001I'd just like to say thank you for recreating that plaque for Haver Health or for whatever reason they didn't have one. That that's that's wild. But anyway, thanks for doing that. >> Yes. And preserving that heritage. I think that's great. Thank you. >> Anyone else? >> Okay, we'll move to our comments and communications section. Does anyone wish to address the board this evening? Thank you very much. >> We'll start with Sarinette. >> Hi guys. >> Welcome Sarah. >> Thank you. >> Okay, I printed it out this time. I'm so prepared. Actually, last time I was just struggling to read. I'm like, I'm in my late 30s and I can't do this anymore. [laughter] Um I'm here on behalf of the PEA as usual in place of Cat Frank this evening to present to you some
002good news from around the district about students and teachers and various different activities. Um first the Northern High School Michigan Youth and Government delegation continued more than 23 years of success under the leadership of adviser Amber Dixon at the Lancing Conference, the state conference, earning two major honors, best national issues forum proposal and best model judiciary program witness. I'm going to pretend I know what those are. The model judiciary team also achieved an impressive semi-final finish, placing third in the state. In addition, two northern students were elected as presiding officers for the 2627 school year and PN teacher Aaron Warfield was recognized for his third year of service as an adviser. Congratulations also to Laura Huff at Central High who has been named the recipient of the accomplished teacher award for the 2526 school year
003by Western Michigan University. She exemplifies innovation, compassion, and a deep commitment to student learning. Her passion is evident not only in her classroom, but also in her mentorship, her collaboration with fellow educators, and her advocacy for the teaching profession. Way to go, Laura. Uh, continuing the like congratulations in a similar vein here, um, James Carol from Central High has been honored with the outstanding high school mentor teacher award for the 2526 school year from Western Michigan University. His dedication to mentoring future science educators has made a lasting impact with interns crediting him for strengthening their teaching skills, professional growth, and commitment to education. Awesome work, James. And just on a personal note, I just finished my fourth ever intern. And she is now interviewing at Angling, which is a very fun feeling. So fingers crossed
004whoever's watching, you know, Melanie Melanie Frankling. Um, [laughter] Mark Hegman from Haver Hill has been elected as presidentelect of the Michigan Music Education Association, serving music educators around the state in this capacity for the next six years. MMEA has a strong history of providing state and national advocacy and legislative support and outreach to pre-ervice, current, and retired Michigan music educators of all experience levels. We are fortunate to be able to call Mark our colleague and with him well as he takes on this additional role for the state of Michigan. Little bit of a bias here. Normally Cat would be presenting this and she's like a genius level science and math person. This means just as much coming from me even though I'm a specialist teacher. Recent data in district direct data continue to show that
005specials are what bring kids to school. Full stop. So again cheating because I'm the art teacher. This is imagine I'm an ID science and math teacher. You know that's coming from that level. Um the PA and PPS retirement ceremony is coming up on Thursday, May 21st from 5 to 7:00. If you're interested in attending, feel free to contact Brad Galen or CatFrank. Um Friday, April 17th at Northern. The Econ Fair hosted over 55 businesses and raised $900. All revenue earned is going to charities, including a scholarship program for our European history trip. Sophomores also chose Kalamazoo Animal Rescue, the Clean Water Fund, and Love Without Boundaries to receive donations. Based on the best in show voting and staff deliberation, student groups were also awarded numerous prizes such as best looking sales area, most unique product,
006best corporation, best sole proprietorship, and best advertising. My personal favorite, the idea behind these is that they make small like very consumable items for sale. It's not actually like valuable items. There was a tinfoil hat vendor this year. one of the kids just made tin foil hats and called and had like a you know a sign that said protect yourself from your enemies or whatever. So there were unironically teenagers wandering around the building all day wearing tinfoil [clears throat] hats and it was really really great. [laughter] Um lastly, as we're sure you're aware, our kesa CTE teachers who work with our portage public students are all all over our district here are in contract negotiations with Kesa. We urge you to speak with members of the Kesa board, encouraging them to bargain in good faith
007and reach a fair and equitable agreement as soon as possible for the benefit of all of our students. It impacts our district a great deal. I have a statement here from the Kresa Union presidents and you'll notice that this is, you know, multiple different education associations from all over the county and I hope I printed enough for everybody. I think I did. Um, and for any questions with that, feel free to uh reach out to myself. Um, yeah, questions, concerns. >> Thank you, sir. And do we have a copy of your remarks? >> Yes, absolutely. I'll email it. >> Okay, good. >> Thank you. >> Good. Thank you. >> Appreciate it, guys. Thank you for letting us share. >> Thanks, Dar. >> Our next speaker is Ethan Wy, please. Welcome. >> Hi, folks. I appreciate
