Woodhaven-Brownstown board approves five buses, dental lab equipment, personnel and handbook updates

The Woodhaven-Brownstown School District Board of Education on Dec. 10 approved a series of purchases and personnel actions that officials said are intended to support student transportation, career-technical education and compliance with state law.

The board voted to buy five new 77-passenger Thomas buses equipped with air conditioning and CN5 video surveillance for a total not to exceed $778,500, to be paid from 2021 bond proceeds. The board also approved a complete renovation and equipment purchase for the district’s career-technical dental lab at Woodhaven High School, contracting with ADEC for equipment at a total cost of $532,762.65, including a 10% contingency, also funded from the 2021 bond.

In other actions, the board approved multiple personnel recommendations: the professional-staff hire of Sarah Begley as a special services teacher effective Dec. 11, 2024; paraprofessional hires Rowan Carty Blanton (Yake Elementary Early Childhood) and Alexandria Fekay (Bates Elementary), effective Dec. 11; and a set of Schedule B coaching assignments covering middle- and high-school winter sports and activities. The board also approved adding the district’s harassment and assault information guide and Title IX complaint-process information to the student handbooks for Woodhaven Upper Elementary School, Brownstown Middle School and Woodhaven High School, in compliance with Michigan Compiled Laws 380.1508.

All motions described above were moved, seconded and approved by voice vote during the meeting. The record shows the board affirmed each motion with members saying “aye” and the president declaring the motions carried; the transcript does not include a roll-call vote listing individual yes/no positions.

Why it matters: The bus purchase affects daily student transportation and special-education routes; the dental lab purchase converts a former robotics lab into a career-technical classroom intended to expand hands-on dental training; the handbook changes formalize student guidance on harassment and assault and reference the Title IX complaint process required by state law.

Details and funding - Bus purchase: five Thomas 77-passenger air-conditioned buses, CN5 camera system, amount not to exceed $778,500; funding source: 2021 bond proceeds; procurement used the MSBO bus purchasing program and was represented as conforming to bidding laws. - Dental lab: equipment purchase through ADEC totaling $532,762.65 (includes 10% contingency); installation planned for summer 2025; funded with 2021 bond proceeds. - Handbooks: addition of the district harassment and assault information guide and formal Title IX complaint process language for upper elementary, middle and high schools; board cited compliance with MCL 380.1508. - Personnel: Sarah Begley, special services teacher, effective Dec. 11, 2024; paraprofessionals Rowan Carty Blanton and Alexandria Fekay, effective Dec. 11, 2024; schedule B employments including Angela Banks (7th-grade girls basketball head coach), Andrew Heaton (8th-grade girls basketball assistant), Brian Marveso (7th-grade girls assistant), Matthew Papian (middle school wrestling assistant coach), Tiffany Patton (middle school competitive cheer assistant), Sergio Ramirez (middle school wrestling head coach), Amanda Sayer (unified track assistant coach) and Becky Thomas (9th-grade girls basketball assistant coach). The meeting transcript records the motions as moved (typically by Paget or Padgett) and supported by other board members, with the chair announcing each motion carried after a voice vote.

Board procedure and next steps Board members said they had previously reviewed several of the purchase items and personnel recommendations prior to the meeting. The dental lab installation timeline is set for summer 2025; the bus purchase will be processed under the MSBO program. No roll-call vote tallies were recorded in the public transcript for these motions.

Votes at a glance (motions recorded in the meeting) - Approve consent agenda: motion carried (voice vote). - Resolution recognizing Woodhaven High School Esports team: approved (voice vote; ceremonial recognition). - Approve professional staff employment of Sarah Begley, effective Dec. 11, 2024: approved (voice vote). - Approve paraprofessional support staff employments in mass (Rowan Carty Blanton; Alexandria Fekay), effective Dec. 11, 2024: approved (voice vote). - Approve Schedule B employments in mass (multiple coaches listed above), effective Dec. 11, 2024: approved (voice vote). - Approve purchase of five school buses not to exceed $778,500 using 2021 bond proceeds: approved (voice vote). - Approve dental lab equipment purchase through ADEC for $532,762.65 using 2021 bond proceeds: approved (voice vote). - Approve inclusion of harassment and assault information guide and Title IX complaint-process information into student handbooks for Woodhaven Upper Elementary, Brownstown Middle and Woodhaven High School (per MCL 380.1508): approved (voice vote).

Ending: The board adjourned at 5:59 p.m.; its next regular meeting is scheduled for Jan. 14, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. at the board office.