May 11, 2026, P 12 Board of Education Meeting. part 1

001Heat. Heat. Good evening everyone and welcome to the Dearborn public school uh regular board meeting. It's May 11 and it's 7:02. Let's call the meeting to order. >> Uh, roll call. Trusty Bazzy >> here. >> Trusty Drosio >> here. >> Trusty Mos >> present. >> Trusty Pichkov >> here. >> Trusty So >> here. >> Trusty Zaher here. President Al Ji >> here. Next item. >> Next item is the pledge of allegiance to the flag with Dr. Adnan Mugni, principal of McDonald Elementary, introducing students that will lead the pledge of allegiance. I got a three wonderful kids from McDonald Elementary School. We have Gazal Busi fifth grade, Muhammad Aab second grade and Adamizi fourth grade. So they will lead us in the pledge. >> I pledge to the flag of the United States of America and

002to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Hi there. >> Good job. >> Does that job? >> I'm at Good job. You want to give it to >> All right. Next item, please. >> Next item is superintendent update. >> Okay. Good evening, everybody. >> Good evening. >> Uh we'll start with retirements short list this month. Ali Abdullah 24 and three4ers of a of years of service. Troy Aean, 29 years of service. Danielle Curry, 26 years of service. Christine Furkyote, 37 years of service. Darlene Hamill, 30 and 34s years of service. Hilda, 31 years of service. Vivian Johnson, 9 and 23 years of service. Leslie Rosel, 22 years of service. Gail Saznitsa, 26 and 23 years of service. And Phyllis Williams, 16 and 12

003years of service. Thank you all for your time with Dearborn Schools. Okay, again, a long list. Uh the 2627 board meeting um schedule was emailed to you the board on May 5th. You should all have receipt of that. Uh you will be voting on that at the June meeting. This past week was teacher appreciation week and yesterday was Mother's Day. Our teachers deserve to be recognized and celebrated every day for their tireless work. I'd like to thank all of our teachers for as a path towards academic success. They nurture, love, and take care of their students selflessly. So, thank you to all of our amazing teachers. May 1st was school principal day and May 12th was school nurse appreciation day. So, thank you to all of our principles, administrators, and nurses that serve our students

004uh in Dearbornne schools. May is mental health awareness month and it is a time to raise awareness of and reduce the stigma surrounding behavioral health conditions as well as highlighting the ways how mental illness can affect all of us. I'd like to thank our staff who support their own colleagues as well as students and families. So, thank you to all of our staff who who make sure they prioritize mental health with uh everybody that they serve. Uh board, we have a lot of events coming up. You all have invites to spring school programs, honors nights, Memorial Day events, and graduations. You'll see me more than you ever wanted to this month coming up, but it's all exciting and good. Uh we have a last Monday this board recommended Micah Saley to serve as the next

005superintendent pending negotiations. Congratulations to Micah Saley. And I think that's all I have. Next item, please. The next item is recognition and acknowledgement starting with commendations. Commendations will be read by Ford High School students Ameliana Cabrera and Maline McKenzie. Commendations to DT cohort 28 facilitators including Mara Anthony Medila Bazzy district elementary school instructure instructional coaches for facilitating six days of intensive professional learning dedicated to the science of reading and the co-enance of excessive I'm sorry executive literacy instruction through their skillful facilitation They have built the capacity of elementary school classrooms teachers and had a positive impact on tier 1 and two instruction. Commendations to high principal Aaron McGingville, title one teacher Natalie Deler, and ELD specialist Naen Mlid for their presentation at the Wayne County Multilingual Collaborative Meeting. Their presentation, how to get a staff

006and students excited, motivated for the WEDA assessment, highlighted their buildingwide WEDA Warriors initiative. Through their leadership, they have successfully shifted the perception of the WEDA assessment into a positive and attainable goal for both staff and students. Commendations I mean to the elementary district instructional coaches Miriam Barericat and Antinet McMahon along with early childhood specialists Angie Deerezik and Michelle Rosson. These staff represented the district and early learning co coalition coalition at the LAC mom resource fair. By participating in this event, they connected local families with virtual and early literacy resources and guidance. Their dedication to community engagement strengthens the partnership between our schools and the families we serve. Commendations to the Dearborn High film students who took home seven regional student production awards from the National Academy of Television's Arts and Sciences. The students had a

007record-breaking 23 nominations. Award winners include America's sweetheart, best short form fiction, best photographer, best writer, best talent, Zanam Sad as producer, Jesse Good and Amani Alfatwe as writers, Jesse Good as producers, and Aljahishi as talent. Man-made. Best long form fiction, Evelyn and Muhammad Aun as producers. Landslide. Best music video and best editing. Amina Tomi as producer, Jesse Good as editor, and Zanabad for lighting. This year's film can be viewed during the annual WDHS film fest on May 15th at Dearborn High School. Commendations to the Edel Ford students who performed well at the annual German day com compet competition at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor in April. 30 students participated and 18 were a part of first place groups in one or more of six categories, commercials, skits, community outreach, karaoke videos, and video games.

008First place winners include Gabriel Bochamp, MNA Burke Calter, Lucas Dovos, Gabriel Doran, Amina Harper, Laya Hart, Matt Herman, Ta Ho, Drake Morris, Leo Trimarina, Xander Peterson, Diego Rhymer, Judah Roth, Jackson Shocki, Henry Vina, Ammyra Ward, Kaden W, and Miles Whitaker. Commendations to the Zelford High School senior Zahara Abdullah. She is being recognized by the United Nations Association of the USA and interview with the community service impact award. Abdullah received the ambassador award for performing more than 100 hours of community service. Accommodations to the board key club for organizing events to recognize PAR professionals. In April, students planned a week of events to recognize PAR pros at Fordon High School, Edel Ford, Stout Middle School, and Nalin Elementary. The recognition accumulated in a paraprofessional appreciation dinner on April 25th where students recognized several staff including several

009staff celebrating both personal impact and collective dedication. April 1st was paraprofessional appreciation day. Commendations to Fortson High Assistant principal Khaled Abdullah for serving on a panel discussion at the national cell phone study conference in April. The event was organized by the University of Michigan's youth policy lab. Commendations to the women's empowerment club which hosted seminar focused on inspiring and empowering young women through conversation, leadership and shared experiences. Organizer invite organizers invited guest speakers to share their experience including inter interm superintendent Lamei Sau. The students also did a volunteer project at the seminar and the seminar was organized by students Yasmin Sed, Sophia Sansen, and Malak Alamini. The club adviser is Keith Ridzik. Commendations to the boys varsity basketball teams from Dearborn High and Forsim for supporting the Blue Hands United basketball game on April 213rd

010at Dearborn High. The student athletes helped support special needs players for an evening of basketball and fun. Commendations to the Edel Ford High School green club which is building a new hey pollinator >> pollinator garden with native plants garden with the hope of attracting bees and butterflies. Thank you to the community members. Donna Kolac, Antinet Lar Lar Pepco, Craig Gorul, >> Gorkullet, Wild Ones of Wayne County, and the Dearborn Garden Club for their guidance and support at Zel's Thornilly Club. Commendations to the following Edelford High seniors who are graduating as members of La Pimea Familia chapter of Laosio Anaria Espanika a nationally recognized Spanish honor society. Those students include Ola Ajami, Amanda Avitia, Aisha MSA, Abraham Maher, Mina Ofman, Cynthia Sed and Sophia Thomas Carillo. These students completed four years of Spanish studies with high

011honors and a community service with Edel Ford Spanish Club. Accommodations to Edel Ford student Zanab Ahmed for being a top 10 finalist and winning three medals in the Entrepreneurship California category at DECA International Career Development Conference in Atlanta on April 28th. More than 29,000 students competed from all over the country. And finally, commendations to the Dearborn High School Jazz Band, which hosted the evening of jazz concert at the Zelford High School. The free event included performances by jazz bands from Dearborn High, Esleford High, Bryant Middle, and STEM middle schools. Thank you. >> Next item, please. >> The next item is PTA reflection winners. >> Trusty, did you want to say something? President Jah, if I add a commendation. >> Go ahead, please. >> Commendation to uh Fortson's MSA club for organizing alumni versus students uh

012basketball game uh that benefited uh Zaman International and uh the game went very well. Uh yours truly played on the alumni team. We did lose to the students team safely. Did a pretty good job. Uh, however, the gap was like about 14 points at some times in the game. I wasn't playing. Uh, I actually got out when they were tied. So, um, and then I came in at the second half. But we we managed to come back and they won only by two points. So, >> they can rub it in until next year. >> But, thank you to them for organizing such an great event. And uh also thanks to their advisor, Miss Naserina Le. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> So I do want to thank the students for allowing us to come back.

013>> Good. >> Okay. >> All right. Again, PTA reflection winners is the next >> I think. Uh you want to say something? Well, no, it was about this. It's all good. But >> um can I >> Hi, Joanne. How are you? >> Hi, how are you? >> Uh board, this is Joan Nabha. She's on our district PTA board and she also spearheads the all-consuming reflections contest. If you know, you know. And uh we really wanted to celebrate um her efforts and celebrate the students for all their hard work and I know that you can't do it without those partnerships in the schools. So the floor is yours. >> Thank you. Um I would like to ask the students who are here tonight from PTA Reflections to come up. I'm not sure who's exactly here, but

014we will walk through it. So, um this year's 2025 2026 PTA reflections, um we it's this is a longstanding um art program through the national PTA and uh Dearborn is every year involved in it. I think we've this is our like 52nd year of doing it. Um this year we had students win at the state level. We had five students win at the state level and every year we choose students at from the district level. So, we have district winners and we have uh the state winners here tonight. So, I would like to give them a round of applause because their work is phenomenal. >> I'm going to have them go around and say their names. >> And which school? >> They can use the small mic. >> Oh, yes. Oh, yes. Let me Yes.

015>> It's on. It's on. >> It's on. Okay. My name is Sarah Kwanzi. >> And which school are you with? And which grade? >> William Ford, third grade. >> My name is Amelia and I'm in Miller Elementary and I am a second grader. I'm Jenna Hart. I'm from Bryant Middle School and I'm an eighth grader. My name is Amira Budaya. I go to William Ford Elementary School. I'm in fourth grade. >> My name is Louisa Jadullah. I'm in the fifth grade and I'm from William Ford Elementary. >> My name is Mira Jan and I'm from William Ford fifth grade. your name and which school you're from and which grade you're in. >> My name is And Park in first grade. >> Say her name again. >> Do it again. >> Say your name. >> My

016name is Ree. >> Ree. Got it. >> Bethany. Okay. >> My name is Sawyer Shooker. I go to Deval Elementary. I'm in fourth grade. >> My name is >> We can't see her. Bring Bring her up. Bring her up here. >> And my last >> See here, >> wait. Start over. Start over. Start over. >> Let can she start over? >> Yes. Can we start over and show them your beautiful face? >> My name is Elasi. >> What school are you from? >> William Ford. Okay. Yes. Um, this year we had top winners at state and we also had in almost every quiet category from visual arts to photography to literature to music. Um, we really had and we really had like a broad range of talent and as you can see we have a

017broad range of so um I encourage and we also have um >> cert. So we'd like to call them up to get a certificate on behalf of the board and myself. >> I think I have so >> Okay. So our first winner is Sawyer Scooert. >> Our next winner is Amelia Nasrein. Amir Abua, Sarah Kunazi, Bura Bunani. I don't think she's here tonight, but we will give it to Mr. Higgins over there. Jenna Harp Ayat Alsidi Louisa Jadala And finally, Mera Jen with gonna get celebrated. >> Okay. >> How about a group picture with the board? >> Yes. Please come up. What's up? Thank you. Good job. >> Miss Nepa question. >> How many students did you have participate in roughly? So, um, at the district level, we had, um, gosh, we had 33, um,

018>> submissions and then, um, we submitted all those to the state and we had five winners this year from the state. >> Amazing. >> So, >> and, uh, seems like William Ford got the lion share. So, >> yes, they do. Yes. Every year we have one particular win. Next year, they to ask Mr. Hig. >> Yes. I encourage this is the first year actually I haven't had any high school submissions which I was sad about but I do encourage all but we do >> you know the the high schoolers do this districtwide >> sure >> um art art uh gallery so I really love to see that but I really encourage everyone all of our PTAs to participate in um and if your student is at a school that does not have a PTA >>

