DPSCD School Board - Regular Meeting - February 13, 2024
3:26PM Feb 14, 2024
Speakers:
Keywords:
students
district
support
detroit
teachers
pandemic
board
meeting
state
school
moved
english language learners
vacancies
literacy
received
public comment
questions
madam chair
funding
year
I received my love
Good evening, good evening. The time is now 533 We want to respect everyone's time who trudged through the weather and the traffic today to join us. So we are going to go ahead and get started. We will now officially call the meeting to order. Today is Tuesday, February to 13th. And we thank Principal Baldr and his entire administrative staff for hosting the board meetings for the next couple of months here at East English village Preparatory Academy at Feeny. We will now have a roll call Madam Secretary, can you please do a roll call? Angelique Peterson Mayberry. I'm present Misha Stallworth.
So you maze. Dr. Iris Taylor sharegate and Yogo Latrice McClendon, Bishop, Colette Yvonne present Madame Michael West present area Lozano,
President.
Madam Chair, you may begin,
thank you, 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 the event that any one engages in behavior that is not as supportive the good, we request that you refrain from that behavior. At this time, we will now have our moment of silence. And during our moment of silence today, we have a couple of people who have been instrumental in education as well as in Detroit Public Schools and Detroit Public Schools community district. We mourn the passing of civil rights activists, Alonso Lonnie Bates, who served on the city council and for the Detroit board of education for over 21 years in DPS. At that time, it was DPS and we also will more mourn Miss Aletha Webster and Miss Elise Aletha Webster was at school Mason Mason at Mason elementary school so we want to make sure during our moment of silence today we lift up the family of Mr. Bates and the family of Miss Webster We do however have another DPS family member that has passed away and out of respect for the family he passed on last night and so out of respect for the family we will wait to the next board meeting to lift him up but I just wanted to make mention of that so I'm gonna silence please
thank you we will now go into our school presentation so tonight we have Cass tech color guard so the technicians we have students here for the color guard and after the color guard goes into position if we could stand for Lift Every Voice and Sing and Star Spangled Banner performed by the Henry Ford jazz band please stand
right time
left arm
Oh say can you see
who saw at the last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the biggest fire five oh the pause me wash the stream me
flag was still there. Oh say stop God
me with
IT
guys
one of the things that the dark paths has taught us
that the President has
jazz band and the technician color guard if we can remain standing so the color guards exit the stage please
You may be seated the jazz band is going to give us one more selection
Hi? All right, let's give a round of applause to the jazz band from Henry Ford High School. I know you may have thought you were down at the Aretha or the fox. And you notice the three young ladies who were singing also went down because they're in the band as well. So we give a round of applause to our young people and their coaches, the directors, thank you so much, I'm sure principle my dad is proud as Miss Phillips will be proud of the Cass tech missions. Color Guard. So thank you so much to the jazz band. We appreciate you all. Well, now move to item. Public comment registration has closed, the time is 5:45pm. Public comment registration has closed. As with any public meeting, following Robert's Rules of orders, it does require a quorum for any action items. So item number three, the approval of the agenda, Item number for the approval of the meeting minutes, we will wait until we have a quorum for those items. We will now go into the chair remarks. I'll be brief tonight. I want to thank all the families and stakeholders who went to one of the five community meetings that we have had around strategic, our strategic plan. So there's one more tomorrow from six to 7pm. So if you missed the other four, then you can attend the fifth one tomorrow. And there is if you go to the website, there's a link, where you can join the meeting at six o'clock pm to hear the superintendent and the board's best thinking on the strategic plan. Also, tomorrow's count day. And I know a lot of people say you all make a big deal about count day. But every day is a big deal about being in school. And so every day matters. It just so happens that funding is tied to the frame of days around count day. And so that is why you see a concerted effort to ensure because our funding is tied to count day. So tomorrow's count day, if you as a stakeholder, have some time on your hands, please volunteer. There are a lot of activities that are going to be taking place I'm sure tomorrow as the as the board typically makes visits to schools as well. So we encourage you as a community to do that as well. That will I know Dr. Vt will speak a little bit about our ESC conversations that we've been having as a board superintendent team. Please do not feel that the concerns raised have fallen on deaf ears. So Dr. Vitti will share a little bit about that in his report tonight as well. And I will now turn it over to our students, our student ambassadors for their report.
Thank you You for this most students report we wanted to highlight certain aspects and concerns about our district's ESL program.
Sorry, easy. Give me one second, if we could get the mic turned up. Okay, thanks, Bobby, go ahead.
During one of our first de YC meetings, we had the opportunity to talk about the literacy lawsuit and how it affects us as students. When discussing this topic, we were actually brainstorming different things that we struggle with when it comes to not only learning how to read, but English classes as a whole. One of the things that were brought up are students who struggle with English as their second language as their second language, who now have additional resources for them to be helped. of Detroit Public School being one of the biggest districts in the state of Michigan. Having one of the most diverse demographics, it is essential that we provide easy access to English second language programs to each school. According to my personal research about the dpscd School District, we are made up of the following demographics at 1.9% of our students are black slash African American 13.6 are Hispanic or Latino 2.5 are white, 1.4 Asian slash Asian Pacific Islander 0.3, or mixed race 0.2 Are American Indian slash Alaskan, Alaska Native. And finally, 0.1 is Hawaiian native. Even though these percentages, even though some of these percentages seem like they mean, small blue put it into the context of how many students are in dpscd. Those numbers are truly large. For example, the 13.6 students who are Hispanic slash Latino may seem like small to some. But when you look at those numbers, and context, our district that has approximately 6600 kids fall into this category. And also notice how there are only a few categories, the ones that you see on every application, black, white, Asian, etc. But what do these categories really mean? Even within these categories, we have subcategories just showing how diverse we are within a district. Well, that being said, a whopping 10.6% of our students need additional assistance with English. This means about one in every 10 students needs additional help. This is more than enough proof that there's an urgent need for a strong and accessible ESL program when dpscd. For those who don't know, English second language, is basically a program that says students who struggle with learning with learning English as a second language, over multi language team and knowing that our numbers are increasingly grown when it comes to being a bilingual district, we are taking the steps in the right direction. And with multiple resources available to students who need ESL or assistance, we know that this can be done but as a de YC wants to know what we can do to work together to make sure that every student sees this program and is highlighted to make sure everyone gets what they need. Well, this being our third board, with this being our third month on the board, meet me Keith and Michael have already implemented a structure for getting additional feedback to other concerns. The welink shade with Dr. Vidya the rest of the board. This concludes our report for this time. Is there any questions or comments?
Thank you easy. Any questions or comments around the report around ESL, English second language? After reading any, any feedback?
Oh, thank you. As always for the presentation, I would say the big opportunity moving forward is the end you mentioned in your report is the use of the literacy Lawsuit Funding. So the literacy Lawsuit Funding does allow those funds to be used for English language learners. And so at a high level, the board and I have talked about some recommendations. This evening, we received the final recommendation from the literacy task force. So now staff needs time to just review them and prepare that review to the board. The board will then give us feedback on what they agree with what they don't. What are administrative recommendations are I think we're going to be more aligned than not on the recommendations. But there might be some recommended changes. And then we'll do some engagement sessions before the board votes to adopt a budget connected to that. But without question, we need to put more funding into support for English language learners. And it's actually one of our tactics that we've named in the updated strategic plan under a celebrating at an above grade level of performance.
