001To 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 Stitch, will you please take roll call? We are missing member Torres. All right. And now we'll move on to the approval of the agenda. Unless there are objections, the agenda will be approved as printed. We good? All right. And we are moving on to public comments on action items. We will now take public comments on action items that will be voted on this evening. So, is there anyone that has a public comment on an actual action item for this evening? All right, we're going to keep moving on. All right, we're going to move on to the consent the consent agenda. Unless there are objections,
002the consent agenda will be approved as presented. We good? All right. I like how fast we're moving tonight. All right. Next, we have information items starting with Mrs. Koochie. Welcome. This is an information item on our technology device update. Good evening everyone. So one of our bond projects within the technology piece of bond was to look at what in our devices across the district with lab machines needs to be replaced. We know one thing that when we went out for this bond, this was before we went onetoone, right? But we also know that we utilize our lab machines for assessment purposes, for teaching and learning, for a variety of avenues. So we were really tasked with looking at what machines do we need for instruction and assessment and what mach machines don't necessarily need to
003be replaced. So our current fleet right now when we put all labs together sits close to about 1500 machines. So you'll notice in this proposal we are looking to only replace 915 of them. So looking at a cost measure and how that would look. We are also looking to purchase 20 Pro desktops for digital art. Those are the bigger screens with the higher robust system for graphic design. Looking in particular at Pierce. So Pierce has a little bit of a unique situation where they have a large lab and then we had two more instructional and assessment labs, but they were in classrooms due to the space in that building. So what we want to do is take essentially those lab machines and put Chromebook carts in there. Offering that flexibility to use it as a
004classroom as well as use it for all those other purposes. So we're looking to do that at Pierce to start maybe something we look into the future for other sites, but right now we know Pierce is one we need to look at that model. Then we're looking and we looked at all of our Chromebooks in the fleet. Where are we at? What does this look like? We are going to be four years into this. So you guys know we have a ton of machines out there, right? So we really looked at what do we need to replace that can get us through the next couple years, right? So right now we are including in this a refresh of 350 of those devices. On top of that, we are looking to replace our 15 servers. So
005each building essentially has a server that runs our assessment systems and some of our other systems. Those are really important that they are updated. We are at the point that we can no longer update them. They are past date. So, we were totally fine for this state round of assessment, but we are lery for next. So, we want to make sure we get those put in place this summer so we are ready to roll for next school year. All of this is does fall under REMC bid. We are requesting for people driven and CDW to be awarded this. They are both companies that we work with all the time. Um, and we also have an extended warranty on all devices of 3 years with the exception of the servers. We have put a seven-year warranty
006on them. Um, because those are very important components to our district. So, this is the information item and what we are looking to propose for purchase. All right. Questions? All right. And the reason we want to do this now is because they cannot guarantee the pricing past the 30 days. Correct. Which is why this is coming to us now. So tech so tech companies like every companies right now on knowing the economic situations are really adhering to a 30-day quote. So quotes have always said 30 days but there's always been kind of this wiggle room, right? So they said we are going to hold to this 30-day quote. Well, knowing that in our board meeting schedule, we would be past that. So, we would have to do a re um quote. What we're hearing right
007now with a very conservative is that that could be a potential 15% increase. I have heard from another company recently that will probably be more than a 15% increase. So, we wanted to make sure we act on this now. One, we're already cost savings, right, by going down in machines, but we want to make sure we're locking in on today's prices instead of 30 days from now prices. All right. Thank you. You're welcome. All right. We are now going to Whoa, that was loud. We are now going to move on to our newspaper notice, notice of public hearing. Assistant Superintendent Hildebrandt, welcome. Good evening, trustees. So, we're seeking or putting in front of you theformational item to post the required notice in the local newspaper for our upcoming budget. We'll post that ad on June
0082nd. The budget will be presented to the board for consideration on June 19th. All right, any questions? Thank you. And now we are moving on to our Oakland schools budget 2025 2026. For the Michigan School Code, the Oakland School's general fund budget must be presented to Oakland County's 28 school districts by May 1st each year. Accordingly, this board has received the fiscal year 2025 2026 proposed budget budget documents. A recommendation to approve a resolution in support or disapproval of the 2025 2026 proposed Oakland Schools general fund budget will be presented for action on May 15, 2025. Any questions? Member Patricia, a comment because it it's sometimes hard to approve other people's budget. We don't know what's in it. We don't know. We think this is frivolous. They think it's necessary and sometimes there's laws that
009require that. It seems like the last few years we have kind of gone against it because we're looking for some help and they're not offering it and that's not in their budget. Again, I haven't seen their budget so I don't know that part of it. But just as a the history thing of unless they're going to do something for us, I'm not in favor of pretty much anything they do. So that's all member. Um in terms of Superintendent Eldrich, have we been in conversation with them uh recently about understanding our our context and our history with Oakland schools? Have they uh have we been in conversations with them about things that we might need here in Waterford? We have. Um they maintain a philosophy. Um most of our questions have been surrounding special education and
010services at a county level and they maintain a philosophy that they do not are not in the business of providing those services. Um, in lie of what districts have provided for center-based programs, like many other counties do in the area that most counties help run center-based programs and um they are that is not their philosophy as we continue to be told. Thank you. All right. Are there any other questions? That kind of wraps up what Yes. They're not going to help us. So, thanks. All right, let's move on to new business. I'm going to pass it over to Treasurer Donahghue. S Superintendent's recommendation 54-24-25, school bus leases 2025. It is recommended that the board of education enter into a contract with HRA Transportation to lease the four passenger buses for a 3-year term as follows.
