Board of education 3-19-2026

001All right. Are we ready? >> All right. Good evening everyone. Thank you so much for coming to the meeting. Are we all set? All right, the board of education meeting is called to order. Please stand for the pledge of >> allegiance. 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. >> All right, Secretary Rristitch, will you please take roll call? President Wagner, we are missing member Torres. >> All right, we're going to move on to the approval of the agenda. Unless there are objections, the agenda will be approved as presented. Are we good? >> Everyone good? All right, and we are going to move on to our celebration of learning with Assistant Superintendent Wolf

002and the Waterford Ketering Destination Imagination. Okay, I'm like, are they here? Where where are they all here? Like I I like I know they're all sitting right here, but >> I'm I'm just I'm building the suspense. >> Oh, okay. Okay. I got a little nervous like maybe we should hold on. >> No, I was getting worried that the There we go. President. Oh, and it popped right up. So, yeah, without further ado, I know we're excited to um on everything on the agenda. I'm very excited for our Ketering students and their trip to Turkey with Destination Imagination. And so I'll pass it over to Miss Gross Nickel who helped coordinate the entire trip and has some awesome things to share. >> Yes. Um so I largely am going to have the kids share about their

003experience and how great it was. I just wanted to preference before the kids start that um Amy Wernern and myself as the teacher chaperones could not have been more proud of the way that these students and the three who could not attend tonight um represented Waterford and Michigan and the entirety of the United States on our trip. They were so respectful and kind and graceful and they took advantage of every single opportunity. They tried every food regardless of what it was. They learned how to belly dance. They committed fully. So, I cannot wait for you to hear about their experience. Um, but I just didn't want it to go unnoticed that these students truly were amazing. >> All right. >> Um, hello. Okay, so I'm Taylor. Um, so our first stop was Paris. Oh, >>

004yes. >> I got you. >> Stay on this one, please. Okay. Thank you. And we got to see Eiffel Tower, the Notre D, and all that stuff. And we tried crepes and everyone was mostly nice. It was just amazing like seeing everything and like how architecture is there like things stay sorry and things like stay for a very long time there whereas here they kind of get like broken down after like a hundred and something years. So yeah that was Paris. Okay, so we started our first day in Istanbul with a boat cruise and we walked around the Asian part of the city. Um, we enjoyed many good foods like donor kebab, islak hamburger, fried anchovies, and sheep intestines. Um, we learned how to haggle like pros in the Grand Bazaar and how to properly

005enjoy Turkish coffee. We did a Turkish coffee class where we learned about the history of coffee, how to make it, how to read the fortune, how to read your fortune in the grounds, and how locals enjoy it. We also saw beautiful Turkish architecture and mosques. And we learned what can be talked about in mosques. Learned about prayer expectations and how to get ready for prayer. We also learned a lot about the Nazar, which is also known as the evil eye. And we learned different stories and traditions behind it and its purpose. So this one um I'm a very outgoing person so all we are like all of us and we got to become friends with like the the girl in the yellow shirt. She became very close. We actually hung out with her for like

006almost a whole day. We got like matching tattoos and regardless of like her speaking Turkish and stuff. So, we got like that. Why are you laughing? We got that like Oh, yeah. They were fake tattoos. Yeah. Okay. So, that was great. We got to like She told us a lot about like how it's different there. Like they don't have like Target or Walmart and stuff like that. So it was like it was like talking to someone here but like there you know and then we all got really close and then our buddy team that's the middle row the top picture they they were like amazed by like the baseball caps that have like the Detroit Tiger thing on it and then we gave them like chips and snacks and they were like very like oh

007my goodness like it's this and they got like hot Cheeto things and ranch Pringles which they do not have ranch or hot sauce in Turkey which I felt everything needed that but so that's why it's good they get to experience that because maybe then they'll be like this needs some hot Cheetos in it like so that was it was great we did make connections oh yeah the pin trading that was something like it broke the barrier everyone wore lanyards and we traded pins so even if they didn't like know you. They just come up to you and be like and we just trade pins and then like we were both happy cuz like I got a new pin, they got a new pin, you know, it was fun. Okay, so this is when we did

008our tournament and we spent a lot of the days prepping for our um our skit that we did. And we spent a whole day the day uh of the skit in our hotel room just going over it over it really u memorizing everything. And when we got to where we were, the judges were super nice and they were very welcoming and made us feel super comfortable. We performed our skit and it went really well. And after they asked us a whole bunch of questions and I think we all answered really well well. And then we also got to see some other teams do their performances. Um, and the other Michigan team that went with us, we got to see theirs and they did a different type of um, like what's it called? Performance. Yes. Yes.

009So, they did improv and so they prepared differently than us, which was super cool to see cuz all we kind of knew was what we were doing, but we got to see all the other people do um, maybe like a science performance or an engineering one. And then we were welcomed onto the stage as team USA and that was super cool. We came rushing through the stage with music and it was so hype. Everybody was dancing and they were so excited. We were asked by so many people, oh my gosh, you're from the US like how long did that take you to get here? And we're like so long. But they're like that's so crazy. Thank you so much for coming. And yeah, we placed first um tying with another Turkish team. And yeah, it

010was amazing. I love the tournament. It was so much fun. >> So what you see up here right now is about the international challenge. This was a type of extreme challenge. So while we had the instant challenges which we performed as our team, we also got put together with a team of students from literally all different schools. So you had some from Turkey, some from Poland. Every single person was from a different school and they like no one knew each other. But we were put together to create this instant challenge. And this for me was truly the most rewarding experience. For creating this instant challenge, we got to work together with people who were from such diverse and different backgrounds. And we came together and each team formulated a project. Our project for this one

011was specifically like creating a like cultural diversity. Um yeah, like like a type of like Olympic thing to show like the world diversity and cultures coming together for the history of the Olympic Games. And each team, we each came up with something different because there were seven teams that we were split up into where each of us had a different person. And but every single person and team succeeded in so many great ways and it was just the getting to talk with these people, communicating with them and that was just absolutely amazing. Thank you. >> Thank you. I have a feeling there's some questions you may want to ask our students. >> Yeah. >> Who who would like to go first? >> Oh, do we do you have more things to tell us? No. Okay.

012Member Donahghue. >> Oh, I thought >> No, I was laughing at her cuz she raised her hand. Oh, I didn't I didn't see Oh, >> member Patricia, >> obviously you had a good time. It sounds like it it just the opportunity uh for you to be brave enough to do something like this. I mean, >> I don't like airplanes or travel and to go over to a country that they don't speak English. There's I'm impressed. It just it's so so neat that you're able to do that and go and and have the fun. There has to be like you mentioned most people were nice because you can have double heads everywhere and so when you get to them but you work around it and you get to the the better things and you thank you

013for going it it's brightened my day. I I enjoyed uh hearing uh seeing the smiles that uh that you did and experienced and you can it's a lifelong lesson. My son went to Spain his senior year. He still talks about uh a friend of mine had a foreign exchange student from Turkey. She was a wonderful girl. Uh so again, I learned about a little bit of the culture then because I I know a little bit about Waterford. That's pretty much about it. Uh my just airport and hatchery, that's my world. Uh so to but just to experience that to have what it takes to say yes I'm going to do this and go and do it is >> is ne I want to thank you and I appreciate it >> and we want to thank

014you guys for letting us go and thank you to all the our sponsors who sponsored us and supported us on this trip. We really appreciate it and this has been a once in a-lifetime opportunity and we will always be connected by this trip and that's something that we're super appreciative. >> And I was a little afraid because again you were there when other things were happening and again I know Waterford a little bit where other parts of the I don't know what else is going on. I'm just I'm terrified like you're all smiling through it. Hey, we had a good time. >> So we felt completely safe there. We were extremely welcomed by every place that we went at the tournament in the state bowl when we went outside like we we felt awesome. We

015wouldn't have even known if anything was going on and it was we would have known but like when we were there we did we weren't worried about anything at all. Just worry about our feet and how much walking we're going to be doing that day. And >> it's wonderful because you are young you can do these things. Uh we we have to get older. That just that happens. But you don't have to grow up. >> Keep doing what you're doing. Keep trying the different foods, trying the different cultures. Uh you'll go far in life. It's just keep experiencing it. It's it's fun to do. >> Thank you for what you did. >> Thank you. >> Member Sally Crant. >> I want to hear more about the Turkish coffee. >> So do I. When I was

016when I was a little girl growing up, my grandma used to have this um metal little cup thing with a handle on it and these tiny little cups. And it was cool cuz you know I was little and we got to drink coffee and she was making Turkish coffee. Well, I have the little things from my grandma. I have no idea how to use them. So, what can you tell me? >> Okay. Okay. So, with the grinder you So, you open it. You put the beans in the bottom and the handle on top you grind it until it's like a really really fine powder. And then you take your little mug and you put water in it and then you put it in. They have like these special little pots and you put the water

017in there and then the grounds and you stir it just a little bit and you wash it to make sure it doesn't bubble over and then you pour it into your little mug. There are grounds in the bottom but that's how you read your fortune. So keep those. Don't drink those. They're really not great. So, but it's just a little bit and you know you get it right when you get this like thin foam on top. So, and also when you're doing with the Turkish coffee, one thing that the our guide told us about it was making sure we have this it's a certain type of coffee bean where it's like it's a smoother grinds into a finer powder because apparently a lot of the American coffee that we drink and consume is like this

018like thicker coffee bean which creates like that thicker taste. But for the Turkish coffee, it has to be that smooth ground in order to have like the um like the powder like sift into the bottom of the cup. >> Yeah. So, it's a very specific type of bean to get that perfect like Turkish coffee flavor and consistency. >> Thank you. >> It's not like it's not like you go through like a drive-thru. This is like a 45minut situation. >> I don't know. You're gonna have your cup of water, your little Turkish, and your coffee. You're just going to go through this rotational process over and over. >> Wow. >> How big is the cup? >> Like they're only like this big. It's like wow. 45 minutes. >> Yeah, it's a sipper through it and you're

019meeting your friends. It's um >> Yeah, it's a group setting. >> Yeah, it's a it's more of a social event than people usually like drink coffee here in the morning to get their day going, but people see this as like a time to sit and connect with their friends. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Could you have a full cup of coffee and do that? >> Just wondering. I I don't >> member wristage. >> Forgive me. I don't think I got your names. I got Taylor. What are your names? >> Oh, I'm Sophia. >> My name is Arabella. >> I'm Cassie. >> Arabella. >> All right. Excellent. I want to hear more about the presentation. So, what was the presentation? How long did it take to uh uh prepare? What was the sort of theme?

