Simone Lightfoot and Andy Thomas raise their right hands as they're sworn in at the Jan. 18, 2012 AAPS board meeting. They were both re-elected to the board last November. Sitting between them is board member Glenn Nelson. (Photo by the writer.)

Also at the meeting, the board handled myriad internal board organizational issues, typical for the board’s first meeting after the start of the term for newly elected members.

After a 15-minute delay coming out of an executive session, the AAPS board launched into its first meeting of the new year, beginning with trustees Simone Lightfoot and Andy Thomas taking their oaths of office after winning re-election this past November. Though elected to four-year terms, both trustees will likely serve the board through 2016 – in five-year terms – due to recent state legislation mandating that school board elections take place only in even-numbered Novembers.

The board’s first order of business was to elect its officers. Three of the four board officer positions were uncontested re-elections, and were approved unanimously – Deb Mexicotte as president, Irene Patalan as treasurer, and Andy Thomas as secretary. But Christine Stead was elected vice-president by a 5-2 vote over Susan Baskett, who had previously held the position. Baskett and trustee Simone Lightfoot dissented. The four officers took their oaths of office, and Mexicotte appointed Lightfoot as board parliamentarian.

AAPS deputy superintendent of operations Robert Allen gave the board a summary of the state revenue consensus conference held last week, including his assessment that nothing he heard indicated that the district’s per-pupil funding would increase, despite a surplus in the state School Aid Fund.

Allen’s report prompted the board to direct AAPS superintendent Patricia Green and her staff to explore taking legal action against the state for misapplying School Aid Fund revenue.

Also at the meeting, the board reviewed and made some minor adjustments to its internal administration, including: a list of designated board associations; representation on administrative committees; time limits; meeting schedule; voting order; communication procedures; and committee structure.

Receiving an initial discussion by the board was the length of board terms,  as new state law governing board of education elections takes effect.  The board also gave initial discussion to the possibility of using BoardDocs, an electronic system of board document management, to organize board informational materials. Both of those items will return to the board for more discussion and a decision at the next regular board meeting.

Budget Update

As AAPS deputy superintendent of operations Robert Allen approached the podium to give the board a budget update, AAPS superintendent Patricia Green thanked him for his dedication. She pointed out that Allen had been in Lansing for two days and drove back that day to be able to update trustees directly on the outcomes of the state revenue consensus conference. The board thanked Allen for attending the conference and getting the information firsthand.

Budget Update: State Revenue Consensus Conference

Allen explained that the state revenue consensus conference brings together representatives from the state treasury department the house and state fiscal agencies – in order to see if revenue is coming into the state at projected levels. All three entities, Allen said, agree that economic conditions in Michigan are improving, with their assessment based on three main data points: (1) overall retail sales revenue is increasing; (2) vehicle sales are increasing, and (3) unemployment is trending downward.

Allen reported that the state School Aid Fund (SAF) is currently projected to end the 2011-12 school year with a surplus of either $42 million or $142 million. And if the same level of appropriations is assumed for 2012-13, the SAF will end 2012-13 with a surplus of either $122 million or $222 million. The $100 million discrepancy is due to the fact that one agency includes the $100 million that has been historically transferred from the general fund to the SAF, whereas the other two agencies do not, Allen noted.

He then pointed out that even in the best case scenario, there is still not enough money in the fund to keep school districts at the 2011-12 funding level. That’s because in addition to SAF appropriations, this year school districts were also offered an additional $300 million in the form of retirement rate offsets and “best practices” incentive funding. Unless those offsets and/or incentives are offered again, even a $222 million projected surplus would not be enough to maintain current funding levels.

Allen also pointed out that a $400 million surplus in the SAF last year was distributed to community colleges and universities – even though Proposal A made it clear that such funding was supposed to be used only for K-12 education, he said.

Budget Update: AAPS Budget Considerations and Projections

Allen then reviewed how the state revenue conference projections affected the budget for AAPS. Based on what he had heard over the past two days, AAPS will still be facing a $14 million budget deficit for 2012-13. Allen then highlighted two specific considerations: the effect of the state-mandated employer retirement contributions; and the proposition of moving to all-day kindergarten throughout the district.

Allen reviewed the rising cost of funding the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System (MPSERS), which will cost the district more than a 27% surcharge on employee salaries by 2012-13. He noted that the state is aware of the crisis, and has tried to mandate a shift in employee retirement plans from defined benefit plans to blended defined benefit/defined contributions plans. However, such a shift has faced legal challenges from teachers’ unions. Allen also pointed out that the state has $133 million in a reserve fund – which could be used to offset the retirement costs. But there has been no indication from the state about how that fund will be allocated.

Allen then reviewed pending legislation for next school year that will reduce the foundation allowance for half-day kindergarten students by 50%. Therefore, he said, AAPS is studying the costs and benefits of moving to a full-day program for all kindergarten students. [Currently, the district offers a range of kindergarten options, including both full and half day programs, depending on the demographics of each elementary school.] Green added that she will be bringing a recommendation to the board regarding all-day kindergarten as soon as possible after an administrative group concludes its study of the issue on Jan. 30.

Budget Update: Exploration of Potential Legal Action

Trustee Christine Stead expressed her frustration with the state’s appropriation of School Aid Fund surplus to institutions of higher education, saying, “I know there was some small clause in Proposal A that could be seen as allowing this in certain circumstances, but the spirit of the law has been violated in every way.” She suggested that that board direct AAPS administration to explore taking legal action against the state for its misuse of the SAF. “Time has come and gone for this.” she argued, “At what point do we say enough is enough?”

Lightfoot and Baskett responded to Stead’s suggestion with clear support. Nelson, Thomas, and Patalan were also supportive, but expressed concern about the allocation of AAPS resources to what could be a lengthy legal fight. Nelson suggested that if an initial exploration shows that a lawsuit would not pan out, AAPS could still address the issue by “going the political route.”

Mexicotte said she would be interested in finding out what the district’s legal prospects would be, and reminded the board that AAPS was a party to a set of lawsuits in the late 1990s [Durant v. State of Michigan] that succeeded in returning special education funding to local districts. “It is not without precedence that we have worked with other local districts and succeeded,” she said.

Consent Agenda Approved

The Jan. 18 consent agenda contained two items that were discussed as second briefing items – AAPS Educational Foundation Grant Awards, and the newly-crafted, district-wide Board Policy #6160 (Fines and Obligations). The first quarter financial report, minutes approvals, and gift offers were also on the consent agenda, but elicited no discussion.

Consent Agenda: Foundation Grant Awards

AAPS Educational Foundation (AAPSEF) executive director Wendy Correll came to the podium and offered to answer any questions trustees had about the set of grants being approved. She noted that the AAPSEF had just received an additional grant to fund a position currently held by Azibo Stevens, the district’s liaison to the Washtenaw Intermediate School District’s Education Project for Homeless Youth (EPHY), since state and federal funding for the position had “dried up.”

Lightfoot asked how many homeless students are part of AAPS, and Correll told her it was in the high 300s. Green added that a recent study suggested there could be as many as 140 additional students who have not yet been identified as homeless. Lightfoot said she would interested in a presentation from Stevens on the state of homelessness and truancy in the district. Mexicotte added that “educational neglect” is a related issue, and agreed it would be useful to have Stevens clarify the responsibilities of the district and the WISD as they relate to these students.

Consent Agenda: Fines and Obligations Policy

Mexicotte noted that many aspects of the regulations surrounding this policy were discussed at the board’s first briefing, but reminded everyone that the board only has purview over the policy itself. In that vein, she said, she suggested amending the policy by adding the following sentence to the end of the policy as a separate paragraph, to address the board’s main concern about the issue:

At no time shall a student be denied access to educational facilities or resources directly related to the free and appropriate public education of that student pending the resolution of outstanding fines or obligations.

Mexicotte also responded to some concerns of board members that the charge on returned materials should reflect the condition of the materials when lent. She reviewed than fines should be levied on students only outside of what would be considered “normal wear and tear.” Green added that with a policy in place, she was confident that school administrators would be able to achieve consistency in the application of this policy.

Outcome: The consent agenda was approved unanimously.

Board Organization

Every January the board reviews its internal organizational structure and procedures, and makes amendments if desired. At the Jan. 18 meeting, trustees reviewed and made some minor adjustments to various aspects of the board’s internal administration, including: time limits; list of designated board associations; representation on administrative committees; voting order; communication procedures; and committee structure. Three students spoke at public commentary regarding the board’s designation of the Youth Senate as one of its associations.

Board Organization: Time Limits

Mexicotte noted the last regular board meeting, which adjourned just after 2:00 a.m., included some discussion about doing business that late:  Was it in the best interest of the district or the trustees? She requested that trustees either acknowledge that meeting with unlimited discussion time may mean that board business takes a long time to complete, or agree to limit meeting length.

Thomas said he has felt somewhat stung by criticism regarding the length of board meetings, and offered to write guidelines that the board could adopt as policy in order to “eliminate redundancies” in discussion. Patalan advocated instead for greater self-regulation by trustees. Nelson suggested that a greater use of the parliamentary procedure of “calling the question” would lead to a heightened consciousness of time.

Lightfoot countered that she was concerned with discussion being cut off prematurely. She also expressed concern with the “I-know-where-you’re-going-with-this sentiment” she often hears at the table, “because you don’t know necessarily” where discussion is headed, she said. “We have a loaded agenda. There is not a whole lot of fat to get rid of.” If anything, Lightfoot said, the board should consider limiting its agenda, but not its discussion.

