The grand opening of the Big Lots on Lohr Road Friday morning featured balloons, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and a sizable donation to Lawton Elementary.
“Before we open the doors, I’d like to take the opportunity to donate to the community,” said Diane Kimmel, a Big Lots district manager, before presenting Lawton with a $2,500 check. Continue reading
By Tara Cavanaugh
The Ann Arbor Public Schools Board of Education partnered with the Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation to create the first-ever celebration for all AAPS retirees at a Top of the Park celebration June 19.
The retirees present represented a combined 1,173 years of service to the schools and were heartily thanked by AAPS Superintendent Dr. Patricia Green.
“I want to tell you all what a joy it is to be part of this first joint celebration between the Board of Education and the educational foundation,” said Dr. Green. “You have given so much to this community. I was astonished by your commitment, your dedication and everything you’ve done. You’re now part of the legendary folklore of this school district.” Continue reading
Editor’s note: This is the final story in a series about school board-approved community groups in The Ann Arbor Public Schools. These groups have a regular seat and presentation slot at Ann Arbor school board meetings. Today we look at the Youth Senate.
Featured Nov. 8, 2010: The Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Committee for Special Education (AAPAC)
Featured Dec. 13, 2010: The Ann Arbor PTO Council (AAPTOC)
Featured Jan. 17, 2011: Black Parents’ Student Support Group (BPSSG)
By Casey Hans
AAPSNews Service
On a recent morning, Pioneer High School sophomores Zaid Khatib and Hyun Won shared their findings about poverty in Washtenaw County, as part of their involvement with the Youth Senate Action Team.
Pioneer High School sophomores Zaid Khatib and Hyun Won take up a collection for poverty and homeless in Washtenaw County, as part of their involvement with the Youth Senate Action Team.
Khatib told classmates that 50,000 people are living in poverty here and Won shared that there are 5,000 people homeless in the county at any given time.
“That’s more than the populations of Huron and Pioneer high schools combined,” Won said. “And 30 percent of the homeless population is youth; the average age is 9,” he reported. “Can you imagine?”
Khatib and Won are among many Ann Arbor high school students learning about social justice, community volunteering, civic engagement and philanthropy through the Youth Senate program. The two are in their first year of Youth Senate. “It’s really an enjoyable experience,” said Khatib. Won said what he likes best about it is the way the Youth Senate groups and projects help the community.
Youth Senate members have the opportunity to address the Ann Arbor Board of Education during regular updates given by board-approved groups which also include the Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Committee for Special Education, the Black Parent Student Support Group, the AAPS Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) Council and the district’s representative collective bargaining units.
Students in all grades from all five Ann Arbor high schools participate in the Youth Senate, with many participating at the school level on Senate Action Teams and together at a weekly Youth Senate leadership meeting. Students also take turn preparing updates and presentations to the school board.
Ebba Hierta works for the nonprofit Youth Empowerment Project that acts as an adviser to the Youth Senate She said students from any group, including YEP-affiliated groups, use the designated seat time to address the board with proper preparation. She notes that a disclaimer is read before each report, saying that the student reports do not represent entire student bodies and encourages a diverse student population to be heard.
Youth Senate students from Pioneer and Huron high schools meet on Friday afternoons at the Youth Empowerment Project office in downtown Ann Arbor.
“The Youth Senate fosters youth activities throughout the community,” Hierta said. “They create a voice at the school district level.”
At the individual school level, the Pioneer Youth Senate Action Team has focused this year on the issue of local poverty and homelessness in Washtenaw County, studying statistics of the problem and working directly with homeless residents on Friday nights, helping to serve food in downtown Ann Arbor.
During the recent Pioneer Youth Senate Action Team’s classroom presentations and outreach to fellow students, the group collected more than $275 to donate to the Washtenaw Intermediate School District Education Project for Homeless Youth and provide small leadership development scholarships.
One of the classrooms they visited was that of Social Studies teacher Jen Kunec, who told her students that many people losing jobs and their houses. “A lot of people don’t have resources to turn to,” she said.
Won said while classmates might worry about getting their homework done, or have other, more routine, problems, homeless families have bigger concerns. “These kids are thinking ‘what am I going to eat tonight?’” he said. “Where am I going to sleep? Of all of the people I’ve met, they’re so happy and content with the small things they have.”
He noted that “not even 100 people in this county help every day with the problem. There are just a few who regularly help,” he said.