008the opportunity to address the board. Dr. Edwards. Um I spoke last month, if you recall, about the um pending construction of the new Amberly Elementary and the impact to the neighbors and the neighborhood as a whole. Um I'm back today because today there still remains unanswered questions that I posed to this board last month. Namely, when the board became aware of the changes or at least when the uh school placement was determined, how that was communicated to the community, how impact was gathered given the impact to green space. solicited and ensure that community feedback was incorporated to the plans. Um I think it's on the tail end of uh good faith and transparency here being the key to all. Um I would argue genuinely and in good faith that these questions remaining outstanding to the
009neighborhood who I can I can't speak on behalf of each individual but I can tell you the general sentiment is not pleased and um shell shocked a bit of a sucker punch. Um that said, I think it's vital that this transparency uh be out there around here's how we communicated, here's how was good enough, and then develop a plan to ensure that we do not have this happen again. If the board has delegated the authority under the superintendent to oversee the community relations manager, who to date has not reached out to me, by the way, on these questions. So, a little shocked that in the 30 days after I addressed this board that no attempt was made by the community relations manager to reach out to me. um or any of my neighbors to my
010knowledge. But it is important that we always act in good faith no matter what. Whether it's union negotiation, whether it's community engagement and daylight is the best disinfectant. So I tend to go with trust but verify, but it's been more than 30 days and I'm still wondering how the communication efforts were made and how this board is going to move forward with a community engagement process that reflects the 2023 study. And this was one of our weaknesses was the community engagement and transparency. I'm curious how the board is going to address this for the long term. The the damage has been done and we acknowledge that the trees were removed preemptively to ensure that the threatened species that inhabited those trees didn't, you know, prohibit the school. Then my last comment, I I'll uh I'll
011step aside. I do take a bit of umbrage with the way that this board classified my comments as a choice between student achievement in a new school or trees. That is not at all my concern. It is the transparency and the manner in which this came about. So to prevent to to present a facious argument as unfortunately Dr. Edwards did when he uh paraphrased my comments gives me serious pause and concern about whether this board is being a bit arrogant in its oversight of the operations area and I appreciate your time. >> Thank you, Ethan. >> Your glasses, sir. >> Thank you. I've lost so many sunglasses. >> Okay. Any comments this evening from board trustees, please? Well, the IV ceremony at Central High yesterday was really great. It was great to see all those
012kids up there talking about their teachers and very impressive that there were quite a few teachers that were identified over and over and over again as impactful to these kids. Um that was that was really special and we've seen that before but this time it would just seem like more than ever. Some of them were probably up there 10 or 12 times. So amazing. Um also interesting that I counted them up and I think there were 15 students going to UNM and nine going to MSU. So it was a big concentration to those schools and mostly all the schools they were going to were pretty much nearby. So that was really cool. >> Thanks, Jerry. For those of you who weren't able to attend, there are programs at your places. >> Anyone else? Um, >>
013go ahead. >> Um, just just adding on what what Harry mentioned. Um, and going through the list of of teachers recognized yesterday. I mean, many like high school teachers [clears throat] those students have been with recently, but there were a number of teachers that went way back. young fives. >> One identified a young fives teacher who's still with the district and another one had a fifth grade teacher and it's just it's, you know, so cool to see that. >> Um yeah, so that was a great event. And then um Johnny, you know, thank you to you and and your folks who who put together the the plaques. Um of course I was first thing is scanning the old plaques to see if there's anybody who I knew >> and I knew Lewis Boyer, Dr. Boyer,
014um a veterinarian. um a real good dude. So um yeah, he was on the board um starting in the late 60s. >> Wow. >> Yeah, I knew Dr. Vander was my dentist. >> Good memories. >> We all knew Pearl Wilkinson. >> Yeah, good memories. Good memories. Um, I had the privilege of attending band awards from at Pur Central this year and it just reminded me of the importance of the fine arts for our students. Um, and plans were discussed for next year which is exciting to hear and I'm looking forward not just to their program but to all the programs that we get to see next year. >> Thanks Kimberly. Anyone else? >> Well, Randy, I'll chime in with one more thing that I just remembered, but um there will be three people at the
