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Ionia Public Schools board reviews sinking fund, hears policy updates and staff hires
Summary
At its Oct. 20 meeting the Ionia Public Schools Board approved routine business, received a sinking‑fund and state budget update, heard a first reading of Neola policy updates including a nondiscrimination policy, and was presented with several new support‑staff hires; a community member urged attention to sexual‑misconduct policy.
Ionia Public Schools’ Board of Education convened its regular meeting Oct. 20 at the Ionia Educational Center. President Yokom called the session to order at 7 p.m., and the board recorded a quorum of five trustees present.
The board approved routine procedural items early in the meeting. Trustee Ray Shippey moved to approve the order of the agenda, supported by Trustee Montgomery; the motion was recorded as carried, 5-0. The board also approved the prior regular-session minutes by the same 5-0 tally.
Executive Director of Business and Finance Jammie Sprank presented the district’s sinking‑fund activity through Sept. 30, 2025, reporting total sinking‑fund revenue of $9,498,290.83 and expenditures to date of $8,365,836.51. Sprank also summarized the state budget material as it pertains to the district. The board received the financial update; no separate board action on the sinking fund was recorded in the minutes excerpt.
Superintendent Benjamin Gurk introduced the Neola Policy fall 2025 updates and Administrative Assistant Rebekah Little provided the written summary. The packet included a first reading of a 2025 nondiscrimination policy. Board members received the policy update at first reading; no vote or final adoption was recorded in the transcript excerpt.
Melissa Weller, director of human resources, presented several new support‑staff hires: Bulldog Beginnings Center Assistant Kelsey Gage; Boyce special‑education paraprofessional Courtney Ray; Emerson Title I paraprofessional Taylor Piper; and Rather special‑education paraprofessional Brittany Pettit. The hires were presented to the board; the excerpt does not show a separate approval vote for those hires.
During public comment, community member Carl Teuscher urged increased awareness of the district’s sexual‑misconduct policy. President Yokom thanked Teuscher and said the board would take the comment under advisement.
Superintendent Gurk also provided routine district highlights, including recognition of Freshwater Digital for digital signage work on the Ionia Veterans Wall; Pete Dykstra’s attendance at a ceremony with State Representative Johnson; student volunteer work removing flags at the cemetery; and an ICA Purple Week fundraiser that raised $39,804.55. Athletic and extracurricular updates included individual recognitions and upcoming events such as a Veterans Ceremony scheduled for Nov. 7 and IHS Theatre’s 'Mean Girls' production in November.
The meeting adjourned at 7:32 p.m. The board set its next regular meeting for Nov. 17, 2025 at 7 p.m. in room 304 of the Ionia Educational Center.
