001Call the meeting to order. Everyone rise for the pledge. >> I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Miss Gertine, do we have a roll call? >> You betcha. >> Wonderjem >> here. >> Van >> here. Stefus >> here. >> Gardine here. Campbell >> here. >> Jan >> here. >> Hibore >> present. >> All present. >> Thank you very much. Uh please note as a courtesy to members of the audience uh and the board of education, please silence your cell phone. Uh public will only be able to speak during public comment if signed up. Uh I have two forms. Beautiful. Thank you. Uh on item number one, the approval of the agenda. Can
002I get a motion? >> So moved. >> So support. >> All those in favor? Yes. >> Yes. >> Opposed? >> Motion passes. >> Reports agenda. Start off with board member reports. Start out with Miss Campbell. >> Yes. Uh so this month we have been um preparing for uh everyone to go back into school. Um, so we have spent time doing various orientations because I have uh a daughter starting middle school and one starting high school. So it's a very big transition year. Um, I really have been impressed with how well organized the orientations went. Um, the information that was sent out to parents. Um, I felt pretty comfortable. It was clear. It was easy to understand. Um, and it it went very well. Um, and the first day of school went very well for all
003three kids. Um, buses were right on time, which for the first day I thought was pretty impressive. Um, so yeah, it's been a great start to the year and I'm looking forward to to seeing everybody get started. >> Great. Thank you, Mr. Steph. >> Uh, yes, I agree. Great start to the year. Very exciting. Uh for my oldest, it's his uh first of many lasts his senior year. So, we're trying to stop and reflect on each of those moments for him. Um was able to attend the athletic meeting uh the other night with Charlie Klein Hexel and uh his crew. So, it was a very nice uh you know, quick announcements of stuff that's upcoming athletic life. So, that was fun. That's it. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Vinn. >> All righty.
004Um, so I was able to go to the kickoff um, hurrah meeting that I used to go as a staff member and now I got to go as a board member and um, it was just a lot of fun to see all the staff buzz with excitement for the start of the year and it was nice to see a lot of old friends there and I really enjoyed that. Um, but this last month was full for my husband and I. Um, we fulfilled a dream and goal of bringing our family out to the YMCA of the Rockies just outside of Essis Park and just outside of the Rocky Mountain National Park. It was a great week. We spent lots of time hiking and I was able to really observe the passing down of the love
005of travel and um, nature and adventure and wonder that my parents shared with me when I was a kid. And um it's just also a good reminder that we're part of the larger community than the town we live in and that we should care about it all. Um I got to work we got to meet um a couple in their 70s who work very hard running a farm and winery in eastern Iowa. We got to meet a gentleman who raises alpaca and llamas in south of Lincoln, Nebraska and a young family in Ogalala, Nebraska where it was 104 degrees. um who run an organic farm where they raise livestock and an older gentleman who runs an entire farm alone in Berthud, Colorado. Um it just struck me they all work very hard. They live lives
006very different than what I live and yet um we are part of this greater community together. And with that I I also spent some time mulling over um what was said at our last regular board meeting about vote vouchers in schools of choice. And I just wanted to say in public record that as far as I know and I have asked people, there is no scenario in which this part of the federal government's budget will benefit our school district. Um, it's just math. A student leaves our district, that is minus $10,000 from our budget. Do the math yourself. 10 students leave, that's $100,000 out of our budget. If we were to lose a hundred students, that would be a million dollars out of our operating budget. Um, if there are doubts about this, we have
007experts here that can give us that um, picture and give us a realistic forecast about how this could affect our district. I think we should rely on that because numbers don't lie. Um, it was mentioned that we also have several proial students in our district that would benefit from this provision in the budget and I want to say out loud I do care about these students very much. they are part of our community and um we we should care about them, but we already have a very healthy relationship with these parochial schools in our area and we provide for them many services that were legally allowed to do so and I'm glad that we do that. Um they're not our enemies, but their schools exist um because of a very pivotal issue and that is
008the practice of promoting one set of religious beliefs in all aspects of their educational pedagogy. This is their right as a private school. But funding these schools with federal monies collected from people of all or no religious affiliation whatsoever goes against the founding fathers mandate to keep religion and government separated. Our one of our founding fathers James Madison knew that there was great harm that could be caused when government was allowed to fund a religion or its sect as it was in those days as it actually took away religious freedoms. This ideal up until the current administration's actions was hard baked into the first amendment freedom of speech um that we know and love in that religious speech was different than other forms of speech and needed to be kept separate and unendorsed and unfunded
009by our governmental bodies. The fact remains this toe in the water does not live up to the tenants of the US Constitution. In fact, it feeds the uncchristian foundation of Christian nationalism. As a public school district, which we are, it would seem to me that we could expect our leadership to stand up for the nonpartisan, non-religious pillars of educating all students to the best of our ability and to support the funding of these endeavors. And I am quite astounded to hear otherwise from our board. During your report last month, Bob, you implied that B vouchers could somehow be used to our advantage, as if we could claw away money from those low performing schools and that they'd have to figure it out themselves. In our policy book under section 2201B-1, it is stated, "The board