015dis attending a policy governance uh conference um later this week. So, >> my colleague here and colleague here. So, proud of you three. >> We'll have a full report. >> Yes. For the rest of the board. >> Yes. Very good. Um, I just wanted to go back to what uh Sarah not mentioned. The 40th annual Kresa Outstanding Achievement Awards were this past Thursday at the Rison. There were 93 graduating seniors from CTE programs that were awarded almost $90,000 in scholarships. 22 of those 93 seniors are from uh Portage Public Schools. And it's interesting that six of those seniors are uh their next step in life is the world of work and 16 are going on to college and four of them are going to be teachers. >> I just wanted to list the the various
016CTE programs that they participated in. uh mechatronics, robotics and automation, educator academy, cosmetology and barbering, marketing, accounting, plumbing, welding, engineering and wood technology which is Jeff Wy Crants class at Portage Northern uh patient care technology, criminal justice and public safety, advanced visual arts, heavy equipment ma maintenance and workbased learning. So it's a it's just really an outstanding that uh ported students have the opportunity to participate in these programs and the one uh one student was highlighted that uh always thought she wanted to be a chef. So she enrolled in the culinary program and decided that's the last thing she wanted to be. She decided she wants that to be her hobby and [clears throat] there was just discussion that wow what a great way to find that out you know before you invest money and
017time in a program. So anyway, um yeah, in uh our next retreat right now, we have uh two items on the agenda. 1.1 and operations policies 5112 for entrance age and 5410 promotion, retention, and placement. So if anybody would like anything added to that agenda, uh let me know. >> And uh with that, >> I have one more thing I forgot. Um, I had a copy of this article from The Atlantic put in everyone's spot that is about um, expectations and academic achievement and I just found it interesting and thought it might be worth looking at before our next meeting because we'll be talking about those things again. >> Thanks Jerry. Anyone else? >> Okay, we'll move to the consent agenda. We have four items this evening. The first is the approval of the minutes
018from the April 13, 2026 special meeting in the regular business meeting. Second is that we approve the purchase of 66 smart RX interactive flat panels from Forte Incorporated for $372,930 for Lake Center 12th Street and Woodland Elementary School. The funding will come from the 2025 bond to fund the third series from the 2021 bolt. The next item is that we approve the purchase of lighteed instructional audio systems from lighteed technologies in the amount of $149,240, the funds for which will come from the 2025 bond fund, the third series from the 2021 vote. And finally, that the board of education approve the policy revisions as presented for policies 1410 staff ethics 2370.01 online blended learning 2417 comprehensive school health education 2418 Sex Education 3120.09 volunteers 4120.09 volunteers 8120.09 09 volunteers 4210 staff ethics 5336 care of
019students with diabetes 6325 procurement 8402 emergency operations and 8655 specialized transportation for students with IEPs. As you recall those last three were discussed and presented to us at our last meeting. Are there any exceptions to the consent agenda as uh provided here? Uh hearing none, the consent agenda is approved. Uh and we'll move to our next agenda item, which is um board education. We have two monitoring reports. The first one is uh monitoring report 1.4. >> Uh thank you, President Vanthor. Uh monitoring report 14 uh talks about students having knowledge and skills necessary to succeed at post post-secondary institutions without remediation and having the employability skills to obtain meaningful employment. Um, first area I want to lift up is um our students as they graduate from Portage Public Schools. Uh, how quickly do they enter
020into a post-secary institution within their first six months of graduation? So on the bottom of page 62, you will see that uh if we were to calculate the previous three graduating classes between the class of 2022 and 2024, uh 74% of our high school graduates are enrolled into a uh post-secary institution within the first six months. The state average within the first six months is 55%. Uh so in terms of our students enrollment in post post-secondary institutions uh that's a 19% uh gap or improvement or or better or difference between us and the state. The top of page 63 is talking about enrollment in college within the first 24 months. And um when we look at this enrollment, while the class of 2023 data is not yet available for those two years, we did see
