Testing, testing. Thank you. We will now go ahead and call the organizational meeting to order today's Tuesday January to 30th. And we thank Principal Bolger and his entire team for hosting us for the next five months after January 8, English village Preparatory Academy at Feeny meeting is now called to order. Madam Secretary, can we please have a roll call?
Angelique Peterson Mayberry.
I'm president Misha Stallworth.
Sonia may present Dr. Iris Taylor, she irrigator Yogo Latrice McClendon, Bishop color Yvonne, Madam Chair, you have a quorum, thank
you. Meeting norms, respect the right of all persons to participate in this public meeting of the board and kindly request that everyone engages in behavior that supports the same in the event that any one engages in behavior that is not in support of the good, we request that you refrain from that behavior. We will now have our moment of silence.
Thank you. The Chair will now entertain a motion to approve the agenda as presented.
Madam Chair, I would like to make the motion to the agenda as it is support.
Thank you. The motion is on the floor has been properly supported to approve the agenda as presented any discussion? All those in favor of approving the agenda as presented signify by saying Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. Thank you. Public comment. Registration has now closed the time is 519519. We'll now move into item number four committee appointments. So we have 4.01 curriculum academics committee. We have 4.02 Finance Committee, and we have 4.03 policy ad hoc committee and 4.0 for Code of Conduct hearing committee.
Madam Chair, can we tap our like to tap out 4.01 4.0 to 4.0 3.0 for support
is a motion on the Florida toolbar items 4.01 through 4.04 for committee appointments, any discussion? I will only identify the committee's. So for curriculum academics committee we have Vishal Carlota Vaughn chair, Dr. Iris Taylor, and Latrice McClendon finance committee we have Sonia mais chair Sherry gatech nogo Misha Stallworth policy ad hoc committee, we have Misha Stallworth chair, Dr. Iris Taylor, Sherry gay diagnoseable. Code of Conduct hearing committee, we have Misha Stallworth, the Treece, McClendon, and myself as an alternate any further discussion. All those in favor of the tie bar on the floor signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries the chair now entertain a motion for the tie bar of items 4.01 through 4.04. So move zero support improperly moved by member Vaughn properly supported by member McClendon any discussion? All those in favor of the tie bar which is the motion on the floor signify by saying Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. We will now move into item number five internal board representative appointments. We have 5.01 which is our legislative representative 5.0 to dpscd. Public Safety Oversight Committee 5.03 dpscd exceptional student education board representative.
Madam Chair, I'd like to move to tab bar 501502 and 5.03.
Is there support support? It's been properly moved to tie bar items 5.1 through point 03. Any discussion? The only discussion I would lift up is that our legislative representative continues to be shared gatech nogo dpscd Public Safety Oversight Committee is now being led by Dr. Iris Taylor. And dpscd exceptional student education board representative is Vice President stalwart was any further discussion. All those in favor of the Tiber on the floor signify by saying Aye Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried. The chair will now entertain a motion for the tie bar of items 5.01 through 5.03. So moved their support. It's been properly moved by member Vaughn properly supported by member Mays any discussion? All those in favor of the motion on the floor for the tie bars signify by saying Aye. Any opposed? Motion carry. Item number six external organization appointments. We have 6.01 Michigan Association of School Boards MSB 6.0 to Michigan Association of School Board delegates which there are four. We have 6.03 Detroit Public Library Commission. We have 6.0 for Detroit Public Library Commission selection committee. 6.05 Wayne County Association of School Boards WCA is a SB and 6.06 Detroit Public Schools Foundation.
Madam Chair, I'd like to tie bar 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 and 6.06 support.
It's been properly moved by member Vaughn and properly supported by member Mays, any discussion? My only discussion is to lift up Michigan Association of School Boards is member McClendon, Michigan Association of School Board delegates there are four Misha Vaughn Sonia Mays, myself and Misha Stallworth Detroit Public Library Commission myself by statute, the Detroit Public Library Commission selection committee, chaired by Bishop Colette Yvonne myself, Vice President Stallworth West Wayne County Association, Wayne County Association of School Boards Dr. Iris Taylor and myself and Detroit Public Schools Foundation, myself and Dr. Taylor. Any discussion of the motion on the floor for the tie bar? All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried the chair will now entertain a motion for the tie bar of items 6.01 through 6.06. So moved. Is there support. It's been properly moved by member bar and properly supported by member Mays for the tie bar of item 6.01 through 6.06. Any discussion? All those in favor of the motion on the floor signify by saying aye? Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries Item number seven. Our action items we have 7.01 designation of individual for posting notices of meetings. We have 7.02 ratification of 2024 school board meetings calendar, and we have 7.03 approval of Minish memberships. One of those is MSB Michigan Association of School Boards. The total amount is $11,274.62 and 7.0 3.2. Wayne County Association of School Boards and that dollar amount is $170.
I'll make a motion to tie bar items 7.0170 to 703. And then the two sub items under 703. Together.
Thank you there's a motion for to tie bar item 7.01 through 7.03. Inclusive point 7.0 3.1 and 7.0 3.2. Support it's been properly moved by member Mays properly supported by member Vaughn any discussion, all those in favor signify by saying aye of the motion on the floor. Any opposed? Motion carries. The chair will now entertain a motion for the tie bar of item 7.01 through 7.03, inclusive of 7.0 1.1 and I'm sorry 7.0 3.1 and 7.0 3.2. So moved zero support. It's been properly moved by member Baum properly support by member McClendon for tie bar, any discussion. All those in favor signify by saying aye of the motion on the floor. Any opposed? Motion carries. Thank you. We will now move into public comment.
Members of the public are welcome to address the board during public comment. Individuals wishing to address the board must register in person or virtually prior to the close of public comment registration. That chair will call the names of individuals to address the board in order to receive please remain seated until your name is call for those who are joining virtually for public comment. That will be facilitated through a zoom webinar. Individuals wishing to address the Board may do so by choosing one of two options one through your computer select the Raise Your Hand option on the screen or two through your telephone you can press star nine and that raises your hand on the telephone. The meeting administrator will select the individuals in order receive you will remain muted until it is your time to speak. All comments will be limited to three minutes. The superintendent will reply to questions or concerns raised today that do not violate ethical or legal standards, confidentiality, privacy of others or requires a different additional information to respond. If you would like a direct response to your question and our concern, please forward an email to the secretary of the board. Vanja more at Vanja dot more at Detroit K twelve.org. Do we have anyone in the room? Who has a parent who has signed up for public comment for the organizational portion of the meeting? As we know right after this meeting, will be our regular school board meeting beginning at 530.
Okay, where's the miss more? You could come up to the mic. Okay, so we have one in person and three online.
Good evening. Board and Dr. VD
one second, Miss Moore. I'm sorry. We can't hear her up here.
Can somebody Oh, thumbs up. Okay. Go ahead and start. Go ahead. Miss Moore.
Can you hear me now? Yes, absolutely. Okay, thank you. Thank you, board and Dr. Bd. I come to these meetings very often. And I take it very seriously. This district? I can't even say I'm a product because I'm a product of Detroit Public Schools. This community district? I'm not so sure. Um, as far as the special meetings, what is the secret? I mean, these are our schools, our money and our children show if I show up to a meeting that's going into closed session? What is the secret? I know you all do a lot of things behind the scenes, but actually to have a virtual option for any public meeting, especially because of COVID. I mean, it should just be a no brainer. You know, you have these meetings, and you have virtual options for all of the other ones, except for the special ones. So what's the sacred, you know, what, what is being discussed, that the public, you know, doesn't even have an opportunity to at least express themselves, virtually during a special meeting. You all have the game all messed up. You sit up there with this intellect. But it shows ignorance, because you choose to run this as if we are slow. Everybody that has their children in this district are not slow. Some people still believe in the public school system in Detroit, but you are running as if you know what's best. But you all are not visiting schools. You have a president that says you are but your committee questions. Your general questions do not reflect that you all are going in buildings, asking questions. One or two is not the whole board. Just like these students report. You all should report what school I went to what was the problems and the issues but you're not doing that you're sitting back looking at papers and making decisions about papers. You all are like Miss I was Taylor trying to opt us out of a national standardized test. And so focused on health hubs ran her whole campaign on a healthy child but yet I come to all of these meetings. I didn't know how you all selected these health hub locations that was that discussed in a secret private meeting? You all need to wake up because everybody that's not here don't mean they not Whoa. And we know all
Thank you Miss Moore. We have three online three online Did you sign were you signed up before the close? Okay.
Thank you, sir. Good evening. My name is Beverly Kendall walk I am I'm here on Eric goes to Davis, aerospace Technical High School, I signed up for both public hearing public comments area. So I really want to reserve my comments for the 530 meeting, but just in regards to this particular agenda, you have committee appointments regarding curriculum. And so we the members of the Davis aerospace Technical Advisory Committee, are very much concerned about curriculum, and who's going to be a part of that in this upcoming board actions. So we are concerned about that. And then the other thing I've had just in general conversation or, or interest is, how did you guys come up with the calendar for spring break? Because it has not been traditional to what has been DPS in the past? Just like a week before Easter, just like others think to most people's normal thought around here from spring break. This is just a question I want to throw out. And then also happy birthday to board member gay. Like no.
Thank you. Miss straight, can you facilitate the next? Where are you for public? Tommy?