Mexicotte summarized the time limits discussion by saying that she had not heard any consensus on changing the board’s practice of speaking as long as it takes and giving all items the time they need to be resolved, while maintaining the option of calling the question to a vote. “Am I hearing this correctly?” she asked. “No change is basically what I’m hearing.”

Patalan disagreed, saying that simply the fact that the board discussed this issue would have an impact. She pointed out that not every board member had commented on every item thus far in the Jan. 18 meeting.

Thomas agreed with Mexicotte, saying, “I heard what you heard. What I heard was that the board has no problem with going on until one or two in the morning on a regular basis, and that there is no sentiment to do anything on a concerted basis to control our time management. If that’s the will of the board, I can stay up just as long as the rest of you. However, I wanted to bring forward some concerns.”

Mexicotte summarized the bottom line as she saw it on time limits: “What I want to affirm here is that if we decide we are going to talk as long as it takes on these very substantial matters, that we have a shared agreement that if a vote comes at 1:30 [a.m.], that’s when it comes, and that it’s not a fault of the process.”

Outcome: Trustees agreed they would not add time limits to their discussions, or limit the length of their meetings.

Board Organization: Public Comment on Youth Senate

Members of the district’s Youth Senate voiced their concerns about the board’s reconsideration of its associations. AAPS student Aoxue Tang said they applauded the board’s interest in expanding student engagement, but said it this effort should not compromise the board’s partnership with the Youth Senate.

Another student, Keely Earhardt, added that the process of involving students “should not move backward.” She noted that one advantage of allowing the Youth Senate as a board association is that it represents all high school students. Earhardt argued that if representatives from individual high schools are invited to present to the board, student voice becomes “competitive and fragmented.”

Public commentary on the Youth Senate was concluded by a student, Priya Menon, who reviewed the successes of Youth Senate initiatives in individual high schools. She highlighted ways the Youth Senate has strengthened student voice and opened up dialogue between students and administration.

Board Organization: Designated Board Associations

The board reviewed its designated associations. Currently, the board allows six groups to offer reports at all regular board meetings – the Ann Arbor Education Association (AAEA), Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Committee on Special Education (AAPAC), the Ann Arbor Administrators Association (AAAA), the Parent-Teacher-Organization Council (PTOC), the Black Parents Student Support Group (BPSSG), and the Youth Senate.

There was some disagreement about whether to continue to invite the AAAA to report to the board – because the group sends a representative to the board less frequently than other groups. However, it was generally agreed that without a policy governing required attendance, the door should be left open to the AAAA.

Trustees also discussed the possibility of allowing other bargaining units – in addition to the AAEA – to report to the board, perhaps in a rotating system of one or two association seats at each meeting.

The broader inclusion of student voice was also discussed, with multiple trustees giving accolades to the Youth Senate, as well as to AAPS assistant superintendent of secondary education Joyce Hunter – for working with the high schools to prepare a schedule for high school representatives to the report to the board. Lightfoot said she wanted to “reassure the Youth Senate that it was because they did so well that we wanted to hear from others, too.” She also said she would like to hear from a wide range of students, including those “standing in the [achievement] gap.”

Mexicotte suggested the board hold a broader discussion on its designated associations in the committee of the whole, addressing the schedule of speakers and attendance rules, as well as possible time frames and topic lists for speaking.

Outcome: The board voted to continue to invite the AAEA, AAPAC, AAAA, PTOC, BPSSG, and Youth Senate to make regular reports the board, along with additional representatives from each of the six high schools, on a rotating schedule to be determined by the board’s committee of the whole.

Board Organization: Administrative Committee Assignments

Board discussion about administrative committee assignments centered on two external groups – the Washtenaw Association of School Boards Legislative Relations Network (WASB LRN), and the city/schools committee.

Nelson informed the board that the WASB LRN position is likely to be different in the future due to the newly forming Washtenaw Alliance for Education. That’s a group designated by the WASB board of directors. The WAE would contain 33 people – two board members and the superintendent from each of the ten member districts of the Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD), and from the WISD itself. If approved by member districts, Nelson said, the WAE would provide way to influence legislation at the state level in a timely fashion. The group plans to meet monthly on Tuesdays at 6 p.m.

Once the WAE is officially formed, the WASB LRN would essentially “hibernate,” Nelson explained. AAPS superintendent Patricia Green added that the model of a county-wide legislative advocacy group was used very successfully in Pennsylvania, where she has worked previously. Nelson closed by saying that the creation of the Alliance will not eliminate the need for local boards to act on their own, but should build on local action rather than supplant it.

The city/schools committee has not met in several years. Baskett noted that she has gotten a sense that the hesitation in meeting has not come from the city council or city administration side, but from the side of AAPS. Given this, Baskett questioned whether the city/schools committee will be viable.

Stead confirmed that she had recently spoken to city council members Sabra Briere and Jane Lumm at an event, and that they had each expressed interest in working more closely with the school board. Mexicotte confirmed that trustees were intent on reviving the defunct committee, and suggested that trustees reach out to make the invitation to city council members, and to the mayor’s office within 60 days. Nelson added that the city/schools committee should communicate with the recreation advisory committee, which maintains an active discussion among city and school representatives.

With input from the trustees, Mexicotte then made the following appointments:

• Lightfoot and Stead to the expulsion hearing/grade change/reinstatement panel;
• Baskett, Patalan, and Stead to the city/schools committee;
• Nelson to the recreation advisory committee;
• Patalan to the celebration of excellence committee;
• Mexicotte to the transportation safety committee;
• Thomas to the AAPS Educational Foundation as a board member;
• Lightfoot to the Youth Senate (if requested);
• Baskett to Health Place 101 [part of the University of Michigan Regional Alliance for Healthy Schools];
• Nelson to the Washtenaw Association of School Boards as a district board representative;
• Stead to the Washtenaw Association of School Boards Legislative Relations Network; and
• Lightfoot to the Michigan Association of School Boards Legislative Relations Network.

Outcome: The board agreed to renew the charge of the City-Schools committee, and all trustees agreed to their individual appointments, as listed above.

Board Organization: Meeting Schedule

As a way to make more efficient use of meeting time, the board considered expanding its summer meeting schedule. “Maybe we’re not on an agrarian schedule any more either,” Mexicotte suggested.

Trustees agreed that summer meetings could be used to do policy work, textbook adoptions, supply approvals, and hearing from summer school students, among other business. There was also agreement that not all seven trustees were needed, if vacation schedules prevented it, but that meeting more over the summer could allow trustees to off-load some of the work usually addressed during the school year.

Patalan noted that all of the committee of the whole (COTW) meetings were scheduled to take place at the Balas Administration building, and suggested holding them at various school buildings instead. The board expressed support for the idea.

Mexicotte requested that trustees submit their summer schedules to Osinski as soon as possible, and that Osinski put forth a board meeting schedule for the remainder of the 2012 calendar year within two regular board meetings.

Outcome: The board voted to meet twice in July and August – one regular meeting and one COTW meeting, and to relocate COTW meetings to school buildings.

Board Organization: Voting Order

Mexicotte noted that at the previous board meeting, a trustee questioned why the board always voted in alphabetical order. She asked trustees to consider whether they wanted to revise this past practice.

Nelson, Stead, and Baskett said they preferred board secretary Amy Osinski to read trustees’ names in a random order for every roll call vote. As a rationale for his opinion, Nelson offered, “Those who vote later in the process know things that others in the beginning did not know. That’s an obvious difference.” However, he also pointed out, “One can argue that it’s good to vote early because you can be such a strong influence on the group.” Stead said simply that voting in random order would make trustees focus more on their own votes.

Thomas, Lightfoot, and Patalan expressed interest in maintaining the board practice of taking roll call votes in alphabetical order. Thomas noted that he thought the decision was a “pretty trivial” one.

Mexicotte then said she was inclined to continue voting in alphabetical order because for her, “random is just too random – we just have [Osinski] tossing darts.” She suggested maintaining an order, but switching to reverse alphabetical. Trustees agreed to vote in reverse alphabetical order.

Referencing the board’s earlier decision not to limit discussion, Thomas noted, “If there is any doubt why our meetings last until 2 am, the last 15 minutes should provide ample explanation.”

Outcome: The board agreed to vote in reverse alphabetical order.

Board Organization: Communication Procedures

The board reviewed its internal communication procedures, as well as how it communicates with the AAPS administration and the community as a whole.

No changes were made to the board’s internal communication, except that some trustees requested a phone call from board secretary Amy Osinski regarding urgent matters – because they are not in continuous e-mail contact.

Trustees then discussed their relatively new process of making superintendent Patricia Green the single point of contact between the board and AAPS administrators and staff. That was something they had agreed to at their first committee of the whole meeting this fall. Thomas, Stead, Patalan, and Nelson reported that the process is working well for them, but Lightfoot and Baskett disagreed.

Lightfoot argued that with Green as the gatekeeper, “All seven [trustees] are not getting the same access to the cabinet.” Baskett also questioned the timeliness of having to wait for a reply via Green when in the past, she has been able to call specific cabinet members directly with a question.

Green clarified that it is best practice for all communication between trustees and top administrators to go through her, but that there is no prohibition against trustees contacting staff with specific questions. She noted that her cabinet has come back to her since the board began instituting this new process and reported how much better smoother and better this has been. “We have to avoid fragmentation,” Green said. “We have to work [trustees’] questions into the work flow, and can’t answer every question quickly.”

Mexicotte said she was concerned about the perception of unequal access to the cabinet, but suggested that when fielding constituents’ questions, trustees could refer them to AAPS staff or administrators directly. Lightfoot called that approach “a luxury,” and suggested that in some communities, referring constituents to the superintendent instead of answering their questions directly would be interpreted by the constituents as “putting them off.”

