At the Jan. 12 work session the board approved the meeting agenda, heard public commenters who thanked staff for using district facilities for a memorial and urged outreach to the GraceHealth Student Health Center advisory council, and received district announcements including a reading challenge and midwinter break dates.
Board members expressed divided views on the Invest in Michigan Kids ballot proposal, with some trustees supportive if funds go to students and others unwilling to endorse without clearer plans for how money would be distributed and whether charter schools would receive funds.
The Battle Creek Public Schools Board on Nov. 17 adopted a resolution to decline 31AA state school-safety funding because the statutory condition would require waiving attorney‑client and other privileges, exposing the district to legal and reputational risk.
Auditors gave Battle Creek Public Schools an unmodified (clean) opinion on general-purpose financial statements but said the federal single audit remained in draft pending the federal compliance supplement; the board also reviewed an enrollment drop of about 82 students and fund‑balance effects.
The Board discussed a sample resolution from the Invest in MI Kids campaign proposing a 5% surtax on high incomes to fund CTE, smaller classes and educator recruitment; trustees asked whether funds would include charter schools and sought sponsor information, and the chair said revised language will be returned at the next meeting for a vote.
Battle Creek Central High School leaders told the Board of Education their wall-to-wall career academy model is boosting postsecondary readiness and elective rigor: honors enrollment rose from about 42 to 160 students, AP enrollment from 57 to 197, and dual enrollment increased by 16, driven by targeted outreach and an opt-out placement model.
The Board agreed by consensus to form a temporary Sustainable Facilities and Enrollment Alignment Committee to analyze district enrollment, facility utilization and options for optimization; trustees Dr. Perry and Dr. Johnson were named to serve and staff will recruit community volunteers.
At its Oct. 27 meeting, the Battle Creek Public Schools Board of Education approved a 2016 bond refinancing resolution, authorized a contract for backend website support, and approved a $14,805 furniture purchase for Lemora, with funding drawn from grant sources.
At its Oct. 27 meeting, the Battle Creek Public Schools board recognized several students for athletics and school staff with 'Whatever It Takes' awards and presented the President's Coin to Blake Tenney, director of the district's Outdoor Education Center.
At the Oct. 27 Battle Creek Public Schools board meeting, a teacher invited the public to a Nov. 10 apprenticeship and work-based-learning event; a representative from state Rep. Steve Frisbies office said the recently passed state budget increases district funding by $2,030,000 and raises per-pupil funding by $442 to $10,050.