010will not use money received from any source to unlawfully aid or maintain any private, denominational, or other non-public, pre-ele, elementary, or secondary school. The board may provide transportation, auxiliary services, and non-essentially elective classes for students attending non-public schools to the extent permitted by law. I am certainly hoping that even though the feds have done so, that we wouldn't even stray into this arena of what has been stated to be illegal. There are predictable consequences to such a position. Some which might seem at first great for Granville, but many which down the road could cause huge problems. And not just for Granville, because the power of money we know historically is corruptive. This could very possibly begin an educational cast system where economic and racial racial disparity levels are institutionalized. Once again, that aside, the mere
011idea that we would not care about what is happening to our neighboring school districts is shallow and shortsighted. We all know many of our neighbors to the east of us have enormously challenging demographics and they need all the support they can get. Yes, taking care of our school district is our priority, but we certainly should not take the stance that what happens to them doesn't matter to us. Our greater community is only as strong as the weakest link. Attending seminars and training with board members from across the state, I've listened to and shared the concerns about what we are all facing in these times, the mundane and the existential issues. My parents, a Christian pastor and a public school teacher, understood this well. In my travels with them as a child and now as I
012as an adult, I was in introduced to all sorts of communities across our country in every state other than Hawaii. We can't put on self-s serving blinders. We are part of this city, our greater community, our state, and our country. If Rome falls again, it will be because of this selfish lack of vision. And lastly, I'd like to recognize on completely different strain here that two of our board members have recently lost precious family members. and I want to offer my deepest condolences during this time of grief. Jason, your mom's funeral was actually a time of great beauty as you and your family honored her well. I'm sure she enjoyed all the laughs and all the love. Amy, you and Sip have been nothing short of perfect as you've helped your in-laws travel this journey
013towards Sip's dad's resting place. Your commitment and love for them continues to be deep and true. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Wonderjam. >> Um, I have not checked my email since Saturday, but I'm not sure if the board or Raj is aware of that. Tina Barwatts passed away Friday morning. >> Tina was a staff member, principal. Um, she was principal at Riverbend. I'm thinking 19 years. I know she was here a long time, but um very sad situation for their family and um just wanted to let the board know. It's all I have. >> Was she a principal there, Bob, when they reopened Riverbend? >> Yes. >> Okay. Yeah. >> I haven't heard that. >> Miss Gertine. >> Um All right. Let me put my glasses on. Um, first of all, um, I was gone
014for the last two board meetings. So, thank you to Roger for letting me uh first of all, I got to go to grandparents camp, which yes, that is that is that was planned for a long time. So, that was really fun. That was great. Got to go and watch my granddaughter uh enjoy the camp that my mom has been going to for 75 years. She's an old lady, but uh so that was really cool. And then also thank you for your um for the people who have reached out with condolences about Cyprien's father passing away this past week. Um he did a good job on my husband. I love him to death. So um it's it's just it's been an interesting week of a lot of work for my mother-in-law who now lives here and
015um is going to start making new new friends at a different facility. But um yeah, it was really nice to see all the teachers and the admins. Good job, Roger, on doing the speech this year. Um, you stepped right up and filled that gap and it was great. Um, over the summer I got to go to band camp which was really cool because I've never helped with band camp before and that is a blast. It is so much fun and especially when the senior parents come and man coordinating that many kids and the show is going to be amazing. It's going to be great. Um, I'm sporting all of my hockey stuff even though this is not the 50th anniversary of our 50th anniversary. Uh, the seals, the the crests are ready to be ordered
016and purchased. We're getting hats. We're getting all kinds of stuff. We just um I was just telling Joe that actually wrote to him. I'm like, "Hey, who's this Stephest kid on the hockey team?" So, I went and I got all the 50 years of um of uh yearbooks and I wrote down 500 and let me get that 553 alumni. And that's not even all of them. So, we're still looking for more alumni. So, if you know addresses and names and stuff, we'd really love it. We got a um we got our golf outing coming up, which would be really great way to support um support our team. The open houses, I agree, they were so easy, so fun. Love watching those. I love going past all the elementary schools and Oaktown and everybody's backpacks are
017so sparkly. Everybody's shoes are so clean. It's really nice. Um all the kids at the bus stop. Shout out to Walter who got the YouTube videos up. Um, I wanted to say that I did go ahead and watch YouTube videos when I couldn't be here. And it also brought up um a little bit of concern about um from our board uh encouraging anyone to vote for vouchers, whether it's called school of choice, whether it's called tuition reimbursement. It's a bad bad idea. Um um I think that Sally said quite a bit of what I wanted to say. So I did have quite a bit of what she had written down. Um and but I went a step further because I was a teacher. And I do have if you would like to see some of