021in the first 12 months uh we've risen to 75% of our students being enrolled in a postsecary institution within 12 months. A little further down the line, uh a couple paragraphs, we'll talk about credits earned. And the magic number in this state uh is 24 credits earned, which is basically what you would need to become a sophomore at most universities. Uh and looking at our uh credits earned, you'll see that uh our data is 13% greater than the state average uh in our first year of college, which is also a a good indic indicator for us. And then moving down a little further is about remediation. Uh in the in my summary, you'll see that remediation for the class of 2022 compared to 2023, it was at 16% um taking a remedial class for the
022class of 2022 and that dropped to 12% for the class of 2023. Uh we do not have that data for class of 24 and 2025. And then moving on to graduation rates. Um when we look at our four-year graduation rate uh for class of 25 school year 24 25 that was 96.38% and our five-year graduation rate was 98.4%. At the same time our 5-year dropout rate was 1.6% 6% and that still remains below the state average of 9.75%. And then the last two areas I want to talk about is our uh career technical education which Randy lifted up moments ago. Uh essentially 43% of our 11th and 12th graders participate in at least one CTE class. And then also each year our juniors have to take um MSTEP or SAT and one part of that
023is a readiness certificate that's offered by ACT and uh for the class of who's going to be graduating now last school year as they were juniors 93% of those students received a career readiness certificate. Um, I believe that we've met the expectations for this monitoring report and there's a host of graphs connected to this report that I kind of summarize for you, but I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have. Well, I just I'm curious on page 68 um where it describes um the percent of college enrolled graduates taking a remedial class and it tracks math, reading, writing, science in any remedial class, the graph on the bottom of the page. >> Okay, >> great. you know, there's, you know, decreases, decreases, but we're the same in math, right? So, I'm wondering how
024our math teachers are thinking about what what that means. >> Yeah. [laughter] No, I I I get it because ultimately, uh, what we want is no students to take a remedial course and obviously in most universities, a remedial course would not count towards their graduation. So that's the that's the downside. The other side of that is our Michigan Mayor curriculum requires all students to take four credits of high school mathematics. And oftent times those same students who don't meet the bar uh for math proficiency by 11th grade could fall into this cohort. Now, I'm generalizing a little bit and ultimately what we found is those students who are able to get algebra in middle school and go on from geometry to potentially calculus tend to do better on the SAT in 11th grade and tend
025not to use need remedial courses in college. So, I think it's a piece that we have to continuously work on. But for us, I think it starts on helping to better prepare our middle school students for algebra and then the snowball effect of potentially not taking algebra in eighth grade. >> Okay. >> Could could also though I know math is up for review right now. So curriculum choices could be crucial in this. >> Absolutely. >> Two. >> Absolutely. We're in the midst of a math pilot now which will go into next school year. And so we believe that a a new curriculum will help strengthen [clears throat and cough] the work we're doing with mathematics as well. And so uh as a mathematician myself, you know, everybody doesn't grasp those concepts as easy as some
026other things, but I think it's a work in progress that we still have a ways to go with mathematics. But I think we have some good people and good things going in the right direction to help with remediation for postsecary. I wondered if like specifically if the teachers had had ideas about how to do remediation with where they are right now. You know, what is that going to require? >> Yeah. >> You know, >> yeah, I don't know that answer and I can get with our curriculum team and get back with you on the specifications of that question. So, I don't know that specific answer, but I do know um we offer a variety of supports for our students. Ideally, in our high schools, um some of the work that we do, a seminar could
027be another way of doing it. Uh obviously, Porters Northern has a different room for some of their interventions. Um but what we know and understand is that giving students access to the rigor helps tremendously. So, it's kind of a fine balance of preparing kids for their standards in their current class and understanding that we want them to be successful uh and higher education as well. So, >> well, it's good to know that we're going to be working on algebra in the middle school and I think that will help a lot. You know, just you know, you know, our experiences math teachers >> um because some are ready and some are not and >> right, >> it's hard to move the whole class when everybody's not on the same page. >> That is correct. So, thank
028you for that. >> Yeah, >> the um the observation I was going to make is um in 1.4 we don't have comparator schools in here. And I mean part of that might be because some of the stuff just doesn't have the data. Um but I'm trying to remember why we don't. And I think I I have a theory. Um, at one point we had our comparator schools kind of standard buried in 1.1, but then we pulled it out and put it on the top of all of all the ones 1.1 to 1.5. >> So, it would apply to this. And I I think this template was developed before we did that. >> Um, I mean, I would encourage to the extent possible to have to have some comparative in data in here. And I know
