Olivet Board of Education

The 2009-2010 Olivet Board of Education

Front: L to R: Patricia Sheets, Beth Page, Irene Perry, Back: L to R: David Judd, Kevin Sharp, Rick Platzer, Ron Wilson

Information about each Board member can be found by clicking on their individual name below.

President Beth Page	Vice-President Irene Perry
Secretary Patricia Sheets	Treasurer David Judd
Trustee, Ron Wilson
Trustee, Rick Platzer
Trustee, Kevin Sharp

The Olivet Board of Education meets the second and fourth Monday of each month in the Middle School Library at 6:30 p.m. The public is invited and encouraged to attend these meetings. Board Meeting Agendas are listed below for your convenience:

Board of Education

State Budget News & Board Adopted Resolution

by David Campbell, Superintendent of Schools

If you receive The Oakum, our district newsletter, you may have already read the following information and resolution adopted by the Olivet Board of Education at it's meeting on November 16, 2009. This resolution was adopted in light of the ongoing budget crisis in our state. We hope this will encourage you to take action too.

There has been a great deal of publicity lately about the state's budget problems. The state's budget problems have a direct impact on the Olivet Community Schools, as the vast majority of our funding comes from the state. State tax revenues are down 15 to 20% due to the recession. School budgets have been kept afloat by the stimulus money that the federal government is providing to prevent layoffs and program cuts. I was asked last night at the volleyball game how Olivet Schools is sustaining the budget cuts. Due to the shrinking tax revenues, we have been cut about $240,000 in October and we may be cut another $180,000 here in November if the legislators and governor do not either cut the state budget somewhere else, come up with more revenue or a combination. This certainly impacts us, but not as much as many school districts. The two main reasons is the fact that our student count grew by over 30 students over the last year again and we have built up a healthy fund equity (savings account), which we will need to take from to sustain our staffing levels this year. At this point, our staff is in place for this year and we do not plan to make any drastic cuts, but we are watching what is happening in Lansing very closely as it has significant impact on Olivet.

Another question I’ve been asked is “Why would we build a new athletic complex when our revenues are being cut?” This is a good question with a simple answer. It is illegal to use bond money pay for operating and personnel costs. Bond money can only be used for facility/equipment improvements.

Our Board of Education, along with many others across the state, have adopted the following resolution to urge our legislators and governor to find solutions to the structural funding problems we have in public education. If you would like to discuss this with me, please call me at 749-9129.

Below are your legislators phone numbers if you would like to discuss it with them:

Resolution in Support of Funding for Education

WHEREAS, education is the cornerstone of a successful economic turnaround and investment in education is the key to a new Michigan; and

WHEREAS, the children of Michigan deserve educational opportunities that allow them to compete on a national and international basis; and

WHEREAS, it is imperative to combine needed investments in education with meaningful, money-saving reforms in the delivery of educational programs; and

WHEREAS, the long-term economic health of our state, and opportunity for our citizens is conditioned on meaningful structural reform to provide stable and fair funding for education; and

WHEREAS, given the crippling effects on our citizens and our educational institutions of continuing short-term, temporary measures and budget impasses over education funding; now, therefore, be it

RESOLUVED, that the board of education for the Olivet Community Schools encourages the governor and legislature to immediately find the revenues necessary to reduce the cuts to the education budget to meet their Constitutional responsibility to the children of this state; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the board of education for the Olivet Community Schools encourages the governor and legislature to look beyond the immediate revenue shortfall and focus on the perennial and structural deficit that plagues school finance in Michigan.

Adopted November 9, 2009

Eaton County	Telephone #
Representative Rick Jones	517-373-0853
Senator Patty Birkholz	517-373-3447
Calhoun County
Representative Jace Bolger	517-373-1787
Senator Elect Mike Nofs	517-373-2426

Olivet Schools Mission Statement

"Olivet Community Schools is committed to providing a caring, and academically challenging environment that develops responsible

citizens prepared to meet the changing demands of our society."

Upon completion of the Strategic Planning process, the Olivet Board of Education adopted Value, Belief and Vision Statements along with annual Goals. The Strategic Plan was developed by a committee of 30 representative staff, parents, and students over a seven month period. It included comments, feedback, and suggestions sought from the school community including the updated mission statement. To receive a copy of the 2007 Strategic Plan, please feel free to call the Superintendent's Office at 269-749-9129 or write to us at 255 First Street, Olivet, Michigan, 49076.