Tag Archives: school election

School Bells: Session scheduled for prospective school board candidates

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An information meeting has been scheduled for prospective candidates for the Ann Arbor Board of Education. The session will be at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, June 30, 2011 at the Balas Administration Building, 2555 S. State St., Ann Arbor.

The next Ann Arbor Public School Election will be Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011.

At this informal session, representative board members Deb Mexicotte, Glenn Nelson and Susan Baskett will talk about the roles and responsibilities of school board members. Persons interested in becoming a candidate and who would like to know more about what it means to serve on the Board of Education should consider attending this session.

Two four-year terms, expiring Dec.  31, 2015 will be on the Nov. 8 ballot (All terms begin Jan. 1, 2012.)

The filing deadline for open seats on the AAPS board is 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2011,  File at the  Election Division of Washtenaw County Clerk’s Office, 200 N. Main St/, Ann Arbor. (Candidates wishing to withdraw will have until 4 p.m. Aug. 19 or their names will automatically appear on the ballot.)

Petitions may be picked up from the Washtenaw County Clerk Office, Election Division. Filing must be done at the Clerk’s Office (not AAPS). For more information, call 222-6730 or visit online.

Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2011 is the last day to register to vote for the November General Election..

An AAPS candidate forum will also be planned for sometime in August, date yet to be determined.

3 join AAPS Educational Foundation Board

Three new members have joined the Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation Board of Directors. Martin Bouma, Barbara Eichmuller and Collyer Smith join the board this summer and serve for 3-year terms.

Bouma is a local Realtor and President of The Martin Bouma Group. He has one child in the Ann Arbor Public Schools at Haisley Elementary and his youngest will enter kindergarten there this fall. He believes very strongly in the importance of a healthy public school system: “A strong public school system is an integral part of the local economy – having the ability to attract the talent necessary for continued economic growth in Washtenaw County. With all of the challenges to our local school systems (state funding cuts, losing students to private schools, economic disparities, etc.) it’s more important than ever that local leaders stay in the forefront of promoting a strong school system.”

Eichmuller is an associate broker with the Charles Reinhart Company. She attended Pattengill, Tappan and Pioneer. On joining the board, Eichmuller calls for the involvement of individuals to support our schools: “I believe it is critical that at this point in time when funding for education is being cut from all directions that citizens at large participate in funding programs however and wherever possible. We must have high quality educational programs to attract new business and new jobs to the Ann Arbor area.”

Smith works for the Bank of Ann Arbor and is a longtime supporter of the Educational Foundation. His son is a high school student with dual enrollment at Community and Pioneer High Schools. According to Collyer, “You can talk about public education, or be engaged in it. My preference is engagement.”

18 AAPS students earn special scholarships

Eighteen Ann Arbor Public Schools students have been awarded scholarships administered by the Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation. At senior banquets, athletic events and end-of-year ceremonies, these students were recognized for their accomplishments:

  • Haley MeLampy, Pioneer High School, Evy Eugene Mavrellis Student Leadership Award
  • Kieana Watts and Darrel Nubin Jr., Haisley Elementary, Peter Stamos Memorial Scholarship
  • Zach Juliar, Pioneer High School, Dorothy M. Russell Scholarship
  • Max Brown, Community High School, Rick Burgess Memorial Scholarship
  • Tiffany Cole, Pioneer High School, Alex Tons Scholarship Award
  • Chi Tran, Huron High School, Taylor Calhoun Outstanding Cheerleading Scholarship
  • McKinlee Ward and Margaret Peggy Wu, Huron High School, Sunshine Awards for women’s Soccer and Tennis respectively
  • Michelle Garcia, Pioneer High School, Kacee Cronk Scholarship
  • Garrett Wood and Gilad Eisbruch, Community High School, Jill Donellan Award
  • Christina Allen-Pipkin, Huron High School, Lisa Ann Gallagher Award
  • Alissa Pace, Pioneer High School, Robert E. Lewis Jr. Award
  • Noam Zimet, Pioneer High School, Clara Goodrich Award
  • Ellen Shen, Ellen Sauer, Dyami Bomia and Adira Cohen, Women’s Symphony Fund Scholarships for Summer Music Camps

The Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation maintains these funds, and the award process, as a community service. Most of the awards memorialize outstanding students and faculty of the Ann Arbor Public Schools.

DFCU donates another $10,000, pledges money for new accounts

DFCU Financial has committed to another $10,000 to the Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation for 2011. This follows an initial $10,000 donation earlier this year as part of the credit union’s commitment to support public education in the communities where it has branches through its Schools and You program.

From May 16 to Aug. 30, 2011, DFCU Financial will donate $25 for new deposit accounts opened or loans closed at one of its five Ann Arbor area branches. Loans must close prior to Aug. 30, 2011; accounts must remain open until August 30, 2011.  Maximum donation is $50 per member.  Details at their website.

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July events at Nicola’s Books

Nicola’s Books is a sponsor of the AAPSNews website. We publish activities from the store on a monthly basis. For details of events, visit their website.

