Grant board approves layoffs, lease, budget items and ERI extension; public commenters press board on communication and health‑center changes

The Grant Public Schools Board of Education approved several motions during its regular meeting, including a teacher layoff resolution, a 15‑year lease for Blanche Lake Park, approval of the treasurer’s report and general fund summary, hiring and contract approvals, and an extension of the district’s early retirement incentive plan.

Personnel and contracts: The board voted to approve a layoff notice for one teacher after the superintendent said the district is consolidating sixth‑grade writing into a single ELA teacher per grade to align with the new curriculum. The board also approved the hiring of Teresa Federle as an interim staff member and the appointment of Jamie Pressler as middle‑school principal.

Finance and facilities: Business staff reported monthly expenses of roughly $3.37 million, including an early payoff of a state aid loan (about $1.2 million). The board approved the general fund summary and a $10,000 wrestling mat purchase funded largely by boosters and partially by the athletic budget. The board approved a lease for Blanche Lake Park (06/01/2024–05/30/2039) to clarify responsibilities for tennis and community use. Trustees also approved moving the June meeting to June 24 (adding a finance committee meeting at 5 p.m.) and moving the July meeting to July 15.

Early retirement incentive: The board extended the ERI through the 2024‑25 school year. Administrators said the incentive pays roughly $20,000 per eligible retiree; discussion noted savings versus full‑salary costs and the program’s eligibility criteria.

Contract procurement: The board voted not to accept a pending service agreement with a vendor (EnviroClean) because revised contract language (a non‑compete clause) had not been received; the superintendent will return the item when the language is corrected.

Public comment: Community speakers raised several issues. Nancy Grable suggested counselor outreach to families with chronic absences; teacher Danette Gessler spoke in defense of SEL and MTSS work in district classrooms. Paul Roberts urged civility and unity. Parent Lindsay Malish sharply criticized board communication (noting a canceled committee meeting and alleging prior coordination by some households with an outside group), said she would FOIA email records if questions were not answered, and asked for greater transparency. Another commenter raised concerns that a health‑center contract change could remove school‑of‑choice students from services and asked the board to clarify how affected students would get care.

Why it matters: The votes affect staffing, facilities use, budget planning and program continuity in the coming school year. Public comment highlighted a trust and communication gap between some community members and the board that trustees said they want to address through more outreach and forums.

Details of key votes: The meeting record shows roll‑call votes for major motions with board members recorded as voting aye on the items summarized above; one contract approval failed and will be reworked and returned for consideration.

Next steps: Administration will return with corrected contract language for vendor services, provide follow‑up on MTSS and attendance initiatives, and explore scaling career‑pathway partnerships with Ferris State and other partners.