Brighton Area Schools board hears strategic-plan update; district to prioritize assessment and interventions

Brighton Area Schools held a board meeting on Aug. 11, 2025, where the superintendent presented an update on the district's five-year strategic plan and the board approved routine minutes, a human resources report, student handbook changes and a policy package before voting to enter closed session on bargaining strategy.

The superintendent told the board the district is entering the fourth year of its five-year strategic plan and highlighted three priority pathways: curriculum and instruction, assessment and intervention, and culture. "We are headed into our fourth year of our strategic plan," the superintendent said, describing work that began with community review and benchmarking against top-performing Michigan districts.

The presentation framed the district's primary achievement metric as a college-readiness measure that combines evidence-based reading and math. The superintendent cited a drop in the district's combined college-readiness rate from about 54% to 47.7% between the most recent reporting years and said part of the change reflected a state test format shift. The superintendent said the district intends to make assessment its top focus this year to identify and intervene for students who are declining on growth measures.

The board heard details about the district's broader measures of postsecondary enrollment and persistence, career-awareness efforts and student connectedness. The superintendent said the district has increased career-exploration activities and will pilot a new high-school course on career awareness and preparation. On student connections, the presentation noted that "about 95 percent" of students reported a connection to at least one peer and that "78.4 percent" reported a positive, meaningful connection to at least one staff member.

District leaders described intervention systems in place, including a multi-tier system of supports (MTSS) and a new data tool, EduCLIMBER, intended to flag students earlier for help. When asked about families who had received certified letters about third-grade proficiency, an administrator, Dr. Moser, said those families "would have been, should have been called ahead of time" and that principals had already reached out; he added that many students had been invited to summer programming and that interventions vary by individual need.

The superintendent also introduced Bobby Echols as the district's new school resource officer. Echols, who the district said has more than five years on the police force and prior experience coaching high school ski racing, told the board he was "really excited to be here" and looked forward to working with students.

On personnel, the board received a human resources report noting two resignations and two hires on the printed report and additional vacancies: a fourth-grade teacher position at Horning, an FCS teacher position at the high school and a recently opened high-school counselor position. Staff said they expect to fill those openings before the school year begins.

The board approved several consent and action items by unanimous votes: the meeting agenda, the regular minutes of July 14, 2025, special meeting minutes of Aug. 4, 2025, the human resources report, student-handbook changes and a package of policy updates (most of which the administration said reflected legal annotations). The board also discussed an upcoming Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB) delegate assembly and plans for a public site visit to high-school bond projects, potentially at the district's STEAM Center or the BCPA wing.

Before adjourning the public portion of the meeting, the board voted to enter closed session to discuss bargaining strategy related to BEA, VESPA and BASA bargaining units; the roll call vote on the closed-session motion was unanimous.

Votes at a glance: the board approved the agenda (motion by Dr. Krebs, support Ms. Urbane; 4-0), approved regular meeting minutes of 07/14/2025 (motion by Mr. Baines, support Dr. Krebs; 4-0), approved special meeting minutes of 08/04/2025 (motion by Mr. Baines, support Dr. Krebs; 4-0), approved the human resources report (motion and support noted; 4-0), approved student handbook changes (motion by Dr. Krebs, support Ms. Urbane; 4-0), approved the policy package (motion by Dr. Krebs, support Ms. Urbane; 4-0), and approved entering closed session for bargaining strategy (motion seconded by Dr. Krebs; roll call: Krebs yes, Urbane yes, Mark yes, Myers yes; 4-0).

The board's next public meeting was scheduled for Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, at 7 p.m.