Yes, I'm fine. Did
you sign it? Okay.
Okay, I'm ready when you're ready.
Can we restart the time, please? Go ahead, sir.
Good evening. My name is Keith Hines. I'm a 1973 graduate of Davis aerospace Technical High School, back when it was called aero mechanics. And what I would like to know its plans on returning to school back to the airport. But we have yet as on the advisory board to see the stamp approve plans. As far as the engineering and technology and what exactly going on. We haven't received those yet. We get ideas, we get artwork. We get things that you could do on a computer, but we haven't seen anything that's been before any board stamped and approved on the fourth floor to city county building. And, but I got two more minutes to go. There's so much that I can say because it's important. Why is it that for years, we seem to not want to teach the children in the city of Detroit, any aviation technical skills. Aviation Industry is larger than the automobile industry. It used to be a child could graduate from Davis aerospace, especially back then was called aero mechanics, where his airframe and powerplant license that same license today that kid with graduating walk right into making 80 $100,000 a year high school at a high school, the skills that they would learn in that school were way above your average what you might call vocational school. You learn well, you learn machine sharp, learn how to work with woods, you learn how to sew, even baseball stitch, you know, you can make clothes, if you wanted to, after you graduated from that school, where those skills aren't taught now, for some reason, the city Detroit TPSC however you want to put it decided that we will make I will place a new person in charge of the school. So they put a principal in charge ahead. No aviation skills whatsoever in a baking, culinary skills and basketball were more important than the technical side of it. And we've been dealing with this for years now. And it's it's sad, you know, cuz I graduated, I had to run from that aircraft. The aviation as far as the Army, Navy, Air Force, the Marines. I became an electrician in a restaurant that's called worker and built the job was redone from the ground up even though it's torn down now. But my name is all over it. A lot of these new construction projects that are you see around the city, the Renaissance Center, and all the things that were going on back then. I graduated when I went to apply to be an apprentice for the industry of Electrical Workers with overqualified, thank you.
Thank you Mr. Heinz. Miss Drake. I'm going to turn it over to you for the three online.
Caller Go ahead. Caller
Miss bill, go ahead with your public comment. Can you hear me? Yes, ma'am. Can you speak a little louder? Yes, yes
Miss bill is very hard to hear you. You might need to come closer to your mic. If you also have the YouTube live streaming in the back. You may want to move away from that because it's causing an echo
no meah Can you try it again?
Miss bill? I can't hear you.
Can we have someone reached out to miss bill and move to the next caller? Thank you
Miss Hyman, please go ahead with your public comment.
Hello, hi. Please go ahead with your public comment.
Yes, thank you. To the board members. I'm assuming you can hear me. Yes,
ma'am.
Okay, thank you. I'm here today. My name is Amara Hainan. I'm a resident district six. I'm also a member of the traders for Tax Justice. And I'm here to express my disappointment and disturbance at Miss Sonia Mays willingness to vote yes on the future of health project. Because over $60 million will be taken from from public schools over the the length of time that those tax abatements and credits will be in an effect because I really want to share the fact that since 2014, to 2022. Tax captures have gotten over $90 million dollars from the Detroit Public School community district. What that could have blocked over nine years would have been 52 social workers at $70,000 a year that teachers social workers are nine years at $70,000.52 teachers at $58,000 a year or nine years 52 paraprofessionals, at $30,000 a year for nine years, and 52 special education teachers at $62,000 for nine years. That's a huge amount of staff, professional staff that could have benefited our children, their quality of education, their quality of life. So I'm really trying to understand how Miss Mays could feel like it was alright, to say yes to another $60 million being taken from a public school. We're mortgaging and destroying our children's future, their ability to have good lives. And just it's just a boring, it's boring that Miss Mays could make that decision to mortgage our children's quality, quality of life and quality of education, thoroughly disappointed, and I really feel like it may have been a conflict of interest. Since she is a fiduciary. If anyone else has any other questions, you can always go to our website. Detroit is for Tax Justice. Calm. Thank you.
Mr. Mark Davis, please go ahead with your public comment.
Good evening board. I can you hear me? Yes, sir. Yeah, so I guess my persona have centered around the number of tests that our students have to take the timing of these tests. And I was wondering, has the board really thought about these, the number of exams that our students have to take and I'm talking about the state and state standardized tests and also the PSAT for the eighth graders, which many of them have not really been adequately prepared and many of I really don't see the use of taking the test. So I'm just trying to get some clear clarity. Now I want to know how much do these exams costs, what? To the taxpayers and its districts. So in other words, we can have a website with a list of the exams that students are expected to take, or something on one of our websites, along with the costs. And the reason why they have to take it has to be broken down where parents and teachers and other personnel and citizens can understand what what our students are expected to know, and the costs. And the reason and also the preparation. So I don't know if the board has thought about the exams, and I'm concerned about the cost, how much does it cause our citizens to pay for these exams, so we can add something along that line with the curriculum, that would be helpful thing for everyone involved. Also, I noticed that there are a number of schools that are falling apart, they're over 100 years of age. And I know of a couple of schools that really need to be tested for the water to see if it's safe that surpasses that or any schools. You know, I work at one and it's crumbling paint and leaky roof. And I know these things lead to mold and other things. I was wondering has a district done a thorough exam of these schools. I didn't work years ago at the old Mumford. And we had a number of teachers who ended up saying, and a couple of them passed away. And some people including myself, I think it might have been directly linked to the building. So we can have some sort of exam, examination of these buildings, for the safety and viability for our students and staff. I think that should be recorded, who's doing the testing it is the water, the air, and also the mold in these buildings. And if we can get that done immediately for the safety of our children, and staff. Appreciate it. That's all I have. And I appreciate you guys listening.
Madam Chair, that Oregon organizational virtual public comment has concluded,
okay, were we able to get back in contact with Miss Beale?
We can try to add her again. If
you can long as we can contact her and get her comment. It can be offline. Okay. Thank you. So Dr. VD, a couple of questions came up around if you want to go ahead and start.
Aerospace? Sure. Good afternoon, everyone. Just to respond to the questions. Madam Chair, just let me know if I missed something. dpscd does annually test our drinking water in our school buildings. We did that after we did find evidence of led several years ago. We did proactively shut the water off us bought bottled waters and then implemented Hydration Station in all schools. But they are annually tested. Air quality can be tested at any time. We have contracted services to do that. So if staff students parents have any concerns about the air quality than we do test. And testing is happening more regularly now because there's more facility upgrades happening in schools. So anytime you tear down a wall, redo roofs, you're looking at asbestos, and there are state regulations regarding inspection and removal. State Assessments are required by state law. The state assessments are funded out of the state budget, the state of Michigan through MDPE, Michigan Department of Education, purchases those exams and runs them as a requirement of state statute. The PSAT and the LSAT are also funded in our state, by the legislature and through Michigan Department of Education. There's no direct cost to the district regarding the administration of state assessments or the PSAT the PSAT. We do have Davis aerospace High School. It's currently at the former Golightly high school campus. We do offer aviation programming. Our students are now flying actual planes. We have about 200 Students enrolled at the school. The facility master plan, invested $700 million in building a number of new schools and renovating schools. We earmarked about $5 million in that year. remark for to move the Davis aerospace program back to the City Airport. The city supports our movement back to the airport. But right now, the terminal costs of moving are higher than expected due to flooding, and not significant substantial sustained investment and the ongoing maintenance of the terminal. So it needs more work than we anticipated. And the city cannot use and state dollars that are federal dollars that they received to repair the airport for our high school building. So the board and I discussed this at the board retreat, the board directed me to pursue philanthropic efforts at the $9 million to make up the funding gap to move Davis aerospace High School to the airport. We have an upcoming facility, rather upcoming finance committee meeting where we're going to review the previously identified philanthropic initiatives and consider adding Davis aerospace and the Cass tech new football field. And then from there, we'll work with the dpscd Foundation to prioritize what the Finance Committee believes are the right priorities. The only other issue that I believe was question was the placement of the health hubs. The health hubs are being placed in 12 schools in each of our feeder patterns throughout the district in the city. And so most of those are going to the neighborhood High School. But there are some K eights and 1k Five that's used because it's just better situated from an infrastructure point of view because there are there are former nurse rooms in those schools. So we don't have to put extra money in a nurse facility. But they are spread out geographically to provide access to all Detroit or dpscd families and students. It is philanthropically funded for the next three years, and most likely the next five years. And so right now five of those health hubs are operating one here at Eastern US Village at Feeny. And then at yesterday's academic committee meeting, we discussed the possibility of launching all alpha hubs, if we can make up the philanthropic difference between what we have now and what we would need to launch all of them by the fall
and the calendar. The calendar
is a joint effort across Wayne County through Wayne resa, which is the Education Consortium funded by the state to support all Wayne County Schools. And so there was an effort to try to align the spring break calendar so that all public schools in Wayne County would be on spring break to same time because it helps families plan and coordinate and employees to plan and coordinate for spring break. So that's why we have this spring break when we do.
Thank you. Miss Mitchell for can you speak to closed session so whether it's a we did have community members with us at the board retreat the last two we've had to in the last five months. And we do have community present as well. There are certain things whether it's a special meeting or regular board meeting that cannot be discussed. It must be discussed in closed session. So I will just yield now to our legal adviser in terms of what constitutes close session conversation as we attempt to not hide anything. Go here, Miss Mitchell for Okay. Go ahead Miss Mitchell for ya.