011Two 54 passenger buses at 26,452 per each for an annual cost of $52,94. to 77 passenger buses at $27,53 per each for an annual cost of $55,6 funding source is the general fund. I so move support. All right. Are there any questions? Oh, member Stitch. Um, Mer Brandt. Um, understanding that uh we've had some challenges with uh costs over the transportation. Will these new buses help to alleviate some of those? They're a direct replacement for current buses and we need these the buses they're replacing are currently utilized on a daily basis within our fleet. So, we definitely need these buses as well as the ones on the next recommendation. Thank you. And I do realize I forgot to say the motion has moved and supported. So, I'm going to throw that one in there. All
012right. Are there any other questions or comments? All those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. All right. Motion carries. 6. And back over to Treasurer Doningham. Superintendent recommendation 55-24-25. School bus leases 2026. It is recommended that the board of education enter a contract with Hoaxra Transportation to lease the three passenger buses for a three-year term as follows. Three 54 passenger orthopedic lift school buses at $29,87 per each for an annual cost of $89,421. Funding source is the general fund. I so move support. All right, the motion has been moved and supported. Do we have any questions or comments? [Applause] Are the Patricia? Oh, sorry. Are these replacement buses also then? Yes. Not extra. And there's because of these three buses with the orthopedic lift, it requires a very advanced lead time and I
013do with everything going on with some of the trade tariffs and things. This is I believe providing us a much more secure price. And is leasing them? Are we using bond funds for the lease? We cannot use bond funds for we can use bond funds for purchasing transportation buses. And I know that we own some and we lease some. Is it just kind of a a mix to it? It is. We have a fleet of 64 buses. 17 are leased. Thank you. You're welcome. All right. Any other questions or comments? All right. All those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. All right. Motion carries 6. And again, treasure. Superintendent's recommendation 56-24-25 roof replacements summer 2025. It is recommended that the board award a contract for partial roof replacements to Royal Roofing in the
014amount of 639,800 for Ketaring High School, 1,394,700 for Mott and $255,600 for Prairie. Funds for these projects are in the 2020 bond. I so move support All right, the motion has been moved and supported. Are there any questions or comments? Member Stitch, Solder Brandt, does uh SMA, our consultant, are they the ones who also do the audit and review post projects? I believe so. I'm going to defer to Sydney. Thank you, Sydney. Thank you. All right. Any other questions or comments? All those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. All right, motion carries. 6. And I I think we're on to me. All right. What? One more. There's one more. Yeah. How did I miss it? I don't know. No, you're right. No, it's it's Yeah, that's what I was getting ready to read.