019and uh reaches out to us >> uh and wants to participate they can be a part of like the council PTA or like be a PTA of any school just sign up and then they can participate in that school in that um >> that is to contact the PTA council. >> It is it is a a specific PTA um >> council that oversees all >> Yes. Yes. Yes. >> Thank you. >> Oh, go ahead. >> Trusty Pet. >> Yes. >> I was on the PTA council for many years. >> Yes. I know. And I know when we when you uh took on that responsibility because we always struggled for years of of getting schools to participate, they had a PTA because it was an added burden for usually the art teacher would take on the

020responsibility of guiding a lot of the kids um in the process. >> And in a lot of schools, the art teacher is the one that um takes this role on. And I really appreciate the art teachers. I think we need to give them also a round of applause because they put a lot of words into these students. If it. It's It's a It's a mighty challenge and but it's a great one and it's just another opportunity. I know our students are um can have many opportunities throughout the school year to participate in a variety of ways, but this is just one more where they can showcase their talents and get excited >> uh about art and art projects. So, um I always am happy to see uh the PTAs when when they and it's and

021it's a tough it's a tough ask it and um PTAs are already doing a lot in each of their individual buildings. So, um to have that many students and usually it is a cluster of schools that that we um can get participation from. But thank you. I really appreciate you've been dedicated to this for quite a while now. I would say that um I know it's like PTA volunteership I guess in general isn't always easy. You know, we have a hard time with getting uh volunteers through PTA, but I feel like um if you're just doing it for the kids, then it's easy. So, um you know, for me, that's what it's always been. And when I took on this role, that's what it was. I I love the arts, so for me it was

022very easy to take this on. And she's right, it is some somewhat of a lot of work, but it's worth it. like it's just like few a few days out of the year so it's not bad. >> Thank you. >> Question. Yes. How long you been doing this? >> Um so I've been on the council since 2020. Um I was appointed because like I said, nobody wants to do it. So I didn't know what I was getting into when I signed up for the uh council. But I've been doing PTA since uh 2012 really. And uh I took on this particular role. This is my second year. And um obviously you get paid thousands of dollars to do this. >> A lot of money. Yes. Yes. >> I think just a shout out to Joanne

023because I mean we shout out the kids but a shout out to you too because >> donating this kind of time is really awesome. >> Thank you. I appreciate that. I do. >> Yeah. Go ahead. >> President and before that I'd like to acknowledge and thank Mr. KBA who used to do the PTA reflections for a very long time. as I remember um my both of my kids submitted some submissions and she was very helpful. >> Yes, Lena was definitely spearheaded this program for years. >> Four years. Yes. I would say probably 10 years at at least I would say and then uh the council took it on. Uh I mean when I was on like we started we she was transitioning into giving it uh like you know someone else taking it over and

024um so our board started to um take it over and I think it's always been a council but um yeah that's what it was. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you Joanne. We are looking for volunteers to uh sit on the committee and help us um like help me I guess um when it comes to um just collecting the artwork and submitting the artwork. So um if anyone is interested or if you know anyone who's interested um please reach out to me. >> Thank you so much. We appreciate your >> Next item, please. >> Okay. Next >> Oh, you want to >> you go ahead. Next item is art show winners. >> Okay. >> Thank you. What a great month. We're celebrating so many uh students and staff. This is just a feel-good meeting.

025I'm very excited. This is Dan. Hold on. Marqui. Did I say it right? And you're at STEM art teacher at STEM. >> STEM and how. >> Okay. Uh thank you for being here. Dan is going to talk a little bit about the art show winners and the showcase that you and your colleagues put on this year. >> Yes. Uh good evening members of the board. Uh my name is Dan Mcki. On behalf of the art department, we thank you so much for allowing us to be present tonight to acknowledge this year's winners from the Dearborn Art Student Art Show. At this time, if there's any winners that are in the audience, can you please come forward and stand up behind me? Um every year we as educators are blessed with these gifted individuals that produce

026wonderful works of art in many different mediums, either 2D or 3D. And I encourage you, if you've not been to the Pages Gallery, go check it out. The works there are super impressive and amazing. Um this is only a few students that are winners. Um there is two from each grade category, a 2D and 3D. And then the top winner is the superintendent award which the superintendent goes through the whole gallery and chooses one piece of artwork that stands out to her the most and is the most impressive piece to her. It'll be hung inside the superintendent's gallery. Um this year we have on elementary uh 2D uh Ree Albbathy uh pumpkin in the night. Her teacher is Mrs. Bruce from Gear Park. Good job. From the three to five grades, Muhammad Albali, uh, cast

027tissue tiles, uh, teachers, Miss Kelly from McDonald Elementary. In the middle school category, 2D, Kabia Frederick's, Dragon Imperial Power from Mr. Marquy's class of STEM. 3D is Nora El Marici Dreambird from Miss Thomas in the virtual academy and the high school 2D Dylan Gears Owens fence company photo from Miss Patre Ford a 3D piece from Asher Kon Muku's house from Miss Arosa's Lel Ford and also this year's superintendent award is Jaclyn Hang seventh grade from STEM. Again, if you haven't seen the show yet, please stop on by. The work is amazing. Impressive. >> It is amazing. >> As being an art teacher, I'm super happy every year to see the work produced. Oh, >> yeah. I was going to ask the location and when does it end? >> Um, it ends the uh last week

028in May. >> And the location is civics center gallery performing arts. >> It's also in the gallery there and up the top stairs. There's artwork all through it. So, if you can't get in the gallery to see the actual main pieces, there's pieces all up top. We go upstairs and you can see all the great uh works there. >> Great job. >> Amazing. >> Thank you. >> Thanks so much. Appreciate it. >> Thank you so much. >> Did they get a picture? >> They need a picture, too. Yes, >> I think they need a picture, too. Mostly. Okay. >> We have to be fair pictures. >> Come on. >> I know they're in middle school and the high school All right, next item is teacher of the year. Sure. If if you're standing in the

029back, there's a whole row of empty seats in the front if you'd like to come. Uh, okay. More celebrations. We had our teacher of the year event couple weeks ago at this point. Um, if you are here today, please approach the podium. We have Sarah Kadu, Michelle Eer, Nicole Rodriguez, David Roshmont, and Artha Snadden. >> We have Sarah Kadu from Salina Elementary, uh, preschool to second grade. Uh, Michelle Eert, Whitmore Bulls Elementary, 3rd through 5th. Uh Nicole Rodriguez, Stout Middle School, David Roshimont, I don't think he's here. He wasn't able to come. Dearborn High School, and then we have Artha Snadden from adult education here with us today. Congratulations. One more time. So before we go up there, I remember coming to I remember being at this event a couple weeks ago. So well put

030together. And what I was really other than that we have great teachers. I'm not surprised by that. Thank you for all the work that you do. What I was really surprised by is that when their names were announced, they seemed genuinely surprised >> in a place like Dearborn where there's no secrets. I I was shocked that nobody knew who was winning ahead of time, but um jumping out jumping out of their chairs and coming down. I mean, it was clear how excited all of our teachers were to be part of this and how proud they are of what they do every day. So, thank you again for everything you do for us. >> Thank you. Okay, here we go. President Jeff, >> the next item, it >> y uh I just want to u mention

031that um Mr. Rodriguez was featured at channel 7 was it? Channel 4 um for the teacher of the year award and she represented she represented us very well. So thank you Mr. Rodriguez. And u one other thing that I I as the awards were coming along Trusty Bazzi and I were having a side conversation as far as a category that we may need to suggest to the chamber to add. And I I know we want to limit it, but I think it is well needed, which is the category in special ed um that we would have a teacher be nominated in that individual category. And I believe so many students who are going to nominate obviously unfortunately some of them are non-verbal and they cannot uh their parents would have to help them nominate. So

032I would hope that we that we pass that suggestion to the chamber that we would have a category starting from next year for special ed. >> Trusty Bazzy >> and and just to kind of piggy back on that to to especially for our special ed families and those students as accommodating as we can be for those students to be able to make those nominations um I think would be excellent. >> Okay. >> Absolutely. >> Any other comments? If not, next items. Next item is acknowledgement of donations. >> Oh, it's you. >> Oh, >> hello. >> Yes. >> Okay. Uh, the following donations have been offered to the school district. A donation of $10,000 has been offered to Dearborn Public Schools by Jack Demer Ford to be used to directly support student learning through in-person experiences,

033the purchase of educational equipment, or specialized classroom materials not covered by the general fund. A donation of $600 has been offered to Smith Middle School by the Dearborn Exchange Club to be used to assist a student whose family had a house fire. A donation of $1,000 has been offered to Smith Middle School by the Dearborn Goodfellows to be used to assist a family who had a houseire. And finally, a donation of 200 muddy buddy suits has been offered to Cotter School by PNC Foundation to be used for children to play outdoors in inclement weather without soiling clothing or getting wet. >> That's pretty cool. >> Oh, to be a preschooler again. Thank you. Next item, please. >> Next item is approval of minutes. We're looking for approval of minutes of the following Dearborn Board of

034Education meetings. All right, there's a lot. City relations committee meeting, April 6, 2026. Board report 25-126. Special meeting for superintendent search, April 9th, 2026. Board report 25-127. Regular P12 meeting, April 13, 2026. Board report 25-128. Special meeting for superintendent search. April 14th, 2026. Board report 25-129. Special meeting for superintendent search. April 15th, 2026. Board report 25-130. Special meeting for superintendent. Search April 16th, 2026. Board report 25-131. Special meeting for the superintendent. Search April 18th, 2026 board 25-132. And finally, special meeting superintendent search April 23rd, 2026, board report 25-133. I'm looking for somebody to make any necessary corrections and move approval of all of these minutes. >> So move support. >> Second. >> So we have a a second. >> Are we missing the May 4th or is that going to be meeting? >> Next meeting.

035Okay. >> Okay. >> So roll. Uh, no roll call needed. Uh, all in favor say I. >> I. >> No objection. Motion is approved. >> Next item is union leadership commentary. >> Okay. >> This section of the board of education meeting is being added to further enhance already strong commitment and longtime partnership between district administration and all bargaining units. Both instructional and non-instructional union members serve on a wide variety of standing and ad hoc committees that drive the work and decision-making in the Dearborn public schools. In addition, administration meets monthly with the leadership team of all unions as well as a group meeting with union presidents. These meetings are not required, but are an extension of the collaborative partnership that has long existed in the Dearborn public schools. This section will further enhance the commitment

036to valuing all suggestions, views, and opinions brought forth by all staff members in the district. And it looks like we have one uh represent represent representative tonight from the Dearborn Federation of Teachers, Miss Kathy Martin. Good evening. Um, thank you Trustee Mos and Trustee Bazzy for recommending a special ed category in the teacher of the year. I do sit on that committee. I do not make final decisions as to who wins. I'm recused by that point, but um that's a great idea because there have been years when special ed has been nominated and people don't quite know what to do with it. So, I will definitely take that back to the committee. Um uh but tonight I'm here because the past few weeks have been quite a ride and I'm ready to put this behind

037us. But before doing so, um I believe it's important to address several issues that have come up regarding the superintendent surveys and the conversations surrounding them. First, I need to provide some background. The DFT sent out two objective surveys regarding the superintendent search process. The first survey asked members to select qualities they would like to see in a future superintendent from a provided list while also giving them the opportunity to add qualities of their own. It also asked respondents to identify a first and a second choice among the candidates. The raw data from that survey was shared directly with the school board. After the board voted on finalists, the data was further analyzed and that analysis was also shared with the school board. The second survey was much more straightforward. It asked respondents for their

038opinions on each of the finalists and then asked them to choose between the two candidates. Less than 24 hours before the second survey closed, I began hearing from some members who were unhappy that there was no option to select neither candidate. In an effort to better understand where member sentiment truly stood, I added a neither option. After that option was added, there were 75 additional responses. One candidate received 44 of those votes, 16 wanted neither, and 15 voted for the other candidate. That raw data was also shared with every school board member along with an analysis to help summarize nearly 500 responses and over 600 written comments as each candidate received over 300 comments individually. For additional context, surveying our membership has been a consistent practice throughout my time in office. We survey members on

