Crawford AuSable School District


	~ Serving the Educational Needs of the Community Since 1876 ~
*"Growing to Greatness"*	Crawford AuSable School District 1135 North Old U.S. 27 Grayling, MI 49738 Phone (989) 344-3500 - Fax (989) 348-6822 ~ CASD Board of Education

CASD

2012-2013 CASD School Board Members

iefs: 2010-2011

Annual Board Brief
Members Terms of Office
Board Meetings
Duties of the Board
Addressing School Matters Not on the Agenda
Addressing Agenda Items
Board Meeting Procedures
Links
Online CASD Board Policy Manual

front: Dave Malm, Trustee; Rick Febey, Vice President; Carol Ramaswamy, Secretary; Wendy Kucharek, Treasurer; back: Bill Dean, Trustee; Jim Hulbert, President. Not pictured: Lewis Madill, Trustee.

This page last updated Friday May 10, 2013

Meetings of the Board

Regular meetings of the board of education are held on the third Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the Grayling Elementary School Conference Room unless otherwise designated.
Special meetings of the board may be called periodically
Notices of special meetings are posted on the door of Grayling High School, 1135 North Old U.S. 27.
All regular and special meetings of the board of education are open to the public, and the public is urged to attend.

Regular meetings during the 2012-2013 school year will held on the following dates:

August 20, 2012
September 17, 2012
October 15, 2012
November 19, 2012
December 17, 2012
January 21, 2013 (Organizational Meeting)
February 11, 2013 (School is closed on the third Monday in February)
March 18, 2013
April 15, 2013
May 20, 2013
June 10, 2013 (School Finance Meeting)
June 17, 2013
July 15, 2013
August 19, 2013

Special Meetings during the 2012-2013 school year:

August 8, 2012 Breakfast Board Meeting at Westside Diner, 7:00am
September 6, 2012 Breakfast Board Meeting at Westside Diner, 7:00am
October 4, 2012 Breakfast Board Meeting at Westside Diner, 7:00am
November 1, 2012 Breakfast Board Meeting at Westside Diner, 7:00am
November 19, 2012 Special Board Meeting at Grayling Elementary, 5:15pm
December 11, 2012 Board Retreat at Flying Fish Lodge, 8:30am - Noon
January 3, 2013 Breakfast Board Meeting at Westside Diner, 7:00am
March 7, 2013 Breakfast Board Meeting at Westside Diner, 7:00am
April 11, 2013 Breakfast Board Meeting at Westside Diner, 7:00am
May 2, 2013 Breakfast Board Meeting at Westside Diner, 7:00am
May 16, 2013 Special Board Meeting at Grayling High School, 5:00pm

*These special meetings are determined at the previous months' regular board meeting. This list will be updated monthly.

NOTE: Any individual needing special accommodations because of a handicap must contact the superintendent's office three days prior to the meeting.

Duties of the Board

The primary challenge before the board of education is to exercise educational leadership to provide the best programs for each student's needs and abilities. It is the board's responsibility to:

Approve educational standards and goals as well as innovation and changes in curriculum.
Establish policy and hire a superintendent to execute these policies.
Maintain fiscal responsibility of the district.
Negotiate contracts with employee groups.

Addressing Agenda Items

Individuals may address the board on an agenda item after initial discussion of the item by the board.
Those wishing to speak must identify themselves when recognized by the president.
Individuals who know in advance that they wish to speak to a specific agenda item are asked to notify the president prior to the beginning of the meeting.
Individual speakers and groups are limited to five minutes. The president may reduce the time limit to three minutes if there are many speakers.

Addressing School Matters Not on the Agenda

Hearing Session:

Near the beginning of each regular meeting to enable persons to address the board.
Those wishing to speak must identify themselves when recognized by the president.
Individual speakers and groups are limited to five minutes. The president may reduce the time limit to three minutes if there are many speakers.
Up to one half hour will be allowed for the hearing session.
If more time is needed, the hearing session will be tabled to the end of the agenda. This extension will be no longer than one half hour unless extended by a majority of the board.

Personal Complaints Against School Personnel:

Should be presented to the board only after established channels have been observed.
      ~Discuss the matter with the employee first.
      ~If not resolved, discuss the matter with the employee's direct supervisor.
      ~If not resolved, discuss the matter with the superintendent.
To bring a matter to the board, a written request including a statement of facts and a statement describing why the matter is unresolved must be made to the superintendent at least seven days before the next board meeting.
The board may go into closed session to receive information from all appropriate parties if the individual staff member involved requests.

For a Most Timely Response:

When possible, matters of concern should be brought to the superintendent before being brought directly to the board.
The superintendent and members of the administrative team are full-time employees of the district charged with carrying out board policy and administering the daily operation of the district. Members of the board are not employees, are not involved in the daily operation of the district, and in many cases work full time in other career endeavors. Thus, questions posed to the board will generally be referred to the superintendent or other administrative staff.
If answers are not readily available, the board may direct that the matter be researched and reviewed by administration with resulting information to be presented at a future board meeting or directly to the person raising the question.

Board Meeting Procedures

It is the general practice of the board to hear and discuss proposals requiring action at one board meeting for a first reading with the proposal returned at the next meeting for action. This practice allows for thorough research and thought and helps to prevent ill-advised, illegal or improper decisions. The superintendent is required to make recommendations in advance of board action on questions brought before the board for their consideration and action.
The Board Finance Committee (comprising three members) reviews major fiscal proposals prior to full board consideration.

