Clintondale board approves superintendent conference travel, hires three teachers and a behavior coach; moves to closed session

Clintondale Community Schools’ board unanimously approved two addendums to its agenda Tuesday, clearing superintendent professional travel and multiple personnel hires before moving into a closed session on negotiations.

The board voted 4-0 to allow the superintendent to attend the annual Michigan Association of Superintendents and Administrators fall conference in Traverse City (Sept. 17–20). The board president said the superintendent’s contract requires maintaining updated skills and education and supported the travel as a method to meet that obligation.

The board then approved three separate elementary-teacher hires: Brooke Robinson, Morgan Caroline and Elise Schmidt. Each was listed in the packet as starting at base step 1 of the collective bargaining agreement, shown as $39,664. The board president said candidates advanced through multiple rounds of interviews and formal reference checks before being recommended to the board. “Motion carries 4-0,” the chair announced after each vote.

Separately, the board approved hiring Dante Owens as a behavior coach at Clintondale Middle School, shown at base step 6 of the collective bargaining agreement with a listed starting amount of $51,335. Board members noted Owens is an alumnus of the district and a former head football coach; the hire passed 4-0.

After the personnel votes the board moved into a closed session authorized by Section 8(c) of the Open Meetings Act to discuss negotiations; the motion to enter closed session also carried 4-0. The chair said no decisions would be released that evening.

Votes at a glance: all actions noted above were approved by recorded roll calls showing four yes votes (Miss Kaminski, Mr. Jones, Zontini and Mr. Maynard).