018these handouts. Um I have the Bell policy. Um the center has all of the different states listed by which ones are voucher schools and which ones are non voucher schools. The top five schools in the United States do not do vouchers and they also fund their schools anywhere from 10 to $16,000 over what we fund our schools per year. Actually, I think New York funds them almost 26 over. It's 36,000 per student per year. So, when we're talking about vouchers, I can tell you this. If funding for a school is a pizza, right? Right now, our state is lucky enough that we have 100% of that in our pizza, right? What ends up happening is that in all voucher states, about 36% of that money ends up going to private schools. Now, that would be
019great if it was a 1:1 ratio, but it is not. And what ends up happening is I made this cute little Look, I used my I used my holiday. I am a good Hungarian cheapkate. So, all right. So, let's say, so now our pizza is cut down. 64% goes to public schools and 36% goes to private schools, which would be great if this is how it felt down for our students. But here's the deal. Look at this. This is if this was a pizza, our public school kids get a half a piece. They get a half a piece of pizza. private school kids get to walk away with five pieces of pizza. That is a 10 times more pizza. That's 10 times more funding for only 7% of our students. And I agree, I am
020absolutely I absolutely love the relationship we have with private schools around here. We they use our fields, they use our auditoriums, they use our psychologists, they use a lot of our stuff, right? And I think that that's extremely important as they are also taxpayers. I agree with that. But p public schools take every single child and private schools do not have to. So how the public can pay into something and not be able to use it is not okay with me. So I do have this handout that shows the lowest are all green. Those are all voucher schools. And every single one of those states, I want to say Arizona is actually closing all of its schools. It was just in the news this last week. Arizona was the very first state to go in
021for vouchers and they're the very first state to shutter schools. That says something. Uh Utah in 2023 they were 13th. No, in 2022 they were 13th. Now they're 37th. In Iowa they started at 13th. Now they're 22. New Hampshire was fifth. They were fifth in the nation. And in four short years, they've gone from five to 16. Vouchers do not work. No matter what you call them, no matter if you think it's school of choice, no matter what you think, they do not work. And they also reduce what we are able to have for our teachers, which means private schools are going to fail, too. These are not good options. and I understand the politics behind it. But I have been thinking about and dealing with vouchers for the last 23 years as a parent
022and since 1994 when I started teaching at a private school. I also had my children in private schools where there is very little if any oversight. There was no transparency in two of the monasteries we were in. It's not just parochial, it's private. It's across the board. So I think that it is a dangerous and slippery slope to tell people on a board where we are supposed to be supporting funding and encouraging growth that we should be giving away money from our schools. I want to remind you of the ways we have funded our school funding programs. After COVID, we poured a lot of money and we had the government pour into ESRE funds and our scores are better than ever. Thank you, Scott. Good job. All right. In an effort to build our band
023programs, we placed a ton of funds into new instruments. And guess what we have right now? We have the highest amount of students entering middle school choosing band in over a decade because we invested. As a response to our infrastructure needs and expanding programs like robotics, we built top-notch facilities. And guess what? We win world competitions. In an effort to help non-olbound students, we funded aeronautics classes. and we were working with Weller and now we have graduates who are going to have jobs that pay great money when they get out of high school by negotiating contracts where we uh we are retaining and recruiting talented teachers. And I'm going to tell you this, I am so excited looking at Lewis's um at looking at his schedule this year. He has the best. I am so
024excited for his school year this year. And don't forget that we also have an awesome superintendent who goes around the state working with other superintendents working to make sure that all schools are succeeding and that we're working into um we're working together. Right? So I do have these handouts if you want them later. Um, one of the things I want to emphasize about voucher states that also was not discussed is that in voucher states oftent times the per pupil uh the per pupil cost the like we get $10,000 a year per pupil states will lower that and at the same time tuition for private schools at minimum will go up 25%. So even those students who think that they're going to have a choice to go to private schools, they can't. At the most private
025schools see maybe a 1% increase in their attendance because students cannot do it. I have voucher math for families on the back of this one. That is the big pizza one. I know it's exciting, isn't it? It's so nice. And a lot of these came from I mean I will tell you that one of the um one of the experts is from University Michigan State. Let me tell you this one. This is one of my favorites because we are so we get so worried about student retention for scores. Josh Cohen, a professor of education policy at Michigan State University, said that school vouchers cause catastrophic academic harm and they have a worse impact on students outcomes than any other policy or event in policy public school history, including this is my favorite, including the global
026pandemic. We talked about how bad those scores were after COVID. And I love the analogy that we're constantly using about, oh, it's just a light rain, nothing to worry about. Oh, it's kind of storming. If we're going to use the rain analogy, if CO's effect on scores were a thunderstorm, we already we had to clean up some blown over trees and fix some damaged roofs, vouchers would be a hurricane and it would blow us right off the island. It's not good. The Brookings Institute says that the larger the voucher program, the worse the test results tend to be in the state. It's across the board. In addition, the economic and achievement study from Brookings also states that a mainly private system eliminates teacher salary and benefits, exacerbating teacher shortages and diminishing overall teacher quality. So,