Carol Ramaswamy
Secretary

Carol Ramaswamy has lived in Grayling since 1982. She earned a BSN degree from Mercy College of Detroit (now University of Detroit-Mercy) and works as a surgical nurse at Mercy Hospital of Grayling.

Her priorities are to meet all students' needs and to keep CASD's academic programming solid during tough financial times: "The board of education is trying to come up with creative and neat ways for CASD kids to be ready for the job market. We have really tried and have done a fantastic job in keeping budget cuts away from programs and kids as much as we can. We have not eliminated programs and are keeping class sizes down so that the cuts don't affect the kids as much as is possible."

All four of her children attended K-12 in the CASD. Ravi, who lives in Brooklyn, NY, graduated from the University of Michigan and earned his teaching certificate at Eastern Michigan University. Rachel, who graduated from the University of Michigan and earned her master's degree at Georgetown University, has completed two years of medical school at Michigan State University. Rebecca, who graduated from Vassar College, works for Leadership Asheville and is applying to law school. Robert completed his year touring with The Whiffenpoofs of Yale University, and he now is completing his senior year while also working as lead coordinator of undergraduate recruitment at Yale. (The new Whiff CD featuring Robert and the Whiffs of 2011 came out on August 1, 2011.)

Carol Ramaswamy can be reached at carolramaswamy@yahoo.com or at 989-348-3000.

William Dean, O.D.
Trustee

Dr. Bill Dean graduated from Grayling High School in 1977, Hope College in 1981 and the Illinois College of Optometry in 1985. He served in the United States Air Force in 1985-88 and has been the owner of AuSable Eyecare since 1988.

Dr. Dean and his wife Cory (GHS Class of 1980) have four sons: Zach (Class of 2006), Spencer (Class of 2009), Griffin Sr. and Wesley Jr.

He can be reached at 989-348-2434 (home) or 989-348-3211 (office), by mail at P.O. Box 416, Grayling, 49738 or by e-mail at billdean59@gmail.com.

Wendy Kucharek
Treasurer

Wendy Feldhauser Kucharek has ties to Crawford County that date back to the 1880s when the Feldhauser family moved here. Her great grandfather built the Feldhauser School, which still stands on the corner of North Down River and Wakeley Bridge roads. Her mother was a Sorenson, so "I grew up in the funeral home." Her father Hank died in 1964, and her mother, Marlene Lippard, died in 1999.

She graduated from Grayling High School in 1973 and married Mike Kucharek in 1976. They have two sons, Charlie (GHS Class of '95) and Chris (GHS Class of '96). Chris Kucharek is presently a GMS science teacher and a coach. He and his wife Marlana have three children, two of whom attend AuSable Primary School. Having her grandchildren attend CASD schools is "part of the reason why I ran for the board," she said.

Wendy Kucharek earned an associate of arts degree from Kirtland Community College in 1995. She worked for the CASD, beginning in 1988 -- as a cook at GES, a hall monitor at GMS and the library paraprofessional at FES and GMS -- until her retirement in 2011.

Contact her at 989-348-7528 or wkucharek@charter.net .

Lewis Madill
Trustee

Lewis Madill is a lifelong resident of Crawford County who resides in the Frederic/Maple Forest area. He graduated from Grayling High School in 1977. In 1983, he graduated cum laude from Central Michigan University with a B.S. degree in business administration. Since 1975, he has been employed by AuSable Woodworking.

He married Kristine Klintworth in 1984. They have two children, both GHS graduates. He also has nieces and cousins attending schools in the CASD.

Mr. Madill enjoys being with his family, outdoor recreation and sports.

He can be reached at lmadill77@gmail.com .

Rick Febey
Vice President

Rick Febey has been a resident of Grayling since 1981. He graduated from Maine East High School in Park Ridge, Illinois, then earned a B.S. in physical education from the University of Iowa in 1967 and a B.S. in physical therapy from the University of Illinois in 1973.

He taught physical education and coached gymnastics and tennis at Rich East High School in Park Forest, Illinois, prior to beginning a career in physical therapy. Since 1984, he has been in private physical therapy practice.

He and his wife Barbara, a retired GHS mathematics teacher, have three grown children who attended CASD schools.

He enjoys golfing, cooking and playing the banjo.

Mr. Febey can be reached at 989-348-2015 or rfebey@gmail.com .

James Hulbert
President

James Hulbert attended Frederic Elementary School for grades K-6, Grayling Middle School for grades 7-8 and Grayling High School for grades 9-12. He graduated from Central Michigan University in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in social work. He returned to Frederic in 1996 and has worked with Northern Family Intervention Services, Inc., as a family specialist since 1998.

Mr. Hulbert's three oldest children completed home school programs, four graduated from GHS (in 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2010), and his youngest will graduate in 2015.

First elected to the school board in 2005, his priorities include academic excellence and financial accountability. His work exposes him to most of the surrounding schools, and he says, "The CASD is a leader in assisting children, youth and families in a well-rounded and highly performing school experience."

He can be reached at 989-350-0248 or at jhulbert@casdk12.net .

Dave Malm
Trustee

Dave Malm has been a resident of Grayling since 1982. He holds a B.S. degree from the University of Minnesota in wood science/engineering and recently retired after 30 years in the forest products Industry (Weyerhaeuser Company).

Dave and his wife Ann (GHS class of 1979) have three daughters: Kara and Andrea (Class of 2012 and currently attending Grand Valley State University) and Meagan (currently a junior at GHS).

Dave can be reached at davemalm1402@gmail.com or 989-348-3219.