School Board Approves Turnaround Plan

bhas2-22
bhas2-22

The Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education has approved a turnaround plan drafted for the district by its Community Engagement and Advisory Committee. During a virtual meeting Tuesday night, Superintendent Andrae Townsel read from the resolution noting his team is confident in the final turnaround plan that was drafted.

“The superintendent’s executive leadership team went through the assessment report and academic and financial operating plan, and developed their own proposal in alignment with the Community Engagement Advisory Committee’s proposal,” Townsel read.

Townsel’s team did alter parts of the plan to, as he put it, reflect changes in the district that have occurred since it was drafted. The state has agreed to them. Board President Joseph Taylor was glad to see the plan approved.

“We started this work in September of 2019, and the vision for this work was, simply put, to save our school system. Today we are doing that. We are on the right path.”

The Community Engagement and Advisory Committee began meeting in October to form a plan for fixing the district’s finances, academics, and facilities. The final document includes things like the hiring of a curriculum specialist, seeking a voter-approved millage to bond the district’s debt obligations, and eliminating unnecessary buildings. The school board’s vote on Tuesday to approve the plan was unanimous.