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Superintendent highlights student priorities — safety, mental health and belonging — and warns of legislative cost risks
Summary
Superintendent Van Kirby told the board that students prioritized school safety, relationships, mental health, engagement and belonging at a recent student convening; he also flagged potential state actions — including changes to PA 152 health‑insurance caps and Michigan merit curriculum revisions — that could affect district finances and programs.
Superintendent Van Kirby used his report to thank staff and the safety team for the Emergency Operations Plan, then turned to issues facing the district at the state level and feedback from student forums. He warned trustees about several legislative items to watch, in particular discussion around PA 152 and the health‑insurance hard cap, which he said had proposals that could increase district costs by as much as 7 percent in some iterations.
Kirby described a student convening that brought together high‑school representatives and said the "number 1 topic on their hearts and minds was school safety." He summarized four themes students raised: safety, relationships with adults (including appreciation for school resource officers), student engagement, and mental health supports — and said belonging emerged as a central concern. He also noted planning for junior kindergarten (formerly Young Fives) and thanked the district foundation for fundraising that supports classroom projects.
Kirby asked trustees to remain vigilant for action alerts from the legislature and said administration will report back on potential impacts to district budgets and programs. The superintendent framed the student feedback as central to district priorities rather than a separate initiative, and staff said they will continue to update the board as planning and legislative developments evolve.
