The Williamston baseball boosters, led by Marian Palmer and head coach Ryan Orr, proposed a donor‑funded roof over the existing batting cage (estimated $25,000–$30,000) that they say would cost the district nothing upfront; boosters requested formal approval be placed on the next meeting agenda so construction can occur before the 2026 season opener.
Administrators reported results of a multi‑vendor bidding process for band instruments and storage, saying the recommended purchases will supplement middle school inventory, repurpose excess high‑school instruments and require coordination with facilities during the summer flooring and installation work.
Doctor Cook presented 2025 M‑STEP and NWEA results, identifying declines in some subjects and pinpointing 36 fourth‑grade students (of 142) who were not proficient and had not met growth goals; the district described MTSS, alternative testing environments and tutoring to support those students.
At its organizational meeting the Williamston Community Schools Board of Education elected 2026 officers, authorized official bank signatories, appointed the superintendent as the Open Meetings Act designee and voted to keep board member pay at $0 per meeting.
Board members debated whether to signal support for a statewide ballot initiative that would add a roughly 0.8% surtax on very high earners to raise funds “for Michigan schools,” and asked staff to gather more information on distribution, legal guarantees, and political implications before any resolution or signatures are offered.
The Williamston Community Schools Board awarded contracts for a new 39,667-sq.-ft. Explorer Elementary addition for $18.14 million, approved $337,278 in flooring work and $549,000 for parking lot repaving from the 2024 bond, and authorized purchases of two buses and other equipment.
After lengthy discussion, Williamston board asked the policy committee to refine a proposed curriculum policy to better define 'curriculum' versus 'resources' and to add language allowing teachers to request board consideration of contested materials.
The board reviewed bond project updates — Explorer project bids exceeded estimates — and discussed purchasing replacement buses, snow equipment, HVAC work and a new scoreboard; high school paving bids came in below estimates and the board will consider several bond-funded purchases in December.
Williamston board members expressed legal and liability concerns about Section 31AA safety funding's required waiver, agreed the district will not opt in for now, and will watch pending litigation and state guidance.
A high school social studies teacher proposed a semester-long World War II elective that would be open to all grades, aims to meet Michigan’s Holocaust/genocide instruction requirement and — if approved — be available in the 2026–27 course catalog.
