MONTAGUE — The Montague school district, along with all public schools in the state, received big news this week with the passing of the Michigan budget by lawmakers in Lansing, superintendent Jeffrey Johnson reported during Monday's regular school board meeting.
Johnson described the budget as a win for Montague, noting that per-pupil funding allowances increased by $250, to $10,300, and that funding allowances will be calculated by three-year rolling enrollment averages, which will benefit the district. Students will also continue to receive free breakfast and lunch at school.
The additional money the state granted districts for educator compensation last year, which resulted in many education employees in the area receiving small one-time bonuses, is back as well, with the state earmarking a total of $150 million to be distributed to districts for that purpose.
Another note Johnson shared was the vetoing of Michigan House Bill 6058 after the Michigan Supreme Court ordered the long-stalled bill to be brought to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's desk. The bill, had Whitmer signed it, would have required public employers to pay at least 80% of employees' health insurance costs. This would have benefited public employees but imposed additional costs on school districts, Johnson noted.
Johnson shared that three district teachers - Chelsea Bender, Deron Hunter and Trent Felt - have achieved tenure. In Michigan public schools, teachers achieve tenure by teaching at least four years in their district and receiving a rating of 'effective' in at least three successive years during that time. Teachers who gain tenure generally must receive three consecutive years of poor evaluations to be removed from their positions except for cause.
Johnson noted that while all three teachers had prior education experience before coming to Montague, this is each of their first time achieving tenure.
Bid proposals will soon be going out for the school's barn project, with bids due by the end of the month. Once completed, the barn will be between the high school baseball field and Stanton Boulevard, and the hope is that it will be done by this winter.
The board gave 5-0 approvals (Amanda Dahl and Cindy Francis were absent from the meeting) to building handbooks and course catalogs, as well as a $53,098 purchase of a phone system from Cirrus. The price was negotiated through SourceWell, Johnson said, providing the district a 35% savings. The new phone system will replace the district's current one, which will be obsolete in 2029. The healthy lead time will allow the district time to install the new system and connect it to Muskegon Area Intermediate School District servers.
The course catalog approval came after some discussion regarding middle school science electives. Emily Fullmer shared concerns she's previously heard from students about the existing electives not being broad-based and focusing on agriculture. However, the board still voted 5-0 to approve the catalogs.
A first reading of policies occurred, with a second reading preceding a potential approval slated for next month. The policy revisions include, Johnson said, new staff ethics policies, the removal of limitations regarding online learning days for students, policies addressing the use of artificial intelligence, and policies regarding cell phones after a state law was passed earlier this year largely banning their use in K-12 classrooms.