Patalan suggested the alternative of simply telling constituents it may take a while to get an answer for them. Lightfoot responded to Patalan’s suggestion by saying that would work for her better than telling a constituent to call someone else. Nelson also answered that if the superintendent does not grant a trustee access to her staff for whatever reason, the trustee always has the recourse of bringing the issue up at a board meeting. “If I can get a majority,” he explained as an example, “I can change that answer.”

Board Organization: Committee Structure

The board considered creating two board-level task forces or ad-hoc committees – one to focus on the technology bond and one to focus on legislative advocacy – but in the end decided not to create either one.

Regarding the upcoming technology bond millage campaign, Mexicotte noted that Stead and Nelson had already been in touch with the Citizens’ Millage Committee (CMC). Baskett asked for information on the work on the committee, and a list of its members.

Nelson explained that a similar group of people has come together to form the CMC during the past few AAPS millage campaigns, and that the CMC will function as the campaign’s advocacy arm. Because the district is legally prohibited from advocating for a “yes” vote on the millage, the CRC complements the internal group of AAPS administrators who are responsible for assessing the district’s technology needs, researching costs, and deciding how to make the most of any bond money approved by the voters.

Nelson named James Corey, Donna Lasinski, Steve Norton, Amy Pachera, Laurie Barnett, and Margy Long as some of the CMC members, but said he was sure he had forgotten some other names.

Trustees decided not to form a board-level technology bond committee, but to support the work of the CMC as well as the AAPS administrative group working on the issue. “It sounds like we have a strong role to play as advocates,” Mexicotte said.

Regarding the possibility of a legislative advocacy committee, the board decided to table the formation of such a committee pending the creation of the Washtenaw Alliance for Education [described above]. Trustees agreed that the WAE was worth their investment of time, but noted that, if necessary, they would revisit forming an AAPS legislative advocacy committee in the future.

Length of Board Terms

The board briefly discussed a first briefing item that would lengthen the term of board trustees to six years instead of four. The idea was suggested in response to recent state legislation requiring school boards to hold elections only in even-numbered Novembers. In AAPS, this will mean that a majority of the board (4 members) will be up for consideration in every other election. This would allow for a shift in the majority, unless the board votes to change the length of its own terms.

Board members did a quick straw poll on the issue, with the majority expressing an interest in maximizing board continuity while allowing the voters as much control as possible. Thomas noted that having six-year terms might increase the number of trustee resignations in the middle of a term, so it may be better to stick with four-year terms and risk that a majority of the board would turn over in one year. Mexicotte noted that six-year terms might set the bar too high for people to run.

Lightfoot said she trusts the voters, and that they should be able to vote people out in four years. Baskett was blunt, “Six years is just plain crazy … This is a volunteer position.”

Trustees noted that they would be interested in receiving feedback from the community on the issue before voting on it at the next regular meeting.

Outcome: The issue of board term lengths will come up for more discussion and a vote at the board’s next regular meeting.

BoardDocs: Electronic Document Management

The board had discussed moving to BoardDocs – a “paperless governing solution” – at its retreat in July 2011. At the Jan. 18 meeting, the board held a first briefing and discussion about BoardDocs.

The board packet contained a memo from board secretary Amy Osinski recommending that the board adopt BoardDocs, a paperless, electronic document management system.

Lightfoot and Thomas expressed their preference for hard copies, but said they could print the board packets out. Patalan and Baskett also expressed mixed feelings about the prospect of moving to a paperless system. Patalan acknowledged that she believes some aspects of BoardDocs would be very beneficial, such as transparency, the ease of updating policy, and being able to link to other districts.

Baskett suggested that the board would need to explore what to do to ensure connectivity, such as purchasing a computer for Osinski that could be used as a connectivity hub, or “hot spot.”  Baskett also said that she herself would require a “live body” next to her to help for the first couple of meetings, but that she thought it was important for the board to be a role model using technology – “it’s about time,” she said.

Lightfoot asked how much the district would really save, if confidential board packets are still to be printed and delivered by courier. Osinski replied that there are only a handful of confidential packets each year, and that the copy company can deliver them instead of a courier. She also noted that the cost of policy books and other large copy orders would be significantly reduced.

Osinski said overall, she expects the time savings to be huge. Although there are initial costs, BoardDocs would be worth pursing for efficiency, she said. BoardDocs would save the district approximately $4,000 to $5,000 per year in printing costs, she said.

Thomas reviewed the proposed costs as outlined in the board packet. If AAPS makes a five-year agreement with BoardDocs, the cost will be $9,000 per year, which would include maintenance, support, installation, training, upgrades, and customization. The annual cost would increase for shorter agreements, and all require a $1,000 implementation fee.

Osinski noted that BoardDocs has only “gone down” once in 11 years, and that the district would be reimbursed for the time when the system was down, if it ever happened again.

Mexicotte noted that her concern about moving to BoardDocs was about eye contact and meeting management. “I struggle with the laptop format in a meeting like this because you’ve got your nose in it and you’re behind a screen,” she said. Thomas said that trustees would be able to see each other’s faces over the screen, and pointed out how everyone could see the faces of the media representatives even though they were using laptops at the meeting. He joked that the greater concern might be whether trustees were really looking at the web pages they were supposed to be looking at during meetings.

Baskett suggested including corollary costs in the second briefing discussion, including any additional costs for ensuring connectivity.

Outcome: The question of moving to the BoardDocs paperless document management system will be reviewed at second briefing and voted on at the next regular board meeting.

Public Comment: Hiring

Jim Turner spoke of his disappointment about the board’s recent hiring actions. “I have never seen a bigger display of arrogance … You don’t know everything, and you just decide what’s best … You don’t listen to what people have to say … I don’t believe you’re looking out for kids…You don’t care about what the people in the district want.”  [Turner may have been alluding to the board's recent decision to award a bid for HVAC journeyman services to D.M. Burr, a non-union company in Flint, MI.]

Awards and Accolades

In honor of National School Board Week, Joe De Marsh, conductor of the Tappan Middle School chamber orchestra recognized the work of the trustees. His students then played three selections for the board.

Superintendent’s Report

Green thanked the local chapter of The Links for recently sponsoring “Beyond the Bricks,” a media project and opportunity for national community engagement on the consistently low performance and graduation rates of black males. She noted that AAPS assistant superintendent for secondary education Joyce Hunter had moderated a panel discussion after the film, and that the event had been very enlightening.

Green also offered congratulations to various schools, students, and staff members for exemplary work across the district, and the receipt of awards throughout the state. She also praised many of the community services projects recently undertaken by AAPS students and staff.

Finally, Green recognized the trustees for their work as part of school board appreciation month, and offered them certificates of gratitude. “I think it’s important that the conversations you all have are genuine and that they represent who you are,” Green said. “It’s because of what you do that we appreciate the results of what you do.”

Student Discipline

Based on the board’s earlier hearing, held in closed session, Mexicotte said, she moved to expel Student A from AAPS as required by the state of Michigan and board of education policy. Her motion was seconded by Stead.

Baskett noted that the board usually puts a time limit on its disciplinary actions, and Mexicotte said the action would be for 180 days. She also noted that in the hearing the board had requested that the educational needs of the student would be supported by referral to alternative education.

Outcome: The board unanimously approved the expulsion of Student A.

Acceptance of Canvassers Report

On Nov. 8, 2011, voters in the AAPS district voted to re-elect Simone Lightfoot and Andy Thomas to four-year terms.

Outcome: With no discussion, the board voted to unanimously accept the canvassers report from the November 2011 board election.

Agenda Planning

Mexicotte noted that she would add an agenda item regarding homelessness, truancy, and how the district interacts with the Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD) on such matters. She also reminded board members that the next committee of the whole (COTW) meeting was next week, and that the February meetings are taking place on a condense schedule due to mid-winter break.

Lightfoot questioned the achievement update’s place on the board calendar in March and asked if it had changed. Green answered that no, it had always been planned for March.

Items from the Board

Stead encouraged her colleagues to sign up for the inaugural Ann Arbor marathon being held on June 17, 2012. She noted that they would have a full six months to train, and urged, “This is do-able!”

Stead also announced the upcoming Washtenaw Elementary Science Olympiad, the largest event of its kind in the nation.

Thomas invited the board and public to a performance this week of Life Sciences orchestra, in which Thomas plays the viola. He pointed out that this concert is geared to a younger audience, and will include an “instrument petting zoo” sponsored by Shar Music. The concert will be held at 4 p.m. on Sun. Jan. 22, 2012 at Hill auditorium, and is free.

Baskett invited everyone to an event on Mon. Jan 23 co-hosted by the local Student Advocacy Center and the ACLU. Saying it would be a forum to talk about student rights and responsibilities as they deal with expulsions, Baskett said the event would be “packed full of information.” The event will be held at the Peace Neighborhood Center from 6-8 p.m., and an RSVP is requested to attend:

Mexicotte noted that the WISD would be running a workshop on superintendent evaluations from 8:30-11:30 a.m. on Sat. Feb. 18 to bring the ten county districts together.

Present: President Deb Mexicotte, vice president Christine Stead, secretary Andy Thomas, treasurer Irene Patalan, and trustees Susan Baskett, Simone Lightfoot, and Glenn Nelson.

Next regular meeting: Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012, at 7 p.m. at the downtown branch of the Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave. [confirm date]

Patricia Green, incoming superintendent of the Ann Arbor Public Schools, spoke during the AAPS board's March 30 meeting. She starts her job in July. (Photo by the writer.)

Green was in town for a brief visit to meet with members of the administration and will start her tenure here in July. Noting that she hopes to make one more visit before then, Green stated her commitment to connecting with the district and encouraging members of the community to reach out.

