Ithaca, Michigan
April 17, 2014
The Rescheduled Regular meeting of the Gratiot-Isabella Regional Education Service District (RESD) was held at Winding Brook Conference Centre on Thursday, April 17, 2014. The meeting was called to order at 4:00 p.m. by Board of Education President Dr. Timm Thorsen. Members present were: Dr. Cheri Booth, Bill Henderson, Elizabeth Miller, Tom Steere, Roger Trudell and Dr. Timm Thorsen. Member absent: Ed Lorenz. Also present were Dr. Jan C. Amsterburg, Superintendent; Wendy Giles, Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent; Robert Cosan, Associate Superintendent for Special Services; Kevin Kolb, Associate Superintendent for Finance; Kathy Stewart, Associate Superintendent for Instruction; Suanne Tasker, Employment Programs Supervisor; Matt McMahon, MMNET Executive Director.
Under agenda item Recognition of Visitors and Public Comment, Paula vanSchooneveld, Teacher Consultant- Autistic Spectrum Disorder;Sue Courington, Teacher-Severe Cognitive Impairment; and Marcia Griffin, Non-Classroom ESCS representing the professional association, and Candy Henderson were in attendance.
Minutes of the Regular Meeting of March 14, 2014, were presented for approval. A motion was made by Bill Henderson and supported by Dr. Booth to approve the regular meeting minutes as submitted. Motion carried 6-0.
Financial Statements and Claims for the month of March were presented and reviewed. Claims for the month of March were presented in the amount of $1,503,013.46. A motion was made by Roger Trudell and supported by Bill Henderson to approve the Financial Statements and Claims as presented. Motion carried 6-0.
A resignation request was presented for Jessicca Sommer, Employment Specialist at the Mt. Pleasant Michigan Works! facility, effective May 15, 2014. A motion was made by Tom Steere and supported by Cheri Booth to accept the resignation request of Jessicca Sommer with regrets. Motion carried 6-0.
Paula van Schooneveld, Autism Consultant and Suzanne Stoner, Paraprofessional, have submitted their retirement requests, effective June 30, 2014. A motion was made by Cheri Booth and supported by Bill Henderson to accept the retirement requests of Paula vanSchooneveld and Suzanne Stoner with regrets. Motion carried 6-0.
A motion was made by Tom Steere and supported by Roger Trudell to approve the Five Year Common Calendar as presented. Motion carried 6-0.
Gratiot-Isabella RESD
Common Calendar Agreement
1.Start date for students - Tuesday after Labor Day in local district and for center programs.
2.The following days shall be recognized and observed as holidays: Memorial Day; Labor Day; Thanksgiving Day; day after Thanksgiving; Good Friday; and the Friday before Labor Day.
3.Winter (Holiday) Break and Spring Break dates shall be determined in accordance with the following schedule. Districts may add dates on either end of the established calendar. Parents are reminded to check with their respective districts.
2014-2015RESD-Wide PD Day / September 29, 2014
Winter Break / December 22 - January 2
Spring Break / March 30 - April 3
2015-2016
RESD-Wide PD Day / September 28, 2015
Winter Break / December 23 - January 1
Spring Break / March 28 - April 1
2016-2017
RESD-Wide PD Day / September 26, 2016
Winter Break / December 22 - January 2
Spring Break / April 3 - April 7
2017-2018
RESD-Wide PD Day / September 25, 2017
Winter Break / December 25 - January 1
Spring Break / April 2 – 6
2018-2019
RESD-Wide PD Day / September 24, 2018
Winter Break / December 24 - January 1
Spring Break / April 1 – 5
A motion was made by Bill Henderson and supported by Cheri Booth to approve the issuance of Professional Staff Contracts for 2014-2015 as listed below. Motion carried unanimously.
