001Thank you. >> Hello. Good job. Five, six, seven, eight. Sorry. Hello everyone. >> Welcome and we appreciate your presence at this meeting public school board of education. We respectfully request that you turn off our cell phones and clapping, cheering or making audible comments. We invite you to make formal public comment during the designated times on either agenda items or non-aggenda items or if you um if you wish on both to do so please fill out a comment card um and submit it to the board assistant or public safety officer. Those are up on the tables as you walked in and our comments are limited to three. Okay. So for roll call. Trusty Buchek >> here. >> Trustee Kilpatrick. Yes. Trusty Melton >> here. >> Trusty Marino >> present. >> Trustee Van Dyk >> here. >>
002Trustee Williams >> present. >> Trusty Williamson >> present. >> President Rodriguez is excused. and VP Wade >> present. >> A motion to approve the agenda >> as written. >> I move that we amend the agenda to remove items 9.4 and 9.5. >> Second. Hang on. Sorry. I need to find a spot because we're changing things up. Okay. I'm wondering if we would want to remove it completely because then there wouldn't be a chance for dialogue on it. >> Yeah, there would. This is just the votes, not the actual discussion. >> Yeah. 7.3 is the other item. future use of >> property. >> Or we could ask questions, right? >> I did already, but thank you. You can I'll give it to you. You can have it, Elanor. >> Thank you. >> So, that was Richard
003and Eleanor. All right. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Same sign. >> All right. Motion approved. I know. Let me get it all written. I'm sorry, folks. Okay. So, now to approve the agenda as amended. >> Do we have a motion? >> So, move support. >> All right. All those in favor? >> And any opposed? All right. Um, first we will have c the superintendent celebrations. >> So I'd like good evening everyone. Happy Monday. And so we would like to invite um Warner Cross and Jud Scholarship recipients. And this will be presented by Nanette Hanssburg, Herszburgger and Kalita Moore. Thank you, Dr. Ruby. Dear GRPS board members and Dr. Ruby, thank you for having us here this evening to celebrate our inaugural Warner crossing judge scholars competition. I'm Cleita Moore,
004director of the OEI department and with me is >> Nan Hberger. I am language arts supervisor for the district. All right. To give a little history about the partnership with Warner Ros and Jed, uh I wanted to start by filling uh any gaps in on this uh partnership. Since 2004, Grand Rapids Public Schools has enjoyed a strong partnership with the Warner Norcross and Jud Law Firm LLC out of Grand Rapids. As a result of this partnership, WJ has sponsored the MLK Junior Social Justice Contest for the last 20 years. In 2024, Warner, Norcross, and Jud did a review of the their organizational priorities and pillars, and they determined that the MLK Junior Social Justice contest no longer aligned with those priorities. So at that time the sponsorship then um grew. They re-imagined what this partnership
005could look like with the district. And the year 2425 was the last school year that the MLK Junior Justice Contest existed for Grand Rapids. The good news was that they wanted to continue the partnership but through a different and out of that the the WJ scholar contest was born. So what is a WJ scholar? A WJ scholar is a senior and it is a student who completes a WJ assignment successfully. Kita and I worked together to build an assignment for our seniors and we'll get uh a little deeper in that. Uh the scholar had to craft and deliver a persuasive histoed paper based on the Lincoln Douglas debate format. The paper explored a social justice issue throughout US history. The students then connected it to a certain specific law, court case, or policy. And then
006they argued in their paper whether the law or policy upheld or violated a moral value such as justice, liberty, equality, etc. >> So this year in the inaugural year, two inaugural year, two schools participated. Museum High School and Grand Rapids University Prep Academy. It was through a senior debate class and over 20 works were submitted and the work was inspiring and we're going to hear from our scholars in just a moment so you can hear some of what they wrote about. So the winning submissions were from groupa the separate but equal doctrine established in pie versus Ferguson violated justice under the 14th amendment by Tanayer Jay Wrighten. And the second place winner was federal constitutional rights to a basic minimum education is an American standard by Nicholas Latamato Fish. And so the scholars researched that
007they did and it was like I said just beautiful work. The scholars from museum uh their submission topics were the Americans with Disability Act advanced equal opportunity by Jules Kelly. The topic. The second winning topic was stricter voting regulations in the United States are unconstitutional by Sapphire Helac. Uh both seniors and I am I am proud to announce uh them and have them join me and we get to hear a little snippet of their amazing work. So Jules and Sapphire, come on up. My name is Jules Kelly. I am from Museum High School and I started debate this semester. >> Jules, can you come a little closer to the >> Yeah, of course. >> The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 was designed to to prevent discrimination against individuals with disabil employment, transportation, and public
008services, says the US Equal Opportunity Commission. However, decades after its passage, many people still face barriers both in the workplace and public spaces. In fact, the business disability forum reports that the great big workplace adjustments finds that disabled people are still waiting too long for adjustments and are having to drive the process themselves. Once in place, adjustments are not regularly reviewed. This shows that protections alone have not ensured equal treatment in practice and ongoing challenges demonstrate that legal protections have not achieved true equality. Our criterion for achieving equal opportunity is whether individuals in in dis with disabilities can participate fully in society specifically employment public spaces and transportation without facing systematic barriers. True equal equal opportunity requires both the majority and minority to be structured design. Every single person should be accounted for when we
009build our cities no matter the cost. If people cannot physically access transport transportation, workplaces or buildings, they cannot participate equally and equal opportunity is not achieved. Just as a blind person that is using the tactile paving to navigate may if it is left left unfinished and unregulated. Not attempting to make more of an effort to support the disabled minority leads to nothing. An empty space where someone is meant to get the same opportunity as everyone in the area. While the ADA intending to create equality without accessible infrastructure, financial support, and public understanding, true equal equal opportunity remains out of reach. We are looking for real equality, not a halfarted attempt at it. Thank you. Good evening. I'm Sapphire. [clears throat] I offer you two sayings and they go as follows. The right to vote is
010the crown jewel of an American's liberties and we will not see its luster diminished by Ronald Reagan. And similarly, justice grows out of recognition of ourselves and each other. That my liberty depends on you being free, too. By Barack Obama. These quotes exemplify a fundamental truth of democracy, which is that political freedom depends on the ability of citizens to partake in elections. Their words exemplify the importance of our rights, not just to free speech, but our right to be in a democracy with our voices across the spectrum of time and belief. Therefore, I affirm the resolution that stricter voting regulations in the United States are unconstitutional. The value of today's round is liberty. And infirming affirming the unconstitutionality of stricter voting regulations, I offer these contentions. Restricting voting rights and restrictions to people's liberties. The
011implementation of required identification at polls brings us closer to a governmentont controlled state than a democratic republic for the people. and that the data backing the claim of voter fraud that has been used to justify the unnecessary voting regulations uh which has led to these policies does not represent the truth of American life. Thank you as I said inspiring and we got to read 20 papers like that. Some of the other topics included just so that you can see the depth and breath wartime suspension of morally unjustifiable. The case of Roie Wade shows the discrimination and inequality of the lack of autonomy given to women and their bodies. The Clean Air Act, excuse me, the Clean Air Act amendment of 1970 was necessary to a quality of life for Americans. The Declaration of Sentiments asserts
012women's equality and Brown Bard of Education separate but equal isly unjust. Each scholar participant received a cord to wear at commencement. The winners two in each class received a W&J medal to wear at commencements and a scholarship. Number one in each class received a $1,500 scholarship and each runner up received a $750. That is a $4,500 investment in our scholars. And I love the fact, thank you. Love the fact that they got to enrich the critical thinking, explore these social justice issues, and prepare to be the adults that we are putting them to be. So this picture here shows our 2026 Warner cross and Jud scholars um at a reception held at the Warner Cross and Jud offices on April 20 April 28th to honor this year's scholars and their families and we are looking
013forward to growing this competition in the future. Thank you >> for our two people, Jules and Sapphire. Just outstanding. Um, keep continuing to advocate. Don't lose that spirit. So, congratulations to both of them. Next, our next celebration is um the recognition of our scholars receiving the seal by literacy. And this is hugely important as our young people who have earned this seal. It helps them with um advancement in college as well as saving uh money as they go on to college or also for future employment. And so, um, Jen Brock and Eric Vanderly will be coming forward to share what the seal of bi literacy is. Uh, good evening everyone. Thanks for allowing us to come here and talk about another really amazing year for our district scholars in achieving so many seals of Bit
014Managed to somehow disrupt the the one button that I needed to click. Thank you. >> Uh so I think as Dr. Roby had mentioned the seal biiteracy is not incredible but comes with several. So this is a recognition of our scholars that have demonstrated on tests a uh intermediate high if not higher language proficiency although I can attest to after reviewing many of our all of our scholar scores that we had many proficiency level. Uh so with this uh recognition uh as well as receiving a letter of appreciation and recognition from Governor Whitner and having a seal to adhere to their diploma, there is also uh significant benefits for universities including Grand Valley University that awards 15 credits to any sealed biiteracy recipient. Uh, Central Michigan University has also made a public statement that they
015are going to award a certain amount of credits to seal by literacy recipients after completing single uh course requirement there. the amount of credits they're still determining being told over the year and pardon me the the summer and uh college in Michigan has also made a public declaration that they intend to recognize the achievement of seal biiteracy earners with college credit uh within our district. Our buildings are also celebrating our SEAL recipients through a variety of recognitions at uh graduation nights, physical uh recognition and uh awards given to our scholars as well as announcements made in graduation flyers. Um this is a obviously opportunity to celebrate our scholars in their accomplish to lift up the supporting teaching staff and I also want to make a special recognition for our counseling team across the district who
016are integral in helping to identify these scholars who would be interested or capable of taking the sealed biiteracy test. Many of our counseling staff across the district are responsible or are in charge of actually administering the many tests during out the school day and contacting these uh scholars to make sure that they are uh supported throughout the process. And we also had scholar pardon me uh counselors this year that advocated for and helped to research and support several scholars in receiving their seal by literacy through a separate pathway of their transcripts. We had several scholars this year who were able to pro improve their proficiency through courses taken outside of the country. Uh and then on their transcript, a reflection of that knowledge as well as their ability and proficiency in English was able to
017uh be enough to satisfy those requirements for sealed bio literacy earning. And so it's been a fantastic year. We were able to grow on our already last year growth of 98 scholars from the previous uh uh 90 amount to this year we had 103 scholars earned their seal by literacy. Uh last year the 98 scholars from our district earned us second place in the Michigan state rankings of seal uh recipients. So, while we're going to have to wait until the end of this summer, I would anticipate that we are going to rank highly once again, especially as our scholars continue to earn their seal now through AP uh test, through IB scores, and other uh means that again, our counselors are working really hard to help identify and track our scholars accomplishments. So, it's been
018a really great effort on behalf of staff and scholars all across. And I just want to recognize our buildings that our scholars are graduating from, include with their seal, including Innovation Central, City High, Middle, CA Frost Middle High, Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy, Ottawa Hills, Union, Southwest Middle, uh, and the Grand Rapids Learning Center. Uh the languages that were earned for their seal this year include Spanish, Swahili, French, Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin, German, Pashto, Kenya Wondan, Dari, Japanese, and Portuguese. So really impressive skill and also just uh amount of culture and knowledge that within our district. Uh if I can if there happens to be anybody in the audience who is a scholar and is the recealed by literacy could ask you to take a moment to stand just so we could recognize you in the
019room. >> And if not if you would please if you have the opportunity to attend uh approach them and make sure to congratulate them personally. I'm sure they'd appreciate it as is uh well earned. Thank you again for the time to present. >> Thank you. >> Questions? >> I do want to uplift the the work of the district to to seek out students who could possibly earn their field. Not always, you know, kind of overlooked. Some are in classes. two languages and deserve. And I do want to shout out my daughter who earned her seal last year thanks to Southwest Middle High School. [laughter] Thank you. Um our final celebration, it actually includes our superintendent scholar representatives who sit on our board. As you know, each year we pick um three representatives to represent our