029we're looking at changing what those schools are. So, um, so this question may be a must tour on that. >> Well, and schools to districts, too. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yep. Um, yeah. All of I'm just, um, I'm just trying to encourage, you know, more of an apples to apples. Um, we're always going to be favorable to the state averages. And um anyway, that's my you guys knew I was probably going to say this. I mean, this is kind of my thing, but yeah. Um just trying to get some of the comparative district data in there when we can. >> And am I correct that we don't get data on students that go out of state? >> That's accurate. Correct. So any student who chooses to go to any post-secary institution out of state, the state
030of Michigan has no way to track that. So we don't know. >> Yeah. So potentially the number could be higher if if we were able to >> capture >> to to capture that. >> So I love college and university a little too much apparently. That's okay. You know me. I'm >> grad school again. Um not everybody we know is cut out for college and university. And so saying that we have 75% who are being successful in there is an extraordinary number. Um I really like seeing that. I also know that we have students that are doing programs like early middle college with the trades that gives them the opportunity to do have a very good employment immediately out of high school. Um, is there anything we are doing to recognize how many of that 25%
031that's remaining that's not completing college are graduating with a work ready uh, you know, work ready degrees such as early middle college where they can step into a career immediately. >> Yeah. So I believe and I can check I believe if they earn a credential uh through KBCC and early middle college the state captures that for us. >> What we don't capture is those who may go straight into the workplace >> at a liveable wage job that's not captured as a post-secary institution. >> Okay. >> So that's kind of just a tricky window for us. It really is >> because there's not really a metric or a way for the state to track that. Ultimately, >> uh, you know, the state does a good job as best they can >> with, I don't know, maybe
032close to 100,000 graduates a year going [clears throat] out to different choices. So, uh, we do recognize and honor obviously our early middle college students and there's a I think there was a recognition last week or coming up as well. Um but at the same time those who may go right into the workforce are not captured in this in this data. >> Yeah. That it would be incredible if we could figure out a way to do that >> just because that is such a way for students to show success without potential debt of college and so on. And so it's not the typical perhaps >> and yet it is so such an excellent way to be successful that since we are talking about post postgraduation success that would be pretty amazing if we could show
033something like that or >> um is early middle college included in that 75% then >> so yeah if they've earned a credential from the KVCC that would be captured here >> as part of the >> as part of this data yes correct. Right. >> Okay. [cough] >> What's not captured is out of state and I don't believe military is also not captured for those and it's not like it's a lot of students in the military but if a student go to the military that may not be captured >> um in the first six months okay or first two years honestly. >> Thank you so much. >> Any other questions Johnny? Thanks for the report. See, you see that graduation number up? >> Yes, where it is. That's really important indicator of how well we're doing
034as a district and it's good to see. Um, is there a motion to approve this report, please? >> Mr. President, I move that the board of education accept monitoring report 1.4 ends as a reasonable interpretation and evidence of compliance with policy. >> Thanks, Mark. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. All those in favor of approving monitoring port 1.4, please say I. I >> opposed. The motion passes. The monitoring reports approved. Our next monitoring report is monitoring report 2.11, executive limitation, long-term asset planning. >> All right. Um before getting deep into the report, I just want to commend the board and previous boards for this area. Portage has done an outstanding job looking at long-term facility planning uh which started you know at the construction of a new central high school uh a
035renovated more a renovated um northern high school a new 12 street and lake center that was kind of like the phase one approach >> the phase two around 2014 2015 included the new middle schools north and central middle school, the renovated West Middle School, and then addressing our athletic spaces, including stadiums and auditoriums. And now we're in phase three of our construction. And this is the addressing of the elementary schools. So, I want to acknowledge the fact that this started long before I got in the chair, but it also acknowledges the the vision of the board. And so since last school year report, we've opened two new schools, Central and Haver Hill. Those open August of 2025. We're near the halfway mark for Woodland Elementary School, which will open in 2027. This summer, we will
