Concerns addressed on school issues
Bob Szymoniak, Onaway superintendent of schools, addressed several comments and accusations made by concerned citizens during the Onaway Area Schools board meeting last week. ?One of the issues Chad Chapman raised at last month?s board meeting has been written about in the paper. I wanted to address that tonight. It deals with the Open Meeting?s Act regarding a student?s disciplinary action,? said Szymoniak.
?According to the Open Meeting?s Act, the Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled that when a school board takes action to discipline a student, the board motion or resolution must identify the student by name. And the action must be recorded in the school minutes,? Szymoniak said.
?There?s a perception that the board was inappropriate and inaccurate in mentioning the student?s name in a public meeting. But by law we have to do that.? Another response Szymoniak addressed was to the Our Schools Committee. A group of citizens from the committee raised numerous concerns at April?s board meeting
?STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE to the School Board, Maggie Coats, reported The Junior/Senior Banquet will be May 23. Coats said ?We are all aware of the many complaints about the Onaway High School system. Yes, all of them should be addressed. People should not be so quick to blame the teachers and administration for these problems.? ?Some want our teachers and administration to do a better job, but attacking them will not help them do this,? said Coats.
?Coats, was recognized for her many nights of giving up her time and was thanked for her dedication. ?Maggie, you have represented the student body well and we have appreciated your reports and comments during our board meetings throughout this past year,? said Susan Nelson.
?Graduation will be June 6, at 2 p.m. at the high school gym.
?Bids for the Tower School were opened. A bid of $30,000 by David and Marsha Pauly was accepted by the board for the sale of the school.
?Teacher and staff appreciation was last week. ?We appreciate all the fine work of all of our staff, and the good things they do for our students,? said Szymoniak. ?To show our appreciation we purchased T-shirts that say ?Onaway Area Schools working together to prepare students for life? which is our mission statement.? School board members were also presented with a T-shirt.