020student body and they also sit on the superintendent scholar advisory committee that meets each month. And so these young people will be going on to college um in the next couple of months, but we wanted to take the time to recognize them and also thank them for not only representing um their school community, but also the broader um district in both um what they have done sitting at the board table, but then also they've had opportunities to meet elected officials and to advocate for things that are are important to our youth. And so what I would like them to do and we'll take a picture afterwards um we have a recognition of the following um young people and we'll say their name and then also for their time just a small token of appreciation with
021a gift um card from our board of education. And so um Randon or RJ Beasley Aaliyah Fitzpatrick and Stephanie Martinez um Ayan who's not here this evening but we want to um welcome or thank her too. Thank you for your service and we'll come forward. Ready? two. There we go. Next we have our scholar representative to do their reports. >> Uh I would like to say thank you JRPS for allowing me to serve be on the board. >> Um also thank you for letting me be on the super advisory council for two years as well and thank you for investing in my education and giving me a full ride to Detroit Mercy. So good. >> All right. Um I definitely want to echo what R.J. said. It's a big thanks to GRPS. Um, thanks to
022programs such as the superintendent scholar and um, us being student board representatives, we're able to experience things and be in rooms that we wouldn't have been, which gives us a lot of different skills that we will continue to use in the future. So, thank you. >> Our secretar's report. >> All right, a quick one here. have a finance committee meeting scheduled on Tuesday, May 6th at 4:30 um over in I think actually it'll be here. Yes, it says the auditorium. Uh and then our ad hoc facilities committee meeting is scheduled for Monday 8th at 5 and that will happen over uh in the conference room room 112 if you're interested in joining us. And that's all for the report. Thank you. And our Ad hoc committee update. >> Yes, thank you VP Wade. Um, today
023we uh as a committee we discussed the uh proposals stocking in Alexander. Um, we won't be voting on it, but we will be having a discussion as a full board about the proposals. um the committee and myself encourage any other board members to if you have questions to please share them with the district team um as we continue to deliberate and then hopefully within the next month uh vote and make a decision on which proposals we're moving forward with. The other topic we discussed was um uh the updates to the facilities master plan as it regards to the monastery programming. Um again we'll be discussing this as a whole body. Um but just to reiterate some of the information that we've discussed um after last year's uh you know wish of the board to pause
024and re-evaluate and the district being really forthcoming and to work on that. Um our discussion was around moving from two monastery sites to now three monastery sites. one down at Ridgemore, the other at the Riverside site, and then having the uh the uh middle and secondary level at the uh Mountain Street location. Of course, we'll have more discussion about it as a full body. So, thank you. >> Thank you, Richard. Thank you, Trusty Williams. >> Wait, I have a quick question. Was there a motion to move that forward? I don't I didn't hear that in your comments. >> Sorry. Did we recommend that moving that for the uh monastery? >> The Yes, the committee recommended moving it forward. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it. Uh Trusty Williams, >> before um our superintendent report, uh if
025you have comments, this is the last opportunity to put in a comment card before public comment. >> Dr. All right. Good evening everyone. And so we'll begin with our bond construction quarterly report. And I would like to invite forward Mr. Larry Johnson as well as Dale Kaminga. >> Good evening, Dr. Vice President Wade and board trustees gives me great pleasure to present the quarterly update of the facilities master plan tonight. Um to kick off this presentation I will re be reviewing the busy list of summer 2026 construction project. First is Kent Hills Elementary. This project consists of replacing light fixtures in the classrooms, upgrading several of the scholar bathrooms, and replacing interior finishes. Next are Dickinson Elementary and Chavez Elementary. Both of these projects are completing the carpet replacements started last summer and replacing HVAC
026controls, which will help eliminate some of the maintenance Um now the buildings that are under construction, we have the uh new northeast elementary school at the Aberdine property that is proceeding with the floor and roof structures being framed. The next steps will be to enclose the building, pour the floors, and start installing the roofing. Um, at Ottawa Hills High School, the work to receive the Alger Middle School with a new separate entrance and serving cafeteria. Also, the work for replacing the practice football grass field and track surfacing is beginning. Later this month, the refurbishing of the auditorium will begin and will be completed in the fall. At Ken O'Shea, the de demolition is going in full strength. Existing walls are being opened up. Trenches for new underground plumbing are being completed. And I am happy
027to say that all of these projects are currently on schedule. Next up, we will be converting the Elder School for moving the elementary. Bids were received late last month are currently being reviewed to present at next month's board meeting for approval. Construction will begin later this summer. And projects that we are finishing up innovation central high school auditorium. This project has been delayed several times due to material procurements closing in on the end. We're just just doing some final touches. The fuel tank replacement is also wrapping up. The new above ground fuel tanks and fuel pumps are in place and the systems are being tested. This should be ready uh in a couple more weeks. Additional summer projects include the upgrade of the district's elevators, and there are many. Also replacing several of the district
028playgrounds, as you can see from this list. Um There are several others that are not on the list that will be installed during the construction projects at the building, including the new northeast elementary, Elder School, and Kennes. Finally, we have the projects that are in the design phases. Monasuri projects. The Monasuri project I won't discuss at this time since it'll be detailed here shortly, but we are working on the district-wide pool renovations and auditoriums. And also, we are beginning the programming to get input from staff and community for Harrison Park Elementary, Campus Elementary, and the Union High School for the Move Westwood Middle School. This work could begin as early as uh 2028. With that, I will try and answer any questions. >> Um I like the round robin. So we want to just start
029at the end and go. >> Sarah questions. >> No questions, but thanks for continuing your great work on this team. >> Yeah. I'm wondering you at Ottawa you mentioned the cafeteria. Is that true? We are creating a new cafeteria for the middle school. >> For the middle school. Okay. Can you talk at all about will there be any updates to that? I know the food service conversations have been ongoing. Um and so just interested generally and if if any of that will be reflected in those in that >> we are creating a new um therm rether kitchen for for the middle school. And then on the ground level of South House is where the uh new cafeteria will be placed. >> Okay. And when you say retherm kitchen is that's continues to be a warming
030kitchen. >> A warming kitchen. >> Um my question is also around Ottawa. Uh but regarding the pool, I know in our last a couple facilities meetings ago, you mentioned that you didn't receive more than one bid on updating the pool. So, can you tell us where you sit with that now? >> Correct. We are going to package all of the pools into one to create a better bidding climate. >> Okay. >> Uh we're hoping to do that yet this fall so that we can get on the um pool contractor's books for later work. That's that's one of the problems we're having is there's a limited number of pool contractors and they were pretty pretty much booked up for this year. >> Yeah. Okay. >> So, they didn't bid us. >> So, probably not a 2026
031project, but more a 27 or 28 project. >> We're probably looking at one pool in 27, one pool in 20. >> Okay. Okay. Wow. All right. Thank you for that update, >> Trusty Moro. The questions. Thank you, >> Trusty Williams. Um, so can you let us know how we are budgetwise on those projects? You said schedulewise we're looking How are we budgetwise? >> Budget wise, we're all under budget. >> Well, I want to thank you for uh showing the before and after for Central's um um auditorium because we keep seeing the finished one and I'm like, what did it look like before? And then also want to um uplift the possibility of a culinary kitchen in that in Ottawa. talked about the there there's two c kind of a little cafeteria in Ottawa and then
032a the larger space. >> Correct. That that program hasn't been developed yet. Um once it does get developed, we will work on um creating a culinary kitchen for that program. >> That's awesome. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next up, we'll have um the Monasuri facility master plan update and I invite Mr. Styer and Luke Styer Dale and then also the folks from plant man to give us that future of Alexander and Saki. All right. Good evening, Vice President Wade, Superintendent Roby, and board of education trustees. Thank you for having us here to provide this uh significant update to you and ask for your support of a change to the facility master plan for a three-sight monator program at GR. This comes after more than a year of design, analysis, family and staff
033engagement, and multiple revisions to create a future for a Montasuri program that provides equitable access, a pathway to accreditation, and renovated buildings that can be completed on budget. During the regular board meeting tonight, we'll be asking for your support of the three site concept. I want to make an important distinction here. This is not a vote on the specific plans for each site. It is on the three-site concept for Monasuri. And once we have an approved FMP update uh for that three-site program, additional design work will resume uh so that we can keep moving forward. And as we go through this process, we will continue to provide additional opportunities for families and staff to help shape the final designs at each site. So, I'll just provide a quick overview of of where we've been so
034far and then I'll hand it off to these guys to go deep on each site. Uh the three sites we're talking about is a northern PK through six campus at the former Riverside Middle School, a southern PK through6 campus at Ridgemore Park. Those two schools would then filter into a Montasauri Middle School at the Fountain Building. If approved by the full board tonight, the timeline is there on the side of the screen. The Riverside campus would be the first to open in 2028, welcoming scholars and staff from Grand Rapids, Monasuri, North Park, and Wellerwood. The Fountain building would be renovated during the 2829 school year without scholars or staff in the building and open the following year. The Bridgemore Park renovations in addition would be completed over the course of two summers. Scholars and staff
035would not need to be relocated for that project. Final timeline on which two summers that would be would be determined as we continue to move forward on design work. Extensive analysis has shown that renovations at all three sites will cost approximately $35 million. It's slightly above the $32 million originally in the reimagined GRPS bond for Monasuri projects, but that difference is achievable through savings on already completed projects. As Dale says, we budget. Uh so those savings and interest earned on the bond will help close that $3 million gap. And an important note, moving forward with this plan would not impact any other projects in the re bond. All other projects allowed to continue moving. Stay with me. All right. Over the past two months, we have gathered valuable feedback on the proposed three-site monatory concept
036through community and staff engagement sessions. We started with staff meetings in March. Following those staff meetings, we made some revisions to the project based on the feedback we had received and we went back and had community open houses at all three sites in late April and have made additional revisions to some of the site plans based on the feedback we received. and to keep our monastery families and uh staff up to date on our adjustments. Last week, we sent a message out uh to families and staff detailing revisions and next steps. That letter included an FAQ document that worked to answer the questions that we had received during our engagement sessions in April. We also sent the updated site plans based on feedback. So, all of that information has been sent to families and staff
037and and let them know that we we're also going to the board for an approval of the FMP adjustment tonight. I'm now going to hand things over to Doug Phillips and he can walk through some of the specific sites uh work that we have done so far on looking at these design plans uh based on feedback we've received so far. Again, the vote tonight is focused on the three sites, but we do want to give you an update on where we are at each site based on feedback. >> Thank you, Luke. So, we're starting with the concept for the prek6 program at the Riverside site. Uh this would be a full renovation of the Riverside building and a modernization of all of the systems, equipment, materials, finishes, and spaces within the building. Some of the
038feedback we did receive in meeting with the staff and uh families. Uh led to revisions such as making sure we have enough parking on site for parent drop off and pickup. Uh that occurs especially with the children's house. age uh preschool kids. There's a sign in sign out process that does require parents to leave their vehicles only at the upper grades where parents pull up and then children exit the vehicle or come to the vehicle. Um so we made sure to uh address that need on the site. Um we also got specific feedback regarding playground structure for the three levels of children that do exist in these programs. Uh that will there will be three distinctive different play spaces uh that have separation and as required for those scholars. Um, additionally, monatory programming requires and
039utilizes a lot of uh unique materials through the course of the school year and there is a significant additional storage need uh for the guides uh for those uh classrooms and we are working to ensure that we provided that space within both near their classrooms as well as centralized building. Uh the Riverside building U provides some real advantages uh for the monastery program here in some of the ancillary spaces. It has a very large uh gymnasium space. It has robust music band and choir spaces. It has outstanding cafe cafeteria space as well as separate dining for staff. ability to provide dedicated art and project lab at the Ridgemore Park site. Significant piece of feedback we received was regarding the ability to add additional classroom space specifically to increase the children's house capacity for this location.
