The meeting location is Maxfield Education Center, 32789 W. Ten Mile Rd., Farmington, MI 48336. In 2009, Mable was honored as Mother of the Year by the Detroit Free Press featured article "A Mother's Heart" and recently received the Mother of the Year Angel Award 2020 from Children Spa with Disabilities. } .widget-row.Independent, .widget-row.Nonpartisan, .widget-row.Constitution { Previously, he worked as a financial analyst at Pepsi. Questions or Comments? Very painful.". font-size: .9em; } This creates an environment for FPS to be competitive for parents decisions. She also would like to see Superintendent Susan Zurvalec take "more of a cut" in salary and eliminate more staff from the central office to get more money into the classrooms. At the end of the meeting, Green then announced she also was resigning as ofFriday, saying "the dysfunctional behavior of two unnamed board members had interfered with further progress of district initiatives,as well as contributing to her health issues, ultimately requiring that she remove herself" from the board, district representatives said. All other races or nationalities make up the remaining 3.3%. Appointees Terri Weems and James Stark won six-year seats Tuesday on the Farmington Public Schools Board of Education, as did long-time district volunteer Angie Smith. So you get bogged down in all this minutia.. I would place myself in the position of the bargaining unit to understand their needs, but it must be extremely important that it is explained that the districts needs have to be met to clarify the board's decision-making. Former Farmington High Music Trustees, and Marching Band mom. $(document).ready(function () { Im frustrated and think we can do a lot better for equality.. I have the experience of providing leadership and direction in the hiring of a new superintendent and guiding our district through a pandemic, contract negotiations and threats of violence against our work. FPS can attract new and returning students by focusing on the priorities Ive already mentioned above, primarily returning to a strong fundamental curriculum, free of the distractions that happen when a district has prioritized social and political issues over academic excellence. Herrera had recently filed a complaint against board secretary Angie Smith for harassment, district officials said in a statement. width: 250px; var encodedEmail = swrot13('qbanyq.jnyxre@scfx12.arg'); Board members should have had a longer community conversation around the sale, she said, adding, "People are afraid now, and they are angry. "His skill set was like nothing we have ever seen in this district," Green said Monday of Herrera. U.S. Congress | The infighting eventually led to Green and Johnson resigning. Walker: I believe all parents have the right to choose and that should not be taken away. Claudia has had a lifelong involvement in community service; she was a member of the Farmington Area Jaycee Women, PTA, Girl Scout Leader, Religious Education Teacher and Youth Basketball Coach. Carr: I have a Ph.D. in Public Administration and my academic career has been in public education. Farmington Hills resident Angie Smith says she worked hard to help pass a 2004 Farmington Public Schools bond referendum. background-color: #f9f9f9; width: 100%; She runs a nonprofit and was formerly a financial advisor. She earned a Bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, a Master of Education from the University of Phoenix, and a Michigan teacher certification. Contact reporterShelby Tankersley at stankersle@hometownlife.com or 248-305-0448. Take a sneak peek inside, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. There is an opportunity to enhance outcomes for these learners. [1], Five of the seven seats on the Farmington Public School District school board were up for general election on November 8, 2016. .widget-row.value-only.black { background-color: grey; She is co-founder of Calvary Education Center and provides enrichment and STEM summer experiences for Metro-Detroit children. margin-bottom:0px; Online learning requires a significant investment in teacher training, equipment, and curriculum delivery. She has provided professional development for teachers in adaptive/ assistive technology using data to inform teaching and learning. She has resided in Farmington Hills for over 20 years and was involved in her daughters academics and extracurricular activities. An active parent volunteer, she has decided to run for school board in a field that includes two incumbents, Karen Bolsen and Howard Wallach, with whom she has worked closely over the years. }); Terri Weems was appointed in September 2015 and elected in November 2016. 87 likes. Smith: RETAINING OUR EXCELLENT STAFF. Cecile Richards, Former President of Planned Parenthood, Endorses Andy Levin . The county seat is Pontiac. Farmington public School board trustee. Smith: I have been a dedicated resident and member of the Farmington Hills community for the past 26 years, and have served on the school board for 6 years. There are no incumbents among eight candidates for three Farmington school board seats: David Barr, Becky DeWilde, Joe Fritz, Melissa Gorman, Kelsey Jezierski, Maggie Storlie, Steven. } It's like saying, 'Honey the house is in foreclosure, but there's a Bentley in the driveway.' Our schools also reflect the richly diverse community we live in. Vik Pandya (NBC, Dry Bar) LIVE at The Independent Comedy Club 3/4! I view the school board as instrumental in setting goals for the district and adopting policies that support achievement of those goals. color: white; FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (WXYZ) Farmington Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Robert Herrera has resigned from his position, allegedly following allegations of racism toward Black students and staff in the district from another board member. School board chaos at Farmington Public Schools leads to superintendent's resignation. CBS Detroit - Farmington School Board Superintendant Robert Herrera resigned along with School board Vice President Terri Johnson and President Pamela Green, citing online, public, and. We have more work to do to incorporate feedback from our parents and our community so that our