036break ground for the new Amberly Elementary School, which will open in fall of 2028. Uh, as the board is also aware, we're currently in the process of acquiring a new property for Angland Road, which is adjacent to its current site. Um, that allows our students to remain in the building while the new school is being constructed. Uh, we've already started engagement with the Angland staff. Our goal is to begin construction in 2027 and open in the fall of 2029. So we'll have three new schools in three years which is quite commendable but that doesn't happen by accident. It has to be in terms of long range [clears throat and cough] asset planning. In addition to that we'll be addressing solutions for Morris Bridge renovation community high and the early childhood center. Uh moving over to
037our building and sight sinking fund. Uh, as the board is aware, we have a half mill with our building and site syncing fund, which the community has um supported overwhelmingly for five or six decades. Most recently, we completed a a lighting improvement project at Lake Center, which brings their lighting up to where the new schools are. The boiler plate, the boiler has been replaced at PCE. As the board knows, we're interested in demo demoing that building, but it did need a new boiler. And then we also did a a roof repair at PCEC. So, this element of our work was been able to be paid for out of building and sight scing fund, which relieves our bond dollars and our general fund. Moving into next school year, uh we are replicating what was done at
038Lake Center and it'll be done at 12 Street Elementary School. I believe the board has already approved that. Tennis courts at the two high schools as well. Generator at West Middle School. Uh later you'll hear a little bit about an outdoor marquee for 12th Street that will look similar to our new elementary schools. We're looking at resurfering stairs, resurfering stairs at comm at Central High School and then the purchase of the property at Angland Road. Uh in addition to that, the for passing the 2021 bond in 2025, we passed a $132.4 million bond without increasing our debt millage. and to be able to pass $38 million worth of bonds over the last four years is quite commendable. Uh so that concludes my report. There's a little bit more information there, but I'll be happy to
039answer any questions that you might have about long-term asset planning. >> Well, the process has been quite a vision over the last 12 years. Um, and some of us have been here to see the whole thing unfold. And it it's just been really quite amazing to watch it all happen and get the community behind it and have people like yourself who can lead us through the process. It's it's really exciting and a great step forward for us. So, thank you for what you've done, but uh thanks to the community, too, because they've supported it all the way. >> That's for sure. >> Absolutely. Any other comments, questions on 2.1 moment? >> Um, yeah, Terry's comments kind of gets me thinking back and this is prior to my time on the board, but I mean, we
040had failed millages. Um, you know, if you go back two and a half decades, we had failed militants. >> Well, the key though was back then just a bunch of smart people sat down in a room and came up with an idea and pushed it forward. And in 2014, we engaged the entire community in the discussions about [clears throat] what what we needed, what we wanted, what they wanted, and and then replicated that when we came around another time. So the engagement of those people and the conversations back and forth, I think made a big difference in what was happening. The first time around when the millillage failed, you know, half the city was getting something big and the other half was getting nothing. >> Yeah. >> So, you gotta gotta make everybody happy. >>
041Yeah. >> Well, the community was clear. High schools first, middle schools, athletic facilities second, elementaryaries last. So, >> uh, yes. Any other comments, questions? >> Okay. There's a motion, please, to approve this monitoring report on page 74, please. >> Mr. President, I move that the board of education accept monitoring report 2.11, long-term asset planning, as a reasonable interpretation and evidence of compliance with policy. >> Thank you, Mary Lou. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. All those in favor of approving the monitoring report, please say I. I. Opposed. The monitoring report passes. And now we have uh a couple of action items this evening. First one is the Amberly bond project structural package. >> Good evening board. Um yes, I've got two items for you tonight. The first one is uh bid package
042three for Amberly. As I previously mentioned, we broke Amberly out into four packages to bid to contractors in order to keep um the project moving schedule and then also allow contractors to get going on their submitts and uh get items ordered. So, this one today is for the structural steel portion of Amberly. On that one, we had three biders and FCC Construction was our lowest qualified bidder at 1,140,000 even >> pretty straightforward on that one. Is >> just just for um just for clarity, can you just give us a little detail of what a structural uh package is related to this? Like what specifically is that? Yeah. So, the structural steel package is is going to be those large steel columns that you're seeing. It's going to be some of the decking for the roof.