027not only do our scores go down, our teacher our teachers go down. So, if we want to look at Arizona and we want to say it's a great tax benefit to people, guess what else Arizona has to do? They also have to pay an additional $1 billion in taxes this year because private school oversight is so bad in that state. Happening in New Hampshire, too. $1.2 billion in oversight taxation after the fact. So, you're not even getting a tax break. you're getting a tax hike and your students are losing quality education. It's simple funding. And as a board member, I believe it is our job. I've never been on a board where we wanted to defund the organization that we were with. I have only been on boards that are like, "How can we get
028a grant? How can we make more money for our students? How can we get instruments? How can we pay for new buses? That's our job. Thank you. I have handouts if you want them. And you can have my pizza, too. >> Thank you. >> Yep. >> Mr. Don. >> All right. Well, just looking forward to the students and staff being back in in uh in the classroom. Um I know Roger, one of the things that he's stressed is that's like having re helping every student reach their full academic um achievement possible. And I know I don't have kids in the school anymore now, which is sad for me, but um the this school district and the teachers and the staff and admin definitely did that. They've uh they've made my kids' lives better um and
029our family's lives better because of that. So, thank you for that. Um just some football things now. The dog cards, the football boosters has the dog cards available. The the practice, the boys will get out of practice. All the high school kids will get out of practice tomorrow early and then they'll be going out into the neighborhoods to sell them. They're $20 a piece. So if you want a dog card, you can lots of discounts on those. They maybe they'll knock on your door, maybe they won't, but if you see a vars if you want one, you can see a not even a varsity, just a high school football player and they they will have one. Um first football game is next Thursday at home against Moskegan. Looking forward to that. And uh congratulations Jaden
030Terry. I saw announced that he's going to go to Fair State. So that's pretty cool. He's one of the best players in the state. That's cool. That's all I got. >> Good. Thank you. All right. >> So, thank you all. I appreciate everyone's updates. It's kind of it's very exciting time. Uh we got the start of school uh today. Um so, that's always fun to see. We got excited as I'm driving in out there seeing the football practice going on for the little kids. Um it's just there's always so much excitement this time of year. Uh we even got a lot of M live today. Um, I don't know if we were the only school that started today or what, but man, we got all kinds of, you know, Yeah, we we had all kinds
031of love today. So, that was kind of cool to see. So, uh, it is bittersweet for me because I'm going to be like you here uh after this year. Um, we have our last of our kids are entering are going to finish up. He's going to be a senior this year. Um, so it's exciting and emotional time around our house right now. So, um I know we traditionally like to use these board member updates, uh to talk about the interactions we've had with our stakeholders, uh to talk about all the awesome things we have going on in our schools, the achievements of our students, faculty, and staff. Uh but I'd like to veer from that path a bit tonight. Um so, please indulge me as I as I honor a former Bulldog. Okay. Um my
032mom, uh Nancy Gene Apple, was born November 4th, 1946 in Stanale, Michigan. Uh she was one of four Apple kids to attend Granville public schools. first at Cummings and then the high school in this very building. Actually, um she's participated in student government and theatrical performances, even convincing her mother, believe it or not, to lend her wedding dress to the cast of the arsenic and old lace for the performance. I don't know how she pulled that off. Uh she graduated 1965, went on to attend uh and graduate from the Grand Rapids Junior College nursing program, spending most of her working years as a pediatric nurse. Through the year, through the years, her love for Granville never wavered. She raised three boys who would all graduate from GHS and will have five grandkids graduate from her
033her alma mater as well. Nancy spent many years volunteering at many field trips as she could uh and planning many Halloween parties, Christmas and Valentine's classroom parties for all of her kids. In 1989, she even chaperoned a bunch of middle school students on a train trip to Colorado to attend the Science Olympiad National Tournament. Over the years, she attended numerous band concerts, choir performances, and plays. She cheered loudly at basketball, baseball, softball, lacrosse games, and volleyball and tennis matches. She made as many of her kids and grandkids functions as she could, but her real love was football. There was a stat on on on the most Granville Bull football games attended. She had to have made the top 20. She attended the games of her two brothers, three sons, and one grandson who all played
034for the Bulldogs. And when one of her sons joined the coaching staff, she happily returned to the stands cheering on the dogs. At some point over the last 20 years, she became an unofficial team mom, baking chocolate chip cookies for the team and coaches after each game, but only when they played well, which as the years went by wasn't too high of a bar as she loved to bake for all the boys. After she retired from nursing, she returned to Cummings and helped in the classrooms of her grandkids. When they went on to higher grades, Mimi Madden and Sher Plagmires convinced her to come in two to three days a week to assist them. She would help those students who needed some extra attention and be that non-judgmental ear that would patiently listen to the