So I do want to address the question that was posed. And there is no requirement under state law to provide a virtual option of attendance via like streaming and what we do for regular board meetings and committee meetings. It is not required by state law. So as a result of that it is the board's election or option when they offer it. I know you all do it for committee meetings and for regular board meetings. But you have not done it for special meetings and it is not required by law. As far as closed session. Under the Michigan Open Meetings Act, there are only a limited number of things one can discuss in closed session. You can close you can discuss. Like tonight we're going to discuss negotiations for collective bargaining and strategy regarding that you can discuss strategy for pending lawsuits. You can discuss a legal opinion by your attorney. So when we go on the closed session and we discuss a written legal opinion that I provide, you can discuss a personnel employment matter that is made at the request of the employee. needs to be discussed in closed session. And there may be one or two other items that we can discuss in closed session. But under state law, it is illegal to go into closed session except for those limited things. And it is relegated for discussion. No decisions or votes can be made. Thank
you. Anything else from the board before we move into a German and go into our regular board meeting, if not the chair entertain a motion for adjournment. So moved support has been properly moved and supported. The organizational meeting has concluded We will now go straight into our regular board meeting. So today is Tuesday January the 30th. We thank Principal Balder and his entire team for hosting us for the next five months at East English village Preparatory Academy I fini. We will now have a roll call as we open up the regular board meeting for January
Angelique Peterson Mayberry President Misha Stallworth, Sonia mais Dr. Iris Taylor. She irrigate and yoga. Latrice McClendon, Bishop collectivize. Michael West present, Ariel was our new president. Madam Chair, you have a quorum,
thank you so much. We will now go into our meeting norms.
We respect the right of all persons to participate in this public meeting of the board and kindly request that everyone engages in behavior that supports the same in event that anyone engages in behavior that is not in support of the good request that you refrain from that behavior. We will now go into our moment of silence. And unfortunately, we have two of our employees and one student. As we remember, the families of our Treece Cooper, a food service manager at Marcus Garvey as we remember the families of young Mr. Luttrell, mine's a fourth grader at Nolan and as we remember the family of Miss Pamela Maria, academic interventionist at Dixon educational learning academy so during this moment of silence please remember the families of Cooper moms and Rhea
thank you we will now have our school presentations so the first we have our color guard from Western International and then we will have the Star Spangled Banner and Lift Every Voice insane a dance performance by John R kings Jr. K dance company
if we could please stand
by live by mail awesome You may be seated. case you were unaware of JR K. That's Middle School. Yeah, that's that's not high school. Those young babies did an amazing job. Amazing. Thank you for supporting our young people. Well now move into item number three the chair entertain approval of the agenda as presented.
Madam Chair, man is that the student isn't everybody gets a chance to report before we go into closed session?
Yes. So we will add the student reports, right after chair remarks if that's fine. Okay. Perfect. Thank you. And going forward, if we can make sure the agenda includes that regularly each month, and if there's no report, you can say that there's no report, we want to make sure you're on the agenda. So there's a motion on the floor to approve the agenda with the addition of the Student Ambassador reports after the chair remarks. Support for the motion on the floor. It's been properly supported. And motion is properly been put on the floor by Dr. Taylor supported by member McClendon to approve the agenda with the addition. Any suggest I'm sorry, any, any discussion? If not all those in favor of approving the motion on the floor, which is the agenda with addition signify by saying Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. Thank you. We will now move into item number four. Approval of meeting minutes. So we have 4.01. The regular board meeting minutes from December 12 4.0 to the regular board meeting closed session meeting minutes from December 12 4.03. The academic meeting minutes from December 18 4.0. For the Finance Committee meeting from December 12 4.05. The special board meeting minutes from January to 13. It's their desire to tie bar 4.01 through 4.05. Is their support. It's been properly moved by member Vaughn properly supported by member McClendon. Any discussion on the tie bar? Now all those in favor signify by saying Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried the chair now entertain a motion for the tie bar of items 4.01 through 4.05. So moved. Their support has been properly moved by member bond properly supported by member McClendon. Any discussion for the motion on the floor which is the tie bar? Not all those in favor of the motion on the floor signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. Public registration come public comment registration now has closed the time is 60460. for public comment registration has closed. So with the chair remarks today, with this being the first official board meeting of the year, we want to say Happy New Year to everyone. We know that we typically meet the second Tuesday of every month so the cadence has not changed. However, when the district has been closed, which typically which has been for this month on a Tuesday, it was the Tuesday of the board meeting. We tried to reschedule that following Tuesday, the district was closed that day as well. Hence, we aren't here January to 30 of the next board meeting is February the 13th. Back here at East English village Preparatory Academy at Finney. So the cadence of the board meetings has not changed. We want to thank those who came out to the board retreat where we further discuss the district's strategic plan to create a version based on feedback from board members. And even through a variety what we're getting ready to do is now start community meetings where you will have an opportunity to hear and share. The information was shared at the academic meeting on Monday of this week yesterday. So it will be shared. In addition to the strategic plan discussions, the board had initial conversations regarding the direction for the literacy lawsuit, we are awaiting the task force recommendation around the literacy lawsuit. And we also plan to have community meetings for input for that as well. There will be both in person and online meetings. Not sure why the light is flicking on and off up here. But just so you know. We also want to congratulate all the students and families of those who receive acceptance letters into one of our exam schools. I know letters went out this week, those students will be in our exam school in the fall. So for those who have been in our district, thank you for staying. Those who are selecting our district for the first time thank you for choosing our district for the school experience. I will now turn the remainder Oh, I just want to also say I really want to acknowledge the Office of Food and Nutrition. So we know that a couple of weeks ago, there were conversations around a distribution strike with our food services. Many of us went into schools to look at and see for ourselves, the lunch options that were being offered to our students. So please know that our students still received lunch and the lunches that they received and I shared, we did see choices of vegetables, we saw choices of fruit, we saw choices of meat, and choices of beverages. The one particular day that I made this visit to this one particular school us foods truck was on site. So I did get an opportunity to talk to him. And he mentioned that there has not been a missed beat. So despite what social media has said, I just always encourage people to either contact our PLCs at the school or go to the school yourself. We talked to principals who said that their students had not missed a beat as it relates to food. So I just want to lift up send a shout out to the Office of Food and Nutrition who worked really hard to make sure that the students did not have disruption in their food choices, and therefore food distribution. At this time, I will turn it over to our student ambassadors for their report.
Thank you. Greetings board members in the audience. For this month's student leadership report, we wanted to key on on two important major problems that we face as students, but also present possible solutions as a de YC board has created the two topics we are choosing to focus on our school bathrooms which are lots and the food strike affecting dpscd. The first topic we'd like to talk about are schools locking up their bathrooms. Throughout the school district students have reported several of their school bathrooms being locked, some even only having access to one bathroom, the whole building. Schools that are facing these issues include purging High School, Davis aerospace, Central High School, Detroit Lions Academy and the Academy of America. When further questioning the UIC members about this topic, as well as hearing directly from different schools, the main costs of the bathrooms having to be locked are behavioral issues. As students we understand that all actions come with consequences. And we encourage all students respect the environment we are given as individuals fastly approaching adulthood, we must be able to care for ourselves as adults or face the repercussions that follow the bathrooms being locked as an example of how our actions have consequences. Even though the bathrooms are locked due to the actions of certain groups of students, it is still considered a problem that affects the whole school. From only having a five minute passing time not being able to leave classrooms the first or last 10 minutes of class, or even just having a limited amount of sauce in each bathroom. Having one only one bathroom available to the student body needs to be changed. A solution that the de YC board has created is to encourage schools to have school wide talks about behavioral issues. In order to fix behavior, we must be able to address it from the root of the problem. By addressing this issue at each school it allows students to have the chance to prove that can handle ourselves accordingly. If more deaths if more drastic measures or measures are needed. We should just to bring back days of consciousness certain DPS schools who needed with behavioral issues being a reasonable why many schools having locked bathrooms. But then of course you will be able to not only to patrol the halls but we're able to be but we'll be able to assess, assess and manage the behavioral issues that each school face. That being said I'll pass it on to my partner Michael who will speak on the food striker back in dpscd. Thank
you easy. Currently dpscd is facing a food shortage on January 10 2024, Superintendent VT sent an email to notify families staff and students of the food shortage regarding our main food distributor us fields going on strike. This email struck up a conversation with the YC. Regarding the impact on Muslim students, we allow foods while there is no online data on the district's website stating the demographics of Muslim students it is safe to assume that the population is high due to observation days that the district rewarded students in the 2021 school year. Yet the D yc. members reported the lack of thereof of school options for those of you Hello. I spend time investigating the lunch menus that are online via the district website and they go in detail on the lunch available for students each day. And currently there is no indicator on which moves are Hello. I served a few students at my school we allow lunch and they had been a district for years. Many say that the meals were often repeated every day, only changing per week. I investigated this myself and it was true. Although we can argue whether this is nutritious for students, we can all agree that we would not enjoy eating the same meal every day for a week. As we continue to outsource because of the shortage we accept the board considers the expanding the amount of distributors that make halal foods as students who not Muslim can consume them and well as well. In addition, the students asked at lunch workers are educated on the meaning of eating halal and helps to provide context as to why is it important to have these types of lunches in our lunch rooms. As you progress in the future? dpscd We must continue to strive for greatness because it is hard to have motivation on an empty stomach. So let's ensure that students are filled up with nutritious fulfilling meals at every lunch period. While
these are the only two points we decided to talk about today, we wanted the board and audience know that the de YC board has discussed other issues, including the literacy law school, the lawsuit, the skills of being a graduate and dpscd and we had the opportunity to get some leadership questions answered by Dr. Bd.