020Can you tell us a little bit about the presentation? >> So, our presentation how we talked about there were different categories like there was improv, engineering, science. We did the service learning project. So because all of us are in link crew, we decided to use our use our link crew background to create our service learning project. So what we had to do is we had to create an actual project that we had in our school. So what we ended up doing was we created this event with our freshmen especially talking about disrespect. So we did like our educational aspect of it as well as we created flyers and stuff for our teachers. We're educating them about our teachers like fun facts and stuff so they get to know them on a more personal level because

021we did all the research behind it for the science of like what causes like more respectful community as well as the stems of respectful communication where we had them run through practices using the respectful communication stems. So after running through this project then we had to create our presentation. So, our presentation was in the skit style where each of us had a role, but we weren't allowed to have like any adult interference. All of this was us. All of our costumes, props, everything that was made by us and like figured out and written and all of it was just us. And within our presentation, we had to have two team choice team choice elements as a part of the judging. And we also had to have um some sort of like two conflict two conflicting

022characters. So, those were just like the ways in which they graded it for us. Um but so we had to create that and there was like the different stems and all the different things that we had to include and that we had to include like a resolution to a conflict resolution in there. So there's literally like this whole like thing and list of stuff which we put together to create this presentation and our actual presentation as you probably saw in one of the pictures. We had um like there was like some people who were the grandparents who were essentially the storytellers of it who are sort of like our narrators. And we also had the monsters who with the monsters we were showing them having a dispute kind of the monsters were a reflection of

023like the freshmen. Yes. But we showed the monsters having the dispute and we actually had like the um fairy princess come in and who represented our link leaders who who showed them and we showed them running through the project and exactly everything that we did with the freshmen and the intended effects which we noticed after doing this event. until >> um we started about November, maybe right after November. So we met like every Tuesday from right after school till 4 and then sometimes we would meet up at the library or at Panera and we would work at our project. Um yeah, so our project topic was find a community problem like identify a community and then find a problem within that community and solve the problem. So, our community with the freshman class and the

024problem with disrespect. So, that was the dispute she was talking about. Yeah. >> Well, thank you for being leaders. Thank you for representing us uh on at the global stage. Uh and thanks to Miss Gross Nichols Warner for for spearheading this and to to everyone who helped make that happen too. Um did you guys want to shout out the other three uh of your team just so they can you know >> because that's going to be West Addy and Paisley. >> West Addy and Paisley. All right. Yeah. What's >> Pasley Newville and >> Awesome. Well, great work and thank you so so much. >> Member Donny Hill. >> Well, so he took my first question in regards to what was the actual presentation about and the competition. Um, so with that being said though, what's

025one takeaway that each of you have from the whole trip? I mean, was it culture? or was it more meeting meeting someone that you're going to stay connected with there? What was that? I'm really interested to hear, you know, how exciting this was for you. >> Um, I would say my biggest takeaway for me was just seeing seeing how different their life is, but also how similar it is to ours. And like we are different people, we come from different countries, but like we think the same. we, you know, so just being like immersed in that culture and seeing what people do from day to day. Like we like stopped in front of this like barber shop and our tour guide was like talking with him and I was like, "Huh, yeah, people here just

026like know each other and like this is where people get their haircut." And I guess people don't think about that, but like yeah, I don't know. Just trying all the new foods and meeting all the new people and seeing all the places and like really doing what like local people do. It really like made me feel more connected with the place and definitely want to go back. >> Yeah, for me I completely agree with everything that Cassie just said. But also I would like to add is that the actual history of the places which we visited like this temple you literally have your Roman obelisk right next to your Ottoman mosque and just so much history all in a single place and just like understanding how all of these cultures have came together. It's just

027insanely mind-blowing. this like place which we have literally learned about in our history class and getting to see it firsthand and interact with the people who live there who this is their daily lives and just being able to have that like communication and that bridge like in my mind it was just immensely mind-blowing and an amazing experience agree with both of you guys um I would like to say just communication in overall not only with people who don't speak um our language that much but also we also communicated with people who are older than us, younger than us, all in between adults and um every night we went back and we debriefed our day. And I definitely am going to take that back with me and do that, you know, regularly because I think that

028helps so much with our busy busy days. It was a full day. I didn't know how much you could fit in one day. We went to Paris that whole day and we saw so much did so much and every day was just that just different things and it was incredible. So definitely going to take that away. >> So I agree with you guys. My biggest takeway would be like how they how they like out And then sorry it's just so different there compared to ours. Um I feel like they take their days at like a slower pace than us. Um the lady drives That was amazing. >> Okay. >> Has this experience made you want to travel more, do more overseas studies? >> Absolutely. >> That's awesome. >> I mean, before this, I've always wanted

029to travel the world and I've never even been overseas. Like, the only country I've ever been to is Canada, but I mean, it's like two hours, you know, don't really count that. But I was like, this was literally like the most amazing experience for me because I've always wanted like all these places I've read about in books, learned about in classes, and just being able to actually go there. It's just insane. And it's just like made me want to travel even more to meet more people because even though like Paris and like IstAno and even Antalya, they're literally just a couple of hours away like flight by plane, but they're so vastly different. and just seeing like how many like all the cultures and the people of the world is just so beautiful and I

030will definitely want to travel more because of this experience. >> Member McGregor. So, I just wanted to say first like I'm very excited for you guys because I did DI and I loved it and like this is such an amazing experience and like the fact that you even placed at a global competition that's a really big deal and you should be really proud of yourselves because that is really hard to do. Um, but also like keep in touch with these people, right? because my teammates from DI are people that are like we will all go to each other's weddings. We all know each other, you know, and it's funny because we all are so close, but we all still do some of these things that we did in DI like going to my friend Bob's

031house and seeing the things that he's designed because we always did like the science one, the science problems. Like it's it's really cool because these things all go into your life and I use the skills that I learned every day. So keep using those skills. Keep perfecting them and and just keep doing what you do. I'm really proud of you guys. >> Thank you. >> Well, I know my colleagues have touched on pretty much all the things that I would say as well. I was really interested in the Turkish coffee. I was kind of hoping that you were bringing it to demonstrate, but now knowing it's a 45minute process, I I appreciate that you didn't, but I absolutely love your enthusiasm. It's infectious. Like just watching you explain how the week went, how much fun

032you had, what you learned, all the cultures. It's it's definitely I I'm so proud of all of you and what a great experience and how you're sharing that experience with all of us. It almost feels like we were there with you. So, I'm so glad that you had this opportunity and that you represented us with such distinction. So, so proud of all of you. >> Thank you. >> All right. I'm not sure how we move on from that. That was so awesome. >> Just end >> I know >> meetings. Just kidding. save those feel so much better. >> I know. All right, we are now going to move on to recognition of achievement with Superintendent Martin. >> So, the way we move on is recognizing two other incredible uh Waterford individuals. I'd like to uh

033welcome uh Miss Kristen Woods Helms, the Mott High School principal, as well as Waterford M student Serenity Williams. If you guys would come up to the podium podium. Uh we're proud to congratulate them for being recognized with the 2026 Legacy Builder Award. Uh this award honors individuals who exceptional dedication and leadership have created lasting positive uh impact on the community. Uh Serenity's nomination uh spoke to her efforts coordinating an initiative called the Book Project Oakland County uh to offer a bookshare and swap program with local schools, eliminating barriers, and providing children and teens with greater access to books. Incredible serenity. And Miss Woods Helm's nomination recognized her courageous student- centered leadership, creating a school culture grounded in high expectations, accountability, a deep care for her students and staff, and the belief that every student deserves

034excellence, as was evidenced uh last night with the many hugs that she was given to to all of her students. Uh Kristen and Serenity were recently honored at a special awards ceremony in February that was MCED by our lieutenant uh Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist and were among 46 nominees out of Oakland uh county that were recognized. So join us on behalf of the Legacy Builders Award or joining us on behalf of the uh Legacy Builders Award is Miss Robin McGregor uh to present further recognition. Robin, >> welcome you two. Um, and thank you to the board for letting us do this. Um, 46 people from uh, the state board of education, Garland Gilchrist, representatives and senators were there that day. I wish you had Senator Enidity was at the leadership conference, so she was doing what

035she does best. And uh, Kristen, we didn't get the address to her because we had to do it for security reasons. We couldn't send it out in time. But we have two awards. I'm going to start with Serenity because um that's what Kristen would want me to do first anyway because her students are always first. Serenity, you make such a big difference for everybody around you from the community when I first met you talking to me on how you want to make a difference, how you do things for your peers, how you care about your the students around you and your school you are so proud of. So on behalf of the Legacy Builders Award and the founder, I would like to make or give you this award for your you making a difference for

036Waterford. You are one of three that were recognized throughout Oakland County. 46 people um nominated that day were only people that made a difference. Um I had some help from a friend of mine that is a teacher in the school. Your teacher wrote down a paragraph that took up three pages. I could not put that in the program. So, I'm going to send that to you because you were nominated not by one teacher but by three. So, that's how much you are loved and respected in your school. Kristen and Kristen, I have had some of the best experiences in my uh district with like from Mary Lou Simmons to many leaders in this community, but your heart is unique. I sat with Ben last night at the select 50 and told him that I said

037the difference between Mott and Ketarine is doing Interact for all those years that Mott has a special heart having your um you have your food pantry out there in the front so that people like myself in the public can walk in and put something down. You love your students and Ben, you do too, but not the same way. But you care about each and every one of them. Your teachers love you. You are a community. I feel like I'm part of your family when I come in there. And it's something that resonates as a Katarine graduate watching my kids grow up in what you have established for this district. It's a unique feeling knowing that we have some of the best leaders in this community. Oakland County is very lucky to have our teachers, our

038staff, and our administrators. So, thank you for touching Serenity's life and everybody else's life because I don't know where I would be as a community member without people like you in my district. So, thank you. >> Good afternoon everyone. Um, my name is Tony Williams. Um, I am beyond grateful for this opportunity. Just to be here standing. >> The gratitude that I hold with this opportunity is ineffable. I am so happy I could be up here. I'm so appreciative that the actions that I take are recognized by the people around me. I'm so glad that I'm surrounded with staff members and my peers who recognize the impact that come from the actions I take. And I'm so I'm happy to be here. I'm so grateful for this opportunity. And if anything, it just serves as

