July School Board Meeting: free breakfast & lunch next year, Head’s farewell
by Melissa Yekulis
The monthly School Board meeting for Manchester Community Schools was called to order at 6pm on Monday, July 20th. One board member was not in attendance.
The meeting began with the approval of the agenda. The agenda was approved unanimously.
There were two participants in Public Participation.
A recommendation was made to accept the Consent Agenda as it was presented. Superintendent Head took a moment to acknowledge the Personnel Report before the board voted on accepting the Consent Agenda. Three hirings were acknowledged. Four resignations were acknowledged, including the resignation of the superintendent. The consent agenda was unanimously accepted.
There was no Old Business to discuss.
There were four topics of discussion under New Business.
Technology Director Troy Wissink requested bond funds to make updates for the Junior/Senior High School Gym Audio Visual System. The contract will be with Culver Creative, out of Saline, in the amount of $27,758.39, to upgrade amplifiers, microphones, and additional equipment. The bond purchase was approved unanimously.
The Manchester Community Schools/Manchester Education Association Contract Agreement was presented for approval. Thanks were extended by the superintendent and multiple board members to the administrative team and teacher negotiation team for the work they performed to update and complete the contract. The new contract was approved unanimously with a roll call vote. With the contract ratified, a copy of the new school year’s schedule is now posted on the school website and was shared with faculty, staff, and families the next day.
The School Board members were provided with a first look at the curriculum map for the district for the new school year. Building principals submitted coarse descriptions and curriculum for board member review. Head requested that all questions be directed to him as they look through the document before making a final approval.
As the auditing season begins for the district, the board is required to appoint a member as the Auditor Liaison. Head recommended someone from the Finance Committee collaborate with the auditors. As Board Member Jennifer Caszatt was last year’s representative, and she currently serves as the board’s treasurer, she was nominated to serve as the representative. She was approved unanimously for the role with a roll call vote.
Building department reports have been posted and made available for viewing on the district website. Several administrators and directors were present to give brief updates. Riverside Principal and Athletic Director Tom Johns shared there is an upcoming parent meeting for athletics. Director of Special Programs, Nabil Nagi, shared an overview of the growth the district made in the last year. Technology Director Troy Wissnik thanked the board for their ongoing support. Building and Grounds Director Bryan Houttekier shared updates around grounds, summer cleaning, and the construction at Riverside. He also extended his thanks to his crew, staff, and contractors who are working so hard to make Manchester Schools look great. Finally, Sarah Mason, Food Service Director, was thrilled to report the State of Michigan has authorized FREE breakfast and lunch will continue for all students in the 2026-2027 school year.
Superintendent Head was next to make a final presentation to the board. He extended his sincere thanks to the board in their trust in him as they worked together to move forward as a district. He shared his disappointment in needing to step down for health reasons, but acknowledged his health needs to come first. Head extended appreciation to the staff members, students, families, and community, and the care they show for the district. Head closed, sharing, “In small towns like this, your school is everything in the community. It’s a huge piece in being successful. I’m proud of where we are going. We have the right pieces in place now to help us move forward. Kudos to everyone who has done that. It has been a privilege to serve the district and work with all of you. I will be working with the next person to ensure the smoothest possible transition. Thank you all for your understanding. This was not easy, at all. I will be cheering you on the sidelines and watch you continue to grow.” Upon conclusion of his statement, School Board President Sandra Wiitala read a letter aloud that she would be sharing with the entire community the following day, extending her thanks to Head for his leadership, and assurance that an interim plan will be shared as soon as the plan is finalized. Head departed after his report.
The superintendent report was followed by Kudos extended to Jeff Waters for his support through the summer, and willingness to always jump in and help when needed.
There was no additional Public Participation.
A public reminder was made of upcoming events:
- August 25: District Open House, 5pm – 7:30pm
- August 31: First Day of School
The final portion of the board meeting was dedicated to transparently allowing time for each board member to share thoughts and work together to craft a plan around how to move forward identifying a new superintendent for the district. Discussion was extensive, with each board member having three opportunities to speak, in turn. The final motion was to reach out to the Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD) for support and temporary coverage when Head leaves. A request will be made for internal superintendent candidates to submit their cover letter and resume by Thursday at noon. Candidates will be assessed to see if one of them is suitable for the job. If not, the board will post the position for external candidates until it is filled by the right candidate. The motion passed unanimously.
The board also voted unanimously to have a special meeting to review internal candidates on July 27 at 6pm, following the same qualifications as last year’s candidates, with an emphasis on financial literacy for school districts. A follow-up date for interviews will be chosen at that time.
The meeting was unanimously moved to be adjourned at 8:08pm.
The next public board meeting will take place on Monday, August 17th at 6pm in the Junior/Senior High School Media Center.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login