Won and Khatib were among students attending a Friday afternoon leadership meeting at YEP offices on Huron Street in downtown Ann Arbor, where a handful of students from Pioneer and Huron shared their experiences.
Enze Xing, a Pioneer sophomore, said the poverty topic is what drew her to become involved. “I thought that was an important topic and I should get involved with it,” she said. “It affects so many people and not many people know about it. Washtenaw County is second in the state” for the number of homeless.
Jack Fan, a Pioneer junior, saw the Youth Senate Action Team presentations last year and decided to get involved. “I thought it would be cool,” he said. “We wanted it to be more applicable this year” and so chose the local poverty initiative.
Huron High students are working on a follow-up to a project that took place four years ago on achievement disparities in all high schools called “Leap the Gap!” A total of 1,500 students among all Ann Arbor high schools were surveyed and 27 barriers to achievement were noted and reported to the school board.
Asma Hussain, a Huron senior, explained that the current project, Achievement Solutions Teams, is using focus groups that are discussing barriers in students’ personal lives, to see how barriers are perceived and to find some solutions to those. The project will use peer coaching to help students make choices for academic success.
Skyline students also have a Student Forum Action Team that is organizing and beginning community projects there and has been involved with leadership training and volunteering. Community High’s Student Forum Council is discussing ways of teaming with their peers across the district.
Each year’s involvement throughout the district can range in numbers from 175 to upwards of 500, depending on the topics that local schools decide to tackle, Hierta said. Some students stay involved only at the school level, while others choose to take a leadership role at the district level of Youth Senate.
The organization began in the late 1990s to encourage teen involvement in community service and civic engagement, philanthropy, partnerships, leadership and social entrepreneurship. It became a board-approved group that visits the school board to offer updates on a variety of student-driven community service projects.
One of the largest Youth Senate efforts in recent years was a “Fight Poverty in Africa Project,” which was initiated by students at Community High School and involved students throughout the district. It taught philanthropy and was a “very strong service-learning experience,” Hierta said. “It was a great example of positive peer influence,” she added.
A resolution was adopted on Dec. 15, 2010 and this statement issued by the AAPS Board of Education: “The Ann Arbor Public Schools Board of Education has adopted a resolution to proceed on tenure charges against two teachers in the district. This action permits the State of Michigan Teacher Tenure Commission to conduct an evidentiary hearing in accordance with legal guidelines before an employment decision is finalized.”
A video with remarks from Ann Arbor Public Schools Board of Education President Deb Mexicotte and Superintendent Todd Roberts during Ann Arbor Public Schools Staff Opening Day at Pioneer High School. Below is a slide show of the first day of school, just before opening bell, at Carpenter Elementary.
Staff members attend an Opening Day event at Pioneer High School one week before classes began in the district. The event marked the final formal address to staff by Superintendent Todd Roberts who will leave his post in November.
From AAPSNews Service
As Superintendent Todd Roberts prepares to say farewell to The Ann Arbor Public Schools this fall, he told staff he is confident that everyone is flying in formation and ready for the change.
The district operates with everyone’s contribution to the whole, he said. “It’s your leadership and roles that make that happen. The superintendent plays a very small role.”
He noted that the district has a “concrete plan to make sure our students graduate college and career ready” and said that plans are underway to have eighth-graders take the gatekeeping course of Algebra I in middle school, preparing them for the more rigorous Michigan Merit Curriculum. The class of 2011 will be the first to graduate under the new state standards.
On a personal note, Roberts told the district’s staff that his time in Ann Arbor has been “the best four years of my life” and that he was grateful to have been the superintendent here. (See related video.)
Roberts made his comments last week during the traditional Opening Day for staff at Pioneer High School as staff members began their return to the classroom. He thanked them for their commitment and received two standing ovations from those who filled Schreiber Auditorium.
Roberts has accepted the post of chancellor of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, a public, residential high school for upperclassmen with a specialized curriculum and is expected to leave Ann Arbor and assume his new post by Dec. 1. He has served as superintendent in Ann Arbor for the past four years and has lived in the Ann Arbor community for 12 years.
As district accomplishments during his time here, he noted a boost in student achievement, overseeing a $240 million renovation “on time and under budget,” handling fiscal challenges as well as improving communication and fostering teamwork.
