School board looks for guidance on substitute teacher issue
by Angie Asam-Staff Writer
With Tuesday evening’s meeting marking the final meeting of the year for the Onaway Area Community Schools Board of Education, it was time to say goodbye to board members Terry Materna, Lee Ann Albrecht and Tim Paulus. The board will welcome new board members Gene Barrette, Mike Moreau and Joshua VanHuysen in the new year.
Acting with a proactive approach, Moreau asked the board to look into the fact that he is a substitute teacher with Professional Contract Management Inc. (PCMI), the company Onaway uses to get substitute teachers when they are needed and whether or not he would still be permitted to substitute in the district while he serves as a member of the school board.
Superintendent Rod Fullerton contacted the Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB) attorney who told him that the safest way is for the board not to allow Moreau to continue being a substitute teacher.
“Traditionally we aren’t allowed to hire ourselves. However, a contractor is now hiring our substitute teachers,” said board president Sharon Lyon.
Fullerton explained to the board that when the district hires a substitute through PCMI they make a check to PCMI, which pays the teacher. No money directly changes hands between the school district and the teacher. “PCMI makes it very clear that the substitutes are their employees,” said Fullerton.
“My concern would be if there was a discipline problem or issue that arose. We would then be dealing with it at the board level and that might be a problem,” said board member Dan Heythaler.
The board continued to discuss the issue and decided that it was an issue that had a lot of gray area and they felt they would like to have a legal opinion from their legal counsel before making a decision.
“This is hard because Mr. Moreau is a very good substitute teacher for us and he will be a good board member,” said Fullerton.
The board directed Fullerton to get an opinion from the district’s legal counsel and report back at the next meeting.
IN OTHER SCHOOL BOARD NEWS;
• Auditor Doug Wohlberg appeared before the board to give them their audit report. Wohlberg has more than 25 years experience working with school boards and municipalities on financial audits and rendered the district an unqualified opinion, which is the best you can do.
He found no deficiencies in internal controls, no compliance problems and thought the school’s general fund was healthy. He also told the board that the district employees were very helpful throughout the process.
• The board passed a resolution from MASB urging legislators to amend the budget control act to lessen the impact on schools.Fullerton told the board that if the act is not amended the district could see another $3,200 cut in federal funding.
• Onaway Area Community Schools will be looking to renew its operating millage in May of 2013. The board discussed the need to be more proactive and let voters know exactly why it is needed and what it is used for. The board will look to get the operating millage approved first before looking at possibly adding a bus/technology millag
• The board acknowledged completion of five requirements for the best practices incentive. The board does hold the policy for medical benefit plans; has obtained competitive bids for the provision of 2012-13 non-instructional services; has accepted applications for enrollment of non-resident pupils; supports opportunities for pupils to receive postsecondary credit while attending secondary school; and provides a link on the district’s home page to the MI School Data portal. The district must meet seven of the eight requirements before June 1, 2013 in order to qualify for the $52 per pupil allowance.