Isaiah Edney
Wayland Schools Superintendent Norm Taylor told the Board of Education Monday night that the district’s enrollment is up by 56 students over last year.
Taylor said the latest student count is 3,047, or 56 better than last year’s 2,991. The official Count Day will be Tuesday, Oct. 4, the figure on which state aid per pupil will be calculated for the 2017-18 academic year.
Taylor, who has been insisting for the last couple of years that the local district’s population is growing while others in Michigan are showing decreases, said. “We’re growing, and it’s a good problem to have.”
The superintendent was referring to the additional state aid Wayland will receive, but it also presents challenges in providing enough classroom space, particularly at the elementary level.
He reported the largest jump, 34 students, is at Baker Elementary, which houses kindergarteners and first-graders.
In other business at Monday night’s meeting, the school board:
• Received a report from Velie, who said the district will not have to borrow against state aid, as is customary because of annual cash flow issue. She said anticipated revenue in November should cover expenses.
• Learned from new student representative Isaiah Edney, a junior, that Wayland and Middleville Thornapple Kellogg High Schools together raised about $1,500 in a fund-raiser at their football game last Friday night.
• Received a report about summer maintenance projects from Supervisor John Huyck, who talked about a new fire alarm system, concrete at the middle school, cleanup of stadium bleachers and new LED lighting fixtures. He noted a $99,000 safety grant was secured for more cameras and radios, coordinated by public safety officer Matt Miller.
There also was a safety seminar and demonstration put together by local and county public safety departments.
However, Leslie Gonzales, a media aide at Dorr Elementary, said she and her colleagues were disappointed that aides were not invited to the workshop and noted no agreement has been reached on a new employment contract for the group.
“Sometimes, I fell like we are forgotten,” she remarked.
Taylor said he is planning a workshop just for aides and food service workers.