Moving ahead, he encouraged the staff to continue working on and with the Strategic Plan and to reach out to other groups and people outside of the district. “It’s more important now than ever to partner with others in our community,” he said.
He said the district should continue striving for improved student achievement, working on the issues of diversity and equity, engaging the 80 percent of the community that does not have students in public school, keeping quality education with fewer resources and encouraging innovation in the classroom.
Of diversity and equity, he said: “It’s important we continue that leading role. We’re light years ahead of many having this conversation.”
In the area of student achievement, Roberts said he is proud of the district’s accomplishments. He highlighted the fact that 97 percent of Ann Arbor students now take the ACT test, up from 30 percent three years ago. “Don’t ever let people tell us that ‘some students can’t do’,” he said.
The Ann Arbor Board of Education has begun its search process to replace Roberts, which is expected to continue into 2011. Proposals by professional search firms are due by Friday, Sept. 10 and the board is expected to consider interim leadership giving them time to do an appropriate search. Board President Deb Mexicotte said a new superintendent is expected to be on board by July 1, 2011 or sooner.
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Some back-to-school highlights:
Fall publications: The district’s annual Back-to-School Guide is available both at the Balas Administration Building and in individual schools for parents and students. Information is available both in print and online at http://a2schools.org under the “Especially for Parents” section where a PDF copy can be downloaded. Individual Back-to-School guides are also available for Huron, Pioneer, Skyline, Community and Stone high schools.
SchoolMessenger: The district continues to refine the ways it is using this new parent communication network, added last winter. It will be used to advise parents about student absences, school closings, major announcements and specific news from individual schools. Purchase of the new system was funded by a Department of Education REMS grant. Parents should log into their PowerSchool account and determine their preferred method of message delivery (phone or e-mail). The system creates a consistent message around the district, saving in mailing costs and reducing absenteeism through alerts to parents. Visit the district Web site
for more details.
Transportation: Bus service for Ann Arbor Public Schools students has been consolidated at the Washtenaw Intermediate School District starting this fall. According to school officials, buses will still have the AAPS name and routes will generally follow the same patterns as last year, with the exception of some special education routes. Information can be found on the district’s Web site or by calling 734-994-2330.
AAPSNews: The school district’s one-year-old newsletter returns this fall with general news and feature articles as well as “Staff in the Spotlight” and lots of photos and videos. New occasional features this year will be “Fit and Fun,” which will feature programs from Community Education & Recreation and “Get to Know Your PTO” which will feature PTOs from around the district. News, article ideas and submitted photos and videos of school events and programs are always welcome. E-mail District Editor Casey Hans or call her at 734-994-2090 or at internal ext. 51220. Visit http://news.a2schools.org for the most recent online newsletter feed, to subscribe via e-mail or to download a print PDF of twice-monthly editions. There will be prize drawings each semester from among new e-mail subscribers; prizes will be donated by our business partners.
The Ann Arbor Public Schools has posted on its Web page a Request for Proposals for a professional services firm to assist in the selection of a new Ann Arbor Public Schools superintendent.
The firm selected will help the Ann Arbor Board of Education replace Superintendent Todd Roberts who announced this month that he will leave this fall for a new executive education post in North Carolina.
The RFP timeline calls for interviewing firms in mid-September and selecting a firm at the school board meeting on Sept. 29. The RFP notes that an interim superintendent could be selected by late October to take over in mid-November. The timeline calls for the hiring of a new superintendent by early May with an official start date of July 1, 2011 or sooner.
The RFP bid opening is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 10 in the superintendent’s conference room at the Balas Administration Building 2555 St. State St., Ann Arbor. An optional pre-bid meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 3 to answer questions related to the RFP.
Finalists will be notified on Sept. 17, interviews conducted on Sept. 22 and a firm is slated to be selected by the school board on Wednesday, Sept. 29.
Roberts announced his resignation as superintendent on Aug. 13 to move with his family to North Carolina, where he will become chancellor of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham. He has pledged to stay through November to assist in the transition. He is scheduled to start in his new post on Dec. 1.
To find out more about the RFP for professional search firms and to download an information packet in a PDF format visit the Ann Arbor Public Schools website.
The Ann Arbor Board of Education will meet tonight, Aug. 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the Balas Administration Building, 2555 S. State St., when board members are scheduled to continue their discussion regarding the departure of Superintendent Todd Roberts and their process to replace him.
The meeting will take place in the main conference room. All school board meetings are open to the public.