Thank you anything else from the board as relates to the report? As always, thank you all so much. And thank you for the structure that you put in place to present questions and concerns prior to the board meeting and feedback. So we continuously look for ways to make sure that we are communicating effectively and hearing from all of our board members and you all r&d board members, so thank you. We will now move to our finance report from our CFO Mr. fundido.
Good evening board members and community. Good evening.
This evening, we'll review During this evening we're reviewing the financials through the month of December. We did receive tax collections again on the 13th and 18 mil, or millages. You see those totals there, there were no debt payments. The next scheduled debt payment on our operating debt will be in March. The next bond payment 13 mil debt payments will be made in April. Regarding dpscd This evening, receive your budget amendment. Once that is adopted, you will receive updated financials reflecting that budget amendment, this is still reflecting back to the original adopted budget. So you do see that revenue is increased ahead of projections, we had higher interest income, so the interest rates continue to run higher than we initially had projected. Additionally, the district had received Ballmer grants funding for the Community Health Center Health hubs that was received in the month of December, and then enhancement millage payments are continuing or run higher, that will be adopted with new projections in budget amendment one. Overall, we do also have additional state aid. There have been additional one time grants from the state that were not known when we adopted the original budget. on the expenditure side, personnel costs are running slightly above budget. Those are in relation to the bonus payments that had been negotiated in the agreement and were paid out in November in December. So this includes the final bonus payments from the fall. As we look at available cash, and we've talked about this, we do have an increase in our mile off investment account in front of the board this evening is a resolution with the budget amendment to transfer the surplus to the capital projects fund as as part of the plan to fully fund the $700 million. And so you see that projection and that transfer scheduled to happen in February, based on board approval. And that concludes my report.
Thank you, Mr. dedeaux. Do we have any questions as it relates to the CFLs report? I know there was much more McClendon. Yes.
Just going back a couple slides, because you maybe explain to not only us, but maybe it's also the members of the audience here. How much if you go back? Yup, this is perfect. How much did not go back yet? How much the district received from the bomber for grant funds? And also could you kind of talk about how much the state aid was for the one time categorical grant payment?
Yes. So the Balmer grant, I want to say in total was $2.7 million. Dr. Vitti. Okay, he's shaking his head. I believe that was the the amount for the health hubs that we received. Related that and then additionally on the state aid one time categorical grants, by memory, I believe are at $15 million to date and additional funds there. And as was mentioned in public comment last month, there are additional grants that are coming available this month and next month. So that number will continue to increase. And because we have not yet received them, they will not be included in VA one. So 50 million to date, plus that number is increasing with the new grants that the state continues to release.
And can you just maybe give a comment or two why these grants are important to our district? Absolutely.
So I will say in general, we are always welcoming of additional funds. The state given the one time surplus has been instead of increasing per pupil. They've been increasing allocations of restricted grants. Not gonna say anything wrong with that it's agreed, but they are limited in what they can use. So we received $7.9 million for additional time that can be used to find after school programs, summer programs. We received another grant. Our partnerships grant, which we can use to support a partnership schools and purchasing additional digital technology support services in those targeted Partnership School grants. Additionally, there was a extended Extended Learning Time, which can again fund for summer school can do additional literacy programs. So while those are great grants, we're not going to say they the board or the board. The state has said these are one time funding, so we won't have them on a reoccurring basis. We'll have them this year, and then next year, and then they're scheduled to end after that.
You can miss Mr. McClendon. Okay. And I just encourage the community the next finance meeting is Friday at 9am at the Fisher building on the 12th floor. So I know at the finance meeting, we go a bit deeper into finances That being the only purpose of that subcommittee, as well as the academic meeting. The next academic meeting is Monday the 26th at 11am. So if you can mark your calendars, those two categories, in particular go deeper at the subcommittee meetings. Thank you. There are no more questions for our CFO. Thank you, Mr. fundido. You can file that report for auditing purposes. And we will now go to the superintendents report. Thank you.
Good evening. Thank you, Madam Chair. Miss Wilson. We'll go to recognitions I believe we only have one today.
Thank you, Dr. Bd. Tonight, we will be acknowledging a core group of young people right here at ease English village Preparatory Academy and Feeny for the core value of excellence which states to be relentless in your pursuit of greatness. Be bold and innovate. Learn from your mistakes hold yourself and others to high standards. The ease English village class of 2024. They told me the Ville responded to a need in their community in less than two weeks time. My father's business at Grace Community Church volunteers and attending families are forever grateful for their hard work, servant leadership, open hearts and hands. The students unify to pick up 765 canned goods to answer the need to replenish the church's pantry before Christmas, and to serve the community during Christmas. Tonight we recognize the following students and thank them for showing our city What dpscd students are capable of and congratulations on being recognized in your community. At this time, I like to bring up the teacher the leader of this excellent student group and Cynthia Ratty. The class president Mr. Rana Willis, De Quan Maxwell, Keisha Jones, we'd like to acknowledge three young ladies who are in a CNA program upstairs and they decided to stay in class instead of coming because it was so important to them. Amber Christian, Aisha Hines, and Ginny Ginny's MacLeod. Tonight we also have danisha Dionne Brown, and Angela Hartwell. Let's put our hands together for a warm congratulations for them for feeding their city and their community. And we have Justin who is going to take a photo if you look out into the audience, if you can see past the lights, he's kind of flashing his camera so you can see where to look.
Dr. BD, thank you Dr. BD, for helping to pass out the awards and thank you to our students once again for their excellence in demonstrating that core value of Detroit Public Schools community district. We know when students rise we all rise thank you again let's give him a round warm of applause.