PROFESSIONAL STAFF CONTRACTS 2014-2015Angera, Laura / Lorenz, Jean
Bancroft, Renee / Luna-Bailey, Amanda
Barancik, Jennifer / Luneack, Telli
Bauer, Angela / Lynch, Maureen
Biehl, Lisa / Mapes, Kallei
Briggs, Nicole / Martin, Kari
Chaffin, Jackie / McDonald, Lisa
Courington, Susan / Metcalf, Wade
Cotton, Danielle / Moeggenberg, Melissa
Crooks, Cathleen / Moore, Marcia
Daggett, Sandra / Murphy, Diana
Davarn, Erica / O’Hara-Sandow, Kathleen
Dawe, Daryl / Odykirk, Elizabeth
DeGraaf, Caroline / Olrich, Mary
Deverney (Woodard), Tonya .8 / Olson, Carrie
Evers, Cheryl / Parker, Carolyn
Ferguson, Tim / Pestrue, Corinna
Fuhrman, Linda / Petrella, Megan
Gajewski, Michael / Powers, Carrie
Goncer, Martha / Rollin, Dawn
Griffin, Marcia / Rosan, Carol
Henry, James / Shaffer, Tara
Hermes, Kristin / Shearer, Jennifer
Knight, Kristin / Steere, Margaret
Klifman, Tamara / Stembridge, Jeremy
Koonter, Kelli / Stempky, Jennifer
Krause, Angela / Talsma, Joscelyn
Kruskamp, Kathryn / Taton, Jonnie
Krzysiak, Jill / Ulrich, Erin
Larson, Megan / Vorac, Gordon
Laurenz, Kimberly / Wachler, Melissa .4
Lipka, Nikoma / Wilson, Tanya
Little, Ashley / Zook, Heather
The following Mid-Michigan Schools Beverage Consortiumwas adopted.
Added to the agenda was a 1-year leave request from Sue Wiggins-Hinebaugh, Speech and Language Impaired Teacher. Upon the recommendation of Robert Cosan, a motion was made by Tom Steere and supported by Bill Henderson to approve the 1-year leave request for Sue Wiggins-Hinebaugh. Motion carried 6-0.
Also added to the agenda were two employment contract recommendations. Both are contracts for Speech and Language Impaired Teachers, Megan Petrella and Carrie Powers, effective July 1, 2014. A motion was made by Tom Steere and supported by Dr. Booth to approve the employment contracts of Megan Petrella and Carrie Powers as presented. Motion carried 6-0.
Don Olendorf was not available for his monthly update.
Kevin Kolb reviewed the 2014-2015 General Fund budget.
Under Director’s Reports, Suanne Tasker spoke on new grant proposals, Family Fare Store in Alma closing May 17, 2014, and staff changes.
Kathy Stewart, Associate Superintendent for Instruction, apprised board members on state assessments; functional independent pilot for social studies; MI School Data; response to missing materials; program evaluation training; COMMIT Classroom project; MAISA ELA Unit; district/school improvement planning; and comprehensive guidance and counseling grant.
Matt McMahon, Executive Director of MMNET, updated board members on the new GIRESD technology support model.
Robert Cosan, Associate Superintendent for Special Services, discussed personnel changes and weather/snow make-up days.
Kevin Kolb, Associate Superintendent for Finance, discussed energy and roofing projects at the Mahoney Center, tax tribunal bills and business services billing to local districts.
Superintendent Amsterburg gave his Superintendent’s Report on the following items:
1.Flat Mountain Mechanics Robotic team
2. Kent Innovation High School tour
3.County Board Dinner and Program
4. Superintendents Meeting with Alma College President
5. Superintendents Workshop May 8-9
6.New Custodian at the Mahoney Center
7.FHNA report
8.German Exchange Trip update
Being no further business before the Board, a motion to adjourn was made by Bill Henderson and supported by Cheri Booth. President Thorsen adjourned the meeting at 5:20 p.m.
Dr. Timm Thorsen, President Ed Lorenz, Secretary