With this being our second month on the board Keith easy and I have implemented us structure to help with getting feedback on concerns, comments and highlights from the D yc. Schools. Student Leaders can now fill out a form that leads to a spreadsheet directly to Dr. Vt so he can respond report back to us, we are very happy to have this form of communication with him in the board. At least at this time, we asked if there's any questions about our report on like bathrooms or the food shortage?
I didn't have a question. So and I know we talked briefly about the halau option. So have there been do we know what the population of students are? I know, we talked about a survey. Have you all thought about what if we need to do another survey currently to find out how many students because majority of our schools there are a couple of schools that have a large Bengali population. And oh, Cass Tech is one Davis arrow. I'm sorry, Davidson, is another one in Detroit International Academy for women. And so trying to find out so that there are options, I know that vegan and vegetarian are options, however, being able to introduce that if we have large populations. Have you thought about that?
Actually, when we easily had this conversation easy, recommended implementing and one of the demographic papers easy. Do you remember that conversation you want to speak about? Um, yeah. So
in the beginning of every school year, us as DPS students are sent home with just an emergency packet that has allergy information, just the basic information that the district keeps, we should just adding a section about that when it comes to food and lunch notes. That way, when we initially taken our information to what each school needs, we have a demographic of how many hair loss students and how long meals, we need to be able to teach school.
Thank you. That concludes our report.
Any more questions for our student ambassadors? After reading?
Thank you, I think, you know, your identification of problem and solution is helpful. I appreciate raising the concerns and attaching a solution to the problem. So I'll definitely investigate the opportunity to add in the the information that goes out the families every year, the student information card, I want to call it that and it's all moving online. So that makes a lot of sense to start to track. That data. As as we talked through email, we we obviously don't ask children, their religious background. But there is a different way to get that data. And I think your your, your suggestion is makes sense. We just have to figure out if there's any restrictions in doing that, which I'll talk about, I don't think that there would be we do. Obviously, as our board chair indicated, we know where there's a concentration of Muslim students, and we have trained our cafeteria staff at those schools to be sensitive with food options and service. We've, we have expanded options, but I would agree with you, it shouldn't be the same food all the time. So we'll continue to work with our vendors to diversify the options that students have beyond what we're doing, and better understand if there's smaller populations at certain schools, not the greater concentration. Do we need to add more options there as well. So thank you for raising these issues. And then the bathroom issue. And you mentioned it I you know, part of this process. Also, beyond empowering your voices. It's empowering the student leaders at individual schools to problem solve with their principal on these issues. I know, the bathroom issue, it was an issue at multiple schools. So it definitely makes sense to bring it up here. I think beyond the solutions you named, I think the other opportunity is to empower students. You know, we there, there are some schools just based on how large they are. But considering how small the student population is, for example, we don't put a security guard in each bathroom because, you know, some schools were built for 3000 kids, and we only have 500 students. So all the bathrooms, it doesn't make sense to have operational but So another option could be to have student monitors in certain bathrooms as well. And that can help with monitoring activities and bathrooms if there's been an increase of fighting or vaping or other activities that we're trying to curtail. So I would add that to the option. But I would agree because students are making the wrong choice. Not every student should be penalized by most of the bathrooms being closed. So we agree. And I think we can problem solve the issues better at individual schools.
Any more questions or comments? Okay, we will now move to the next item on the agenda. Oh, I'm sorry, go ahead.
I did have just one quick what? What's your process for deciding what issues you elevate at this in this format? So
originally, our original plan was to kind of talk about each school but we will Ising the amount of time and the space we wanted, we come together as the YC. We have our own separate group chat. And we kind of just surf around which problem that the majority of the DPS schools are facing. So we find two options that have the majority of the schools are facing. We ask questions to the YC. Members, sometimes we contact the school directly to get their insight and that way we can create a more accurate report.
Very nice. Next item is item number. The Finance Report, Mr. Medina, our CFO.
Good evening board members and community.
This evening, we're reviewing the finances. From the month of November, we continue to receive tax collections approximately $9.6 million in our capital debt 13 Mills, and an additional 1.1 million on the 18th mill operating debt. We've talked about this, and you may have seen in the news. But there's good news property values in Detroit continue to rise, which leads to increase tax collection, we continue to maintain a tax collection rate of over 90%. This is significantly above the mid 2000s rate in the upper 70s. So this is generating more tax collections and we initially had projected. Again, that doesn't mean anything for the operating district as this debt goes to these funds go to repay existing debt, but it does repaid that debt sooner. So the capital debt, as well as the operating debt is again scheduled to be repaid sooner, based on the increased property values. For dpscd, where we do see an increase in revenue is the enhancement millage that was approved by Wayne County and renewed about two years ago, the increased property values for all Wayne County including Detroit is increasing our local revenue. So that is a positive that will be reflected in the next budget amendment that will be presented. Additionally, interest income continues to run high. Although long term projections do project the interest rates to come back down. And so that interest that revenue is more one time in nature. And state aid is now up to date with the fall per pupil as well as categorical grants that were approved by the governor leading to higher revenue. on the expenditure side, expenditures are still in line. And we have now processed all the fall bonus payments that were included in the CBA. SOS were processed in November. On cash flow, we continue to have available cash. And with a budget amendment that will be adopted next month, we will begin transferring the remains or another $300 million of the facility master plan, which you can see here. Those transfers starting to happen. We do have the available cash to make those transfers. That concludes my report.
Thank you, Mr. Potato. Any questions for the CFO? I know we mentioned about an increase in the property value. Do we know what how far that moves our timeline up for repayment.
So it is been sort of a moving target. I believe a couple of months ago, I unfortunately had projected closer to 2050. The latest estimates we've gotten with the new 8.9%. City of Detroit property value increase. As long as we stay on that projection, the repayment timeline has dropped back to 2042 at this point.
Thank you. Any more questions or comments for the CFO? If not, we will accept the CFOs report for auditing purposes. And move to item number eight. Thank you. Thank you. The superintendence report, Dr. Meeting recognition of district core values.
Thank you, Madam Chair. At this moment, the only recognition that I have is for the school board. As was mentioned earlier it is Michigan recognizes school boards for their work. And I would ask superintendent, just want to thank all of you individually and as a collective body for the service that you provide to the city to the district and students. I know that over the last seven years we've had changes with individual board members and complete consistency. It is not It's a thankless job being superintendent many times and it's definitely even more of a thankless job being a board member. And I have gotten to know most of you well and getting to know others and there's not a day that I question your motivation to being on this board as a way to better serve the city and the district. We have made strides because we have worked together and we have folks gives Don improving the district. So on behalf of the district on behalf of our employees, our students, our families, I just want to thank all of you for your service and what you do and hopefully inspiring others to run for the board for the right reasons and continue to work together and with me and future superintendents on focusing on what matters which is student achievement, and improving this district day by day I also have a plaque for plaque for each of you as well.
We got a board members come to the center.
What's up?
Thank you doctor. Welcome. Thank you.
