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Meeting Agenda
I. Call to Order/Pledge of Allegiance/ Welcome
II. Approval of Agenda
III. Approval of Consent Action Items
IV. Communications
IV.A. Comments and Concerns
V. Superintendent Informational Report
V.A. Section 98b Goal Progress Report
V.B. Student Enrollment Update
VI. Board of Education Reports/Action
VI.A. Facilities & Finance Committee
VI.B. Administrative Affairs Committee
VII. Superintendent Recommendations
VII.A. Return to Learn Plan
VII.B. Relinquish Federal Funds
VII.C. Overnight Trips
VII.D. Bid Approvals
VIII. Closed Session
IX. Other Matters - Adjournment
Agenda Item Details Reload Your Meeting
Meeting: February 14, 2022 at 5:30 PM - LAKESHORE PUBLIC SCHOOLS Regular Meeting
Subject:
I. Call to Order/Pledge of Allegiance/ Welcome
Presenter:
Jason Beckrow
Description:
At this time the Board will conduct the routine activities related to calling the meeting to order and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

Introductions will be conducted by the Board President as we ask Board members, administrators, and the audience to introduce themselves.


 
Subject:
II. Approval of Agenda
Presenter:
Jason Beckrow
Description:
The Board should consider any changes or additions to the agenda including the potential removal of any matter scheduled as a consent action item.  The Board should approve the agenda with one of the following motions:
Subject:
III. Approval of Consent Action Items
Presenter:
Jason Beckrow
Description:
The Board may approve the Consent Action items with the following motion:

Minutes - that the minutes of the January 10, 2022, Regular Meeting be approved as presented; and

Financial Statement & Bills - that the January 2022 financial statements be accepted, and the January 2022 payrolls be approved for payment.


 
Subject:
IV. Communications
Subject:
IV.A. Comments and Concerns
Presenter:
Jason Beckrow
Description:
The Board President will call on citizens who would like to make comments or express concerns at this time.  The Board of Education Policy, "Public Participation at Board Meetings," does apply to this section of the Agenda.
 
Subject:
V. Superintendent Informational Report
Presenter:
Greg Eding
Description:
There is new information from the Berrien County Health Department regarding how we handle COVID cases and contacts in school.  The health department has issued a new letter to schools that does not require close contacts to quarantine, but now recommends for close contacts to quarantine.  Up until now, only schools with a universal mask mandate were allowed to keep close contacts in schools and not quarantine.  With this change, regardless of having a universal mask mandate, students who are a close contact to a positive COVID case no longer are required to quarantine, unless they have symptoms.

This is important as our goal has been to keep as many students in school as possible.  This change no longer ties masking to quarantine.

In my recommendation to the Board for the Return to Learn Plan, I will be addressing this, as well as other factors related to our universal mask mandate.

In other news, I would like to congratulate our Middle School Assistant Principal, Allison Arend, on receiving the Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year Award from the Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association.  We are very proud of Allison and all of her hard work for the students, parents, and staff at Lakeshore Middle School.  Allison is very deserving of this award and we are thrilled to have her as part of our district!
Subject:
V.A. Section 98b Goal Progress Report
Presenter:
Julie Powell
Description:
It is a requirement from the Michigan Department of Education this year that in this February Board meeting we must provide a progress report on goals and benchmark assessment scores, and this report must also be posted to a transparency link on the district website which I will take care of this week.  We must report progress on benchmark assessments using achievement or growth for K-8 in reading and math in the aggregate and for all grade levels, subgroups, and instructional modes.  We use the NWEA Map test at Lakeshore which is included in your packet.  I will walk you through the highlights of our data at this time.
 
Subject:
V.B. Student Enrollment Update
Presenter:
Tracy Althouse
Description:
Tonight Tracy Althouse will be give a presentation on the historical enrollment data as well as the projected enrollment for the next five years. 
Subject:
VI. Board of Education Reports/Action
Subject:
VI.A. Facilities & Finance Committee
Presenter:
Kevin Bushu
Description:
On Tuesday, February 1, 2022, the Facility and Finance Committee met, consisting of Kevin Bushu, Jeff Hannan, Greg Eding and Tracy Althouse,
 
Items discussed but not limited to are as follows:
 
  • The monthly financials were discussed including cash flows, investments, sinking fund projects, and budget to actual comparisons.
  • Tracy presented an update on ESSER and CRF funding as well as input from stakeholders and fund usage.  This was previously presented just prior to tonight’s Board meeting.
  • Our District enrollment projections were presented and discussed.   They will be presented at the Board meeting.
Subject:
VI.B. Administrative Affairs Committee
Presenter:
Griffin Ott
Description:
The Administrative Affairs Committee met on Tuesday, January 25, 2022.  Present in the meeting included Kevin Bushu, Jeff Hannan, Greg Eding, Julie Powell, and Griffin Ott.