Right I'll be brief. This evening again, I'll be reviewing our metrics. Right now enrollment stands at 40,481 students. That is about 1000 students more than we ended last school year. As our board chair mentioned, tomorrow is the official day of count in the spring. Our district is funded from 90% of our funding for FTE for an individual student happens in the fall count and 10% in the spring. However, if a student attends, who was not in the fall, but enrolled after the fall, and they've counted at Spring, then we retro actively receive at least 90% of that funding into the next year. So attendance as mentioned is important every day. We know that if students miss nine or fewer days to three to five times more likely to be at an above grade level in reading and math and to be college ready on the PSAT LSAT. Those statistics are dpscd statistics, not national or state statistics. So your attendance is needed every day to reach your talent and for teachers to demonstrate the hard work that they're showing in the classroom, our re enrollment rate is slightly higher. And now back to where it was before the pandemic about 70%. Average Daily Attendance is 83%, which is about 1% higher than last year. Right now, chronic absenteeism. When you look at where we are at this point in the school year, about 62% of students would be tracking to be chronically absent, that would be a decrease of 66%. Last year, right now 87% of students are showing or teachers are showing excellent to moderate attendance. And we just finished our interim love challenger prepared survey. And that's trending at 32% of students feeling love challenge prepared. That's an increase of where we left last year. But that's the interim number, not the final number. Students will take their final survey on Love Challenge prepare toward the end of the year. We went over this data at the academic committee meeting and last month's board meeting, which was only a couple of weeks ago, right now, at mid year, based on the medeor assessments that our students took 54% are trending to showing at least one year of growth that would be higher than where we ended last year. Right now about 54.5% of students that are consistently or continuously enrolled, which means for FTE periods are trending a bit higher than last year. Most importantly, we're seeing a lot of improvement in showing why at least one year of growth with our bottom 30% and literacy trending at 62% where last year we ended at 55%. In math, about 59% of students are showing at least one year of growth at mid year, it would be about five percentage points higher than we ended last year, continuing to Li enrolled the same trend and then the lowest 30% of students 67% are showing at least one year of growth. And last year, we ended up 58%. We are trending higher with projecting at an above grade level performance and literacy and math. And I would not make too much out of the numbers that you see, as I said last week, or two weeks ago at the board meeting. These numbers for PSATs 80 are based on baseline data, not the mid year data. So that's before students are engaged in instruction. As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, 59% of our juniors and seniors are taking college classes, which mean dual enrollment, AP, international baccalaureate, or career tech classes, and 53 54% of students have past classes that they've taken in those areas. Right now we have 51, teacher vacancies and 27 support staff vacancies, we have three assistant principal vacancies for counselor social worker vacancies, six academic intervention is vacancies, six security vacancies district wide for pre K para and 12 ESC Perez. We have 28 vacancies with our contracted custodians. 61% of our students are eating breakfast, that if last year was at 57 87% are eating lunch last year, we ended at 84. So at this point, we are exceeding pre pandemic numbers in students eating lunch, and slightly below where we were pre pandemic with breakfast, but definitely trending in the right direction. I did want to make a couple points before I close. And just to review something that I was able to talk to, during our engagement sessions on the updated strategic plan. And through district email, it was some media attention to it. But I do want to recognize our teachers, our principals, our support staff, our central office staff and just a district team. You know, we often and we should be focused on the day to day work that we're doing. And sometimes it's hard to see the kind of progress that we're seeing. And oh, every month I go over data and they just seem like numbers. But there was a recent study done in collaboration between Stanford University and Harvard University that looked at National Achievement data from last year as compared to the previous year before the pandemic and they were trying to look at what districts and what state seemed to be moving ahead of the pandemic and in recovering learning loss and going beyond that. And I'm really proud to recognize our team in that dpscd Post pandemic recovery is significantly outperforming the state of Michigan I'm including better resource low poverty districts. We are one of the leading large urban school districts in the country and recovering from the pandemic. So that's not only eliminating learning loss, but showing improvement in that and above grade level performance from before the pandemic to now, and two years ago when we really came out of online learning. So this research really reinforces what we have been saying, which was at the end of the pandemic, we showed less learning loss than city charters than the state average, and the county average. And then when we look at the most recent two years after the pandemic, we showed more improvement, especially in literacy than city charters than the state average, the county average and large urban school districts. And so this is a data point that was part of this study. And I just want to highlight it because I think all of us are just tired of sometimes seeing Detroit behind other districts. And usually, some, often these statistics show this, but this is not my graph. This is a graph that comes out of this study. And what you see here is the state average in blue. And then you see Detroit dpscd in the upper right. And so the line at the bottom defines poverty. And then the vertical line defines in reading achievement or improvement. And so when you combined high poverty and improvement, you can see dpscd In the far right, which means a we're exceeding the state average, but it's encouraging to see that we are showing more improvement, and that above grade level, poor performance post pandemic, then districts like Troy and Arbor Chippewa Valley in Livonia, Dearborn, Kalamazoo Grand Rapids. And so this means that the reform that we started before the pandemic helped us reduce some of the learning loss that was expected in the pandemic, but he's definitely allowing us to turn the corner and move ahead of districts. When you look at improvements since the pandemic, and you see something similar in math, again, poverty is defined by the by the bottom line, the vertical line improvement in math. And again, we're in the upper right. And so what this research said is that the more concentrated poverty that a district was dealing with the more learning loss, but also the less improvement that a district showed dpscd was the anomaly, that
despite concentration of poverty, we are showing more improvement than suburban districts, than the state average in other large urban school districts. So often, you know, we talk about statistics in a negative light. And I just want to take the moment to celebrate our teachers, our principals, central office staff, that if really owned the challenge of showing improvement since the pandemic, as I've been saying,
Our goal is to be the most improved large urban school district in the country and in the next couple of years to be the best large urban school district in the country. This data is showing that we are moving in the right direction.
And I just want to thank everyone.
And then just to close, because the chair had asked me to give an update. We know that last month, we heard, actually two months ago, we heard from quite a few ESC teachers and ESC ancillary staff about the delays in IPs, and re evaluations linked IPS, IPS, individual education plans for special needs students. And so although we are narrowing the number, our number is still high. We are working with DFT on a couple of different initiatives to try to address that issue. And so we are optimistic that in the next couple of days or weeks, we will be announcing some things that we're going to be doing differently regarding staffing, evaluating. And then when we talk about services, our greatest challenge right now is speech services. So that's another issue that we're trying to problem solve with DFT and ancillary staff and central office staff. So this is not a dpscd Only problem. It is a national problem with catching up on evaluations after the pandemic. But in this conversation, we need to focus about what's happening inside the district and how we own the challenge and we create better systems and processes and do a better job of doing some of our gaps with hiring. So I'm optimistic by the next board meeting, you'll you'll hear an update on some initiatives to address this problem. The only other topic that I'd like to address is the governor's budget. It was released about a week ago. Her Budget is lower than it was the year before, with only about a 2.5 increase in the foundational allowance, and about a 400 241 per student increase in FTE. However, I'm optimistic that this is more about not where we're going to end. But instead, where we start, as the governor works with the legislature, which is slightly controlled by the Democrats, and maybe in a couple of upcoming elections, that majority will be a little stronger. So although this is a bit discouraging, I think as we go through the legislative process and the budget process, this will be stronger by the spring as we build next year's budget.
Thank you, Dr. Vitti. Any questions or comments? I think that board. Dr. Vitti is very proud of our staff and all the work that the team has done. I think you mentioned, it is really difficult. Sometimes, when you hear some even even from our own, right, you hear that the district is in one position. But if we can't celebrate even the successes that others celebrate for us, then we have more work to do. So I appreciate that. People seeing whether they acknowledge it or not, we're gonna keep moving because we know we have work to do. Go ahead and member go back, no,
thank you. I echo that sentiment. Congratulations, Dr. V to your team, our staff, and to our students. I'm very excited about that, when I read it, I thought that there should be a whole lot more excitement in the city of Detroit and in the state. Given that, you know, we are always the whipping boy or girl and throughout the state. So I'd love to see that celebrate a little bit a little bit more. I do have a couple of questions, though, especially and thank you for the email. I think you have like maybe two people working as Dr. V, because I don't know how these emails keep coming. But that's always the highest space where I rate you communication, like, I don't get it. But it's amazing. Um, we got these recommendations, official recommendations that's coming in based on the whole literacy lawsuit piece. And I was looking at the graph and and I saw I think Dearborn and some other city I forget that was up top as well. Just kind of want to know is how in specificity of which factors could have attributed to some of the outcomes that we see with outpacing others, as we approach the literacy lawsuit? Are any of those reflected just at a glance at what you might have saw there? I think having the increased support staff, AIS and the investment in that space. I feel like some of that might have attributed but I don't know if there's any data that that is highlighting that. And then the success at the school level with the staff and students as students had a chance to be celebrated. So that they know this, that when they're not wanting to do testing, like what why does it matter, and then to be celebrated because of this?
