The regular/organizational meeting was held starting at 6:30 p.m.
Organizational items, such as approving the legal name of the school district, bank resolutions, and scheduling of school board meetings for the next year were completed.
The June 2021 meeting minutes and treasurer’s report were approved with no changes. The July 2021 meeting agenda was changed to move Item 2 (Hiring of Mathematics Teacher) under letter B, Personnel, to the first item under Board Business.
During the Public Comment portion of the meeting, a high school parent addressed the board with her concerns regarding her son failing a class and with wanting him to be able to participate in all senior/graduation activities next year if he failed it again after re-taking the class.
The board approved the hiring of Mrs. Sarah Reichow for the current high school mathematics teacher opening. Mrs. Reichow comes to our district from Grass Lake High School, where she taught for eight years, and prior to that from Albion Middle/High School.
Mrs. Nancy Peters-Lewis, from the College and Career Access Center, presented the board with an update on the organization’s services for our district. They provide college-bound seniors help with access to college planning, such as college applications, FAFSA funding, scholarship applications, and assistance with final college decisions. The CACC also provides non-college-bound seniors with military options, career assessments, interviewing skills, job shadowing, and employment exploration.
Mr. Tim Evans was appointed the special liaison to the Michigan Association of School Boards, with Mrs. Kristin Flick appointed as the alternate.
Mr. Tim Evans was appointed as delegate to the Jackson County School Board Association, and Mr. Chris Blackledge was also appointed as the alternate.
Mrs. Diane Anderson was appointed the school board representative on the Hanover-Horton Education Foundation Committee.
Ms. Gail Proctor was appointed the school board representative on the Lucile McGee Scholarship Committee.
Mr. Leon Densmore was appointed as the school board representative on the Ruth Creps Scholarship Committee.
The board approved a list of recommended workshops and in-service training sessions throughout the year for board members.
The board approved the length of school term for the 2021-22 school year, as required by the school code. School districts must provide 180 days and a minimum of 1098 hours of pupil instruction.
In order to meet the requirement for pupil accounting auditing, the board approved a list of courses offered by the district.
Superintendent Denney updated the board with the items taking place to meet the Board Goals. Goal #1 items include the new School Improvement process, purchase of new curriculum, the expansion of Title 1 and At-Risk programs, additional support programs in all buildings, the addition of an online option for high school students, expansion of remediation programming in all buildings, coordination with the Jackson County Health Dept, a new Athletic Boosters board, bringing back school events in the fall, working on Whole Child initiatives, a new sensory room in the elementary, and restoring the assistant principal position.
Goal #2 items include the August Sinking Fund Millage Proposal, the continuation of updating switch, fiber, and access points for technology, and money-saving opportunities, such as sharing of resources and lower energy use.
The hiring of Mr. Bryan Akers was approved as the district’s new music director, due to the resignation of Mr. Jontaj Wallace. Mr. Akers is a 2004 graduate of Hanover-Horton High School, and comes to us from Columbia Central Schools, where he taught for five years, and Tawas Area Schools, where he taught for eight years.
Superintendent Denney reported to the board members on the following:
- The summer meal program is in progress, with meals being distributed on Wednesdays. Close to 7000 meals per week are being distributed. The meal program for every student will continue to be covered by federal monies for the 2021-22 school year.
- Summer cleaning is taking place in all buildings.
- Most air conditioning units have been installed on the roofs of all buildings. Electricians are in the process of installing the wall units inside the classrooms.
- The power upgrades at the middle/high school building should be completed by the time school starts. We are waiting on the transformer that is coming from Mexico.
- The floor of the new gym is being dried so that tile can be installed. It needs to be at 85%.
- The insurance adjuster was on site this week to determine what they will cover for the water main leak in the white tiled areas.
- We are planning on having as normal a school experience as we can next year, with five days of face-to-face instruction. Mask wearing will not be mandatory, but will be a personal choice, unless we receive new guidance from the state.
The board members commented on the following:
- Can we look at learning loss with the Covid funds we will be receiving? Could there be a tutoring/after-school program where a couple teachers could come in to work with students?
- We need to do something with improving the school grounds, flower beds, yard, etc.
- Information regarding the August school millage election should be sent out to the community soon, as many absentee ballots have already been received by the township.
- It was nice to see the opportunities for students presented by the College and Career Access Center.
The board went into closed session at 8:38 p.m. to discuss administrative contracts.
The board come out of closed session at 9:19 p.m.
The regular meeting was adjourned at 9:20 p.m.
