Board moves forward on handbooks, equity plan and ELA curriculum change for grades 5—8

The Barnaget Township Board of Education reviewed committee recommendations and approved education-related motions including enforcement of ID/lanyard rules, acceptance of book donations and a planned change in ELA curriculum for grades 5 through 8. The Education Committee reported it submitted the district's comprehensive equity plan to the state on time and accepted two book donations (one from a local family and one from the Mick Graham family). The committee also reported that student and staff ID badges and lanyards will be strictly enforced next year. "As executive as the new executive president, I strongly believe it is of a great importance that a student is here to have saying anything that would affect us," student representative Kaylee Jansen said in public comment, urging attention to student perspective as the board moves forward on policies affecting students. The education committee announced it will move the district's ELA curriculum for grades 5—8 from Freckle to i-Ready/MyPath to support literacy growth. A pilot of the Frog Street preschool curriculum was completed but full adoption was tabled for further review and will be revisited in November. Committee members also flagged ongoing work-based learning placements, field trips, special education updates (to be addressed by the special education committee), and a STEM bus project concept that would repurpose a school bus into a mobile STEM lab. Career Day was scheduled for Nov. 17 and the Barnaget Branch Library will partner with Dumfey School to host preschool play dates next year. The board approved the education committee's motions (motions 1—) by roll call with one member noting a split vote on one item (the transcript records "Yes to everything but 2" by a member during the roll call). The committee will meet again Aug. 19 to continue planning for the academic year. These changes direct administration to implement the approved curriculum switch and enforce ID policies; specifics on instructional materials procurement and timelines will be handled by the curriculum office.