035kids as they practice reading a book aloud to her or even read their own stories. She loved being there for them and the hugs she received in return. Her impact on the Granville community extended beyond the schools as well. When we were in grade school, we attended St. Pas Church and for many years my mom volunteered to run the special needs religious ed program there. Now, this was different from the religious ed program that we attended during the school day and partnered with St. Pius. This took place in the evening during the week. Being a busy mom of three boys, I asked her at one point why she did this. And she said she felt empathy for the parents of these kids and knew that they needed a break, even if it was only for
036an hour or two once a week. And if she could do that, she would gladly help. But that's who she was at heart. a caretaker, a cheerleader, a giver who just wanted everyone to have an opportunity to succeed, to be heard, to be seen. Mom passed away August 8th, 2025. Her impact on the community was laid bare for us over the last week as former classmates, parents, students, teachers, players, and coaches all came to either pay the respects or send tributes and stories about her. She was one of a kind and will be missed. Thank you, [Music] Roger. Okay. Gosh, how you follow that? Um, amazing person and and there are several people in our community I know that are experiencing loss or uh loved ones that are going through a lot. So, just want
037to say our thoughts and p are with those families because uh when when you're a Granville person, you're a Gran Granville person forever. So um just again our thoughts and prayers go out to all all of them and the people who have passed the people who are going through struggles um great beginning to school today as everyone has mentioned I'll talk more about that later in the uh agenda. Uh as mentioned at an earlier board meeting we have three proposals on the ballot this November. And the reason why I bring that up again, I know we've talked about it, but I bring it up because uh information will start getting out to our people. We have a duty to inform them, let them know what these proposals are, what uh how much money uh is
038at stake for their school district and also um you know what it means to their bottom line as far as a household. So we've tried to do all that within uh the uh information that will be going out. So that will really start going out next week. Um and uh the goal is to touch every person seven times. So uh you'll you'll be hearing a lot about that and seeing a lot of things to do with that. So uh and and if anybody has any questions, please give us a call. will love to talk about it and uh share that information. Uh very important, of course. And that's all I'm going to say for the moment because I'll talk later about back to school. >> Fair enough. >> All right. On the consent action agenda,
039can I get a motion? >> So move. >> Support. >> All those in favor? Yes. >> Opposed? >> Motion passes. Regular action items. 4A, the life EMS. Apologize. Volume's on this. Sorry about that. Um, it is recommended the board of education approve the purchase of services from Life EMS Ambulance of Grand Rapids for co-eing the emergency medical technician course for the 202526 school year at a cost of 34,93649. Can you get a motion? >> So moved. >> Supported. >> Okay. and Heather's going to give you a a summary of the the numbers and the money and so on uh that that uh we're dealing with with this uh great program. So Heather, >> sure. Um so this program is um a partnership with Life EMS has been in existence um well I think this is
040its 19th year. Um, I know we talked a lot last year about number of students and what would our um, break even be, right? And I know we talked about the number 10. When schedules are put together at the high school, they start very early in the year. Um, at that time we had 10 students. Um, and then we had two drop out. One of I guess I'm going to call it the cool things though is over the last two years um we've applied for and received CTE funding for this course. So this current school year um where or that we just finished 2425 where we paid the 33 951 we actually got an additional 15,000 um from CTE grant funding which stands for career technical education. Um the um I know at the time
041I wrote this proposal we had eight students but we gained one more um from Byron Center. Um they reached out because Ken ISD's program is full. Um so we we are able to um provide this course to other students. We do get the FTE for the time that they are in there as well. Um so that number would change a little bit um there. And then um also this year something a little different. Jason Pton who is actually um with life EMS he is actually the teacher of record for that course now with um the retirement of uh Mrs. Riger. So um very comfortable with the amount comfortable um with the uh reimbursement funding that we're receiving and we do continue to reach out. We've reached out like um Adam has reached out to Hudsonville,
042Jennison, Tri Unity, Granville Christian um and then most recently Byron and Wyoming too. So we'll continue to open up that program to others that surround us. Um but for right now, that's that's the proposal on the board. Uh Heather, um we did have extensive discussion about this last year. Um so thanks for bringing that up. >> Yep. >> Um I guess my thought I I got two of them. More may come. Um are we sort of forced into this? Which means shouldn't we be approving this in June rather than August? Because my my perspective is uh the program has been decreasing. It's a great program. you know, I say it's accolades every year, but um even with nine students, it seems that we're we're we're below the line. Um one thing you did mention though
043was we're um one student from Byron because of KCTC. >> Yeah. >> So, can this program transition under KCTC control and yet be housed at Granville. Have you guys looked at that? >> Um, yeah. And I think that's the the key thing, too. I guess just to be clear, like so Jason is not being paid by the district, so there's savings there for this year. Also, I need just want that to, you know, be clear. Um, because we we don't we're not incurring the teaching cost for the program. we're only incurring that 35,000. Um, but to your point, yes, that's a conversation we could have with the ISD in terms of housing it here. Well, we might and yeah, >> what we'd recommend, Bob, is and and it's a good point about approving it in
