BOE Sees Ongoing Personnel Fluctuations, Passes 2025-2026 Budget

By DIANNE ALWARD-BIERY

Cleaver Senior Staff Writer

HARRISON – The June 9 Harrison Area Community Schools Board of Education meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance, which was to have been led by Harrison Little League. However, they were not in attendance, so as a representative of Little League, BOE President Kendra Durga filled in, then offered some information about the league, noting there were some 220 Little Leaguers from the Harrison School District playing this year, which really is remarkable participation. She also expressed appreciation for all the support that organization received from the school and community.

Durga also requested a moment of silence for recently deceased Stacey Swartout, to honor the legacy she left behind and to recognize the impact she had on the students and staff in the district.

Superintendent Judy Walton provided a Strategic Plan Update as the meeting’s instructional highlight. Presented information included the following categorical goals of Achievement, Culture and Excellence, along with specifics (much condensed here) of how the district is pursuing the goals.

Achievement: Facilitate learning environments that focus on continuous academic improvement PreK-12. The strategies to that end included: Use our continuous cycle of inquiry to make ongoing curriculum improvements to enhance achievement and success; Invest in and commit to our professional learning communities; and Embrace innovation to explore and create wide array of opportunities for our PreK-12 students.

In that vein, Walton said drone piloting will be a new learning opportunity, and that discussion with the CGRESD have begun to explore how to engage students, possibly in conjunction with growth work at the Clare County Airport; she stressed what a positive pursuit of avionics would be in terms of well-paying jobs. Walton added that a way also had been figured out to give Robotics Team members a ½ credit in Computer Science which would be completed as an eighth hour, after school. It was noted that in 2027 the state will require all high schools to offer a computer science ½ credit opportunity.

Culture: All students, staff, and families will create and contribute to a culture of kindness, respect, and safety across our school community. The steps here included: Provide continued learning around the impacts of poverty and trauma; Provide training in restorative practices; Continually teach academic and behavior expectations and strengthen our multi-tiered systems of support; Teach mode and infuse our Guiding Beliefs; and Attend to the social and emotional well-being of our students, staff, and families. Walton said there was more work to do around the impacts of poverty and trauma component, and suggested it could be beneficial to do a half-day poverty simulation to better enable understanding of the stressors involved. Walton also noted the positive social and emotional well-being effects of the Community Events enabled by a grant written by Kasie Cooper, school social worker, and Joe Ashcroft, HHS principal.

Excellence: Create and grow an environment that fosters connections among our students, staff, Board, and community. These steps included: Develop a marketing and branding strategy that promotes Harrison Community Schools; Establish consistent, ongoing interactions among our students, staff, families, and communities through communicating excellence and telling our story; Attain, recruit, and retain a highly-qualified and highly-efficient staff; and Build and sustain thriving relationships at all levels. Walton said work is ongoing with the marketing and branding strategy which is reaching a lot of people with social media video pieces, along with the principals-generated newsletters. She also pointed out that schools currently are competing for a small pool of teachers, particularly in special education, so HCS is doing its best to attract, recruit and retain. Part of the effort includes an extended paraprofessionals training support effort.

Walton summed up by saying, “We’ve still got work to do – we were not perfect this year, but we’re striving for excellence every day.”

Under the Consent Agenda, in addition to approving the special meeting minutes of May 19 and the financial reports for May, the Board moved to:

-Approve hiring Mariah Humphrey as kindergarten teacher.

- Approve Baylee Mashue as JV volleyball coach.

- Approve Kailin Glazier as middle school cross country coach.

- Approve Elijah Hayes as high school cross country coach.

- Approve Michael Henry as high school ski coach.

Under the Non-Consent Agenda, the Board moved to:

- Approve Michigan High School Athletic Association 2025-2026 Membership Resolution (as is done annually).

- Approve the Letter of Agreement with Harrison Education Association for Assistant Coaches.

Prior to the vote on the next item, Board Trustee Mick Haley voiced his concern that the candidate would be spread too thin, as he is already a full-time vice principal and athletic director and already has a lot of time commitments – which it was believed would mean too much work to be able to be highly effective in all positions. When the vote proceeded, the Board moved to:

- Approve Brad Carlstrom as varsity boys basketball coach (dissenting votes were cast by Mick Haley and Jim Neff).

Informational Items included the resignations of Shane Suiter, varsity/middle school cross country coach; Stacey Swartout (a retirement), high school special education teacher; Matt Schoensee, middle school math teacher; and Hannah McGahee, Larson Elementary teacher.

In her Superintendent Report, Walton spoke of the sadness pervading the schools with the passing of longtime special education teacher Stacey Swarthout, adding some respectful, admiring comments regarding Swartout’s steadfast dedication to her students and their needs – and putting all that above her own health concerns.

“When her health was in such a failing state, she still kept that North Star of ‘I’m here for kids,’” Walton said. “She lived a life of public service … people who are dedicated to something bigger than themselves. And it’s not about money, and it’s not about fame, and it’s not about getting a thank you – but about living your life in a way that when you do go, people will talk about you the way I’m talking about her today. I’m just super grateful for the time she was with us.”

Walton also informed of the Michigan Association of School Boards Award of Distinction/Certificate of Achievement that had been bestowed on BOE President Kendra Durga, which announcement was met with congratulations and applause.

Reporting on the previous week’s BOE Committee of the Whole meeting, Trustee Carrie Whitaker informed of meeting with Wolgast Construction and Integrated Designs Inc. and gaining information about bonding/bonding trends. She said they would provide ballot language to go with the original amount presented of $7.4 million, although Walton and HCS Business Manager Chad Hathcock would be reviewing that language to see where some cuts might be made. Whitaker said the hope is that $500,000 would be allowed to fund new lights [a safety/security concern] and sound [less than $100,000] at the football stadium. She said the Board will make a final decision in July if it desires to move forward with a bonds proposal this fall. The next Committee of the Whole meeting will be at 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 4.

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The BOE held a special meeting Monday, June 23 for a public hearing on the proposed budget for the upcoming school year and to conduct a bit more of the district’s business.

Chad Hathcock, HCS business manager, provided a fairly detailed overview of the final 2024-2025 Amended Budget, as well as presenting the first draft of the proposed 2025-2026 Budget and Appropriations. It was noted that transportation proposals had been received from both Dean and Auxilio, but nothing yet from First Student.

Other items noted for the upcoming year were that only three varsity home games are scheduled (with assurance that the schedule will return to normal in 2027), that the Great Start Readiness Program is expected to increase with the move to five days.

Hathcock reported the proposed budget revenues currently sit at $7,204 more than expenditures, which leaves a 15%-20% fund equity (the state requires 10%). He also remarked on the incongruity between what the state requires and what it delivers on.

“Everything is unknown,” Hathcock said. “The state requires us to have a budget by July 2, yet they don’t have to.”

The regular order of business followed, including a Consent Agenda which included approval of the June 9 regular meeting minutes, as well as approving the hiring of Roy Briggs as high school special education teacher and Katelynn Smith as Larson Elementary first-grade teacher.

Under the Non-consent Agenda, the Board moved to adopt the 2024-2025 Amended Budget, as well as the 2025-2026 Budget and Appropriations.

Under Informational Items, the Board was informed of the resignations of John VanAntwerp, JV basketball coach; and Matthew Schoensee, eighth-grade girls and boys basketball coach, and middle school boys track coach.

The Harrison Area Community Schools Board of Education meets next at 5:30 p.m. Monday, July 14 in the Board Room at 224 W. Main St. in Harrison.