Wednesday’s meeting was highlighted by talk of how to deal with looming budget issues. The board discussed – then unanimously approved – a resolution opposing the transfer of some state School Aid Fund money, which has traditionally financed K-12 schools, to fund higher education instead. Trustee Andy Thomas called the proposed transfer “a rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul scenario, done in a very underhanded manner.”

Budget issues were also a key part of a report to the board by Brit Satchwell, president of the Ann Arbor Education Association, the teacher’s union. He said the union’s efforts are focused on educating the public about sacrifices the district would have to make to accommodate proposed cuts, keeping in mind concessions that have already been made.

Also during Wednesday’s meeting, the board voted to expand the district’s schools of choice program. They got an update about a partnership with the University of Michigan involving Mitchell Elementary and Scarlett Middle schools, and heard a report on efforts to reduce energy costs throughout the district.

Four people spoke during the time set aside for public commentary. Speakers expressed concern over the district’s scheduling of events in conflict with religious holidays, and objected to a proposed expansion of the parking lot at Haisley Elementary School.

Board Opposes Transfer of School Aid Fund

Trustees unanimously supported a resolution opposing the transfer of state School Aid Fund (SAF) money to institutions of higher education. A proposal being considered by the state legislature would divert some of the SAF funds, which are traditionally used to finance K-12 public schools.

The issue had been a rallying point at previous meetings, with trustees expressing their disbelief that the district’s surplus in SAF money could be lost due to the transfer of some of that money to community colleges and other higher education institutions.

The resolution, which has been circulating among public school boards in Michigan, was introduced and read by trustee Irene Patalan. [.pdf file of a draft resolution distributed by the Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB) and used by the AAPS board] The resolution cited several arguments against the transfer of funds. It noted that funding for public education has failed to keep up with rising costs, and pointed out that institutions of higher education can earn revenue through tuition increases, while K-12 districts can not.

The resolution also touched on how Proposal A, a 1994 statewide ballot initiative that shifted responsibility for K-12 funding to the state, was coupled with the understanding that these funds would be used solely for K-12 education.

Board members hoped that passing this resolution would help serve as a call to action.

“We recognize the need for (higher education) funding, but this is a rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul scenario, done in a very underhanded manner,” trustee Andy Thomas said.

Board president Deb Mexicotte agreed, adding that this transfer of funds would run contrary to what the public wanted the SAF to be used for.

“While we’re arguing the facts that the SAF was set aside and promised to K-12, this is also contrary to the will of the people as to how this money should be used, and how this is being used as an argument for an erosion of public education,” Mexicotte said. “I am in support of passing this resolution. We should speak out on this at every opportunity we get.”

Outcome: The board unanimously approved the resolution that opposes transferring state School Aid Fund money to fund higher education.

[For background on budget issues, see Chronicle coverage of the board's March 16, 2011 meeting, when interim superintendent Robert Allen gave the board an update on the district's budget.]

Association Reports

At each meeting, the board invites reports from six associations: the Youth Senate, the Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Committee on Special Education (AAPAC), the Parent-Teacher-Organization Council (PTOC), the Black Parents Student Support Group (BPSSG), the Ann Arbor Administrators Association (AAAA), and the Ann Arbor Education Association (AAEA), the teacher’s union.

On March 30, the board heard from the teacher’s union and the BPSSG.

Association Reports: Ann Arbor Education Association

Brit Satchwell, president of the Ann Arbor teacher’s union, echoed the same themes that the board expressed in opposing Gov. Rick Snyder’s proposals for reduced education funding. He updated the board on the AAEA’s efforts to fight those funding cuts.

Satchwell said the main thrust of the effort is to educate the public about the sacrifices the district would have to make to accommodate these cuts, keeping in mind the concessions that have already been made.

“We entered this year projecting a $7 million deficit, which was then upped to $15 million after the cuts from Snyder, and if the special education millage fails it will be $22 million,” Satchwell said, referring to a renewal of the 0.985-mill tax that is on the May 3, 2011 ballot. “The worse-case scenario for this year, plus the [$35 million] cuts of the last five years, would total to about one-third of an annual [city of] Ann Arbor budget, which is astounding.”

Satchwell closed by saying that the district would not be able to continue to cope with these cuts, adding that changes at the state level would be necessary for survival.

He argued that if the Michigan Association of School Administrators and the Michigan Association of School Boards could do at the state level what the local districts are doing, “we’d have a much better state and a brighter future,” Satchwell said. “If there is no success at that level, all our efforts here will be for naught.”

Association Reports: Black Parent Student Support Group

Brian Johnson delivered a report on behalf of the Black Parent Student Support Group. Johnson, a Pioneer High School graduate, told the board that the BPSSG would be making the closing of the achievement gap a top priority.

“We were battling the same issue when I graduated too many years ago,” he said. Johnson added that the organization appreciated the ongoing support of the board.

Schools of Choice Expansion

Jane Landefeld, the AAPS director of student accounting and administrative support, was on hand to discuss a schools of choice (SOC) proposal – board members had raised some questions about it at the previous board meeting, on March 16. Compared to the current school year, the proposal would open up 40 additional spaces for students outside the district – for a total of 190 openings – as a way of increasing enrollment and revenue. Trustees had questions about how the district would consider siblings of SOC students looking to enter the district in different grades or at a later time. [.pdf of schools of choice memorandum]

A year ago, AAPS opened 150 slots for its SOC program, but they were only able to attract 79 students. Administrators attributed this to the district’s limited number of slots in certain grades, which restricted the ability to bring in siblings of children who applied for the schools of choice program.

At Wednesday’s meeting, Landefeld said that state regulations allow siblings of a child enrolled in an SOC program to receive priority for admission. This extra consideration makes it easier for families who want to move all their children into the district, rather than just one child.

The window for applying for the SOC program is April 15 to May 15, with the district opening 60 seats in kindergarten, 60 seats in first grade and 50 seats in sixth grade classrooms. Twenty slots for grades 2-5 will also be opened, with each grade getting five openings.

Outcome: Board members unanimously approved additional schools of choice openings, as part of their action consent agenda, which also included a $5,000 gift from the Pioneer High School Booster Club for a fence near Holloway field, the minutes for the board’s March 16 regular meeting, and minor policy changes discussed at the board’s previous meeting.

Public Commentary: Scheduling, Haisley Parking Lot

Four people spoke during the March 30 meeting’s public commentary session, addressing two areas of concern: (1) scheduling events that conflict with religious holidays; and (2) the expansion of the parking lot at Haisley Elementary School.

Public Commentary: Scheduling Policy

Seth Goldstein, a junior at Skyline High School, and James Toy of Ann Arbor spoke about the district’s scheduling policy. Goldstein began by asking the board for help changing the date of an athletic event that conflicts with Yom Kippur, a Jewish holiday that this year begins at sunset on Friday, Oct. 7.

The district’s scheduling policy mandates that significant events such as athletic contests or major exams cannot coincide with holidays such as Yom Kippur. Goldstein said his family has been pursuing this since November.

“We should show an awareness of the importance of these policies to foster feelings of inclusion, not discrimination,” he said.

Toy, a well-known community activist, also spoke on the issue of discrimination, taking a broader view of the board’s efforts. He shared a story of his experience as a Chinese-American during World War II. Toy said he had to wear a sign around his neck every day that read “I am not a Jap” to avoid harassment. He went on to commend the board for their efforts to combat harassment and bullying, adding that he hoped they would continue to protect minorities in situations such as Goldstein’s.

“We need to work with each other as we labor for the human worth and dignity of all,” Toy said.

Public Commentary: Haisley Parking Lot

Theresa Schneider and Scott Sproat – two parents with children at Haisley Elementary School – spoke out against a proposal to expand the school’s parking lot. The expansion is intended to alleviate traffic problems.

Schneider and Sprote said that people such as Mary Anne Jaeger, Haisley’s principal, are framing this expansion as necessary in order to meet state requirements, when that is not the case, they said.

“Parking expansion is not a requirement. It is a convenient solution,” Schneider said. “We need to engage people about alternatives.”

Sprote added that Jaeger omitted items from the minutes of a March 21 meeting on the issue, such as not including a student who spoke in support of alternatives to expansion. Because of this, Sprote felt that someone else should take minutes at future meetings.

Both parents expressed their desire for a fact sheet detailing the situation, and their worry that there would be no vote on the issue.

Board Committee Reports

The board has two standing committees. The planning committee consists of Christine Stead (chair), Susan Baskett, and Irene Patalan. The performance committee consists of Glenn Nelson (chair), Simone Lightfoot, and Andy Thomas. Board president Deb Mexicotte is not a member of either committee.

Committee Reports: Performance Committee

All three of the trustees from the performance committee updated the board on items that they had discussed, including the district’s partnership with the University of Michigan, efforts to combat bullying and harassment, and updated policies for facility use.

Trustee Andy Thomas opened by discussing how the district is looking to grow the UM partnership, formerly known as the lab school, which involves Mitchell Elementary School and Scarlett Middle School. Thomas and the performance committee had been briefed on the project by Lee Anne Dickinson-Kelley, interim deputy superintendent for instructional services, and Mitchell Elementary School principle Kathy Scarnecchia.

Thomas reported that the district’s vision for the partnership would include a combined K-8 campus consisting of teachers, interns (the term for students from UM), AAPS students, parents and community members. There will be a continuation of some previously held initiatives, such as the Mighty Mustang math program and the Scarlett Math Assessment project. The partnership would be launched for the 2011-12 school year.