039contract negotiations, the school calendar, early release schedules, and we conduct annual satisfaction surveys regarding the union, the district, and the school board. Usually in May, that's what I present. This year, staff has been surveyed out, and I did not send one out because it's just too many. Um, depending on the topic, we usually receive between 300 and 600 responses. During the 2023 contract negotiations, we had over 800 participants approve that contract. That should give you some perspective regarding the size and engagement of our active membership. We're never going to re achieve 100% response rate. Some members prefer to have their elected executive board speak on their behalf. Others may not check their email regularly. Yeah, they exist. It's frustrating to me, but anyways. um and some simply do not feel strongly enough about a topic

040to participate in the survey. Because of the sensitive nature of the superintendent selection process, these surveys were anonymous, though limited to one response per participant, unlike the questionnaire that the school board used. The survey regarding the finalist selection received 406 responses in less than 24 hours. These respondents were clearly invested in the process and for such a short window of time that level of participation was significant. After the board selected the finalists, however, many members felt demoralized and disengaged from the process. I know this because members personally emailed, text, and called me to express that they no longer wish to participate because they felt their voices didn't matter. Before discussing the second survey further, I want to address a point of confusion I heard circulating. Some questioned how one particular candidate could emerge as the

041top first choice candidate while many comments strongly favored hiring an outsider. Both things can be true at the same time. Many individuals selected this internal candidate or or selected both internal candidates without writing a response. So they went into the survey, they clicked first choice, second choice, and didn't write anything. um only 99 of the hund the 406 respondents actually provided comments. Many of those comments strongly favored an outside candidate. That discrepancy does not invalidate either the survey results or the opinions expressed in the comments. It simply reflects that not every participant engaged in the same way. Despite frustration surrounding the finalist selection, the second survey still received 498 responses. This is where it's important to discuss survey validity. Voluntary surveys do not function like simple mathematical equations. In survey research, a survey rate between

0425% and 30% is generally considered acceptable, while anything above 30% is considered excellent. The second survey achieved approximately 36.5% response rate. Those results cannot simply be dismissed, nor should their validity be questioned, particularly given the large margin between the two candidates. I can also assure you that the results remained remarkably consistent throughout the process, whether there were 100, 200, 300 responses. The spread between candidates was clear very early on and remained stable throughout. If individuals chose not to participate, it does not mean their voices were suppressed. more likely they either felt discouraged by the board's earlier decisions or simply did not feel strongly enough to respond. I'd like to remind you that the district will regular regularly present survey results with 10% or less response rate and those results are accepted by this board. There's

043one final issue I'd like to address. A rumor used to discredit DFT voice is that members fear retaliation from DFT leadership for expressing differing opinions. I want to be absolutely clear. The union has no ability to retaliate. We cannot control salaries. We don't control assignments. We don't control promotions. We don't control evaluations. Nor do we control employment status. Members are completely free and welcome to express disagreement with union leadership, dissatisfaction with the union, differing views on district matters, or preferences regarding superintendent candidates. participation in this particular survey was entirely voluntary and anonymous. The purpose of the survey was simple, to give educators a voice and to better understand where our membership stood on an important decision impacting our district. The results reflected the responses we received and those responses showed strong support for one candidate

044over the other. Healthy disagreement is part of any democratic organization and every member has the right to their own opinion without fear or pressure. I welcome differing viewpoints and dissenting opin opinions. I was elected to represent the voice of membership and my own opinion is simply one amongst nearly 1400. I sincerely hope this clarifies the process for anyone who may still have doubts and I hope that moving forward the voices of staff members will actually be taken seriously. I I do want to comment um in and say when you talked about the percentage of uh acceptable numbers from a for a survey, we were doing a survey, we were uh planning to do a survey where I work at and for us to get 30% that is uh that is huge. Um so the expectation

045is never 100%. And we should never question the data or question uh DFT or their intention because they share a different opinion on um than we do. Um we should always respect everyone and and and uh treat people with uh with trust. Um, I personally got the wrath of uh the what happened and you know trustees send me a very disrespectful email because I don't um I don't share the same opinion and we have to respect each other. We have to um accept the data and and and respect everyone that provide us the data whether we agree with them or not. Right now we're in a place where we're moving forward. uh we're going to support our superintendent. We're going to be their biggest cheerleaders. So, we're going to be behind them 100%. At the

046end of the day, um when people don't share our opinion, we cannot cross the lines and we cannot be disrespectful. I'm not going to go into the details, but I felt disrespected um personally as if as the DFT members felt. And to me, we're not going to always agree. Um, I met with Mr. Ailei. We sat for an hour and a half. We came to a consensus that we're going to work together. It was very respectful. Um, we have to move past what happened and we have to respect each other. We should not question people's intention or motive, especially when we we don't have any facts. Thank you, Trusty Maz. Thank you, Trusty Alji. Uh, first of all, President Martin, I've known you for many years before you stepped into the role of a DFT

047president. You were the social worker for my son. >> Speech pathologist. So, sorry. Um, but you worked with him in in so many ways and I got to work with you. Um, and I knew uh the work ethic that you present and I appreciate that uh you're leading your fellow teachers with the utmost integrity and utmost honesty and it disturbed me that a trustee would question the raw data that we received from you. I take a major offense to that and I I did address that with the trustee in an email. Unfortunately, I I still didn't get a response uh to my um ask that this might be a slip on their part and I hope they would uh clarify or at least apologize to the membership and to the teachers. Uh but to you

048I tell you um 36% for a survey is huge in any scientific method. they tell you even as you mentioned 10% 15% is acceptable to see a it's a sample size and um I'm I'm just appalled that and I sit at this table and there were a lot of things going on in that meeting but to question the data and to pretty much say you were dishonest is very disrespectful not to you only and to your members to your members and to the teachers who serve our students every single today, but to this board as well, and I hope that they would clarify and apologize. Thank you. >> All right. Can I say something? I want to be very clear that my statement today is regarding the board and it has nothing to do with

049the superintendent selection. I fully support Mr. and I look forward to beating him with him and making sure that we all succeed cuz this is for the sake of our students. So my whatever I had to say today had nothing to do with the actual um superintendent to be it had to do with the issue with the board. >> Thank you. >> Next item, please. Next item is special reports starting with Dearborn Green Schoolyards Partnership. >> Can I make a Oh, >> sorry. >> Go ahead. >> Before special reports, and I I truly apologize. Can Can we move citizen participation? I don't know if we have any cards. >> I have cards. I don't know how this next how long this next part's going to be. >> Well, we have multiple of reports, right? >>

050Yeah. I mean, it's up to I'm asking the chair maybe to move up >> if we have people. Looks like about eight or nine. >> I'm I'm fine with moving a forward just in case people want to go home and not have to pay for everything. Um we have to motion for >> I'll motion for it to move citizen participation before this was it special or a special reports agenda item. >> Could I get a second? >> Second. >> All in favor say I. >> I. >> No objection. All right, we can move it. >> Okay. citizen participation. I have something here that says employee to address the board, but I don't have any name under it or anything. My agenda says employee to address the board. Is that accurate? I don't have any name

051under it or anything. >> I don't think >> so. That's just a mistake. >> Okay. Citizens wishing to address the board on agenda and non-aggenda items for action who are signed in by 7:10 p.m. by submitting a blue card to the board secretary may speak at this time. The board may not be in a position to respond to non-aggenda items. Therefore, speakers should not anticipate an immediate response to their comments or questions. For the benefit of all concern, do not mention the names of students or school district employees. Please keep your comments as brief as possible. There's a threeminut time limit on comments made to the board. Uh, our first card tonight is from Nicole Bush. >> Hi, good evening. I just have some notes. Um, I have been with Dearborn Public Schools for 29

052years. I love Dearborn. Um, but I did feel coming today that I did have to say something. Um, I feel like Dearborn is a wonderful place to work. We have fantastic students. We also have fantastic teachers and Dearbornne over the years has asked teachers to adjust to new things quickly and CO was a perfect example. But since COVID, just within the last two years, our motto has kind of been roll with the change. Lots of things are changing. Research is coming about that we have to be aware of. And we're asking teachers to learn things extremely quickly and sometimes shift personal philosophies that they've held true for 20 years. But we're asking them to change and they are doing it. And they're doing it on the fly. And we have asked teachers to change at

053the elementary level on just a few things. Assessments, accepting UFly, CKLA for the fall, um common assessments. Teachers have done that. They've learned about the science of reading on their own and they're working hard to make the changes that our students deserve. Our teachers know their value. I am begging you to show us that you know our value too. Thank you. Our next speaker is Mala Kazab. Did >> I say your last name right? Meal. Is it Malik or Malik? >> Perfect. >> The whole thing. Wow. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Yep. >> All righty. Um, good evening everyone. My name is Malik Azab. I appreciate the opportunity to speak during citizen participation tonight. I want to briefly note that I previously sent an email to the board regarding the situation involving Dr. Adnan Modi.

054I'm here tonight to verbally restate and just clarify those concerns for the record. Throughout this process, many families have followed the situation closely and have remained engaged even when they were not able to attend earlier meetings. There is a strong level of interest in how decisions like this are made and how they are communicated. Specifically, when a situation results in a change in professional role, especially one as significant as moving from principal to assistant principal, it naturally raises questions about the basis for that determination and how it was reached. And in administrative decisions, clarity matters. When outcomes are not clearly connected to well-explained findings, it can create confusion for families and for staff who are trying to understand how decisions are made within the district. As someone who's been part of this district as a

055student and now continues to have family within it, I'm asking for transparency in how these types of decisions are communicated to the community, not only for this situation, but for consistency moving forward. So families are not asking the board to just agree just agree with them. They're we're asking for clear reasoning, clear standards, and clear communication when decisions with lasting impact are made. I also want to acknowledge that the community response throughout this process reflects how deeply the families care about their schools and the people who lead them just like Dr. Adnan MNI and that engagement is something that the district should recognize and value. As you continue your work tonight and moving forward, I respectfully ask that consideration be given not only to outcomes but also to how those outcomes are explained to a

056public in a way that is understandable and transparent. Thank you for your time and for allowing me to speak tonight. >> Thank you. Our next speaker is Adnan. >> Good evening. >> I'm not going to spend 30 minutes like last time. I just have a few things to say. And first of all, I'm I'm asking for an independent investigation of the way I've been treated the last six years. I gave you all the information last time when I stood in front of you for about 30 minutes and I have more information here that I'm I'm not going to read it. But I do want to say what is built on falsehood is false. Also, justice justice is impartiality and equality for all individuals, ensuring that the powerful and the weak receive the same treatment. Treat

057everybody with fairness. That's all I have to say today. I will be sending this through email to all of you. Thank you. Thank you. Our next speaker is Joe. Is it Joe Winkle? Did I say sorry? >> No, you're right. I got you. >> Yeah. Joe Winkle. Is that right? >> Yep. >> Okay. Thanks. Good evening everyone. My name is Joe Winkl. You got it right. I'm a fifth grade teacher at Miller Elementary. Uh currently the school board and our union, the Dearborn Federation of Teachers, is in negotiations for a wage increase and I'm here to advocate for that significant increase. Everything has increased in price lately. We're all uh victims of it. According to NBC News, the current national average gas price is $4.52 and that's coming down from a just a couple weeks

058ago at five $5 a gallon. That's almost double what it was just a few months ago. Utilities are up 4% and according to Channel 7 News back in February and it took effect in March uh just this year. Groceries and medicine have also taken a hit due to gas prices. I can assure you that wage increase is about us surviving and not and simply providing for our family members. If those facts, not just something I made up, like some of you accuse us of doing are not enough to convince you, let's look at this from a business perspective. Dear Public Schools Office of Service, its clients, the community can choose to buy into those services or take their children elsewhere, resulting in less funding for us. The best way to keep our clients is to