Okay, so as always I'll review our metrics. We've identified as a district to monitor problem solve and improve annually. Currently, the district enrollment is at 40,536 students. That is an increase as compared to last year, as a reminder FTE count in the fall was 48,200. And I just like to name that to recognize that the enrollment in the district has actually increased by over 300 students since FTE. And so we, you know, continue to improve enrollment. Unfortunately, we'll only receive about 10% of the funding for those students immediately. And then eventually, over time, the district does transfer funds to fully recognize the FTE, but we don't actually operate the district with the funding to recognize educating those students that came after count. Our re enrollment rate is at about 70, which has been consistent over the years. Right now, our average daily attendance throughout the district is 83%, which is about a one to two percentage point improvement. Obviously, the latest weather has hurt daily attendance. But when you look at an annual year, we typically have a couple of days that are negatively impacted by the weather, and then it evens out by the end of the year. chronic absenteeism right now is that 63%, which is a three percentage point decline from last year, teachers with excellent and modern attendance, which means they missed excellent attendance is less than four days. Moderate attendance is less than 10 88% of student teachers fall in that category. We just completed our interim assessment. At least survey that students take for Love Challenge and prepared and we're seeing positive movement. With all students naming that feeling loved challenge and prepared across the district at 32%. That's an interim reminder, they'll take the actual student survey at the end of the year. The other data points here are linked to the employee survey, which we take toward the end of the year. Yesterday at the academic committee, we had an opportunity to review mid year data with the committee which led to many Different kinds of conversations. But the highlight of the Meteor data is we continue to show improvement in both literacy, math, science and social studies, right now, at mid year, which is the assessment that is taken to iReady. As a reminder that grades K through eight in math and science and math and reading, and then the PSAT for grades eight through 11. Right now 54% of students are showing at least one year of growth at mid year, which exceeds where we ended last year at 53%. In literacy. I'll also know that the students that we identify as the lowest 30% That individual schools throughout the district 62% of those students are showing at least one year of growth, which it compares to 55%. Last year, really proud of the work that individual schools are doing with our academic interventionists are small group intervention. So this is another sign that that intervention process is working. And we're slowly moving students out of being in the data chart red, which is three or more grade levels below, moving to two and then one and two proficiency. So the data is clear that we're moving more students to advanced proficiency, proficient, only one year to or less than three. And that's across math and reading. Right now. 50 59% of students are showing at least one year of growth. We ended last year at 54%. Bottom 30. And I'm very excited to say of the bottom 30% of students 67% of those students are showing one year of growth already at mid year. So we're starting to make a lot of improvement in mathematics. And that was, I know a lot of attention is always on literacy and in the pandemic of literacy, but nationally, and in dpscd, we saw more learning loss and math and we did literacy. So this year, we're really starting to make a difference in eliminating that learning loss. As a reminder, last year, we eliminated aggregate learning loss and literacy. And he aggregates not every individual student but all students considered. And so this year, I believe at the end of this year, we'll do that in mathematics as well. When we look at predicted proficiency, we're at 15% By mid year, which would exceed where we ended up last year with M step which is the highest level we've been at as a district. And then we're seeing the same thing in math at 11%, which would exceed where we were before the pandemic. And so the numbers here for the PSAT are baseline data, not mid year data, we're still running the mid year data. This is baseline so I wouldn't be be worried about that number being lower than we were last year at the end of the year. Because that's baseline data. We'll have this updated with mid year data. Also excited to say that on 59% of our juniors and seniors are enrolled in college and career classes. And so we are now beyond where we were with the pandemic. And we had to do a lot of course recovery in high school. So now 59% Of all juniors and seniors across dpscd are enrolled in at least one dual enrollment class or one career tech class. And our goal in the next couple of years is to get 100% of students enrolled, enrolled in at least one and multiple. We'll be providing a plan to the board at the end of the year. That shows how we scale that and put more students on college campuses during the school day. And then 53% 54, if we round are passing those classes, which is a greater number that we saw last year and nearing where we were before the pandemic as far as vacancies are concerned right now, we have 42 teacher vacancies 37 support staff vacancies, three assistant principal vacancies, seven counselor vacancies, six academic intervention is vacancies. Only two security guards, three pre K Perez and 12 ESC Perez. We have eight schools that have two vacancies, and all the other vacancies at schools are at only one. Right now. Our breakfast participation rate district wide is 61%. So 61% of students are eating breakfast. That's an increase from last year. Not quite where we were the year school shutdown for the pandemic, but nearing that number. And right now 83% of students are eating lunch that exceeds where we were before the pandemic and definitely improving versus last year, the challenges of any kind of food shortages have been addressed. So we are back to normal, if you will, with food options based on the trucks rights. And so that shouldn't be a concern across the district now and then Are our KPIs for our for RFPs for invoices being processed, are about where they were last year, a bit higher in some regards, because we have more facility projects happening throughout the district. Our ears for paychecks are also down as compared to last year in the year before. The only other announcement that I have is, I did notify all district staff that today, the bomber group in United Way announced fully funding summer school across the Tri County area. So Wayne County Washtenaw County. And so that's only for K eight. But that is dramatically needed, as we know. So they are going to provide $2,000 per student across the Tri County area. And so we are going to work as a team at central office and at schools to identify the schools that will offer summer school. As a reminder, some schools will cannot offer summer school because we're doing facility upgrades at those schools. And we try to prevent our students being in non air conditioned buildings over the summer, because that can lead to closing schools and just being uncomfortable with staff and students. The program will run for five weeks. As we as most of you know, we expanded summer school with COVID funding after the pandemic. And then when we balanced this budget, we focused on high school, we did talk about using literacy lawsuit money to fund summer school this year. But there would have been restrictions on that because it could only focus on literacy. But now with this funding, we can use that literacy lawsuit money for something else when we get to that point and making that decision. And we can do more than literacy over the summer. So we'll identify the buildings, recruit the staff, and use our curriculum during the summer, it won't be required, but an option for family. So we will be working through that and applications are due at the beginning of March. So likely at the next board meeting, I'll present the plan to provide those services. That concludes my report. Thank
you. Do we have any questions for the superintendent? Go ahead, Miss was.
Thank you so much. First, I really, really want to appreciate the fact that DPS has been allowed to expand that percentage for graduation and college level courses. I wanted to know I have two questions I wanted to know was there like an outline of accomplishment that you guys did to get to that point, but things that you guys did if I can have access to that anyway.
So the the thinking behind that is obviously we have students that are ready to take college classes during the school during high school. There are schools like Henry Ford that are offering what we call an early college program. So they actually get their associate's degree and their high school diploma before their senior year. But at most schools, it's offering dual enrollment, mainly through Wayne County Community College, Wayne State University of Michigan, Dearborn, those are our main partners. And so it's a combination of trying to connect those courses to the career academies that are offered at those high schools, and then just level entry courses that you would take as a freshman or sophomore in college. So it's really just about trying to create a college going culture in high school and create access in all schools, not just our exam school. So those dual enrollment classes are offered across the district, even in our neighborhood schools. The next step is to try to one credential more high school teachers to teach the college courses at the high school campus. But probably more likely, is to change the high school schedule in the next couple of years. So that students, for example, would only be at high school, maybe Monday, Wednesday and Friday. And then Tuesdays and Thursdays they would be on a college campuses to take classes, whether to get their associate's degree or just to take college courses so that when they go to college, they get faster into their major area of interest. It reduces tuition costs, and it immediately makes students know they're college ready. So the research is clear. And I've been a part of it in other districts that I've had an opportunity to lead is you can take a student that may not think they're college ready, or they're even college material, they take a dual enrollment class, they pass with a C or higher, they immediately know they can and accomplish college. So that's the thinking behind it. Our plan was to get as many college partners as possible, offering as many courses as possible and trying to overcome the course recovery challenge that that prevents more dual enrollment from happening. But we've really overcome that now, since the pandemic. So this is why we're starting to offer more dual enrollment.
Thank you. And my second question Um, you talked a little bit about the vacancies in each school, with there only being two vacancies in one school and most of them having ones I wanted to know, how many vacancies does there have to be in a school for it's like really, really raise a threat regarding maybe shutting the school down repercussions. I wanted to know that as well.
We've never had to do that. As a district. I would say when I first started, unfortunately, we had a couple of schools with nine vacancies my first year, we don't have anything close to that. So we have two high schools right now with three vacancies. And then the other six have two, and everyone else that they have a vacancy is one. So all schools are prioritized. As far as the vacancy is concerned, as we go into the school year, we do know certain schools are harder to staff than others. So when we recruit teachers that just want to work in dpscd, we try to place those teachers first in the hard to staff schools first. But you know, then again, we don't want to lose the teacher. So they don't want to go there. And the principal wants them in a school that's easier to staff than they we allow them to go there if their principal wants to do that. But prioritization happens at the beginning of the year. Well, before the year starts at the beginning of the ER after that, we just tried to recruit who we can to fill the vacancies that exist. Thank you, doctor.
Member Mays.
Doctor, Doctor VT, there appears to be a drop off in performance of the of our students on the PSAT. Is there any context that you can share about that? Yeah,
I wouldn't be concerned with the number that you're looking at, because that's the baseline data. So that's, that would be, for example, a ninth grader at the beginning of the year, that took the PSAT and that's judging where they should be at the end of ninth grade, before teaching happens in the ninth grade. And so I put the number there, because it's a number, and it does reflect baseline data. But in a couple of weeks, we'll have the mid year data, that data will be higher, because it reflects instruction that actually took place this year. And the number that you see is not a predictor of PSAT performance either. It's just where the student is at that time. When we talk about iReady. It does offer a predictor of M step. So that's why I often those percentages exceed where we ended last year. So I wouldn't be alarmed by the number as a as a function of comparing where we ended last year to where we are now. Thank you.
Mr. McClendon. Go ahead.
Dr. BD, I noticed that the previous year for your graduation percentage isn't published yet. When will that information be available to the board as well as
the Michigan Department of Education releases official graduation rates soon, I would say within the next month or so. So once they're official, then I'll share it with the board and then included in this presentation. Based on last year's number. We're about where we were last year at about 71%, maybe possibly slightly higher. But we're waiting for the official numbers to come out. But we should have them soon. I'll give them to the board and then add it to the subsequent board meeting after that.
Talk the very question around college and career level courses. So is skilled trades included in that with our CTE programs? And if not, what percentage of that are can be equated to students who have X exposure to skilled trades?
