[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6579896,"mediaKeyId","3290974-740c4ce400e6357a79754b3ebdcce539","parentId",3290974,"title","Saline students win state and national recognition in CAD, esports and swimming","audioSeconds",1944,"startMs",629000,"endMs",2573000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3290974-740c4ce400e6357a79754b3ebdcce539&start=629&end=2573","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3290974-740c4ce400e6357a79754b3ebdcce539/thumbnail_629000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6579896/Michigan/Saline-students-win-state-and-national-recognition-in-CAD-esports-and-swimming","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6579896-3c5ad4baf6089754087e12e7ca56791f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204020&Signature=n0HeY9btk1nE0Hq6U4IRt~K7t7VzOSf2T1oKxzN5ZqIzfKnoDE-UVI6hoNK7K9jkwxEHRKU~LYTc22GSAGWCz58VUc4Ac5bj~JilkES~5znkU2QCvUWa4VGuW4sC4~u8DYiMhJb6IgbvjHJbg1OLHndG2QM0VaBbd3nydteVy3oleI27pq7HjKFFg0RqHu2Vo13LdYrYHHz911Oz49Vr7OjmppIn5-Mj-DvgTbpWi23ti1R754jIaGVW04JwpDiICab-Zzr~uD6JujzO~q-O9LGJEwnxg5bQEARjb0g4bBRxY2BFQQTfNbv4qypbtuaefDxA9tpzbMImp-4485ox9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Saline Area Schools","date","2025-04-25T00:10:27Z","article","The Saline Area Schools Board on May 13 honored student teams and the instructors who coach them, recognizing the 2025 State Champion Saline High School boys swim and dive team, top finishes from the CAD (Computer-Aided Design) program, and a rapidly growing esports program that has collected state titles and national rankings.

Saline boys swim and dive
Board members recognized the Saline High School boys swim and dive team for winning the MHSAA Division 1 state championship on March 13. Coaches and captains were introduced and the district highlighted individual honors: Diego Valdez won the 100 butterfly and Isaac Adanen won the 200 IM and the 100 breaststroke. The board noted the team’s cumulative GPA (3.7 unweighted, 3.9 weighted) and named several all-state and All-American honorees.

CAD and SkillsUSA success
The district showcased students from the SWWC CAD program and their SkillsUSA competition results. The district said CAD students placed in multiple state categories and that Saline produced state champions in both technical drafting and architectural drafting. Presenters said the program has produced multiple state and national champions over the past 12 years and highlighted students accepted to top architecture and engineering programs.

Esports program growth
Saline’s esports coach, Steve Vasiloff, presented the program’s second-year results: a state championship in Mario Kart (fall), high finishes in Valorant (state runner-up), and top-8 or top-16 placements in several other titles (Smash Brothers, Overwatch, Rocket League). The program reported national rankings (first in USA Today’s National Power 25 after three weeks this season) and scholarship offers to graduating players. Vasiloff described esports as a student-led program where coaches create an environment for students to improve. He said the program is housed under Community Education while the state association moves toward broader sanctioning.

What coaches said
Todd Brunte, head swim coach, thanked the board and expressed pride in the student-athletes’ academic and athletic accomplishments. Esports coach Steve Vasiloff said the program is student-centered: \"I create an environment for them to get better… I am not the person who taught them which button to click and when. I create an environment for them to get better in, but once again, I am not the person who taught them which button to click and when.\" The CAD teacher and students described projects submitted to state competitions, including architectural plans and technical drawings.

The board gathered students and coaches for photo recognitions and thanked families and volunteers who support extracurricular programs.

