Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Operations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parents and trustees press superintendent to halt midyear CAPE move; board asks for memo and community input
Summary
Parents and several trustees criticized a proposed midyear relocation of the CAPE alternative program to the high‑school campus, saying families and staff were not consulted; Superintendent Dr Bus said he had sought legal feedback and will resend the attorney memo and gather community input before moving forward.
Parents, public commenters and multiple trustees pressed Benton Harbor Area Schools Superintendent Dr Bus on Jan. 7 to stop a planned relocation of the district’s CAPE alternative program until the board and affected families have been fully briefed.
Public commenters and trustees said staff at CAPE were told to prepare for a move and that some families had already signaled they would withdraw their children if the program were uprooted midyear. Heather Mueller, who said parents had contacted her, asked why "you wouldn't move maintenance just to Inner care instead of uprooting a school in the middle of the school year," and warned the board the change threatened enrollment.
Superintendent Dr Bus said the plan would move staff and streamline services; he told the board he had obtained legal feedback in an email sent Dec. 23 and agreed to re‑send that memo to trustees. "I sent it on December 23rd but I'll resend it again to everybody," he said during the meeting.
Board members pressed for more detail and for broader community engagement before any relocation. Several trustees said the CAPE program serves a vulnerable student population whose in‑person access and support could be disrupted by a midyear move; one trustee called for an immediate stop to the staff communications until the board had reviewed the attorney guidance and heard from parents and staff. Secretary Ronaldo Triplet told the superintendent that any directives to move staff or facilities must be presented to the board and the community prior to implementation.
The board asked Dr Bus to schedule a summary of the attorney feedback and to hold meetings with staff and families before any action. Trustees said they expect an update at the next regular meeting and emphasized student‑centered decision‑making and transparency.
What happens next: Dr Bus said he will re‑forward the Dec. 23 attorney response to trustees, respond to questions and arrange community engagement; the board expects an operational update at the February regular meeting and will review any recommended actions then.