Teachers in both schools will be given the option of transferring if they are not interested in the partnership. Teachers who choose to stay will be asked to affirm that they are committed to the new approach, which includes employing culturally relevant teaching methods, partnering with families, and examining their own practices. Thomas said that an overwhelming majority had expressed interest in being a part of the new set-up, with a large pool of teachers in other schools eager to participate as well.

In addition, Thomas said that a balanced schedule is being considered for use during the 2012-13 school year. The specifics of a balanced schedule are yet to be determined, but the general structure would consist of an extended school year that includes intersessions, which are additional opportunities to take elective courses. A cost analysis will also be done, as well as a report on how the experience of a student at Scarlett or Mitchell will differ from students at other schools. [For additional background on this project, see Chronicle coverage of the AAPS board's Dec. 8, 2010 meeting.]

Thomas closed his portion of the presentation by stating the performance committee’s excitement for growing the UM partnership, giving it their endorsement.

Trustee Glenn Nelson was the next to present from the performance committee, talking about its focus on school climate – bullying and harassment. Some of the efforts he mentioned included district principals traveling to an anti-bullying conference to bring back effective techniques to address this problem, and an update on the progress of surveys being given to AAPS students regarding school climate.

Nelson added that Danny Brown, a youth coordinator from the Neutral Zone, was on hand at the performance committee meeting to give his input on effective ways to combat bullying through methods such as including elements of diversity in a student’s everyday curriculum.

Nelson concluded his update by praising the discussion they had, adding that they would continue to work on improving school climate. “We can look forward to more progress from surveys and our efforts,” he said.

Trustee Simone Lightfoot was the last member of the performance committee to make comments, giving a brief update on changes made to the district’s policy on facility use. Lightfoot said all the changes were being finalized and will be made public when that process is complete.

Committee Reports: Planning Committee

Trustee Christine Stead gave a brief report on behalf of the planning committee, which had also received a presentation on the UM partnership at Mitchell and Scarlett schools. Stead said she and other planning committee members were excited about the partnership and were looking to schedule community meetings to discuss a balanced schedule.

The planning committee was also visited by members of the community who are concerned about the Haisley parking lot expansion, she said. Stead reported that committee members – along with Randy Trent, AAPS executive director of physical properties – had discussed the issue at their meeting.

Interim Superintendent’s Report

Interim superintendent Robert Allen gave a report that focused on accomplishments by AAPS students. The update was highlighted by comments about the Bands in Review event, which had taken place on March 25-26. Allen said the performances were “wonderful as usual,” and he thanked the volunteers who helped make the event possible.

Allen also wished everyone a peaceful and restful spring break, which runs from the end of the school day on Friday, April 1 through Sunday, April 10.

Facilities Report: Energy, Forsythe Easement

Randy Trent, AAPS executive director of physical properties, delivered two reports to the board at Wednesday’s meeting: An update on the district’s energy and sustainability efforts, and a briefing on an easement request for property at Forsythe Middle School.

Facilities Reports: EASE Program

Trent began by updating the board on the district’s energy and sustainability efforts. The update centered on the Environmental Awareness and Sustainability Education (EASE) program.

The EASE program was approved in 2010 and will be slightly expanded this year. The goal is to reduce energy consumption at AAPS facilities by 4% per year over a four-year period. Reducing energy at that level would cut the district’s energy expenses by $324,000 per year.

Trent – assisted by Johnson Controls, which partnered with the district on this initiative – will be continuing to gather information about the district’s utilities usage. This information will be displayed on a soon-to-be-launched website and used to look for areas where costs can be reduced.

“We know every fan heater and fish tank – everything that’s plugged in,” Trent said.

To expand on these efforts, Trent said the district will now look to educate AAPS students about energy-conscious behaviors through a number of initiatives.

The new website, which will be available through the AAPS main website, will contain information collected by the EASE program. An educational booth will also be used, moving from school to school teaching students about the EASE program and a number of other sustainability measures.

Trustee Simone Lightfoot felt that educating students was a good idea, adding that students themselves could be consulted for insight about where costs could be cut.

Trent agreed, saying that there will be a phone number for people to call if they want to make suggestions, as well as a way to submit ideas online. Surveys will be provided to measure utility usage and awareness of the EASE program.

Trent said the efforts will not focus only on education. There will also be a report on how much money the district is saving thanks to these initiatives. Trent estimated the amount to be at least $324,000, continuing efforts of maintaining cost-effective utility service.

“To give you a perspective of where we are, when I started in 1984 we had a budget of $5.4 million,” he said. “We still have that today [despite increases in utility costs] and we’re looking to reduce it.”

Trent concluded by talking about how the many energy-friendly measures they could adopt would save the district money.

“The best energy is energy you don’t use,” he said. And that results in “more dollars to put toward the education of students.”

Facilities Reports: Forsythe Easement Request

Following his presentation on sustainability efforts, Trent – along with trustee Andy Thomas – gave a brief report on an easement request from a resident near Forsythe Middle School.

Mark and Elizabeth Perry live on Hillridge Boulevard, a property next to Forsythe, which is located at 1655 Newport Road. The Perrys are requesting that AAPS grant a temporary easement so that they can install and connect a drain line to an existing storm drain on the school’s property. An easement gives an individual or entity the right to use property that they don’t own.

In addition, the Perrys are asking for a permanent easement that would allow them to operate, maintain, repair or replace the drain line, if necessary. [.pdf file of easement request]

Trent and Thomas reported that the storm sewer near Forsythe occasionally has drainage difficulties, due to its surrounding topography.

The request will be back for more discussion and a vote at the next regular board meeting, on April 20.

Misc. Communications

Trustee Christine Stead had one update during the board’s agenda planning section, providing information on the work being done to organize a roundtable for state legislators. Stead said that some good ideas for how to combat the budget cuts proposed by Gov. Rick Snyder had been brainstormed, and the next step would be to find a date that would work for legislators to meet with school officials.

Wednesday’s meeting concluded with board members sharing their experiences at recent district events. Trustees lauded the performances at Bands in Review. They also expressed praise for the Neutral Zone‘s Wine, Word and Song event, Tappan Middle School’s performance of “Grease,” and the FIRST robotics district competition held at Skyline High School.

Present: President Deb Mexicotte, secretary Andy Thomas, treasurer Irene Patalan, and trustees Glenn Nelson, Simone Lightfoot and Christine Stead.

Absent: Vice president Susan Baskett.

Next regular meeting: Wednesday, April 20, 2011, at 7 p.m. in the fourth-floor conference room of the downtown Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave. [confirm date]

About the writer: Eric Anderson is an intern for The Ann Arbor Chronicle. Jennifer Coffman, who usually covers AAPS board meetings for The Chronicle, is taking a maternity break.

AAPS superintendent Todd Roberts, taking copious notes during last Wednesday's school board meeting. (Photos by the writer.)

The AAPS board of education voted to consider a resolution to consolidate transportation services at its final meeting on June 23, if a competitive bid is not received by the bus drivers’ union before then. Also, after months of discussion, the board passed the 2010-11 budget and accompanying millage to support it.

Also at Wednesday’s meeting, the board approved a new AP Biology textbook, passed a resolution in support of using the state’s School Aid Fund only to fund K-12 schools, and debated the renewal of a contract to outsource the district’s food service. And, for more than half of its six-hour meeting, the board engaged in non-voting business, receiving updates from Skyline High School staff, the USA Hockey team housed at Pioneer High, and the Intergroup/Social Change Agents, a high school program designed to encourage dialogue on social identities.

Countywide Transportation Consolidation Plan

AAPS superintendent Todd Roberts introduced Robert Allen, AAPS deputy superintendent of operations, and Brian Marcel, assistant superintendent of business services for the Washtenaw Intermediate School District (WISD), saying they were available to answer any questions about the transportation consolidation plan proposed at the board’s June 4 meeting. Allen pointed out that the entire plan is on the board’s website, and said they would begin by asking Marcel to review the plan.

Transportation: Consolidation Background and Savings Goals

Marcel gave some history, saying that in February of 2007, the superintendents, chief financial officers, and members of the school boards from every district in the county met to explore a variety of possible countywide consolidations. At that time, Marcel said, transportation was identified as a possible service to consolidate, with the original intention to privatize consolidated transportation services countywide.

After additional consideration, Marcel continued, the direction of the group changed to wanting to keep employees public, but reap savings as if services were privately run. Consultants were brought in to help create a plan that would yield savings of 18-25%, by focusing on standardizing as much as possible within transportation services across the county. Marcel noted that special education bus routes would change for the upcoming fall, and that general education routes would stay relatively the same for the first year of the program.

Board secretary Glenn Nelson asked what savings would be created by the consolidation plan as it’s been crafted. Allen answered that the AAPS had hoped for $1.5 million in savings, but this plan achieves only $1.3 million the first year. Allen then pointed out that savings could increase in future years, once AAPS routes are made more efficient.

Trustee Simone Lightfoot asked if the WISD anticipated making a profit by administering the consolidated transportation services. Marcel said no, that the program’s finances would be separate from the rest of the WISD. He explained that no profit is expected, but if there were additional savings for some reason, an oversight group could choose either to make a capital investment in the program or provide a rebate to participating districts.

Transportation: Hourly Wages and Salaries

In response to questions raised at the consolidation plan’s first briefing on June 4, Allen had prepared two spreadsheets for Wednesday’s meeting – one sheet broke down bus drivers and monitors by rate of pay and years of service; the other compared the proposed salaries of the consolidation’s central administrators with the WISD recommended salary ranges for those positions.

