Introducing the We Are BC Board Report
Board of Ed Meeting Recap, 2/10/25
Editorial note: Welcome to our first installment of the Board Report! In addition to other news and updates, we aim to provide brief updates following BCPS Board of Education meetings to keep community members and parents engaged and informed. As with all We Are BC Bulletin posts, the views expressed here are those of We Are BC and do not reflect the views of Byron Center Public Schools.
We Are BC Board Report
The February 10, 2025, regular board meeting got started with Dr. Macina celebrating some of the great things going on in our district: the 100th day of school, always a huge celebration for our youngest learners; the BCHS Jazz Orchestra being invited to open for Pulitzer Prize and nine-time Grammy award winning Wynton Marsalis on February 1 at Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor; and the inclusion of approximately 50 student artists from BC in the Michigan Art Education Association (MAEA) state exhibition.
Featured Program: Learning Gardens at BCPS
Each month during his superintendent's report, Dr. Macina features a different BCPS program or initiative with some of our students joining to share their own perspectives. This month, Dr. Macina featured the Countryside Elementary School Garden and the larger garden efforts throughout the district. Countryside Principal Cindy Viveen, parent volunteer Christie Koester, four of the district's 3rd and 4th grade student horticulturists, and Operations Director Doug Gallup spoke about the history of the garden at Countryside and across BCPS and shared stories about having fun learning in the garden and practicing their teamwork and leadership skills. Board President Brenda Hondorp thanked our brave students for sharing with the board, and Trustee Rob Hughes spoke at length in support of this kind of "hands on" learning experience.
Action Items and Public Participation
After that it was on to more traditional school board fare: consent agenda items regarding meeting minute approvals, expenditures, and a school of choice resolution discussed at the last special meeting. Action items included approval of a school bus purchase, a new metal roof for Marshall Elementary that came in under budget, and a student expulsion. The bulk of the meeting's business came and went in a matter of minutes.
At the end of each regular school board meeting, there is an opportunity for public participation. Tonight, one commenter was concerned with both Title IX and DEI and how BCPS plans to align themselves in the current political landscape. Another speaker shared her enthusiasm for our school garden program and expanded on ideas to extend the program to all students, in BC and throughout Kent County schools.
The Takeaway
If you've never attended a regular school board meeting, one of the best parts is getting to hear all about the amazing programs embedded within Byron Center Public Schools that you might not otherwise know anything about. We are so impressed by our students who attend each month to share with the board and community; well done, students, on sharing your love for the garden this month and giving us a sneak preview into what might be growing this spring at Countryside Elementary. As parents, we loved hearing about this special pocket of our district that clearly means so much to students; it made us think about how many equally special places and projects there likely are all across our district, connecting kids to school, the world, and each other.