Saline Area Schools is Seeking New Policy Services

At the school board meeting last month, the Saline Area Schools Board of Education started a new process for the district’s all-important policies. During the meeting, the board discussed the implementation of new Thrun Policies and Timeline.

Policies are a big part of every school district in Michigan. Covering basically all areas in a district, from non-discrimination and equity, attendance and truancy, technology use and many other areas, policies are important because they must align with state law and are set by the board of education.   

The facilitator of the discussion at the December meeting was Saline School Board President Michael McVey. The Sun Times News followed up with McVey to ask about the talk of policies.

The big part of the discussion comes after the superintendent and her team, with the support of the Board of Education Policy Committee, determined that it is in the district’s best interest to transition from NEOLA Policy Services to Thrun Policy Services.

McVey said given the number of laws governing school districts and the frequency of changes at the state legislature, “it is essential to maintain policies aligned with current legal requirements.”

“These firms ensure that districts are regularly updated on changes at both the state and federal levels,” McVey said.

He said this transition is in alignment with peer districts that have made a similar shift in recent years.

“The Board of Education and the district administrative team are taking great care to ensure the new policy framework aligns with district operations,” McVey said.

Here’s a look at some description of Thrun’s services from their webpage:

“For over 75 years, Thrun Law Firm has set the standard for representing Michigan school districts and ISDs. Our clients have come to rely on Thrun’s legal expertise in every aspect of school law, including board policies. Thrun attorneys have extensive experience with reviewing, drafting, and modifying policies adopted by Michigan schools. After years of advising clients on countless policies that were inconsistent, confusing, or even in some cases not legally compliant, we knew a change was needed for Michigan schools.

Since 2020, we have offered the comprehensive Thrun Policy Service, created by Michigan attorneys specifically for Michigan schools. Thrun policies are designed to be legally compliant while still providing school officials with guidance and flexibility in a well-organized and user-friendly format.”