By Crystal Hayduk
[Note: The purchase of technology, security camera servers, and the strategic plan were officially approved on May 20. There was consensus on the items at the May 6 school board meeting, but no motion was given and therefore no vote.]
The Chelsea School District (CSD) Board of Education approved the hiring of South Meadows (SM) Elementary School’s next principal at their meeting on May 20. Katie Spisich will step into the role following Stacie Battaglia’s retirement at the end of the school year. (Related story will be published in the coming weeks.)
Spisich was selected from 47 candidates through three rounds of interviews and a fourth round involving a presentation. She is currently a literacy specialist at SM. Marcus Kaemming, assistant superintendent, wrote in his recommendation that Spisich’s authentic relationships, understanding of the school’s culture and values, and commitment to nurturing a supportive and inclusive learning environment made her an excellent fit for the position.
In his report to the board, Superintendent Mike Kapolka said the district will post a job opening this week for the director of safety and security to begin in the fall. The position was designed to support the health and safety update to the district’s strategic plan. The position is grant-funded and will be piloted for two years. The qualified candidate must have experience in law enforcement or a related field. Job responsibilities include developing, implementing, and managing safety, security, and emergency protocols; training staff; overseeing the district’s operating plan; interacting directly with students; and attending events.
The job posting will be available on the district’s website.
Kapolka and the board thanked senior Keegan Van Batavia for his two years of service as student liaison to the board. Kapolka said Van Batavia, who entered the district as a sixth grader and has been involved in nearly everything, is adaptable, approachable, and personable. “As we continue to strive to have student voice at the center of everything we do, you’re the poster child for it,” he said.
Van Batavia is heading to Arizona State University in the fall and planning a career as a physician. He thanked Kapolka, Matt Ceo, and Dr. Nick Angel for teaching him to be a better person and a better leader.
Jordan Nelson, the junior student liaison, said Van Batavia’s replacement will be Bradley Dunn.
Kapolka recognized Kaemming for 20 years of service to CSD. He said Kaemming’s dedication to supporting others is unparalleled. He has insight, a calm demeanor, and an “… uncanny ability to say the right thing at the right time and in the right way.” Kaemming has an “… empathic spirit … values others … and serves the community with dignity and poise.” He has a passion for his work and a heart for students, said Kapolka.
The school board approved the purchase of laptops for staff at Beach Middle School (BMS), along with devices for staff in central office, transportation, and community education. The purchase includes 20 Apple laptops from the REMC SPOT statewide contract bid directly through Apple, and 50 HP laptops from InaCOMP, the lowest bidder for the HP products. The cost for all laptops is $56,522, paid for with the 2019 technology bond replacement cycle.
The board approved purchasing 800 each of Apple 9th Gen iPads, Logitech cases, and Jamf Mobile Device Management (MDM) licenses for use at BMS. The iPads and cases will cost $307,160 using the 2019 technology bond. The Jamf MDM licensing costs $14,000 and will be paid for from the general fund because software licensing is not a permittable bond fund expense.
The board approved the purchase of two HPE DL345 Gen 11 security camera servers from the REMC SPOT statewide bid through InaCOMP. Paid for with the 2019 technology bond, the servers will cost $44,963.44, and they will be installed and configured by the CSD tech team.
The board approved the CSD Strategic Plan as presented at the April 22 meeting. (Related story here.)
A videorecording of the meeting is available for viewing here.
In other board news:
The May Chelsea High School Student of the Month, Daniel Munker, was introduced, as well as elementary students Kendall Keiser and Chase Burgess. Related stories about these students will be published soon.
In consent action, the board approved building handbooks, the athletic and extra-curricular code of conduct, and administrator contract extensions through 2025-26.
The board approved an updated travel request for the Chelsea House Orchestra. Due to scheduling conflicts, the previously approved performance trip to Croatia and Italy was changed to Portugal and Galicia.
In individual action, the board approved the resolutions for the 2024-25 Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD) budget and the WISD special education millage renewal.
Upcoming dates:
There is no school May 27 for Memorial Day.
Chelsea High School graduation will take place at 2 p.m. on June 2 at the Jerry Niehaus Field.
The next school board meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. on June 10 in the board room at the Washington Street Education Center (WSEC).