039motivation to me to continue. It really doesn't stop here at all. This is one award that I'm so grateful for. I'm hoping there's many more to come. I plan to I plan to change the world with this. Honestly, like like as crazy as that may sound, like I really do like it's not just Waterford, you know, that needs advocating for or you know, but it's where I'm growing up at. So, I'll start here, you know. But yeah, that's what I have to say. I'm so grateful for this opportunity. Thank you everyone. Now, you know, I'mma cry because I'm emotional. Um, but I don't think I ever had an opportunity to thank the board for affording me the opportunity to uh go to M. But scaling back just a little bit being like we close, we

040came in at the same time, we came from some pretty hard places. And when I made the decision to seek employment in Waterford, I was at a turning point because some of the experiences I had um had me somewhat lose my faith in education because I knew I was doing the right thing. I knew I was working with people who did, but we were just weren't gaining traction in some of the places that I was at. And it makes you question yourself and whether or not you're doing everything that you can do or are you really a good leader? And when I came here, the support, the warm welcome, it was overwhelming. I'm here with all my hair, my nails, and you're just like, "Okay, just be you, Kristen." And I had the opportunity to

041do that. And I thought I would never love a school like I did Durant. And then came M. But the fish rots from the head. Um, you're only as strong as the people around you. So, I am only here to get a legacy award because my narrative has involved so many important people. And right now my team is a dynamic team. We all have our own niches and it just works. It just works. And it took me 20 years in education for it to work. And now it does. All of these people in these two rows here, I call them, I text, they have been so supportive. This community, Mary, everyone here. And it feels like home. And I don't take it for granted. Every day does not feel like work. We have dynamic students.

042And I just feel so honored to have been afforded the opportunity to be here. I feel like this is what I needed. And I will continue to work hard. I will continue to push my students. And I know for M and for Waterford, the best is yet to come. And I thank you. >> Colle be before you go running out. I know. I just want to make sure. Do we have any I want to make sure my my colleagues have a chance and if not >> I just want to thank them and again I I want to stop because again I just it's good stuff. I >> I know >> the rest of meeting can't be this good and I I want to stop on good stuff. >> I I just feel very fortunate to

043have uh to have heard Serenity here on March 20th 2026 announce she is going to change the world. Uh I'm I feel very privileged and lucky to have to have listened to that and witnessed that today and then to have uh Principal Wood Helms um already changing the world. So um we just appreciate both of you so so much and and and mom congratulations. This is amazing. Amazing >> and and and I would like to say as a fellow Corsair Serenity, you you are amazing. Oh, see Kristen, I'm going to cry too. You know, it's it's just there's something to be said as a Corsair. We have very deep pride and and very deep love and and captains do too. >> And I love to >> and so do skippers and so do skippers. >>

044But you embody you embody a Corsair. You you embody who we are. And I cannot wait because I know we are going to see so much of you and you are going to change the world. And Kristen, you know I love you. So before I keep crying, thank you both. You are amazing. Thank you for representing us, for being who you are, and for being amazing. And thanks, Mom, for raising such a great daughter. >> All right. Thank you, everyone. All right. So, now we have to move on to our business of the night. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> I know. All right. We are going to move on to public comments on action items. Does anyone have a public comment on an action item? All right. We're going to move on from that

045over to our consent agenda. Unless there are objections, the consent agenda will be approved as presented. Are we good, >> everyone? Are we good down here? All right. And now we are going to move on to our information items with our license agreement with Waterford Township. I'm going to compose myself running. >> Good evening trustees. I'm here with our director of safety and security, Mr. Michael Serat and Chief Underwood to talk about theformational item for the revocable license agreement with the Township Police Department. Good evening, trustees. Uh information item A for board consideration is a revocable license agreement between the Waterford School District and the Chartered Township of Waterford for limited use of the Waterford School District bus garage as a launch and recovery site for a drone as a first responder. Some frequently asked

046questions are included in your packet and Waterford Township Police Department Chief Scott Honorwood and I are present to address any questions the board may have about this revocable license agreement. So with that I just wanted to open it up colleagues. Do we have questions? >> Member I couldn't see your hand Elizabeth member McGregor. So one of the concerns that I do have with this as an electrical engineer I very firmly understand the importance of cyber security and I am very much concerned about flocks issues with cyber security. Um there have been a lot of issues publicized where people have been able to get into cameras without passwords things like that. And that really concerns me, especially with a drone because like we don't we don't think of drones as being something dangerous, but they can

047they can be, right? I mean, I had to go to the ER with a laceration from a propeller. Um, you know, this is what teenage engineers do, right? Take everything apart, put it back together. But it is it is a concern of mine because I don't want anybody to get hurt with something like that. And there have been incidents like what happened a few years in Florida where there was a child that had to get a heart transplant after they got hit with a drone. So it's I don't take that lightly. Um I wanted to ask about that. I also wanted to bring up to the board as well our policy number um 7440.03 in relation to drones that if we move forward with this, we do need to update that policy because right now

048our policy says that somebody who is not part of our district cannot operate a drone on our property. Um, so I know I threw a couple things out there. I I wanted to give you a chance to address that question because I I do think it's really important. So >> So I can speak with regard to flock. Um, we've been involved with Flock since 2021. Uh, the only technology we use at this point is their license plate readers. Um, we've contracted with them to provide us with three drones and three docks. We're going to fly those drones from three separate locations within the township. One in the north, one in the middle of the township, and one in the south. This site that we're um uh requesting your approval to use would be our south

049site. Um, as far as information, uh, as it relates to Flock, there is a lot of, uh, misinformation, inaccuracies, uh, and speculation as it relates to Flock and their information, uh, security. Um, I have all that information uh, and and what they do in terms of security and and uh, uh, data security. The only breach that they've had was with uh, uh, their Condor cameras. Condor cameras are what they use to that you might see on some communities use them in intersections, some communities use them in public spaces, parks, places like that. They had one instance where uh it was a configuration issue with the condor cameras. And once that configuration uh issue was brought to their attention, uh it was a misstep by the technician who installed it, uh that loop was closed, and

050they haven't had any issues since that I'm aware of. We don't employ any condor cameras uh in Waterford Township. >> And just as a followup, so how are how are you guys making sure like those configuration issues because that is exactly the issue that allows people to not have a password to log into these systems without that. So, >> so the only login are our personnel log into the flock system by um username and password and and uh two uh factor uh authentication. Um and the only uh access our people have like I said are to the license plate readers. In terms of these drones, uh what will happen is is our people will be able to view those only when the pilot offers a link uh that they can access through again two factor

051authentication and only to those people that they choose to offer that link to which would be uh the officers that are working at the time or command personnel uh if they need to view whatever the mission is that the pilot happens to be flying at that particular time. In terms of safety uh with the drones themselves, um we take on uh the risk in terms of insurance. We ensure uh up to a million dollars uh for each one of those particular drones and liability. Um and we would do that for all three of those. Uh and every single pilot that we have operating those drones will be a licensed FAA commercial drone pilot. We have 14 people that have uh been through the training already and already been licensed as FAA commercial drone pilots. Trusty

052McGregor, I just took a peek at the policy and the policy does say right uh unauthorized users aren't able to do it. It also uh permits the superintendent to authorize individuals to be able to do it. So if the board is approving here tonight, I take that as allowance of me to authorize them to be able to do that and our policy is good then. >> Thank you, >> member Stitch. >> Thank you, Chief Underwood, for being here tonight to answer our questions. >> So, thanks for having me. >> How big is this drone? Um, >> so the drone itself is quite small. It's uh less than uh 3.5 pounds. >> Uh the dock itself is about uh 3x3. It opens up uh the top opens up like this and the drone comes from within.

053It would launch straight up and then fly to whatever location we were sending it to. The dock itself uh like I said is about 3x3 and weighs about 140 lbs. >> In in your experience when with other communities who might have such a drone system, how often are they um being deployed? So, uh, up until 2017, uh, drone technology was fairly new. Um, still is really, uh, and they were primarily used for large-scale events, uh, crowd control, that type of thing. Uh, in 2017, a police lieutenant in California came up with this brilliant idea, uh, uh, simple yet brilliant in my opinion, to use drones as first responders on a daily basis. So you could launch that drone and send it to everything from a parking complaint to a person on the corner with a

054long gun. Um and and what that does is uh through studies that uh uh with agencies that have already launched these drone as first responder programs, uh some of the data shows that 78% of calls for service uh were first responded to by drone. 20% of calls for service were resolved without even dispatching a ground unit. 86 seconds was the average time for the drone to reach the call for service and 89% increase in subjects located including suspects as well as missing persons. So it's become a very valuable tool uh not just for uh large scale events or single events but on a daily on a day to use on a daily basis. >> Thank you for that >> member Patricia. Uh, thank I'm I'm excited for these again. The technology >> is there. Sure.