From the proposed salary spreadsheet, Baskett noted that bus driver supervisor/trainers are slated to make a higher wage under consolidation. She confirmed with Allen that the supervisor/trainers are currently making from $40,000 to $50,000 annually, but that the consolidation’s administrative design team proposes to pay them $49,150. The WISD recommended salary range would bump them up even higher, paying them from $66,203 to $77,857.

From the hourly wage grid, both Baskett and trustee Andy Thomas noted that the 48 drivers making $18.09 per hour at the top of the current pay scale would experience quite a dip in income – down to $16 per hour for general education routes, or down to $16.50 for special education routes. Lightfoot also pointed out the much higher cost of health care for the drivers under consolidation, and stated, “I’m troubled by a few aspects of this plan … We’re asking the lowest wage earners to adjust to the new reality, but not the managers – that’s problematic.”

When Baskett questioned the size of the supervisors’ raises, Marcel reiterated two points he had made at the last meeting – that anyone in WISD supervising 50 employees needs to be paid at that highest compensation range, and that all positions were “benchmarked” to the market. Lightfoot questioned the benchmarks, pointing out that AAPS currently pays the supervisor/monitors much lower than their proposed salaries under the WISD plan. But Marcel said that perhaps AAPS supervisor/trainers have different job descriptions than those positions would have under the WISD plan. Lightfoot countered, “It seems like you’re going with the highest ‘benchmark’ for the upper managers, but the lowest ‘benchmark’ for the drivers.”

Thomas concurred, pointing out that the wage reduction drivers at the top of the pay scale would be asked to take is a 9-12% decrease, not including the increased health care costs. Thomas said he was very troubled by the fact that one group of people were set to take a significant pay cut while others were getting pay raises. He asked how much AAPS drivers are currently paid compared to market benchmarks.

Marcel said that to compare fairly, one has to consider total compensation, since not all districts offer health insurance to drivers. With that in mind, he said, AAPS drivers are not at the top but currently in the top third of the pay range of drivers throughout the county. In terms of the administrators, Marcel again argued that there would have to be some level of salary equity among managers within WISD “so everyone will be happy when we are all one organization.”

Transportation: Hiring and Seniority

Marcel explained that the hiring timeline, also part of Allen’s packet provided to the board, was constructed to hire the program’s administrators first, so they could then be part of hiring those who would report to them. He reiterated that employment records and drug screening would be part of the hiring criteria, but again asserted, “I want to hire bus drivers who are already familiar with the students and with the schools.”

Lightfoot asked about the difference between “seniority” and “experience,” again following up on part of the conversation from the last meeting. Marcel acknowledged that the two words both mean the number of years of accumulated time. However, the reason the WISD team chose to include “experience” as a hiring criteria rather than “seniority” is because of how seniority is used in decision-making. For example, Marcel said, seniority might be applied to allow drivers to select their own routes, whereas under the consolidation plan, the WISD would make all routing decisions.

Process for Approving the Consolidation

Board president Deb Mexicotte asked Marcel which other districts had agreed to participate in the consolidation at this point. Marcel answered that Lincoln, Willow Run, and Ypsilanti are planning to participate in the consolidation of general education routes.  All of the WISD districts except for Chelsea – this includes the three above, plus AAPS, Dexter, Manchester, Milan, Saline, and Whitmore Lake – have agreed to fully consolidate special education routing.  Chelsea, he said, is not interested consolidating either general education or special education services, but is willing to pick up students on its routes that pass through the other districts.

Baskett asked what the board’s options were, and whether an actual resolution would be coming soon. Mexicotte confirmed that if that evening’s resolution passed, it would indicate that the board intends to receive a contract from the WISD for consideration by June 18. “Moving forward tonight,” she clarified, “does not bind us to that contract at this time.” She stated that the board has an obligation to look at any bid received from a bargaining unit side by side with the WISD contract in an open way.

Thomas requested removing the countywide transportation consolidation from the consent agenda, so that it could be further discussed before a vote. Standing independently, the resolution was then moved by vice president Irene Patalan and seconded by treasurer Christine Stead, and discussion continued.

Transportation: Public Commentary on Consolidation

AAPS bus driver Chai Montgomery called the countywide transportation plan “unsound.” He pointed out that the AAPS director of transportation earns $160,000 per year, but that School Bus Fleet magazine says a manager should make around $50,000. There are ways to save, Montgomery said, but it has to start with managerial overhead, and then operational changes can be sought. First, “cut the waste from the top,” he urged.

Another AAPS driver, Richard Miller, argued that consolidating transportation services will cause increasing driver turnover. Honoring seniority, he said, would be an ethical way to rehire, and long-employed drivers are safest. He pointed out that his own salary would go from $18.09 to $16 an hour under consolidation, and urged trustees to vote with their consciences.

Transportation: Rationale for Approving the Consolidation

Baskett asked Allen what, beyond savings, were the differences between privatizing transportation services, consolidating them, and the status quo.

Allen reiterated that if the services are privatized, employees would lose their pensions, and that “many folks get into public education because of the retirement benefits.” He also pointed out that with consolidation, unlike with privatization, the participating districts retain some control over the system. Allen pointed out that the ISD takes its direction from its districts’ superintendents whereas to direct a private company to do something, “it’s usually ‘back to the table’” to renegotiate the terms of the contract. In terms of longevity, Allen said, consolidation is the best model.  Citing economies of scale when purchasing fuel and parts, he also argued, “When you consolidate ten districts, you don’t need ten directors.” Finally, Allen said that the status quo was not sustainable – “there’s no way to cut $20 million without touching employees.”

Nelson said he recognized the legitimacy of different views, but he believed that voting against this plan would lead to increased cuts in instruction and larger class sizes. He announced his intention to support the plan, arguing that there is a basic efficiency to be gained by consolidating, and that the board needs to be focused on its mission to educate children and young people, rather than considering what the cuts mean to adults. Finally, Nelson asserted that savings from this plan will increase after the first year, and that “it will be good for our students over time.”

Lightfoot countered part of Nelson’s view, saying, “I see it as a ‘both/and’ not an ‘either/or’ situation … We have an obligation both to our students and to our employees.” She later said that she, too, would be supporting the plan, with her stated misgivings – “There are changes that can and should be made to the pay structure,” she said. “I hope WISD will take our comments into account … I implore them to do it.” Lastly, Lightfoot pointed out that the state may be requiring districts to consolidate transportation services in the future, and that AAPS may end up ahead of the curve.

Stead identified the board’s current position as a “contraction stage,” and argued that AAPS needs to position itself for longer-term efficiency in light of education’s structural funding deficit. Calling the consolidation plan “the better option on the list of terrible options,” Stead also reminded the board that during the failed countywide schools millage campaign last fall, much of the feedback received from voters called for exploring new approaches to cost-saving, including consolidation. She pointed out, “It would be difficult to go back and ask for support in the future without having taken that feedback into account.”

Thomas thanked Marcel and Allen for their hard work, and said he does see the potential for tremendous benefit to the district in this plan. In considering the consolidation, he said, he keeps coming back to this year’s $20 million deficit, and a potential $15 million deficit for 2010-11. Though he said he has “serious misgivings” about this plan, he said he would support it, and that on the whole, consolidation is the way to go.

Baskett described the consolidation decision as a “tough call.” Privatization is not in anyone’s best interest, she said, and the district can’t stay with the status quo. That leaves the last two options, as she put it – working with the bargaining unit (the union representing bus drivers), while moving forward with the WISD resolution. She encouraged WISD to lower management salaries, and closed with, “I want to stress to the bargaining unit – we’re running out of time.”

Patalan stated, “We are very careful … My job is to keep my eyes on students.” She said she believed that consolidation would be shown to be more efficient, and appreciated that under the plan, drivers would be able to keep their pensions. Lastly, Patalan said, the “efficiency and ecology” of consolidating cannot be overlooked, and that she would support the plan.

Mexicotte asked for a roll call vote, and the trustees each formalized their support. Mexicotte closed by saying the board would expect to receive a contract for review by June 18, to be acted on at the next board meeting on June 23.

Outcome: The board unanimously voted to receive and consider a contract from the WISD to consolidate transportation services with surrounding districts.

2010-11 Budget and Millage Rates Set

Allen took to the podium to field any last questions or comments from the board regarding the district’s 2010-11 budget and accompanying millage resolution. There was little discussion, as the budget had been presented to the board at various stages of development throughout the spring.

Thomas asked about the impact of lower Schools of Choice enrollment than had been budgeted. A memo from Roberts to the board states that 94 students have accepted enrollment – 47 in kindergarten, 27 in 1st grade and 20 in 6th grade. His memo also says that the district is requesting that the state allow a second Schools of Choice application window in August, but that the request might not be approved.

Allen confirmed that if the district is not able to increase Schools of Choice enrollment, it could adversely affect the budget by up to $500,000. He also pointed out that the Options Magnet enrollment is expected to meet its target.

Nelson noted that the millage associated with the 2010-11 budget will be a significant tax rate reduction. In 2000, he said, homeowners in the AAPS district were levied 12.8 mills, including the WISD special education millage. In 2005, the same homeowners were levied 12.7 mills, and in 2010, homeowners will be levied at 11.5 mills.  Nelson summarized by saying, “If we … say we want to pay fewer taxes, we are saying we want to support schools less than those who came before us.”

Nelson then apologized in advance for going off-topic, and proceeded to ask Allen how the new stormwater retention project just completed at Pioneer High School had fared during the storm the previous weekend.

Allen noted that Nelson was referencing the Allen Creek Watershed Project, and said that whether it made a difference depends entirely on where people live. Those who live closer to Pioneer might have noticed a decrease in flooding near them. Noting that he is not a watershed expert, Allen described the project as “collecting the first inch of rainwater, and regulating how it flows back into the system.”

