BOARD BRIEFS
250 E. Tuttle Road • Ionia, MI 48846
Board Meeting: July 19, 2010
Present: President Dr. C.J. Basler, vice president Gale Yeomans, secretary Cathy Hoppough,
Treasurer Dave O’Mara, and trustees Tim Hemenway, Walter Downes, and Karen Balice-Gregory.
Organizational Meeting
After the oath of office was administered to recently re-elected board members Dr. C.J. Basler and
Walter Downes by Superintendent Batista, the board unanimously re-elected the following officers
for 2010-2011: Dr. C.J. Basler, president; Gale Yeomans, vice president; Cathy Hoppough,
secretary; and Dave O’Mara, treasurer.
As part of the annual organizational meeting, the board unanimously approved the following:
— established the time, date and place for regular monthly meetings of the Board of Education
as the 3rd Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Education Center.
— established the procedure for calling special meetings.
— following discussion, designated Firstbank-West Michigan and Independent Bank Corporation,
both local banks, as legal depositories for district funds.
— designated accessibility to school safety deposit box, requiring at least two parties present.
— designated that all checks require at least one signature, which in most cases will be the
printed or stamped signature of the Superintendent. The Board President, Board Treasurer
and Director of Finance are also authorized to sign checks.
— authorized the Superintendent and/or the Director of Finance to sign documents, following
board approval, for purchase or sale of property.
— authorized that minutes of Board meetings are available at the Administrative Offices for
inspection or purchase at a reasonable copying cost.
Approval of the Bills
Approved minutes and ordered paid general fund vouchers in the amount of $$2,127,090.64
which includes accounts payable in the amount of $477,086.55 and payrolls in the amount of
$1,650,004.09 .
The board also approved bills in the amount of $0.00 from the Capital Projects Fund,
bringing the total expenses to date to $17,891.854.72. (detailed report posted on web)
Personnel
The board approved the hiring of Kyle Ondersma to teach chemistry and physics and possibly other
science classes at Ionia Public Schools. Kyle was a substitute at IHS in 2009-10.
Board Actions
The Board approved the following agenda items by unanimous vote:
— FFA student trips for the 2010-2011 school year.
— Extension of the contract with the City of Ionia for Ionia Dial-A-Ride services at the same
rate ($50 per vehicle hour) for the 2010-2011 school year.
— Following discussion and suggestions, changes to the student handbook for Ionia High
School, and Ionia Middle School.
— Ionia Public Schools is currently a member of the Michigan Schools Energy Cooperative
(MISEC) and is currently participating in an electric and gas service agreement. MISEC is
offering a Diesel Fuel program to improve the district’s diesel fuel purchasing program without
changing the district’s current diesel fuel acquisition practices. It will allow the district to fix a
portion of their diesel fuel costs for a predetermined period, bringing budget certainty to diesel
fuel expenditures.
— School Bond Loan Program borrowings of $609,162 for the ’2010-2011 debt service
payment. IPS has been part of the SBLP since 1986; the mission of the SBLP is to help low SEV
A Publication of the District Communication Team • 527-9280
Board Actions
districts repay its debt service payments.
-- reappointed Jon Caswell to a new 4-year term as the IPS representative to the Ionia Community Library.
-- approved the Student Information System Conversion to Global Scholar's Pinnacle SIS as recommended.
The motion included approval of one time cost of $24,000 for training and conversion. The conversion will
take place in 2010-11 and the implementation will be 2011-12.
— following closed session, granted reinstatement of a high school student to Welch High School in the
fall.
— following closed session for discussion of union negotiations, no action was taken.
School Funding
Update
Director of Finance Don Wilcox presented a School Funding Update indicating that both houses have approved
and the governor has signed a School Aid Bill for 2010-2011. The bill restores $11 per student of the earlier
$165 per student cut, which equates to $30,000 for Ionia Public Schools.
Mr. Wilcox noted that the appropriation is based on the May Revenue Consensus Estimate. The question is
how accurate this estimate is. Because of this, $200 million in the SAF is not appropriated at this time. Mr.
Wilcox noted a number of changes in the new bill, especially in regard to snow days, school bus inspection and
the retirement rate; the 3% additional employee contribution for retiree health care is in place.
Consideration of
Nursing program
The Board approved the modified contract with School Nurse Program, Inc. as proposed for 2010-2011. The
contract provides four School Nurse positions to be on duty 174 school session days for a total of 25 hours per
day at $29.40 per hour. Three School Nurses would be assigned two buildings and one nurse will be assigned
to one building. The board requested a progress report from the nurses at the end of first Trimester.
Community
Partner - Ionia
Theatre
The Board honored the Ionia Theatre as its Community Partner. Gary Ferguson, manager of the Ionia Theatre,
received a certificate of appreciation from President Basler for the use of the Theatre's spacious facility, sound
equipment, and excellent staff service.
Superintendent's
Report
Superintendent Patricia Batista gave the following report to the board:
-- We received additional retirement announcements since our last Board meeting, including IHS Teacher Rob
Powers (29 years), Marcia Fountain (14 years), and Brenda Sheaffer (19 years). A special thanks for their years
of dedicated service.