043Um, it's going to be the joists in between. So, some of those larger steel items is what we're looking for here. >> Thank you. >> I knew the answer. I just wanted >> It's always good to >> Well, we've been very supportive of steel over the years. >> We really have. [laughter] Yes. >> Any questions? >> Well, I So, I'm curious. Um, and always sweating it out with the steel market whenever we're doing this. What's your take? Is this a good time or is this a tight time and we're spending a little contingency on this or is it okay? >> I mean, I'm not in the estimating department, but we we did come in um where we were expecting to budgetwise. So, no concerns on that portion. >> Okay. I think we should buy some
044steel. There's a motion, please, on page 85. >> Mr. President, I move that the board of education award a contract to FCC Construction in the amount of 1,140,000 for the provision and installation of structural steel at the new Ambley Elementary. The funding for which will come from the 2026 bond fund, the fourth series from the 2021 vote. >> Thank you, Terry. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Mark. All those in favor of approving the structural steel package for Amberly, please say I. >> I opposed. Uh the motion passes and the steel is on the way. Uh our next item is the um monument sign for 12th Street. >> Yeah. So next up, uh as you mentioned, the monument sign for 12th Street Elementary. So this is going to be very similar to
045what we have installed over at the new Central Elementary. um will replace the existing sign. The LED, my understanding, no longer operates as it should. So, this would be for replacing that. Um we did get three bids for this item as well. Unfortunately, the low bidder uh did not have a complete bid and had to drop their number, so we went with the second bidder, which was Postmine and Graphics out of Grand Rapids for a bid of $46,645. Any questions on that one? >> And this sign identifies the school. It's not a message board. >> Nope. It just identifies the the school itself. >> Okay. It just amazes me how much they cost. And obviously all three bids were pretty [clears throat] similar and that's how much they cost. [cough] >> There you look at
046it and it's just a sign, but there's lots of bits and pieces that go into it. you know, the the concrete for the bottom, the masonery, you know, that builds it up, the sign itself. There's there's a lot of little bits and pieces there. >> It it is what it is. >> Any other questions, comments? Okay, there's a motion to approve this on page 88, please. >> Mr. President, I move that the board of education award a contract to post him signs and graphics of Grand Rapids, Michigan in the amount of $46,645 for the construction of the new monument sign at 12th Street Elementary funding for [snorts] which will come from the 2019 building and site sinking fund. >> Thank you, Mark. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. All in favor of
047approving the 12th Street Monument sign, please say I. >> I opposed. The motion passes. >> Sign is approved. >> Thank you. Thank you. And we'll now move to uh our three discussion items that I believe involves Paula on all three. >> Yes. >> Welcome to the podium. >> Thank you. Good evening, Board of Ed and Superintendent Edwards. Included in your board packet is the Kesa 2627 general funded budget. Um this is a formality that comes to the board every year. We received this budget from Kesa on April 24th. They have to get it to us before May 1st. We are required by law to bring it to the local boards for approval. However, we do not have involvement in putting together that budget. So, we alter our resolution slightly to reference that that you know
048we're passing this budget on the fact that we didn't have involvement in the budget. Um any Any questions I can take back to Kesa. I mean Scott Thomas included a memo about his budget and the highlights of the different areas for Kesa. So this is just an item for discussion to be approved at the next meeting. >> Yeah, it's a it's a weird artifact of state law, but at least it it helps with transparency and you know if anything if you would have seen a red flag, we could have as a board taken action on that. So just appreciate it. >> 22 years now. So [laughter] >> but a summary that they provide makes it pretty easy to understand and there's nothing nothing wild or crazy in it. So yeah. >> Okay. Thanks Paula. We'll
049go to our next item which is the Chartwell contract renewal. >> This is another formality. Um Michigan Department of Ed requires us to bring our contract for food services to the board on an annual basis for approval. Um once MDE approves us to move forward with approving the contract. Um last year was our first year of the five-year contract that was brought to the board and now we're going into year two of that five-year contract. And it the memo included in your packet highlights um the major changes of what will occur um between public schools and Chartwell as far as contract changes and then we also included some highlights of what happened um with our food service department compliments of Susan. This will be another item that um we will ask for approval from the