015It's But it just doesn't say Treasure Donghue on my sheet. Sorry. I was getting ready, but feel free. Okay. I saved the longest one for last here. So, all right. All right. Superintendent's recommendation 57-24-25, technology device update. The Waterford School District is planning on updating our technology devices to replace and update the following in accordance with the bond project plan. 915 Dell Desktop Lab machines for our K12 buildings which were last purchased in 2018. 20 Dell Pro Desktop machines for our digital art lab spaces at Ketaring and Mott High School. the purchase of 50 HP classroom Chromebooks for Pierce Middle School to reformat two lab spaces that are currently within two classroom spaces to allow for flexibility with instruction and assessment. The purchase of 350 Dell Chromebooks for replacement within our onetoone device fleet. a
016replacement and update of 15 servers that are utilized for these machines and state assessment purposes which were last purchased in 2017. Each of these devices are utilized for instructional and assessment purposes within each of our buildings. It is recommended that the board award a contract under REMC bid to Peopledriven Technology in the amount of $872,851.50. 50 and CDW-G in the amount of $23,175. I so move support. All right, the motion has been moved and supported. Are there any other questions or comments? Member Stitch, Miss Kutchy, I'm really excited uh for this. I'm also really excited to hear about the reformatting of the two labs. sheet too. Oh, hey. Tell me about it. Tell me about it. So, these were two classroom these two computer labs. So, if we go back way a couple years well
017before co and the state said, "Hey, we're going to do online testing." Right? So, we knew at our secondary buildings that meant, "Oh, we need more lab space." Well, at Pierce that took some creative thinking, right? So we took two class we took their lab space and two classrooms and made them into labs which has now meant that there's two classrooms that could be used for instructional classroom pieces that don't need to necessarily be used as desktops. So Kyle Shelley and I worked on a plan of okay they still use them for assessment sometimes those spaces right but they don't necessarily need to be desktops for the full year. So we said let's put Chromebook carts in those spaces. So again, they could be utilized, pulled out for assessment pieces. They can be put away
018and the classroom can be used as a classroom. So this is going to give us essentially two rooms. Uh it's a little bit more flexible. Yes. How we use them. Yep. And then their main lab will get the desktop stations like any lab and the other buildings. Yep. Thank you. You're welcome. And I just want to thank you for bringing this to us and making sure that we do save because that's super important especially with all the uncertainty going on. So it's very much appreciated. Member Patruchia. Sorry, you're fine. This is what we just heard about what we're purchasing on it. I don't like doing that. You know that again. Everyone knows that. But it's one of them things where we're getting the information then we're voting on it. It is something we need. It
019is something we're going to do. uh we have the fear of who knows what the economy what tariffs going to be. I get all that but I want to make sure that we don't practice this of putting it on voting on it because again I don't support that. I understand it but I just want to make sure that it doesn't become a practice for anybody. Yeah. No, I completely understand and that would not be my intention at all. And that's just me. Thank you. Yeah. All right. Are there any other questions or comments? All right. All those in favor, please signify by raising your hand. All right. Motion carry 6. We are now going to move on to public comment on non-action items, which I do have a green card here. Um, I want to
020remind everyone that comments are limited to 3 minutes in duration. Members of the public are invited to share comments. However, this is not intended to be a time for questions and answers. Lastly, participants may speak only once on the same topic and are asked to avoid statements that are personally directed, abusive, or obscene. Um, Nancy, and I do not want to say your name, your last name incorrectly. Creator, awesome. If you'd like to come on over here to the podium where there's um straight there where there's a microphone, that way everyone can hear you. Welcome. Welcome. Thank you for the opportunity, I'm sure, to ask some questions. Um, few of us attended your February 25th meeting over at Prairie, and we're inquiring about the offered Oakland County Parks and Wreck had made to the Waterford
021School District for the property right here on this map over by Oakland Community College. And you can see that it connects to nicely to Hess Hathaway Park and I'm wonder well you can't can't answer me but we'd like to find out sooner rather than later what your feelings are. I know you were supposed to be um referring and contacting your legal team regarding that property. Um I just would just like to let you know that we represent a few groups. Um and we did do a change.org or petition a couple years ago regarding that whole OC debacle, which is what it is. And um we've got over 1,400 people who want to preserve that beautiful land. If you're familiar with it, you know what we're talking about with the Llewellyn Nature Reserve, which connects to