-- Resignations include John Milewski, who accepted a technology position with the ISD, and Amanda
Schroeder, who accepted a counseling position with Belding. Ben Kirby is busy conducting interviews for our
open teaching positions.
-- We extend our sympathy to the families of retiree Anna Rusnell, who died July 12 as well as Evie Proulx's
family on the loss of her mother, Leslie Engle on the loss of her father, Donna Lennemann on the death of her
mother, and retirees Dan and Judy Painter on the death of Dan's mother.
— Summer School for elementary, middle and high school started July 6. Kelly Sandborn and Julianne Klumpp
are monitoring a capacity crowd (140) enrolled in the K-5 elementary session at Jefferson; teachers include Deb
Post (K), Janet Sparks & Patrice Phelps (1), Cindy Rozich & Beth Secor (2), Charmaine Miller, Kathy
VanSyckle, and Deanna Hotchkin (3), Judy Zimmerman & Sheri Spohn (4), and Ilene Wright (5) and Denise
VanLuven (Sp. Ed). Julianne reports the teachers are using a new, more targeted math program designed to meet
the needs of the students attending as determined by pre/post tests.
Cheri Meier reports 74 students in grades 5-7 are attending middle school summer school as well as 15 eighth
graders in pursuit of an algebra credit. Once again, an attendance incentive is at work! Students achieving the
academic goals and succeeding in being absent 2 or fewer days will receive a backpack with school supplies.
Teachers include Jim Alspaugh, Lorraine Christiansen, Rachel Shattuck, and Jen Woodhams.
Mike Knapp, Lisa Brewer and Jen Woodhams are teaching high school. About 81 high school students are
using the E20/20 programming. Dr. Batista credited the high enrollment to recruitment, central location of
summer school, and reduced rate for attendance (indistrict cost = $20).
— The free Summer Feeding Program by our Food Service Department is underway at both summer school
locations and is open to the public. In addition, IPS Food Service opened a site in Saranac the week of July 12.
Special thanks to Elena May for her efforts to put this expansion together at Saranac's request.
— More than 45 staff members representing the five elementaries, IHS, Heartlands, Welch and staff new to IMS
completed the 3-day Capturing Kids' Hearts training at the ISD on July13-15. This valuable professional training
was funded by Title II dollars.
-- The 2010 All-School Reunion was well attended and a great success as were the many class parties held the
weekend of June 26. Thank you to officers Linda Ciangi, Dee Cook, Lou Dowsett, John Slater and Thelma
Walkington, Perry Gregory and their committee for their multi-year efforts to organize this event. The
Scholarship Fund will be the recipient of donations by the All-School Reunion and several classes. New leaves will
be going up on our tree!!
-- The auditors have started preliminary work at IPS and will resume on August 9.
— The IAAB officers for 2010-11 are Carol Beck-Blundy, president; Teri Babcock, vice president; Diane
Grummet, secretary; and Sharon Thomasson, treasurer.
— The Marching Band attends camp this week and will participate in the Free Fair Parade on Saturday.
— A Summer Kindergarten Registration is planned for August 17. Currently more than 40 prospective
kindergarten students ready for an appointment.
-- Congratulations to 2010 graduate Caitlin Cusack for her honors as Michigan Girl Scout of the Year. Caitlin
receives a $500 scholarship for the state honor, and she and Haley Hildebrandt each won $100 local scholarships.
-- Negotiation of contracts will be the major effort of the remainder of summer.
Coming Events
August 9
Aug. 11
Aug. 16
August 17
Football practice begins
Fall sports practices begin
Board of Education
Kindergarten Registration Summer Date
Free Fair News:
-- Congratulations to senior Anastasia Duell, 2010 Free Fair Queen! And to Caitlin Cusack, first runner-up,
and Margaret Helmer, second runner-up! Ionia Public Schools is proud of you!!
-- Congratulations, too, to Caitlin Cusack for finishing second in the Ionia Idol competition. And to AnneMargaret Kohler for being selected for the finals once again. Many, many Ionia students did very well showcasing their talents.
-- Bus Driver Sue Calkins won Best of Show for the quilt she entered in the Needlework Department.
Other news:
-- Paraeducator Brenda Sheaffer, who retired in June after 25 years of service, is at home recovering from
surgery on a broken left wrist and broken right leg. She is working hard at therapy, but has been warned it will be
at least 6 weeks before she can bear weight on either.
-- Fifteen hardworking volunteers helped with Adopt-a-Highway along M-66 between Tuttle and David. Thanks to
IHS Principal Beth Davis for organizing and staff, students and parents who assisted. Among the volunteers were
Anne Swinehart, Marie Hengesbach, Jessica Fountain, Jordan Hersch, Daniel Fountain, Alex Fountain,
Alison Bauer, Ken Voet, Kenneth Merryfield, Lisa Fountain, Jake Lindemer, Austin Conner, Andy Deschaine,
Pam Lindemer, and Beth Davis.