040So that became the principal focus of the upgrades that will take place here. will be doing system improvements and electrical system upgrades as well. Uh they do have need for storage and small breakout spaces. Um and then I also wanted to speak to an elementary standpoint. The other thing we heard consistent program was um the need for or the desire to have playground uh spaces that were more of a natural environment. We reflected that in planning for both and Uh lastly at the fountain building um we did receive a lot of positive feedback about finally achieving a standalone building for the middle high program for monastery. So while there was a lot of constructive uh feedback given there was recognition that this is a long sought after goal for the program uh to have their
041own space. Uh the monastery program operates on a different than a traditional school and being colllocated with another school makes that very challenging. Um, other things that we heard uh was concerns regarding converting what has long been uh an elementary building to serve middle scholars. We're very comfortable in design team's ability to uh effectively convert this building to feel appropriate scholars. Uh and we base a lot of that on the feedback we've gotten on the uh project this past year where we took a former preschool building and have converted it to serve as an alternative very well received uh by that program. Uh we heard feedback on changing how we were accommodating the choir and band programs in the building. We're reflecting that in our concept as well as making sure we have dedicated science
042spaces. Uh lastly, there's a strong for an outdoor learning environment for the middle. One of the advantages of the fountain site is already contained in the fenced portion of the fountain. Use of this block is an area that's currently outdoor play for soccer and things like that that can become >> and then I just want to mention the gym. You know, we've we've had a lot of discussion around this as we've gone through this project. the gymnasium on the first floor will serve as the the gym and cafeteria. The idea there is that most PE courses would be able to held in that gymnasium and then we are also creating a new secure entrance off of the uh side you can see there on the site plan of the innovation central gymnasium closest to Grand
043Rapids Monosuri. So when they design a larger gym space uh they would have easy access to be able to go into that gym. All right. So, next steps tonight, uh, we're asking the board of education to vote on the Montasauri site concept. Up next, once we have an approved FMP update, design work can resume on the Riverside PK through6 campus. Up first, construction would be later this year. And throughout this process, we have committed uh as we have from the beginning to provide additional opportunities for feedback for families and to be able to help shape the designs of these programs as we continue to create a monastery that will support our city. Any questions? >> Sarah, I can start this way. I don't have questions. No questions. >> Oh, Luke, uh, thank you for uplifting
044intentional opportun Is there a clear like where and how to what extent will some of the designs like I would assume that there's like a boundary of designs because I feel like we've seen iterations of this. So is there going to be like a cut off of feedback. >> So so once we have an FMP update we'll continue that final design work at Riverside. So that would be the first site we would we would be focused on. Uh working to finalize those designs and again get some more feedback before construction begins there. Certainly Fountain and Ridgemore Park which are further down the line right now. Uh there's there's more design work to happen there. Riverside is the one that's furthest along at this point. Um and we're still about two years out from construction beginning
045at Fountain. So there'll be additional opportunities as we continue. Okay. Thank you. No questions. Thank you. I already had a chance to answer my questions at our adop earlier today. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. >> Thank you. And so um our next presentation is related to the future use both Alexander and stocking properties and Luke as Luke Rhonda Cribs Dale and our representatives from JLL will come forward. All right, we have Jeff and Chip here from JLL. I will walk you through a summary of where we stand on the future use of stocking and then uh we'll questions you might have. As we've gone through the process of this facility master plan, uh we have made the commitment to our community that Grand Rapids Public Schools is working to find new uses for our former
046school sites that will add value to our look back at where we've been uh with Alexander and Stocking. The board approved in 2024 using Alexander and Stocking as our pilot sites to develop a process of how we would go through looking for new uses for our former school sites. In 2025, JLL was hired to develop the engagement and request for proposals processes that kicked off at Alexander and Stocking in January of this year where we held community meetings in both neighborhoods to gather feedback and incorporate that information we received into the RFPs and into the scoring matrix. RFPs were open through April 1st. In the month of April, proposals were scored by the district and top finalists were interviewed at each site. And then here we are tonight on May 11th making a recommendation to
047the board of education. We were really really happy with the proposals we received at both sites. At Alexander there were four total proposals and at stocking there were three total proposals. We went through those uh proposals as a team and individually scored them. The average uh top scores here they when it was all added up came at Alexander Lifequest and Cross Contracting were the top two and at Stocking West Grand and Commonwealth Development Corporation were the top two. You can see those scores are extremely close. That's why we decided to move forward and have additional interviews with the top two at each site to ask some more questions and learn more about their I'm going to walk you through four slides, one slide for each of those organizations that uh shows some of the pros
048and cons that we determined as a team following the scoring and uh in those interviews uh as to why we ended up making the recommendations that we'll cover here in a moment. So, first at Alexander Lifequest Urban Outreach, which proposed a $1 million purchase for community- centered nonprofit campus, some of the things that we really liked about their proposal through this process was that they have no other ongoing projects going. They would be focused on this project as an organization. They have a strong offer, no financing needed, which results in a fast timeline to close. It is very compatible with the neighborhood use that we have heard uh from community. They're an experienced local owner operator and we asked this of all everyone that we interviewed and they are willing to move forward with a
049K through2 deed restriction so that it would not be a competitor to GRPS moving forward. One con we'll just list is that there is a school at their other site across the street right now a charter school that does compete with the district. A couple items that uh need to be clarified um based on conversation just a little bit ago. Um Lifequest does not operate a school. The founder of Lifequest I think he'll be speaking in a little bit but um they're not related. So just I guess keep that in mind. Um they also in the proposal they added that they would be adding housing which isn't referenced here or or shown here. So just wanted to add that that is included in the proposal. Cross contracting uh offered a $60,000 annual lease or $1
050million purchase option for a mixeduse community development. Uh some of the pros there was their flexible transaction structure, strong development experience, they have a local contractor network. they're willing to move forward with the deed restriction. Uh some of the cons, they've not developed an experience. They do not have experience of a project this size. Financing not secured that we are aware of at this point and uh development partner uncertainty. Moving over to stocking, West Grand Neighborhood Association offered an $850,000 purchase of the building to create the stock stacking community hub. Stocking is in a sorry the West Grand Neighborhood Association is established neighborhood organization serving the stocking community. They have a comprehensive community benefit model that they have out. They have a development partner that has great experience. There is strong support in the community
051for this proposal as we have seen uh as the entire way as we've moved through this process and a fast timeline to close uh for the $850,000 purchase price and willing to move forward with the K through2 deed restriction. Some of the cons just long term looking at the nonprofit operational risk. Uh they haven't done a project quite like this before as a neighborhood or organization. And then the complex capital stack dependency uh which Jeff Chip could probably walk through a little bit better than me here. >> Yeah. When we talk about capital stack, uh essentially that just means debt and equity, right? So how much cash are they bringing in for kind of a principal payment versus they're getting through bank financing? Um typically in these transactions, a lot of not sorted out until
052they kind of get control of the property and what that means property is a purchase agreement. So we have seen a bank letter uh from them um from a valid or reputable lender. Um but we they still need to do a finance or a c capital campaign. Uh whether that's to buy the building or that's future um for their future scope or just to buy the building itself. Uh there is some risk in in that. So that's why we put that as a cut. So essentially better term than capital stack would probably be just sources and uses of their capital. And then the other proposal that we did interviews for at stocking was with Commonwealth Development Corporation. They offered a $1 million purchase for adaptive reuse into affordable multif family housing. They have extensive adaptive
053reuse track record of doing projects like this including right here in Rapids. They have exceptional scale and capacity, deep capital relationships. in Grand Rapids and other places across the nation. When they do a historic building, they do a great job preserving it and and like I said, they've done other projects like this. Really, the timeline was was the big thing that would hold us back on on this proposal. Uh they require some state grants uh that they would need to go through the application process for. So, the long timeline to close was looking at the end of end of next year. They are out of state headquartered. Would note that. That's different than the other uh finalists that we're talking about. and uh that higher price. So, back back to the long long time to
054close uh $1 million from CDC versus 850 from West Grand, but a year and a half difference in the timeline kind of makes those prices uh more similar uh over time. So finally, our recommendation as a district is that we would move forward with Alex at Alexander with Life Crest Lifequest Urban Outreach and its stocking with West Grand Neighborhood Association. We know that uh we we had presented it as a possible vote for tonight. I know you've removed it from the agenda. So looking forward to a June vote on that as we continue to provide some more information uh and anything needed uh before a vote were to happen. And then also just looking ahead in June, the district plans to recommend two more sites uh to go through this process with. We think we've
055a very solid process that has worked well and we would like to complete that process again for the next two sites through uh July to September. Um we think there are some portions of the window that we just went through that we can tighten up a little bit and continue to move through this this process a little quicker. Um so that is our next steps and we are here to help answer any questions you might have. >> All right. Thank you. Sarah, I already had a chance to ask you questions. >> Yeah, I'll pass on this one. We've already, you know, discussed some good questions in the committee. Um, so if you want to come back to >> this is I think maybe just a minor logistical question, but with going back to the capital
056stack that you talked about, you said that they would need to do a capital campaign and you said it could be either for the purchase of the building or for you know whatever is can you can you just say more about that? >> Yeah, so kind of like when you uh maybe buy a home, you get a conditional letter of approval for a certain amount of money, right? A bank letter uh that they will fund a project. There are contingencies within that bank letter that we don't know. And so what those whether the the portion of of equity they have to come with could be zero, could be we don't know those specifics of that. And as we talked into the um ad hoc committee as well, we can make that a a condition of
057a purchase agreement that they'll have a period of time to produce that uh funding mechanism prior to uh moving forward for a long period of time. This is a short close. So therefore, we would probably want to put paren, you know, brackets around that time frame of when uh we would require that. Okay. >> I would also add that I think there was a question that came up in our last meeting about the finances and I think um based on conversation after that meeting um we're not going to have the ability to have a lender commit unless something's under contract. So purchase agreement is going to be very important to have in place for a lender to be able to give us that commitment. That makes sense. And so for sorry misprocessing so for our
058purposes for that um we wouldn't be able to know if it would be for that purchase or for that later stuff you're saying until that purchasing agreement has gone through. Correct. >> Yeah. My understanding is that the funding is available available for the purchase and that the and I think they're here so they could clarify if I'm off a bit. Um uh but I think the capital campaign is more uh for the project itself after they acquire the project or property. >> That's helpful. Yeah. Thank you so much. >> Um the timeline to close you say it's a quick one. What is it exactly? It was like 90 days I believe. >> Stocking. >> Uh yeah. >> And then um on Alexander um the applicant has funds. They don't need financing and they can close
059tomorrow if we wanted them to close tomorrow. Y [laughter] >> heard it. >> It was clarified after that meeting last time. So they're ready to go. Trusty Marina. >> Um, yep. I have um a question around I appreciate the cons and I'm just kind of thinking through process. Uh I'd really maybe like add an additional step uh around hearing from the folks y'all recommended to maybe have space to like just tell us a little bit more. Uh and I don't know if um the ad hoc facilities team got to hear from any of them. I think it would have been really helpful uh to hear firsthand um and have that experience or even again if it was post to hear just a little bit more. So I really appreciated you uplifting like the relationship between
060uh the other the private school uh and this potential second land. >> Absolutely. And and I don't believe they have the ability to have a comment um prior to it being presented. So, I know both the parties are here tonight and I I believe that they're ready to share a little bit more detail than what we presented today. So, >> and and I would just say that that wasn't in our original uh kind of the process we laid out for this, but this is our pilot program. So, if we want to do that in the future, that's certainly something we can can build in as we continue to move forward and and find the best way to go through this process. So, I think that's really important feedback. >> Yeah. No, I I would really
061appreciate uh some kind of interaction with with whoever the partners are and I know a few of them have come to do public comment or have emailed us. Being able to be in relationship together is really important because we are just one community. >> I have a few. Um so with regards to the process, I do um I do want to encourage us to take some time to hear from um particularly about some of the um areas like we feel like there should be some adjustment before we just jump in with the next two. I think that's important for us to understand that. Um I also want to make sure that we take time to have a clear understanding about kind of what we have said and kind of what has happened. And I'll say
062this, it seems I recall a conversation where we stated particularly that we didn't want entity that would be in competition with the with the board for students and if we service prek through 12 >> and we do um that that that is not quite here in our proposals or maybe it was not clear in the RFPs. So I think that's a part that we want to make sure and make sure that we are on the same page going forward on. But question rises, I'm still unclear about um something that was said with regards to um a development partner. If you could go back out to I it was um I believe one of them. Yes. Development partner uncertainty. Can you um pack that a little bit for us what that means? >> Yes. Uh when
063uh during the interview process uh as Lucas explained, we did interview the process. They said they're going to bring out project but they had not identified that >> partners for purchase or partners for programming. >> No, that's a great question. I I I can't answer that. >> Okay. So, I think that's something that as we I know we back burner we want more I think that's important question to it as a partner for actual purchase or just uh programming once they get in in the building if that's the case. I also want to I know the board had a priority where we wanted to um uh look for partnerships. We wanted to look for where we could have u uh retain land ownership. I see here that there's a lease and I'd like to um
064have a better understanding as to how um a lease which allows us to keep land ownership um was kind of the thinking about why that was a second versus a first. um again because um we get to keep the plan, right? So I just would like um a understanding of how or why that was came in under the other one and what your thinking was around that and giving us that recommendation and then um I I don't know if you can't give it to me now if you could give it to us in the future. Um and then I also had a question again around this um uh the specifics around a capital campaign. I am so unsure about what that is and I mean even as you describe it more I come with more
