By Crystal Hayduk
The Chelsea School District Board of Education approved a number of policies through consent action at its in-person meeting on May 10. All items were approved 5-0, with board members Keri Poulter and Shawn Quilter absent.
The district’s policies on nondiscrimination and anti-harassment, EDGAR (Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system), and various other policies related to health, safety, and record keeping were updated and revised based on a review process that was finalized in April. (To read the policies in detail, see the agenda at https://meetings.boardbook.org/Public/Agenda/911?meeting=449076.)
The board approved the purchase of servers and a backup system upgrade from InaCOMP TSG at a cost of $139,028.54. According to Scott Wooster, director of technology, the district’s current system is six years old, which is old in technology years. The system will include additional security features.
The board also approved the replacement of the PA and bell system at Beach Middle School ($95,113) and at North Creek Elementary School ($61,833) from InaCOMP TSG. They are replacing systems that are 30-40 years old. The modern systems will include the installation of speakers, wiring, strobe lights in noisy areas (such as the gym and pool), and will be tied into the phone system.
All of the purchases will be paid for through the 2019 technology bond funds.
During the opportunity for public input, the mother of a seven-year-old North Creek student thanked the board for moving up to the four-and-a-half-day school week. She said her child now happily looks forward to attending school every day and has been able to check out a library book, model with clay in art class, and receive immediate feedback in schoolwork. “…Small things can make a world of difference,” she said.
The board approved the May Extended COVID-19 Learning Plan (ECOL), which remains the same as the ECOL plan that was approved to take effect beginning April 26.
Superintendent Julie Helber reported the Washtenaw County COVID-19 numbers as of May 10: 16.6 cases per 100,000, 121 cases per million, 2.9% positivity rate, cases are decreasing, risk level E. “Our cases internally have really settled down and we’re feeling really good,” she said. “We come to school every day hoping we don’t see any sort of increase there. …Things are going really well. We feel comfortable about what we’re doing with mitigation and the kids back in school and it’s really a joy to walk through and see everybody.”
Helber said information from the NWEA assessments will be used to identify any learning deficiency areas caused by COVID-19. The administrative team and teachers will redesign instruction for summer school and next year to focus on accelerating learning. “Kids aren’t losing learning, it’s just delayed,” she said.
In honor of teacher appreciation week from May 3-7, the board commended the district’s teachers for being adaptable while educating children throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. “I don’t think anybody imagined what this year would bring and they’ve done a great job from what I’ve seen and heard,” said trustee Laura Bush.
The next board meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. on May 24.