The board is expected to consider a draft Request for Proposals for firms to assist the board as it moves forward with the search for a new superintendent. Once draft language for the RFP is approved, the board will consider accepting proposals from qualified firms.
Roberts announced on Aug. 13 that he would resign his post in Ann Arbor, leaving the district this fall for a new executive education job in North Carolina. Roberts said he is leaving to be closer to family there. He has served in the superintendent’s post for four years and has lived in the community for 12 years.
Roberts has pledged to help through the transition process and is expected to remain at the district into November.
E-mail your school news and information to hansc@aaps.k12.mi.us
Ann Arbor’s 2010 Green Adventures Camp has seen a lot of action throughout the summer.
The hands-on summer program features morning lessons in the classroom at Lakewood Elementary School with teachers Jane Levy and Will Wright and afternoons in the field with naturalists Dave Szczygiel and John Stahly where students work in a community garden, learn about the environment and do outdoor activities.
In the accompanying slide show, students see a set of fish dissections as part of the academic morning curriculum and then work in the gardens near Frains Lake as part of their afternoon outdoor activities.
The Green Adventures Camp is in its third year. Its programs are among 200 summer camp options offered to youths aged 3-17 through the summer months. Last year, 115 pounds of fresh produce from Green Adventures gardens was donated to Food Gatherers.
Photos courtesy: Green Adventures Camp staff
Gardening workshop, workdays at Tappan Agrarian Garden
The Tappan Agrarian Adventure hosts a 2-hour workshop on Tuesday, Aug. 17 to share their experiences with the school garden and encourage the community to share ideas as well. The event takes place from 6-8 p.m. at the Tappan Middle School greenhouse, 2251 E. Stadium Blvd.
Get tips on planning, crop selection, how to start and maintain a school garden and classroom and after-school lesson ideas. The first hour will be a presentation and garden-fresh snack and the second hour facilitated discussion and sharing. RSVP to the group’s Facebook page.
The group also is seeking help from individuals and groups to participate in the group’s Garden Work Days which will be on Wednesdays from 5:30-7p p.m.. No reservation is is necessary – just show up, said Monica Patel, TAA Board President in a recent e-mail update.
Help is needed with planting, weeding, harvesting, and watering, Patel said. No experience is required to participate; instructions and tools are provided. Also, children of all ages are welcome. For inquries, e-mail info@agrarianadventure.org.
The Agrarian Adventure is a publicly-supported 501(c)3 nonprofit that exists due to the participation and support of teachers, students, parents and community members. It is a grassroots organization growing up from within Tappan Middle School.
Five current members of the Ann Arbor Board of Education have filed to run for the board in the Nov. 2 General Election. Theirs will be the only names on the ballot. Open seats include:
Susan Baskett and Christine Stead are running for 4-year terms; Deb Mexicotte, the current board president, is running for a 2-year term; and, Simone Lightfoot and Andy Thomas are running for 1-year terms.
All school board terms will begin Jan. 1, 2011. The deadline for filing for the open seats was 4 p.m. on Aug. 10.
Lightfoot, Stead, and Thomas were appointed to fill open seats in 2010 after three other school board members resigned mid-term; Baskett’s and Mexicotte’s regular terms are ending this year.
This year, the school board race joins myriad other state and local races on the General Election ballot. The district moved regular school elections from May to November in a cost-saving move this year.
Oct. 4 is the last date to register to vote in the November General Election. To check to see if you are registered to register to vote or to see a sample ballot for your precinct, online, visit www.Michigan.gov/vote. You may also register at the Washtenaw County Clerk, your city or township clerk’s office or by visiting any Michigan Secretary of State branch office.
Three new members to the Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation board of directors. Laurie Barnett, Samuel Beck and Andrew Paterson assumed their duties this month. Barnett and Paterson will serve three-year terms; Beck, as a student member of the board, will serve for one year.
Beck is an incoming senior at Pioneer High School and is vice president of the Key Club service organization and taking business classes to qualify for a High School MBA Award when he completes his studies. “ I want to be on this board because it’s a great opportunity to help our public schools,” he said. “Education is very important to me because I’m in school, but the schools need money, and the Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation – it brings in the money.” Beck attended Bach Elementary School and Slauson Middle School. He is employed at Washtenaw Dairy and assists in the education programs at Temple Beth Emeth.