065questions. Um so I need to understand what that actually means as far as um and in the future you of course can break this down for us what that means as far as once it goes to the bank and the bank say this I I need to know whether or not are they prepared. So if the for instance just you said the bank will put this much forward then they have to come up with are they prepared with whatever that other amount is that the bank said that they would have to do and do we have an idea of what that might be? Um and then also with regards to um what is the funding again? It doesn't seem to be 100% sure. Is it funding to buy the building? Um is it funding for
066the building and the programming? Is it funding for just the programming they want to put in it? I I think those are valid questions. I think as we look ahead to what could be in these uh buildings, we don't want to give up property and sell property for somebody to let it sit and then um whatever they want to do with it does not happen and then now we've lost land and then they got to sell it. And I know that we can put in there things about um uh rights of it's not first refusal, but I think we had something some other language, right? But the reality is is that we don't want to be buying land. We don't want to buy back what we just sold. So, we need to make sure that
067we're not selling it prematurely. Um when in fact, if we hold tight, we may find another opportunity or another buyer. So, I don't I I don't want us to unload land and then the other person has to sell it off and now that's equity and assets that we have lost um from in our portfolio to be able to do things with. So those are some of my questions. >> Sorry, >> I can maybe not answer all those questions, but I I think some of those questions can be answered by the applicant applicants today. So maybe refer to them when they come up and have their um time up at the podium that would maybe help those. >> We don't um respond to public comment. We don't take questions that way. So, I don't know if
068it's a matter of us trying to maybe schedule a time with the ad hoc facility or with um even if ad hoc I don't know how we want to do that but I think I think that would be a horrible dynamic for us to try to set up and I don't want them to be unprepared for the questions that we might have without you know giving them a heads up in advance as well. >> VP Wade may I comment quickly just in respon would that be in order? Um two things. um if the rest of this board wishes ad hoc facilities to set a have a meeting to address those things directly, you know, as the chair and I'm sure I don't want to speak for anybody, but I'm sure our members would be willing
069to do that. Um but additionally, just as a reminder, um these are all great questions, but continue being able to send those directly to our district staff and maybe those can get um to or send it to me as well. you can include me as well, but just making sure it gets to to our those questions on. But if this if this board does want to have ad hoc facilities, set aside time and and meeting to do whatever, I'm sure my colleagues on the committee would be open to making that time. >> Yeah, I think um my curiosities are hearing more of the detail um and I wasn't privy to the ad hoc committee today. So, some of those things may have been discussed during that. Um, so I'll reach out to you just to
070see if there's some of those answers. But, um, as far as the Alexander um site, my questions would just be, you know, when it says proposed use community center, um, I would just want to know more about what they mean by that. Um, community centered programming and just how we can ensure I know there's no huge guarantee, but how can we ensure we're not taking away from programming that we provide and we offer for our kids. Um, and then as far as the stocking one, my my question would be um how much of a plan do they have if it's nonprofit and it's a collaboration, how much of a plan do they have for um keeping that building full? And um yeah, I mean I I just look at like those types of buildings, the
071downtown market, and there's been times where it's pretty empty. Um just kind of the plan they have for keeping that a vibrant location for our community. Thank you. Um I think you did answer one of those questions that Trusty Williams had around the lease. Um could you she asked about the like I think I asked in in the committee how did that get chosen? >> Absolutely. Uh I think there was a few factors uh but as far as the lease versus uh sale option just from a financial perspective the way we looked at as a discounted cash flow the annual rent payments if you take 60 grand over 10 years and discount it back to today's dollars what is it worth today like in the $450,000 range. So a million dollar today versus $450 today
072is what you're comparing apples to apples to. So, just from a financial perspective and um just to be clear, we didn't make recommendations. We provide all the information to the staff and they did their own analysis. I just want to make sure that's clear. Okay. >> Um well, I guess for our next phase possibly, uh I just wanted to suggest that maybe during the interview process given a little time for board member questions to send to the interview. That way, these questions could have been asked. That's a learning uh that I and then also just to be clear to our um my colleagues that on June 8th when we vote, we're not voting to necessarily I wanted to revisit that conversation for everybody. Not necessarily voting to sell, but to to proceed with the conversation
073into contract, right? Like so we're not saying sell it to these people to these organizations but also we are but then we're also saying continue this conversation to the next phase of contracts. Can you talk about what you said? >> Yeah, absolutely. So the next sta uh stage after you select a a group to to move forward with will be a contract negotiation and that contract negotiation we can incorporate some of the the questions and have during that negotiation of that contract. So it's a purchase agreement and and that purchase agreement will have certain due diligence and timelines some of which could be ours and some of will be the the buyers and that is you know what we have right now is kind of a framework of what a purchase say. Now we have
074to reduce that to writing um from a contractual standpoint and those are typically negotiated. >> Thank you >> Kim. >> So then basically we are voting for you to go into >> to sell. >> Yes. >> So that that vote is saying please go do the work to sell this building >> with this organization >> with this particular organization. I just things that will be negotiated between our vote and that agreement, >> right? And so I get that contractually there'll be some lang come back to us again. That's my understanding as is mine. >> Maybe there would be one final vote to like >> we vote on the contract the wording. My understanding we I mean there perhaps would be a vote because we'd have to finalize sale but other than that yeah once we
075enter contract for sale that's it >> would will we vote on the contract? >> I don't think so. This is a proof that that will be so I think that is the the learning that we need to make sure that we're clear on. My understanding is when we do sell to those people that that will be what is needed to sell that building and they just going to work out the contractual language to get it done and unless it falls through we will not it will not come back to us again >> in short that's my understanding as well >> thank you >> VP I did have a couple sorry I just I passed and I wanted to um I just wanted to agree with what uh trustees uh BK and and Williams highlighted in
076their questions and then also just um yeah to to ensure that we're in the business, I said this in our ad hoc facilities, we're in the business of uh education and public education and we want to focus on what we're doing to to uplift and strengthen that for for our our district and our every every child that lives within the boundaries of this district. So just ensuring that the restrictive covenant language is strong enough to address that. Um but then also at kind of at scale for any property that we're considering. These are all public assets that we've had the as a district we've had the you know privilege and the burden of uh managing through the years. And if we're going to sell these to any other entity whether it's public or private that's
077a fiduciary responsibility not only for the immediate financial um benefit or loss but also for the future of our larger community future of the city. So I just want to ensure whatever we do, not just ensuring that the money is there at the moment of sale, but also that whatever projects are uplifted are sustainable and are going to continue. So it's something that even long after we are no longer as a district, the owners of these properties, we can drive by and see that they successful asset to the community, whether it's a private entity, a public entity, individuals, organizations. Uh I just think it's import that we do our due diligence. And then additionally, um what would be helpful for me looking into June is seeing what the proposals were. We've seen the summaries. We've
078seen um you know, the great presentations that have been given to us, but being able to see the proposals directly. I think for me at least as an individual board member would answer a lot of the questions have been asked around what exactly is, you know, this offer proposing to do with this property. Being able to see those proposal any other gleanings that even came interviews that differentiated them just seeing that that data and that information directly would help me. >> Thank you. >> And can I ask Trusty Williams are Williams send if you can collect board questions so that we can get them to them to make sure. >> Yes. >> All right. >> Just one last comment on that. Um I do want to make comment on it is subject to the city's
079zoning and approval process as well. So, and that will happen. So, I just want to make sure everyone knows that >> and some may already fall into that. [snorts] >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Before um Trusty Kilpatrick reads us into public comment. We do have over 60 minutes of public comment, which will reduce our public comment time from three minutes to two minutes. Um, and I don't know if this is our reading, but you can always email us your full public comment. Right. So, to those of you who have signed up to speak tonight, we want to thank you. We know that your presence here is a reflection of your care uh for our students, our staff, and the future of our district. Uh while it is never our intent
080to stifle public comment, we do ask that your comments expressed in a civil manner, that you maintain respect for the rights, dignity, and privacy of others. And please know that board members will not respond during public comment, but we are actively listening and we are taking notes and we will make sure that your comment followed up on a proper uh through the proper channels in an appropriate time frame. Um and then a note that we understand and recognize that it takes some courage to come up to the podium. So whether this is your first time speaking tonight or you've been here many times before, uh we just want to say thank you again and acknowledge the strength it takes to come forward on behalf of our district, our community, and our kids. Remember that uh
081and it will be just a two-minute comment tonight. Go ahead. And we did note that there's at least one request for translation services in here. That uh heads up now to the booth. Um and if you do need if someone forgot to mark that box and you need translation services uh please let Julie know so that we can uh be ready for that. Thank you. >> All right, this Ramona Scott Moon and followed by Ramona would be Leah Oinski. Hello, I am Ramona Scott Moon, a seventh grader in CA Frost Middle High School. As I speak to you today, I'm not only speaking and representing myself, but also for the rest of the students middle school choir who are not able to share their opinions this evening. I appreciate the members of the board who
082were able to go to our concert today and let me speak today. If the choir wasn't here, I wouldn't be here speaking to you all right now. Mr. Lejoy choir is a safe space and middle school kids should have the chance to have Mr. Lejoy sixth, seventh, and eighth grade choir, and the right could be taken away from us due to budget cuts. Many of my classmates are heartbroken that this might not be an option for us next year. We are so much more than our voice. We are a school, a team, and a family. And if this is taken away from us, this could affect students mentally and grade-wise. I would like to end this by saying that not only does Miss help us make great, but gives us the space to express ourselves
083and feel accepted. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. Leah Oinski followed by Jasmine Escobar. Hello, I'm Leaz Malinsky. I'm a student at Middle Cro Middle High School and a member of Miss Joyce choir. I want to start this by thanking members of the board who came and saw our performance today and why it brings us so much joy every day. About a month ago, my choir was informed of what could be happening to our choir next year due to but since then many students have asked Mr. Loy what we could do to try and make an impact on this matter. That is why I'm here today to hopefully make an impact. I have struggled with my mental health for many years. was an alcoholic and so was my mother. Through [snorts] their recovery,
084my family went through a lot of hurt and brokenness. Ever since then, I've struggled with anxiety and depression. I still deal with these things to this day. But Lejoy and his choir has helped that greatly. I've never been a shy kid. For for some reason, middle school terrified me, as it does most. But walking into LJ Joyy's choir, I immediately felt at ease. Lejoy makes it his mission to not only teach us all there is to know music and our voices, but to make his class classroom a safe space for every kid, no matter the race, religion, gender, or sexuality. In the past two years, LJ Joy has helped me better myself, not only as a singer, but as a per. In my choir class, I've gained confidence I never knew I had, along with
085breath control, pitch, and tone. I know many kids, including myself, that can fall victim to the stress of school. Every day, I look forward to walking into that room and getting to sing and laugh and a break from all the stress of daily life. Wow. I want to end this by saying every kid deserves to be in choir if that is what they desire to do and see if Ross many do desire that. So taking that away from these kids can have a negative impact on their mental health, mindset, and school work. I could go on about this for hours, but I want to end it here by saying thank you for listening. >> That's time. Thank you. Next up, Jasmine Escobar, followed by Colette Cwley. Good evening, everyone. My name is Jasmine Escobar. I'm
086in ninth grade. I join speech and debate. This has already had positive effects on me. As someone who struggled with stuttering, following the pandemic that struck us all, forcing everyone to stay inside and limit socialization, and on top of that, having English as a second language, I lost all my confidence in speaking. I feared being judged or ridiculed for mistakes and lack of speaking skills that I completely convinced myself it was better to stay quiet, which made the issue worse as I deprived myself from opportunities to get better. Speech has truly been a vital stepping stone that has helped me harness and better my enunciation, which in turn improved my confidence and self-rust. Plus, meeting all these kind people through events has changed my perception of people. They aren't maliciously hyperfocusing on mistakes to bring
087me down. They help me grow with advice and push me forward towards the right path. This club has become a new community of the sweetest people ever and a second home for me. I've grown closer to my peers and it has meant so much for me to look forward to the weekends in order to see them outside of school. Finally, it has improved my diction and how I articulate myself. I feel like I can finally authentically express myself and connect with just my words. I've noticed improvements in these myriad of areas through examples such as school presentations where I no longer fear going up there and sharing what I've just learned to this moment. It may sound cliche, but a year ago I couldn't possibly think of standing in front of a crowd and just
088conveying what I felt. So, I'd love to thank you all for providing $4,500 in funding to our wonderful team this year. and thank you from the bottom of my heart for continuing to support us going forward. Thank you um Colette Crowley and following Colette will be Jane. Good evening. I'm Colette Crowley and I'm a sophomore in GRPS. I'm here with one simple message. Thank you. Thank you so much for funding the GRPS speech and debate team for the 2025 2026 season. This has been one of our best seasons yet, and with your support, we were able to keep our program alive and ensure that each of our teammates could flourish this year. For me, this year in speech and debate was full of struggles, growth, and milestones. Halfway through the season, my debate partner and
089I were struggling. We had leveled up to varsity, and it was not the same as JV. But by the end of the season, with our hard work, my partner and I won third place at state finals. Last year, during speech season, when I couldn't even break semi-finals, I kept competing. And this year, I'm state champion. Our team has won countless trophies across all sections, finding success in every category and every level of experience. As much as we love our speech and debate community, it is no secret that our team is one of the only urban public school districts in our debate league. At tournaments, I rarely see students that look like us. But that doesn't stop our success. This season, our team rad in trophies, drew in dozens of new students, and made GRPS proud.