Through the Chair, so we we actually tried to promote this study, I believe it was last Monday, or Tuesday, and unfortunately, that was the day that the Crumley verdict was released for the mother. And that dominated the airwaves for a couple of days locally. So there were maybe two or three stories, we're trying to work on getting it out more. So that's on the on the media side, but we are going to work social media more and celebrate this. We haven't had a chance to celebrate students on this yet. But there's a way to do that. So just starting to promote it, and definitely will use it more than in these past two weeks with the engagement sessions on the strategic plan. It's been one of my main points. And I think it's been appreciated based on the feedback that we received. Without a doubt, I think the improvement is one, our commitment to show improvement after the pandemic. I think a lot of districts were still weighed down, and somewhat rightfully so from the pandemic. And we did forge ahead to say, I think our messaging was right to say the app post pandemic is a new baseline. You know, it is the reality of the pandemic and we have to show improvement at with that new baseline. And I think our principals bought into that. And they worked with teachers who also bought into care we got to show improvement and I think that just that mentality of was different. When you look at other districts throughout the country that was still weighed down by the pandemic, I'd also go back to how we worked with our unions and our employees to come back in person. That was unique, you know, we came back in person with the COVID testing, with close contact contacting the smaller class sizes, we maximize COVID dollars to do all that some of that wasn't sustainable. But that allowed us to come back and it was less than ideal. But, you know, I think people agreed we need to come back. And, you know, we didn't always agree how to come back. But we did it and we came back stronger than other districts, eyeline learning, we taught the whole day. And that was very unique, where a lot of districts just gave assignments. And then students were on their own to complete the assignments. We did screentime the whole time, and there was pushed back on that. But we did that because our kids were going to struggle without direct instruction. And then, to your point, I think, just to the basis of our reform curriculum that's at grade level, PD that we've been doing on that. And then our intervention model, mainly for literacy is working. The focus on the science of reading the academic interventionists, it's starting to show improvement, we're getting students three grade levels below to getting to to those that are to grade levels below to one and those one one grade level below closer to being at grade level. So that's a combination of I think, at a high level, the things that have been working was done differently in the pandemic, to your last question. Without a doubt, I think hiring more academic interventionists is part of the strategy, especially when we talk about English language learners and our special needs students, the sub the two subgroups that are not that are still behind, from pre pandemic to post pandemic English language learners and special needs students, most other students in the aggregate have moved forward with with those are the two subgroups. And so it makes sense to intensify the literacy Lawsuit Funding on those two subgroups. You know, I think the other the other focus is k three, and doing as much as we can to lower class size and k three, and providing more academic interventionist and k three, so we, we try to stop the ketchup game, and more students start third grade at grade level or near it. So then, you know, we can talk about maintaining grade level performance, not playing the ketchup game, after third grade, the dollars are there, the challenge of lower class size in k three would be hiring more teachers, especially at the elementary level, and then some schools don't have space, they don't have space to add another classroom because all the classrooms are being used. So that's what we're going to work through through the recommendations, and then try to get more teachers trained on the science of reading. And, you know, possibly work with DFT to require it, pay teachers to do it and be flexible on when they do the training, whether that's online, you know, summers evenings, so they're not being pulled from the classroom and take away from instruction.
Madam Chair, if I may, yeah, no, no, thank you. I think that's this, that this that's really rich. I think the the science are reading, I think we have to also look at holding our COEs, our colleges of education to a higher level of responsibility as well as their pumping out portfolio of teachers. That should be something we are asking all of our especially local universities, to make sure that that is a part of competencies to begin with. Since if we're seeing what is working, let's make sure that they get it before they come to work with us. So that, you know, it's automatic. I would say in addition to the smaller class sizes, and and support for the K three. I know we talked about it early on of sharing curriculum with our pre K mom and pops throughout that are going to feed into our districts. Where are we with that process? So our kids are coming with the building blocks necessary to read. I
would say, you know, based on your recommendation, as we review, funding opportunities with the literacy lawsuit, that could be an initiative to put aside some dollars, not a lot and you know, 94 million is enough to do that. Where we could have separate staff and central office, work with the mom and pops and to be more strategic with individual schools working with them locally, you know, based on the neighborhood where those are at to do more PD, more school visits and things like that. So setting aside dollars and literacy lawsuit would not not lead to a situation where we're taking from our budget, or staff time to do that we can have separate staff to do that funded to the literacy lawsuits.
Thank you.
Thank you. Doctor, you got a question to around, you mentioned the vacancies that we have. So, are there job fairs that are scheduled to try to fill those vacancies? And then what are we doing creatively so that our stakeholders can help on this message in terms of trying to close these gaps, whether it be faith base, whether it be our business community, what are we doing so that they understand that we have these gaps, and that they can carry the message from the spaces and the circles of influence in which they're in? Well
are members of our HR team and then some school based leaders will, starting in the spring, as we have always done is do a national recruitment strategy focused on our HBCUs to recruit undergraduates to come to dpscd us alumni networks, mainly at HBCUs. And other universities to ramp up for the summer for hiring, we will do hiring fairs in the spring, as we always have done. So that that's what we we have been doing. And that has worked. The challenge is there may be people that want to come to work for dpscd. But they want to work at a particular school, and there's not a vacancy at those schools, or as many partners will be given, you know, all meaning that our faith based partners, our alumni partners, just information on, you know where to sign up to be a teacher, if they're certified opportunities to join on the rise Academy, if they're not currently a teacher, you know, that will ramp up again for recruitment for next year. So those are the vehicles that that we've always used that we'll continue to use.
Thank you. And what about our partnerships with colleges local, trying to build pipelines? Yeah,
to the earlier question that there is a bill, the dyslexia bill, which is not perfect, but it does require a universities to teach a science of reading, and that graduates that are going into teaching, be exposed to that. Again, there are some pros and cons to the current bill, but that is included in that but we have worked with our universities, the reality is, is they're just not developing as many teachers as they used to. Especially not developing teachers of color. In fact, dpscd as of last year, develop more teachers of color for dpscd through on the rise than what we receive from universities. So because we're developing our own talent through mainly academic interventionist, and some parents.
Interesting. Any more questions for the superintendent? Okay, thank you. We will now move into Oh, the chair, entertain a motion. Let me go back. We do have a quorum now. So let me go back to item number three, approval of the agenda. So the chair will entertain a motion to approve the agenda as presented.
Motion madam chair to approve the agenda.
