School board makes annual designations

By Don Rush

Dress codes, updating policies, making annual designations and getting “heads up” for their August meeting was all part of the Oxford Community School’s July 12 board meeting. Convened at Oxford High School’s Performing Arts Center, this meeting, unlike many this past year, was barely attended by members of the community. All board members were present.

Yearly matters

As part of the school year, the board annually makes certain designations. As in year’s past the Oxford Leader or Oakland Press were designated for newspapers of publication. Oxford Bank was one of six banks were named bank depositories. The board approved appointing Superintendent Ken Weaver and Sam Barn, Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations, to represent the board in all property manners. They agreed to continue their membership in Michigan Association of School Boards for $8,804 for the year, as well as their free membership to the Michigan High School Athletic Association.

The board approved the district’s legal counsel, including the following law firms: Thrun Law Firm, P.C., Miller Johnson, Saunders Winters McNeil, Collins & Blaha, Giarmarco, Mullins & Horton, P.C., and Varnum LLP.

OVA novel projects

Oxford Virtual Academy (OVA) Principal Janet Schell made a presentation to the board of the upcoming school year’s novel projects and the books students will read and have assignments from. For 8th graders, Schell said a new book to be read is The Silence Between Us by Alison Gervais. For 9th and 10th graders novels to be read include The Crossover by Kwame Alexander and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Butterfly Yellow by Thanhha Lai and In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner are novels for the 11th and 12th graders. “We want to instill in students that reading isn’t a chore, it’s a gift,” Schell said.

Get ready to spend

Barna gave the board a heads up on what they will be asked to approve at the Aug. 9 school board meeting – a $50,000 oven for the cafeteria and 4,000 laptop computers for students.

Community Health Center update

Barna also updated the school board with a presentation on the district’s plan to construct a community health center within Oxford High School. His presentation included the proposed layout for the center proposed to be located in the southeast part of the school. According to Superintendent Weaver, the plan was started last year, prior to the Nov. 30 shooting. It is a partnership with Easter Seals and Honor Community Health.

According to the Honor Community Health website, “Honor Community Health has eleven school-based health center sites, all designed to provide comprehensive health care for children and adolescents ages 5-21. Our health centers are conveniently located inside the schools where we provide access to essential care and services in each school community. We provide both primary medical and behavioral health care services at our Pontiac High, Pontiac Middle, Waterford Durant High, Avondale High and Children’s Village locations. We provide behavioral health services at our Owen Elementary, Whitman Elementary, Mason Middle, Rochester Hart Middle, Rochester High and Ferndale High School locations.”

Barna said the center will include two private offices, two clinic rooms, one restroom, a staff break room, laboratory and waiting area.

Weaver said the district pays for the construction, but the operation of the clinic is paid for with grants and government funding. The partnership with Honor Community Health is for “three to five years.”

AFSCME ok’d

The board approved the 2022-2025 contract with Oxford School Employees American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). The 41-page agreement includes agreements on striking, compensation, raises, employee benefits, substitute employees, vacations and holidays, leaves, layoffs, discipline, promotions and more.

Polices updated

The board approved recommendations to update policies on a number of topics. One change fell under the “public participation” at board meetings. The time people can speak was decreased from five minutes to three minutes. Updates were also made to keep inventory of district property, what records can be released to the public such as personnel or student files. The board also approved updates on administration, staff and student dress codes. In general everyone should dress with dignity. Administration and staff are to be clean, neat and well groomed, dress in a manner consistent with their responsibilities and to communicate to students a “pride in personal appearance.” * Editor’s note: the original version of this story incorrectly had the following line added. New language approved also allows staff and students to dress according to their gender identity. While this line was discussed at the meeting, this portion of the proposed dress code was not approved. — Don Rush