Provenance: Student recognitions and student showcase occurred early in the May 13 meeting; coaches and students described awards, competitions and next steps.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Saline Area Schools: Board of Education Meeting (05.13.2025)","oneSentenceSummary","The Saline Area Schools Board recognized student achievements May 13: CAD students won multiple state awards and national placements; the Saline High School boys swim and dive team won the MHSAA Division 1 state championship; the esports program earned state titles and national rankings.","taxTitle","Saline Area Schools, School Boards, Michigan","taxId",38490,"location","Michigan","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6579901,"Special education leaders describe staffing, programming and a new 'grow your own' RBT plan",1189,5583000,6772000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3290974-740c4ce400e6357a79754b3ebdcce539&start=5583&end=6772","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3290974-740c4ce400e6357a79754b3ebdcce539/thumbnail_5583000.jpg","/articles/6579901/Michigan/Special-education-leaders-describe-staffing-programming-and-a-new-grow-your-own-RBT-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6579901-7ad6906f89332994b91e2aa986cd5031/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204020&Signature=j7WzR8ezNMDTYpeVJ0xnMBOWYz1oRP302W~fRkvb2mzXVRxKZj9aGhO1EcvUoR0m72-uXlD7BwNXgGpNHaENWuRqP6ANUxKzmk6WJF5P~yX2455X6AD7hgEl1vJZWoUL9sDpM-N4~WTBUK2Shaf~q~bJwUOt1IXPpilqU83QNFDw6MewpGk445-6FcGFHXn3fMoQ24BtaVKZWFfLL-pBBUULvKUeeDsCB6Q5q-mFVNn7h6uFjxY2INt-wqngJ-5kSwjme2VeAu06CFZp8y50ntob~RauaKmtm6hq3SGkFe8cv4VuCowoDLU6iS-EA0UnqzhZj1OJW7~fieCUXPZTfg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Saline Area Schools’ special education directors briefed the Board of Education on May 13 on programs, staffing needs and next steps for the coming year, reporting roughly 895 students receiving special education services and highlighting plans to bring certain contracted occupational therapy staff into district employment.

Presenters outlined the district’s array of programs — teacher consultants, resource-room instruction, life-skills programming, early-childhood special education and a young-adult program for students up to age 26. The presentation said Saline students represent 12 of the state’s 13 special education eligibility categories, with the largest cohorts identified as otherwise health impaired (238) and autism spectrum disorder (152).

Administrators described several district strengths: a robust peer-to-peer and inclusive activities program (Unified Sports), a nationally noted connecting program at the high school, and a special education advisory committee (SEAC) that is active in programming and family outreach. The board heard that the unified sports program recently participated in events hosted at Little Caesars Arena and worked with neighboring districts on track and basketball opportunities.

Staffing and budget context
Special education leaders said staffing needs have increased with more students presenting complex medical and behavioral needs. The department reported approximately 232 staff supporting special education services, with paraprofessionals comprising one of the largest groups. Presenters said salary and benefits remain the largest expense; about 30% of special education costs are reimbursed through state funds and about 9% from federal funds, with the balance coming from local/intermediate sources and transfers.

New initiatives and training
The department previewed a district \"Grow Our Own\" Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) program. The plan would fund summer training for about 10 current paraprofessionals and cover exam fees; the district intends to develop its own in-house training in future years to reduce external costs and potentially offer training to neighboring districts. The RBT pathway aims to expand behavioral support capacity, improve implementation of positive behavior support plans and reduce reliance on costly outside contractors.

Administrators also said the district has been working to convert six contracted occupational therapists to district employees, citing equity and integration benefits for students and staff. The department said it will continue to hire for multiple ancillary positions — speech-language pathologists, social workers, BCBAs (board-certified behavior analysts) and others — and identified staff turnover and finding time for professional coaching as ongoing challenges.

Data, compliance and next steps
District leaders said they monitor seclusion and restraint data and hold monthly reviews with internal teams and an outside consultant; they reported that those figures have declined from earlier peaks and that teams regularly revise behavior plans. The department plans continued training around functional behavior assessments (FBAs), positive behavior support plans and other compliance and instructional priorities.

The board thanked the presenters for the report and asked for follow-up materials, including more detail on seclusion/restraint data and a parent survey option to gather family feedback on special education services.

Provenance: Special education annual update presented during the May 13 board meeting; presenters described staffing, eligibility counts, budget sources and the new RBT plan.","Saline Area Schools special education leaders told the board they serve roughly 895 students across 12 eligibility categories, highlighted unified sports and inclusion programs, and described a new district initiative to train paraprofessionals as Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs).",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6579905,"Saline board presses for clearer superintendent contract language, approves bond sale and tech purchases",3405,1445000,4850000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3290974-740c4ce400e6357a79754b3ebdcce539&start=1445&end=4850","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3290974-740c4ce400e6357a79754b3ebdcce539/thumbnail_1445000.jpg","/articles/6579905/Michigan/Saline-board-presses-for-clearer-superintendent-contract-language-approves-bond-sale-and-tech-purchases","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6579905-18caf62854df348c08c77f975035edf3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771204020&Signature=JSnajPN29z1uv-Tnd0WZPzwtFSLlCoPPA3bps9DCfJ26Q9nDL2AFPClMYGpneTYLfD9lllbSwoQ1~hnGReX2SqJAid315CyU~nZi2DeAjVB28lN81wmY~X9DVVZcJSx~fu2kXCHG5wZz4h8Zan7THd7hy-DE4p2mQdGnVX6h3W4QlM2JZgIAbDyBOEu8U9~TULFxoji0O77lKc95Z-Vwvc6mlhkatE4nYEHfN5w7lHjmYGrtdRDPvX8J1HcKxmrmkldi2-EGiKKEFTzhHv~n8z5XGy-oDn~k5r9gPcvYF82LB0Peje856dq67aw60pYZNgN5y16xKx3rrJcT5hEB1w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Saline Area Schools Board of Education on May 13 moved discussion of a final draft of the incoming superintendent's contract for further legal and formatting review, saying trustees need clearer definitions and structure before approving it, while voting to approve a bond sale and several technology purchases.