055Why we aren't using it? I'm I'm excited that we're going to be able to be part of this technology. Uh, it's there. We should be using it. Uh, lost people. I've been part of searches and what you can see from just a second floor compared to the ground level is amazing. So this this just has to be night and day and giving us the opportunities, giving the community something to truly grasp as is a great thing. So >> I couldn't agree more. And and much like with uh the business that you all are in in education, you've seen great technology advances uh with education and we see the same thing in policing. uh technology and policing is evolving and and you know uh it's not just the police that use the technology, the criminals are

056using it as well. And we need to stay up we need to stay uh up to date and and uh at least at least close to what they're doing so that we can continue to um make this place uh this township a safe place for people to live and work. >> Member Donahghue. So, just for clarification sake, we're talking that it's um personnel within the police department that are the 14 that have been trained and certified or >> Yeah, there's at least we have 14 now. We uh we anticipate that we'll have upwards of 20 that will actually be commercial drone pilots, police officers and dispatchers. >> Okay. And then the second part of that is a little bit of a um I maybe maybe an interesting thing that we have here versus some other

057police departments that that may have these is uh I mean you're in the flight path of >> and and so um I mean obviously with a commercial drone license they've they've taken that and and they can work with the FAA. What type of communication do you guys have between us and the airport as you launch these things? And if we've got a little piper airplane flying into the ceiling levels and dealing with all that >> before we uh as we started this program, the first contact we made was with the airport and we've worked with the tower manager there to determine um uh flight uh altitudes that we're able to fly at. Um uh for those that aren't aware uh within a 5mi radius of the airport um the flight uh tower manager is responsible

058for dictating within grid squares uh of that particular area uh what altitude aircraft can fly at, unmanned aircraft can fly at. Um and so we've worked with the uh tower manager and the FAA. uh we've applied for and received uh the proper waiverss um as well as the approval and authorization to fly the unmanned aircraft as a law enforcement agency. So, we've been uh through all that. We've dealt with the FAA. We have all the approvals and waiverss in place. Uh our commercial drone pilots are licensed and we're and we're ready to go. >> Thank you. Well, I do want to point out because one thing I think that's important um especially for our listening public that might not have the agreement in front of them, the use of the district property. I'm just going

059to read a little bit here because I do think it's incredibly important because I think there could be some misconceptions as to what the drone's purpose is. Um, the township may only use may the township may use only the designated licensed premises for drone launch recovery and minimal staging. Us is restricted to public safety and law enforcement purposes, including training and readiness activities. The district retains full authority over the property and may suspend use with two days written notice for non-compliance. It's also prohibited no commercial operations or unrelated drone activities, no surveillance of students or school activities unless tied to an active authorized enforcement purpose, and no entry into district buildings or restricted areas without written authorization or emergency necess necessity. So, I think that's important for people to understand that this drone is not

060being used to surveil our students. It's simply a launch pad so that the police department has somewhere where they can base that drone in case it has to be launched to be used in the event of an emergency or something critical for the township to have the in the PD to have the ability to respond instantaneously. So, I know that those questions will come up. Um, but it's definitely this is not meant to be about our students. So, I think that's critical to understand >> in its most basic form. What the district is granting to us is is the use of about a 3x3 piece of your roof so that we can set this dock on the roof and be able to launch the drone from the dock. That's really in its most basic form

061what we're talking about. >> All right, great. Are there any other questions or comments? Member McGregor, >> just just a quick thing. I just wanted to say thank you because looking through this contract, you guys clearly put a lot of effort into that and captured a lot of the concerns like that we all brought. So that's appreciated and thank you. >> Yeah, we and I appreciate that as well. We were able to work with um our our our uh township attorney and the district's attorney and work through uh these great people here and be able to come to agreement in principle. and we're just uh now at this point seeking your approval. >> And and I will say we are very lucky and and grateful to have such an amazing relationship with our police department.

062That is not something that all districts can say that they have. Um we love that we have our own local police department and our own people, our own residents. Obviously some sitting in the audience who we we love dearly. But it is so as a parent of this district and a community member, I am forever grateful to all of you for keeping our our kids safe and and our district and our community safe. >> We feel the same way. We think the school resource officer program that we have in place and have had in place for uh a long time uh is invaluable. Um Mike has done a great job stepping in now. um Jim Beaver before him. We've we've continued that same strong relationship and we expect to have that uh into the future.

063>> All right, great. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Are we good with the questions? All right, >> we are going to move on. Member Sonic and I have figured out that there is a pen that has exploded somewhere by us. So, we are spreading blue ink everywhere. So just if you start to notice it's we don't want to touch anything else up here. All right, we are now moving on to our 2025 2026 second budget amendment with assistant superintendent Hilda Brandt and Amy Dagenheart. >> Good evening trustees. Amy and I are pleased to present the second budget amendment for this year to you as a backdrop for our listening public. The original budget for the district was approved in June as required by law to have a fully approved budget by July

0641. So back in June, we had no idea what the state budget for us would be. So there were a series of assumptions that were adopted. In early October, the state released their budget to us. And based on that, we adopted our first amendment in early November. It was formally adopted November 20th by the board, presented to the committee of the whole earlier in November. In that first amendment, just as a quick update, the foundation allowance, our original budget had at $10,000 per pupil. The state authorized 10,50 per pupil. So, we recognized that additional $50 per pupil. Also, in our original budget, we anticipated a loss of 88 students from our spring, our February student count to our fall October count. At that time in early October, November, we were actually looking at being down

06550 students, which was an improvement from our original budget of about 38 students. So, that was a really nice uptick. We also um had in the original budget as well as the amendment the Headley roll back. That was the cap on the non-homestead, our non-resident properties, those commercial properties, second homes. We had received um 27L additional funding. We knew our amount for educator compensation. It was not in the first amendment. We were in negotiations and we were still in discussions and had not finalized that as of yet. We had an unknown impact for the January 1 health care costs for open enrollment. We also were lucky enough due to the diligent efforts of our CIA department to receive a just under $640,000 grant for K5 curriculum materials which was reported in that first amendment both

066revenue and expenses. So now we go to amendment number two. We have the state aid count of 6,678 kiddos which is a decline of 55.71 FTE. So it was five. We lost five more just under six from that first amendment. Once again that's from the spring count to the fall count. We received we opted in on the 31A safety and security mental health grant which awarded us an uh allocation of 2.5 million just under $2.5 million. Our original budget was $835,000. So that was an increase for student safety and mental health restricted grant services of 1.652 million. um we as a district can request to carry that over and we can we just have to fully spend it by September 30th of 2027. In this amendment, we have what we are anticipating to spend at

067this time. As new projects come in, we'll increase that revenue and increase the expenses. We allocated out that 27L educator compensation, the $985,000 that was fully utilized with all of our bargaining units. We included the new minimum wage, which took effect as of January 1st, which is $15 per hour. We adjusted all the fringe benefits to open enrollment selections that the employees elected. We put placeholders in for all open and vacant positions. I'm sure you're aware that we have many positions that have been posted. They've not been filled. We have recognized the savings from those unfilled or underfilled positions with the second amendment, but we have placeholders in as if we're going to fill them from now until the end of the year. We have maintained all the building allocations at the original levels. There

068have been no reductions with any of those allocations. We have adjusted contracted support services substitutes for those unfilled or underfilled positions. that includes speech, psychologists, etc. Also, drivers in other positions. We had to increase our utilities due to this colder winter that we've experienced. We adjusted our transfer out for the special revenue activities of child care, pools, and fitness, and the performing arts based on the forecast results. This is leading to an additional savings to the general fund of $177,000 less and a transfer out. Of note, our pools and fitness rates took effect February 1. We anticipate an additional improvement in that when we get to the final budget. We added in budget for staff that did not receive any increase during this school year. So that includes um WASA non-affiliated. So if an individual

069did not receive a step increase and they did not receive anything with negotiations, we have allocated funding in here in order to make sure every valued employee of this district gets something. So what does it mean in terms of the chart? This chart shows our revenues for the fiscal year 25 audited, the first amendment, and now this proposed amendment. From the first amendment to the second amendment, you can see a decrease of $450,000 in local revenue. That's just a blend between the state and the local between what the state pays for the foundation allowance versus what comes in from local property taxes. We have some additional categorical grants that have been recognized with the state. We have federal grants that was grow your own and some of the um Head Start title one money. Uh

070slight increase from the inner district. Those are funds that come to us through the ISD and I believe that was all related to the PA18 money. And then the transfers in that's the food service indirect cost rate. Next, we have just the breakdown of how we're spending our money. Salaries from the first amendment to the second, we're down by $32,000. So, we increased with all that educator compensation, but we've had all these underfilled or unfilled positions. And so, it does show as if it's a decrease, but it really is just an underfilling of the need. Fringe benefits, we have um decrease of $659,000. Once again, the same thing. unfilled positions, no retirement, no FICA, no fringe benefits, purchase services that relates to the speech, the psychologist, the contracted drivers, what I talked about in the

071earlier slide, supplies and other utilities, 144,000. And the transfers out, you can see that saving is 65,000. You might question, well Karen, you just said it was 177,000. How can it be 65? transfers out also includes tuition that we pay to the IIA for the OKMA campus and other our other cyber virtual tuition out. So that all nets together. But on the transfer out to our own community activity funds, there really was a savings of 177,000. So when we go in and we roll this all up, where are we at in the general fund? We ended last year audited members with a 13.1% fund balance. Our original budget was anticipating a a use of 1.5 almost 1.6 million of our reserves, which would have left us with 12.4% fund balance. And with the second amendment,

072we're actually looking at a surplus of 994,000, leaving us with a fund balance of 14.5% based on expenditures. The change from the original budget is 3.73.669 million in revenue. primarily that 27L educator compensation is 985,000. We had another 835,000 for 27L subsection 4 which was for healthcare. And so a lot of these are one-time monies that came in some with expenses associated some without. Um on the expenses you can see the uptick of the $1 million that educator compensation. And down below you'll see my note in terms of funding changes. We have the 27L2 that educator comp that revenue and expense was 985,000. The MEPs healthc care offset was $880,000 that came in as revenue to help pay for that healthc care cost. And then we have the 640 just under $640,000 of expense revenue

073and expense for that curriculum materials. So where do we go from here? We have our final budget for this current year will come out in June. We'll also have our original budget for the upcoming year, fiscal year 27 in June. We need to identify our projected enrollment for next year. We are forecasting out healthcare. There is a house bill that's been on the table. It's in play. It's House Bill 6058. Will it come into play? I don't know. Um there are some pretty significant impacts. If it were to be elected up and in, it substantially changes the public act 152 guidelines. So, we're keeping a watchful eye on that. We're looking at the foundation allowance projection. The governor released hers, which indicated an increase of $250 per pupil. We are tracking all of our non-recurring

074funding and expenses from this current year to ensure that all of those are removed from the budget forecasts. And we're looking to say, is there any new funding coming around the corner for fiscal year 27 that we can recognize and bring in? We also are looking strongly at our steps and other compensation changes as part of our plan to secure our staffing and meet the needs of our kiddos and our community. And I just want to formally thank Amy and the finance team for all the stellar work that they did with this. Um it it couldn't have happened without all of them. And now I'll open it up to questions. >> Colleagues, do we have any questions? Member Patricia U. >> We should have stopped with the other ones with the Dude, this all sounds