The committee was updated on a few administrative situations in the district.  The committee also discussed the health department’s changes in quarantine and how that may impact contact tracing.  Administration may be impacted by these changes and it will be important to have clear guidelines for handling COVID cases under the new procedures.  
Subject:
VII. Superintendent Recommendations
Subject:
VII.A. Return to Learn Plan
Presenter:
Greg Eding
Description:
Superintendent Eding will discuss his recommendations for changes to the Return to Learn Plan and ask for discussion and approval.

Superintendent Recommendation:
The superintendent recommends ending the universal mask mandate at 11:59pm on Sunday, February 27, 2022.  At that time, masking in school will move to be highly recommended.

Rationale:
  • District Case Data
    • District cases of individuals (students and staff) who tested positive for COVID-19 have decreased from 129 cases during the week of January 10th to 17 cases during the week of January 31.  As of today, we have had 7 cases reported this week (week of Feb 7th).
 
  • Staff Survey Results
    • In a survey of all Lakeshore employees, with 261 responding 65.5% indicated they would like the universal mask mandate to end immediately or by the end of the year
      • 42.1% would like to end the mandate immediately
      • 23.4% would like to end the mandate before the end of the school year
      • 34.5% indicated they would like to keep masks in place throughout the rest of the school year
    • 65.3% of employees who are in direct contact with students throughout the day indicated they would like the universal mask mandate to end immediately (42.9%), or by the end of the year (22.4%).
    • The high school has the highest percentage of employees who want to end the mask mandate before the end of the school year at 74.7%, the middle school at 67.3% and the elementary was lowest at 60.7%.
 
  • BCHD Quarantine Changes
    • The BCHD has recently changed their quarantine process and is no longer issuing a letter that requires students to quarantine if exposed in school.
    • Moving away from a universal mask mandate will change how we manage close contacts at school.  The biggest change would be that unvaccinated students and staff who are considered a close contact will not be required to quarantine, but will need to wear a mask in school for 5 days.
 
  • Vaccination Options
    • All K-12 aged students have now had the opportunity to be fully vaccinated for Covid-19 for several weeks. 
 
  • Mitigation Changes
    • The change from 10 to 5 days for quarantine and isolation have greatly changed the way COVID is handled in school.  Individuals are out of school for quarantine or isolation for a very short time now.
    • Changing from a mandate to strongly recommend for masking follows this same shift in lowering mitigation factors for COVID.
 
  • Allows time for process/procedure changes for close contacts
    • Establishing a date to remove the universal mask mandate allows time for our administration and staff who manage contact tracing to put the new process and procedures in place.
Subject:
VII.B. Relinquish Federal Funds
Presenter:
Greg Eding
Description:
This fiscal year we will not be applying for Federal Funds for Title III, Part A - Immigrant Students, and will relinquish these funds.  If you remember in September, we relinquished Title III, Part A for English Learners.
 
Subject:
VII.C. Overnight Trips
Presenter:
Greg Eding
Description:
We have three trips that are requesting approval.

HOSA LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
The CTE High School Allied Health/Nursing Teacher, Savannah DeVries, is asking permission to take four students to Grand Traverse Resort in Acme, MI February 23-26, 2022 to attend the HOSA State Leadership Conference.

DECA STATE CAREER DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE
High School DECA Advisor Tonya Jahnke is requesting permission for six students to attend the DECA State Career Development Conference in Detroit, MI from March 10-12, 2022. 

SENIOR MATH/SCIENCE CENTER TRIP - I have received a request from High School Math/Science Center Teacher Jon Woodard, for 19 of the MSC Seniors to travel to Ocoee, TN from May 13-16, 2022. They will use skills that they have developed in the last four years to conduct research related to science and geographical topics.

 
Subject:
VII.D. Bid Approvals
Presenter:
Greg Eding
Description:
Following are two bids requesting Board approval:

SAFEBOLT LOCKSETS & INSTALLATION
I have a recommendation from our Operations Director Nick White that we accept the only bid in the amount of $93,940.00 to provide and install 208 Safebolt deadbolt locks including cylinders and keying for all five school buildings for added security.  With a press of a button, the door will lock from the inside without the use of a key.  The installation will happen over Spring Break. A donor will fund the cost of the devices and the district will cover the installation cost, which is $14,700.00.

MACHINE TOOL EQUIPMENT BID
I have another recommendation from Nick White to accept the only bid to purchase two Vertical Knee Mills and three lathes from Vander Ziel Machinery of Alto, MI for the Machine Tool classroom in the amount of $71,965.00.  This is being funded by a grant from the Berrien CTE.
 
Subject:
VIII. Closed Session
Presenter:
Jason Beckrow
Description:
CLOSED SESSION FOR THE PURPOSE OF STUDENT DISCIPLINARY MATTERS

Hearings - Student #69-A & Student #70-A:

 
Subject:
IX. Other Matters - Adjournment
Presenter:
Jason Beckrow
Description:
OTHER MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION OR POSSIBLE ACTION

Enclosed is the suggested meeting guide for the Board members to        review

 

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