Laurie Barnett is a freelance writer, editor and marketing communications consultant with 25 years experience in public relations and communications. She has two grown sons and two daughters who attend Clague Middle School and Huron High School. She served as co-chairwoman of King Elementary School’s School Improvement Team and was president of the King PTO. She has served on the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor board and worked with the “It Takes A Millage” Steering Committee. “I truly believe that the heart of a community is its public education system,” she said. “Strong Ann Arbor schools mean a strong Ann Arbor. As a parent of four children, I want to help make our schools as effective and outstanding as possible – not just for my kids, but for all the kids of this community now and into the future.”
Andrew Paterson is president of Michigan Energy Generation and is employed by Hitachi Metals America. A Michigan native, he has worked for more than a decade in the automotive supply industry in program management, sales and marketing, and quality control. He and his wife Laura have two young children, ages 3 and 1. “I want to give back to the community, and be involved with the school system to help shape children’s lives,” he said about why he chooses to serve on the board.
Officers elected to the AAPSEF board who serve as members of the executive committee include: Chairwoman Helen Starman, director of development for the Interfaith Hospitality Network at Alpha House; Immediate Past Chairwoman Christy Perros, co-owner of Absolute Title, Inc.; Vice Chairman Omari Rush, Education Manager for University Musical Society; Secretary Sheila Carpenter, an instructional designer; and Treasurer Rob Marschall, Vice President for Business Banking at KeyBank.
The Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation is an independent, community-based, nonprofit committed to supporting the Ann Arbor Public Schools and its programs. Visit www.supportannarborschools.org for information or to make a donation.
At its July organizational meeting, the Washtenaw Intermediate School District Board of Education re-elected Mark VanBogelen, president; Gregory A. Peoples, vice president; Dayle K. Wright, secretary; and Diane B. Hockett, treasurer for 2010-2011. Mary Jane Tramontin remains a trustee.
WISD board meetings are at 5:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month in the Board Room at WISD’s Teaching and Learning Center, unless otherwise specified. Meetings are open to the public. Details: (734) 994-8100, ext.1321 or visit www.wash.k12.mi.us.
Three Ann Arbor graduates who rowed for Pioneer, Grace Luczak (class of 2007), Julia Darnton (class of 2008), and Jacob Merrell (class of 2010), all made news in the local rowing community this summer in national and international regattas. Full story here.
Officials at the Washtenaw Intermediate School District are busy interviewing and hiring staff for the new transportation department that will serve Ann Arbor,Ypsilanti and Willow Run students beginning this fall.
According to WISD officials, the hiring process was well underway in July and August so that drivers, aides and other staff could be in place as routing was planned and the school year begins. The WISD hosted bus driver job fairs in July and August to fill the open slots.
With the exception of some special education routes, the shift to a centralized busing system should be seamless for Ann Arbor families. Buses picking up students will be marked as “Ann Arbor Public Schools” and routes should be based on what was in place at the end of the last school year.
The transportation consolidation plan was considered by districts countywide with Ann Arbor Public Schools, Willow Run Community Schools and Ypsilanti Public Schools signing on for the 2010-11 school year. The contracts with local districts were approved July 13 by the WISD Board of Education.
Work on the consolidated plan began last school year at the request of WISD’s 10 member school districts. The system is expected to save money by standardizing buses, fuel and supplies; centralizing facilities, administration and overhead; optimizing routing; and controlling compensation and benefits. Districts were given the option to participate in all, part or none of the consolidated transportation model; all 10 districts will opt to participate in countywide cooperative purchasing of fuel, bus parts and supplies, according to information from WISD.
From AAPSNews Service
This is the first year that Ann Arbor school elections have been in November, sharing the ballot with other General Election races. Early this year, the district approved moving elections to November as a cost-saving measure.
It is also the first year there have been so many seats open on The Ann Arbor Board of Education, said Trustee Irene Patalan, who currently serves as the board’s vice president.
On Nov. 2, voters will elect five of the board’s seven seats – unheard of in elections past. “We have not passed this way before,” Patalan said. “In my lifetime, it’s been three, maybe four (open seats). It is confusing. It boggles my mind to think of this.”
Patalan and Trustee Glenn Nelson– the only two trustees whose seats will not be up for election this year – shared their experiences about the roles of school board members and their experiences in running a campaign during a special information session for prospective candidates on June 30 at the school district administrative offices.