Weekly Story Time at 11 a.m. on Saturdays – An experienced teller spins yarns for the 7 & under set.
Saturday, July 16, 2 p.m. – Author Jim McGavran will have a reading and discussion of his new book “In the Shadow of the Bear: A Michigan Memoir.” In this alternately frank and lyrical memoir the author returns, after a 40-year absence, to the site of his childhood summer vacations at Little Glen Lake in northwestern Lower Michigan’s Leelanau peninsula.
Monday, July 18, 7 p.m. – Local author Harry Dolan introduces his second mystery featuring David Loogan, “Very Bad Men”. David Loogan is living in Ann Arbor with Detective Elizabeth Waishkey and her daughter, Sarah. He’s settled into a quiet routine as editor of the mystery magazine “Gray Streets”-until one day he finds a manuscript outside his door. It begins: “I killed Henry Kormoran.”
Tuesday, July 19, 7 p.m. – Michigan author Bonnie Jo Campbell, National Book Award and National Book Critics Circle Award finalist for “American Salvage”, will be at Nicola’s with her new novel “Once Upon a River.  Sixteen-year-old Margo Crane, a beauty whose unflinching gaze and uncanny ability with a rifle have not made her life any easier. After the violent death of her father, in which she is complicit, Margo takes to the Stark River in her boat, with only a few supplies and a biography of Annie Oakley, in search of her vanished mother. But the river, Margo’s childhood paradise, is a dangerous place for a young woman traveling alone.
Wednesday, July 20, 7 p.m. – Local author Gregory Fournier will be here for a reading and signing of his novel “Zug Island: A Detroit Riot Novel”, a Huck Finn-meets-heavy-industry tale about a suburban white kid who gets a crash course in race relations. Set in 1967 against a backdrop of industrial blight and urban decay, the book follows Jake Malone and Theo Semple as they stumble in and out of rhythm on Detroit’s mean streets to discover that the face of racism comes in every shade of color.
Thursday, July 21, 7 p.m. – Scott Sparling will be at Nicola’s with his debut novel featuring train-hopping, drug-dealing lowlifes, “Wire to Wire.” While riding a freight car through Detroit, Michael Slater suffers a near-fatal accident–a power line to the head. After recovering, he tries to lead a quiet life in the desert, but his problems just follow him. Slater returns to his native Michigan to seek out his old train-hopping pal, only to find that the Pleasant Peninsula of his youth is none too pleasant
Saturday, July 23, 2 p.m. – Local author Carrie Harris will be at Nicola’s for a launch party to celebrate the release of her new book for children ages 12 & up, “Bad Taste in Boys.” Someone’s been a very bad zombie. Kate Grable is horrified to find out that the football coach has given the team steroids. Worse yet, the steriods are having an unexpected effect, turning hot gridiron hunks into mindless flesh-eating zombies. It’s up to Kate and her friends to save the their town and stay hormonally human.
Tuesday July 26, 7 p.m. –Nicola’s Books hosts a panel discussion with Jacqueline Carey, Jim Hines and Sarah Zettel on current trends in science-fiction and fantasy novels. All panelists have new books coming out.
Book releases:
•    Jacqueline Carey will release the final Naamah book, “Naamah’s Blessing”, on June 29.
•    Jim Hines will release his new Princess novel, “The Snow Queen’s Shadow” on July 5.
•    Sarah Zettel’s new book, the first in a new series, “A Taste of the Nightlife: A Vampire Chef Mystery”, will release on July 5.

View more district achievements at “This Week in the Ann Arbor Public Schools” published through the superintendent’s office.

Voters overwhelmingly support Tuesday special education millage

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Vote results can be found at the Washtenaw County Clerk’s website

Voters in Washtenaw County have overwhelmingly supported a 7-year, 0.985 mill renewal for special education services.

The proposal was put on the ballot Tuesday by the Washtenaw Intermediate School district and covers all 10 of the local districts represented. The May 3 election saw 27,262 voters, nearly 77 percent of those casting ballots, voting yes on the measure, and 8,203 voters, or 23 percent, saying no, according to unofficial vote tallies reported by the Washtenaw County Clerk. Turnout was 13.47 percent.

The millage will bring in $14 million per year for the county and about $5.8 million for the Ann Arbor Public Schools that goes toward the district’s special education services.

Failure of the millage proposal would have caused the district to take the money from its General Fund in addition to the $15 million deficit the district faces going into the 2011-12 fiscal year which starts July 1.

Voters first approved the millage in September 2004 for 1 mill; the millage rate  has been reduced to less than the 1 mill due to the impact of the Headlee Tax Limitation Amendment. This renewal will run from 2011-17.

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Board to host roundtable session with legislators

A session about state school funding with The Ann Arbor Board of Education and area legislators is scheduled for Thursday, May 5 Friday, May 6  from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Pioneer High School cafeteria.