It is. So it's a combination of it would be it would be advanced placement. It would be ace for the couple of the IB schools that we have. And then it would be dual enrollment, and it would be in a CTE class. Those are the options in JROTC so those are the ones that we identified for this metric, I'd have to give you the breakdown of of each bolster dual enrollment, and then the others billion mainly RCT. Okay,
if you could provide that skill trace, that'd be important because I know as we have this multi million dollar investment at Randolph, just want to make sure that we are doing the proper doing that program just by making sure that we have skilled trades, young people exposed to skilled trades professionals in that space. And then the other question is, I know many of us, were able to tour the health hub here before the organizational meeting. And we were talking about pipelining young people into the field of the health industry. So other than Crockett, where were our young people get an opportunity if they're interested in going into the health field to get that exposure. One
high school is Northwestern where we have the nursing program and then that's the one that rings off the top my head. But as we go through the meeting out By the end or as a response to public comment, I'll name the other ones but I know Northwestern is one of the high schools. Okay, along with Crockett,
we'll crack it. Okay. Any more questions for the superintendent? Easy? No, you're good. Okay. So the chair entertain a motion to accept the Superintendent's report. So moved. Is there support before it's been properly moved by member Vaughn, properly supported by member Mays to accept the superintendents report. All those in favor signify by saying Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. We will now move into item number nine which is public comment. Members of the public are welcome to address the board during public comment. Individuals wishing to address the board must register in person or virtually prior to the close of public comment registration. The chair will call the names of individuals registered in person to address the board and order receipt. Please remain seated until your name is call for a virtual public comment. That will be facilitated through a zoom webinar. Individuals wishing to address the Board may do so by choosing one of the two options one through your computer you can select the Raise Your Hand option on the screen to through your telephone, you can press the star nine and that raises your hand. The meeting administrator will select the individuals in order received. You will remain muted until it is your time to speak. All comments will be limited to three minutes. The superintendent will reply to questions or concerns raised today that do not violate ethical illegal standards, confidentiality, privacy of others or require additional information to respond. If you would like a direct response to your question in our concern, please forward an email to the secretary of the board Vanja more at Vanja dot more at Detroit K twelve.org. We will now move we will now move into our in person public comments wars. We have two microphones. Yes. Okay. So if we could have Alia and mother more to one, my Alia more and Helen more to one mic, and kW Knox. And I used to Shackleford so the other mic please. So missa Leah more, and Mother Helen more to one mic, and kW Knox and Aisha Shackleford to the other mic please.
Give me put the time on the screen please.
Go ahead, Miss Moore.
Good evening again, board and Dr. Vitti. So much to say in three minutes. But first, I just want to encourage our youth on the board. Don't let this board mold you. You do exactly what you're doing. You're advocating for your peers. Don't let them try to switch up your process in any way. Be individuals and continue to stand because you mean so much. So don't let them sway you in any way. I have a few questions before I go on my comment. Dr. Vt never got back with me about how much the district is projected to spend busing our babies over to this former CMA, Paul Robeson, because we don't want to lose any enrollment, even though we may for some of those walking students that will not want to get on the bus. But we still want to exhaust all bus options for any child that wants to continue to go with us. So I would like to know that amount. As far as I see a man going over there. If you got into Paul Robeson, you don't see blight in that area. You all picked a school with blight in the area. So I'm asking us as stakeholders do we advocate with the city to get these houses boarded or as Marshawn Jackson gonna get on it. Because whether or not we got kids that's going to be walking their parents. We don't want nobody dragged up into anything. And we want to keep our children in a safe environment because they're not used to seeing that much blight in the area. Is the cell phone tower money that's generated monthly ever going to go to each individual school because those tools and fuels can help schools develop their culture, more incentives, and they do it y'all don't need that money. So can somebody please answer that At will that sale on time or money ever, ever go to the schools because you all have no intentions on canceling or doing anything with that contract? As far as it's just so much, you know, you all sit up here. It's just disgusting. As far as this nape National Assessment of Educational Progress, as I said before, and I'll continue to say it, I was telling her wanting to opt us out, instead of trying to get these kids, fourth graders and eighth graders ready for this test. You know, that's pure ignorance. Instead of trying to prep them and get them ready going to schools talk, see what these babies need. You all want to opt out. But either way they're coming. They're coming to Paul Robeson. I said yesterday, we plan on feeding our babies. That's how you know all these standardized tests, let them come get something to eat, take it and hopefully pass, but you all should be ashamed of yourself. You're getting plaques and flowers, and this district is literally going to hell.
It is Miss Moore, thank you so much. We do have your questions. Thank you, mother more.
Okay, I'd like to ask about finances. You all probably know that we have our own office set up monitoring what you're doing from the state and talking to the people across the country about what's going on in Detroit many times our information is different than yours. So I'd like to clarify some things today. $140 million dollars has been held up in Lansing that should come to the Detroit Public Schools. Is anybody up there dealing with in trying to tell us get that money for the kids, it's actually been held up. I need board members there Dr VD or somebody to do what we're doing, and try to get that money back to our system and the $94 million more than that, in the lawsuit. I'd like to explain to the people that are in the audience, that our children, we won the lawsuit, but we got the minimum amount of money, or anything else that should come to Detroit public schools, because the law is that there is not a guarantee on public education. And that's part of the lawsuit. Somehow we have to do something about that we're black children attend schools. And they are not guarantee the full rights of a public education goes all the way back to slavery. I keep reading the findings, and talking to lawyers all over the country. In fact, we're going to go to Washington, DC, I think in two weeks for protests. What are we doing about that, as a community as black people that were our children are not guaranteed a right to read. We won that case, only by a small amount. It only affected Detroit. Our findings should be in every black school in the United States, every black area. But it seems that nobody is looking at that, except some of us that are in national politics. So I'd like to ask you all, can you all help us get the money that is owed to Detroit Public Schools? Sometimes we do all these things. And then I'm wondering if you know what I'm talking about. It's almost like you look at us and figure what is she talking about? We're talking about Dr. VD you either know about this been held up for some time, and nobody's dealing with we need the money, because our reading is going with our group. Let's read. It's going pretty good. We need more volunteers. Anybody in the audience? See me after the meeting, we need more volunteers to get into schools and teach our children how to read, by the way, they're brilliant. And if a slave can sneak and read books, our children are not supposed to be slaves, they ought to be able to get anything they want that the white school districts have in order for.
Thank you, mother more. Thank you. We'll now go to kW Knox and Aisha Shackleford. And at the other mic if we could have Beverly Kendall Walker and Keith Hines.
Thank you. Greetings to the board and Dr. Vitti just wanted to thank you all for the initiative of the Family and Community Engagement Program. specifically the faith based initiative. I'm here as a proud alumnus of Finney High School. But in my official capacity as the executive pastor for impact church, where we, through that partnership that we've formed with several schools, we're able to provide a hope for the holidays program, where we gave gifts and made sure that kids had gifts for Ronald brown Academy. 27 students receive gifts, Black will 31 Students receive gifts, Duke Ellington, 117, students receive gifts, and each English Village at Feeny where 20 Students receive gifts from our congregation and donations. And that wasn't just singular gifts. Those were their wishlist gifts. We also provide a mentoring program that we are currently doing with Duke Ellington at 10:10am at our church on Saturdays. Further, when we were asked as a community partner to provide underwear and socks, we were able to provide 600 pairs of socks 600 pairs of underwear for Duke Ellington and Ronald brown Academy. And finally, just want to congratulate, and just provide some uplift to the student members of the board who came with an excellent program, an excellent plan for getting things resolved. I applaud your effort. I applaud your youth in your enthusiasm, don't give up on what you're doing. This board should be better for you having been part of it. And I think we're on our way to that happening. But I want to say that to you specifically. And again, to Bishop Vaughn, who has always been there for us, we certainly appreciate your help with every issue that we've ever had. Finally, again, it's it's kind of come full circle for me to be back in this building. With the name Feeny, I know that was some fight, going on, or whatever. But at this point, it just, it's just a full circle moment for me, that those who invested in to me in Detroit Public Schools, invested in me, and I was able to go to Eastern Michigan and get a bachelor's degree and a master's degree and go to University of Toledo and get 100 law school degree, and become the first black elected official in the city of Roseville. Those are things that have happened to me as a graduate of DPS. And I'm, I will be forever grateful what you poured into me. But I would also say that we believe that we have to pour into our young people, because investment starts there. So thank you. Thank
you. Thank you. We have Ayesha Shackleford.
Miss Shackleford. Go ahead.
Hi, good afternoon.