Is there support support is been properly moved by member gates Agnolo. properly supported by member Vaughn to approve the agenda as presented any discussion? All those in favor of the motion on the floor signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. Thank you. We will now go to item number four. Approval of the meeting minutes from academic committee meeting January 29 2020. For the organizational board meeting minutes from January 30 2020. For the regular board meeting minutes from January to 30 of 2020 for the regular board meeting, closed session from January 30 2024. And the Finance Committee meeting minutes from February the fifth 2024 Is there a desire to tie bar items 4.01 through 4.05. So moved. Is there a support. It's been properly moved by member Vaughn and properly supported by member McClendon to tie bar items 4.01 through 4.05. Any discussion? All those in favor of the motion on the floor signify by saying Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried the chair will now entertain a motion for the tie bar of items 4.01 through 4.05. So moved. Is there support. It's been properly moved by member Vaughn properly supported by member McClendon any discussion the motion on the floor? If not all those in favor of approving the motion on the forest signify by saying Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries Thank you. The Chair will now entertain a motion to accept the superintendence report as presented. So move Madam Chair is there support. It has been properly moved by member Vaughn properly supported by member McClendon to accept the Superintendent's report any discussion of the motion on the floor? If not, all those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. Thank you, we will now go 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 raise their hand online prior to the chair announcing the close of public comment registration. For those in person, the Chair will call the names of individuals to address the board in the order received. Please remain seated until your name is called. For those who are joining us virtually for virtual public comment, it will be facilitated through a zoom webinar. The link and the phone number for which can be accessed is at Detroit K twelve.org. Backslash board meetings. Individuals wishing to address the Board may do so by choosing one of the two options through your computer you can select raise your hand, and that's the option on your screen or through your telephone you can press star nine and that raises your hand on the telephone. The meeting administrator will select the individuals in the 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 or legal standards, confidentiality, privacy of others or require 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. If we can now go to those who are we'll go to those in person first. So we have two mics. If we could have Vernon Carr and Pastor Patterson to one mic and Paul shall not an add people to the other mic please. So Vernon Carr and Pastor Patterson at one mic and Paul should not and add people to the other mic please.
We can put the time up. There you go. Go ahead miss. Mr. Car
Could you hear me? Yes, we can hear you now. Pastor Patterson, I'm glad to be here this evening. And I just come to actually speak on what it is that I am a partner of with bimby high school hopefully also to be with se thread. And ramus rhombus and I think is Karstens. But there's a few things that we are putting together, we actually have completed our therapy for the last two weeks at Danbury High School. I have a team that is also putting together some mental health awareness programs that we want to do. I'm sitting here as this just my first time coming to a board meeting and I'm hearing a lot. I know my schedule is very hectic, but I want to set aside some time to start to learn because you've is my passion. Even when I was a little girl, nine years old, I was putting together community projects at the age of nine. But that's something I can't shake because it's me. So I want to do more to help our youth I just went to a funeral just the other day from someone that got shot, very young person. And I'm really tired of this. And I'm like you know God, I've been called to pasture I want to do more. And I'm going to start at demby. I'm going to start with se I'm going to start with Remus and Robinson or Karstens and I want to come in with the team and I want to make a difference. I'm looking at this student's rise, we all rise. That's true. I think that even in the midst of everything that's going on negativity In the world, we have to focus on positiveness, because all of us have positiveness in us, we may not be perfect. But there's something in us that God has put in us that we must give to the youth. Because they are the next generation. So we have to pour into them. And that is exactly what I'm going to do, my team is going to do and hopefully, those that are at our at other schools on the faith based console will do as well. And basically, that's all I want to say, I want to continue these programs, and hopefully, I'm working with a gentleman. He um, he's he's wanting to do trade. And I'm working with another young lady. She's from Korea. I just met her today. I'm like, soon as I said, this is like every doors just open and people come into me. So I just want to know that. There is help here. But we got to realize that the help is here, and open our eyes to what is getting ready to happen. Because this has been revealed to me, God has told me to keep the students, the youth, our children in prayer. We must do that fasting and prayer. And that's all I want to say. Thank you,
Pastor Patterson, and thank you for your work with our students at our schools. burning car, being a perfect gentleman he lead pastor Patterson go first. Go ahead, Mr. Carr.
Good evening, everybody. I just want to say first, thanking God and thanking the board and Dr. Vitti for allowing me to have this opportunity to speak. I'm gonna just talk real briefly about my experience, going to and attending DPS schools. So I stand before you today a proud graduate of Detroit public schools. My journey IDPs wasn't always easy. We moved around a bit as my mom's saw its stability for our family. At the beginning of my educational career, I attended seven elementary schools starting in Detroit, then to Texas in Germany. When we returned to Detroit, I settled down at Fox Elementary, a small school on the west side located on Pembroke. While there I had a special teacher in a second grade named Miss Leblanc. Initially she is sick she selected me as a morning crossing guard. But due to a point system, I was relieved of my responsibilities the first week on the job, because I was always late. So that was my first experience of on job training. From near miss LeBlanc suggested I become a future teacher. Only during emergencies, she will give me rides home. Jessie emergencies not every day every once awhile she give me a ride home. And I remember talking to my mother, about Ludington Magnet Middle School. And she always said that it was imperative that I got my name on a waiting list because that was the type of middle school that I needed to be at. After Fox, I attended bio elementary for third and fourth grade. My entire life I've been a basketball junkie, and any opportunity to discuss basketball I dive into headfirst. Miss Stewart was my fourth grade elementary teacher and it was safe to assume she did not want to read any more book reports about some random NBA players. Miss Stewart said to me no Vernon, no more basketball players this time. And against my will I stayed in for recess. And we did some research and she helped me find some other prominent individuals that I could do a book report on. So from that time at that age of being 10 to now 38 Paul Robeson was the person that I selected and he has been a lifelong inspiration for me and my journey. Circling back to miss LeBlanc, my mom followed her advice and she put my name on the waiting list for Ludington when it was time for fifth grade, I was eroded Ludington and I met lifelong friends and staff members I'm still connected to to this day. Just to name a few. Miss Kimberly love Mr. Tyrell McAdoo, our principal at the time Miss Shelton, just to name a few. I finished my journey at what some of you may know now as Meyer, but it once was Detroit reference. I say that record is still serving this community now just in a different fashion. After doing my work on and off the court, I earned a scholarship to University of Texas at El Paso. Even in college my DPS family was there. Mr. Gibson was the dean at reffered and he always seemed to check on me but he always sent me timely $50 money order that I've always needed because struggling yeah Mr. Carr thank
you so much. You seem to be a proud DPS alum like so many of us thank you so much for being here tonight and staying connected to our students. They need to see dpscd is fine is Thank you. We now have parshah not 30 people and brother freedom is the last person if we have brother freedom at the other mic. Mister should not go ahead
Good evening. Good evening. I want to say hi to my fellow Husky over there, Mr. Carr.