075good. I mean, we've gotten up from the 13 up to 14 and a half. We should be at 15. So, we still have a half to get up. We've done a wonderful job, but I'm I'm still a little low in my fund balance on the uh student safety. The uh money that we got in, we were expecting eight or 900,000. Got what 2.4. And a lot of that was bec that was something we voted on. It was very controversial of whether we take it, don't take it. A lot of districts didn't take it, which gave us we got their some of their money, which is a wonderful thing. I love when people say, "No, we don't want that." Well, we do. That's it that was a good thing. Uh you've done a wonderful job. Again,

076it it went from a little bit gloomy, but again, I think we still needed to do a little bit better. We we still need that little bit more of a fund belt. We we need we need that buffer. And again, when we had to bite into it last year, it just didn't feel good. So again, if I can get it back to the 15 where it should be. Uh but you're almost there. >> We're close. >> Again, it it's not as good as the other presentations, but it was pretty good. >> Well, still feel good about the >> When you made your comment, I felt like you looked directly at me, and I'll say I wasn't offended. >> Okay. Yeah, you you've been here long. Oh, there there was the other part. You'd mentioned how

077everyone has gotten a raise. Miss McGregor, did you get a raise last year? >> Did I? >> Yeah. Anybody up here? >> No. So, again, I just I want to point that part out when people say, "Well, we didn't get a raise. We We're not loved or understood or No, it's uh in my 28 years, it's still the the same rate." So, I don't know if we can do anything about that. It'll make this a little bit more of a fun meeting. I don't have any power over that, Rob. >> If you found that extra money, if you know something else, but again, it's just one of them things. But you mentioned every other valued employee. I don't know if we're really employees. We're more adviserss. Uh people ask on the school board saying, you

078know, do you work for the district? No, I'm more as an advisor type capacity. So, as an adviser, I guess we don't get anything. But it's just to point out some people think that well you know because of all the healthcare and all the other benefits that I get that aren't really real and aren't there but for the $30 as long as there's four of us. So that's all >> any other question. Member Donahghue. >> Yeah. Just thank you so much for the presentation. I really do appreciate it. Um I I cringed every time you said underfilled positions. Um, and I know I know human resources and and Susan File is doing a great job of of getting those positions filled and looking for those staff members cuz we do need them. Our students need

079them, the rest of our staff need them as support. And uh um although our our money has kind of gone up a little bit, I would rather see that status quo if our positions were all filled and uh and going that route with it. So, I just wanted to acknowledge that that it's um um we're still trying and the district is still trying to get those positions filled. So, great job though. >> All right, member McGregor. >> So, just for clarification for some of the people who may be listening. Um, I just wanted to say so like 31 AAA 27 L most people probably don't know what these mean, right? Um, could you very briefly explain what that means? And and for instance, like 31A can only be used for certain things. What are those

080stipulations? >> So 31A is for student safety and mental health. It is restricted funding. We can't just use it for anything. And there are very specific guidelines and timelines for the expenditure, which is why we're only recognizing within the budget those activities that we know that we're engaged with that qualify on the 27L funding. That was actually part of funding that the state of Michigan had allocated back in their 25 budget that went unspent. So then they provided that back to districts in an equitable fashion based on number of students or staff members and it will not recur into the upcoming year. There were two parts of that 27L funding. One was for educator compensation which is how we utilized ours with our MESPA units and our WA unit and then the other part was

081for the healthcare reform. Not that I want to bring up the bad news from last year but the state in fiscal year 25 had allocated um funding for MEPs and they said we're going to keep this. We're not going to take it away. Then in midappril last year they took it away. That was a hit of $3.6 million for Waterford. That $835,000 was a little bit of a touch back of the $3.6 million that they took away. >> Thank you. You're welcome. >> Appreciate that. >> Any other questions or comments? Right. Well, thank you again. We know how much work you put into this. We greatly appreciate it. I also think it's important to note they are continually looking for things and so is many of our administrators and we secured an amazing grant for

082our WSD camp WSD this summer over $800,000 grant. So our district is continually looking for ways to bring in funding when the state does not. So, I think that's important to point out and and it's greatly greatly appreciated because any grant funding we can find helps secure our our general fund and will get us to that 15% Rob. So, we're getting there. All right. Thank you both so much. Although you're not moving. >> Both stand right. >> Oh, are you Amy, don't move. We are now moving on to bond refunding with Assistant Superintendent Hildebrandt and Amy Dagenheart. So trustees, we have an opportunity to refund some of our existing bonded debt due to market conditions. What that means is bonds that were previously issued in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 are bonded projects. The coupon rate

083or the interest rate on those bonds, some of them are 4%. The current rate that we can refinance for is about 2%. So, we are recommending that we go forth with a refunding action for up to 58 I think it was like $58.9 million. It should save our taxpayers just under a million dollars in interest expense. >> All right, colleagues, do we have any questions? Member Patricia, you >> give her some question at the other table confusing. >> Well, she had to play Vanna and go through the slides. >> Okay, that's what it was. I wasn't sure. You missed her hitting the button >> here. I wasn't. But no, it's it's a wonderful thing. I I do appreciate how you it's you're constantly looking to ways of saving and again as a taxpayer of our

084community. It's what we do and it's what we're supposed to do and thank you for >> doing your jobs. >> You're welcome. >> Any questions colleagues? Just just to reiterate, >> member member restitch, I could not get that out. >> We are going out and refinancing these bonds to to to save the taxpayers a million bucks. So, >> correct. >> That's a that's a pretty darn good deal. So, just wanted to reiterate that and in light of what member Patricia just said. >> All right. Thank you so much both of you. We're now going to move on to our assistant superintendent Wolf with vape detectors. Yay. It's an exciting night with our presentations. >> We have to get a desk where they just run around the chairs and sit or something, you know, play some

085music. >> We got to make this meeting interesting. >> Well, fun. >> I'm up then, but I will say uh well, first, good evening, trustees. Uh this is not going to be quite like the turkey presentation. I just want to preface uh nor serenity but >> move on. >> I will do my best. >> Okay, >> we appreciate your honesty. >> Uh so I am here with you today um seeking board approval for the purchase and installation of 27 vape detectors. Um our focus throughout the school year is uh always on teaching and learning and all things we do are centered towards our students, our programs uh and supporting our students and staff. Uh every once in a while there are some disruptions or distractions that take place which cause us to step back and

086pause uh and ask ourselves do we want to put some energy into this? And in this case um we feel we do. We have seen an increase in vaping specifically in our bathrooms uh over the last uh 8 to 10 years. Uh and I feel confident in saying that is very similar to uh every high school uh in every county of every state. Um we know that realistically we are not going to eliminate vaping from our schools. Um it is too easy to conceal. Um, and we know that while we have our students for those seven or eight hours during the school day, uh, we can work some miracles and do some marvelous things. Um, but there's only so many places and locations that we can be in any given time. Uh and we've done

087an awfully good job taking our staff uh from our hall monitors to our paras to our teachers to our administrators and everyone in between of positioning themselves out and around our bathrooms uh and areas where these things have been taking place. Uh and we will continue to do that. We feel as if we need to take one step further um not to eliminate 100% of the vaping but to deter the vaping for the overall goal of restoring the environment in our bathrooms. And so really this is about that bathroom environment and having students feeling safe and comfortable to use a restroom at any time without second-guessing it or avoiding it and trying to hold it, you know, let's say throughout the school day. So, um, we know that this this occurrence can be a distraction

088for a lot of students. Um, we know that we can track student hall passes and we do and we've been able to curb and uh track and monitor students uh prevent students who are overusing that maybe for the wrong reasons. Uh, but again, it is at a point where we still feel we need an additional step to put in place. uh and as always the health and safety of our students is is always priority number one. So that's always on the forefront of any such goal or request like this. So the locations for the vape in uh detectors is going to be uh all of the boys and girls restrooms that are available to students during the school day at uh Ketarine Mott and Durant. And so that accounts for 27 vape detectors. Uh I'll

089go over the specs uh and some more information here in just a moment. Uh we are seeking to purchase the Halo 3C smart sensor. Uh, and this device is quick to send a message, a text message to those who are set up on the device uh, within seconds of it being alerted, which uh, does get alerted for vaping as well as uh, any loud noises and any signs of danger that may be present in the restroom. So, it does extend a little bit beyond uh, vaping. So, there's some additional benefit to that. The installation of this would take place this summer. Uh so I've worked with Elizabeth Kutchy on this and making sure that this would be something we could install uh and then also have our teams trained and go through that routine before

090the school year starts. The funding source uh just coming off the heels of um Karen and Amy here would come from our 31A funding for mental health and student safety. and therefore this would have no impact on the general fund. Uh we would also use this funding source for the annual subscription cost to continue to service these devices. Uh the quotes we've received uh through our state cooperative agreement rem um accounts for a total of 32,570. That one right there I want to note is an air. It's not an extra one. It's not 325,000. It's 32,000. uh that includes 27 sensors as I mentioned before um the 27 uh software licenses um annually and we will be working with corporate audio visual services uh which is our contractor that we always work with for technology

091installation. Uh there are a few other devices. There's another popular one that we took a look at. Um little bit higher expense and and does not have some of the reviews and the quality that um we're aware of in looking at and talking to other schools. So the the Halo 3C is the one that we are looking to purchase. Uh so who else? Many local districts have begun to install vape detectors. Uh to name a few locally, that's Berkeley, Seline, and Dearbornne. Um, most districts though don't advertise this. This is not something you're going to find on the on the homepage next to the mission and vision of the district website. Um, and as such, nor would we. But on our ends, the communication that we would have with our families, our students, obviously our

092staff, um, going through expectations, but also our parents, um, is a very important step in all of this installation. Uh this is not an I gota uh because again this is hopefully going to be a deterrent for students and we will be asking our parents our students to collectively and cooperatively work with us to help restore that bathroom environment uh outside of the staff who will be and have continued to be out and about and around those spaces and areas. So the implementation and management um next to the communication is also very very important. Um, you cannot install these, step back, and then everything's fixed. Uh, you have to have a team that is um, ready, knows what their role is, including having backups available. Um, and for us, we know that in talking to

093other districts, um, we need to be consistent during the entire school year. But that first one to two months is critical. Um, so that students and folks within the environment know that, uh, these things do work. We are responsive and we were serious about deterring you away um and keeping our environment safe. Um as I mentioned these devices alert to uh team members that we designate within the system sends a text message and from that point communication would take place uh a place via the walkie-talkie. We will have male and female hall monitors as we currently do placed outside of our bathrooms during uh hallway passing time, but also when the class period takes place. Um we know that there are limited restroom passes and so while the school class period uh takes place, uh

