Taylor Board approves hires, five-bus purchase and participation in federal LIFT teacher pipeline

The Taylor School District Board of Education on April 17 approved a slate of personnel hires, a five-bus purchase and district participation in a federally funded teacher pipeline program.

In a roll-call session during the action portion of the meeting the board unanimously approved an overnight field trip for Myers Elementary to Camp Machindo (April 29–May 1) and authorized multiple administrators to attend EDCON in Traverse City in June, with conference expenses charged to Title I funds.

The board also approved hiring Chris Simons as athletic director at a salary listed as $79,605 (prorated for 2023–24). The hiring committee, represented at the meeting by Jason Grama, said the committee interviewed eight candidates and recommended Simons based on his athletic administration experience and recent success growing student participation.

Two administrative assistants for human resources were approved: Catherine (Kathy) Moses and Rebecca Rolling, each with start dates listed as May 1 and with the prorated salaries shown on the agenda. Human-resources lead Pat Dela Torre told the board she prioritized internal candidates to preserve institutional knowledge and provide overlap for training.

On transportation, the board authorized purchase of five lease-return buses from Macomb Intermediate School District for a combined cost not to exceed $34,000 (reported price $6,800 each). Transportation staff said the lot included three wheelchair-accessible buses and two general-ed buses that appeared well maintained; district staff said vehicles would require registration and state inspection and estimated roughly three to four weeks to prepare the buses for service after purchase.

The board approved participating in the LIFT Teacher Quality Partnership grant program, which the superintendent described as a federal-funded partnership that supports employees pursuing education degrees. Superintendent Michael Wager said the program provides supports for bachelor’s- and master’s-level pathways and stated the program would offer an $18,000-per-year stipend for individuals in the master’s-level educational leadership track. Wager said the district’s commitments are primarily in-kind (facility use and paid release time already budgeted as salary) and that partnering districts receive a first right to interview program graduates.

Members approved an advance authorization to hire substitute personnel through June 30, 2024, which human-resources staff said would speed onboarding and reduce overtime costs by keeping a pool of cleared substitutes ready for daily needs. The consent agenda — including minutes, bills and routine personnel items — was also approved.

Board members and community speakers praised the LIFT program and the student advisory process during public comment; no board member requested further postponement or substantive amendments to the approved motions. Funding sources and salary figures for the hires and conference were listed on the meeting packet and reflected in the motions recorded at the meeting.

The board’s actions during this portion of the meeting carried by recorded votes; the agenda reports each motion as carried by the numerical tallies entered into the record.