And Miss Gay Don Nago right there. I just started out the day at city council. I'm going to be brief as well, I've got to get to my second precinct community meeting that ends shortly. And it's about a 20 minute drive there. Stay in the Midwest area of Detroit. We have one school, Samson Weber Leadership Academy. There's been a very, very, very jump, big jump in the Hispanic population. In my neighborhood, I can recall 2019 I believe it was my next door neighbor Arturo moved in with his wife and his two children. That was the first family. Since then we now have eight families on my block that are all Hispanic. And seven of those households all have children two or more. There's a big need for some kind of language interpretation for these children in my area. And they're not receiving it. I don't believe that Samsung, whoever I'm in the Midwest City Council of block clubs, I'm the president of my block club neighbors from Lansdale, we have a plan to go up to the school and actually speak to the staff, the principal and see what's going on on there up there to see what we can actually do like the pastor is doing. Currently, we do believe that the children are a future. You give them the tools to operate, they can do anything. I went to a few Detroit public schools as well, my experiences weren't that great. I deal with a lot of you know, a lot of a lot of hate, you can kind of say, just because I guess the way I looked or the way I spoke from the staff as well as the students. And I don't think I was given the proper tools as well. I graduated from Redford High School 1998. So that's just goes to show timeframe. I don't want to take up too much more your time. Just hopefully we can get something going on at Samsung, wherever with the language interpretation for those students, and possibly, possibly get one of those K through 3k. Through five schools you're talking about over in our neighborhood, we'd have three schools that were closed that are getting demoed as we speak. I believe the Old Samsung, which is on the Oakley, Malcolm X Academy, which is on living boy and I 96 service drive, and Cheryl School, which is on Garden Street, those three are actually fenced in about to get demoed at anytime now. And hopefully, hopefully we can get something going on over there for the education in the future. That's it. Peace.
Thank you so much peace. Thank you so much. For those who are joining our board meeting for the very first time. We typically we respond the routine is to respond to the questions and concerns raised during public comment at the very end of public comment. So we have Mr. tional and brother freedom as the last to in person public comments or before we go to the two online
is Mr. Chanel here? Oh, okay. Eddie, people I'm sorry, Eddie people, Mr. People.
Green Good evening. You know, as I was listening to the comments about Detroit Public Schools, cause I attended Detroit Public School. My wife here, talk to people she attended the Detroit Public School. And, in reality, certain aspects of Detroit Public School really hasn't changed. She went to CASS I went to McKenzie. And during that entire time, as I said she went to Cass and never once did a counselor mentioned the word college to her. This is the cash check. And of course never once did a counselor mentioned the word. College to me And I'm quite sure if there are any individuals in my age, our age bracket that happened to them. But anyway, we're getting to the children that Helen Moore and I are associated with, at Barton Elementary School, the Caucasian, European, they are still doing the same thing. And 24 that they were doing, and 63 keeping the feet on the head of our black children. Now, my wife, Helen Moore, created a program, let's read, that was supposed to help our children learn to read, which public schools was doing a rather poor job at. And you had individuals volunteering, to help our children to read well, I can understand all the tests that we had to go through to become to become teachers to help these children pass these exams everything else what else?
You are Mr. People, but we will address less read the less Read program. Thank you so much, if you could just stay for a moment. And our last and we thank you for helping over at Barton Elementary, our young people learn how to read our last public comments are in person, brother freedom. Go ahead.
Thank you. First, I'd like to thank the school board, Dr. Vd is made very few off support. I come in representation to Detroit people's community, we kind of have pretty much a new partner with the district. And I just wanted to come speak to our program, what we've been doing some of the amazing and positive results that we've been having. Again, I like to thank the district and thank the school board for even giving us the opportunity to engage with our youth and be a part of the family and be a part of the village that is our public schools. So our program, our organization is a part of the city shot stopper program, which is which has the ultimate goal in mind of reducing the amount of fatal and non fatal shootings in the city of Detroit. Our specific area that we've been assigned by the city one of the hot zones is from north to eight miles softer Curtis, from hobo to Burg row, we've partnered with Charles Wright Elementary, Emerson Elementary, bow Elementary, and Henry for high school. And so far, we were starting to see some amazing results. So our goal in partnering with those schools was to help help schools out in several areas, dismissal support, retention, severe absence, absenteeism, and at the very most engaging, and providing mentorship with the very most high at risk youth in those schools. And we're starting to see some amazing results. You know, we've been engaged actively engaged in and mentoring some of those at risk individuals, working with them outside of schools, helping to provide additional wraparound support services. And like I said, we're really starting to see a turnaround. So I mean, so far in the last quarter in the city, we were able to contribute to those historic numbers. We help reduce violence in our area by little over 26%. And I think one of the biggest contributing factors to our success is the relationships that we've been able to build and garner in our schools. You know, we even had an incident a few weeks ago, where we seeing some of our high school students, unfortunately, at two, three in the morning, outside, you know, it was a big thing. It was a fight some going on between parents and some of our students was out there, but because of the relationships that we created so far, our mentee, our mentors, were able to engage the students recognize this and we were able to get them back in the house safe, get them off the streets and prevent some further mishap and prevent incidents. So it's been amazing. Again, like I said, I appreciate the opportunity to and I look forward, RSR organization to continue to support the district continue to support our schools and ultimately prevent the violence. Unfortunately, that sometimes that happens, right? Our organization understands there's only so much our teachers and our security agents and our Dean's and our conference can do once the students leave the school grounds. So we want to continue to be a part of that arm and a part of that community force that supports our students when they leave, support our parents and support our district and support our students to continue to be successful. So thank you again, thankfully, for the board. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak.
Thank you, Brother freedom. And thank you for that program. I've seen it in action. And it's amazing to see our young people engage with those young individuals for that program. So thank you. I will now turn it over to our Miss Drake. For our last two public comments or us who are online. Could you facilitate that portion, please? Yes, ma'am.
Liam more, please go ahead with your public comment. Yes, ma'am. Can you hear me? Yes, ma'am. Okay, good evening, thank you for taking my public comment virtually, I'm normally there with you. But I was able to hear some of the meeting. I do appreciate you all, you know, still having the students come and perform, just please continue that continue to add more appreciation for students, you know, giving them plaques and things and just recognizing the more the meetings on a district level, but I do appreciate that any growth from our district. I appreciate you know, and it's the hard work and dedication of, you know, the school itself all the way down from the custodian to the lunch lady to everybody. Because to to have success, you have to have those components to make it work. So any growth is always appreciated. And it should be recognized. As far as my questions before I go into my comment very quickly. When will Paul Robeson, Malcolm X have the opportunity as far as parents, slash staff to actually go in the building and kind of get a feel for it prior to the move, if possible. I don't see Miss Taylor there. So I will be interested since she wanted to opt out our students I was Taylor from the nape test, I was at the school, Paul Robeson, feeding our babies, our fourth and eighth graders, you know, so they can take this test, and do it as successfully as possible. So, you know, being more proactive next year will be good to see her as well as other board members kind of go into schools and ask questions, you know, concerning this mate, so that, you know, if we're not going to opt out, which we shouldn't, we should be more proactive and trying to get our students as more ready as possible, even though you know, I was told that they kind of pull students, and it's not really on academics, they just pull them and some of them are low performing students. So we're kind of affected depending. So that is the question. And then I'm also hearing about teachers not getting their payment for having oversized classrooms. district wide. So I just needed a little clarification on that as a parent, because if their class is packed, you know, they should get the compensation that is due to them. And then lastly, with the strategic plan, you know, a plan is just the plan. But the district ratios are very important if you want to achieve this plan. Well, I do think as a stakeholder, we are too top heavy. And it's kind of delusional, you know, if you want all these performances to go high, which they will because our babies are brilliant, and are and we will have some hard working staff, but you know, to get rid of college advisors, not having enough attendance ages, counselors, you know, parents and kindergarten, ESC and all of that, you know, it's kind of delusional, you know, to try to have that plan.