One second, let him adjust the mic for you please. Okay, thank you. Good
afternoon Peace and blessings. And I was so delighted to hear student advocates advocating about the halal options. Not every child is visibly Muslim. My daughter does not wear hijab, and her school was not aware that she is a halau only eating student. So I appreciate that research you did. It's very impactful. So my own family. I would like to make a statement of gratitude. I'm very grateful for the opportunity to be a parent of DPS. But I'm also an employee, I was pulled in as a, from a PTA president to a POW, so a parent outreach coordinator. And I discovered myself within the DPS family. I was trained by Miss Bowens, how to have a parent meeting and speak to my community. Because if you knew me before COVID You knew that I didn't speak at all ever. I just sat and smiled and said hello. I found my voice and the endless DPS family. And I would like to express my appreciation for that. My daughter is graduating eighth grade and I'm very concerned about her neighborhood school, which is Cody. I know they're getting a new building. I worked that Cody for two years, but it's very concerning that the closest school in my neighborhood, which is seven minutes away is coding and the next school is 15 to 18 minutes away. I'm a helicopter mom, and I don't want my daughter taking multiple modes of transportation to get to a decent school. And I was wondering, What was the plan to build more neighborhood schools, if she is not able to get into Renaissance or Marygrove. I'm still trying. I also would like to point out that, you know, Mackenzie elementary has shaped the huge family of developed Friends Forever there. And it's, it's been a huge part of my life that I'm able to actually make a huge impact. So not only my child, but other children and other families in the district. Some of my Cody parents come to McKenzie to talk to me. And to get help and to resources. I've actually gained DPS, maybe about four moms, and the districts, some parents, parent outreach coordinators, lunch aides, I help them fill out applications and to see that there's an opportunity for parents to actually develop themselves. And
thank you, Miss Shackleford. Thank you. So we have Beverly Kendall Walker, and Keith Hines at one mic. And if we could have Adam barette or Barrett and Mama Redmond to the other mind. And that after mama Redmond, that will conclude all of our in person. Public comments, we have three online. We have Miss Kendall Walker. Thank
you, ma'am. I want to thank Dr. VD for your earlier responses to our questions regarding Davis aerospace, Technical High School, we are forever hopeful that things will be restored to a level that it was previously at historically, school. And so I know there's a lot of moving parts here. And so we'd be impatient to make sure that in the end result, we have a product that the industry the aviation industry is looking for coming out of Detroit, as has in the past. So in regards to the transition team committee that's coming out at Davis, I would like to make sure that we are still included, because thus far we have not been since May of last year. So I want to make sure that we are back we are connected. And we can agree with what's being presented to the board as a whole. My other question is to not question statement rather, is that I'm a proud graduate of Martin Luther King High School, aka black and go Eastside. But the young people who represented Jr. Q. Academy was outstanding tonight. Beautiful word. So you represented the king name anyway. But nevertheless, and then as a captain of the Civil Air Patrol, I was very proud to see the color guy from Western that was outstanding. And then my final thing is that these young people, I was a student government member at Martin Luther King High School. I'm just so proud of you to up there. Just Outstanding, outstanding. And did I say that was my final thing? It wasn't. I'm a proud Auntie of two students who attend lions Academy. And I want you to know, we are proud of our Detroit Lions. Those Those players come to that school when I lose, and they give back to those students. I just want y'all to know. Detroit Lions top notch next year. We own it, y'all. But we want to thank and give give hands to our Detroit Lions for the outstanding work they have done. Thank
you Miss Kendall Walker. We have Keith Hines and Adam burette. Or Barrett, please correct it when you get to the mic. Mr. Hines. Go ahead.
Okay. Good evening. My name is Keith Heinz. 1973, graduate of Davis aerospace Technical High School. Proud. And it's been interesting and I can't answer all the questions. I want to thank and give honor to everyone up there, especially you Mr. Vitti. But why has Detroit for years now continued to presidents against the education of aviation, aerospace maintenance and technical engineering schools in the city of Detroit. We have heard many comments and been amended meanings associated with the continuing of aviation, Aerospace Education and the future of Davis aerospace technical high school in the city of Detroit. Davis aerospace Technical High School original main purpose was to produce skilled qualified aircraft mechanics, skilled in the repair and maintenance of aircraft vehicles. The main courses were airframe and powerplant, airframe and powerplant mechanics, not just pilots. David fish industry is larger than the automobile industry, and it's continuing to expand and grow. The FAA oversees the aviation industry and David aerospace Technical High School falls under M must meet the requirements and standard to operate as a qualified FAA approved school. And I got a question. Why can't $50 million be set aside from the $700 million for aviation education, technology skills, and advancement since the demand is growing in Detroit used to be the major hub for the production and maintenance of aircraft during World War Two, and for years continued to display qualified skilled mechanics to the aviation industry until it was disrupted by the emergency managers here in Detroit. The move from the airport to go lightly knowingly was the end of operations of the aircraft engines for the school 10 years ago. We need to see the stamp finalized approved plans for the Davis relocation project, aviation engineering skills that are required to properly meet local building code and FAA requirements. So people aren't a boy do have to have the skills otherwise you're operating blind. For years. I was let go inspector for the city of Detroit. When I went to air mechanics High School back in 1973. It was the only school of its type in the entire United States of America. And I am proud and I am proud to be a Tuskegee Airmen. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hines. So we have Adam barette and Mama Redman.
Actually, before I start my comment, there was another lady who just came in, said she had a whole presentation to give to the board but she wasn't able to get here on time because of some complications.
She can give it to Ms. Drake is Drake will come or Ms. Moore will come and get that presentation. Thank you so much. Appreciate it. Thank you, Mister. Is it barette or Barrett? It's Barrett is Bear. Okay, go ahead, Mr. Bear.
I'm a member of Detroiters for Tax Justice and I live in District Six on January 10. In her role as a member of the Detroit brownfield authority, school board members, Sonia Mays voted to approve the future of health transformational brownfield plan. This plan contains tax subsidies that will siphon money from our educational system in order to build luxury housing at Henry Ford Hospital. On page 32 of that plan, a graph shows the tax revenue to be captured for the product for the project 36 million taken from our public schools millage 8.9 million from the library millage 12 point 6 million from the state education millage 6.4 million from the Special Education millage. Altogether, the project will take about 16 million from educational funds. We alleged that this is a violation of Sonia Mays fiduciary responsibility to the teachers, parents and students of the dpscd. We further suspect that it might be a conflict of interest for Sony amazes she's she herself is a developer and is the CEO of her own development company.
Thank you, Mr. Perret. We have mama Reitman. And then Miss Drake. I will turn it over to you for the last three online.
Good evening board. Good evening, Dr. VD I have a couple of things to speak about tonight. First, Dr. Vitti, thank you very much for speaking about the summer school program that will start back up for K through eighth grade. It is well needed. In today's meeting, Dr. BD, I recall you say certain schools only had one vacancy. I met Paul Robeson, Malcolm X Academy, and we have four vacancies. And at this time, my principal is working diligently to get this took care of Miss Mayberry. Peter say you came over there in regards of the kindergarten teacher. You guys need to do something or make it ugly because the way you treat a person kid will fall back on the school because he's still in the classroom and I know that I'm not gonna let that fall on our schools ears. Another question I have is about the new school it will anybody come over there and speak with our parents and let them know about the bus system? Will it be a late bus system because this is a lot of concern. concerns that our parents do have. I will like to say as far as the lunch program go on from after we had the shortage. I will say our general manager did have phenomenal job, because some of these lunches that other schools looked for were Bo, a dog wouldn't even eat that food. So have we looked into other vendors for food in the fall? And my last question would be, I hadn't heard anything else about the field for Cass Technical High School for the football field. What is the plans of that? Because now we are going into another year. So I would like to know what's going on with that.
Thank you. Thank you, Mama Redman. I'll go ahead, Miss Drake. If we can go to the online. I see Miss bill. You all reached out to miss bill so she's back. Okay. Hi,
Miss bill, go ahead with your public comment
Miss bill, go ahead with your public comment
Mr. Christian young please go ahead with your public comment.
Christian Yang, please go ahead with your public comment
so can we reach out to Christian young am is Bill. Can you just get their comments, please? I sure was what technology issues are happening right now. But can we make sure that we reach out to them to get their comments? Absolutely.
Thank you to miss a Myra Hyman.
Yes, she was on the first one and I'm not sure maybe because these exact three people were on the first one, two. Okay. So that might be hands raised steal from the first meeting. I think they're gone. But if we miss bill we did not hear from we heard from the others. But Miss Beale, if we can reach out and get that comment. Okay, that will conclude public comment Dr. Vitti, a couple of questions that have come through that we want to address. You start and I will let you know where we are. Thank you.
Blight at the current or former CMA building with a Paul Roberson. Malcolm X students will go, we do work with the city to address blight near schools. I certainly heard the concern and comment this evening. So we will work with Miss Jackson and her team and the city to address blight issues. I'll get a status update as far as how the city plans to respond to it if and when they can. And I'll provide an update directly via email to this more or I'll let Miss Jackson do that. I do apologize. You're right. I did not follow up on your question regarding transportation costs. From Paul Robertson, Malcolm X and CMA. The estimated cost is $400,000. For next year, to be clear to shuttle students to the Paul Roberson, Malcolm X current building, to former CMA as the new building is constructed. We don't have plans to move to cell tower funding generated at or through schools that have a cell tower. But right now we are providing schools with more dollars that are flexible, similar to the cell tower revenue. So the benefit of cell cell tower revenue, as I've said before, is that it doesn't follow the same restrictions as state funding and federal funding. And what it allows schools and district staff to do is purchase food, for events for staff for families, for students, and even incentives for families and students. That's the benefit of cell tower funding. Well, we have interest money from the bank with a facility master plan dollars, and that's generating interest, which also allows to be used in a non restricted way. So bottom line is, is if the schools that have cell towers need flexible funding for food incentives, then we can provide them those dollars. We're doing that now. And we can provide more if they need more. But there is a technical challenge which is to transfer money at the school from the district. So bottom line is if they want more money if schools with cell towers want more money for staff, food, families, student and send his family's incentives, we can provide that to them without transferring the cell tower money. Miss Elmore was talking about the literacy grant, there was about 120 million $140 million that was supposed to be distributed by the Michigan Department of Education. It was one time money that the state legislature appropriated and last year's budget. The state CFO sent a letter to the State Superintendent, Dr. Rice, indicating their displeasure with the fact that MDPE had not distributed those funds to districts. And so we are still waiting as one district in Michigan that could apply to that, that those funds to receive for literacy purposes. So we have not received the eligibility. We've not seen the received the application to even apply to get part of that 140 120 to $140 million. So we're waiting on the state of Michigan to release the grant which we can apply for to receive more money for literacy initiatives. But that that grant money is not just for dpscd. It's a statewide grant for districts. As a follow up to the board chairs question. She had indicated that Crockett provides health services Career Academy, I had indicated that Cody does, or Northwestern does as well. But in addition to Northwestern, and Crockett Cody, eating his village here at Finney, and King will be offering a sports medicine program. So those are health related career academies that either we're offering now or planning to implement next year. Davis aerospace High School is now offering a new aviation maintenance program. So we just re introduced at the students this year. So that's part of the program now at the school as an update to the caste tech field, at the our board retreat. Now two weeks ago, we did talk about the caste tech field. The direction of the board at the board retreat was to include the Cass tech field as a philanthropic initiative, and that currently do use district dollars to redo the field from grass to turf and widen the field to offer soccer, lacrosse and also to be better position offer State football playoff games. So again, at the next Finance Committee meeting, the Board asked me to remind the Finance Committee of what are our current philanthropic initiatives. So private funding that we are searching for and asking for, and whether we should add Davis aerospace to that list, and Cass tech field and take other things off. So that meeting is upcoming. And then lastly, we always do try to diversify our vendors. We do that through our main vendor and they and they subcontract out to smaller vendors. And so we do that every year. If food is considered atrocious at an individual school, let me know directly. Let Miss Jackson know. And we will definitely try to address that issue at that individual school. But we're always trying to increase the vendors that offer food, but they have to be in regulation of federal requirements regarding sodium fat, etc, which are the new guidelines that were implemented under the Obama administration.