050board at our next board meeting. >> Well, I just want to comment that it's amazing what we're able to do with the excess fund balance spend down. Did a lot of things. That's great. >> Sus's been very busy. >> Yes, as usual. >> Thank you. Now we're at the third discussion item, the commercial credit card resolution. >> I ask Sammy to join me on this one because she had a lot of involvement in regards to this process. Um, tonight we're bringing to the board a resolution to approve Huntington Bank as our new credit card vendor. Just a little bit of back history as to why we are at the spot that we are today. Um, we've been with the MSBO program for several years and MSBO recently went out for bid to get a new
051credit card vendor and they selected a new vendor and that was US Bank. So Sammy and I decided to just look around to see what else we could find. And the district does bank with Huntington Bank. And Huntington gave us a lot of perks to to come to them with our purchasing um to come with them to use them as a purchasing card um vendor. And I would um you want to add anything? No, we've been super happy with Huntington over the past several years that we've been with them. Um, and our reps that we work with are fantastic, super diligent, um, quick to get back to us. So, when this opportunity was presented to Paula and I, I kind of jokingly said in an email, I was like, "Well, you know, let's have, you
052know, we're switching Christmas cards. Let's, you know, add the switch, too." And he was like, "Well," he's like, "Have you ever considered Huntington?" and Paula and I were like, "Nope, but let's consider it." And when that proposal came to us, Paula and I were um pretty ecstatic with what was proposed to us. So, we're excited to grow this relationship with Huntington. Great. That gives us the opportunity to have everything under, you know, a one-stop shop portal for the district as far as um banking related activities for the purchasing card and our bank our bank accounts, not all of our investment accounts, but um also has some additional fraud protection built in with it, which is a plus. Um just every which way we turned it was just a positive. So, I realize that we brought
053this to you tonight as a discussion item, but we are trying to attempt to make sure that we can have cards in hand um as close as possible to the end of our fiscal year. I would like to have the board consider possibly moving an action item um so that we have two extra weeks to get that question. >> Will board members be receiving a card? [laughter] I am happy to add you to our list that I started this evening. I actually think I already have you [clears throat] top of my list. >> I suspect if we received a card, it would have a Z. [laughter] >> Well, in that case, as long as we're getting cards, too. [laughter] >> Absolutely. >> Seems like we could bring this to action. >> So, um, is the
054board okay with bringing this item to action this evening? Is there a motion, please, to bring this item to action? >> I move that we bring the commercial credit card resolution to action. >> Very quick. Thank you. >> Second. >> Very quick, too. All those in favor of moving this item to action, please say I. I. Oppose. The motion passes. It's now an action item. And can someone manufacture a motion based on the recommendation on page 103, please? >> Uh, Mr. President, I move that the board of education authorize the district to enter into an agreement with Huntington Bank to serve as the district's commercial card provider. >> Nice job. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. All those in favor of approving the resolution authorizing commercial credit card with Huntington Bank, please
055say I. >> Opposed? The motion passes. Cowers are on the way. >> Well, thank you. >> Yeah. Yeah. And uh our next item of business is to move into close session. There's a motion, please, on page 110. >> Mr. President, I move that the board of education move into close session to discuss collective bargaining strategy is allowed under the open meetings act 15.268 section 8 C. >> Thank you, Mary Lou. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. And this is a um a roll call vote, please. Barbar, >> yes. >> Mrs. Crawford, >> yes. >> Mrs. Navaria, >> yes. >> Mr. Anwtor, >> yes. >> Snider, >> yes. >> Miss Larson, >> yes. >> The motion passes and we'll be moving into close session. We're going to stay in this room and uh
056it's likely we will be come out come out and take action after our close session. >> Thank you. tomorrow [clears throat] and I'll be there. >> I'll just >> Okay, sounds good. >> I'm thinking about running through the board. >> 6 a.m.