Clark Board of Education elects Steve Dunker Sloot president; Thomas Lewis chosen vice president

At its reorganizational meeting, the Clark Board of Education elected Steve Dunker Sloot as president and Thomas Lewis as vice president and acknowledged receipt of the board's code of ethics.

The leadership votes were decided by roll call; the motion to elect Dunker Sloot as president carried on the roll call and the motion to elect Lewis as vice president also carried. The board then voted to acknowledge receipt of the Code of Ethics for School Board Members and to proceed through routine agenda items, including approval of minutes, personnel actions, curriculum and governance items, and finance items. Several personnel retirements were accepted, and the superintendent reported that Camp Invention will return in July with a per-student fee of $305.

Why it matters: the reorganizational votes set the board's leadership and procedural direction for the coming term. Acceptance of retirements and the set of curriculum and finance approvals affect district staffing, programming and short-term budgeting decisions.

The board completed nominations without extended debate. After receiving a single nomination for president, members closed nominations and approved Steve Dunker Sloot by roll call. Similarly, Thomas Lewis was nominated and elected vice president. The board then unanimously (as recorded) acknowledged receipt of the code of ethics and affirmed each member's commitment to abide by it.

On routine business, the board approved the December minutes (with two abstentions recorded), approved personnel items (personnel motions 1—14 carried), and approved curriculum item 15. Governance items 16—22 and finance items 22—26 also passed on roll call. The transcript records specific abstentions in several grouped votes: one board member abstained on the minutes approval; one member abstained from some personnel items and from governance items 19, 20 and 22 as noted on the public roll calls. Where the transcript specified an abstention it is noted; otherwise motions were recorded as carried.

In personnel business the board accepted retirements including Mary Jo Baker, who addressed the board during public comment. Baker told the board she had worked in the district for more than 26 years and said, "I will hold the memories of all the children that I have taught, and also for all the friends that I have made along the way, and I will hold them close to my heart." The superintendent also announced acceptance of Mike Pollock's retirement; the superintendent said Pollock had nine years with the district after prior service with the Clark Police Department.

Superintendent report and programming: Superintendent Grama (as recorded) congratulated newly elected board officers and noted the return of Camp Invention, a STEM-based summer program run by district staff, approved to run in July at a cost of $305 per student entering grades 1—6 in September. He also said the district's budgeting process has begun with guidance from the finance committee and administrators, and that revisions to the Arthur L. Johnson (ALJ) program of studies were approved at the meeting.

Public comment: Mary Jo Baker spoke in her capacity as a departing teacher; Bill Draghi, identified in the record as a Clark resident, offered comments on state and federal education policy. The board closed public comment and adjourned.

Votes at a glance (as recorded in the meeting transcript) - Election of president: Steve Dunker Sloot elected by roll call; motion carried (roll-call yes votes recorded). - Election of vice president: Thomas Lewis elected by roll call; motion carried. - Acknowledgment of Code of Ethics for School Board Members: motion carried (roll-call yes votes recorded). - Approval of December minutes: motion carried; at least two abstentions recorded (Miss Acalonis and Mr. May as recorded). - Personnel items (1—14): motion carried on roll call; transcript records one member voting yes only on items 2 and 14 and abstaining on others, and other routine yes votes. - Curriculum item 15: motion carried on roll call. - Governance items 16—22: motion carried; one member abstained on items 19, 20 and 22 as recorded. - Finance items 22—26: motion carried on roll call. - Acceptance of retirements (including Mary Jo Baker and Mike Pollock): motions to accept retirements carried as recorded. - Approval to run Camp Invention in July at $305 per student entering grades 1—6: recorded in the superintendent's report and described as approved for return.

Ending: The board completed its reorganizational business and routine agenda items, heard public comment, and adjourned. The transcript does not provide a meeting date in a clearly parsed format; meeting notice language referencing P.L. 1975, Chapter 231 and section 13 was read at the start of the public session.