October 26, 2026 at 6:00 PM - Regular Meeting

Description:  Middle & High School administrators will present the Cardinal PRIDE Students for October.

Description:  Jodi will provide a report from the meeting she attended.

Description:  Alan Bobalik will be at the meeting to share information about and request approval for the Class of 2027 senior trip.

Description:  Section 31aa provides approximately $130,000 in school safety funding to BPS for the 2026-27 school year. To accept these funds, the District must agree to waive certain legal privileges, including attorney-client privilege, in connection with a comprehensive investigation following a qualifying "mass casualty event".

The Board previously declined funding subject to this requirement because of concerns regarding the waiver. While those concerns remain, changes to the law and some additional legal guidance warrant reconsideration.

Following consultation with Thrun Law Firm attorney Ray Davis, I am recommending that the Board opt in to receive the school safety funding for 26-27. Mr. Davis expressed confidence that the language in Thrun's proposed resolution limiting the duration of the waiver is legally defensible. While accepting the funds would create potential legal exposure should a qualifying mass casualty event occur during the applicable waiver period, the District must weigh that risk against the benefits of the funding. Thrun has also identified strategies districts can implement to help minimize legal exposure if they accept the funds.

The Finance and Personnel Committee has reviewed this information and supports bringing it to the full Board for consideration. Administration has identified potential uses for the funds, with security cameras and school resource officer costs as top priorities. Additional priorities include student safety management technology, emergency response systems, and qualifying emergency infrastructure improvements.

Attached are Thrun's legal presentation, a summary of allowable expenditures with identified District priorities, and two proposed resolutions. Resolution A authorizes acceptance of the funds and the associated waiver. Resolution B declines the school safety funding and preserves the District's legal privileges. Both resolutions authorize acceptance of the separate Section 31aa mental health allocation, which does not require the waiver. 

An immediate decision is not required, as additional opt-in opportunities will be available throughout the school year. However, opting in during the first window would allow the District to receive funding sooner and begin purchasing and implementing planned school safety improvements.

Option 1 - Accept Funding (Resolution A)
I move that the Board adopt Resolution A, Opt-In and Waiver, as presented, authorizing the District to accept fiscal year 2026-27 Section 31aa mental health and school safety funding, subject to the conditions and limitations outlined in the resolution.

Option 2 - Decline School Safety Funding (Resolution B)
I move that the Board adopt Resolution B, Partially Decline Opt-In, as presented, authorizing the District to accept fiscal year 2026-27 Section 31aa mental health funding while declining the school safety funding in order to preserve applicable legal privileges.

Description:  Attached are (1) the superintendent annual performance goals (for reference) and (2) the quarterly check-in report that will be reviewed in closed session as part of the superintendent performance review.

Below is a motion to go into closed session for both the performance review and to discuss the attorney-client privileged written opinion regarding our asphalt paving settlement offer.
 

Description:  Michigan Paving's attorney recently responded to the District's settlement offer. In light of this response, the Board will continue its discussion of Thrun Law Firm attorney Mackenzie Flynn's written legal opinion regarding the potential settlement of the dispute.