090Our team stands up and stands out. We prove time and time again that kids like us belong at these tournaments, that we are constantly improving, and that kids like us will not back down. Even when the system tries to hold us back, we have stories to tell and your support ensures our stories are told. Thank you. >> After Jane Neman is Stephanie Hickma Hickman. >> Hi, I'm Jane Neman. I'm the vice president and president-elect of the Grand Rapids Education Assoc. Um, I wanted to do a couple of shoutouts. First of all, thank you to the Union High School admin team, who one of whom is here. We had one of the best teacher appreciation weeks. I personally believe that our building has the best one. Um, so shout out to them for making teachers feel
091appreciated. Um, want to say what a wonderful celebration it was at Mind Share and celebrating Doug Perry. Um that was beautiful and it was a tribute to the amazing educators we have in GRPS as are the students who just spoke which leads me to um I want to uh endorse the uh request in the purchasing agenda for the new ELLL curriculum after talking with a lot of our wonderful ESL teachers at Union. I see a lot of benefits to purchasing this curriculum and um so I would like to shout out uh Maida Gunnel for putting that forward for a positive change. Also I would like to once again challenge the board to closely look at budget cuts where it concerns course offerings and staffing that directly work with these wonderful students. When we make cuts
092to classrooms and to teaching staff, we deny our students of opportunities and those safe spaces and the wonderful relationships that our GRPS educators have with our scholars. And so I want to challenge you um to take a close look at the budget and to try to avoid these types of cuts and remember that this is the business of public education and it starts with students and educators. Thank you. >> Next we have Stephanie Hickman. Hikma or Hickman Hickman, sorry. followed by uh Reverend Jerry Bishop and Sarah Martinez. >> You should have went first. This is my first time addressing the board. Thank you for listening to me. I am a Alexander Elementary School. Went to school kindergarten, first grade. My children went kindergarten, first grade. We have a vision for Life Quest for Alexander and
093the community. I just want y'all to understand as a grandmother, we want to impact the the city. We want to impact the community. We want to have partnerships where we help young people and have older people help young people mentor. It used to be a community. We used to be a community. Any of y'all could have spanked my butt when I was bad? We want to go back to that. We want to go back to um We want to go back to community, older people, because we have stuff to say and teach. Young people, these people right here. Oh my god. Because they taught us that um they taught us that if you want something, you have not cuz you ask not. These babies, I can't I am shocked. These babies speaking better than me
094and they grandb babies. So, I'm going to defer to my pastor, but basically what I'm saying to you is I understand your concern about what we want to do, and I can tell you some of the things that he has talked to us about for that purpose, for that building, but I personally am invested in Alexandra Elementary School because I'm a product of it. My children are a product and I'm a product of this community and I'm here for the long haul. Thank you for listening. Jerry Bishop followed by Sarah Martinez and >> Kangalosi. Thank you. >> Good evening. If I could have Lifequest stand quietly in the back. First of all, board, I want to say thank you for how you serve our community and and I'm grateful that we're being considered as a
095finalist and I think that whoever between the two finalists, you're getting two integrity entities in the process. But earlier tonight, I painfully listened to a serious omission of critical details prepare pertaining to our proposal. It appeared tonight that the goal line is being moved on dates, timing, criteria, and contingencies for the applicants and the use of the project. Our exhaustive multi-page plan was very detailed in anticipation of these very objections, including a four-point graphic shown here, but included in the proposal that I would hope that you have gotten. But according to the ad hoc committee members, the proposals were were for both applicants were reduced to a summary page missing much important information in order to make a detailed, adequate, accurate decision on tonight. Number one, our proposal calls for up to 10 units of
096housing that was not mentioned. We're not inexperienced in providing those housing. Our plan offered a K. were the first to offer a K through2 deed restriction. Our plan noted that there were zero zoning issues on on local, county, or state level pertaining to the structure for our proposed uses. None whatsoever. Our proposal shared an interest to partner with GRPS for upper level of afterchool programming, specifically in the gymnasium as a safe meeting space. Number five, Lifequest does not own the Gerald Dawkins Academy, nor are we related. We are on the same campus. Yes, I am the co-founder and the board vice president. The two are separate entities. In reality, we are a compliment, not a competitor. Higher grade GRPS scholars are on our site daily, seven days a week. We feed GRPS families weekly from
097our >> time, Reverend. I'm sorry. >> Thank you. Sarah. And next up is Margie and Andy Jones. >> Hi, I'm Sarah Martinez and I've been fighting the North Park uh the monastery program for a while. And I want to I want to tell you guys something that you're misinformed a little bit about the Riverside plan. When they say 85 extra children, they are not talking about a children's house and moving them through the program. They do not have room for more children's house children. And currently, North Park has a wait list to get into Children's House. So, we hadn't taken these numbers, GRPS hasn't taken these numbers into consider. So, we're still going to have I don't think the Monastery should be a competitive school to get into. If you want to educate your kid
098in the Grand Rapids public monastery program, you should be able to. But we're limiting this program. So, I want it to be very clear when they say 85 new kids, they're saying 85 to the E1 E2. They're not doing that to children's house. So, I want to be very clear with that. And I want to be very clear. We want numbers. We want a full plan. I want to have a full plan. And when you tell me that you don't know what we are going to do with the ECSE students or the great start writing this program, that breaks my heart because you tell them you're second rate second rate students in our book because we'll figure out where everybody else goes and then we'll just figure out you guys later. That is rude and
099disrespectful to the great start readiness program and it is rude and disrespectful to our extra care special education kids. So, please come up with a full conclusive plan that includes everyone. >> Thank you, >> Margie. Next, uh D Jones and then Jonine Andrews. >> Hi there. Um my name is Margie Gangeloce. I am a Grand Rapids parent and volunteer. I'm Koko's mom. Um when I was a student at City in the 90s, there were only boys on the debate team. so grateful that my daughter has that on that team now. I don't take it for granted. I really appreciate you guys. Um, thank you for the $4,500 in GRPS funding that allowed the GRPS speech and debate team grow and excel this year. There were 33 students on the speech team this year and 52
100students on the debate team. Um, this includes 20 middle schoolers and 37 high schoolers and the team participated in 27 tournaments this year. Um, GRPS funding covered costs of $53 per student per semester or 70% of the cost of instate tournament fees. Um, pay-to-play fees and donations covered the other 30% of the tournament fees and the $21,000 cost of transport. Um, these costs are tiny compared to the benefits received by the GRPS student team. So, thank you so much. Um, I also wanted to let you know that the team's longtime volunteer coach, uh, Mr. William Harris is retired. Um, we are throwing him a celebration at the downtown library at 6 PM on Wednesday, May 27th. And I'll follow up with an email for you guys, but I just wanted to personally invite you to
101that celebration. So, thank you so much. >> Thank you, >> D. Jones. And after D. Jones with Jolene and Heather. How y'all doing? I'm D. Jones, passionate entrepreneur and visionary. I help y'all build AE Sports Labs and I am the chair of the stock and community hub. But I'm not going to speak on the project. I'mma leave that to Annette to give you all. But I am going to speak on this curricula because I gave this curricula to Jennifer Brock. I've sent you guys several information on the stocking community hub, but presentation on 3D printed construction and having high school credits actually being sure that our schools get CTE that we can actually give students high school credits for building infrastructure for printing affordable, sustainable, better, eco-friendly, earth friendly housing that is better for Earth,
102better than our traditional real estate all across the our city, our county, our state. I've been through the first 3D printed house. I've sent you guys this presentation. Don't tell me that you didn't send to get this publicly. I'm going to make sure that I stand business because I know I've sent y'all several information from our partnership packets to everything. I know I gave y'all that information. I know I came to the ad hoc facility and I spoke to y'all about the vision until I couldn't speak to y'all about the vision. But I know I gave y'all the information. I know that I gave y'all this credential. And I don't read stuff off. I usually don't need to read anything. I'm that good at speaking. But I want y'all to hear what this offers are.
103district because I hear y'all say this for several years. We want something that is going to benefit our students, our district. We gave y'all that and we're local. But we're going to serve K through2 students seeking early career paths, incumbent workers seeking skills and upgrades, justice involved individuals reentering the workforce, recovery, community members, displaced workers from declining. Who participates? What participants earn? industry recognized credentials, pre-apprentice certifications, high school graduation credits, direct employment pipelines, school and district workforce board contracts, state and federal funding and tuition and employee [snorts] agreement training. So, we're going to bring 3D printed construction because I already got it in the city's plan until 2031, but we will continue for Brock, I'll be on you. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next up we have Jolene Andrew followed by Heatherward and Sale Toron.