059offer the ser the best services that we can better than anyone else. And one of the best ways to do that is to have the best people providing that service. If you can keep the best teachers in this district, then you can buy provide the best education. Sure, if you don't, you'll probably get some new teachers, but what quality education can you deliver with that kind of turnover? Can you handle the teacher shortage? As I like to remind my students, actions speak louder than words. And I hope your actions will speak louder than your words. Thank you. Our next speaker is Sara Mugni. >> Good evening. Can I approach I just have my script uh my speech for you to follow along to and reference if you need to. Thank you. >> Good evening. I

060want to remind the school board that your role is to respond to the needs of the people as we have entrusted you to occupy the seats you currently sit in. I have a question to the board I would like you to think about. When you are seated on the other side of this podium, do you forget who you represent? Why do we have systems in place such as unions for employee protection, HR to be objective, and the school board for responding to the voice of the people other than simply for show? The effectiveness of these systems should not be static and they should take feedback to move forward and improve. President Aljahi, during the June 19th, 2023 schoolboard meeting, you stood where I am standing right now and you said in regards to an apathetic

061board during an unprecedented HR hiring process, "We want to be able to communicate with you. It's not fair that you don't respond to us and that you don't listen to us. We have no access to you." In reality, we don't have access to you either. We ask for transparency and the same transparency you once requested from the board. Set the example of what this board lacked and still lacks. You were and I hope all of you continue to be pro community needs. Vice President Sobeck, in your campaign launch in 2024 for school board, someone described you as being unlike those public officials that do not listen and heed the advice of their constituents. But I see no different. I question why blue cards are available during these meetings when you can save so much time

062since you don't apparently listen to what your constituents ask of you. Over 25 individuals from our community addressed you. In addition to hundreds of social media voices, countless community emails, and over 1180 petition signatures asked you to keep a beloved educator where he belongs as an elementary school principal. The system failed to aid and support him. And despite that the people what the people wanted he was informed by seven sources that he would regardless he would face a termination a 70 vote that means his personnel was breached. This all happened a week before the vote was even to take place. He was coerced to accept a demotion in the ultimatum he was offered. Trusty Zaher during the May 4th schoolboard meeting you said there is no corruption in our school district in response to Trusty

063Mos addressing this elephant in the room. Is it not corrupt when an employee stands up here for 30 minutes addressing seven years of documented mistreatment and it is not acknowledged in the slightest manner? Laws were broken. Personnel was breached and you're standing behind the faults of a person who claims there are protected ones in this district. Those who can commit literal crimes. a person who during the February 11, 2019 board meeting stated, "If you build relationships with enough people, when you can't share the whole story, you hope they can trust your character." Look at the actions of this individual before you consider trust. Where does accountability start when central office administration has steamrolled the careers of others for their personal gain? I want to close on a fact I shared at the last meeting. In

064a 2024 DFT survey, only 17% of teachers felt supported by central office administration. You can write the wrong by conducting an independent investigation and addressing the McDonald and greater community needs. Thank you. Our next speaker is Kathleen McCormack. >> Good evening. Um, as said, my name is Kathleen McCormack. I'm a Dearborn resident. I'm a product of the Durban public schools and I'm a proud teacher for 30 years at Durham public schools. Currently, the district is facing a tough challenge of how to attract and keep highly qualified teachers so we can have an excellent and above average um school community. As a steam teacher, I teach my students to think outside the box. Now I am asking the district to think outside the box when they are negotiating for a reasonable wage increase for all teachers.

065Thinking outside the box is not new to our district. I personally sat at the negotiating table as the healthcare advocate who brought to us a unique healthcare program that originally just benefited the DFT. But we weren't satisfied with that and we worked with other unions and now all the other unions are covered by our DECHP as you can see in our audience we're wearing the t-shirts program and that's what I think you have signed on to the board to do to also support us and all employees in the district. So if you work together um to offer significant health savings in the past and to expand our program to free health, fitness and financial programs all done by the DFT and expanded to everyone in the district. My challenge to you as representative of the

066district is to ask the unions to think about how can we maintain highly qualified teachers in our district and ne negotiate a fair wage that will allow them to have a good standard of living and attract as the gentleman before me said um people to stay in our district because of its reputation. Thank you so much. >> Our next speaker is Katie Burello. Good evening. I am proud to serve as an educator in our district and I stand before you today to speak about the value and worth of educators. When educators feel respected, protected, and valued, our schools become stronger. When teachers are stressed, overextended, demoralized, or financially strained, students feel that many, if not most of our members are concerned about the wage negotiations happening now. So here we are, educated professionals, people entrusted

067with the intellectual and emotional development of children, standing at a podium, publicly asking for compensation that amounts to a fair wage increase. We know our value. We know the hours that we work beyond the school day. We know the emotional labor this profession demands. We know the sacrifices educators make quietly. And we know that retaining excellent teachers requires policies and compensation that demonstrate actual appreciation. People do not stay in challenging professions forever on passion alone. They stay when they feel respected. They stay when they feel heard. They stay when they believe their district sees them as human beings rather than line items in a budget. Dearborn has incredible educators. The question is whether this district will continue to value them in a way that keeps them here. Because strong schools are not built by programs

068alone. They are built by people and unions like the Dearborn Federation of Teachers have spent decades fighting not only for educators but for the integrity, stability, and humanity of public education itself. I ask this board tonight to recognize that advocating for educators is not opposition to the district. It is advocacy for the district. We are building our future together and the strength of that future begins in our classrooms. By investing in educators, you invest in every student. Thank you. All right, the next, sorry, the next card is a yellow card with a statement here that I've been asked to read. I'll make sure it doesn't go more than three minutes. This is from Sarah Weebi. Am I saying that right for people who know if I'm saying that right or wrong? Huh? >> Weeble. Thank

069you. This is from Sarah Weeble. Uh, good evening, members of the board of education. My name is Sarah Weeble and I'm speaking tonight as both an educator and someone who sees firsthand the incredible work happening in our classrooms every single day. I understand that budgets are complicated and difficult decisions have to be made. I know there are financial realities that districts might cons must consider, but I also believe it is important to recognize when a proposed increase does not reflect the value, sacrifice, and expectations placed on teachers. A 1% pay increase may sound reasonable on paper, but in reality does not keep pace with the rising cost of living, inflation, increased health care cost, or the growing demands being placed on educators. For many teachers, a 1% increase amounts to only a few extra dollars

070per paycheck after taxes. Meanwhile, the responsibilities continue to grow. Today's teachers are not simply delivering lessons from a textbook. They are managing increasing behavioral needs, supporting students with mental health struggle struggles, adapting instruction for diverse learners, handling extensive documentation and compliance requirements, communicating constantly with families, and often spending their own money on classroom supplies and student needs. Special education teachers, interventionists, classroom teachers, and support staff in particular are carrying enormous responsibilities. Many educators work long after contract hours end, creating papers, writing lesson plans, prepare preparing materials, attending meetings, answering emails, and worrying about students long after they leave the building. And despite all of this, they continue to show up every day because they care deeply about children. Teacher burnout and staff shortages are real across this country. District everywhere are struggling to recruit and

071retain qualified educators. Compensation matters because respect matters. When teachers feel undervalued, it impacts morale, retention, and ultimately student success. This is not about greed. Teachers do not enter this profession expecting to become wealthy. Most chose this career because it genuinely help loving ch love helping children learn and grow. But passage should not be used as a reason to undercompensate professionals who are carrying one of the most important responsibilities in our community. Our students deserve teachers who feel supported, respected, and valued. Families deserve stability in schools and educators deserve compensation that reflects the reality of the work they do every day. I ask the board to truly consider what message a 1% increase sends to the people who dedicate their lives to educating and caring for our children. I encourage you to continue working toward a

072contract that better reflects the commitment, professionalism, and daily sacrifices of your staff. Thank you for your time and for listening tonight. I should also read into the record, she asked that the statement be read out loud because she was unable to attend due to a medical emergency. All right, our last blue card is from Muna Mashra. Hi, I'm Wa Mash. I'm a parent, community member, and a staff member. I'm going to keep it short and sweet. I'm not um going to be as eloquent as some of my fellow DFT members. Um inflation, as we all know, uh the average is 3.3% this year, although we feel like it's a lot more. Um the governor's proposed the budget has a 2.5% per pupil funding increase along with a 6% increase for at risk and ELLL students,

073which our district benefits from greatly. Um, so, you know, we're asking for fair compensation similar to what we've been receiving. Um, that takes the funding increases into account. Um, a 1% increase doesn't move the mark. Um, it's quite frankly, it's disrespectful to the teachers that you have. um to say that we're that a district like ours um is not able to afford anything more than that to present a budget in which um we know that the governor's proposed budgets the budgets that pass are very very close to the proposals that she's making. So what we're asking for is to be fair um in your consideration for the increases that we're asking not just for DFT but for all unions. Um thank you. ALL RIGHT, THAT'S ALL THE BLUE CARDS, MR. PRESIDENT. >> Any comments? >>

074Are we in the Are we in the board followup now? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> It's a I'll follow up category. Yeah. >> Then I I do have followup. >> Yeah. Do you mind if I could respond first to something? Um, you know, usually I don't respond to to comments because uh it it it tend to lead to further discussions, but I I want to share something with everyone in in the community. I think I've answered over the last month, you know, close to 100 if not more emails. I I make it a point and I copy all my tr fellow trustees to reply. Now sometimes you might get a reply and it doesn't match what you're looking for. But there's certain limitation on what we can reply on. If it's HR related uh um

075um inquiries, we cannot respond to that publicly. So we make sure that we are limited to what we can say as far as being accessible. I think they posted my number online and people got a hold of it and they're calling me as I was driving here. people were calling me parents. So for me, I made sure that I'm accessible and my colleagues would tell you the the number of emails that I responded to. The last email I responded to today is 5:35 was regarding Dr. Adnan. So I I would hate to be um accused of not replying. Maybe I'm not providing the the right information or I'm not elaborating uh because of limitation on internal process but I do reply and I make sure to be accessible. Thank you >> trusty M. >> Thank

076you. Uh Trash I would like to also add to that that for myself personally I always make myself available to anyone who calls me or emails me. I respond to every email that I get. Obviously, I'm not a perfect person, so I won't respond to probably all emails, but if people send me another email to remind me, I'll be very sure to respond to them. Um, as far as my cell phone, probably half of Dearbornne has it. Anyway, I don't mind that. I make time to respond and I direct whomever calls to the right department if they have an issue um and tell them about the process and the chain of command if they want to go through that. Definitely we do have laws that prevent us from disclosing or from talking to somebody about

077personnel files. We we cannot do that. That is a violation of their own rights. So, and I do understand a lot of people were very passionate um about Dr. Mugney, but unfortunately I cannot disclose what his personnel files might be that I was previewed to as a board member. Um however there I want to also clarify that um I believe it is Miss Moi who gave us the speech and she said that I responded to trustes are about addressing this elephant in the room and my fellow trustees can correct me. I was I talking about the markup of our board being overwhelmingly represented by men. Is that the elephant in the room that I was talking about? >> No, I don't think that that's what she's referring to. But when I was talking about that

078though, I made that clear, right? >> I don't know what meeting with that was at that May 4th, the last May 4th meeting. Obviously, we can go back to her and ask her, but I think it was talking about that case or I don't know. So um but the the the most important thing that I also want to address is um I know some speaker says that this board has been dismissive and unfortunately I do agree with that. Um I I try myself not to be but unfortunately it comes off that way. uh especially when we first had the initial round um of selecting semi- finalists when DFT was very clear about who do they prefer as first choice and second choice. Um, I want to also address last meeting and it pains me to

079say that I was embarrassed of some of the decorum of the attendees during our deliberation. I heard huffing and puffing every time I spoke and yes and yes and yes loud voices when they agree with a certain point said by uh trustees whether it's myself or others but these administrators should be a model for our students and that the quorum was unacceptable and was disrespectful especially that we did have guests from outside our district who addressed us eloquently and respectfully and with grace listen to our commentary. I I'm appalled to say the least and I hope they would do better and they reflect on what they what they did. I don't mind sh cheering for your best candidate and celebrating them. That is fine. But whenever we speak here, I expect the same respect that