parents and students become our biggest cheerleaders and bring more of our districts students into our schools. The current school board removedSmiths censure in January, wanting to puteveryone on the same footing as it moves forward. "It didnt have to lead to him resigning," she said. We have great programming, sustainability projects, state and national honors, and boast the largest CTE department in Oakland County. We do this by helping you register for the classes that you need, advising you on subjects such as testing, college readiness, career readiness and connecting you to the . After the superintendent's resignation, the board passed a resolution censuring Smith, who has been a school board member since 2016. Board president Pamela Green resigned following the meeting, as well as vice president Terry Johnson., citing frustrations with specifically two unnamed board members. Farmington Public Schools will continue to serve the students and families well in our community; the District has a strong leadership team that will continue to move the District forward, Herrera said. [4], Candidates received a total of $6,710.00 and spent a total of $12,632.11 as of October 30, 2016, according to the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds.[5]. The closure of four elementary schools also has Smith concerned, both with the crowding of students into the remaining buildings and what happens as the district's population starts moving back up. word-wrap: break-word; Board Meeting Details. George Heitschs retirement was premature. If you would like to help our coverage scope grow, consider donating to Ballotpedia. Minutes earlier, board vice president Terry Johnson, whose term expires next month, also resigned, effective Saturday. It never stops. The district declined to elaborate on Herrera's claim. FARMINGTON -- Farmington School Board voted Feb. 8 to amend the district's mask advisory policy so that masks are "highly recommended" instead of mandated. [1][6], Farmington Public School District is located in Oakland County in southeastern Michigan. How to vote | It cited "conduct unbecoming a board member based upon Ms. Smiths public comments and posts causing disruption to school district meetings and operations, necessarily and unfairly interfering with the ability of the superintendent to perform his duties and provide leadership for the district, among other things," the district said. "It's bittersweet that it has to be against two friends.". I felt like I was back in high school," former trustee Richard Mukamal said of the school board. Ballotpedia features 395,577 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. Our goal and hope is to continue to hire individuals who are excited, and passionate about Educating our students. Mable has over 30 years of experience in educational consulting throughout the state. $('span#sw-emailmask-4631').replaceWith(''); Northville Public School Board Vice President ANDREW MUTCH Novi Councilmember ANGIE SMITH Farmington Public Schools Board Member JOHN MAGEE President Wolverine Lake Township Council LAURA MIKULSKI Ferndale City Councilmember REV. It continues the cycle of negativity. Walker: The best action begins with an equity audit to determine how your district is addressing these issues. Voters will also choose one candidate for a two-year term. We were building a foundation to be moving forward and itll be on my colleagues and myself to now find a new superintendent to help us keep moving forward.". "His skill set was like nothing we have ever seen in this district," she said. Heitsch did not respond to multiple interview requests. .top_disclaimer { According to 2019 U.S. Census data, Farmington Hills is 62.7% white, 19.9% Black and 14.1% Asian. We need to start getting rid of stuff we don't need.". On November 8, Farmington and Farmington Hills voters will help elect new leaders at the federal, state, county, and local level. Herrera did not respond to multiple interview requests. State executives | } Excellence for All in advanced placement courses, in technical courses, and throughout the curriculum is the appropriate response of the school board. . Tuesday night's protest was followed by a school board meeting where concerned residents spoke out about curriculum that includes Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Board president Pamela Green said in a statement that she read to the board that Herrera cited Smith's public statements and social media posts alleging he was against African American staff and students. Angie Smith was elected in 2016. background-color: #f9f9f9; Chiefs promote Nagy to old job as offensive coordinator Feb. 24, 2023 07:33 PM EST. The seven-member school board is relatively young withfour members elected or appointed in the past 6 months. He and his family have been a part of the community for 20 years. Personal conflicts, they say, also drew attention away from the schools. During the Pandemic, numerous other schools were a much better fit for their students, and as a result FPS enrollment suffered. 2022 Election Results. The board is expected to decide in coming weeks on the next steps to fill the vacancies and select the next superintendent. Angie Smith (Farmington Public School District, Michigan) This disambiguation page lists articles with similar titles. School board members set overall district policy and manages the district superintendent, in this case Superintendent Christopher Delgado, who oversees day-to-day operations. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. Email: But, longtime elected officials will also admit theyve said that before. FPS cannot afford to be a revolving door for our staff. School Board meetings are held on the second and fourth Mondays of each month beginning at 5:30 p.m. Angie Smith - Farmington Public Schools Michael Swiecki - Wyandotte Public . It is not clear what kind of safety measures will be in place due to the ongoing pandemic. It would require masks indoors and when social distancing is not possible "for all persons who are present on . Don Wotruba,executive director of the Michigan Association of School Boards, said operating without a clear vision and culture can hold a board back. School districts | It was very clear there was a lot of disruption on the board, she said. Censure rescinded for Farmington school board member Angie Smith Over the past few months, the board has been garnering a lot of negative attention with the resignation of several. Hometown Life sent each candidate a questionnaire on their ideas and the state of the district today. We have completed our strategic planning, identified the profile of a lifelong learner and negotiated long term contracts with our staff. school board members. border:1px solid #FFB81F; I can speak," she said. Zach is actively involved with the Northern Guard Supporters and is a co-owner of Detroit City Football Club. ", She felt the district should have gotten more than one bid and more than one appraisal before selling the property. [3], In Michigan, candidates are prohibited from receiving contributions from corporations or labor organizations. float: right; I am not interested in having her do this practice, Smith wrote to Green of the suggested instructor in a March2019email. The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Angie SmithFarmington Public School District. We need to give racism the death it truly deserves and stop CRT and teach our kids the right values and the right history and that we do live in the greatest country in the world, Macfarland told The Center Square in an interview. Smith questions the need for three assistant superintendents, and wonders whether the district's could have waited for a time when more money was available. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. We need some real change in this district and we need to hold people accountable.". Neither Smith nor Herrera immediately responded to requests for comment after the meeting Monday night. His decision came after meeting with legal counsel, she told the members. We need to continue to support career readiness across curriculum. Apply today! It has been shown that strong student relationships can reduce the gaps that can sometimes occur, particularly in the area of racial inequalities as it relates to school discipline. The reasoning was cited as "conduct unbecoming of a board member," and was based on Smith's social media posts, which members agreed interfered with the superintendent's ability to perform his duties, among other things, a release states. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Information, Information for the 2021-2022 School Year, Social Emotional Support Tools for Families, School Closing and Repurposing Information, NWEA Student Progress Report - Parent Information, Farmington/Farmington Hills Education Foundation, 2018-2019 Farmington School Culture & Climate Survey - Staff, Absence Management / Attendance Reporting, Board of Education Committee and Representative/Liaison Appointments. margin: auto; [8], Oakland County outperformed Michigan as a whole in terms of higher education achievement from 2010 to 2014. We should consider opening up Schools of Choice at the high school level, and offer more spots. Drawing upon current neuroscience about how the brain learns best, Dr. Blau specializes in creating highly engaging, interactive, experiential lessons designed to bring the curricular content to life for students so that they will connect meaningfully and deeply with what they learn. The resignation means the harassment complaint will no longer be pursued, according to the release. She was elected Precinct Delegate at 21 years and interned for the Detroit Council Member, Honorable Erma Henderson. . Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. The two boards members were not identified. She is the single mother of three daughters who all attended Farmington Public Schools - graduates of 2006, 2010 and 2016. Before the school board meeting, about 60 people huddled together in freezing temperatures for a brief news conference highlighting concerns of parents and entities about the teaching of CRT to school children. Olson: The schools priorities need to be returning to the basics of good curriculum, without the distractions of other important, but secondary issues especially social and political concerns. There was a problem saving your notification. FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (FOX 2) - A lengthy school board meeting heard more than 80 people speak during public comment with a clear divide when it comes to the district's approach to teaching. Green added that she had not seen or heard any of harsh comments posted on social media by Smith about the board or superintendent. According to Weems, the board did not look at "meaningful" student achievement data for almost two years. FPS has what is needed to provide a wonderful experience for a student. "I don't like anything sticking," she said. Davis County uses many social media channels to share information and interact with residents and non-residents. When the district establishes Excellence For All as its standard, then gaps in achievement can be eliminated. Contact Shelby Tankersley at stankersle@hometownlife.com. The adult behavior at the board has been horrible, and as a result, the children are suffering, Johnson said. font-weight: bold; Our curriculum is deeply using critical race theory especially in social studies, but youll find it in English language arts and the other disciplines. Im very vocal and Im very passionate about what I do and who I do it for, she said. "Toxic is theword of choice describing the boards culture in recent years. She has resided in Farmington Hills for over 20 years and was involved in her daughters' academics and extracurricular activities. font-weight: bold; I want to hold the position because I love our district and know that we have a very strong program already, but passionately want to be a part of improving it even more The Board is responsible for achieving aggressive education outcomes in Math, Reading, Writing, Science, and other areas that are required so that each student has a chance to become a productive member of our society as we know it and can reasonably expect it to be. Carr: The priorities of the district should be on excellence in education provided to all students. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. "That would never have happened under (former Superintendent) Bob Maxfield's leadership.". Our legislative committee continues to think about how we can impact IDEA. Weems: Mental health is a huge issue facing not just our district, but the whole nation. This vote followed the Board of Education's decision in August to. color: white; Angie Smith has had problems with every single person on that board, Terry Johnson, a former board vice president who alsoresignedin November, said. "So this is painful. display: inline-block; As a school board member, she said, she would first and foremost listen to parents, teachers and students. Smith earned her bachelor's degree from Wayne State University. Olson: Parents will send their students to the school that best meets the learning needs of their children. background-color: #003388; FARMINGTON, Mich. As the chaos surrounding the Farmington school board continues, the superintendent and two board members resigned during an explosive, emotional meeting. Her currently works for the Detroit School of Arts. Infighting wasfueled by big egos and big personalitiesandultimately pulled the board'sattention away from their primary focus: students, those critics say. We were founded on the Declaration of Independence.. }); Angie Smith was elected in 2016. At the board meeting, Terri Weems, the Farmington Public Schools (FPS) Board of Education president, said she was proud and had no plans to stop the DEI program. "It's time for me," Smith said. Smith allegedly said Herrera in a sense had his knee on the neck of an African American coworker.. The new policy took effect, Feb. 9, and applies to busses as well. Angie Smith, Farmington School Board Vice President, Endorses Levin. .widget-row.Libertarian { These results are automatically generated from Google. "You've got to be involved and see what's going on in the classroom. }); Mable Fox was elected in 2020. Currently, Mable is a consultant with Michigan Virtual. FEBRUARY 25, 2019, REGULAR MTG. Several board members said Hererra's not the first to administrative leader to leave the district because of strained relations, sayingformer Superintendent George Heitschs retirement was premature. If the district were to receive the full funding that is supposed to be provided it would free general funds for more programming and improvements. Smith is unapologetic for her approach. (The Center Square) School was out, but residents packed the North Farmington High School parking lot Tuesday night to protest the school's 21-day equity challenge that included white privilege checklists and asked student participants to join a BLM or affiliated protest.. Disclaimer: Farmington Public Schools shall not discriminate against an person based on race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sexual orientation, gender, age, disability, height, weight, or marital status in any of its programs, services, activities or employment. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. $(document).ready(function () { The next Regular Meeting of the Board of Education will take place on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at 6:00 pm. Carr: The district faces a number of significant challenges: decline in test scores in math, reading and other subjects, the loss of students to surrounding districts, loss of teachers and support staff (bus drivers among others). He is a two-time graduate of Wayne State University with a Bachelor of Public Affairs, co-majoring in International Studies and University Honors, and a Master's Degree in Public Administration. Angie Smith, the Farmington Public Schools board secretary, was censured for "conduct unbecoming a board member" after the panel said she made public comments and social media posts. } Schools of choice options provide a great opportunity for students outside of our district to join us, however . there are a huge number of students who live in our district who do not attend our schools. Dr. Herrera was appointed as superintendent in 2019. background-color: grey; In a tearful statement, Green told her colleaguesmost of her two-year tenure had been spent "managing unprofessional adult behaviorsversus focusing on the important work that we have been entrusted to do as aboard of education.". I think we need to do some cutting at the top. They also accused everyone else of not seeing things that way. Conflicts in school board elections, 2021-2022; Partisanship in 2022 United States local elections; Trends in 2022 ballot measures; The Biden administration. . I am happy with our direction, but this is not a time to rest because there is still plenty to do. Angie Smith has served on the school board since 2017. Smith said she has talked to teachers at the high school level who want to move back to semesters from the current trimester scheduling, a move she would support. Those completed goals come at the expense of Academic Excellence. } at bbanasik@masb.org or 517.327.5929. A resolution also passed to censure Smith. This was like Mean Girls.. A Certified Public Accountant, she has volunteered with parent groups at her children's schools and, Inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies should be directed to: Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, 32500 Shiawassee, Farmington, MI 48336. The district should not differentiate between students. All Board Meeting videos can be found by searching or subscribing to Farmington Central 265 on YouTube. He and Green did not immediately respond to requests for comment late Monday. She is the proud mother of two Farmington High graduates. Claudia retired in 2015 after a 40 year career in education, teaching high school mathematics at Riverside High School in North Dearborn Heights, Mercy High School in Farmington Hills, and Stevenson High School in Livonia. It was moved by Mr. Cook and supported by Mr. Smith that the Novi Community Schools Board of Education approve the Consent Agenda Items A and B as presented and vote on the donations separately. During a special meeting held with the school board Monday evening and streamed on YouTube, a motion was made to amend the agenda to include consideration of entering into a resignation agreement with the superintendent. ", The larger problem she sees is a disconnect between the school board and the community.