[In response to an emailed query from The Chronicle, Janis Bobrin, the county's water resources commissioner, wrote that the project is designed to help with some quantity management for smaller storms, but is focused on improving the quality of the stormwater flowing from Allen Creek into the Huron River.]

Outcome: The 2010-11 budget was approved as part of the consent agenda described below.

Revised AP Biology Textbook Adopted

It was after midnight when the board opened discussion on the possible adoption of a revised textbook for the district’s AP Biology classes. Pioneer AP Biology teacher Dolores Kingston was still at the meeting – she wanted to be there for the final approval. When the board noticed her, they thanked her for her good work on this issue. Kingston replied, “I’ve been working since November on this – I’m going right to the end!”

Outcome: The consent agenda, containing the 2010-11 budget, the millage resolution, the textbook adoption, and minutes approvals, was moved by Stead, seconded by Patalan, and unanimously approved by trustees Nelson, Mexicotte, Lightfoot, Patalan, Thomas, Stead and Baskett.

Additional Action Items

The board considered two direct action items at this meeting – a resolution to support continued, dedicated funding of the School Aid Fund, and a resolution to hold an executive session to conduct the annual evaluation of AAPS superintendent Todd Roberts.

Resolution to Support the Michigan School Aid Fund

Nelson introduced a resolution, saying it was meant to “put on record” that the board supports the School Aid Fund as it is currently used by the state, which is solely for funding pre-K through 12th grade. Referencing suggestions currently being made by the governor and members of the state legislature to do otherwise, Nelson argued that it was important for the board to state unequivocally that it opposes transferring money out of the School Aid Fund into the general fund, and that it opposes adding other functions to the School Aid Fund. The governor has suggested, for example, that since the School Aid Fund currently has a surplus, perhaps it could be used to add funding to community colleges.

Thomas concurred, saying that this is an example of “not only counting your chickens before they’re hatched. Even after they’re hatched, there are a lot of chicken hawks … out there.”

Baskett and Patalan thanked Nelson for taking the lead on writing the resolution.

Nelson suggested that the signed resolution should be distributed to local elected officials and Gov. Jennifer Granholm. He also encouraged citizens to contact their legislators, and demand that they use the School Aid fund for K-12 education.

Outcome: The motion to support the School Aid Fund was moved by Nelson, seconded by Lightfoot, and unanimously approved by trustees Nelson, Mexicotte, Lightfoot, Patalan, Thomas, Stead and Baskett.

Superintendent Evaluation

Patalan moved to hold an executive session for the purpose of evaluating Roberts at 5:30 p.m. before the next regular meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. on June 23. It was seconded, and approved unanimously.

Outcome: The motion to hold an executive session was unanimously approved by trustees Nelson, Mexicotte, Lightfoot, Patalan, Thomas, Stead and Baskett.

Public Commentary

Several speakers shared thoughts with the board during public commentary. In addition to the responses to possible countywide transportation consolidation reported above, the board heard concerns about privatizing child care, the Thurston driveway project, and needed education reform.

Public Commentary – AAPS Child Care Privatization

Before the meeting, AAPS child care staff members were demonstrating outside the downtown library, where the meeting was held. When approached by The Chronicle, they said they had heard that their jobs were being privatized. Three people spoke to the board with concerns about the possible privatization of the district’s before-and-after-school child care program.

Demonstrators against possible privatization of the AAPS child care program. District official say they are not contemplating the privatization of child care.

Kent Olsen asserted that privatizing the school-aged child care program (SAC) would lead to inconsistency in staffing. He contended that the director of community education and recreation, Sara Aeschbach, had turned in a budget that she knew was not balanced, and questioned how such a budget could be used to cut staff. Olsen contended that the privatization of SAC had been kept quiet by the board possibly because it wanted to prevent a loss of trust on the part of AAPS parents who use the program. Olsen said SAC staff wants to work with the community and the board to address their budget, and thanked the trustees for their time and “serious consideration” of his concerns.

Connie Devine, a child care supervisor, then spoke, saying that she opposed the privatization of child care. She argued that the child care staff has been greatly overlooked, and that they have been given no opportunity to negotiate.

Finally, a Dicken Elementary School parent spoke. She said that, as a working parent, she chose AAPS in part because of KCare’s reputation as high-quality child care, and expressed concern that the quality would suffer if the service was privatized.

After the meeting, The Chronicle spoke with Roberts and Mexicotte about these public comments. They confirmed that, though there had been some consideration of privatizing child care services, there are no plans to do so at this time. Mexicotte added that such a move would have to be a part of the budget discussion, which it was not.

Public Commentary – Thurston Driveway Project

Kathy Griswold spoke again regarding her concerns about the paving project to be completed this summer at Thurston Elementary School. Saying that the Transportation Safety Committee had met the day before, she requested that the board “issue a change order” to fix a significant vehicle-pedestrian conflict. This design was a compromise, she said. It is better, but not good, Griswold continued, and “we cannot compromise on student safety.” Lastly, Griswold argued, the design is ugly, too expensive, and will have a negative impact on future sinking fund campaigns.

In response to Griswold’s attempts to revise the paving project, on Friday, June 11, Thurston’s principal Patricia Manley issued a statement via email on behalf of the Thurston community stating that she believed that the design they had was the one they wanted. Manley included a .pdf attachment with a memorandum from Brad Mellor, who chairs the transportation safety committee. [The email exchanges between Griswold and school officials last week provide additional background on the Thurston driveway project.]

Public Commentary – Advice from Thomas Partridge

Thomas Partridge frequently speaks at public commentary of other Ann Arbor public bodies, such as the city council, the county board of commissioners and the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority board. At Wednesday’s AAPS meeting, he introduced himself as “Thomas Partridge, AAPS resident, father, grandfather, and advocate for the most vulnerable.” He said he supported the consolidation of transportation services, but urged the board to “keep as many jobs as possible.”

Partridge then went on to other topics, suggesting that AAPS transfer money and attention away from competitive sports and toward music. He stated that he supports increased funding for education, and is an opponent of the “tea-baggers.”Partridge asserted, “Freedom does not come from cutting out opportunity,” and argued that “we need true reform.”

First Briefing Items

The board heard three items at first briefing, meaning they were introduced, and will be placed on the agenda for a second briefing and vote at the next regular meeting on June 23. The board considered renewing its food service contract, as well as its membership in the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA). Trustees also discussed the degree to which pilot programs in the district need to be monitored by the board, as reflected by board policy.

Food Service Contract Renewal

Allen presented a resolution asking the board to approve another year of food service provided by Chartwells School Dining Services. He explained that the board approved a five-year contract with yearly renewal requirements in 2009, and this is the first of the four annual renewal requests.

Both Lightfoot and Baskett asked about the feedback on Chartwells’ services received from parents and students, as well as the process for incorporating that feedback. Allen noted the existence of a districtwide committee on nutrition, but allowed, “I still think the [parent] survey needs some work.” The chief complaint he received about the food, he said, was the menu repetitiveness, which repeats on a 30-day cycle. Student feedback, Allen said, comes chiefly by tracking the number of meals purchased.

Baskett noted that national concern about childhood obesity is growing, and Lightfoot questioned food quality, noting that she has heard complaints regarding an overabundance of carbs, or starches. She also stated that, for parents, “There is no mechanism by which they can make actual change.”

Allen countered that many of AAPS menu choices exceed government requirements set by the USDA, and pointed out that AAPS menus include whole wheat options, and an increased presence of fruits and vegetables. The constraints on further improving the menu are cost-related, he said. Allen continued, “If we want to provide filet mignon, [Chartwells] will do it, but they will charge us.” Lightfoot suggested that savings earned by outsourcing food service could be redirected back into the program to increase the quality of the food, and Allen said that could be considered.

Baskett asked how programmatic changes, such as price increases, would be communicated to parents. Allen noted that no price increases are planned for next year, and added that all families with students in the lunch program receive a letter regarding the program over the summer.

Allen also noted that Chartwells’ annual evaluation by AAPS will take place in July. Thomas questioned whether the review would be financial or regarding customer satisfaction. Allen answered that it will be both – finances will be reviewed, but also complaints or concerns brought by AAPS.

Baskett asked how well the Chartwells food service program had done at increasing the number of students receiving free and reduced lunch, which had been one of the goals in hiring the company. Allen replied that the numbers of applications for free and reduced lunch has been rising steadily for the last two years, and that he would be able to bring back those statistics to the board after the July review.

Mexicotte suggested that it would be helpful if the renewal process could be tied to the evaluation process by having AAPS be proactive in surveying, rather than waiting for the end-of-the-year report from Chartwells. She requested that Allen look at using surveys to assess customer satisfaction with the food service program on a regular basis.

MHSAA Membership Renewal

Roberts introduced the MHSAA membership renewal resolution, which would commit AAPS to comply with all MHSAA regulations in exchange for being allowed to participate in post-season play. He noted that this renewal is required annually by Aug. 1, that there was nothing new to the resolution that the board has not approved in previous years, and that there was no cost associated with the membership.

Stead noted that it was exciting to see Skyline High School listed as a member school.

Pilot Projects and Other Policy Considerations

The board was asked to temporarily reauthorize four board policies – two reviewed by the performance committee (4300 & 7220), and two reviewed by the planning committee (3760 & 6120) – with no changes until the end of the calendar year. Committee chairs Baskett and Patalan stated in memos to the board that the extensions would allow “further administrative/committee review” of the policies.

Policy 4300 covers employee evaluation, and Baskett suggested that it would be important to see what happens with the federal Race to the Top legislation – which may cause changes to the evaluation system – before recommitting to the policy.

