Education accepts the leave of absence request for Bryan

Pearson, High School Math Interventionist, for a period of 12 weeks beginning

January 8, 2018 through March 30th, 2018 so that he may complete his

student teaching.  Mr. Pearson is approved to remain working for the BHS

after school program, Pass Lab, during the time of this leave.  ROLL CALL

VOTE:  R. Writer, J. DeVlaminck, D. Wentworth, C. Lee, S. Tobler & H. Burnett

NAYS:  None     MOTION  ADOPTED

 

 

ATHLETIC WINTER COACHING RECOMMENDATIONS

 

MOTION BY Member D. Wentworth, SECONDED BY Member C. Lee, The Buchanan Board of Education approves the 2017-18 athletic coaching appointments for winter sports:

Winter Season Position Step Class CAP
Shannon Blackwell Competitive Cheer 3 5 1,2
Andy Riggs Varsity Wrestling 4 2 1
Tim Carrigan Asst.Wrestling 9 5 none
Tom Brinks MS Wrestling 1 7
Reid McBeth Varsity Basketball 8 1 1,2,5
Steve Young JV Boys Basketball 9 4 none
Larry Monsma Freshmen Boys Basketball 9 4 none
Dan Holloway MS Boys Basketball (8th) 7 7 none
Derek Tefft MS Boys Basketball (7th) 9 7
Gabe Miller Varsity Girls Basketball 5 1 1,2,3,5
Lindsay Harroff JV Girls Basketball 1 4 none
Shelly Bender MS Girls Basketball (8th) 4 7 1
Scott Dickson MS Girls Basketball (7th) 1 7 none

 

ROLL CALL VOTE:  R. Writer, J. DeVlaminck, D. Wentworth, C. Lee,

S. Tobler & H. Burnett NAYS:  None     MOTION  ADOPTED

 

CLOSED SESSION – PERSONNEL HEARING MOTION BY Member S. Tobler, SECONDED BY Member R. Writer, The

Buchanan Board of Education move into closed session by request for a

personnel hearing

ROLL CALL VOTE:  R. Writer, J. DeVlaminck, D. Wentworth, C. Lee,

S. Tobler & H. Burnett NAYS:  None     MOTION  ADOPTED

 

OPEN SESSION MOTION BY Member R. Writer, SECONDED BY Member D. Wentworth, The

Buchanan Board of Education returns to open session.  ROLL CALL VOTE:

R. Writer, J. DeVlaminck, D. Wentworth, C. Lee, S. Tobler & H. Burnett NAYS:

None     MOTION  ADOPTED

 

BOARD DECISION – PERSONNEL HEARING, EMPLOYEE #923946 MOTION BY Member H. Burnett, SECONDED BY Member R. Writer, The

Buchanan Board of Education adopt the following resolution:

 

WHEREAS, the administration has presented to the Board of Education, a

recommendation concerning disciplinary action of an employee who was in

violation of Buchanan School Board Policy #4122.01 at a District-related

activity or event; and

 

WHEREAS, the administration has notified the department administrator and

the employee involved in the accusations against the employee, the

recommendation of disciplinary action, and their rights to a hearing on

this date;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:

 

The Buchanan Board Of Education resolves to enact the disciplinary

consequences as recommended by the Superintendent of employee #923946

at Buchanan Community Schools effective immediately for violation of

Buchanan School Board policy #4122.01 which states: Any staff member who

violates this policy shall be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with

district guidelines and the terms of collective bargaining agreements.

 

ROLL CALL VOTE:  R. Writer, J. DeVlaminck, D. Wentworth, C. Lee, S. Tobler

& H. Burnett NAYS:  None     MOTION  ADOPTED

 

SUPERINTENDENT GOALS Superintendent  & The Board discussed potential goals of the Superintendent.
QUESTIONS & COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS Additional items of discussion:

–          Timeline for Superintendent evaluation to personnel committee request

–          Mr. Lee shared his experience as a band trip chaperone and extended

his congratulations to the Band.

–          Holiday wishes to the District on behalf of the Board of Education

REORGANIZATIONAL MEETING  

Monday, January 8, 2018 @ 6pm,  Board of Education Boardroom

 

 

ADJOURNMENT 8:45 pm
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