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Meeting Agenda
CALL TO ORDER
WELCOME AND MEETING FORMAT
PRESENTATION: Safety & Security
PRESENTATION: Benchmark Assessment Data
CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT REPORTS/REQUESTS
SUPERINTENDENT REPORTS/REQUESTS
BOARD REPORTS/REQUESTS
ACTION ITEMS
CONSENT AGENDA
OTHER ACTION ITEMS
Employment - Certified
Final Reading - Board Policy
DISCUSSION ITEMS
COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
OTHER MATTERS
ADJOURN
Agenda Item Details Reload Your Meeting
Meeting: February 27, 2023 at 7:00 PM - Meeting Agenda
Subject:
CALL TO ORDER
Description:
Tom Buffett, Katie Cavanaugh, Shulawn Doxie, Mary Gebara, Melanie Lynn, Andrew Phelps and Jayme Taylor
Subject:
WELCOME AND MEETING FORMAT
Description:
Welcome to this regular meeting of the Okemos Board of Education held in public for the purpose of conducting the business of the school board.

There are two opportunities for public comment: Citizens who wish to address agenda or non-agenda items will have an opportunity at the beginning of the meeting, as well as near the end of the meeting. In-person individuals who wish to address the board must complete a blue form, located with the agendas near the room entrance, and present it to the board’s secretary prior to the start of the agenda item. Virtual participants must submit their name and address in a message through the chat box located in Zoom’s meeting controls prior to the start of the agenda item.  