044June, but we had the numbers in June and then we didn't have the numbers uh you know, a few weeks back and then we found one really quick. So, we had nine and we might even gain gain some more here. If you did it in June, you still you would go by numbers of kids enrolled, but if they dropped, you'd be in the same boat anyway. That's why we kind of wait till the last minute in in hopes we have a true number for you or as close to that number as possible. We probably wouldn't be recommending this this year without the substantial increase in or decrease, excuse me, in cost. And what we would recommend is as we look at next year to we'll work with the ISD to see if we can can
045make this in fact more of what you said more of a a true CTE program like a regional spot here in Granville for the area districts and then I think our numbers hopefully could go up and >> this is what we did with the teaching program too kind of what we've been moving anyway. This is our second year doing something very similar with a teacher academy. They reached out to us for space. So we >> cuz I think it would I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Continue. >> I was because I think it would be very beneficial to many of those students here locally because >> I don't want to paint with a broad brush but many of the KC students that go to KCT KCTC aren't necessarily collegebound but a lot of the kids I feel
046that go to this are typically premed collegebound students. So they can't necessarily afford the three hours away to go to KCTC. So we could potentially attract kids from a firing center, from a Wyoming or Rogers, you know, from some of these other districts that don't necessarily want to take three courses at KCTC, but still want to do something like this to help their college admissions and their get a leg up in the um the healthcare field. So I I agree. I I 100% agree with everything you stated then Bob and you know because I'm I'm the one the last couple three years have been asking okay the numbers are going down they continue to go down what's our walk away point right so and I do have questions just as Bob mentioned about why we
047don't do it earlier because we make that decision because I tell you my son had this right he wanted to take um AP European history well we didn't offer it right so we did it an independent study right so we're making these decisions in certain classes you beforehand whether or not we know we have interest in it, you know. So, I'm not sure how we can figure this out for this necessary course instead of >> just to echo Roger's point like you have to understand the scheduling process starts very early in the year and and to his point like we had 10 kids signed up ready to go and then we had two that bailed and that that happened. >> But even at 10 though, we should be going ding ding ding ding ding. Hey,
048maybe we should have a conversation about this. >> Yeah, >> but we we did last year and we said 10 was that magic number for this year. >> Okay, fair enough. >> So, go ahead. >> Um Heather, what you mentioned something about grant funding from last year's that was like 15 grand towards us. Is there anything available this year? And if you said so, I missed it. >> Yeah. No, and yes, there is. Um we're still finalizing um everything for the audit and then we have a report that we is going to be due to the ISD. um it's usually around um September and so then >> okay >> we we'll get some funding again for that. Okay, it's similar to um uh like our we we get it for our marketing and um accounting
049courses and our aeronautics course and then we're in the process of applying um for Windweller comes online too. >> Okay. >> And that's always a year. >> Yeah. Those are always a year delayed. So the money received this year was from 23 24 expenses. >> I got and to your point there's a there's a teacher we're no longer having to dedicate to this. So we're in essence we're gaining a fifth of a salary. >> Yes. >> For someone to teach something else. >> Okay. >> So Heather um are there any programs given where Grand Rapids sits from the medical perspective with you know a lot of cutting edge things? Grand Valley has, you know, a significant program in here, possibly GRCC. Are there um especially with so many SCU students dual enrolling, is there any
050programming similar to this within those organizations? Because if KCTC isn't willing to do it, again, I've I love this thing, >> but is there another platform for it? Is there another place that it should reside? >> Why don't you let us look at that and maybe come back February? Is that fair? Come back in February with what we see as some options. Um, we start enrolling. >> They start scheduling around February. >> Right around that time. So, do it. So maybe we can maybe we can have some conversation about options and what we found from KCTC and or uh our local colleges and universities and see see what makes sense. >> I think the way KCTC is trying to um address the needs of all students. I'm just going to say that that attend them
051because some some decide to go into a career without going into higher education and others do go into higher education, you know, culinary, this kind of thing. >> Um, teaching. So, if that opportunity, there just could be another unique opportunity, right? What do we always say? There's only two in the state that have this and we're the only one on this side of the state. Mhm. >> Is there a way to kind of just give it a new home? >> Yeah. >> And I know KCTC, I mean, they do do a lot of different things with their CNA program. I know they were running a program because my mom actually helped with it down at the the market down at the market, teaching high school kids how to draw blood and, you know, phabbotomy type