094we have a pretty good grip on what students are using the restrooms. Uh so that will likely increase the chances of us being able to quickly respond uh as compared to when we have people always stationed outside those restrooms during hallway passing time. Um in addition to the male and female hall monitors, we will have our safety coordinators at each building a part of the response teams. We'll have one male and one female administrator. And as always, we have our school resource officer uh on standby if necessary. Uh we will also have an additional administrator uh on backup and prepared to also pull up our cameras. Um and our administrators uh do use those quite regularly when uh they need to when it's necessary and they are very very strong and skilled at popping up

095exactly what camera what place and time uh to be able to go back. Um we do need an additional staff member um as backup, a male and a female. And so that could include some of our counselors if necessary if folks are tied up. So that communication response if the detector does go off um is pretty important for us to practice and be aware of so that we can respond quickly. Uh we know there are occurrences in which we may not be able to get to the student before um they've gone down that second or third hallway or perhaps if they've gone into a classroom. Um and so our goal there is to be quick and responsive u but also to to protect the dignity of our students. So, we aren't going to come kicking

096in the classroom door, um, grabbing a student and pulling them out. Uh, we will be respectful, as we always do, uh, if we do need to check a student. Um, and in many cases, if there are a handful of students in the restroom, um, you you might be surprised at how often those students are like, "Hey, look, I know who did it." Um, and and we would want that co cooperation and partnership from our students. Uh we do have um wands that can detect any metal on students and we do not use those uh unless we have very strong reasonable suspicion to do so. Um and those are a way for us to again protect the dignity of a student uh not near other folks um where we are not going to pat students down.

097That is that is not our job. But we could do so pretty quickly with a wand. um thank the student for their cooperation and quickly slide them back into a classroom if they did make it that far um to get into that space. Um right now we know that when um students do come out of the bathrooms um they are in many cases very cooperative to to pull an adult aside and say, "Hey, look, I smelled something in there or I seen so and so in there again." Um, and so we're going to have to rely on all of those tools that we've used before for students to report it out uh for some cooperation together. So, prior to the school year, we would really calibrate our response to uh that detector going off. Um,

098so this may not be an extensive multi-day safety drill practice, uh, like we certainly are going to do each and every year, but it does take time for us to go through what that response is and how we're going to get to it, who's on the cameras, who's the male, who's the female, um, etc. Uh, we will continue to receive support from our, uh, police liaison who have been fantastic. Um, it's not it's not often needed. uh our students are very cooperative, also very respectful back to us and those interactions uh in almost all cases go well. Um occasionally they may not and so we have the ability to have an SRO on hand which is is helpful if needed. As I mentioned, the timeliness and the grace and care we have are critical in

099that response. The communication would take place to families prior to the start of the school year. We want them to be um very much aware that these exist. Um, we want them to understand the purpose and the goal behind what it is we're trying to do, which as I mentioned is to to restore the environment of our restrooms, uh, for the health and safety of our students. Uh, we will remind parents of what our expectations are with students, our code of conduct, uh, the things that we normally do, but in this case, we will point it towards uh, this initi initiative in our restrooms. Do you have any comments or questions? Uh, and and I know I have Mr. Harwood and Miss Woods Helms uh here as well. If they're in, they're welcome to come

100up if you'd like. Um, in case you've got some questions that they might also be able to help answer. >> Member Santa Cramp, >> I do have a question. Um, are these out in the open like a smoke alarm or are they hidden? um so that they're not going to get damaged or people aren't going to >> you w you you will be able to see them. Um I can't say uh you'll be able to reach all of them based on their location. Uh it will alert if there's any damage done to the device. >> Yeah. >> And and to piggyback on member Sanrant's question, is there a way to protect the devices that might be reachable? Is there a cage system we could put around it so the kids can't because obviously they're going

101to figure out where they're at and they're going to want to pull them down potentially maybe to destroy them so they don't go off. So is there a way that we can protect them so that they can't get pulled down or damaged? >> I won't speak on behalf of Sid Tippet. Um, but I would imagine that we we might be able to find a way to protect those uh and keep them intact and and I'd be happy to follow up with you um if needed. >> Okay. I didn't know if Sid wanted to come down this >> but no just if we could somehow you trying to alleviate because you know we know that we know that they'll get damaged. So I just didn't know if there was a way we could protect that. Member

102Stitch. >> Yeah. Thank you. So, I would love to hear from both of you because I asked I teach college and I asked my college students and I said, "Hey, did you have vape detectors at your schools?" Um, and I got a pretty hearty laugh out of those students and they said, uh, so this is after our last meeting. They said, one of my students said, "Do you know how many of those I pulled down?" So, and another student said, "Um, if you're worried about vapes in the toilets now, just wait." So, with with that experience in mind, I'm I have to admit I'm a little bit skeptical, but this is why I'm glad the pros are here. >> I I would tell you there there's probably no bigger skeptic 5 years ago than me,

103I would have thought they were a waste of time. Um but to go back to an hour ago and if you look at the the students we had for our our Turkey trip and for um our outstanding student from Mott. All four of our students on the Turkey trip were our select 50 members. Uh the teachers are superstars. Mrs. Gross Nickel was our teacher of the year. She's a M graduate and they represent the very best of what this district can become. And what we've found in the last five years just at Ketering alone, unfortunately, we've had more than 15 students leave the school in an ambulance over the last five years from an adverse effect from vaping, either falling, hitting their head on a urinal, uh somewhat uh not having a good reaction to

104whatever the chemical is in the vape. Um so from a health standpoint, that alone is a concern in the bathroom. from an academic concern. What we've seen is that it disproportionately targets our freshman students. If you look at the products that are easily available either online uh or at some of the stores, unfortunately, I know we've had good partnerships with Waterford police and doing some stings. The flavors are predatory. It's strawberry banana. It's blueberry mint. It's things that are not geared for adults. And we see the academic carnage that happens to our freshman class. And so when I see the the the juxtiposition of what our seniors can become as opposed to what is taken away from our freshmen along with the weekly phone calls we will get from parents saying my son or my

105daughter is not comfortable to use the bathroom. They will hold it until they get home because they know that something's going to happen in the bathroom. Um that alone was a sea change for me. We have this week alone pulled nine vapes out of bathrooms that have impacted students adversely. Uh and those are the ones that we caught and those are the ones that were out in the open and those were ones that students have reported on each other. Uh we do have good camera coverage, obviously not in bathrooms, but they are tied to a timer uh with a time code that should there be any damage to anything in the bathroom, we would have a a reasonable idea of a time frame uh to be able to dig in to investigate. I think uh

106assistant superintendent Wol's comment on communication is so crucial because this is just one leg of the stool. Um, when we when we work with a student who's caught vaping the first time, it's not a throw the book at them. It's not a immediate suspension. It's an opportunity for outreach with the parents. It's an opportunity for partnership with the community coalition with Waterford Youth Assistance. It's an opportunity for support for treatment and to get them back into class and to reduce that damage to their academics. So, we're open. I'm open for anything because right now it takes kids out of learning and this is not the 30 years ago when I was in high school smoking cigarettes and kind of stepping away. These devices are so predatory and so addictive that the damage done to learning

107takes students out of their ability to engage 30 minutes, 20 minutes after vaping. And our classes are 50 minutes long. And so that takes someone out of wanting to learn and going into a bathroom and being in a social situation. And we know it's not perfect. We're not going to solve it. But I don't think we really have a choice. Uh we have to do everything we can to protect the safety of the students. That's just the vaping piece, the noise alone. Uh the potential for for injury, for damage, that we can make a bathroom safer to allow that family to have more confidence that their student can use the bathroom in peace and be able to go into a safe environment. Uh that is an immeasurable immeasurable boost that that I would very much

108look forward to. >> I don't really have much to say after that. Um, I I agree with with being wholeheartedly. I think that um our kids who this is not what they're into, it it's a stressor to them cuz then they go in and they figure if somebody finds out, they're going to be pointing fingers at who they are, that kind of thing. I think that um obviously nothing is 100% foolproof, but I think it will be a deterrent that they know that it is there. I think what he said is true. A lot of our kids are addicted, unfortunately. They use this as an unhealthy coping mechanism, but if we could identify these students, we can get more uh in front of the coalition. I think we've done a great job thus far of

109like troubleshooting this. But I think if we execute the plan that assistant uh Superintendent Wolf has outlined with people in place and a true commitment to that, we can be better about it. Um, and I think that over time the students will get acclimated to that process and it'll just be a hassle that they won't want to necessarily put up with, which is a good thing for us. Um, and like like uh I think he said, students are stepping up and they are are tired and they also are stepping up because they are concerned about what's going on. And I think that's a great testimony to the communities that we've built that they now feel the onus to say like we no more. No more because we want our peers to be safe and no

110more because we are tired of what this looks like and I think it's a step in the right direction. >> Thank you colleagues. Uh member Donahghue >> um for the response teams I guess what my question is uh is that talks about that the software will send a text message to a phone. Is that did I understand that correctly? >> Correct. Whose phone? >> Who we determine's phone? Who will be part of the response team? >> Whose phone? Mike. And And the point I'm trying to make here is because these two people right here and their assistant principles are unbelievably busy on a daily basis. And my concern is is that if it's going to them, they have enough on their plate. And I know you may even say, Pat, it's okay. I I don't

111mind it. You're going to mind it. You're going to mind it after a while when you get these text messages or these loud noise messages coming um to your phone all the time in regards to it. And so, uh, whether it be hall monitors, I I just think that that needs to be very clearly defined and to make sure that it's not just administrators that are getting these text messages if it's going to be done right because they're in meetings, they're off campus, they've got enough stuff going on that um we need to make sure that it's the wealth is evenly spread um to whoever these team members are. Um, the other thing is is that obviously I assume that these teams are going to be people that are whether they're hall monitors or they're

112volunteers to to be a part of it. Um, are there are these are personal cell phones that this is these text messages are coming to? Are there phones supplied as a part of this just for this purpose or a pager? um something along those lines that when they're not in when they're not in the building for whatever the reason is, they're out of the they're not getting these these text messages. You know, if something happens at an evening event and um a hall monitor is one of the people that is is getting text messages is that all of a sudden they're not home eating dinner with their family and they're getting text message that in bathroom 6 um you know there's a vape detected. So, those are the things that I just want, you know,

113I want to make sure that you guys are very thoughtful of um to to make sure that um this is done correct, but it's also not just put on administrators um for whatever the reasons are that it's them that has to respond and then use the walkie-talkie to get the hall monitors to or that the response teams there. >> Yeah. >> Food for thought. >> We know you can relate. >> Yes. Yes, I can for sure. at all. Um, and one last question is with that is with the bathrooms, do those also include the locker rooms, locker room bathrooms or not at this time? >> Yes, some of those are not uh open and accessible during the school day though. Okay. >> Yeah. And we can provide a map of the locations if you'd like.