104>> Jolene Andrews, Southwest Elementary. First of all, I did want to thank you for making the Southwest Elementary closed last week. The extra time was much needed and appreciated. I was not planning on discussing the response to the tragic event that happened last week just yet. I figured it was a learning experience. there would be time to process, deal with my own emotions, hear from my students, and follow up later with what could have been done differently. However, today it became clear that I do need to say something now. GRPS promised that there would be mental health services and a crisis team provided for families and we opened the doors to families on Thursday, but only communicated in one of the four formats that we would be open to provide those services. The district waited
105until that morning to send out a message to the crisis team to ask who would want to come. Who would have supported our students if we had been opened as planned. It was hard to get answers about who is part of the crisis team. It seems that they are people who hold other positions in the district such as teachers and parapros who volunteer to support during difficult times. They're trained in debriefing, but nobody could tell us what that meant. People who hold other positions can't just not show up for that position if they're asked in the morning. From the sounds of it, there are no licensed therapists on the crisis team. On Friday, we did have some of the team there, possibly some members from the crisis team and a couple of our district mental
106health there. But today, we were down to our therapist and two of her supervisors who left partway through the day due to I of course want Burton to have the support that they need as well. But that left our therapist alone and after they left there was an influx of children in the her services and she couldn't do it alone. tomorrow she goes back to the other school that she serves, meaning that we don't think that we're going to have anybody tomorrow to provide support for our students. We have many students who haven't come back yet. And if they come back tomorrow and there's nobody to care for them, that's going to be a problem. What about students who are still processing and will need to speak to somebody a couple of weeks from now?
107We know a few of our students were there to witness the event, but we haven't even identified everybody who was there and they're going to need services going forward as well. As an adult, I'm having a hard time with this event. Our students definitely deserve licensed therapist. Thank you. >> Thank you, Heather, followed by Saleon and Dan Morris. Good evening, school board members. My name is Heather Alward and I am finishing my 26th year here in Grand Rapids public. 23 of which have been with the Monasuri High School. In that time we have our high school has moved from the basement of Ottawa to the third floor of Central to the basement at Central to the east wing on the first floor back to the basement and now we're currently housed on the east wing
108of Central. We our school has moved quite a bit. We are excited to finally be talking about having our space and allowing us to become a fully accredited high school program. We love the three school plan. It's just that the fountain building isn't the right building for the middle high. I've been to all the meetings to discuss the plan uh moving forward for the fountain building and I'm here to plead one last time for a vote before your vote to for a change in this plan. I would yet again like to put forth the idea that the staff and meetings held at GRPSU move to the Fountain building and that our middle high school moves to GRPSU. From what we've been told, GRPS PSU needs a new roof, big roof. It's updated electric and secure
109entrance. Fountain needs an entire addition, an elevator, a secure entrance, fully updated plumbing along with high schoolsized furniture. Breakdowns of estimates, comparisons have been requested but not provided. Besides this, moving us into Fountain um leaves no room for growth. Putting 29 high school students in one of those classrooms with monatory furniture does not. At Fountain, the gym and the lunchroom will be the same space. We cannot share space gym space with innovation due to different scheduling because we'll be on block. They're traditional. The fountain gym is very small space. GRPSU has a beautiful full cafeteria and a full gym. The plan for fountain has a band and choir room sharing a smaller space than the band is currently in. There are rooms for those two programs to have separate spaces at GRPSU. >> That's time.
110Thank you. >> All right. >> You can email us. >> Next we have silent followed by Dan Morris short. Um, good evening board. Um, Salem Tron, Grand Rapids, Monastery High School. Um, I want to thank you guys again um for revisiting um this monastery plan for the middle high finally having its own designated space outside of other programs. I do not want to dismiss that. Um, this has not been an easy journey and I've only been here five years. I know this journey with Monasuri has been much longer than these five years. Um and I have been at multitude of meetings and multitude of plans from every plan, every discussion we have, we are so thankful to have. This district has proven to me that it wants Monasuri here. It wants Monasuri to thrive. I've
111spoken with multitude of parents and families that this is something that we want and something that we want to thrive and we want to do um with I lost the word. Um we want to make monastery monastery. That is truly the goal and nothing else. Um so I thank you again for a separate middle high. Um the main reservations is that this building just isn't big enough. Um that gym I tried to fit 25 seniors in there to play um dodgeball and even that was a struggle. And not even thinking about sports, but just a typical gymnasium class, a typical PE class, playing basketball in there, playing volleyball in there is just not conducive. It was built for an elementary. Um, and in order to make that gymnasium taller in height, um, you would have
112to take down that whole section of that building, which would then cost more. Um, we've asked for comparisons side by sides with GRPSU and for Fountain for other schools as well, other buildings, um, just to get more trust from the community and we've yet to see that. I ask again for that as well. >> Thank you for this time. Dan Dan Morris followed by Haley Sulitz and um Bo Torres at Norris. >> Hey, good evening Dr. Roby and uh school board. Thanks for having us tonight. Um I am currently the principal at North Park Monastery. I'm also a parent there at Wellerwood. Um let me just start off by saying thank you to the board overall for your investment in the monastery as it relates to training for teachers and leaders able to finish my
113monastery training since uh October 2024 and that investment um is greatly greatly appreciated that people and and that investment in our people. All right. Also, I'm very thankful for this board's um adjustment and change from the the biggest uh change that I have heard from my community as a change from that PK12 campus to uh the current uh layout of the PK through 6 and then a 712 layout which does align with Monasuri um ideals and timing as it relates to the timing of that. I think another benefit uh talks about the mirroring of the north side and southside having a north side monastery and a southside monastery with a centrallylo middle high campus that folks from the southside don't have to drive all the way up to riverside uh to be able to access
114that. Thank you very much for that. Uh today I want to speak about um my experience at North Park briefly and how the Riverside really benefits that. Okay, we're talking about a courtyard space uh that would be great for children's house and younger children in a larger outside space, larger classrooms. Our current average classroom space at North Park is about 625 square ft. Uh we would be looking at about 900 square feet at Riverside, a direct benefit that our staff is very excited about. Uh logistics at Wellerwood, we're at the end of a culde-sac. Uh that is a nightmare every single day. And so having that reviewed change of uh pickup and drop off greatly appreciated having everybody together. We have two campuses at both GRM and at and at North Park where I have
115to physically between two campuses. We have that manage both. It's very very difficult. I am not here to say that there's nothing to trade off. Wellerwood would miss the woods. Absolutely. We have two tight-knit communities with really strong communities, but I think that we can bring them together. Thank you all for your time tonight. >> Thank you. Haley Solit followed by Norris to Torres and Annette Vandenberg. Hello, my name's Haley Sulis and I've taught choir in the district for three years and I'm here to advocate for the music students at all of our GRPS schools because several music classes have been cut or reduced for next year. I teach at Southwest Middle High where the choir has been cut for next year and where the band has also been reduced from two classes down to
116one. Our Southwest students deserve the same opportunities as students in all of the other GRPS schools. And other choirs across the district have been cut or reduced, but Southwest Middle will sadly be the only GRPS school to fully lose its entire coral program next year. The Southwest Middle High choir is 20 students this year. They're a wonderful group of musicians. They earned a division one rating at choir festival and they performed at state choir festival for the very first time this year. They were one of the um few GRPS schools to be represented at the state level this year. And the students sang so confidently and just literally had the best day ever. I grieve them losing these experiences next year. These choir opportunities give students a purpose, a reason to come to school, an
117emotional outlet, and a way to connect with each other that is so important in our current climate. Choir is a joyful place, and as one of my students put it, it's a place to cheer up despite this being a very difficult year. These students deserve a place to sing. So, thank you for listening and continuing to support the arts in all of our schools in the future. They're an integral part of our students well-rounded education and they are well worth our investment. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Ed Norris Torres followed by Annette Vandenberg and Emily Hollingsworth >> Buenos no scholars trustees and superintendent Robin. >> Do you need a translator? >> Just the Buas No was in Spanish. Everything else will be in English. Um, in the past I haven't been driven to come
118forward with positive feedback, but tonight however I come as a community partner with words of encouragement. For the last two years, the strong beginning healthy start strong fathers for this project has partnered with GRPS's family and community engagement team or phase team to connect with parents in a cafe model that has been adopted by many of the NGOs's in the community. Um, we have encouraged partners, we have motivated parents and we have collaborated together to make sure that voices are uplifted and heard. In that time, we have held 10 cafes, reached 95 parents, engaging directly with 35 dads and father figures to provide face-to-face direct conversations and supports. In this effort, we have also connected to the community safety, nutrition, seal, and mental health teams as well as several KSSN community coordinators to support this
119initiative. All of which have been extremely involved and committed. I want to highlight the face team tonight consisting of Jennifer Williams, Casey Young, and Ben Cannon. They have been an outstanding representation of what teams in this district can achieve. They have gone above and beyond in the support of parents in their collaborative work. However, I want to point out that with 40 schools, 14,000 scholars representing more than 80 countries, and 70 different languages, three people are not enough to make the kind of impact necessary to build trust and true connection to community. Increased staffing and funding for this team would help in meeting their mission to engage community and parents. This is the type of investment needed in our schools. Their team is exceptional and committed to the success of families in GRPS. The same
120can be said for the work of communications which one person has the job of communicating to a district that large. With that being said, I want to invite you all to come and see for yourselves this Thursday as we hold our summitive event of the year-long effort in committing to our parents and community. The theme will be legacy in motion, fathers shaping the future. You have these flyers with you. It will take place from 5:30 to 7. >> Bo, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Next, we have Annette Vandenberg, followed by Emily Hollingsworth and Tiff. >> Good evening, trustees, uh, students and staff and scholars, and Dr. Roby. Uh, just thank you all for allowing different organizations to put in RFPs for our community buildings. These buildings truly do belong to the community. they the
121land was d the stocking land was actually donated to the GRPS um group by Billia Stocking and he always met and his family always meant that it would be to serve the community good. Um I am the executive director for the West Grand Neighborhood organization and doc couple years ago Dr. Roi and I met and talked about the potential of stocking school being on and what that would look like for our community. And so that really got Westrand and the community talking about what it would mean to have a community hub for the first time ever. We have the school used to be our community hub and it is no longer our community hub. Westr used to meet at Stocking School and hold town halls and we've done development meetings there. So stocking school has
122always been part of the work that Westrand has done. We've had national nights out there. We've had block parties there. And this would just be a continuation of our work. As far as how this is going to be financed, yes, we are working on a capital campaign. We are working with side strategies. We are the Canari group um and grassroots efforts. We've already raised over $25,000 um without even having anything under contract and just being a dream of the neighbors. Over 300 neighbors support this project. And we have talked to various people about funding and they're like until you get this under contract, but you have nothing to leverage other than your good work of the last 46 years. And so we've have a strong 46-year partnership with GRPS. We do not want to compete
123with GRPS. We want to support GRPS and their families. And this that's all West Grant has ever done. And so I know we've had some board members who don't always align with what's going on, but West Grant is committed to supporting GRPS families and we look forward to speaking with you more about the opportunity to p purchase stocking school and share with you all the details. Thank you. >> Emily Hollingsworth followed by Tiff and Andrew Loy. Hi, my name is Emily Hollingsworth. I have been a teacher with Grand Rapids public schools for 10 years. I currently teach science and STEM at Southwest Middle. Three years ago, Southwest began offering a STEM elective for its middle school students. And since then, that program has continued to grow and become an important asset both to our school
124and to our district. Now, due to the current funding issues, STEM is among the classes being cut for the 2627 school year. This is very disappointing loss for our scholars. I understand that budget issues are complex. But if we are truly putting students first, it is difficult to understand why the schools are being asked to eliminate elective opportunities that students um middle schoolers thrive when they are exposed to new and interesting learning opportunities. This is a critical time when many students begin discovering their passions, strengths, and future interest. Over the past several years, I've had the privilege of teaching a wide range of students. Some have started the year with not even knowing what STEM was, only to discover that they enjoyed it and also they excelled at it. And I've also had students who
125have come in with some knowledge and some background who are able to showcase their abilities and go way above and beyond um what the typical curriculum is. They continuously amaze me. Also, for the past two years, students in my STEM class have been able to participate in some outside events such as the West Michigan design organized by three area ISDs. We were the only school in GRPS to um participate in that. And in the past, the two times that we have competed, we've placed um in the top three the students have with their um year-long design projects. Um, also this year during class time, a small group of students that is actually retaking STEM for the second time have been able to build and code a more complicated robot and are competing in a robotics
126competition. Um, all this is possible because GRPS made it possible. >> Thank you. >> Next, Tiff Sims um followed by Andrew Loy and >> Good evening. My name is Tiff Seus. I am a resource room teach on a story. Um I want to thank the board for um all of their careful intention and for giving everyone the time to um speak what they need to speak. I'm here because um I would like to request that when the designs for the Riverside um school are happening that the architecture team and the project management team meet. the principles and representatives of the sped team to ensure that enough space is provided for all of the service providers. Currently at North Park, we are crammed for space um for service providers including u resource room teachers, occupational therapists,
127uh social workers, speech language path pathologists, psychologists and counselors. And um when we spoke with the architects um they are doing a great job as architects but they don't also I u get the feeling they don't understand what it looks like as a boots on the ground operation operating from daytoday for example social workers have to legally have to have a their own room um to do their social work with the students and so in order to ensure that um the architects are meeting the specific needs of the sped team. It is my request that the architects, the project manager and the principles and some sped representatives meet together um to make sure that with great intention the space the the necessary space is allocated. Um right now we're working in sometimes in stairwells in
128the teachers lounge. Um and it's a it's a giant juggling process. And I do want to say thank you to the board because I know you've been through multiple iterations of design. Um so thank you for your patience. Thank you for your diligence and we would love to have that as a part of the process. Thank you. >> Next we have Andrew Loy followed by Elise Morak and Mara Johnson. Good evening members of the board and Dr. Roby one last time or third time's a charm. Uh this is my third time speaking with you uh regarding uh my building CA Frost Middle High uh my band program and the budget cut my program and then also my colleagues here. Uh we just had an outdoor performance for our spring concert today and I am grateful
129to the board member that were able to make it. um and understandable um that for those were not able to attend. Um and also it was a shame that members of the budget office were were not able to attend today. 10 incredible vocalists were highlighted with solos or small group parts. Two sixth grade students who've only had their instruments for a month uh learned and performed the opening theme to Careless Whisper on their alto saxophones. Um and we were able to um honor our now former student um Darion passed away from cancer back in March of 2025 with an arrangement of remember me that brought many to tears. I was told by higher up in the budget office uh recently that if students are going to see frost environmental science the band choir program is
130extra. Well, first try telling that to my students who are currently devastated that the program is being impacted by these cuts as more and more students are asking to join. I have a feeling I'm going to have to turn them away. Um, also is English extra as it stands, we are losing the only staff member that teaches seven and eight English. Um, as a staff of 19, losing one impacts everybody in a negative way. Um, I originally came to you in February with the concern of class minimums now because of the loss of a staff member which is 1.0.8 FTE being grantf funded intervention courses that have a cap of 15. The master schedule has become impossible to navigate at my building. Thus, my 7A choir, which should be 35, might be 14 next year.