052things. So, I know there's a lot of different programs they have and it would be interesting to see how we could >> to Bob's point absolutely partner right in and create hopefully create something unique for us. So, is Life EMS uh what's his name? J is it Jason? Jason. Jason. So is Life EMS paying his salary then to teach this course? >> So they're trying to get some recruitment out of this ultimately. >> Um has anyone reached out to them at all to see if they're willing to help out with that? >> They're Well, they're Yeah, they're aware of that >> that component of it. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> So is that fair? Bring it back to you around January, February. We'll see what we can find out and uh and bring back back
053some options, some recommendations or thoughts and then we can watch the based on that watch figure out next steps >> and we'll write it down. You're getting that 15,000. >> I wouldn't do that. I wouldn't do that. >> Fair enough. Fair enough. You could write it down, but >> in pencil. >> It'll be in pencil, right? Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Any other discussion? All right. All those in favor? >> Yes. >> Opposed? >> Motion passes. >> Thank you. >> On to report discussion. First day of school report. >> Sure. Uh so, as we mentioned, super beginning. Uh today, you know, having that half day is kind of designed to be uh like a procedure day, if you will, for students. they go through, you know, they and it's not just procedure day at school,
054it's procedure day at home, too. I know how how that is. And just trying to get back in that swing of things of getting up of what that routine's going to be like. Uh whether you ride a bus, whether a parent brings them in, whatever it is. Uh and then, you know, get that whole thing going. Um and we go through our school stuff, uh just to get them in a flow. And then tomorrow, you know, it's full day and it's it's good to go and they're not coming in blind. So, we we're uh you know, we're very excited about how the day went. Uh very excited about uh the routines and things that were established. Uh some very minor glitches. What I always say is if it's something that happens where we can go,
055"Oh, yeah, we can fix that for tomorrow," then you know it was pretty minor thing, right? So, we had a few of those and we think we have those uh fixed. Kudos to our staff. I mean, including our custodial, grounds, maintenance, technology, secretaries, security, food service, transportation, everybody for uh preparing for the school year. They did a fabulous job. There's a lot of people behind the scenes in those departments that do some really incredible work to get us to that point. So, just want to thank them as well of as of course our education staff who who do amazing job preparing for the school year. Um, just a reminder to everyone out on the roads, please slow down and be careful. You know, I know uh you know, people are not used to seeing kids
056on the roads or they're not around the roads. They're not used to the buses and the things happening. So, please think about that when you get out there because um you know, we we need you to be as safe as possible for our kids and our community. Uh also, it's normal for kids to be a little tired the first couple weeks of school because again, they're getting into those routines. Some of them, I'm sure, were sleeping in in the summer. Some of them, I'm sure, were staying up pretty late in the summer and uh not used to doing the things that they'll be doing when they get back into school. So uh again very very normal. So um with with that kind of thing with the change in routines and thanks to everyone for making
057this uh everybody a great beginning and I and I again uh I I mentioned a lot of departments. I'd also like to say parents because parents do a phenomenal job getting their kids prepared. Um I saw so many smiles today, not from just kids but from parents and I love seeing that. They're just so excited. It was fun to watch uh I was at the middle school uh to start things out. It was so much fun to watch parents who just so wanted to take pictures of their kids. And if you know middle school kids, they're like, "Mom, dad," you know, all that kind of stuff. So, it was fun fun to watch. But that was really cool because the kid would go into school, the parents would turn around to go to their car
058and they're looking at that at that picture and they're just smiling. And I thought, you know, that is so cool. And a lot of people don't get to see those moments and I just I just love to see that. So, thanks to everyone uh for a wonderful beginning and we appreciate your partnership and we'll just continue to strengthen that as we move forward. So, thanks. >> All right. Thank you. Uh on to public comment. Just as a reminder, you have five minutes and Mr. The Han will be keeping track of that and he will give you a warning at one minute. Um, first up we have Beth Leette and on deck Jeff Johnston. >> Good evening board. Um, I also wanted to extend my condolences to um the Gardines, the loss of Sip's mom and
059Jason um to your mom or to his dad. Sorry. Okay. And your mom. Um it sounds like she was an amazing woman and I know your kids are into theater. So, um I always like using the line, I know she'll be missed and she left her handrint on your heart. So, thank you. >> Um and again, greetings Granville Public uh school board. I was unable to attend on August 14th, but I did listen to the meeting as I often uh often do as I when I'm unable to be here in person. Uh I come to you as a uh parent of uh two graduates of Granville High School now. So um excited to have one in Grand Valley who will be looking to possibly TA this fall as a junior. So thank you for preparing
060him well to do that and the other one who will be going into welding at GRCC. So different path but well certainly unique. Um, I did also want to comment on some of the comments made by Mr. Wonderjum last week. Um, Mr. Wonder, I I think you said um it would be a disservice if Michigan did not vote for vouchers, vouchers for private schools, vouchers that take money away from public schools. Um, I believe you said that we need to be a destination school, a school of choice, and you're saying that we need to continue to remain competitive because vouchers are coming. So, vouchers are coming, which you seem to support, which will reduce funding, as we've talked about already tonight, for our public school, which you were elected to serve. Um, but yet we