022your property on the campus or north of the CA campus. We recently did another change.org or last week and we already have over 250 people wanting to support the open space and the green space. Um, as I said that the Oak County Parks and Wreck has offered over $2 million to the Waterford School Board for this property and listening to all of the expenses going on here, I would see where that money would come in handy. The property would remain beautiful, green, untouched, not developed, and it would be an asset not only for the the community, Waterford community, but for the schools because I know that through because all of our kids went through they would go to camp, their sixth grade camp in Wall Lake. Well, we have Hess Hathaway Park and if we
023could combine that with your property, it'd be a beautiful way to enhance their experience to experience the camp right here in our own backyard. Um, also I we drove past that you've got property for sale on Lock Haven as well. There's a big sign there. I don't know how that's going, but I know there's um potential there for some finances for you as well, but that is residential. And this is what we're our fear is. And if you live anywhere near Kulie Lake Road in hospital or Williams, you know how bad the traffic, there's no infrastructure to support development. So, we're hoping and praying that you will accept the offer for the Oakland County Parks and Wreck. They're very excited about what they can do to make it a nice connection with the Riverwalk and
024everything in Waterford and I think it would just be a wonderful addition to um quality of life for Waterford residents and the students. I think that's all on my notes. Show the map. Yes, that's it. Okay. All right. Well, thank you. Thank you. Is there anyone else that would like to address the board tonight? I only had the one green card. All right. Well, we are going to move on to our board reports this evening. I'm going to start off with one, see if there's more, then bounce back to fun one at the end. But I wanted to give our listening community um an update on our superintendent search. We did meet this past Tuesday. Oh. Oh, it's kind of giving away the next board report. So, I'll just go right into it and then
025we'll go into everyone else's. Um, so anyways, we had our we did meet this past Tuesday and we did um come up with our five candidates that we will be interviewing next week um for our superintendent. And I was going to give you the times and the dates. So, Tuesday, April 22nd will be our first round interview. And Wednesday, April 23rd, will be our second round of the first round interviews. We have five amazing candidates. You can always check our Facebook page if you'd like a little bit more information on who those candidates are, and we're excited to continue this search. And I wanted to give a shout out to one of our amazing artists, which happens to be my daughter, um, who entered with her art teacher at M, Mrs. Smith. she had let
026all the students know about this amazing opportunity through the Oakland County Treasurer's Office and it is um an art contest that is open to all public school students that are in high school here in Oakland County. And she did this on her own. It's kind of hard to see it. It's really cool if you see it in person. And she won first place for her piece. It was not just her artistic talents, but also how she answered the questions because it was regarding finance and money and just kind of how she viewed it. And apparently she views it as very stressful, which I think that's probably how most of us view it. But I wanted to give her a shout out. She's incredibly talented and I'm in always grateful to our teachers for giving our
027students so many other opportunities to highlight their artistic talents. And it was definitely really, really cool. and her birthday was this week. So, we found out on her birthday. So, it was an amazing an amazing um honor for her to get that. So, just wanted to share with everybody. And I know next month we're highlighting all of our other amazing artists that have earned some pretty prestigious awards um both state and nationally. All right. Does anyone else have a report? Okay. So, Waterford Youth Assistance will be honoring 70 students on April 29th. The numbers have gone way up. It's very exciting. And the Betty Forino award will be given out that night. So, if you get an opport Well, we won't be able to because we will be in second round interviews, but that is
028happening. So, cool. member Patricia. Um, when we do the, uh, consent agenda, we usually kind of gloss over that, the retirees and all the new hires, but there's a name on there. It's a pretty big name, Jim Beaver. Um, it's he can still come off. He can say, "Hey, changed my mind. I I want to do that. I want to hang out with you guys more." U, but he's been here for so long. And he's one of them names that uh, who's in charge of this or who does that? Jim Bever. I don't need to know anymore. I just feel confident that it's getting done getting done correctly. Uh and I'm going to miss that. I know you have a little bit of time, but uh still time to say, "Hey, retirement. What am I
029going to do with all that? Change your mind." But thank you very much. Member Donahghue. Yeah. I just uh to piggy back on on what Rob has said in regards to to Jim. um you know it's it's I got to meet Jim a couple years ago in um uh starting as a board member here but previous to that as uh as district safety and security for my district knew him that way and it got around as I started asking questions and trying to learn that role as also to to uh well you got a great guy in Waterford you know and I heard that time and time again from around the state um that people who knew Jim know Jim and and everything that he's done. And so, um, you know, we've been to different