Hi, Melissa Radman. Please go ahead with your public comment.
Yes, ma'am. No, for public comment, only have a few days to ask about one of the things I have to ask about. Paul Robeson Malcolm X Academy had a nurse there. I don't know exactly what transpired but within the last week, last week, and this week, I noticed we did not have a nurse on staff. And I would like to make sure that it is one in our bill. because, as of right now we have kids that are, you know, some kids get sick Lee and things go on. So no one else is licensed to take care of that area. So I would like to make sure that they send a nurse to our building. Also tomorrow is officially called date. I would love to see anybody from the board come over and greet our students. That's all I have to say. Thank you
Madam Chair, those are the only two with raise hand for public comment.
Thank you. So Dr. Vitti, there were a couple of questions that came out. And if you could just walk through the Let's read that process to I know, we have revamped that process based on feedback from other more and those from her team. So we can just talk about the process for less ri. And then I know there were a couple of questions that Miss Morehead as well.
Sure. So the process for let's read is you have to sign up as a volunteer, past minimal screening, and then we train the volunteer and connect them to the school that they would like to go to. And based on their schedule, they'll come to the school and work with students, one on one in the materials that we provide. Couple responses to the other commenters. The buildings that were named next to Samson, Weber are not ones that we own. Completely agree that we've seen an increase in immigrant students families in that area. as well. The theme in today's conversation already was to look at literacy Lawsuit Funding as a way to better provide support to newly arrived students in particular, by maybe looking at some newcomer programs where we might be able to shelter newly arrived students at particular schools or satellites, to identify satellites throughout the district and intensify support at those buildings so that we don't have students scattered, which then makes it very difficult to provide support. And if there if the English language learner is not a newcomer, continuing to develop English skills, then looking at possibly adding to the academic interventionist ratio to provide more support at schools and in classrooms. for English language learners. It was a question about the over class size payment that goes out on February 20. We're looking to have staff, family students visit CMA as a location where students will go to when Paul Roberson, Malcolm X, the current building is being demoed and the new one being built, we can do that in the spring. And so once it gets warmer, it'll be easier to get over there and see the building. And I think the nurse Yeah, so the school does have a nurse, I would assume that the nurse has not been there for one or two reasons, either a absent so obviously the nurse can be absent, or there were needs at another building. And the nurse was moved temporarily to address maybe more pressing medical issues at another school, or maybe at an ESC Center, where the medical support is more intensive. That would be the only reason why the nurse is not at that building, or that contracted nurse for whatever reason may have left the place of employment. So there would be a vacancy, but there the funding is there. And we do have a nurse assigned to that building.
So thank you. So just so I'm clear the students that English language learners students as Samson Weber, how are they being supported? I just want to make sure that they're being supported. If what we're hearing is that they don't have the staff there, then I'm sure that that learning gap is has grown drastically if there's no interpreters at the school.
So unfortunately, Michigan continues to be the lowest funded state in Michigan when it comes to supporting English language learners. So that is fact. And so we like we do with our special needs students we take from Peter to pay Paul. And so we rely on a small number of district staff that travels across the district to provide some degree of support to the teachers at that building, and students. It's an inadequate model, but without more funding for English language learners again, it's literally robbing Peter to pay Paul. So one of the strategies that we're looking at with literacy Lawsuit Funding Again, is concentrating newcomers in particular, so those that are in the country for the first or second year, and placing them at an individual schools or recommending families that enroll them at individual schools, even providing transportation when necessary. So we can concentrate resources in one building, let's say in a feeder pattern or combine two feeder patterns with one school, we're starting that process at Western High School because we have a hot large concentration of high school students there. But trying to model that throughout the district, and then adding academic intervention is so that more can be at individual schools to provide support to the to the students. But I would say another strategy that we'll talk about what the literacy Lawsuit Funding is, having more teachers be endorsed as English as a Second Language teacher so that they have the right skills to support students who are English language learners in a classroom. So eventually, those newly arrived students are going to be in regular classrooms. And so the more general ed teachers that are trained for those strategies, the better though be supported No, we do provide that training. But there's there can be endorsement certification linked to that, where you take classes again online separately, the summer, and we can use literacy Lawsuit Funding to incentivize and pay teachers to do that. But that's really the the other than an intensive support process when students newly arrived after that, the number one strategy is to train general ed teachers in the right strategies. For example, that's, you know, districts like Miami Dade, which I had been from New York, which I worked in, that's the model. Now those districts have higher concentration of newly arrived students and English language learners. So their systems and processes are more refined in ours. Also, those states fund support for those students more. So this is a growing issue. For us. It's one I think we embrace. But it is a growing challenge and a growing opportunity. So our systems are processed and adjust as well. And frankly, so did state funding. When you look at weighted student formula or additional funding, we've received some additional funding, but nowhere close of what's needed. But the literacy Lawsuit Funding can allow us to create a new model of support as we move forward for at least the next couple of years.
Thank you and I will hold to the partnerships in with our families in southwest Detroit. I know I went to a community meeting and they were there was some desire to even partner with the district for interpreters in the classrooms. And so if that partnership is fostered, I'm sure we can close that gap for sure. Any more questions or comments before we move into item number 12. personnel actions. So 12.01 is administrative terminations. So the board has had an opportunity to look at and review the recommendation for administrative terminations. All for job abandonment, except one was for failure to return to work after a leave. Is there any discussion? If not the chair, entertain a motion to approve item 12.01? As recommended by the superintendent. So move Madam Chair, is there support? It's been properly moved by member Vaughn properly supported by member gay dag nogo. The motion is on the floor to accept the superintendent's recommendation for administrative terminations, any discussion? All those in favor of the motion on the floor signify by saying Aye. Any opposed? Motion carry. We'll now move to item 12.02. So 12.0 to two individuals. You have the information. A board has had an opportunity to review and investigate and ask questions and get in for follow up information around the two individuals in item 12.02. Is there need for any discussion? If not, the Chair will entertain a motion to approve the superintendent's recommendation for 12.02.
So move Madam Chair,
is there support? It's been properly moved by member Vaughn properly supported by member McClendon to accept the superintendent's recommendation for termination for cause which is item 12.02. Is there any discussion the motion on floor? If not all those in favor signify by saying Aye? Any opposed? Motion carried item number 13 administrative action items. So generally, the board goes through a budget amendment during this time and I know it was this action item came through committee and was shared with academic committee as well but finance unpacked it a bit more. So I'm going I need to ask if there is a motion to approve item 13.01.
