New Lothrop board votes Monday on mental health funds, safety opt-out

New Lothrop Area Public Schools trustees are set to decide Monday whether to take one pot of state money and turn down another. The last action item on the Oct. 19 agenda asks the board to "Adopt – resolution to opt in to 31aa Mental Health, opt out of 31aa Safety and Security."

Section 31aa of the state school aid act sends districts money for student mental health services and for school safety and security, and districts choose whether to participate. The posted agenda does not say what either allocation is worth to New Lothrop, and it does not say why the district would decline the safety and security share. No supporting resolution is attached to the agenda.

The same decision is moving through other county districts this month. The Current reported Oct. 16 that Corunna's board was also being asked to opt into 31aa mental health and student safety funds, with no dollar value on its agenda either.

The board's monthly financial report shows a large one-month swing. New Lothrop began the period with $3,056,893.22, took in $41,915.39 and spent $1,052,158.45, leaving an ending balance of $2,046,650.16. The agenda gives no breakdown of the expenditures.

Trustees also have five staffing and athletics items. The agenda lists resignations from Kevin Clark, varsity wrestling co-coach, and Steve Gauager, junior high baseball and basketball coach; the hires of Grace Osborn as junior high volleyball coach and Kendra Wells as a latchkey aide; a leave request; an overnight varsity wrestling trip to Marquette; and the winter Schedule C appointments. No reasons are given for the resignations, and the trip has no date or cost posted.

Before the action items, Superintendent Jay Larner, Drew Severn and Kim Kuchar are scheduled to present the district's state assessment results — the first public look this fall at how New Lothrop students tested. The facilities committee, which met Oct. 5, also reports. The Current reported Oct. 8 that Larner had briefed the village council on community conversations about a school bond proposal, with no amount or election date given in the Sept. 9 village minutes.

The agenda also carries a lengthy set of public comment rules. Speakers get three minutes, may speak once, must address the board as a whole rather than individual members or staff, and are warned that remarks constituting defamation or an invasion of privacy "may carry legal consequences." The board will not respond during comment; the agenda says the superintendent will follow up.

What happens next: The regular meeting starts at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19, in the High School Media Center. The next regular meeting is set for 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16, in the same room.