080I give to people when they address us. Uh there was also something that I also want to address from citizen participation. We do we did have students who addressed us very passionately about what they think about the superintendent selection. I think that is amazing that in Dearbornne we have our students very invested and that is the students voice in telling us who they believe our next leader would be. There was a point where they two students came and spoke about the all females academy that the external candidate uh kind of dropped as as an idea to consider not something that he would do if this board doesn't support it if he became superintendent. And I want to clarify some things. While I respectfully disagree with the notion that all female academy would harm Dearbornne, I

081totally think the opposite. These students who leave our districts just because they feel uncomfortable going to a co-ed education, especially for the girls, they go and take classes at those accelerated programs. They graduate within four months and they get to a college and they cannot continue and many of them drop out because they have to take so many remedial courses because let's face it, they had substandard education. And it pains me that their parents are holding them home and enrolling them in these kind of substandard programs. And if this district is really really serious about addressing enrollment and miring parents where they are an all girls academy hopefully with the bond money might be a great idea to explore. I'm not saying we adopt it tonight, but I'm saying it's something to consider that will

082give full and uh equity or equitable access to all students who want to enroll in Dearborn schools. This is a school is not going to just be all Muslim girls. I would bet you conservative Christians would send their daughters to this school because they would feel more safe to send their precious daughters to a school that is being all girls academy. And this is by the way it is lawful in the state of Michigan 2006. I looked this up, research it, talk to attorneys and there is an example. Detroit public schools has one. They have an all girls academy and it started with 62 students in 2006 and currently has more than 460 students enrolled in that school. That means Detroit got it. They saw the need of having such a school for girls, all

083girls taught by girls staff or by female staff. that makes it more comfortable to provide them same education and same caliber and same rigorous curriculum that our students would receive in our traditional high schools. So I would ask my colleagues to really reflect on that and uh as trustee said now we're after this decision has been made we have a superintendent that I do back now 100% and I did meet with our next uh superintendent not to talk about contract negotiations we agreed not to talk about that because I haven't surveyed you all on that but we actually talked about rehash things that we needed to talk personto And um obviously that conversation uh will stay private between us as far as what we discussed but it was great. Uh obviously during the whole process

084we weren't able to converse with each one outside those this meeting for transparency cases. So if I had follow-up questions for Mr. I could have asked but I think it would be unfair to the other candidate not to ask them. So that's why we couldn't really have a one-on-one conversation. And Mr. Sylvei advised us against reaching out to individual candidates and ask them follow-up questions because that would be something that the entire board would not be privy to. So I respected that. But we had that conversation and Mr. did promise change as he did in his interview. And I whole wholeheartedly believe what he told me and I'm expecting to that and as trusted Zar said that he will hold him accountable I will also be on the other side of cheering him on and

085supporting him when he does the right things for our district and one thing Mr. If I can say you have to talk to our teachers immediately obviously maybe after the contract is signed and sit down with them because that conversation need to be had need to be made I guess and you talk to them about their feelings because when they when they were surveyed and 70% preferred the other candidate there is a huge issue that needs to be discussed and rehashed. as we did. So, um I I just wanted to and I'm sorry for going a lot, but I I wanted to make sure that to tell those teachers who addressed us today that we heard you as far as negotiations. Obviously, we cannot do that at this table. Uh negotiations has own bargaining units

086and they have we have our own representatives that we cannot engage at this pro at this stage. But I would say safely because I've been a very vocal and supporter of our staff and teachers of course that they need to be compensated well. um prime former prime minister of Germany she raised the teachers and this is a national issue of course uh she raised the teachers salary by 40% in one year and you can check this out and when the legislature opposed to that she said that the teachers are the reason why you sit in those seats so you have to pay them as as good as you pay the engineer as good as you pay the doctor and And I believe this nation and unfortunately is failing our teachers with the pay because starting

087with $56,000 these days as a salary, you'll have to get another job in order to afford one household of income. And I hope that we look at that from that lens. I know our ad our salary is 86 or our budget has 86% close to that number. Mr. Wall can correct me going to salaries and benefits. But we really have to distinguish does that salaries for people who touch our students directly every single day at the classroom level or does it go elsewhere? When I say elsewhere, I say above the principal, right? So we really really have to look at that. uh we do have obviously infrastructure issues that we're putting money towards but how can we stretch that dollar and how can we compensate teachers with things that are not even monetary the fitness

088idea of providing them you know maybe working out with the city to offer I saw this even back in 2022 when we doing contract negotiations partnerships where they have access to the Ford Performing Arts Center gym uh at a a very discounted rate or even at a free rate. So I would I would encourage the bargaining team to look at all of these options and I will be listening obviously carefully as far as how these negotiations go down and I would hope to see a respectful increase of salary to all all our teachers and staff. Thank you. >> Any other comments? All right. Next items, please. >> Okay, we're back to special reports. First one, Dearborn Green Schoolyards Partnership for Salina students with Miss Sue Stanley, Miss Iman Ali, and Dr. Jill Choco >> and

089some special guests from Salina. So to board, we've um asked the these three amazing uh leaders to once again present to you. For some of you, it'll be building background. For others, it'll be an update on how things have been going. So please um the floor is yours and please introduce your students. >> Good afternoon. Good afternoon, President Amy, trustees and interimm superintendants sewer. My name is Lusha and I and I've been at Salina since preschool. While I'm a lifelong wild cat, joined or outdoor wilderness leaders or owl club. Our club is students go out explore the wilderness and inform students and staff how to keep our environment clean by we went to a metrop park walk so we can see biosphere of Michigan and impact a lot so we could see how we can

090clean our environment and make schoolyards better. And one thing is that we see students littering and they don't care because like they think it's fine but like to uh to people they really care cuz harm like animals are being instinct like especially turtles see sea life is getting injured very bad cuz like uh turtles are getting trapped inside bags and one thing is the fuel you see like fuel is rising cuz They they use oil, but instead they could use plastics cuz plastic is if you burn it, it could turn into steam. The steam can turn into fuel and prices can be lowered. >> You could use that. >> Miss Ahmed, can you can she use the other microphone over there? >> We want to see her face. >> No, she can stand. No, she

091can stand at it. >> She can stand at it so she could be seen. So she can stand. >> Perfect. >> Yeah. Great. >> Hold the paper. Yeah. Perfect. >> Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Jenna Shab and I am a sixth grade student at Salena Intermediate, home to many wonderful wild cats, including myself. I used to be a shy student, but over the years, I found my voice. Today, I'm proud to stand here as a member of the outdoor wilderness leaders or owl club and share my experience. Our environment used to be clean, but over the years people began to prioritize profit over our health. And in some ways that may seem understandable, but as a member of our club, we believe we can make it better. Again, having a clean environment

092is important because it protects our health, supports animals, and keeps our community safe for everyone. When our community is not taken care of, it can lead to problems like pollution and flooding, which affect the way we live. We live every day. That is why it's important for us, especially students, to take action now. Even small efforts like learning more, spreading awareness, and making better choices can help create a cleaner and healthier future. As a member of Owl Club, I've had the opportunity to take part in activities that help our environment and our school community. One thing I've done is encourage other students to compost. I helped spread awareness about how composting reduces waste and turns food scraps into something helpful for the earth. Through this experience, I learned that even even simple actions can make

093a real difference when many people do them together. It also encouraged me to speak up more and help others understand that protecting their environment starts with small everyday choices. I I would like to sincerely thank all the funders and supporters who made Owl Club possible. Because of your support, Salena is a place where environmentalism can truly thrive and where students like me are given the opportunity to learn, grow, and take action. Your investment in our school and our ideas show that you believe in the future of our community. And it motivates us to continue working hard and to keep finding ways to make a pos a posit positive difference. Because of your support, we are not just students learning about change. We are students creating it. We will continue to grow, take action, and protect

094the environment for the future. We are reminded that today is a day where we should clean up and help the earth in many ways. Miss Stanley, principal of Salina Elementary, will share the vision of and dream of our green schoolyards in Dearborn with you. Thank you. >> Thank you. Beautiful art. Thank you. Okay. So, so many of you know our foundation and know our history of the Green School of Arts. So, we're not going to go over all of that. And so, for any of the new board members, we truly invite you to come out. And I can talk your ear off about how our journey began and our passion for this project. And it really sums up in our beliefs that we want every child, no matter where they live, to experience the same

095kind of nature that you can have anywhere. regardless of where you live. The picture before showed our beautiful neighborhood. And for those of you that don't live in the neighborhood, some might look and go, "Oh my gosh, what you're living right by a factory." And we are. But like a teacher said, it is the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. And so our goal was to how to make that community look as beautiful as it is. and to provide our children and the community and the grandchildren with a beautiful area where we can um have cleaner air and better water and forestlike atmosphere. So, thank you for that. So, we know that partnerships are essential. We can't do this by ourselves. These are all the wonderful people that have helped us. But

096I have to give a really big shout out to our district because so many of you, you come to meetings every other week. You stand there. Tom Wall, Mark Andrews, Matt Osinski, Lauren Mbero, David Mustidan, Katie, Eric, Jacob, Lamese, Joanne, and an you have been with us this whole way and this is a lot of extra work for you and you show up at our meetings and you smile and you listen and you offer any support we have. So, big thank you to you for all of your support. So, it started with that 2020 grant and it grew and it grew and it grew and um we keep talking about the benefits of those green schoolyards. It's not just about climate change. It's just about I keep saying it again and again, it is about

097bringing childhood back outdoors for our kids so that they can play and that they can have fun. And we're building environmental stewards. They understand we've got a prairie in the back from the Toledo Zoo that they are um that we are growing and they are learning about the root systems and about watershed about just so many things. So this is giving us all a great benefit. So we know about health and well-being and just look at that picture of those kids up there. You know, I'm going to knock on wood when I say this, but let me tell you, discipline problems out on that playground have gone down. so far because they're not all smooshed on a red and blue piece of plastic with one slide going down. This is beautiful, safe, risky play. The

098kids are gaining confidence, they're having fun, and there's just so many choices. And um you will see that when you look at the upper L playground and the lower ed playground as well. So, um, it improves academic outcomes because we know about brain research and how it helps stimulate the brain and the kids just love being out there. Talk about problem solving and so they benefit from time out outdoors. They have recess twice a day. They love to play outside. They love to solve their problems. They love to be with their peers. And so, um, these are our outdoor learning spaces. Like I said, we've got a living science lab in the back. The kids love it. Um, we've got outdoor learning classrooms. We've got rain gardens. And we have all those things that make

099it so much more fun than sitting in the classroom with the children. This is our campus before. This is the kindergarten one. And this is what it looks like now. And you can see by the smiles on their faces. This was really a lot of fun, too. One of our parents of our teacher made a mud kitchen for the kids. And that has just been a really big, really big hit. So, this was our opening of our kindergarten playground. And you know, to think that now we are opening up two more playgrounds. We have finished phase one. We have finished it. There's still landscaping to do, but we're so proud of that. And this is Miss Iman Ali, who's going to talk about phase two. Thank you. I couldn't have asked for such a better

100team and partner along the way. So many hours, so many meetings um have helped me turn this into like our dream. I mean, it turned it started as a seed. you might >> can you speak to the other >> Michael >> seems to be a problem with that >> it's okay so it started as a seed back in 2020 when this this whole vision started and it was led by one of our teachers um Miss Amira Sadi she came to us from Zel Ford and wanted to you know despite kids being home and on those screens it's how do we get kids to be less on screens and more outdoors so it started out with a visit to Waldorf do you remember that visit a while back and um W M Waldorf is a private

101school in Detroit and they had I think 13 outdoor classrooms. We're like we don't want 13, let's just do one. And you know by you know the the grant that we received um and just so many people who believed in our vision and supported us along the way from the district to community members, neighborhood association, we were able to really bring this to life. Um, so if you were to drive around the south end into Salina and view our campuses, you'll see that so much has been done and it's really a contribution to so many and hopefully with the leadership of Dr. Joel Choco who's been with us along the way has been such a strong backbone um um backbone to everything that we've accomplished supported by Lamese and there's more to come and we