Madam Chair, motion to approve item 13.01.
Is there support? It's been properly moved by member Gades. Ag no goes when properly supported by member McClendon to approve item 13.01 action item any discussion? Not all those in favor of the motion on the floor signify by saying Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. Thank you item 13.02. approval to settle a lawsuit. So we have received a very detailed information from our legal team on item 13.02 and 13.03. But we will take them one by one for because of the nature of the action item. The board has had an opportunity to review and go back and forth with our legal team on questions regarding the lawsuit recommendation. Is there support if I'm sorry, is there a desire to put a motion on the floor to approve item 13.02?
Madam Chair, I moved to support item 13 02 approval to settle the loss. Is
there support? It's been properly moved by member Vaughn properly supported by member gay diagonal go to approve item 13.02. Approval of lawsuit, any discussion? If not all those in favor of approving the motion on the floor 13.02 signify by saying Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried Thank you. The last administrative action item is 13.03. This too is a approval action item to approve to settle workers compensation case. So we have had an opportunity to review and ask questions with our legal team around the employee for the work workers compensation case. The chair will now entertain a motion for 13.030 support. It's been properly moved by member varme properly supported by member McClendon to approve item 13.03. Any discussion the motion on the floor? Not all those in favor of the motion on the floor signify by saying Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried. Thank you. We are now at item number 14 consent agenda items which have gone through both committees. There have been questions and concerns if the if so they were raised in those committees information has been shared. The chair will now entertain a motion for item number 14 which would include 14.01 through 14.09. All consent agenda items have gone through committees. Motion a motion just accept the consent agenda items. Yes.
Make a motion to accept the consent agenda.
Thank you Is there support. It's been properly moved by member GAID. ZACK No Go properly supported by member bond to accept the consent agenda items which includes 14.01 through 14.09. Any discussion on motion on the floor? Now all those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carried we now move to item number 15 which is announcements. Do we have any announcements from the board? Madam Chair, go ahead member of on Thank
you just to update the board and the community on some of our faith based partnerships. We have now 91 schools that have faith based partners, amazing and that some of them even have doubled in terms of maybe one or two faith based partners collaborating at different schools. So this is going well. We have about 40 vacancies where we still have some schools that could use faith based partnerships. And we are endeavoring to do that. Want to recognize the greater Christ Baptist church. Pastor Michael Gaines is a new pastor in town. He's pastors the church now that Dr. James Perkins retired from and that church donated $1,000 to our coats and basic needs funds, so want to give them a hand. Because of the influx of our non English speaking community, we now have nearly 3000 students identified as homeless transient and the latest of which these families are coming from Venezuela. So there's a lot of influx coming into this district, have a meeting with the superintendent soon regarding this. And we're going to just really firm up some of the churches in the southwest community to help us in terms of facilitating some of that support with Spanish speaking students. And then our last parent listening session was in the evening, this past squeak and a lot of parents gave great feedback on our strategic plan. So the announcement the next Parent listing session is March the 19th at 11am. That concludes my announcements.
Thank you remember, Vaughn and thank you to all our partners. I will also add resumes are still being accepted. For the Detroit Library Commission, there is a vacancy on the Detroit Library Commission. For those who are interested, you can go to our website or to the Detroit Public Library website and get information. Resumes are being accepted through February the 29th. The term is a six year term. So once your resume is submitted, there was a subcommittee from this board that does interviews, and then a recommendation from that subcommittee is made to the full board. And then that recommendation is voted on as an action item. And that person then is placed in that position. That term is for six years. So if you're interested or you know someone who may be interested or if you want to find out more information, please go to our website, when our break begins on Monday, February the 19th. And it goes through February the 23rd. So school resumes on February the 26th. Again, the break is the 19th through the 23rd School begin resumes on the 26th. We mentioned about the upcoming meeting subcommittee meetings, finance meeting Friday, February 16. At nine curriculum meeting Monday, February 26, at 11. The next board meeting is actually going to be March the 19th. The less read committee meeting is March the seventh at 930 After Fisher building. So if you are interested in in less read, we do have a process that we want to make sure that our volunteers go through just so that we are providing the best service to our young people and our young people and the expectations on the volunteers that are coming into our school our schools. Lastly, the parent listening session is March 27, titled loving I think that was mentioned. I will say to our PSL The championship is this Sunday down at Wayne State. So our young boys and girls are in the playoffs not as we speak. There's semi finals tonight happening. I do know for our JV that Frederick Douglass did secure the championship. So the young boys the young men of Frederick Douglass do secure that for the JV. Not sure yet about the others as the games are happening right now as we speak. If there are no I'll go ahead and navigate diagonal going.
Thank you, Madam Chair, not to prolong the hour. But you know that redistricting lawsuit AGV Benson has won yes three times now. And the judges have demanded that seven House seats, State House seats be redrawn, as well as six Senate state six Senate six state Senate seats be redrawn. However, the seven seats will be the most pressing maps. And there are three upcoming community hearings where citizens voices are important. One is virtually this Thursday, February the 15th. From 9am to 12, one to four, five to eight, you can find that information on the Michigan independent citizens redistricting commission, or in a Detroit News article highlighting how to provide input to M I C. R C. Detroit News on the 21st. Next week, Wednesday, February 21, at greater Grace Temple on the northwest side of Detroit 20 323 500 West seven mile road from 10am to 1pm, two to five and six to eight, that's in person. And on Thursday, February 22. At second Ebenezer, same time, but at 14601 Dequindre. Street, this is very, very important. This is for voting rights compliance. This is Black History Month. And for those who understand why the Voting Rights was actually passed in the first place in 1964 65, to protect African Americans having equal representation. So that is important that we get involved. And to view those maps. You simply go on the Michigan independent citizens redistricting Commission's website, and all of the maps that they have put into the portal are there. So I'm hopeful that we will tune in and uh, Simple Google, if you don't know where to go to make sure that you participate in this process. We know that there are some technology challenges, but it's very important that Detroiters weigh in. Because every meeting that I listened to, there are people from all parts of Michigan, talking about what the maps should look like in the city of Detroit. And often Detroit is not on the meetings, saying what the map should look like in the city of Detroit. So I'm hopeful that they will tune in. Thank you. Thank
you. And remember gay dag No, I just want to thank you to your entire team for the fight. In the redistricting. I know that when the first party came down, there were people who were upset, in, in theory and in words, but your team actually was upset enough to do something with their feet. So thank you so much. We'll make sure that that information is shared as well so that people can make sure that they attend one of those meetings.
Madam Chair, yes. Just to review that. What's the date for the parent listening session change, because now the word meeting date has been rearranged?
It probably will be yes. I'm told yes. It probably will be okay. Yes. Thank you.
Thank you. If there's not that date yet for the parent listening. Okay.
I don't think so. Thank you. Yes. If there's nothing else the chair entertain a motion to adjourn. So move without objection. Yes. It's been properly moved and supported. Thank you so much to everybody who came we would love to see you back on the 19th. At the next board meeting, if you have time. Go into a school tomorrow for a count day. Thank you so much. Have a good evening.