Wayland Union Board of Education

The Wayland Union Board of Education met on Monday, April 13th, at the Administration Office for their regular meeting.

Meeting Presentation

All consent agenda items were approved.

Recognition of HS LOC Club - Set Seg Award

• High school Principal, Santino DiCesare, shared that LOC Club recently received the Education Excellence Award from the SET SEG Foundation and the Michigan Association of School Boards for their work in the community.

Recognition of Outstanding People in Education Award Nominees

• Ninety-one individuals were recognized for receiving a nomination. Winners included Autumn Bonte, Erin Koopman, and Steve Wright.

Report from March 9, 2026 Finance/Personnel/Joint Committee Meeting

• Jeff Koon shared that topics included during the discussion were an update on negotiations, viewing the four year calendar, reviewing our peer group, and looking at the budget including an update on the Gun Lake Tribe Revenue Sharing Program and State Budget Proposals.

Report from March 23, 2026 Athletics, Fine Arts & Extracurricular Activities Committee Meeting

• Norman Taylor shared that Adam Valk gave an overview of the winter season and a preview of the spring season, including recognizing winter teams that performed well. Kelli Smith shared recent fine arts opportunities and achievements, and encouraged board members to attend their upcoming events. Teresa Fulk gave an update on the Odyssey of the Mind, Robotics, and E-sports programs.

Student Board Members Report

• Macy Schwartz and Teagan Robinson shared that spring standardized testing is starting this week, and students are looking forward to Prom next week. Student Council is hosting a color run, and a Prom at Green Acres. NHS members are wrapping up their individual volunteer hours and are looking forward to their end of year celebratory breakfast. Theater just wrapped up their musical "The Lion King Jr," and are preparing for their upcoming Murder Mystery Dinner. The robotics team is advancing to states this weekend after winning their last regional competition. Lastly, spring sports are starting to pick up.

Governance Team Good News

• Erin Stepek shared that she spent her spring break touring college campuses.

Superintendent Statement

• Tim Reeves gave a statement regarding the recent loss of a student and addressed the community's concerns regarding bullying.

Three parents gave comments regarding concerns with bullying.

A student gave a public comment thanking Mrs. Fulk for supporting the Anne Frank exhibit.

Assistant Superintendent of Finance & Operations

• Tim Reeves and Teresa Fulk gave the report on behalf of Leslie Wagner who was absent from the meeting. Food services served approximately 58,000 meals throughout the month of March. Spring MERT drills took place in March and all exterior AEDs were inspected before spring sports kicked off. The transportation department recently completed a safety training and will begin conducting their spring bus safety drills. The district is looking for more drivers to join our transportation team. The business office is working on the final budget, negotiations/handbook financial preparations, scheduling an audit, and hiring a new accountant. The facilities department completed 186 work orders throughout the month of March and changed all furnace filters. During spring break, series II of the bond work kicked off which includes the technical education programming spaces at the high school. Crews also began digging out the body of water for the new pool. All bond projects are currently under budget and ahead of schedule.

Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services

• Teresa Fulk shared that the district was awarded the 61V Grant: MEERA (Manufacturing and Engineering Education Reimaged for All) which will support the growth of technical education opportunities at our middle school. The last PD day was in March and included a tour of the Anne Frank exhibit, PLC time, K-5 ELA support, and building specific topics. Spring assessments start this week. Technology has been working hard on assessment prep and camera installations. The district is working on wrapping up our current strategic plan by June and is planning for the future. All four of our elementary schools recently received the recognition of being a Capturing Kids Hearts Showcase school.

Superintendent

• Tim Reeves shared he was able to attend his first robotics competition a few weeks ago, and the team is now heading to states this weekend. He enjoyed witnessing all the students traveling through the Anne Frank exhibit, and he recognized Mrs. Fulk for her leadership in getting that program to our district. He also gave kudos to the theater program for their recent production of "The Lion King Jr." Lastly, he acknowledged Dorr Elementary for being selected as one of just six schools for TalentFirst’s 2026 Literacy Leadership Recognition Program.

High School Field Trip Proposal to Chicago for April of 2027

• Rebecca Black shared that this day trip that would include exploring Chicago and seeing a Broadway show.

School Calendars

• Tim Reeves shared that district union groups have negotiated four years worth of school calendars. There will be an opportunity to adjust a few dates after the first year if needed.

Student Device Proposal

• Approved.

Course Proposal for 2026-27 School Year

• Approved.

Disposition of Surplus Property

• Approved.

Board Member Comments

• Stephanie Tromp shared that she attended the musical and the athletic booster's fundraiser event.
• Erin Stepek also enjoyed the musical. She congratulated LOC Club and our OPE nominees.
• Norman Taylor congratulated all our students on their recent achievements. He is thrilled to see that a four-year calendar will be available for district families.
• Theresa Dobry hopes everyone enjoys the rest of the school year.
• Becky Hohnke is thrilled to see what LOC Club is achieving.
• Jeff Koon acknowledged the recent loss of a student, and he wants to publicly thank all the staff members who supported our community during this difficult time.

Peter Zondervan was absent from the meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 7:01pm.

*Please note: This is a summary of the meeting. Official board minutes will be approved at the next regular board meeting being held on May 11th at 6pm. The meeting will be held at the Administration Office.