School Dance Rules, Inspection Results Top Gros Cap Agenda
By Paul Gingras

The Gros Cap School Board of Education has pledged chaperones for dances organized by the Gros Cap Student Council, if and when the council holds such an event. The topic was discussed at length at the school board meeting Monday, April 16, following a miscommunication between Gros Cap and St. Ignace Area Schools, regarding a dance held at St. Ignace Friday, April 13.

Gros Cap students were not able to attend, owing to changes in their neighboring district's plans and a new middle school policy that went into effect this year at St. Ignace Area Schools. Gros Cap and St. Ignace middle schools have traditionally attended each other's dances and will continue to do so, said administrators from both districts.

Seventh and eighth grade students at St. Ignace did not originally plan to hold a dance. They were organizing a chaperoned "lock down," during which the students would spend the night at the school listening to music and playing games.

The students did not manage to gather enough chaperones to meet their Thursday, April 12, planning deadline, but they had scheduled a disc jockey and had sufficient chaperones for a dance. At the last minute, they decided to hold the dance and received approval for the new plan from the administration, St. Ignace Superintendent Mike Springsteen said. Normally, Gros Cap would have been informed, but given the event's last minute nature, the school chose to restrict the dance to St. Ignace students.

At the Gros Cap meeting, board members discussed this and learned of a new rule that requires a Gros Cap teacher to be present at the St. Ignace dances when Gros Cap students attend. The rule will ensure that there is a chaperone on hand who knows who the Gros Cap students are, Mr. Springsteen explained.

This is a good idea, Gros Cap school board members said. Mr. Springsteen said planning deadlines for dances will take place mid-week from now on.

Gros Cap Trustee Ed Radecki commented that the mishap was unfortunate, but minor.

"Now let's see what we can do to get our kids a dance," he said.

The Gros Cap Student Council generates plans for its school dances. There has not been such an event at Gros Cap for at least two years, board president Janice O'Boyle said.

Gros Cap Superintendent Bill Peltier suggested dances should have at least 15 chaperones, adding that dances should only be held for the school's seventh and eighth grade students, while younger students should have different after-school activities.

In other business, Mr. Radecki reported the results of the school's latest asbestos inspection, conducted Monday, March 26, by Arm Industrial and Environmental Consultants of Big Rapids. The company determined that students, staff, and visitors are in no danger from asbestos in the building. The company followed state and federal guidelines required by the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act. Inhaling certain kinds of asbestos fibers has been proven to cause health problems.

Although the school as undergone construction in the past three years, including replacing windows, the company determined that flooring and walls sealing off the school's remaining asbestos are in good shape, Mr. Radecki said. Most of the school's asbestos was removed in the late 1980s and early 1990s, he added.

Asbestos was used in the construction of old school buildings, owing to its flame retardant and insulating capabilities. Mr. Radecki plans to provide a thorough report regarding the remaining asbestos at Gros Cap at the May school board meeting.

The board also discussed its Monday, March 19, decision to support a regional millage request by the Eastern Upper Peninsula Intermediate School District (EUPISD). The ISD seeks to levy 0.75 mills for special education throughout its 13 districts. The issue will be put before voters Tuesday, May 8.

The ISD currently provides Gros Cap with $9,143 per year to help pay special education costs. If the millage passes, it will provide an additional $33,404 for special education expenses at Gros Cap.

The ISD plans to gather the funding and distribute it based on the needs of its individual school districts. In Moran Township, the millage would gather $57,806 from residents and business owners.

A mill is equal to $1 for each $1,000 in taxable value of property.

The school has been spending approximately $30,000 a year on special education, Mr. Peltier said. Next year, he expects the district's bill to reach approximately $60,000.

All school districts are required by law to provide services for students with special needs, he added, therefore, expenses not covered by the ISD must be paid with the district's general fund revenue. Gros Cap's general fund budget is $1,018,258, which provides for almost all school programs.