Those were all the questions Dr. Reading. The last one was around the food selection. So we thank you so much. Any comments or questions from the board before we move into go ahead is in
addition to other schools that offer health related programs for students Renaissance also offers a CNA program and they also aren't offered internships directly accessing the hospital's new renaissance. Thank
you. I know nurse T is over at Renaissance. I know her very well. She's doing really She's done an amazing job over there with the young people teaching them how to be nurses. So thank you. We will now move into item number 10 That I'm sorry. Oh,
I would like to clarify or respond to the couple of comments that we've heard today suggesting that I may have a personal conflict of interest, interest with respect to the Henry Ford transaction. So I want to say I want to clarify a few things. I am a developer but I run a non profit development company. I'd benefit in no way personal from personally from the Henry Ford transaction today tomorrow in the future, nor will my company be participating my nonprofit be partners repeating in that transaction. So I'd want to clarify that upfront. And I also would challenge anyone I'm open book if you'd like to come talk to me about concerns you have about that particular tax incentive program, please email me or call me. I'm happy to talk about it. But I would challenge anyone to to provide documentation that a penny is being taken a penny is being taken from the district that they are already receiving. So thank you for that.
Thank you, member Mays. Dr. Vidya, go ahead.
And I want to clarify two points, or ask or answer one question I did answer, which is, when we talk about vacancies, we're talking about funded positions that do not have a full time teacher in it. And so when, when teachers are on FMLA, if they are intermittent, FMLA, FMLA. That's not considered a vacancy. And so I just want to clarify, there could be confusion about a teacher being an FMLA, which is protected federally. And then there may be a substitute in that classroom. But that is not considered a vacancy. I do understand it impacts students learning, but that they're protected. Leave that that teachers have, I would say, ideally, I would like to get to a point in the district that even when people on long term, or even short term FMLA, we hire in surplus and we can place teachers there. That's a world that we don't live in right now based on teacher supply and demand. I do remember the days when I first started as an educator, that there there were districts that were funding in surplus teachers to fill those spots. But that is not something that we're in a position to do right now. But it's something we strive to be able to do. Other point of clarification is empty did released the application for the literacy grant. So that is something that we will apply that was just recently done.
Thank you. And I know the situation over at Paul Robeson, Malcolm X regarding one of the teachers I know that is top of mind to not only the principal, but also he has reached out to the district for support. So I look forward to a resolution on that sooner than later. We'll now go to item number 10. Closed Session. So closed session pursuant to MCL. One 5.268 C of the Michigan Open Meetings Act to discuss strategy connected with a negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement. The chair will entertain a motion to go into closed session for this one item.
Motion to enter closed session, zero
support. It's been properly moved remains properly supported by Dr. Taylor. Madam Secretary. Can we please have a roll call?
Angelique Peterson Mayberry. Yes. So when you amaze Yes, Dr. Iris Taylor, the Treece McClendon. Bishop colorbond Yes, Madam Chair. You have a quorum for closed session thank you.
Thank you for sticking with us. The chair will now entertain a motion to come out of closed session. The chair would now entertain a motion to come out of closed session. Members of the Board okay. It's been properly who's supported? Member McClendon. Okay, put the motion on the floor. It's been supported by member Vaughn to come out of closed session. Can we do a roll call for coming out of closed session?
Angelique Peterson Mayberry? Yes. So you may see Dr. Iris Taylor. The trees McClendon Yes. Bishop Colette. Yes, Madam Chair, you have a quorum to come out of closed session.
Thank you. We will now move to item number 11. So item number 11.02 is administrative terminations. So the board has had an opportunity to look and research those individuals who are listed for job abandonment. Is there a desire to put a motion on the floor to accept the Superintendent's report the motion? Is there support for it's been properly moved by member Mays properly supported by member Vaughn for item 11.01 to accept the superintendents, administrative terminations any discussion? All those in favor of the motion on the floor signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried item 11.02. So that is a recommendation for employment for an individual The superintendent is recommending. As you know, individuals who find themselves in these positions have to come before a board. And this individual coming before a board did receive an average weighted score of 76. person. So you have the information, which is confidential, you have the information for this individual. And superintendent is recommending that this individual
be hired. Motion. So except superintendent's recommendation
is their support. It's been properly moved by member Mays to accept the recommendation for employment for employee J. A. Employee pursuant to MCL 380 point 1230. And it's been supported by Dr. Taylor. Any discussion on the motion on the floor? If not all those in favor of approving the motion on the floor for 11.02 signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried, we now move to item number 12. The consent agenda. So we have items 12.01 through 12.09, which came to committees. So you have seen these before they have been recommended from committees. And so they are now on the consent agenda for the full board. Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda items? Motion to approve support has been properly moved by member Mays to approve the consent agenda items that are listed 12 points are a whopping 12.09. properly supported by member Vaughn, any discussion? All those in favor of the motion on the floor signify by saying Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. We will now move to announcements. Do we have any announcements today? Madam Chair, we do the announcements first. So the announcement one I want to congratulate and I don't see her in here now. But our board admin, miss kia Drake graduated from Wayne State and receive her bachelor's degree. So we want to say congratulations to miss Drake not sure how she fit in going to school, tending to seven board members along with Ms. Moore. And she's a mom of several children who are in the district. But if you see Miss Drake congratulate Miss Drake. The other thing is students receive report cards today if I'm not mistaken, Dr. VD Correct.
Or if it was today or tomorrow, okay.
I thought I saw an email that they received them today based on school being close. So if you have a young person, please check because they did receive report cards, if not today. Definitely tomorrow. Any more announcements? Oh, let me please say that we are at the time of the year where we have to interview for Library Commission. So those who are interested individuals who may be interested in the Library Commission being considered for a Library Commission, please go to the district website, or contact Ms Vanja more so that you can send your resume. The term for the individual selected is six years. So what the process looks like is that you submit your resume. You come before a subcommittee who interviews from this board and a recommendation is made to this board and then to the Library Commission Board. So resumes will be accepted beginning tonight through February the 29th. So we know that we are on break from February to 23rd 23rd through to 2019 through the 23rd. So we are on break as a district February the 19th. Through the 23rd however, resumes will be received through February the 29th. Interviews will begin the week of March the fourth so if you know anyone interested in Library Commission, you can go on the website and try to find out more information about what you will be signing up for to be considered Library Commission. The City of Detroit digital equity tour affordable connectivity program provides families with access to high speed internet solutions, digital literacy resources, it work development and training and access to devices. The last day to register for this is Wednesday, February, the 17 Golightly CTC is having a honor our legacy buffet on Thursday February the eighth tickets are $25 and you may call the fall Only number for reservations 313-822-8820 and we will have all this information on the website. Lastly, parent listening session is scheduled for Tuesday February the sixth faith based meeting is scheduled for Monday February the 12. And the next board meeting as mentioned earlier is February the 13th at 530. Again, all of this information will be on our board website. I would like to say happy birthday to member McClendon who celebrated her birthday on January 16. So I was a board meeting day so she got an opportunity to not spend her birthday with us. Remember gay diagnostico whose birthday is today so you do not see here to see her here today. And our secretary Dr. Iris Taylor will be celebrating her birthday on Thursday, February the phones so happy birthday to all of our board members who are celebrating birthdays. That concludes all of the announcements. Dr. VD has one item and we will then move to adjournment.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Just want to clarify a response to public comment. Paul Robeson, Malcolm X has one teacher vacancy in eighth grade I had said they have zero they have
one. So not the four that
I had said. They didn't have four. Right, right. They have one but I said
they didn't have any right. Okay, so they have one teacher vacancy. Thank you. We appreciate the accuracy Doctor video of coming back. You know, people will call you out on it. So it's good to hear anything else? Motion to adjourn.
I'm sorry. Did we talk about the parent listening session? We did. Okay. Yep. So motion to. Okay. Is
there support for the benediction. Motion to adjourn was support on the floor. Any discussion? All those in favor signify by saying aye? Aye. Motion carries. Thank you everyone. Be safe going home and we look forward to seeing you next month.