131Continuity and education is everything. Um, staff content, resources, any change at the building level is a disservice to all the students and staff that spend countless hours working to make our world a better place. I beg you, please ask the tough questions. Uh, I guess you have four days. Thanks. >> Thank you. Thank you. Followed by Marta Johnson and Virginia. Good evening. Um my name is Elise Horak. I am the only seventh and eighth grade science teacher at CA Frost Middle High. Another speaking from CA Frost. Um some of you visit our school for the spring choir and band concert this afternoon. pleasure to have you guys visit us. Um, you're welcome to visit my science classroom anytime as well. I'll be at camp with the seventh graders Wednesday, Thursday, Friday this week, though. So,
132um, some of those kids that spoke at the beginning of the meeting, Ramona and Leah, about how much Mr. Loyy's choir means to them, those are my my babies and we're going camping this week, so I'm excited about that. But anyway, um, you've heard me stand up here before and tell you about how much I love the staff and students at CA Frost. Our small size allows us to get to know all the students in a way that bigger schools don't. I teach all of the seventh and eighth graders, which means I really get to know them. Um, you can imagine if you've ever been in an eighth grade classroom that it's a lot easier to have a really strong environment, uh, good classroom management, to have a strong environment, to have good have rigorous
133learning when you're working with kids that you've known since the start of seventh grade. It's it's really something incredible that we get to do at Frost. My first group of eighth graders are graduating on Monday and uh 49 out of 50 of those grad trade school after graduation. Um and these students achievements have been supported by a small group of dedicated adults who know them deeply and love them dearly. And these relationships are possible because of our size. But that also means that there's like one seventh and eighth grade science teacher, one band and choir teacher for sixth through 12th grades, um one English teacher for seventh and eighth grade. and that person has been told they're being displaced and not being replaced. So something as crucial as seventh and eighth grade English is being
134scattered around to other staff that have other jobs. So someone who is supposed to be teaching sixth grade social studies is now also oh yeah I have just one section of seventh grade English on top of it. Um it doesn't allow there to be one person who is focusing on students growth and data. And you heard from the choir students earlier about how important choir is to them. Mr. Mr. Ljoy shouldn't have to tell half of his choir that they have to take remedial math instead because of the district budget. Thank you. >> Marta Johnson followed by Deborah Cross. >> Hi there. My name is Marta uh Johnson. I have two students at Grand Rapids Monastery and I just want to say to Mr. full of joy and all the educators after teacher appreciation week.
135I'm going to try to do this. Thank you for being a teacher. Um I also want to thank the board of education for or for uh putting together the school budgets 101. Uh that was such a huge uh step forward to us being able to better understand the processes that exist. The questions that I still walk away from, especially as we have cuts in schools being discussed like choir and um and other educational positions um is what what is the decision-making matrix? What's the timeline and why isn't there public information available for how cuts are decided at the executive level as well as in district uh with positions that impact our students. Um the other uh issue that I came to talk to you about was the gran matory plan. I to oh man, sorry.
136I strongly urge you to not move forward with approving this plan as is. All of the uh the school community were given an opportunity maybe two weeks ago to offer input. What you didn't hear uh that was offered definitely uh frequently at the um GR Monastery Maine or not Maine the uh the Fountain Street School is people had serious concerns. They had a lot of questions, especially about the increased transportation time with sometimes unreliable bus timing um uh and all of that that maybe they would not decide to continue at Granabus Monastery. They wanted to see how uh where families were at and what this would impact everyone's transit times. You heard none of that in the feedback here, which gives you an idea that the feedback has not been robust. Furthermore, no one was
137notified that this would be voted upon, nor were we notified what people heard. So when we're asking for transparency andation, that means we want to hear back from you after you hear us for a community input session. So it's not just a checkbox. People do not know that you're voting on this and that is a huge violation of our trust. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Virginia followed by Deborah Cross. Deborah Cross. Good evening. For over 30 years, Cross Contracting, owned and operated by my husband, Todd Cross, has been committed to the neighborhoods and people Grand Rapids. Through residential and large-scale commercial projects, partnerships with community organizations, and collaboration, the company has built more than just beautiful structures. It has built relationships, trust, and a stellar reputation for showing up for this community. And that
138commitment is what brings us here today. Because for us, this has never been about just acquiring a building. It's always been about the people. It's about the children who deserve safe spaces to thrive, to dream, and to create with programming comp that will complement what Grand Rapids Public Schools is already doing so successfully. It's also about the families who want to see investment in their neighborhood and the 12 homes that we will build on site. Homes that reflect dignity, quality, and care. It's about a space that can be a greater asset with the investment that crosscontracting will put into it if lease is an option. And it's also about doing something with the community and for the community, not just in the community. So every aspect of our full proposal reflects that. And although we
139did not disclose our list of investment partners and and such, I'd like to make it clear that we have entities and people who are excited to come alongside of us and be in not only investors of finances, but to invest their time, to invest their talent and their expertise, relationships, and create a legacy for them and for this community in um ensuring that this becomes the very best version of what we can do. and reimagine for this community. We understand restoring a building is important, but trust, opportunity, and connection is the heart of our proposal, and thank you for your consideration. >> Thank you. >> That's it for public comment. have some action items. >> Um, so first is our purchasing agenda. Any questions, concerns or motions? >> Um, just so everyone is aware, I
140I still there's some curriculum on there. Still we have not been presented with the context of that. Not at all to question the curriculum. I've even heard tonight that it might be great, but because I don't know, I can't vote yes on curriculum just to kind of give context for that vote. >> Anybody else? >> Are you taking just comments or the motion? >> Motions. >> Okay. I um I didn't want to jump the gun if there was anybody else that want to make comments. Okay. Then um I move that we accept the purchasing agenda. >> Moved. >> All those in favor? I and all those opposed also I [laughter] >> that motion passes. Resolution for resolution to approve the Kent intermediate school district operating budget for 2627. >> So moved. >> Second. All those
141in favor. >> Any opposed? Same sign that passes. Resolution for monatory facilities master plan revision. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> All those opposed, same sign. >> I can I hear who that was again? Melton and Thank you. I pass it. Next is our consent agenda grouping. >> Motion to approve the consent agenda. >> Support. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> Any oppose? Same sign. Um, next we have our our board president announcements. Our board president is absent today. I don't have any announcements. Superintendent search [snorts] update. That would be his announcement. And since he's not here, he'll probably email us. Sorry. Um, superintendent comments. Good evening once again. Um just a couple reminders of some activities taking place. Spring is always a fun time of
142lots of different things. Um we have canoe mobile this week um all week and so please feel free if you are wanting to get into a to come on down to the Riverside um >> canoe. Are they gonna pull me? >> Okay. [laughter] The new mobile is where we have our eighth graders um who go every every middle school gets to go to the um Riverside Park where the Grand River is and gets to hop in a canoe. They also have orientering and other activities um that take place. >> Some people are not reading their superintendent board letter [laughter] >> because it was in there. >> So, >> was it called Mobile? That's the part I was like, wait, >> is it not canoe mobile? >> The grand canoe experience. >> Okay. So now now
143wait, [laughter] the grand canoe experience. Okay. Well, >> we don't pull each other anymore. >> This week you can take an opportunity to come on down. It's even if you don't want to get on the river, it is nice to see the kids um participate in it, engaging with just a valuable resource in our community. If you decide to um join, I would suggest wearing something um comfortable. Um, next week we kick off our celebration of our 2026 graduates, two of whom are here. And we are looking forward to those graduation celebrations Monday through Thursday. Um, two options or two opportunities each night, 5:00 p.m. and then also at 7:30 p.m. And you do have that also in your calendar to say which schools are graduating on which night. Um, and just again a huge
144shout out to Mrs. Miss Deb Perry. The foundation celebrated her and very worthwhile educator and musician and what she has done not only for our scholars here in Grand Rapids, but the overall community. She's done lots of different things with plays and other events um connected to the community and just a huge force in the music industry. And so again, giving her a a tribute, giving her her flowers were well deserved. Congratulations, Miss Perry. >> Those are my comments. >> Thank you, Dr. Roby. Um board comments. We'll start with >> Do you want to let your um your scholars your last chance. [laughter] >> I don't got no comments, but thank you once again. >> Yeah, thank you. >> Yeah. Uh, second that. Also, R.J. mentioned where he's going to college. I don't to do
145that, but um, I'll be going to U of M to study environmental engineering, and thanks to this program, I'm considering a minor in public policy. with um Trusty Buch. >> Well, I just want to say that tonight the celebrations um were needed after just a very heavy week. Um it was so good to hear about our scholarship winners and also our seal of biiteracy um scholars and then also from our student board representatives. I'm we're just very proud of you as well as all of our seniors. Um sounds like Aaliyah was telling me she's done with exams so they're they're done. >> So uh lots of congratulations there. Um, also wonderful to hear from a couple students from the speech and debate team and the whole time I was thinking, man, I needed speech and
146debate. Maybe I would speak a little bit more el um, it's just wonderful to hear them speak in such a way that they can articulate their thoughts um, so clearly for us. And then um, I do just want to highlight um, thank you Miss Andrews for speaking tonight. I I do want to highlight um our district um admin and their response to the crisis that occurred last week. Um and just the willingness to revamp that as they were finding that it needed vamped along the way and adjust. Um and thank you so much to our teachers and staff that are in all those buildings that were affected. Um my kids go to Southwest, so this was really heavy in our house this week as I know it was many families. Um, and I just want
147to urge us as a board to really think about how we can evaluate how the response went and make sure that we continue to get better. Um, god forbid these things happen in the future. Um, so yeah, I I hate to bring it up, but I think it's just something that we need to think about as a board and as a district. I'm sure we are already thinking about it, but um how did we do? How can we do better? And how can we make sure there's a really solid plan in place? >> Trusty Williams. So, I'd like to say congratulations to young Miss Cwley. She's already gone on her state recognition with regards to debate. Congratulations to all of our um graduates this year. It is always an exciting time to attend graduation. Um
148and then also I want to just kind of highlight that um the decisions that we make are not always easy. There's competing interests. There's many different aspects that have to be considered. Um and as we talk about funding of public schools, uh we I want to encourage the audience to make sure that they are reaching out to their state legislators. There's some things that are going to be impacted. And if you don't know, um the funding for um public school systems is being used currently for college education. That's a problem. And that we all here bear the burden of what do we do without it. We're cutting teachers. We're cutting programs. We're cutting. We're cutting. We're cutting. We can't cut our way out of this unfortunately. And if the funding is not um appropriately. As
