With that being said, we want to talk about the growth opportunities. All right, first thing that we want to talk about with growth is teaching the significance the significance of GPA and state testing. First off, when we were talking to the younger generations, a lot of them did not know what a GPA was, especially like the middle schoolers, which is a little concerning just because they're going into high school. And that is a huge part of high school and as you go further into college. It's how you get scholarships and it's like really just matters what they're looking for in college and how you get into them. Then we also want to highlight state testing because a lot of kids do not try in state testing. But that's purely because they just don't know how it affects our district and how doing well in state testing is actually a positive thing instead of a negative thing.
Um so just for an example for the talkers um we came up with some key phrases that you can say um let's focus on the task at hand. Let's make a take a moment to think about this. Always respectful and proactive for questions related to that behavior. Does anyone else have any experience with that? Are there other ways or perspectives to look at this? And then we came up with tools that everyone can use whether they're in meetings or in an informal setting um such as talking cards or sticks so that everyone has an equal opportunity and opport um way to share their um thoughts. And then always being present. So we kind of in our document describe what that can look like for everyone in a meeting. So we're always respectful on task um and present in our meetings. So for each behavior, we have sayings, questions, and then tools um that can be implemented to confront the behavior in a proactive way.
Um, celebrations of excellence. Um, Dr. Bokart and I were able to go witness the National Honor Society induction at the high school. Outstanding. Um, the Seville Singers brought home a gold with distinction and a gold in Yeah, sorry. in isma there we go contest recently sorry and last night attended the secondary band concert um outstanding now I'm not going to say that I have the musician's ear but many parents just came up and just talked about how much we're improved and it's going so um and Mr. Bartlet was kind enough to go ahead and tell them that we are hiring a full-time band replacement, but we are doing interviews and we are looking at those texts. Uh reminders, sign diplomas if you have not. CHS graduation is May 30th at 700 p.m. Uh show up a little early and we'll meet in the uh office.
We understand that things are incredibly busy. Um and if there are opportunities for us to be able to bring um other learning and cooperative programs together with y'all, we really do welcome them. But uh we appreciate the opportunity for those folks, that small but mighty group to be able to come together and engage in conversation.
If you can fill the unforgiving minute with 60 seconds worth of distance run, then yours is the earth and everything in it. And which is more, you'll be a man, my son. Class of 2025, your future is filled with endless possibilities. So stay curious, be resilient, and dream big. I am confident that you will shape our world in remarkable ways. And as a D20 graduate, we welcome you back to share about your future adventures. So let's all give it up once again for the class of 2025. [Applause] Thank you, Mrs. Haberer. Good evening, class of 2025, friends, family, and colleagues. It is my distinct privilege to now draw your attention to the academic achievements and other distinctions of our graduates. The board of education and the district administration would like to recognize those students whose parent or guardian served our nation as an active duty service member during their students enrollment in high school.
Thank you and congratulations. [Applause] Give me a second. I need to get my story straight. My friends are in the bathroom, skipping class, waiting to graduate. My teacher, she's waiting for me just across the hall. My grades been dropping every single day ever since the fall. I know I gave up on them months ago. I know you're trying to forget. But between the weeks and subtle things and the holes in my apies, you know I'm trying hard to take it back. know if by the time the door closes and you feel like falling down, I'll carry you home. Tonight we are young. So let's set the world on fire. We can burn brighter than the sun. Tonight we are young. So let's set the world on fire. We can burn brighter than the sun. I know that. don't know all that you got. I guess that I just thought maybe we could find ways to fall apart.
Most of all, let's never forget the fear that we have felt over this journey of high school. breathed in and let go because it is what taught us to always always have [Applause] courage. And next I would like to introduce our final speaker, Aspen Hazi. [Music] [Applause] I remember last year sitting in the same arena watching my friends graduate and listening to the amazing speeches presented and I promised myself I would be standing up here too. And now I'm just praying I can get through this without crying. I hate endings and always have. The last 10 minutes of Titanic have remained unwatched, as well as half of La La Land. It sucks that I can't stop this movie either. I can't just pause it and rewind to my favorite parts. However, I will gladly recount the wonderful four years I've had at the village. The school is unique and so special.
