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Southgate board approves fifth-grade overnight camp; consent agenda passes
Summary
The Southgate Community School District board on Oct. 14 approved a fifth-grade overnight camp trip to Camp Machindo, to be funded by grants, and approved routine consent items including minutes and September disbursements.
The Southgate Community School District Board of Education on Oct. 14 approved a fifth-grade overnight trip to Camp Machindo and passed its consent agenda, the board said at its regular meeting.
Board member Dr. Pomponio moved to approve the overnight trip for fifth graders; the motion was seconded by Mr. Sage and approved by voice vote. The consent agenda — which the board approved earlier in the meeting — included the Sept. 23 regular and closed-session minutes, a human resources update and September 2025 disbursements.
The trip will again be covered by grant funding, a staff member told the board. The district plans to send Allen and Shelter fifth-graders during one set of dates and students from Grogan, Ford Line and Northpointe during another. High school students will serve as cabin leaders at an approximate 10-to-1 student-to-leader ratio; those student leaders will be selected through an application and interview process and trained by district staff and Camp Machindo personnel, the staff member said. The staff member described adult district staff as remaining nearby and available by phone and responding if issues arise; Camp Machindo staff will also be on site.
A board member who spoke in support of the trip said the experience builds relationships and recalled a positive outcome after the district ran the program last year. “The kids absolutely loved it. Loved being outdoors, learning the environment,” the board member said. Another board member recounted that concerns about severe weather last year were checked with the facility and said the camp had “checks and balances in place.”
The board took no public comments at the meeting. After the vote on the trip, the board moved to adjourn.
Votes at a glance - Motion to approve agenda as presented: moved by Dr. Pomponio; supported by Mr. Koopser; approved by voice vote. No opposition recorded. - Consent agenda (Sept. 23 minutes, closed-session minutes, HR update, September 2025 disbursements): moved by Dr. Pomponio; supported by Mr. Sage; approved by voice vote. No opposition recorded. - Approval of fifth-grade overnight camp to Camp Machindo (dates as presented by staff): moved by Dr. Pomponio; supported by Mr. Sage; approved by voice vote. No opposition recorded. - Motion to adjourn: moved (as announced at the meeting); supported by Mr. Sage; approved by voice vote.
Additional details cited at the meeting included the camp curriculum (ecosystem and outdoor living skills, birds and insects), the use of grant funding to cover the trip, and an application-and-interview process for high school cabin leaders. The district said cabins are organized by gender and that staff training and Camp Machindo training videos are used for leader preparation.