Trustees debated the contract draft after President and administrators added the document to the agenda that evening. Board members said the substantive terms of the agreement appeared acceptable but that the draft lacked standard contract structure — including defined terms and numbered sections — that could render some clauses unenforceable.

Board member Jason (last name not specified on the record) pressed the point: \"The contract written is not at all an assignable contract. It needs to be structured as a contract. We need to have whereas statements. We need to have a list of definitions,\" he said during the meeting.

Superintendent Steve Lach said district staff are already working on transition plans and that the administration is moving forward with onboarding activities while the contract's legal and formatting issues are resolved. \"We are very excited about that,\" Lach said of the incoming superintendent, Rachel Kowalski, whom the board selected in recent weeks.

Rather than vote to finalize the contract that night, trustees agreed to treat the item as a discussion and to convene a special meeting after legal review and a reformatting pass. Board members asked that defined terms (for example, capitalized references to \"Board,\" \"Employer,\" and \"Superintendent\") be added, scrivener errors corrected and the document returned for a final vote. The board president said she would call a special meeting as soon as the revised document is ready.

Votes at a glance
- Bond sale resolution (Troon bond sale resolution dated 05/06/2025): motion to approve sale of bonds at total purchase price $59,998,520.68 — passed (7-0). The board thanked district finance staff for managing the complex sale and noted the favorable rate achieved.
- Policy update (Policy 5540, \"Interrogation of Students\"): motion to approve updates submitted by the policy committee — passed (unanimous voice vote recorded as \"Aye\"). The update adds language about principal or designated guidance presence during interviews except where expressly prohibited by child protective services.
- Purchase: 500 Chromebooks through Travera (vendor on REMSI consortium bid) — amount $164,500 — motion passed (6-1). Trustees discussed device lifecycle (expected five years), disposal/recycling plans and classroom device management.
- Purchase: 150 Mac mini computers with monitors and wired keyboards to replace iMac labs — amount $140,092.50 — motion passed (7-0).
- Designation for Washtenaw ISD biennial board election (06/02/2025): the board approved naming a representative and alternate for the district's biennial Intermediate School District election. The board recorded the designation during the meeting and voted to approve the selection (voice vote recorded as \"Aye\").
- Support for Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD) 2025–26 budget resolution: motion to support the WISD general fund and special education fund budget as presented — passed (7-0).

What trustees said about tech purchases
Trustees pressed staff on device usage and management. Director of Technology Jay Grossman explained district device plans: pre-K–2 use iPads 1:1, third grade transitions to Chromebooks, and 3–5 classrooms have a device per student. Grossman said older devices are approaching six years and the new Chromebooks are intended as replacements on a five-year cycle; outdated devices will be recycled and some retained for parts.

Board member Darcy Burwick said she had not received sufficient time to review the superintendent contract materials sent earlier that day and asked that trustees be given equitable review time for large decisions. The board agreed to delay final action on the contract to allow a brief but complete legal and formatting review and to reconvene if necessary via a special meeting.

Next steps
The board directed legal counsel and administration to reformat the superintendent contract to include defined terms and to correct scrivener errors. Trustees said they want the revised draft reviewed by counsel and returned for a final vote at a specially called meeting or at the next regular meeting, as appropriate. The candidate for superintendent, Rachel Kowalski, remains the named finalist and the board said onboarding work will proceed pending final contract approval.","At its May 13 meeting the Saline Area Schools Board of Education moved discussion of a final draft superintendent contract to a follow-up meeting after trustees raised format and definition concerns, while approving a $59.99 million bond sale, updates to policy 5540 and purchases of Chromebooks and Mac mini computers.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Saline students win state and national recognition in CAD, esports and swimming

Special education leaders describe staffing, programming and a new 'grow your own' RBT plan

Saline board presses for clearer superintendent contract language, approves bond sale and tech purchases