030conferences together on that. And, uh, and thank you for all that you've done for Waterford. Thank you all that questions you've answered for me. I really do appreciate that. You will be missed here in Waterford by by all. So, thank you very much. Um, Elizabeth, congratulations for a call. Very cool. So, I was trying to figure out where to register that day and uh I saw a friendly face down there when I found registration and she was out there helping people and and that. So, so uh so proud to see that uh of the new board position for you. So, really congratulations for that. And uh and then shout out to uh I can say this now, right? About the water for teacher of the year. Uh yes. Okay. I just wanted to make sure
031I just I had I was like better check. So, the thunder don't stand. Um, but uh truth uh congratulations to to Meg Grossnickel um as to the Waterford teacher of the year. So, what an awesome um honor for her, I'm sure. And excited to uh go pick out a vehicle at Lunghammer today. That's very cool. Um and that's it. All right, McGregor. Um, I just wanted to give a shout out to all of our um, so I went actually to the Oakland County School Boards one of our dinner meetings we had at OTC and about three4ers of the culinary students were from our district and they did an amazing dinner. They cooked for a tremendous amount of people which is quite impressive for anybody but especially for high school students. um that takes a lot
032of organization work. So, I just want to give them a shout out. Say great job. Thank you. Yeah, a couple things. I just got to join in singing the praises of Mr. Jim Beaver. Um again, I think if there we should probably establish a Waterford School District Hall of Fame somewhere. Um and and understanding that Jim would probably be at the top of that list. So, um thank you so much, Jim. And again, congratulations, Elizabeth. Um we got to start coordinating. We do. We always coordinate. Sorry. Sorry. Uh and just we had a couple big uh sporting events here. Um last week we had the Mott and Ketaring girls soccer um battle it out. Uh Matt took Matt took it this year. Um I know there was a lot of excitement over that game. And
033yesterday uh was at Mott for the middle school Pierce vers Mason track meet and just what an amazing event. I just wanted to shout out our student athletes and our coaches. Um and uh you know it was we had probably 200 track athletes with standing room only in the stands. Beautiful day, beautiful facilities. So if you get a chance sometime this spring, go check out our amazing athletics here in Waterford. Um so big shout out to our student athletes and all of our uh athletics and coaching staff. All right, anyone else? I think that was all of us, right? All right. Yay. We're going to move now to interim superintendent Eldridge's report. All right. It sounds going to be repeat, but that's okay. Um, we are proud to announce that our director of instructional technology,
034data and assessment, Elizabeth Kji, has been elected. Elizabeth has served on the board of MCL, but as a um selected member, somebody or she was agreed upon by the group of the board members. Now, she's been elected by all of McCall members. Um, so it's a very large honor and um, they recognized her leadership and dedication to innovative learning. Um, the Waterford M Drama Club in Troop 4686 present Once Upon a Mattress this weekend. Show opens tomorrow and runs through April 27th. You can visit the PAC website and for showtimes and tickets. The Waterford Griff Griffins, our very own Special Olympics team, is hosting a fundraising event. Team members from our Lifetracks program will be drying cars at Miller's Auto Wash, uh, located at 4379 Dixie Highway on Friday, May 16th, 9:30 to 100 p.m.
035All tips and proceeds will go directly to the Griffins. So, if you get a chance, stop by and get your car dried washed first. I too am excited to share that this morning the Waterford Foundation named Waterford Ketarine English teacher Meg Grossnikl as the 2025 teacher of the year. I was fortunate to join members of the foundation for the surprise classroom announcement and as always it was a very exciting and emotional event. Special thanks to Lunghammer Chevrolet for providing Meg with a car for use for two years. And of course to our Waterford Foundation for their ongoing support of teaching and learning. We look forward to having Meg join us here for an upcoming meeting. And of course we'll be celebrating her at the Excellence in Education reception in May. On Monday, I was honored
036to attend the Durant most improved lunchon, another um event put on by our Waterford Foundation. 23 Durant students were recognized for the improvement at this event and uh lunch was wonderful. Lastly, I too would be remiss if I did note that the board voted today to accept Jim Beaver's retirement. Jim has been here since I've been here and he's always been a dedicated and hardworking and fun member of our team. Jim and I have shared many uh midnight phone calls, early morning phone calls, um emergency phone calls and he is invaluable invaluable to us and we will miss him immensely. There will be January simply can't happen. Um, thank you for your years of service. Thank you for your kindness and your friendship and always being willing to help out where needed. That's all right.
037All right. Well, seeing no further business, this meeting is adjourned.