Ann Arbor school district voters will elect five trustees and those earning seats on the board will begin their terms Jan. 1, 2011. The following seats are open:
• Two to be elected to serve 4-year terms that expire Dec. 31, 2014.
• One to be elected to serve a 2-year term that expires Dec. 31, 2012.
• Two to be elected to serve 1-year terms that expire Dec. 31, 2011.
“Be sure to specify which position you are running for, because there are so many open positions,” said Teri Wilson, the district’s elections coordinator. She noted that there is also the opportunity for residents to run as write-in candidates if they miss the deadline: “It can be done if you have a campaign well thought out … and perhaps you are well-known in the community.”
The filing deadline for those interested in running for the school board is 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 10. Candidates take out nominating petitions and file them through the election division of the Washtenaw County Clerk’s Office, 200 North Main Street, Suite 120 Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Due to a change in the law several years ago, all elections – including those for local school districts – are coordinated through Washtenaw County. For information, call 734-222-6730 or visit the Web site.
Liz Margolis, the school district’s director of communications, said candidates may file for office either by collecting signatures and filing petitions or by paying a $100 non-refundable fee to the county.
Patalan suggested that candidates keep petitions handy for city residents as well as those for surrounding townships that are in the school district as they move around the district. She said she always kept multiple versions handy “so that I didn’t have to bypass a supporter.”
Margolis explained that registered voters signing petitions must sign one appropriate to their place of residence, or their signature may be invalidated. There are eight townships represented in The Ann Arbor Public Schools.
Nelson suggests candidates get more signatures than required in case some voters sign the wrong petition in error. Wilson said candidates can always turn in petitions early, giving county election officials a chance to check signatures to be sure they are valid before the filing deadline.
Nelson shared some numbers comparing the Ann Arbor school board to other elective boards in the area. He noted that the board oversees an overall budget of $240 million compared with $190 million for the city of Ann Arbor and $200 million for Washtenaw County.
Because each school trustee represents all taxpayers, Nelson said that represents a “$34 million influence on the community. I think it’s really an important institution. It’s a large amount of money … and a small group of people looking over it.”
Patalan noted the differences between running for City Council and the school board. In addition to the city having wards and the school board representing the whole, the school board race is nonpartisan, she said. “The reason you run is because of the children. … You have to look at the good of he district – what’s good for the (whole) district.”
Both Nelson and Patalan suggested candidates consider getting a good treasurer for their campaign – someone they can trust to handle campaign finance filings and tracking expenses and contributions. “Aspire to find someone who you have that kind of confidence in,” Nelson said.
Margolis explained that student directories are public lists that candidates can use in their campaigns, but that PTO lists are not accessible to candidates. As for any sort of private list, Margolis suggested that candidates get the approval of the list’s founder or owner before using it.
Candidates are able to attend public functions to speak with voters, such as Curriculum Nights and fall student performances, but they must stay outside, 100 feet from the door of the building when handing out literature, officials said.
Running for the school board “teaches you about yourself,” Patalan added. “It teaches you what you stand for. It really is about the students in the district and you have so many voices that need you. It is exhausting, but it a wonderful process.”
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Filing deadline: 4 p.m., Tuesday Aug. 10 at Washtenaw County Clerk’s office, 200 North Main Street, Suite 120 Ann Arbor (Details: 734-222-6730.)
Withdrawal deadline: 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 13 (If not withdrawn by this date, name of all who file will appear on ballot.)
Candidate meeting: 5:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 23 at Balas Administration Building, 2555 S. State St., Ann Arbor. General information meeting for those who have filed to run for a seat on the Ann Arbor Board of Education.
Last Day to register to vote: 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 4. Register at a Michigan Secretary of State office or local municipality.
Write-in candidate filing deadline for declaration of intent form: 4 p.m., Friday, Oct. 22, Washtenaw County Clerk’s office. For those who do not file by the Aug. 10 deadline and want to conduct a write-in campaign.
ELECTION DAY: Tuesday, Nov. 2. Polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
On the Web:
Michigan Secretary of State
Washtenew County Clerk
AAPS Election Liaison: Teri Williams, 734-994-2233, e-mail teriw@aaps.k12.mi.us
Seats open this year on The Ann Arbor Public Schools Board of Education:
Ann Arbor Public Schools Trustees Glenn Nelson and Irene Patalan will discuss the roles and responsibilities of school board members during an informational session on Wednesday, June 30 at the Balas Administration Building, 2555 S. State St., Ann Arbor.
