Meeting Minutes: New Buses, Budget Strains and 'Green Schools'

The absence of Chippewa Valley Board of Education President was keenly felt at Monday's meeting–the first held since Chiodini passed away on March 28.

Interim Superintendent Ron Roberts took a moment to remember Chiodini's "never-say-never attitude," infectious smile and "dedication to the school district," and a special video tribute to Chiodini's 18 years on the school board was played.

School board Vice President George Sobah took over the duties of president and led the board in discussion of Monday's agenda items.

Purchase of 23 School Buses

Following the board's approval of using the MSBO/MAPT Bus Purchasing Program, which offers the district significant savings on such purchases, members voted unanimously to purchase 23 school buses from Thomas for $2,031,926.

This purchase will allow the district to continue with its plan to reduce and rejuvenate the fleet.

Roberts said at this point in time, he believes these additions and planned reductions to the fleet will not affect the number of routes currently offered to district students.

District's Bottom Line With Budget Cuts Still $5 Million in the Red

Assistant Superintendent for Business & Operations Scott Sederlund recently received a request from freshman House Rep. Rick Olsen (R-Saline) to find the "bottom line" of what state budget cuts could mean for the district, provided all proposed changes to the budget go through.

Sederlund based his calculations on the following parameters provided by Olsen: employees would pay 20 percent of their health care costs, employees would take a 5-percent pay cut and district services would be privatized.

Roughly crunching the numbers, Sederlund found that if all these proposed changes pass in Congress, Chippewa Valley would still face a $5.5 million budget deficit.

Sederlund said it is Olsen's plan to collect similar numbers from other Michigan districts and use the data to argue that even if deep cuts are made, districts will still suffer, so perhaps state cuts to education need not be so drastic.

MISD Budget Approved

Chippewa Valley, as a constituent district to the Macomb Intermediate School District, approved the MISD's 2011-12 proposed budget. This budget, though balanced, included cuts to staff, transportation and MISD services.

Chippewa Valley Boasts 14 "Michigan Green Schools"

The Chippewa Valley Schools that earned "" status are as follows:

Green: Cherokee Elementary, Ottawa Elementary, Seneca Middle

Emerald: Alonquin Middle, Huron Elementary, Erie Elementary, Iroquois Middle

Evergreen: Chippewa Valley High School, Miami Elementary, Ojibwa Elementary, Mohawk Elementary, Sequoyah Elementary, Shawnee Elementary, Wyandot Middle

First Taste-Fest Raises $20,000 for Scholarships, Grants

The Chippewa Valley Educational Foundation's first sold 402 tickets and raised an estimated $20,000.

These funds will be used to provide scholarships and innovative classroom grants.