114>> Okay. Thank you, >> member McGregor. I just want to say I appreciate that there's a plan and that it's a consistent approach to addressing this throughout the high schools because I think that's very important that um students are treated with that consist consistency and that it helps to promote the kind of environment that we want for our students and I think that helps promote um positive behaviors but also um an appreciation because sometimes students students feel like or people in general, right? When we feel like one person's getting treated one way and another person's getting treated another way, no one wants to feel like that. So, I greatly appreciate that you guys are all sitting down and and approaching this the same way. Um, I also wanted to ask a little bit about this,

115and this might just be because I don't have kids at that age, right? Um, is this, you talked about like with the freshmen that this is more of an issue. Is this something that also needs to be addressed in the middle school or is this something that is targeted more towards the high schoolers? >> Yes, responding to that question, uh we are not seeing as many occurrences um nowhere near what we are at the high school. Uh but it's not to say that it's not happening to a lesser extent at the middle school. Uh for us, this approach would be targeting the area that we know it's happening at a much higher rate um to get the effectiveness down before we would ever consider the the middle schools. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Now, I

116as we were talking here, a question came up. Did you you you said not a question came up for me, I should say. You said it's not going to be in the locker rooms because they're not open during the day or they are going to be in the locker rooms. um they are not going to be in the locker rooms. Uh the locker rooms are not always accessible. Um minus the gym locker rooms, that section that students can use and access during PE. Um and and we've got those uh PE teachers in and out of those spaces and areas. Not to say it couldn't happen in there. >> Well, and that's I guess my question. Why would we not put them in the locker rooms? because we know the students are so they're going to

117know like if it's I from the perspective of having you know have having had teenagers and and mine are the ones that didn't use the bathroom because they didn't like what was going on. Um then I we they will know like if there's events or some of our athletes that might be vaping so they know that's going to be a place where they can get away with it. What do we what are we looking at potentially? Would we ever put them in the locker rooms as well? Is it more because at that point we have other students from other schools? Like I just don't know if that's logistically and what do we do if it's someone in our school that's not like will these detectors go off when we have events and we have people

118in the schools and there happens to be maybe an adult that might do it or someone from a a neighboring district here? Like how will we manage that? Is there a timing like will the are the vape detectors only set to go off certain times? >> Not to my knowledge. No, I I don't believe be programmed to say only uh >> trigger from 6:00 am till 5:00 pm. >> Um okay. The the number of spaces outside of the restrooms um even some of the staff bathrooms or other spaces um would take the 27 number of vapes to a couple dozen more. Okay. >> So, for us it was just selecting the key areas that during the school day we know are most used in the highest volume uh just to be cost effective and to

119first see how how effective this works. >> Okay. I guess that would be my concern. If it goes off at 7:00 at night because we happen to have an event, then then what do we do? And is it loud in the in the bathroom or is it just going off on your phones? So, it's not going to alert the people in the bathroom that it's been detected, >> but it will alert whoever has the phone. >> Correct. Okay. So, I guess that that as we were talking that kind of came up like what happens if we have events because I'm thinking of the H because we know that people use those bathrooms, not just our kids. It's the main ones they use during the day, but it's also the bathrooms that are open when we

120have events at the PAC when we have, you know, community events. And I just I wasn't sure how that would work if it goes off because I'm sure other people might set them off. I think it's great. I'm I'm in support of this. I think it's something that we need to definitely address. Um it's it's frustrating that it's gotten to this point and that's not on us. It's because of the way that they aggressively went after our students. Um it's sad that that industry went after children to support their product to make money. And so I know we're in a position where we have to address it. It isn't like what like Ben said, you know, when we were growing up and you could smell the cigarette smoke, so you kind of knew it was

121happening. Um, but I just didn't know logistically for things outside the school day, how are we going to navigate that? So, that's probably not a question for you to answer on the spot. It's just something as we were talking and member Donnie brought up a few things that made me start thinking, okay, what does that mean for after school events? I don't want their phones going off at 8:00 at night, which I know they go off anyways. >> Well, for for me it's data, >> right? Because if we have partners in the community that um that they're using something they shouldn't, I think that's data for us to have, I I would much rather know about it than have it be a surprise because more often than not, if it's a community partner, there's going

122to be a tie to the school. There's going to be a student, there's going to be a sibling, there's going to be a cousin. Um, and data for me is valuable and any data we can get that can help pinpoint um, the success of the programs we use because we're we're looking at certainly as a deterrent and um, as an advertisement that we're aware, >> but for us to be able to progress monitor the efficacy of our support programs, that's data I want to use. I want to see if our numbers change in September and October down to December. I want to see if they change from coming back from the holiday break to the end of the year. I want to know if there's a difference between first hour and fifth hour or do

123we have a propensity in seventh hour? All these pieces of data are going to be uh effective things for us to make our school better >> and you know is it a Monday thing? Is it a Wednesday thing? Is there a specificity before finals? Are we tying it to student anxiety? are we seeing it um specific hours? All these things are pieces that we can use to help tool what our supports are going to be. >> Well, and I do know too, we all received an email um today. I believe it came. Our township is trying to also work on making more stringent ordinances. Um there is a meeting coming up on Monday to go over it. they are trying to put more things in place where vape shops can't be close to schools. I

124believe it's a 500 um foot radius. I know that they are trying so I know that this is a partnership that's not just on you, but I know our township is definitely trying to also minimize how many of those businesses can be in our community. So, it seems like it's an all-in effort to try and help these kids. So, I just I know it will be a lot on you and I appreciate that you are willing to take this on. I appreciate the work that you've put into it. It's it's just unfortunate because teaching and learning, right? That's what we're here for and but the health and safety of our students has to be priority at all times. So, I do appreciate all of all the efforts you're putting into this. >> Okay. >> Thank

125you. >> Do we have any other questions? >> All right. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> And we are now going to move on to new business with Secretary Restitch. Superintendent's recommendation 352526 strategic plan 2026. It is recommended that the board of education adopt the 2026 strategic plan and authorize changes to respective board policies. I so move >> support. >> All right. The motion has been moved and supported. Are there any questions or comments? Again, we want to thank everyone that was part of it. I know we've thank them every opportunity we have had a chance. It's been a process and we are grateful to our community and to our stakeholders, to our staff, to our students, to everyone who is involved. So, we just want to shout out another big thank you

126to everybody. All those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. I can't see everyone's. All right. Motion carries. 6. When you're short, it's hard to see everyone's hand from the center. All right, we are going to keep moving on to Treasurer Donahghue. >> All right, forgive me. I have a I have a paragraph that I've got to read here, so just All right. Um, superintendent's recommendations 36-25-26, resolution for adoption by the board of education of Waterford School District, revised budget amendment 2 for 2526. Resolve that this resolution shall be the general appropriations Waterford School District for fiscal year 2025-2026. a resolution to make appropriations and to provide for the expenditure of the appropriations and to provide for the disposition of all income received by Waterford School District. The property tax rate will be 17.6749

127mills on nonhomestead property. The proceeds will be used to pay general fund operating expenses. Be it further resolved that $123,537,440 is hereby appropriated in the general fund. Be it further resolved that 10,991,69 is hereby appropriated in the school service fund. Be it further resolved that $7,537,659 is hereby appropriated in the special education center program fund. Be it further resolved that $23,916,944 is hereby appropriated in the debt service fund. The appropriation details of this information item are available to the public upon request. I so move. >> All right, the motion has been moved and supported. Are there any comments or questions? >> All right, all those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. Motion carries 6. I appreciate everyone lengthening their arms on that one. We are going to stay with Treasure Donahghue. Superintendent's recommen

128recommendation 37-25-26 bond refunding. It is recommended that the board of education adopt the resolution as presented to allow the district to move forward with the negotiated sale of the refunding bonds. I so move. >> All right. The motion has been moved and supported. Are there any questions or comments? All right. All those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. Motion carries 6. We're going to pass it over to Secretary Ritch for our policy updates. >> Superintendent recommendation 382526 policy updates. It is recommended that the board of education approve Neola policy updates volume 38 number two. Volume 39, number one. Volume 38, number one, Edgar. And volume 39, number two. These updates align our policies with statutory language and are recommended by Neiola to remain in statutory compliance. I so move support. >> All right,

129the motion has been moved and supported. Are there any comments or questions? Member McGregor. I just I just want to make sure um especially with the epinephrine policy in here and talking with Adam, it sounds like that was updated right around the same time that the new law got updated. I want to make sure that we um definitely come back and address that when we can because um that I think is really important for the safety of students, but also it could help us financially as well. And I and I believe once all the law gets through, Niola will then update it and bring another recommendation back to us. So that's what we're should be August. We are anticipating that. Okay. So then in August, we'll revisit and then we can update the policy again.

130So all right, great. Are there any other questions? Right. All those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. Motion carries 6. We are moving it back over to Treasurer Donahghue. Right. >> Superintendent's recommendation 39-25-26. Warehouse exterior bulk storage bid. It is recommended that the board of education approve a new warehouse exterior bulk storage building to the lowest bidder to specification DSP constructors in the amount of $240,428 along with a 10% contingency of $24,042 for a total project cost of $264,470. funding source is the 2020 bond fund. I so move >> support. >> All right, the motion has been moved and supported. Are there any comments or questions? >> Member Patricia, >> have we used this person before these contractors? >> I'm the lawyer. Carla, >> yes, we have. They worked at M in the

131parking lot last >> and we were happy with what they had done. All right. Are there any other comments or questions? All right. All those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. Motion carries 6. And we are going to stay with Treasurer Donahghue for almost the entire page. Superintendent's recommendation 40-25-26, food service equipment. It is recommended that the board of education approve the bid award the amount of $199,38.15 to Stafford Smith for the purchase of the food service equipment presented to be funded through the food service fund. I so move >> support All right, the motion has been moved and supported. Are there any comments or questions? Are we good? All right, all those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. >> Motion carries 6. >> Keep going. >> I'm earning my $30.