The session, which begins at 5:30 p.m., is designed to share information with prospective candidates to the school board. There will be five seats open on the board this fall; board members will be elected during the Nov. 2 General Election. All terms will begin Jan. 1, 2011.
Open this fall will be:
• Two four-year terms, expiring Dec. 31, 2014
• One 2-year term (to fill vacancy), expiring Dec. 31, 2012
• Two 1-year terms (to fill vacancies), expiring Dec. 31, 2011
Deadline to file for these open seats will be 4 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 10. Petitions may be picked up from the office of the Washtenaw County Clerk, Election Division, 200 North Main St., Ann Arbor and candidates must file their completed petitions there as well. (Candidates must withdraw by 4 p.m. Aug. 13 or their names will automatically appear on the ballot.)
For more information, call 734-222-6730 or visit http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/clerk_register/elections.
A candidate information forum will be scheduled for a date in August.
Parent Andrew Thomas was appointed to the Ann Arbor Board of Education on May 12 to replace Trustee Randy Friedman, who resigned his board post last month.
Thomas has a child at Tappan Middle School and has served in many volunteer capacities around the district and community including: the Tappan PTSO, Alpha House, Interfaith Hospitality Network, Washtenaw Literacy, the AAPS Educational Foundation and the Executive Board of the PTO Council.
He holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Michigan and is a retired hospital administrator with more than 38 years of experience.
He also established the Karen Thomas Memorial Fund, in honor of his wife who passed away last year. This is an endowed fund through the Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation to encourage reading, especially among economically disadvantaged students.
Thomas will serve through year’s end and, if he so chooses to remain on the board, will have to run for the seat in November. Click here for a PDF of his application to the board.
Five candidates were considered for the latest school board opening . In addition to Thomas, they included: James Corey, Victoria Haviland, Noah Hurwitzand Jack Panitch.
Friedman’s resignation was the third seat to open on the Ann Arbor board in recent months. Trustees Helen Gates-Bryant and Adam Hollier also resigned their seats and were replaced by trustees Simone Lightfoot and Christine Stead, respectively.
Voters will next go to the polls to elect board members in November, when five of the board’s seven seats will be open including that of Thomas as well as trustees Lightfoot, Stead and Susan Baskett and current board President Deb Mexicotte. The deadline for filing to run for one of the seats is Aug. 10, 2010.
The Ann Arbor school board voted last December to move traditional school elections from May to November in a money-saving move. All board terms now run in a January through December calendar year.
Five candidates will be considered for the latest opening on the Ann Arbor Board of Education.
They include: James Corey of Gabrielle Avenue; Victoria Haviland of Greenview Drive; Noah Hurwitz of Cambridge; Jack Panitch of Burson Place; and Andy Thomas of West Stadium Blvd. Four of the five applied for previous board openings in recent months; Hurwitz did not, although he ran for the school board in 2003.
Visit this site for links to application materials for each candidate.
The board will interview candidates at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 6 in the main conference room at the Balas Administration Building, 2555 S. State St., and will hear oral statements from all candidates at the regular May 12 Board of Education meeting at the Ann Arbor District Library beginning at 7 p.m. The board is expected to appoint and seat a candidate that evening.
The person selected to fill the seat vacated by Randy Friedman will serve through year’s end. If the person wishes to continue in the post, he or she will have to run for the seat in November.
Friedman, who was serving as board treasurer, resigned his seat April 12 citing personal reasons. His was the third seat to open on the Ann Arbor board in recent months. Trustees Helen Gates-Bryant and Adam Hollier also resigned their seats and were replaced by trustees Simone Lightfoot and Christine Stead, respectively.
Voters will next go to the polls to elect board members in November, when five of the board’s seven seats will be open including those of the new trustee to be appointed in May as well as trustees Lightfoot, Stead and Susan Baskett and current board President Deb Mexicotte. The deadline for filing to run for one of the seats is Aug. 10, 2010.
The Ann Arbor school board voted last December to move traditional school elections from May to November in a money-saving move. All board terms now run in a January through December calendar year.
The Ann Arbor Board of Education is seeking applicants to fill a board position vacated with the resignation this week of longtime trustee Randy Friedman.
An individual wishing to serve on the school board must be: a citizen of the United States; 18 years of age or older; a resident of the Ann Arbor Public Schools district for at least 30 days; and a registered voter.
