By Megan Kelley

Review Writer

In the first school board meeting of 2019, the board opened up their Jan. 9 meeting with their annual organizational meeting.

After very little discussion, there was some slight reorganization of board members.

Treasurer Jim Weidman nominated Birgit McQuiston for the spot of school board president. McQuiston, who was previously the school board’s vice president, was elected to the position unanimously by her fellow board members, including previous president Scott Taylor, who seconded McQuiston’s nomination.

Taylor was then nominated for vice president by Secretary Dana Mermell.

Weidman and Mermell maintained their positions as board’s treasurer and secretary, respectively.

All positions were voted on and filled unanimously.

After some quick seat-switching, the board looked to Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Heidi Mercer and Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Rick Arnett for the 2019-2020 school year’s schools of choice approval.

In the current 2018-2019 school year, Lake Orion has used the “not to exceed 10 percent,” guideline, and Mercer and Arnett recommended the same be done in the coming school year.

“We have two types of SOC (Schools of Choice); the 105c, which are those from surrounding communities and then we have those for people-accounting purposes that are coded 06; the 06 are employee children who are considered schools of choice as well,” said Arnett.

Should the enrollment remain the same as when Arnett initially ran his report on Dec. 12, in order not to exceed 10 percent of the grade-level population, the district would have an estimated 82.6 openings for the 2019-2020 school year, Arnett explained.

“Typically, we would offer in excess of that number because we know through history and experience that when you offer those positions not everyone follows through with enrollment,” Arnett said. “Some people apply for schools of choice to multiple districts and then kind of pick and choose which one, if they get in or just don’t follow through, so we’ll probably offer in the neighborhood of 110 positions.”

Schools of choice 105c students are required to enter what is called a “lottery” where the children are accepted into the district at random by lottery drawing.

Non-resident 06 students are not required to apply through the lottery system but Arnett suggests that it may be in the employee’s best interest to do so.

Because state law does not allow 06 students secure enrollment like that of 105c students, should an 06 child’s parent lose their employment in the schools, the child would then lose their enrollment eligibility and be required to apply through the lottery as a 105c if they wished to stay in the district.

Students who were previously enrolled as 06 students cannot be shown preferential treatment if they are forced to enroll as 105c students later down the line. Because of this, a number of district employees have decided to apply through the lottery system to secure their child’s spot should their employment status change.

Trustee Jake Singer, as well as Vice-President Taylor, felt as though 06 students who had been enrolled in the district and then due to changes in employment had to apply as a 105c should be given preference because of their enrollment history.

However, any board policy created would not supercede the current state law.

“We’ve been, ‘we’ meaning me, have been battling with the state on a similar issue and that has to do with giving preference to people who are currently in our district and then have to move out but want to stay in the district and I have been unsuccessful,” Superintendent Marion Ginopolis said.

The board unanimously voted to maintain the not to exceed 10 percent guideline for schools of choice in the 2019-2020 school year.