GLADSTONE — Gladstone School Superintendent Jay Kulbertis discussed the district’s continued efforts to plan for the 2020-21 school year during a regular meeting of the Gladstone Area Schools Board of Education Monday.

“(There’s) a lot of frustration with a lack of purposeful guidance at the state level right now,” he said.

Gladstone Area Schools employees are working to put plans in place for multiple possibilities.

“What we’re trying to do is scenario-plan for a number of different contingencies,” Kulbertis said.

Based on recent statements made by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, school districts in Michigan should be able to welcome students back to their buildings this fall.

“The big question is going to be how are we going to get them here, and how many are we going to be able to have at one time,” Kulbertis said.

With this in mind, Kulbertis said the district is preparing to offer face-to-face learning.

“We’re also putting the pieces in place to do a better job of the ‘hybrid’ or part-live, part-distanced (education),” he said.

Additionally, Kulbertis said he would like to offer online education as an option for students in the new school year.

“We are aware that there will be some parents who just will not be comfortable sending their kids to school, so we want to be able to have a fully-virtual option for them,” he said.

Kulbertis went on to address the financial challenges the district expects to face in the coming months.

“The state is telling us to prepare for the largest funding cut in history, and there will be a massive increase in safety protocols to make sure that our students get here and can be here safely. As you can imagine, those things don’t come together real easily,” he said.

Later in the meeting, board members agreed to hold a special meeting on Monday, June 29 at 6 p.m. The board’s 2020-21 budget hearing will take place at the meeting, which will once again be held virtually.

“We will adopt a budget – it’s going to be based on our best assumptions. It’s very likely not going to be based on a real solid look into the future, because there are just too many question marks right now,” Kulbertis said.

In other business, the board:

– approved proposed curriculum changes for Gladstone Area High School.

– approved a calendar for the upcoming school year.

– adopted the 2020-21 Michigan High School Athletic Association Resolution.

– accepted an area purchasing agreement for faculty health insurance.

– accepted a letter of resignation from Taylor Van Brocklin as middle school cheer coach and a retirement request from Patti Nyberg.