The reduction in minimum lot size from 5,000 to 2500 square feet, for example, has directly led to lot splits, mature tree excavations from entire lots, home demolitions, and the construction of dorm style housing. Just next to my home, two duplexes are going up that will house, excuse me, trying to rush through this, 16 to 20 individuals with beds renting at $1,500 each. Hardly affordable. Not the kind of development that fosters long-term community. We're already feeling the impacts on my street. Trash spilling into the streets, rodents in the alleys, drag racing, and early morning DJs. These aren't hypothetical risks. They're our daily reality. We've put cameras up outside our homes. I urge you to take a closer look, more nuanced look at the distinct needs of neighborhoods like ours. Ann Arbor should not allow its legacy to be the unchecked replacement of historic vibrant communities, especially for so little gain.
Uh and and so in this particular instance, these are the projects that are satisfying the obligation. You have actually one surplus credit with these projects. Um it's gone through many many iterations over the past couple of months. Uh it includes uh 628 Higgins Avenue which is known as the M andD site across from the gym. Uh this has six credits associated with it and again I'll get into more detail with this in the next couple of slides. The raen rachen road raten road mumford site is easier for me to say 12 credits are coming from that part particular project. Uh both of those uh projects are as a result of builder builder remedy lawsuits. And so uh these are lawsuits that the municipality uh on the first side the 628 Higgins has settled uh redevelopment plan was adopted for that and with Mumford site uh certainly at the end piece of uh the uh negotiations of a developers agreement.
This took up a lot of time because you have to pull specific reports, complete specific activities, and you have due dates. They like to give you lots of due dates. Um, Mr. Ferguson and the technology department were in kind of the thick of the website update and him and I collaborated on a couple things. Um, we continue to work on collaborative teamwork because having so many of our personnel off like they're virtual the things that happen on campus, you don't realize are just a natural part of the school day until somebody is not here to not know that they go on. So, I spent a lot of time just making sure everybody was in the loop and making sure like all the needs were being met. This is the time of year where we start really to see some of our student growths because our IEP goals are a little different than like a calendar scope and sequence.
I do feel that if they knew the significance of it, they would try harder. Okay. Next up is emphasis on post-graduation opportunities. So, a lot of students like freshman and sophomores um don't really get or understand the significance of college um and we all kind of only know about the traditional ways um like going to college instead of like trade schools. And I feel like EVIT does a good job with that. So, we could all um so the students who go to EVIT can already be like experienced and know what they're going into after high school. But a lot of students don't know those opportunities. Um, and we are told things like in like sixth grade or even in middle school about college, but in like freshman or sophomore year, we kind of forget and not they're not talked about as much, which I think is needs to be expressed and um important.
And this empowers our staff not to have to come up on the spot on their own with, you know, what do I say in this moment? We've kind of scripted things out. So we have a proactive way of addressing some of these behaviors. So when we uh presented this to our staff, we did it in this format. We first had them um reflect on an article. Um we shared this article called Find Your Marold where we basically encourage teachers find those that are going to be positive and help you grow and uplift you. Um beware of those people that are toxic and poisonous to you that only want to bring you down. Um through the article it did several different types of behavior specific in schools just so teachers could relate to it a little bit more. Um after they had the chance to reflect on that article, we asked them to selfidentify.
And then ABA graduation is May 31st at 11:00 a.m. at CHS. That is your superintendence report. All right. Any other [Music] business? None of board member communication. My opinion, substance always trumps our form. So the the substance of our of everything that our outstanding school leadership does all the time has always been there. But now to have the form of a proper headquarters We have a world class headquarters for a world class school corporation. So thanks and thanks for all the hard work for seeing this through and being here today. Thank you. Uh I would also point out that we did attend the school board association u last week in West Lafayette and received distinguish. It was there. Yeah. Distinguished governance award and contract. All right. That that was that was my comment. Any others? Any other comments?
I'll take any questions out of my office. Any questions for this assistant superintendent? Okay. Hearing none, we move to our business manager, Mrs. Robbins. Uh just just so the board knows we are not doing the student obviously the student reps not being just for the record. No student reports. I did have one question. Are we doing um surveys again at the end of the year? Yes. There'll be a staff survey, a a family survey and a um student survey. So, I didn't know if on that there was any way to ask parents of like um workshops or things that they have interest in or timing a suggestion of timing when things are good for families. What is consider? That's good. I'm happy to be able to address that in uh my comments a little later around the culture and climate plans that'll come up as well.