At the appropriate point in the agenda, the board president will call upon individuals who have submitted a blue card or chat message and that individual’s microphone will be un-muted for their comments.
Subject:
PRESENTATION: Safety & Security
Description:
Safety and Security Consultant Dr. Margaret Coggins will provide information regarding the district's approach to workplace violence,  prevention, and threat assessment.
Attachments:
Subject:
PRESENTATION: Benchmark Assessment Data
Description:
Assistant Superintendent Stacy Bailey will provide an overview of district benchmark assessment results, along with key initiatives that will be utilized to address student's needs during the 2022-2023 school year.
Attachments:
Goals:
  • Instruction & Learning - PRIORITY 3: Through strong district and building leadership, deepen implementation of high-quality practices and programming.
  • Instruction & Learning - PRIORITY 4: Further explore and implement child-centered models (environmental, programming, etc.).
Subject:
CITIZENS ADDRESS AGENDA AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS
Description:
At this time in the meeting, citizens have an opportunity to address the board regarding items of interest that that may or may not be part of the evening’s agenda.  Citizens are required to limit comments to three minutes, except when this requirement is waived by the board president during the meeting.  A designated timekeeper will communicate to the individual who is addressing the board at three minutes. The board highly values public comment and input; however, the board meeting format is designed to facilitate the evening’s agenda and, therefore, restricts board members from engaging in conversation with speakers or immediately responding to questions.  Questions and concerns may be addressed by the board later in the agenda and may be assigned for follow-up by the board or superintendent at a later date.
Subject:
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT REPORTS/REQUESTS
Description:
The high school student representative will highlight events and issues of interest and take questions from the board.
Subject:
SUPERINTENDENT REPORTS/REQUESTS
Description:
The superintendent will highlight events and issues of interest and take questions from the board.
Attachments:
Subject:
BOARD REPORTS/REQUESTS
Description:
The board will acknowledge receipt of correspondence.
Individual board members may highlight other events and issues of interest and request follow-up on other matters of concern.
Subject:
ACTION ITEMS
Description:
Within Action Items, there is a Consent Agenda to expedite the business of the board which groups a number of items together to be dealt with by one action of the board. However, items in the consent agenda may be extracted by individual board member request for further discussion or clarification.
Subject:
CONSENT AGENDA
Description:
In an effort to expedite the business of the board of education, but in no way meant to diminish the importance of each item, a Consent Agenda has been developed.
Recommended Motion(s):
  1. That the board approve items 1 and 2 for immediate implementation and appropriate action. Item 1: Approval of the minutes of the Regular Meeting of February 13, 2023; Item 2: Acknowledge receipt of the leave of absence report and approve the requested leave of absence for Shawn Belanger, Kindergarten Teacher at Hiawatha for the period of March 13, 2023 through May 5, 2023; Carolyn Capozzo, Special Education Teacher at CMS for the period of May 19, 2023 through October 31, 2023; Kaitlyn Chen, 6th grade Teacher at Kinawa for the period of March 17, 2023 through June 10, 2023; and Ashleigh Fesko, 1st grade Teacher at Cornell for the period of May 15, 2023 through October 23, 2023
Action(s):
Motion Carried:
That the board approve items 1 and 2 for immediate implementation and appropriate action. Item 1: Approval of the minutes of the Regular Meeting of February 13, 2023; Item 2: Acknowledge receipt of the leave of absence report and approve the requested leave of absence for Shawn Belanger, Kindergarten Teacher at Hiawatha for the period of March 13, 2023 through May 5, 2023; Carolyn Capozzo, Special Education Teacher at CMS for the period of May 19, 2023 through October 31, 2023; Kaitlyn Chen, 6th grade Teacher at Kinawa for the period of March 17, 2023 through June 10, 2023; and Ashleigh Fesko, 1st grade Teacher at Cornell for the period of May 15, 2023 through October 23, 2023.Andy PhelpsKatie CavanaughCarried
  • Doxie: Absent
  • Buffett: Yea
  • Cavanaugh: Yea
  • Gebara: Yea
  • Lynn: Yea
  • Phelps: Yea
  • Taylor: Yea
Subject:
OTHER ACTION ITEMS
Description:
The Other Action Items require additional discussion prior to board action.
Subject:
Employment - Certified
Description:
The hiring of all certified employees must be approved by the board of education; employment of support staff shall be in accordance with school district policy.
Recommended Motion(s):
  1. That the board approve the employment of Tim Kilberg, Elementary Resource Teacher for the district at Division II, Step 9 of the teacher salary schedule, effective March 6, 2023 in accordance with sections 1230 (2) and 1230 a (2) of the Revised School Code conditioned upon receipt of acceptable criminal history checks and criminal records checks.
Goals:
  • Organizational Capacity - PRIORITY 8: Establish system for attracting and retaining a highly qualified and diverse staff reflective of our school community.
  • Organizational Capacity - PRIORITY 9: Secure staff to meet changing student and family needs based on enrollment and demographic trends.
Subject:
Final Reading - Board Policy
Description:
The board approved first reading of policy 5106 Student Gender Identity during its meeting of January 13, 2023. The policy was then posted to the district’s web site for public review/comment for 30 days or more per board policy
Recommended Motion(s):
  1. That the board waive the reading and adopt final reading of board policy 5106 Student Gender Identity
Action(s):
Motion 1 Carried:
That the board approve the employment of Tim Kilberg, Elementary Resource Teacher for the district at Division II, Step 9 of the teacher salary schedule, effective March 6, 2023 in accordance with sections 1230 (2) and 1230 a (2) of the Revised School Code conditioned upon receipt of acceptable criminal history checks and criminal records checks.Tom BuffettAndy PhelpsCarried
  • Doxie: Absent
  • Buffett: Yea
  • Cavanaugh: Yea
  • Gebara: Yea
  • Lynn: Yea
  • Phelps: Yea
  • Taylor: Yea
Motion 2 Failed:
That the board waive the reading and adopt final reading of board policy 5106 Student Gender Identity.Jayme TaylorKatie CavanaughFailed
  • Doxie: Absent
  • Buffett: Yea
  • Cavanaugh: Yea
  • Gebara: Yea
  • Lynn: Yea
  • Phelps: Yea
  • Taylor: Yea
Attachments:
Goals:
  • Social Emotional Learning - PRIORITY 6: Further identity and develop policies, procedures, and practices that promote healthy students and staff, safe schools, and a strong culture of understanding and inclusiveness for all.
Subject:
DISCUSSION ITEMS
Description:
Discussion items are intended to provide an opportunity for review of material and interaction concerning the individual items.  Action is not taken during the board meeting.  Discussion items may be acted upon by the Board of Education at a later date. The board president may move a discussion item forward in the meeting agenda to facilitate timely discussion and/or community input on that discussion item.
Subject:
COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
Description:
At this time in the meeting, citizens have an opportunity to address the board regarding any item(s) of interest. Individual comments at this time will be limited to three minutes but may be extended at the discretion of the board president.  A designated timekeeper will communicate to the individual who is addressing the board at three minutes.  The board highly values public comment; however, our meeting format does not allow the board to engage in conversation with speakers.  Questions or concerns may be assigned for follow-up by the board or the administration at a later date.
 
Subject:
OTHER MATTERS
Description:
  • Reminder of the March 8th Work Session with MASB; and the March 21st Special Meeting for the Superintendent Evaluation.
Subject:
ADJOURN

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