061have to get ahead of it, as you said, vouchers, so we can remain competitive. Uh that does seem to be a little confusing as uh to whose side you're actually on, private school vouchers or the public school district again that you committed to serve. Um I appreciate Mrs. Gardin's uh research. Um but I'm wondering if you've done any research about the impact of vouchers on on public schools. Um this will reduce our power to perform, to hire, to retain teachers, to expand and enrich programs, and to do right by our public school uh student body. This makes us less competitive, less of a high-erforming public school, less of that school of choice. In the last boarding board meeting, you encouraged the board to adapt, and I guess that will be needed since the public schools
062will would have less money to put on programs, hire teachers, and maintain facilities. We are a school for all, a public school. While I am Christian and I've sent my kids to both private Christian schools and public schools, I believe in the uh freedom of religion and I do not believe our collective tax dollar tax dollars should support a school that promotes a specific religion. I'm wondering, Mr. 200 Jim if you would support tax scholars going to a Muslim school not just a Christian school. I've heard so many wonderful things about how you have served Mr. Wonderjam and it's a little hard knowing you the last few years. Um I've not been witnessed to as many of those stories, but I know you've done so much for our local community and I appreciate that. But
063I'd ask that you uh stop letting partisan politics drive you and support the students and families of our Granville public schools. This means not quoting from that big, beautiful pile of garbage that you referenced last week. Please continue to serve well the public school to which you were elected and have committed to serve. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next up, Jeff Johnston. My mouth always gets dry at this moment. Good evening, members of the board, parents, neighbors, friends. appreciate the opportunity to speak with you tonight and congratulations again to one and all on the start of a success successful start to another school year. I am here tonight in response to Mr. Wonderjeem's report at the last board meeting. Although I almost hate to pile on almost. Mr. Wonderjam spoke as we've all heard in
064praise of school vouchers enabled through the federal budget reconciliation bill. He called it an opportunity for Granville to quote play in a fair market game. And that's a strange claim for someone whom voters have entrusted with supporting our public school district. I have to wonder about the knowledge or motivations behind someone who would make such a claim. Let's be clear about what vouchers do. They take taxpayer dollars, our dollars that would otherwise go to public schools and they use them to subsidize tuition at private, often religious schools. These private institutions are not held to the same standards of accountability, transparency, or accessibility as public schools. Their unelected leaders do not make decisions in the public eye at meetings such as this one. They can and often do exclude students based on disability, income level, religious
065affiliation, gender identity, or academic performance. Public schools do not and cannot pick and choose who they serve. This is no fair market game. Public education is a value rooted in centuries of American history since before we were even a nation. We support public schools because public education is a public good. It's not transactional, just paying a fee for my children or your children to learn. It's the rising tide that lifts all boats. The country sharing the dividends of investing in an educated populace and workforce. As has been observed, if you think education is expensive, try ignorance. Proponents of vouchers say they provide choice and empower parents, which sounds good. But let's get real about who benefits. Where vouchers already exist, about 70% of families using them were not fleeing failing public schools, as the stereotype
066goes. They already had children in private schools because they could afford it. Mr. Wonderjam, you talked about a program that would provide $1,700 per student or 3,400 per family. Do you know what the average private school tuition is in Michigan? It's $10,300 a year for K12 overall. $13,700 average by the time you get to high school. Most families that you and I know aren't making up a difference between $1,700 and $13,000 a year. Students in voucher states who do transfer from public to private school, often from workingclass or lowerass families, lower lower inome families, get admitted mostly to schools with little or no academic track record. Don't imagine that vouchers are a poor kids ticket into Detroit country day or cranark. Studies of voucher programs in various states have yielded mixed results. And by mixed,
067I mean that some show no significant changes and others show declines. That's the mix. Where vouchers exist, they fail. Two years of Arizona's voucher experiment are to blame for a one largely to blame for a $ 1.4 billion budget shortfall. And that's according to a nonpartisan analysis. Vouchers don't shift cost, they add costs. Since most voucher recipients were already in private schools, states with vouchers are now paying for education they previously did not have to fund, which is great for well-off families who can benefit, >> but it's bad for public education, which we know is already strained. And not only that, but in Michigan, the Blaine amendment to the state constitution prevents the use of public funds for religious schools. Public dollars belong in public schools. That's how we build a future that benefits all
068Michigan students. Members of this board should be united in calling for more resources, not cheering the idea of funneling resources away in a money grab that's disguised as a fair market game. Aside from sheer politics, I can't understand how an elected member of a public school board can say it would be a shame if Michigan doesn't get on board with vouchers. Thank you. All right. The next board meeting of the Grand Board of Education will be Monday, September 15th on 2025 at 7 p.m. at the administration building. We are ajourned.