These students are wearing a red, white, and blue cord. Would those students please stand? [Applause] Thank [Applause] you. Students wearing a blue cord, please stand. The blue cord is indicative of those students having participated for at least three years or more in the Air Force JOTC. [Applause] Students wearing a rainbow cord, please stand. The rainbow cord is for those students who have participated in and completed the requirements for educating children of color leadership [Applause] academy. Students wearing the gold and blue cord, please stand. Students wearing the gold and blue cord are inducted members of and have completed the requirements for membership in the National Honor [Applause] Society. Students wearing the blue and white cord, please stand. Students wearing the blue and white cord have completed the requirements for membership in DECA. [Applause] Students wearing the silver and light blue cord, please stand. Students wearing the silver and light blue cord have completed the requirements for long-term participation in Future Business Leaders of America.
But our friends are back. So let's raise [Music] a car tonight. We are young, so let's set the world on fire. We can burn brighter than the [Music] sun. N Tonight was on your side. There's a reason why someone come and carry me home tonight. Never arrive, but I can hear the choir. So will someone come and carry me home tonight. We are young. So let's set the world on fire. We can burn brighter than the sun. [Music] So by the time the door closes and you feel like falling down, I'll carry you home tonight. [Applause] Hi. Hi. My name is Alex Graham and it is an honor to introduce to you and highlight our valadictorian, Weston [Applause] Monson. Weston finished with a stunning 4.57 GPA, but he is so much more than just those three numbers. He's the ultimate dream chaser. This speech is the reason I got to meet Weson for the first time.
The village has created not just a school and a place legally required to attend, but it has made a home and a family full of passionate students and inspiring teachers. I look out at all of you today and in a and am in awe of the passion that you have put into something. Our dedicated athletes who balanced hours of practice with school work. Performers who put in hours of rehearsal to share their talents. Especially grateful for opportunities like piano recital and voices of the village to showcase that and other hardworking students that challenge themselves to AP courses or maybe a new elective out of their comfort zone. The village is a place to explore. I never considered a STEM class until seeing all of our beautiful female science teachers who pushed me to take a space explorations class and AP Chem, which don't get me wrong, it was very hard, but the village teachers and students never made me feel like I couldn't do it.
A study by the Urban Institute found that zoning relaxations across the US led to just 0.08% increase in housing supply over 3 to nine years mostly high-end units with no statistically significant impact on affordability or access to lowcost housing. We can do better than this and I think if we pause the plan we can include thoughtful thoughtfulness and neighborhood voices at the center of the process. Thank you for your consideration. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Yurka Hades and I live on Chandler Road in the first ward. I'd like to speak a little bit about the petitions and memos that have been circulating seeking to derail the comp plan process. If we look back at the results of the last three council elections going all the way back to 2020, I think it's abundantly clear that a majority of votes went to candidates with an explicitly pro-ousing agenda.
Um but that is part of the fair fair share plan. Uh 636 Borie Avenue. We've had uh a different iteration of this. I think the last time that I spoke here, we had a neighborhood meeting last week or the week before. Uh originally we were looking at five units as multif family housing on this site. We uh I think the the affordable housing um uh committee as well as the planning board as well as the governing body heard those neighbor those neighbors loud and clear and took um very quick and comprehensive efforts to look at other sites. Um, so on the Borie Avenue site, it is now uh going to provide two credits and I I'll get into what that will be. And then finally, there will be a project on the new municipal building site. So the municipal building um next door will be torn down and new building will be built and next to it will be a five-unit multif family uh unit apartment complex.
So students who were like in the third quarter of their goals per se, we really start seeing that success and we get to celebrate them and then we were able to dive into some really great professional development. Next slide please. So by the end of quarter two I had already submitted our 80 45day screens and our 19 IEPs to audit. This also includes a separate sheet that I had to self- audit all of those IEPs to ensure all the parts were there and if there was a part missing explain why we continue to qualify students for special education services. This is kind of our one of our busy seasons again collaborated with Mr. Ferguson to make sure the website was more accessible on how to get a hold of the special education department which it was not before. Um, working with the state and other agencies, we were able to continue to provide clarity on special education best practices to students or to staff and parents about students.