Policy 7220 covers parent and booster organizations. Baskett reported that the booster clubs operate differently at each school, and that no consensus has yet been reached among school staff regarding the policy, so the performance committee would like more time to work on it.

Policy 3760 covers transportation, which Patalan pointed out is in flux; therefore, her committee requested the extension to craft the policy in light of what happens with possible consolidation of services.

Policy 6120 requires board approval of all “pilot projects” in the district, and annual board evaluation of such projects for their first three years. Patalan said her committee had “done a lot of talking” about the policy, but that they were not ready to recommend a revision.

Mexicotte added some history to the board’s ongoing debate about the pilot project policy, beginning, “A million years ago, I wrote this policy to ensure that new ideas would have some level of accountability.” When it was originally drafted, she said, there were many programs with unclear effectiveness. Now, she said, the board is better apprised of new programs and how they align with the district’s curriculum, thanks to the current administration’s commitment to providing information. In addition, she said, fewer new initiatives have been labeled “pilot projects” in order to avoid the added oversight accompanying that designation. Mexicotte concluded, “I am okay with us undoing the need for this oversight … If the committee thinks it’s obsolete, I’m okay with it.”

Nelson pointed out that there are many new board members who may have new ideas, and that this topic has “a lot of nuances.” He argued that it deserves the “low-stakes” brainstorming that occurs in committees, and suggested that both the performance and planning committees review the policy in the fall.

Thomas added, “I don’t think the need for this policy has gone away.” In a reference to the disbanding of a lunch program at Dicken Elementary School aimed at raising the test scores of African American students, Thomas argued, “The district recently experienced the effects of a ‘pilot project’ that did not go well.” He suggested focusing on better adherence to the policy as written.

Roberts resisted, saying that for the board to monitor every program at every school would be too time-consuming. He asked what the policy would label a “pilot project.”

Lightfoot agreed with Thomas, saying that the policy is fitting, and that she is still astounded at the number of programs in the district. “I understand how time-consuming it would be to lay that all out, but we need that,” she said. “There is room to improve on getting a handle on all the programs going on at all the schools … The program at Dicken is an example of exactly what we need to be aware of.”

Mexicotte jumped in, “Just for the record, I think this is a beautifully written policy.”

Baskett – who had also aided in the original drafting of the policy – concurred, smiling, “I, for one, don’t want to change a word.” More seriously, she said she would, however, like better adherence to the policy, and pointed out that a participant at the recent achievement gap meeting at Mitchell Elementary asked for an inventory of district initiatives on that topic, but that she and Lightfoot, who were chairing that meeting, “didn’t know where the master list was.”

Association Reports

The board invites the Youth Senate, the Black Parents Student Support Group (BPSSG), the Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Committee on Special Education (AAPAC), the Parent-Teacher-Organization Council (PTOC), the Ann Arbor Administrators Association (AAAA), and the Ann Arbor Education Association (AAEA) to offer regular reports at its meetings. At this meeting, the board heard reports from the Youth Senate, the AAPAC, and the PTOC.

Youth Senate

Youth senators suggested aligning the Pioneer High School bus schedule with its media center hours, so that students who arrive early on the bus can consistently use the media center before school. They also expressed concern about the new math graduation requirements, and the Skyline High School final exam schedule, which does not include a half day off for studying like the schedules at Pioneer, Huron, and Community high schools do.

Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Committee Report

Ann Telfer reported for the AAPAC. She stated some concerns regarding the high turnover of speech pathologists at Huron High as an example of “ancillary services” that she argued could use more oversight at the central and building levels. Teacher consultants, she said, should be able to report any gap in service delivery directly to parents.

Telfer also noted a trend in AAPS, in which graduating seniors from the special education program cannot pass the COMPASS test at Washtenaw Community College, which is used to determine academic placement. The AAPAC would like to be invited to discuss the “false sense of academic achievement” given to AAPS students with IEP or 504 plans, as well as how the personal curriculum option could be used for these students. The AAPAC is also looking forward to being part of the hiring process for a new director of student intervention and support services, Telfer said, and gave the retiring Larry Simpson best wishes.

PTO Council Report

Bill Ebright reported for the PTOC, saying that they filled their officer slate for 2010-11, and that the PTOC advocacy has begun a postcard campaign to keep pressure on the state legislature to ensure adequate school funding.

Special Presentations

In addition to the Skyline High School update, which The Chronicle intends to report on side-by-side with the other high school updates coming later this month, the board heard two special presentations about programs that operate in the district: USA Hockey, and the Intergroup/Social Change Agents. Both were given solely for the board’s information, and required no action.

USA Hockey

Pioneer High athletic director Lorin Cartwright introduced the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (NTDP), which is housed at the school. The NTDP is a program to develop national hockey players under the age of 18. Roberts explained that these 44 players come mostly from outside of AAPS, and make a two-year commitment to the program. They enroll at Pioneer, and have earned an average GPA of 3.25, while performing local community service projects in addition to training as world-class athletes. Over 98% of the players leave the program with a college commitment.

Nelson and Patalan thanked the students for their hard work, and for inspiring AAPS students to do community service by their example. Cartwright summarized, “These are outstanding young men in an outstanding program housed in AAPS.”

Intergroup/Social Change Agents

Naomi Warren, a research assistant at the University of Michigan’s Program on Intergroup Relations, introduced the Intergroup/Social Change Agents (Intergroup) program to the board as “a program to help students learn how to talk across difference.” It has been a part of AAPS for eight years, she said. Warren thanked the board for its support.

A recent Huron High School graduate described how the program had taught her to listen from her heart, and to dialogue rather than debate when it came to issues of social identity. Another student said a joint workshop with students from Huron and Stone schools helped them to break down stereotypes held by the students at those schools regarding each other. And a third student asserted that Intergroup had taught him how to understand others’ points of view.

Mikel Brown, who co-facilitates Intergroup along with Warren, explained that the program helps kids to understand and manage conflict. “You can be a bunch of pieces of a puzzle in one box and make no sense at all,” Brown said, “or, you can figure out how you’re supposed to fit together with other people.”

Stead thanked the three students who spoke, affirming that the ability to listen really is a life skill.

Nelson said he appreciated the work of Intergroup, adding that it’s a good reminder of what’s important beyond the academic core.

Baskett asked how the program is funded, and how students can get involved.

Warren explained that funding was piecemeal – AAPS pays a portion as a stipend to a school liaison, and the program is partly supported by Dr. Michael Spencer at the UM School of Social Work and outside grants. Currently, Brown added, the program takes place at Huron and Stone schools, and meets after school. He said it’s been a challenge to make the program more mainstream, but that he wants it to move forward and have more impact, noting that prevention is a cost-effective means of preventing more harmful conflict in the future.

Lightfoot thanked the Intergroup presenters for coming, and asked that they “stay in touch with us. We too are in conflict, so we can be in conflict together.”

Awards and Accolades

The board typically recognizes a variety of organizations and individuals at each meeting for a range of different awards and achievements.

Kiwanis Club Scholarships

Ann Mattson, president of the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor, made a special presentation to the board to report on its scholarship program. This year, Mattson said, Kiwanis awarded 29 $1,000 scholarships to AAPS students, funded primarily by the thrift sale it runs on Saturdays. Mattson also mentioned that six students from AAPS middle schools were given scholarships to attend music camp this summer.

Mexicotte thanked Mattson and Kiwanis for their support of AAPS students.

Superintendent’s Report

Roberts issued congratulations to all 2010 graduates. He also thanked the 450 parent volunteers who made the elementary Science Olympiad possible, and noted many awards earned by AAPS students and staff, including Atulya Shetty, a Clague Middle School 8th grader who will represent the U.S. in the World Youth Chess Championship.

Items from the Board

Lightfoot mentioned that she and Thomas had attended another board member training by the Michigan Association of School Boards that was “fabulous.” She also mentioned visiting Thurston Elementary,  how excited they are about getting their new driveway, and how retiring Lakewood principal Rick O’Neill will be a real loss to the district. Lastly, Lightfoot thanked participants of a recent meeting held at Mitchell Elementary to discuss the achievement gap, saying that many have asked for that dialogue to continue. She also reported that many board members have expressed a willingness to formalize work on the achievement gap.

Baskett reported that she has visited three of the five middle school planning centers, and suggested, “We need to put some consistency around these.” When asked by The Chronicle after the meeting what her purpose was in visiting the planning centers when they are being eliminated in place of the new “positive behavioral support” initiative beginning next year, Baskett responded that she is interested in collecting baseline impressions of the centers before the transition.

Agenda Planning

Neither the performance nor planning committee made reports at this meeting, other than to invite the public to their final meetings of the year. The performance committee met on June 10, and the planning committee will meet on Wednesday, June 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the superintendent’s conference room at the Balas Administration Building, 2555 S. State St. After the meeting, Lightfoot said the planning committee will consider how the board should move forward in supporting work on closing the achievement gap among students of different races.

Nelson announced that he and Patalan, the only two board members not up for re-election in November, would be holding an information session for prospective board members on Wednesday, June 30 at 5:30 p.m. at the Balas Administration Building.

Mexicotte announced that the board would meet for a full-day retreat on Friday, July 23.

Present: President Deb Mexicotte, vice president Irene Patalan, secretary Glenn Nelson, treasurer Christine Stead, and trustees Susan Baskett, Simone Lightfoot, and Andy Thomas. Also present as a non-voting member was Todd Roberts, superintendent of AAPS.

Next regular meeting (and the last one of the 2009-10 school year): June 23, 2010, 7 p.m., at the downtown Ann Arbor District Library, 4th floor board room, 343 S. Fifth Ave. [confirm date]