The sessions will include a history of AAPS budget, Gov. Rick Snyder’s budget implications, ideas for reform and public commentary. The event will be telecast and rebroadcast on CTN Education Channel 18.

Public comment time will be limited, so those wishing to speak are asked to sign up in advance by calling 734-994-2232.

School Bells: Mock drill hosted at Ann Arbor Open

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Click below for slides of Saturday’s full-scale emergency readiness event at Ann Arbor Open @ Mack. The simulated event involved parents, students, staff and area emergency agencies:

General Election is Tuesday, Nov. 2

On Nov. 2, residents of The Ann Arbor Public Schools will go to the polls to cast ballots on a number of key state, judicial and local races and proposals, including electing five members to The Ann Arbor Board of Education.

Five incumbents are running unopposed for open seats this year. They include: Susan Baskett and Christine Stead, who are both running for open four-year terms; Deb Mexicotte who is running for a partial two-year term; and Simone Lightfoot and Andy Thomas who are running for open one-year terms.

Information on all races can be found at the website of the Washtenaw County Clerk under the Nov. 2, 2010 category.

At Michigan’s Voter Information Center, residents can view a sample ballot for the upcoming election, request an absentee voter ballot, get polling precinct locations or find links to the Michigan Candidate Information Guide.

Bookstore hosts events involving Ann Arbor schools

Barnes & Noble, 3235 Washtenaw Ave (at Huron Parkway) is hosting a number of events related to The Ann Arbor Public Schools during November. Details 734-973-0846. The events include:

  • Saturday, Nov 6 from 6-8 p.m. – 
Book fair for Community High School. 
Theatre students perform a reading from “Little House of Horrors” and the award-winning school jazz band will play.
  • Wednesday, Nov 17 at 9:30 a.m. – 
Coffee with the principal. 
Terra Webster, Principal of Logan Elementary School invites residents to a discussion and question-and-answer session. 
Complimentary coffee and tea.
  • Saturday, Nov 27 – All Day Book fair. 
Ann Arbor Community Education & Recreation Department is at the store to share readings and stories written during summer camp.  The kids of camp tell tales and share their talents.

Library offers programs of interest to Ann Arbor families

The Ann Arbor District Library hosts a number of events of interest for Ann Arbor Public Schools families in the month of November. Below are a sampling. Visit http://www.aadl.org/ for more listings:

  • English as a Second Language Conversation Groups –  AADL, in partnership with Washtenaw Literacy, hosts weekly ESL conversation groups at several branches. Sessions at Pittsfield Branch are on Mondays from 1-2:30 p.m. (November 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29) at Traverwood Branch on Wednesdays from 7-8:30 p.m. (November 3, 10 & 17, no session on Wednesday, Nov. 24) and at Malletts Creek Branch on Fridays from 1:00 to 2:30 pm (November 5, 12, 19 & 26). Details: 734-327-4555.
  • In-Person Tutoring – Students from The University of Michigan’s Circle K chapter provide homework help to school-aged children and teens at no charge.  No appointment necessary Downtown Library Youth Department on Mondays (November 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29) from 4-8 p.m. and on Wednesdays, (November 3, 10 & 17 – no session on Wednesday, Nov. 24) from 4-8 p.m.
  • Online Homework Help for grades 3 and older – Visit http://aadl.org/homework.  Online tutor Brainfuse may be accessed from home or by computer at library locations. Online tutors are available from 2-11 p.m. daily to assist students in math, English/language arts, science, and social studies. Service is available in English and Spanish at no charge, but requires an AADL library card. Details: 734-327-8301.
  • Saturday, Nov. 20 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. – Parenting Lecture: “Raising a Bilingual Child” at Traverwood Branch Program Room. Learn how to support the language acquisition of children whose native language is not English. Young children are welcome; toys will be available. Details: 734-327-8301.

Branch locations: Downtown Library, 343 S. Fifth Avenue, 734-327-8301 (Youth Department) 734-327-4555 (Information Desk); Traverwood Branch, 3333 Traverwood Drive; West Branch, 2503 Jackson Avenue; Pittsfield Branch, 2359 Oak Valley Drive; and Malletts Creek Branch, 3090 East Eisenhower Parkway.

Deadline to file for open school board seats is Aug. 10

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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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Key election dates and information

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:

  • 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.

Applications being accepted for open school board seat

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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.

Hearing Dec. 16 for proposed election date change

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The Ann Arbor Board of Education has scheduled a public hearing on the topic of whether to change the date of the school district election from May to November in order to save costs.

The hearing will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec.16 at the Ann Arbor District Library, 4th Floor, 343 S. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor.

The change is among many school officials are considering in order to trim the district’s budget. According to information presented to the school board at a recent budget workshop, it is estimated that the district would save $100,000 by making the change.

If the board votes to change to November elections, school district voters would elect members of the board of education on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

Any person with a disability who needs accommodation for participation in this hearing should contact Amy Osinski, Executive Secretary to the Board of Education, at 734-994-2232 at least 48 hours in advance of the hearing to request assistance.