102want to kind of be the pilot for the rest of the district and all the schools in um the Durham public schools and hopefully be a model for the state of Michigan as well. So I do want to talk about the Earth Exposition that happened um during Earth Day. It was the afternoon of April 22nd in honor of Earth. We had what we I I'm going to call it the first annual because it's something that's definitely going to be repeated. Um so many partners came together to the weather was perfect. Um I want to give a shout out to our trustees who were part of it. Um Trusty Pat, Trusty Adel, and Trust Trusty Mary who attended and supported the children and um were there listening and supporting our partners as well. I do want

103to kind of shout out the partners as well during this presentation and recognize them for being there. CMS Energy Foundation, Home Depot, Eagle, the University of Michigan, Wayne State, uh, To Zoo, Just Air, Friends of the Rouge, Ford Motor Company, the City of Dearborn, Department of Public Works, Sterling Heights Nature Center, LHC, Relief Michigan, the students of course at SL Intermediate, the City of Dearborn Community Relations, City Beautiful, Cleveland Cliffs, Hiron Clinton, Metro Parks, Darham Public Library, um, They have come together to make this day extra special for um the children, for our school, and for the community. So, what's next? We're really excited with phase three, the recreation field. Um, soccer is really huge in our in our community and the city. And we are in the process of planning and funding a soccer

104field, a mini soccer field that's going to be located in the southwest corner of the the school and expanding the garden and learning areas, creating shelters and spaces for the kids to take part um on a daily basis in the school and also in the community. And here are some pictures of what it would look like. So, thank you. Thanks to all who supported and Lamese, you promised a play date as soon as the the reveal of phase two is um you know comes comes alive hopefully in the next few weeks. So, stay tuned everyone. But thank you. Now, I'm going to um give it to give the floor to Dr. Dr. Joe Choco who's going to discuss phase four and the sound and climate wall. Thank you. Good evening. Phase four again started as

105a seed and uh there's a lot of interest in developing this concept of an ecological sound and climate wall. You've all uh been down to the Salina area. You know that there's a lot of noise. There are a lot of air emissions. And so this living wall is designed to protect the area from some of these uh pollutants and also provide something of beauty that supports the environment. Here is a concept uh photograph of what the wall could look like from inside the field. you have a diagram um on the packet that was left for you that kind of summarizes the ecological benefits in terms of uh thousands of gallons of storm water that's mitigated um and the the ecological benefits not just for blocking sound. We're hoping for at least a 10 decel reduction

106in some of the trucks and certainly the railroad noise. uh there's a lot less industry noise because of the um decrease in steel production at the factory, but there's still a lot of noise out there that impacts instruction. And so if we want kids to be outside, we also want to provide a a supportive environment for that. Here are some more of the features of what an ecological soundwall looks like. These are extremely uh prevalent overseas in Europe. uh they are just starting to catch on here and uh we have a lot of partners who are interested in helping us with this. So this is a larger shot of the um smaller handout that you have uh in your packet and uh this is something that as we write for grants because as you heard

107from uh the previous speakers that the um green schoolyards has been funded by donations and grants. no district money has gone into the development of this area because clearly uh there are a lot of other needs in the district in terms of infrastructure. So grants and donations from many of the partners that you saw on the slides, the state of Michigan school aid fund as well as Eagle also provided sizable grants. And so we are writing for grants for this uh phase 4. Uh right now the coalition is an openetworked group of all of the organizations that were listed as partners and we get together virtually several times a year, network, pass along grant opportunities, that sort of thing. So uh to to sum it up again, the joy of being outdoors, we all know

108that if we've had a stressful day that sometimes taking a walk and getting outside uh you know can be something that's very calming. We also know that's a benefit for our students. We started out in Salina, but we are certainly um open to expanding across the district as there is interest and opportunity. So, I would like to once again thank our students, Lai and Jenna. Can we hear a round of applause for them and their families who were very patiently waiting uh while they had their opportunity to speak and also our building leaders uh principal Stanley and Princ principal Ali who have been tireless in their pursuit of green schoolyards. So, thank you. >> Oh, I have >> we have questions. >> We're not gonna let you out tonight. Trusty Maz and then trusty Zar.

109>> I think you raise your hand. >> No, go ahead. >> Well, I I wanted to thank all of you. I the community is is definitely dear to my heart and this is amazing. Uh Dr. Chel, can you remind us the figure the amount of funds that you have raised and collectively raised or for this project? So, we um have collected almost $3 million in cash grants and about $300,000 more in what we call inind donations. And these are organizations who have donated supplies, materials, labor, watering trucks, all of these things that that have um that have been needed in order to to help these environments survive. >> Um Miss Alusha um no, Mr. Alushah and Miss Shah, amazing, amazing job. You did very well. Well, you addressed us well, you educated us. So, thank

110you for that and thank you for being a model for your classmates. Um, I want to say thank um the wall is an amazing idea and I had the honor of visiting Stout um not Stout Stout is my son's school visiting Salina Elementary and and Miss Stanley and I I I had a presentation at her office. We went out and checked out also the amazing work that you've done over the past two years or now three years or has it been six years? >> Six years 2020 started. Yeah. So this project has been ongoing and obviously raising this much money outside our district is is phenomenal and we definitely need to take this to other district to other schools because I I feel so terrible that some of our schools um I'll name one uh

111Maples Elementary unfortunately doesn't have a lot of green space and I had parents reach out and be like why you know it's landlocked unfortunately and there is not much place for our kids to play uh at Maples and I would hope that other schools would look at your model and learn and say how can we do it and Dr. Chopel, you've been a blessing. You served us well um as executive director of student achievement and now you're serving us even on a greater level of of benefiting Salina students and the entire community over there that is benefiting from that. >> She's she's become an expert actually in green school. So I'm so proud of that. >> And this is what I'm talking about that this our district needs to be a model for the nation

112and you are making us one. Definitely. And I want to say as far as the wall, I'm very excited to learn more about it. I would hope that we'd also hold the factories across the street accountable and maybe they need to build a wall on their side. So there would be two walls, right? So that would even minimize the noise and that would even uh inhibit the emissions that are coming from their factories and also of course invest more in technologies that inhibit these emissions and hopefully you know at one point we would have zero emissions and the south would brea would breathe and people there would would finally receive environmental justice. So I commend you. I am with you um to support you. I hope this board is also with you in supporting this

113kind of project. Uh and I I saw the smiles on students faces. Oh my god, you cannot buy that with money. So thank you truly. >> Thanks President. >> Oh yes. >> So my questions are not for the adults. Uh Lu come to the microphone sir. >> How old are you again? >> 12. >> What grade are you in? >> Seventh. What's your favorite thing to do in these green spaces? >> Uh, green spaces is just explore and see how like things grow and things like like animals can just like use it. >> Okay. Do you have any idea what you want to be when you grow up? >> Engineer. >> Good. Janette, is that your name? >> Jenna. Sorry. Uh, >> can someone turn on Oh, that's fine, too. Yeah, that's fine. How old

114are you again? >> 12. What grade? >> Six. >> Okay. Um, do you know what you want to be when you grow up? >> Uh, there's a lot of things. >> I want to hear all of them. >> Give me like three of them. >> Uh, a communication specialist. >> Good. >> An engineer. >> You're already doing that. >> You're already an expert. >> An engineer or a teacher? >> Okay, good. And then do you promise to be the supervisor on all future green space projects in the city of Dearbornne and our schools? >> Inshallah. >> Okay, thank you. Uh, one more question from my end. Um, growing up in the South End, uh, seeing the green space, I wish we had them when I was a kid. The joke used to be when we

115were growing up in the South End, we could never get lost cuz we just follow the smoke home. So, um, I know it's a it's a it's one of those things that there are so many things that the Southland need from an environmental um, viewpoint and This is a a great start. I mean, I know we have to hold, as trustee Mazip said, hold the different corporation accountable, but this is an amazing start. Seeing the green space, seeing what's being done really help, you know, our kids with clean air and and I do appreciate I do appreciate what the three of you are doing at the Salina. Um, it's very dear to me. Uh but also the kids seeing them speaking up. Jenna, you have the same name as my granddaughter. Uh and it's the

116Wishah family. I know who they are. And uh we're so proud of all of you and it's good to bring kids over and have them speak. It teach them leadership. It teach them to be upfront. So we do appreciate it. Thank you all to all of you and keep up the great job. >> Thank you. Next item is a 2627 budget with Mr. Thomas Wall. Just want to also congratulate those ladies. They brought first brought that idea gosh 10 years ago and they had these big plans and we had to say hold on a second. You got to break it down. You got to figure out how to work. and they worked hard for years before they actually saw some money coming in. So, I give them a lot of credit. They stuck with their

117ideas, went through the tribulations, and now they have a wonderful place over there. So, congratulations. Uh, talking about the budget, uh, this is our public hearing. So, after I kind of go through this presentation, we'll take a few minutes or wherever we need to make sure if there anyone wants to speak about it publicly, they can. Um, we talk about relationships, too, cuz a budget of this magnitude, there's a lot of variables involved. Um, we talk about money all the time when we're meeting weekly in administration about this item or that item, and they're all related. So, this year's budget process started back in January. Uh, that's when they first come out with the revenues they're expecting for next year. As you can see, there's a lot of steps along the way. I won't bore

118you with that detail, but we're on the second to last step. So, we're almost through our process, but this is the state process. As you can see, their process won't complete at the earliest at the end of June. So, obviously, we're having a lot of estimates in here, a lot of possibilities. And so as we continue this process, we'll eventually adopt a budget as best we know it, knowing that in a month or two, it's going to change potentially radically, but hopefully still be able to flexibility in the budget to adapt to it. And feel free to ask questions. Again, I always put this one up there as a visualization of all our different funds. U when you look at the district, we have over a 100,000 different account numbers. And obviously we cannot obviously

119get into that level of detail at this level but just know there's a lot of detail there. Um whenever you ask for a special report or anything like that we start taking aspects of the budget and put it together for conversation. So on our assumptions so the first one here obviously there's three main categories. There's state aid, student count and compensation. That makes the three biggest items. So, I know it's really small in the top, but there was a way to make it bigger and still fit on the screen, but we'll just talk about it. Uh, all three legislative branches, the governor's, House, and Senate, have said $250 per pupil increase. A new item that's coming into play this year is they're looking at looking for what different bands are to provide support for schools

120for the EL population and at risk students. And they've also decided to some rationale to move some of these grants. Our at risk fund is about 30 million and our uh section 41 is about 4 million. They're taking that money and putting it into our foundation allowance. Typically in the past they have not been part of our foundation. They're a categorical grant and there are very specific requirements of how to spend that money. And those are things that we have to deal with because you can't just move money around all over the place. If you have money in a grant, you just can't move money there. That's called well the supplement versus the plant. They have to be extra, you know, u benefits above and beyond what we do for normal education. So since they're

121going to roll that in the foundation allowance, you would think there'd be no restrictions. Well, we don't know that yet, but I'm assuming they're not going to take $34 million for Dearbornne and it could be and we're one of the larger districts and just say how use it however you want. So now there's going to be a little, you know, new way of how to account for this money and do all that. So we don't know what that means yet, but Dearborn is banned five. So that means we're between the 73 to 85% of atrisisk students in the district. So that's where that they say they're going to give us more money now for those type of students. So we are seeing an increase in that. Uh there's other smaller parts but so those are

122the new money that's coming in through state as we know it today. Now this Friday is the second revenue consensus. There's one in January, there's one here May coming up where they'll agree on what the final numbers are for revenue. So they'll take the three plans with the new revenue standards and have what we call a consensus committee to kind of work out what the final numbers are or where they think they can use that money. Uh depending on the situation of the state, that could happen as early as late June. Um under the Snyder, you know, when he was governor, he had it done in June by the end of June. That was his plan. But as you know, last year we got it in October, five months after our school year started. So

123there's a lot of dynamics going that that we have really no control on. Obviously we lobby our legislators to do the best they can and actually expedite it, but just know that when we adopt a budget, it's on estimates and we'll have to, you know, finalize those numbers as we as they come due. >> So Mr. You're saying that the categorical grants now would be rolled into >> the two grants, the section 41 and the at risk, which is 30 million for us, is going to roll into our foundation allowance. >> Okay. >> Which will be, you know, several 7 $800. But again, how we use that, I'm not sure yet. I'm assuming they're not going to just give us free reign. >> Yeah. >> But they don't haven't released what that means yet. So