149if some of you have heard in the past, our funding is still at the ear the late 90s funding level and we're at the end of 20 six, right? It is a problem. And so, um, we'd love to be able to do everything. It just is not possible. We'd love to keep every staff. It's just not possible. Um, this district is um suffering because of funding. We are suffering um uh for enrollment. We'd love to be able to provide all of these opportunities, but the cuts that you see before you, that's the beginning. There are more to come. And so, we need you all to um really uh do that work at the funding source. We know we won't get what we what we need. But if we can get better than what we've have,
150if we can get away from some of these categoricals that limit how we can use those monies, um that's a big deal compared to way school funding used to be. And then um we we we feel the uncomfortableness of it. Um uh when we make decisions up here, it is not like this is something that we're just running skipping about. We got to cut jobs. We got to cut programs. It is hard work for us. We sit between what we would like to see individual. I love choir. I was a choir person through all my Grand Rapids public schools experience. Um and I would hate to see that not be available. Um so I I just I I say that to say these decisions weigh heavy on us. Um and I think sometime people think
151nah, no, they weigh heavy on us. Um and um we may not always get it right, but we are trying to do our best work and I ask that you all continue to alongside us and again reach out to your state legislator. They are in budget season. They are have some of those budgets already up. We need to be inundating them with fund public schools fairly and appropriately and um and that's part of our work too. So thank you. Thank you. Um, yeah, I'm also really looking forward to the next couple weeks uh for continued celebration of uh the class of 2026 um and hearing even more to current scholars sitting next to us. You know, where y'all are going. That's really really rad. Uh and I'm so excited for you to to even know
152what you want to do and and dream about that. So, congratulations. Um and even for that don't decide to go to higher, you know, this is the time to make those decisions. Um, yeah, and I I look forward to figuring out, you know, how do we continue to support uh and others. Um, yeah, last week was really really heavy. Uh, and again, I can't just share enough gratitude for all of our staff, uh, Dr. Roby, Mr. Johnson, uh, the responsiveness uh, to pivots and changes. I just have so much gratitude for y'all. uh especially you know I live in that neighborhood and have deep relationships with so many families and you know I can't even I also really want to uplift our partners you know we are a community it's not just what's happening in
153also what's happening in third spaces you know Granville Avenue arts and humanities our mental health collective Esperansa LCC you know other partners showed up to support the families you know outside of school and that's just so important you know education doesn't just happen at our schools it does elsewhere. Um, and for partners to step up and say, "Hey, here's how I can support uh our scholars and our families outside of, you know, school time is so important." Um, you know, as we're talking about uh selling selling buildings, you know, I I just want to continue to say like, oh, I want to I want us to be in community uh with with those organizations, those businesses. Uh, you know, our scholars, our [snorts] families are going to be interacting with them. And so, any opportunity
154to continue Um, I got >> Thank you. I'm trying to be presidential, y'all. I'm sorry, Amber. Secretary Kry. Okay, I'll go. [laughter] Um, yeah. Thank you for starting off with celebrations, Trustee. I also want to just name um my gratitude for what we were um presented with today and our our students who are um proficient in another language. So exciting. I am in my 40s and on it and I'm just so excited that you're getting it way before I did. Um I also want to uh thank Dr. Roby, Dr. uh Gunnel, uh Mr. Johnson for the crisis response last week. Uh and the pivots and the way of hearing what was needed and responding to that again and again. Um and I also want to name that that week is still within us like that
155pain and grief is lingering. We heard it from staff in public comment. Um so I do think that uh looking at as as trustee BC bek mentioned looking at our crisis response in a way that's not just immediate triage but what is that ripple and what are we able to offer uh is going to be very important moving forward. Um thank you trustee Williams for the call to advocacy of our legislators. Want to support that and I also want to support voting for candidates that support public education. Um so consider that in November. And um on top of uh while I'm talking about voting, also look for candidates who are supported by Mom's Demand Action, who is looking to um reform gun laws and um bring common sense gun ownership to the table so that
156um incidents like what happened this week are harder and harder to come by and occur. Um lastly, we were I think we were all able to most of us were able to attend Mindshare this week and honor um educator Deborah Perry um and the the choir she brought to that event and the the conversation about her legacy and her work and how impactful it is. Um it's all around music and how uh how important that is in a student's life. And so when I hear that we're cutting music programs and I compare it to what we're celebrating in in Miss Perry um there's a disconnect. So I want to make sure that we are doing everything possible in the business arts humanities and music for our students. I hope you heard that. Thank you [laughter]
157>> Eric. >> Yeah. Um I want to say thank you to the folks who came out tonight. I saw um so many folks looking really be able to show up for GRPS with some of these newity ideas. Um and it's just really great to see that support um out out in the audience and I hope that continues in an ongoing way. Um always congratulations also to the Warner Norcross contest winners. Um and again the students um graduating with seals of biiteracy. Um, I also wanted to say thanks to all the businesses, um, who participated in our first kind of big staff appreciation week efforts. Um, and especially to Stephanie at the Grand Rapids, um, at the GRPS Foundation, Luke, Jose, and Sarah for moving that work forward to really be able to, um, thank our
158staff in in a new way. Um, I wanted to say thanks to uh, Mr. Joy and also um the music teacher at CA Frost and Mary Clen the choir teacher at Burton for inviting us to their programs. It's just so it's so joyful um to see the students. Um so I'm really grateful for those opportunities. Um I also want to say thank you to our safety team, our counselors, and the staff and community um at Southwest Elementary who supported our students and families following this tragic shooting last Tuesday that took, you know, our neighbors um Jeremiah and Savannah. I think the ripple effects again of this violence are going to continue to be felt. Um, and I'm just really grateful to folks both within the district um, and some of the partners that um, Trustee
159Mareno mentioned um, for just finding ways to care for each other in in these really impossible moments. Um, and then Felicia to all the students um, who are graduating and huge appreciation um, to the families and teachers and staff that got them there because we know it takes all of us. Trusty Williamson. >> Thank you, Vice President Wade. [snorts] Um, you know, yeah. Uh, not to start off my own comment with a somber note, but I know that what happened at Southwest is a nightmare for so many of us. And I'm deeply grateful to the district team and others in our community, um, the staff at that building for responding as best could be expected to respond in a situation like that. But it doesn't detract that in our society. We just the the level
160of violence and gun violence is just pernicious. And while there's certainly policy changes that we need, um I think there needs to be a societal reckoning with the fact that we allow allow that to to even happen in the first place. But um but again, thank you to everybody who's able to respond and keep our community be able to respond for our community and um after the fact. And then uh kind of changing notes, um with uh teacher appreciation last week, um I want to appreciate a teacher who's no longer with us. Um it's been 20 years since I've seen her, but I had a teacher who admit had a big imp uh Peggy Houston, who I would not be here without. Um and I always think of her this time of year. And yeah,
161I'll leave it at that. I don't mean to get I I didn't think I'd get teareyed, but then I don't often do. She was very important and um yeah I know you know for every one Peggy Houston that impacted my life we have a thousand across this district who are impacting the lives of 13,000 students every day and all the appreciation and thanks that we can give all of them um for everything they do and everything that we can do to support them and making sure our children have the great outcomes and the great lives that I've been fortunate to have. Thank you. Trusty Milton. Well, I won't repeat any of the wonderful things you guys have already shared and lifted. Um, I do I just want to identify that there are three sort of
162crises like you started to talk about down at the other end of the table facing us as a district and facing public education. Um, the first and most obvious being funding. There's really a funding crisis. Um, we have an engagement crisis as well. Um and I really uh believe that you know kids are not finding relevancy in brain in in school systems across the nation and then we we have a real serious crisis around social emotional health of our staff and our students and I believe very strongly that our current systems uh need to come to an end and that there's new ways to think about all of these things. Um and so when we think about our facilities master plan, the search for a superintendent, um budget, staffing, I I don't believe we need
163to stay in the I believe that there are new ways to think of it. And I also believe that that comes the power for us as a district comes from our staff. And I think that uh they are a source of information for us and professionalism that we don't always use. And so I believe in the face of these crises, all three of them, that as we turn to our staff who are most close uh closely working with our students, that we're going to find um power and new sources of understanding uh how we can serve our students and our families better. Um, so in light of teacher appreciation week and and I will even say staff appreciation week as so many of us are educators um when we work in buildings, I I just
164want to thank them for that and and just give a nod to this sort of new system that is emerging in our culture and um just yeah thank them for the work they do and um have a lot of hope that things will start to shift and unfortunately we have crises to thank for that. >> Thank you. Um Richard kind of stole my comment, but and then Sarah added on with teacher appreciation. But no, uh just when I was um a freshman at Crestston High School, I lost a sibling and there was a specific teacher, Miss Hoffman. Katie, I can call her Katie now. um who um just took time with me and did some things that I wasn't used to um like made me write down my feelings and um that was my outlet.
165That was that's that I didn't have no therapist or anybody else. My parents were obviously, you know, um yeah, not mentally able to support me and Miss Hoffman did. And so she made uh Crest a place that I wanted to come to. every day. Did I do any school work? No. But I was there and I was there because I felt safe and and seen and um I just want to uplift Miss Hoffman and off teachers that support me every day at Baxter Community Center and all of our teachers in GRPS. Thank you for all the work you do. It is um immeasurable. Um I got to visit CA Frost today. They had an outdoor concert. It was super dope. It was the middle high school and they sang beautifully, played beautifully. The weather was
166perfect and the audience. Now, it is hard to perform in front of your peers, especially like a solo. And the peers like the students were just quiet. They listened. They were so respectful and supportive. I thought that was the most impressive. Um it was like they were used to this. We're used to, you know, being um um fans. I thought that was so so sweet. Um congratulations our graduates uh up here with us and next week. I'm This is my favorite part of being on the board. Um being able to sit on that stage and watch and hand diplomas out to um our graduates. That is like the highlight of my year. All of the work that we do um comes to that moment, right? Um preparing our young scholars for the future. So, I'm
167excited about that. Um thank you um Trusty Williams for uplifting uh our budget crisis. Like our colleges are getting millions of dollars. They're paying athletes and yet they're, you know, getting our K12 money and I don't like that. And I didn't know for a long time. And that's like, you know, something that we we absolutely should be advocating for less of. and um how our budget situation here in GRPS is is uh is unfortunate. I still believe that our classroom should be last to be touched. Um we have to be more um I don't know do something different right but our classroom should be last to be touched and um with that this meeting is a journ I get to do that. She is typing what you're saying. >> I did. That was the first
168time I've