The district has set the following selection process:
• Interested parties should submit a written application to: Amy Osinski, Ann Arbor Board of Education, 2555 South State St., Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104. Applicants also may fax their application to 734-994-2414 or e-mail it.
• Applications must contain: a resume which includes home address, telephone, and (if applicable) e-mail address; a letter of intent of no more than two pages detailing his or her qualifications for board service along with three references; and two letters of recommendation addressed to the Board of Education. The deadline for receipt of applications is 4 p.m. Friday, April 23.
• The board will interview new applicants at a special board meeting on Thursday, May 6 and will hear oral statements from all candidates at the regular May 12 Board of Education meeting at the Ann Arbor District Library beginning at 7 p.m. The board is expected to appoint and seat a candidate that evening. The selected candidate will serve through December 2010.
• Candidates who were considered for the most recent board opening on March 10 need only submit an email expressing interest in reapplying for the current open position. These candidates will not be required to formally interview, but will need to present a statement to the Board on May 12.
In addition, the community is invited to submit questions to be considered during the interview process. E-mail questions or send them to the above address no later than 4 p.m., Monday, April 19.
Friedman, who was serving as board treasurer, resigned his seat effective April 12 citing personal reasons. His was the third seat to open on the Ann Arbor board in recent months. Trustees Helen Gates-Bryant and Adam Hollier also resigned their seats and were replaced by trustees Simone Lightfoot and Christine Stead, respectively.
Voters will next go to the polls to elect board members in November, when five of the board’s seven seats will be open including those of the trustee to be appointed in May as well as trustees Lightfoot, Stead and Susan Baskett as well as board President Deb Mexicotte. The deadline for filing to run for one of the seats is Aug. 10, 2010. Visit the Washtenaw County Clerk’s election page for information.
The Ann Arbor school board voted last December to move traditional school elections from May to November in a money-saving move. All board terms now run in a January through December calendar year.
Wines Elementary School parent Christine Stead was named to the Ann Arbor Board of Education Wednesday night. The Huron View Boulevard resident was selected from a field of eight candidates considered to fill the vacancy left when Adam Hollier resigned his board seat last month.
Candidates were interviewed on March 8 and had an opportunity to address the board Wednesday night before the appointment was made.
A business consultant in the health care industry, Stead has worked on school millage campaigns in 2008 and 2009 and also served to help develop the district’s Strategic Plan. In applying for the post, she said achieving excellence, engaging the business community and working to make the district more competitive were some of the reasons she wanted to serve on the board.
In addition to Stead, candidates included: Susan Collet of Georgetown Boulevard, James Corey of Gabrielle Avenue, Victoria Haviland of Greenview Drive, Margy Long of Martha Avenue, Jack Panitch of Burson Place, Jeff Sabatini of Jackson Avenue and Andy Thomas of W. Stadium Boulevard.
This is the second board appointment in recent months. Simone Lightfoot was named in December to replace Helen Gates-Bryant, who resigned in November.
Stead and Lightfoot will serve on the board through Dec. 31, 2010 due to changes made in the district’s election schedule.
In December, the board voted to move traditional school elections from May to November in a money-saving move. Voters will next go to the polls to elect board members in November 2010, when seats held by Lightfoot, Stead, Susan Baskett and Deb Mexicotte will be open. The deadline for filing for one of the board seats is Aug. 10, 2010.
Eight candidates were interviewed during an Ann Arbor Board of Education study session Monday, March 8 as trustees look to fill a seat left vacant last month when Adam Hollier resigned his board post.
The board is scheduled to hear from candidates tonight at a regular school board meeting and is expected to select a replacement.
The person selected to fill Hollier’s term will serve through Dec. 31, 2010.
Candidates include: Susan Collet of Georgetown Blvd., James Corey of Gabrielle Ave., Victoria Haviland of Greenview Drive, Margy Long of Martha Ave., Jack Panitch of Burson Place, Jeff Sabatini of Jackson Ave., Christine Stead of Huron View Blvd. and Andy Thomas of W. Stadium Blvd.
Candidates are scheduled make presentations before the board during its regular meeting at 7 p.m. March 10 at the Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor.
Detailed candidate information can be found at the school district’s Web page Click here or visit http://a2schools.org, click on “Board of Education” and then on “board vacancy” to see application materials submitted by each candidate.