124districts that barely have ELLL population and at risk students they don't get as much funds as >> correct depending on their band. If they're band one they have very little or under 35% 35 to 36% all the way up to a band six which would be 85% or higher. So that's where they're trying to address the money from the state for those districts that have a higher percentage to address those needs. >> Thanks. >> Just just a quick question. Yes. Like what's the total uh amount that we give for EL students? I know maybe >> we're actually someone a board member requested that specific information. We're going to put that together. I think we're going to have it in I think by >> May 21st I think. >> Yes. And we'll provide that to all

125board members. But we're working on that right now. >> More question. >> Oh, trust. >> Um, >> is this whole thing? You've got the governor's plan, correct? >> Has 250, but we know we have a house plan and we have a Senate plan always and that's where all the conflict comes from. Who gets top billing so to speak is everything underneath also with the banding and the three. Yes. Um what you typically find is not everybody agrees at that at this current stage because everyone agrees they can't argue about it or or barter with it. So what you'll find is two of the three branches usually agree on something but a third one will throw another option out just so they have bargaining power what they can agree to and not agree to >> at

126the end. Correct. So one of the questions have you heard about why they decided to change the >> the Michigan funding in is been in place since 1993 94 time frame and a lot of them saying at that time that was a good formula but now what they've seen is with different you know districts have different needs for example transportation in the upper and upper peninsula >> is a more is a bigger priority >> a bigger cost so having one cost per student across the entire district doesn't meet people's needs. So, what they're trying to do is through categoricals or through this band type approach is to kind of split the money that's available in different areas that best meet what those districts need. >> So, there might be more classifications within these bands about

127usage. >> Correct. But it could be a little more forgiving as to, you know, h how it's directed because they're trying to solve a problem of the different the variations in district needs. Is that correct? Yes, pretty much. >> And they're trying to make sure that the the higher the band, the more money you're going to get to address that need. That would be more above and beyond what a normal student would cost to educate. >> Okay, >> great question. Thank you. So, looking at the next one, this is our student count. Um, on the left side, you'll see the state projections. Uh, they're looking at roughly about a 10,000 student decrease every single year. So, that just means that the student population is shrinking. Um, so we look on the right hand side right

128now, we're at the top right at 19,349. That's an increase from last year. So Dearborn historically has always been better on their student counts than other districts. Uh the three or four years before that we were starting to reduce, but now we see it switching the other way. And on the bottom the forecast is another 278 students for next year. These are FTEEs. That's what we use for compensation. So we're looking at another growth next year for our student growth, which is good to see. As you see, the state is losing kids. And we are a closed district. We don't accept kids from other districts into Dearborn unless they meet one of our criteria. Our early college program, our um um if you're >> special, >> if you're not well, special ed always with center

129programs, but if you're employed here, you're also allowed to bring your child here. >> That's something that we have looked at in the past. If we want to look at additional revenue, we can be specific schools of choice. I'm sure um Abe Mure has talked about that in the past where you can say where you have some lower grade numbers that you can actually select a certain number of students to come in. But that's a further discussion at some other time. But you do have some options there. Now, unfortunately, even though we're going to get 278 kids, they don't come in banks of 25. So, they could be two kids here, three kids there, which cause what we call hotspots. You know, that you might need to add a teacher, but you don't necessarily have

130the funding in that school. particularly to afford a full teacher. So those are the things that we deal with. I don't deal with but the teachers do a great job deal. All right. Looking on our staffing cost. Um as you can see the staffing cost in crier district is about 1.8 million. So when you look at that a 1% raise is roughly about one $1,800,000. Um we have three scenarios. We have the most likely worst case and best case. So that's going to fall between a 1% and 3% raise in budgeting across the district. So you can see there's different models there. So depending on which you look at where our student count is and how staffing works and what our state aid is, it's not as simple as you can just throw out a

131percentage increase when you know you got to have a lot of things that have to come into place. So, I just want to make sure you understand how these are the three items. Your state aid, student count, and your staffing costs are the three primary things that really impact the general fund. Now, unfortunately for us, as you're probably well aware also, we also have to the infrastructure issue in Dearborn. Since the state does does not give us any money for infrastructure, that has to come from our general fund. So, that's you know, right now we're putting aside millions of dollars for our infrastructure needs because we have to. You got to have the the the environment for teachers to be able to teach and learn without worrying about a leaky roof or a cold room

132or hot room. And as the older the infrastructure gets, the harder that is to manage. Now, we have a great maintenance team that kind of deals with that very well, but it's still that persistent problem is going to keep growing for us as we go forward. >> I have a question. >> Yes. Going back to the where you break down the the different uh salary level um the exempt in uh the aa is it possible to add central office as a separate line item? >> Yes. Yes, it can. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Because right now the exempts are could be your um whole variety of things that don't fall into the traditional unions. to call your admin secretaries, your exempt administrators. Um some supervisors are in there. Um some of our community professionals are in

133that area. So there's a wide variety in that area. >> Yeah, it would be nice. I know we asked and me and uh uh Mikey, we talked about that and I think the numbers that I thought it was versus what he thought is and I cannot confirm nor could he like it was just more >> right. But it's easy to break that down. for the total gas. >> Mine was mine was speculation. >> And again, yes, that's just broad categories, but you could break it down very easily. >> Yeah, I I would love to see that as an item because it would dispel, you know, you know, the question that continuously comes up. >> Okay. Um, this is our most likely scenario. On the top, you'll see our history of our fund balance. Um, starting

134in 2013, we're as low as 4.55%. that's not very healthy and if that was the case you'd be a going concern at the state of Michigan having constant meetings at the lancing to talk about what you're doing to correct that. Um right now at the end of this year we're projecting roughly about a 12.16%. Uh you'll see the three blue arrows. The one on the left is looking at the student counts. The one on the right is looking at staff salary increases. And again we don't have to just come up with new money for salary increases this year. We also have what we call steps that are built into the contracts. That money also has to be accountable with any new money. Uh with the step increases, you do have the offset of retirements. So

135as someone retires at the highest level, maybe at M's max, you're going to bring in someone around, you know, bachelor step one, bachelor step three. So there's a a money that you kind of offset the step increases. It doesn't necessarily do it totally, but it helps offset that. And what percentage you said of t of of assumed u >> assume a 1% in the most likely scenario 1% because again we don't have all the data. Um we can't say potentially 3% and then worry about how we're going to fill that up backwards. >> Sure. >> So that's that's in there. And then you have some other things but we're looking at obviously a break even point of 244,000 and a 12.23% end of year balance. Again this is just an estimate. There's a lot of

136variables that we don't know yet. So, that's kind of where we're looking at for the most likely scenario. >> And for those who don't know, the recommended um percentage of the fund or the balance fund has to be what isn't it 15%. >> Uh minimum of five per state law. >> Yeah. State otherwise you have to do a lot of reporting >> by MAS or >> anywhere between five and 20%. Mhm. >> What you'll see is a lot of districts are much higher than that right now because of the ESRE funds and they're working on how to spend that money, but we use most of our ESR funds because of our need and we spent 52 million of that for, you know, infrastructure needs at many buildings. If you had 52 million to that, we'd

137be at 24%. But we decided to use that for infrastructures to best fit Dearborn's needs. Uh this screen you're looking at the staffing model. As I stated earlier, they don't come in nice chunks of 25 at any given school. So, right now, we're looking at under the most likely scenario adding nine positions to the district. That's uh divided out between the elementary, middle school, and high school and a few um um support positions. Um looking at the bottom, this is always a big number. Um the retirement cost, as you're well aware of, we pay money for every dollar for retirement through the state of Michigan. So that's money we have to set aside. Um it's going down this year, so that helps us a little bit. Uh a lot of our union contracts are tied

138to a number in retirement. They're actually going to get another8% increase in their salary from last year uh for money take home because of the rolling back of the mysteries we've had since 2017 18 when Brian was here now dealing with our shortfall back at that time. >> What was it last year? >> Uh last year it was um 29.91. I should just read on my screen. So the increase >> the8%. That's one. >> That's this year, >> right? So last year is 1.33. >> Okay. >> So it was 1.3 or 1.33 is it was taken away from their contract. Now it's down to a point 55. So it's a 8% difference. >> All right. The mill rates. So as part of any public hearing, we got to talk about millage rates. So here's our

139history of our millillage rates. You'll see that the gray line is our operating millage which is 18 mills. Uh for us to get our full foundation allowance per student, we have to levy that against nonhomestead property. The orange is our whole harmless millillage. As you can see, it was much larger in previous years. Uh we lost some students so and they changed the law where they rolled some of that back on us. Uh so now you see it's a much smaller portion. um we're looking at next year of uh 2.033 from our current year of 2.181. So it's obviously going down because of that. In addition, our debt millage is going down. We were at 1.22 last year. Now we're going down to 0.9080 as we pay off those bonds. And we pay off bonds

140with interest rates a little lower. So that's declining. So we're actually looking from 21.401 down to 20.9410. Uh there is no headley effect this year. Headley effect is if our tax rate increases more than the rate of inflation. Uh a lot of districts are getting impacted by that but in Dearborn is not. Now you can say how does that happen and you can still have a higher taxable value. Um that is because when people move the property gets uncapped at the current market value when they buy the house. That's why our mil our taxable base is going up, but it's not a headly impact because of the value of the house. So, just be aware of that. So, that's just a picture of the city of Dearbornne. Um, again, we have two taxing jurisdictions, Dearborn

141and a portion of Dearborn Heights. We do one for each one. Uh, these are estimates right now. Obviously, we don't have all the information from Wayne County. They gave us just the very top number of 4.8 million is our new tax or 4.8 8 billion is our new tax base that we levy taxes on for our millages. >> And for that millillage, it's expiring in 2032. There was >> because we just renewed it last year. Uh 2034 for us. >> No, not the operating millage, the depth mill for the one that was approved. >> So if the if it goes higher than 2%, it might even go down a little lower. That's what we've seen. It was about a 4.2% increase year. >> Yeah. We forecasted two when they did the projections. So that's why

142it went down further this year than expected. Our operation milites will expire in 2034 because we just renewed those. >> And then the college one expires in 2031. >> We did eight years. >> Yep. So this is Dearborn Heights. The only difference between the two is one that um the city of Dearbornne does all their levies on the summer levy and Dearborn Heights splits it between summer and winter. So that's how that's why you see a slight difference there. On this one I haven't added yet. I'm trying to wait for the county approval. Um Dearborn Heights did have a clerical error and didn't levy the hold harmless. So we'll see another line on here once we kind of figure that out for next year. Are they going to get that straightened out? >> I hope

143so. >> Because it this has been what twice now that >> twice in three years. Yes. >> Yeah. >> It gets complicated because a lot of the things that go on with taxes, but we're going to work on it. Keep working on it. Yes. >> All right. So, looking at the budget model here, just looking at the numbers, just kind of reiterating where our funding levels were for our student counts. You can see we're estimating about 250 in all scenarios because they all kind of agree to that number. When you look at the best case scenario, that's where you have a 3% but you'll see that we expect that if you know we get additional money or the different compaction. So we can look at that they're all going to balance. So next year no

144matter what we do um if we have less student counts we have less staff. And so if we have more students, we got to have more staff. So just let you know, we do go all the models. We don't kind of go over them, but just that they are there. Um looking at next year, depending on the model under the worst case scenar. Site fund. Um if you look at that and say, "All right, if certain things event take place next November, we wouldn't have to necessarily do that full amount." And you know, I I've already told the unions that can we give you more raises? Yes. But where's it come from? If we address the infrastructure issue, there's 7.4 million there. Probably not all of it, but there's a good portion of that can

145go back into the general fund for other purposes. >> How much are we say that there might not be a bond next year or it doesn't pass? >> Uh that's the worst case scenario. So we actually go we would have to take money out of our transfer for building and site to actually >> expect that number to be >> roughly about 3 million to the transfer to the building and site fund. >> So just know there's like I said there's a lot of variables. We make our best decisions under all three scenarios. Uh the grant funds um just to kind of touch briefly on that just so you know here are all the grants by category. Um, if you see that current list, if you click on that, you can look at all the grants