132>> You are. Superintendent's recommendation 41-25-26, Children's Village Interactive Display Project. It is recommended that the board of education approve the award of contract to Bloom in the amount of $78,949.35 for the interactive display project at Children's Village School. Funding is section 24 grant and general fund. I so move >> support. >> All right, the motion has been moved and supported. Are there any comments or questions? >> All right, great. All those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. Motion carries 6. >> Superintendent's recommendation 42-25-26, Chromebook purchase to begin refresh cycle. It is recommended that the board of education approve the award of contract to Peopledriven Technologies in the amount of 815,364 or 2,000 Dell Chromebooks each with a three-year warranty accidental damage protection and gumdrop Chromebook cases. Funding is the 2020 bond. I so

133move >> support. All right, the motion has been moved and supported. Are there any comments or questions? All right, all those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. Motion carry 6. It's your last one. >> All right. Superintendent's recommendation 43-25-26, Lifetracks Durant parking lot site improvements. It is recommended that the board of education approve the lifetracks Durant parking lot site improvements to the lowest bidder to specification best ashalt incorporated in the amount of $142,0007 or $142,758 along with a 10% contingency of $14,275 for a total project cost of $157,33. $83. The funding source is the 2020 bond fund. I so move >> support. >> All right, the motion has been moved and supported. >> Changing it up. >> We're all getting a little silly up here. The motion has been moved and supported. Are

134there any comments or questions? >> Member Patricia, >> we've used this contractor before. >> Not in Waterford, but they worked in Birmingham. They worked at several project >> and we're taking out the cement and putting in >> ashalt. Yes. >> Before the stud the building against the layout. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right. Are there any other comments or questions? All right. All those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. Is it is it all the way up? >> It's I'm not sure. >> Okay. One, two, three. Motion carries 6. All right, we are now moving on to public comment. I don't have any green cards up here. Is there anyone out there that would like to make public comment? All right, we are now going to move on to our board of

135education reports. I know member Sonic Crant has a report. Do you want to start us off? >> Sure. >> All right. We had our YA meeting, youth assistance meeting last night. Um, tomorrow's the deadline to nominate kiddos for the um, awards. The um, the awards ceremony will be in April, so please get names in. And they can be for anything from opening doors for somebody to shoveling somebody's driveway. I mean, these are these are there's a lot of good going on in Waterford. We need to support our kids. Um, there's also a Betty Forino scholarship. Normally the scholarship's $1,000, but this year youth assistance is matching it. So, it's a $2,000 scholarship. I think we have one application right now, so get them in. Um, that would be great for somebody going to school. Um

136there's a digital playbook uh family playbook cla um class free class offered and it has child care and dinner um Thursday, April 23rd from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. So that's a great uh free class that you can take and um they're doing great things at youth assistance. So wanted to share. >> Right. Great. Are there any other board reports? Member Wristitch. >> Okay. I got a couple things here. uh from Hess Hathaway, the amazing Hess Hathaway Farm. Um we've got where to start here. Um Bunny Bingo coming up on Saturday, March 28th, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30. Don't miss it. It's going to be an excellent time. Uh the Easter Bunny is going to be there to play bingo with you and your little ones. $5 per resident. Um space is limited. Nerf Battle Tuesday, March

13731st. Uh they have two groups, 5 through 8 and 9 through 12. Um that's during spring break, I believe. >> Yeah. Nice. Um check that out. $10 per person. You can find all this information on the Waterford Parks and Wreck website. Got a couple other things. Um re registration begins um for a series of camps um through the parks and wreck. We've got the farm camp um which they've got two two um offerings for 3 and 1/2 to 5year-olds. You can get the little little ones and then the 6 to 10 year olds. Um so registration begins April 1st. They also have our Drayton Plains Nature Camp which is a great great um experience. So you can find that information on the parks and recite. Registration begins April 1st and they also have a whole

138bunch of other offerings um at the farm. got a couple events where you can hang out with the ecoin. Um you can groom, you can walk with them. So again, lots of really great stuff happening over at the farm. So check out the website. Also wanted to shout out Mary Crate who uh the legendary M Mary crate who just got just got an award uh from Oakland County for for all of these years as an amazing teacher here. >> One of the six Oakland County women in history award. So thank you. >> Excellent. Amazing. Amazing. >> Honorary. That's all I got. >> All right. Member McGregor. I didn't know if you I you smiled, so I thought you had a report. >> Oh, well, I'll just say congratulations to all the select 50 students um

139last night. Um it was very well put together and thank you to the Waterford Foundation. I hope I'm not stealing your Adam. I'm totally good with it. You guys feel it. >> Um, but they always do an amazing job every year of recognizing our students and it's important to reinforce that, right? Because these students are doing good things. Um, so thank you and uh, congratulations everyone. >> Oh, member Busha, >> Mr. McGregor, weren't you all? >> Okay. So, congratulations to you from way way back. >> A little late. Well, no, but it's one of them things, but we we thank you back then, but you know, as a honore looks like, you know, the alumni, so good job. >> All right, so we have this Saturday at the coffee bucket, which is one of our

140local um they're also a nonprofit with Draw, but they're a local business here in Waterford. They are located off of Airport Road. They are from 8 to 1:00 p.m. They are actually holding a book drive to benefit Sweet Reads. So, it's a great it's a great place to hang out, have a cup of coffee, really fun people. It's also a great way to support our district. Um, new and gently used books is what we would appreciate. Um, all different any books that you have from board books all the way up to high school because our sweet reads mobile typically does a stop for the elementaryaries, but elementary kids do have siblings that are older. So, it's always nice to have um books for our teenagers as well. So, we appreciate the coffee bucket for reaching

141out. They are working with the um friends of the library as well and they wanted to benefit our school district. They partnered with us a few years ago when we were doing our classroom library initiative. So, this was another great way for us to support literacy in our district, support one of our local businesses. And if you're out and about on Saturday from 8 to 1, stop in. I hear they might have some giveaways, too. So, you might potentially win something if you stop in. Um, I'd also like to give a shout out not only to our Waterford M varsity dance team, but also to our Waterford United Middle School dance team. They competed in February at Spirit Shine for their state championship. Our high schoolers walked away with third place overall in varsity hiphop.

142Um, we had four soloists that all placed. Um, Ava Wagner, my daughter, uh, was a first place soloist. We also had Chandler Davidson and Ashley Zerat. Chandler got second, Ashley got third. And then our senior Maddie Walker, who is also a select 50 and an awesome kid. Uh she received a first place soloist um in her division as well. So it was really really fun to see them. Our middle schoolers did great. They walked away with a ton of hardware. I tried to reach out to find out exactly what it was and no one responded or were in here and it's coming through. So I know that they they walked away with three big trophies. So it was really really cool. It was a great way to support our kids. They did great. They represented

143Waterford well. Also a nice shout out to um Ketaring's Winterguard. They took third place in their most recent competition. So it's really nice to see all these different organizations um and our students doing so well throughout all the events that they're participating in. And a huge shout out to our spring sports that are getting ready to start soon. Although when I saw the Waterford United lacrosse team doing snow angels on their um their social media pages, it really didn't feel like it was our spring sports yet. But I know that those are all getting ready to go. So, shout out to our spring sports. Good luck to everyone. Everyone's in the OA. So, it'll be interesting this year with new new teams that we'll be competing against. But I know that they'll do well and

144they'll serve us well. >> That's it. And we're on to you. >> On to me. >> Yes. >> Sure. >> Are we good? All right. Yes. >> I know it may seem early, but we are enrolling for the 26 27th school year. Want to remind everybody we have late enrollment hours this Monday, uh, March 23rd at Central Enrollment. We'll be open until 7 p.m. So, if you're considering coming our way, please do. Uh, we'd love to have you. Also, March is reading month. I've been able to get over and read at Grayson, Stansky. I'll be with Riverside Racers. So, I know there's been other people and have seen different uh celebrities uh that have been out and about reading in classrooms. Uh, what a great time uh to be with the kids and read with

145them. uh they have called me uh the kindergarteners the big boss or the tall boss uh explaining it as I'm the boss is is seem to work with them. Uh also I would like to recognize and congratulate the 2026 Waterford Foundation uh prek through five teacher of the year nominees. Uh am Amy Dupolo from DonaldElsson Hills. Lorie Runk from Grayson Elementary. Alyssa Cororsum from Havland Elementary. Kristen Shelburn from Havland Elementary. Angela Reic from Kudson, Erica Jacob from Schoolcraft, and Sharon Kakasa from Schoolcraft. So, uh, we're looking forward to that selection that's going to be made in April and then celebrating with with the banquet in May. Also, I just want to again, uh, congratulate the students at the select 50. Thank you, uh, Trustee McGregor, Trustee Torres were there, um, and the foundation for their

146support. An incredible group that is super supportive, um, of Waterford schools. Uh shout out to Sarah Davis and Jessica Rristitch uh who presented this year at the MSP annual conference. Their presentation entitled Trust Over Tradition: Reimagining Community Engagement really explored our incredible Waterford Together Festival. Uh way to go guys and we're looking forward to see them run it back next year. Uh also a reminder, we're on spring break from March 30th through April 6th. Um, that means there will be no committee the whole meeting on April 2nd and the next time we'll all be together, we'll be here on April 16th. Sorry. Uh, and lastly, on a sad note, um, Norm Bolt, uh, who was the lead nighttime custodian and a 38-year Waterford School District employee, uh, passed away suddenly earlier this week. Uh, Norm

147was a MC graduate and will be greatly missed by the Mason family. Um, Principal Henning shared some thoughts on him and just an incredible human um that that positively impacted everybody he touched. Our condolences go out to Norm's family, uh, the Mason community and our custodial staff. Thank you. >> All right. Well, seeing no further business, this meeting is adjourned. Have a great spring break, everyone. Thank you.