By Crystal Hayduk
Chelsea School District Board of Education President Shawn Quilter administered the oath of office to board members Tammy Lehman and Eric Wilkinson at its meeting on Jan. 11.
The two received the highest number of votes in the contested election last November. Lehman returns after first being elected to the board in 2010; Wilkinson is a newcomer to the position.
The board also elected its 2021 officers. Kristin van Reesema will serve as the new president, Shawn Quilter steps into the vice-president role, Laura Bush continues as secretary, and Jason Eyster will be the new treasurer.
Superintendent Julie Helber and the board discussed the logistics of returning to in-person school board meetings. All epidemic orders would be followed— including masking and distancing—along with relocating to a large enough space to accommodate the public.
Van Reesema noted that 63 participants were virtually attending the meeting. She said, “… I think we’ve had an opportunity for more people to participate and to be able to listen in via these Zoom calls and I would like to preserve that.”
Trustee Eyster also supported the public attending virtually when the board meets in person.
Wilkinson supported in-person meetings for board members to experience similar challenges as teachers and students who are in person. Keri Poulter and Lehman backed this idea.
Scott Wooster, director of technology, said he is aware of districts who livestream to permit greater attendance, but anyone who desires to provide public comment appears in person.
Helber said she believes the current emergency order permits virtual board meetings through March 31, but requires in-person meetings after that. She will obtain more information and report back to the board.
Van Reesema also suggested recording school board meetings.
During opportunity for public input, Susanne Vanden Bosch thanked van Reesema for suggesting the possibility of continuing virtual attendance for the public even when the board returns to meeting in person.
“The accessibility is amazing,” she said. “… and doubly thank you for bringing up the need to record these meetings to make them accessible after the fact so community members can go back and listen if they aren’t able to attend in person or dial in. I think this school board is dreadfully overdue for something like that and I wanted to tell you how much I appreciate you bringing that up and I hope the board follows through.”
The board approved the monthly reconfirmation of the extended COVID-19 learning plan. Students at all grade levels returned to a hybrid learning model on Jan. 11, a combination of attending classes two days a week and learning remotely three days a week. A fully virtual model is available by choice; special student populations may receive in-person instruction more frequently based on need.
In a consent action item, the board approved 15 bids for the Beach Middle School renovation, lighting at the football stadium and Washington Street Education Center (WSEC) Building 100, and Pierce Lake temperature controls for a total cost (including contingencies) of $4,634,497. Rick Hutter of Clark Construction said these bids represent a partial list, with more bids expected at the next board meeting.
Hutter said the project’s original budget was $5,196,698, but the likely result of the bid process will be $4,715,109, a budget savings of $481,589.
During her superintendent’s report, Helber made the following statement: “Before we close the meeting, I would like to address the community unrest that has been communicated in multiple ways to the board and to me regarding social media behavior and/or district decisions.
“As a community, we can agree and disagree about many things. I always welcome productive dissonance and civil discourse because I believe that it leads to positive change.
“I have been surprised by the tenor of the comments that have been made to myself and our Board of Education over the past several months. There have been several incidents of finger pointing, accusations, and in some cases personal attacks in the public participation section of our board meetings and in email communications. As an educational leader, I must express my concern for the model this sets forth for the youth in our community. I think we can all agree that we must maintain a laser light focus on the students of Chelsea through this pandemic. My role as superintendent is to lead this district, not just through a pandemic, but to lead our students and staff with unwavering dedication and resolve. We need to move forward and focus all of our energy on the students and staff of this school district and ensure that everyone feels a sense of belonging. Thank you.”
In other board news:
Chelsea Athletic Boosters sponsored a Pixellot camera system at the football stadium and the high school gymnasium that permits online streaming. Scheduled events will appear on the NFHS Network. Athletic boosters will receive $20 for every annual subscription purchased if Chelsea High School is selected at sign-up. More information is available here: https://finalforms-documents.s3.amazonaws.com/districts/MI/chelsea-mi/email_drafts/945/Pixellot%20Camera%20Information.pdf?timestamp=1610545125.
The board approved a number of updated policies as required by law.
Helber thanked the board members for their service in consideration of January as School Board Recognition Month. District administrators are making a monetary donation to the Chelsea Education Foundation in honor of the school board.
The board commended Katy Steklac, middle school band director, who organized an “Adopt-a-Senior” program pairing middle school band students with senior citizens. Students recorded a personalized video of a performance of the seniors’ favorite holiday songs to spread extra holiday joy.
Upcoming dates:
There is no school today, Monday, Jan. 18 in memory of Martin Luther King, Jr.
There will be a half-day for students on Friday, Jan. 22; full-day for teachers’ professional development.
The next board meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 25.