146to hear light. There's links to that to show you what the funding purpose is for. And if you have questions, we can delve down into that at a later date. But looking at things coming to an end, the Eagle Filter First grant, as you're well aware of, we put a lot of the water bottle stations in all the schools. Uh, September 30th, which is the fis state fiscal year end. were June 30th, but the state is September 30th. You'll see a lot of the categorical rats grants are going away for a lot of these items that we've had in the past. But again, most of these are extra ones. They don't affect our operational program. So unless we have staff in there, we don't have to worry about them coming back. Uh new granite, we're

147looking at 12E. So the state, if you remember the last three or four years, they've done some statewide surveys on infrastructure needs. They put a little bit of money there and they're making it on um as needed basis, competitive grants. So we've applied for that. We have to pick our certain programs. So there's some money possibly for that if we get approved. There's 35mm for literacy, 35A for letters, science of reading. So there's some grants out there that are new this year that we're applying for. What to look forward obviously we have the revenue consensus this Friday which will confirm what the revenues are for the state for next year and the subsequent year so they can do future planning. Uh we have to adopt the budget by June 30th even though the state has

148to do it also by July 1st for state aid. I don't they rarely ever make that but we don't oversee them so we can't hold them accountable but we have to have it by June 30th. So at the June 22nd or 20th, I can't remember that date that we'll have our next board meeting that the actual resolution for the adoption will be on there. Uh we always move forward the most likely scenario as the one and obviously we're still concerned about federal changes and where that might go. Uh title one funding is going to be approved for next year. I don't know if we have the actual dollar values yet, but that's also out there. So we know that that program will continue. My greatest fear though is the change in grants could really impact

149us. When we had the ESSER funds, we hired a lot of mental health and support position for that. Those rolled into the categoricals like 31A into at risk. So if they start playing with those grants, we could have a serious budget fall of what to do with that staff and how that would have to go back from the general fund if we want to keep that same level. we're okay for next year, but I'm concerned about 2728. That might be a whole another conversation depending on how the elections go. >> Any questions? >> But but I think when we refer to the ESSER fund, that was kind of an anomaly. It happened because of CO and we didn't expect it to last. It was frustrating. >> But the state realized the student impacts at that

150time. So they had a lot of categorical out there to deal with mental health that we utilized to maintain that staff going forward. >> Corre correct. But my point is it was something that happened because of the pandemic, but it wasn't something that was a part of our normal budget. >> Correct. >> So whether it's here in other district, uh it was thought of as a one-time thing. >> Correct. >> Just want to make sure we're on the same page on that. Any question looking around? Um >> so this year, we're at the last we just have our budget hearing today. So again, the last one is June 22nd is our next meeting to address So normally at this time either we can pause the regular board meeting and open up the public hearing if

151anyone wants to come to the podium and talk about it. Um however you want if you want to ask questions first and go how whichever way you want to move forward. >> Let's ask questions first. You mentioned kids increase correct this year. is if this year the the current year uh what >> for 26 27 next school year, >> how do we determine that we're going to get 270 kids when we're losing students and uh and we're trying to push open district because to to mitigate the loss of students. That's a little confusing because that was something I was going to talk about today. But when you said we're increasing and and in looking at um you know our board brief, it said the open district could come back recent decline enrollment issues and while

152bringing students that have families history within the district. So I'm trying to see we're saying we're getting students but we're advocating for maybe a limited uh open district. Yeah, Dearbornne has a very rich program in handling with students and support systems. Um, we've always been closed, so most people don't have that opportunity to come here for our programs. Um, just because, you know, if you look back four or five years ago, we were at 21,000 kids and we didn't have room in our schools. Now that we're at 195 underneath the new scenario, there are some pockets of areas we could look at. Is it necessary? No. Uh the projections come from the student services office. Uh they they look at the birth rates. They look at what enrollments are happening up to this point. They're

153looking at the state levels and where they're seeing what new housing develops. So they do a pretty good job. I've been here for 11 years and they've been pretty good except for the third year where we had 800 kids come across, you know, the waters to for new students, first time in the United States. Outside of that, they've been pretty close. Last year, they were within one student of the projection. So, they do a good job. The the only issue I have with that is is the what's being presented to us is contradicting in one um in one option which is open in the district is we're saying we're losing kids and that that would be a way to um uh you know handle declining or combat declining students and another we're saying we're gaining

154270 kids. So, I guess the question, and you don't have to answer right now, what is it? Um, it's it's a it's it's it's one of those things where for me, and um the the open district, and maybe this is not the time, but I'll speak, I'm I'm opposed to it. Um >> there's a lot of different philosophies that we could debate. Right now, our student high school enrollment is lower, even though it's actually than it was many, many years ago. um our elementary middle schools are staying strong. So again, you would an analyze that to see where it makes sense if it makes sense because there's a lot of philosophies that you want to bring them in in the early grades so they learn our educational system and go up through it. So there's

155a lot of different debates about that and I'm probably not the best person to I can tell you the financial impact but I can't necessarily say >> yeah and I I think this is you know Mr. is here and Miss Suru is here is um we really need to focus um and understand why we're losing students whether it's at the high school level where before we even entertain um having um an open district and and and when people say they're going to do a pilot limited to legacy and so on a pilot is it's really hard to change once you start something Mhm. >> It opens the door for more things. So, >> Mr. Sy, I would I would love for the new >> if we to do >> if if we stop this thing

156with the open district and and figure out the root cause of why we're losing kids and what we could do for our kids. And this is the wrong time to speak about open district is we're doing the bond. I mean, remember the voters are going to look at it like, okay, who are we doing this for? So, I would strongly stay this is not the time to bring it up and focus on it. And also, when we say we're c combating uh losing kids, but we're saying we're gaining kids, that just contradicting what I'm hearing. Trust me, P. >> Okay. I I think there's uh two things happening here with those conversations. one. Um, as Mr. Wah pointed out, we had a district at one time that that was handling almost 21,000 students and we've

157lost uh uh uh about 600 students or so from that. we will have see a return of younger students more than likely coming up through the elementary um level from I'm assuming census data of some sort or another the other so we will be gaining in that category but as Mr. Wall is pointing out, we do have areas where we could still manage other students coming into the district that those new students that were gaining would not necessarily fill the upper um school levels. That being said, you were being faced with a question from the state about whether we're going to choose an option of being an open district or not. And that then opened the conversation, which I I agree we should not have tonight as part of the budget conversation necessarily, but those

158numbers w would be more targeted to those pockets of um schooling that we could afford to fill in with other students um if we so chose. So I think the two things are are not the same things. the we're adding students because of what is going to be um from our community coming into the district grade level. The other concept of opening is because we still have areas where we could accept new students if we so chose to um open the doors for that. The other thing I did want to point out when the conversation was had about the female academy that I didn't want to do because we had students I wanted to get in and being able to um do their presentation with salina green student not be here any longer is is

159that we have a virtual school and if there are students who are uncomfortable for whatever reasons being in the uh public high schools they have that option. The fact that they're choosing to go to Penn Foster, I don't believe, is because they don't have an opportunity to feel someplace where they can get their education from the Dearborn public schools safely because we do can provide that for them with our virtual school. So, there's another issue with students that we are losing and that's not a conversation to be had tonight either, but I just wanted to point that out. Yeah, for me I was going to um I was going to bring up the the open district. It wasn't a part of the budget, but yeah, you you gave me a segue and I just want

160to say I am opposed to it. We need to focus on improving the educational system for the kids that we have, the 19,000 kids, and we could get more kids back. As far as the the virtual school, it doesn't give you the school experience. It's uh it's really um it's it's uh different than having this school experience. Question. >> Yeah. I first of all uh President Aljahi, I do agree with you that the uh the we have to study the core issue of losing students, right? Why are they leaving? And we did that multiple times. And we found out that they have an alternative path of getting a high school diploma within months. And now with AI, you could get it probably in two weeks. You could finish all of the modules like flying through

161it. No, like no tomorrow. There's no teacher, right? There's no just you have to finish modules and you're done. I actually was um at the gym and conversing with a former Fortzson student who said I only did nine months at Fortson and left. What's the reason? He said I'm I'm not an A student like to be in the honors program. Um I'm an average student, probably a B and C's. Uh but I I I felt like at the high school level um the culture uh of the school surroundings was not comfortable for me. And this is a male. I'm not talking about a female. And it was kind of eye opening for me to ask that student more questions as far as why did they did they did they seek help? Did they go to

162the administration? He was like first of all the dress code for example is not being adhered by the students and sometimes staff unfortunately. So that is things that we really need to look at from a holistic point of view of why our kids are leaving high schools and going to these shortcut programs. And as far as virtual schooling I I do agree. I mean while that is an option for our kids who shy away from the high school experience and and being present and we adopted that after seeing the need after co um but it it does not replace the real experience of a high school. So, I hope that we we dwell more as far as why the reasonings as far as opening the district and getting students to enroll in our schools uh

163from outside where they don't pay taxes to uh to be part of our uh traditional high schools and traditional schools. I think that would be a disservice to our residents who are paying taxes and we are asking them in November Um and um we definitely have to cure the actual problem, not try to fix the symptoms that that are happening with the issue. >> And I did I did want to respond to that trustee Maz there was no uh deep analysis or um on on the enrollment trends. We spoke on as trustees and we made comments on you know >> Mr. for sure came and told us how many students I don't know if this was like a year ago or two years ago >> but he broke it down as far as >> how

164many students went to Penn Foster and how many students went to other schools. >> What year was that? >> I I believe it was a presentation by Mr. Mure. I I recall that vividly and I was probably over there. So might have been the year before you got on the board. Okay. >> So it would probably be better to go back to that because that was a lot of data that was collected. things change >> and things have changed. Yeah. But I would say that there was a lot of data that was collected on the same problem. >> I hear you. I hear you. But I'm looking at uh Mike and and I would ask, you know, two years ago, if it did happen two years ago, things changed so much. So I would ask

165for revisiting that and doing the analysis and understanding because at the end of the day our first responsibility is the res to the residents to the uh and and we have to focus on the residents that will pass the bond that will um that are paying the the the 18% you know millage. It's It's really >> 18% only businesses. >> 18% 18 mills is only businesses. >> Businesses, but it's still business within the city. >> Residents pay. >> Yeah. The homestead. >> Yeah. >> So, so my point is the residents should be our focus and we're not here to make money or to get because at the end of the day, if we add students, it's really just to pay, you know, it's going to come out the wrong way. It's more, you know, additional

166salaries. And so I would I would ask that let's let's uh eliminate that ideas and and if if if we say if there are um trustees that support that then I would ask the the voters to make their case known in November. >> All right. So now we got to pause and see if there's any comments from the community. So, any comments from uh from the public >> Or questions. I don't see people running. >> Can you step forward, Mrs. Masher? >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> The question was whether the presentation will be posted online. It will. >> So, one last comment for me. I just want to thank the board for their faith in what I was doing for the last 11 years. We've come a long way from a 5% fund balance

167to much higher. I think the transparency is also out there. Uh we have that meritorious budget award for eight years with a 300page document explaining all the variables in great detail. Want to thank the administration because this probably last time I'll be up at the podium. Um their faith. I think hopefully I I teach as I go. So, I think they have a better understanding of how it works and and how just one simple decision can really turn the budget around if you don't pay attention. So, thank you for all my support for all these years. >> Thank you. >> All right. Thank you so much. >> Yeah. Quickly, Mr. Wall, thank you so much for your service. We truly appreciate the years of service. I remember you coming to this this district to be

168become a board member and then the the board members luckily found um your expertise uh in other districts and they said why don't you come here since you live in our city and um you have been amazing uh executive director for business affairs um you handled so many uh storms that came your way and I I truly I truly appreciate you. We going to definitely miss you and we'll miss your expertise and I hope that you will be available if we need you. But thank you and enjoy your retirement. >> Next item is facilities master plan. >> Can we take a break? >> I would love five minutes break. >> Perfect. >> Seven. >> A motion to take a 7 minute recess. >> Very good. >> I second. >> All in favor? >> I I

169motion's approved. 9:45 p.m. is when we return.