Semi-finalists are:

1. Benjamin Edmondson, current AAPS principal of Roberto Clemente High School [.pdf Edmonson bio];
2. Richard Faidley, superintendent for the Derry Township School District in Hershey, Pennsylvania [.pdf Faidley bio];
3. Sandra Harris, retired superintendent of the Oak Park School District in Oak Park, Mich. and former AAPS director of personnel [.pdf of Harris bio];
4. Henry Hastings, full-time lecturer at Eastern Michigan University [.pdf of Hastings bio];
5. Brian Osborne, superintendent for the South Orange-Maplewood School District in New Jersey [.pdf of Osborne bio]; and
6. Jeanice Kerr Swift, assistant superintendent of instruction, curriculum and student services for the Colorado Springs School District in Colorado Springs, Colorado. [.pdf of Swift bio]

Interview questions are being developed and will be discussed by board members at a study session on Tuesday, July 2 at 5:30 p.m. at the Balas administration building, 2555 S. State St.

Semi-finalist interviews will be held at the Courtyard Marriott, 3205 Boardwalk, on Monday, July 8 from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and on Tuesday, July 9 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Interview times on those dates are tentative, according to AAPS.)

The board might choose to schedule a regular meeting following the July 9 interviews to select finalists. If not, those selections would occur at the board’s regular meeting on July 10. Interviews with the finalists are planned for Monday, July 15 and Tuesday, July 16, with times to be determined.

The board will make its final selection for superintendent at a regular meeting on July 17 at 7 p.m. at the Courtyard Marriott. Typically, AAPS regular board meetings are held at the downtown Ann Arbor District Library, but the venue is being changed because of the Ann Arbor art fairs, which start on that date. According to the press release, AAPS is working with Community Television Network (CTN) to arrange for the July 17 meeting to be broadcast.

Tappan Middle School orchestra students performed for the board.

Four community dialogue meetings the board held regarding the budget were summarized by board president Deb Mexicotte and treasurer Glenn Nelson. The trustees will be working to divide some of the suggestions they heard from the public into short-, mid-, and long-term action items.

The board also met during a study session before the regular meeting to address some of the most pressing needs of the superintendent search: identifying a salary, determining a superintendent profile, confirming the superintendent search timeline, and approving an advertising schedule.

The trustees hope to have a candidate in place by the end of July. They decided on a salary range of $180,000 to $220,000, commensurate with experience.

Also at the meeting, Mexicotte made standing committee appointments. The trustees recently moved away from a committee-of-the-whole structure to planning, performance, governance, and executive committees.

Additionally, the board heard first briefings on paving contracts, tech bond purchases, and the Freeman School lease renewal. Trustees voted to approve the 2013 spring grant awards.

2013-14 Budget: Overview

District superintendent Patricia Green led off the presentation on the district’s expenditure report and budget proposal by saying that “none of the potential reductions are without a significant amount of pain.” The projected budget deficits for the 2013-14 school year are at least $8.67 million, following five years of “already massive cuts,” she said. The district’s foundation allowance [per pupil allowance from the state of Michigan] is $9,020 – an amount less than the foundation allowance in 2001-02.

The board had asked Green and the administration to make a best estimate to prepare a list of potential budget cuts, which were presented at its Feb. 27, 2013 meeting. Since then, the administration has continued to cost out potential reductions, and “the picture is not pretty.” Until something changes in the revenue stream from Lansing, these cuts won’t be the end of it, said Green.

The proposal the administration presented was, as Green described it, the beginning of “some serious deliberations that need to take place.” She reiterated that the administration wanted to work with the board to balance the budget. But she noted that if one cost savings could be taken off the list, it would have to be replaced by an equivalent.

2013-14 Budget: Expenditures

Nancy Hoover, AAPS director of finance, first gave a brief overview of how AAPS spends its money.

AAPS director of finance Nancy Hoover.

The majority of the general fund budget is spent on instruction and instructional support (80%). The rest is spent on operations and maintenance (10%), athletics (2%), transportation (3%), and central administration (5%).

To illustrate the increasing problem of funding the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System (MPSERS), Hoover then presented an analysis of MPSERS pension costs per pupil. While the state has worked to contain the costs in recent years, since 1994 the pension cost per student has steadily risen from $280 in 1994 to $1,366 in 2012. Subtracting out the pension cost from the foundation allowance leaves the district with $7,654 per pupil.

Before walking the board through the budget proposal, Hoover listed out the assumptions used for the expenditure projections. The projections assume:

• district enrollment remains flat
• an annual cost increase of 5% over the next three years for health benefits
• an increase in the retirement rate
• an annual cost increase of 4% for transportation costs

Taking into account basic expenditures, as well as step and fringe increments, the district’s projected expenditures for 2013-14 total $192.66 million. Given $3.4 million in staff concessions, the district needs to make $8.67 million in reductions to balance the FY 2013-14 budget.

2013-14 Budget: Proposed Cuts to Instructional Services

Hoover presented the following proposed reductions to the budget for instructional services, totaling $6,264,068:

• Reduce teaching positions by 32 full time equivalents ($3.2 million);
• Eliminate reading intervention teachers ($1 million);
• Reduce Fine Arts/PE positions through attrition ($200,000);
• Reduce counselors to the ratio specified in the AAEA contract ($300,000);
• Reduce theatre funding ($77,068);
• Eliminate one theatre technician position at Pioneer to provide equity with the other comprehensive high schools ($50,000);
• Eliminate 7th hour ($500,000);
• Reduce noon hour supervision ($71,000);
• Move Skyline High to semesters from trimesters ($300,000);
• Freeze library material purchases for one year ($100,000);
• Eliminate high school transportation ($466,000).

Nelson said he was concerned about the scale of what they had to do. He asked how many retirements had already been handed in to the district. Hoover said that on average, between 40 and 50 instructional staff retire every year. Currently, they have 12 notifications. She said the smaller number could be a reflection of the reduction in the early notification incentive that was made last year.

Mexicotte asked about the timing of layoff notices. Comsa said that if it involves the Ann Arbor Educational Association (AAEA), they would have to make a determination the last day of the school year. If they are looking to reduce 30 positions, Mexicotte said, they would have to notify approximately 200 staff members by the end of the year.

Trustee Susan Baskett was concerned about the implication of cutting staff. If the district were to cut 7th hour, as well as the reading intervention teachers, that would mean cutting services that have taken a lot of time to build up. She asked how they would compensate for the loss of services provided. AAPS deputy superintendent of instruction Alesia Flye said that they would like to partner with the community to make up for the cutting of services. Trustee Andy Thomas suggested telling the high schools that if they wanted to keep things like 7th hour or trimesters, they would need to do it with fewer teachers, then let the building administrators figure out how to make that work.

The trustees also talked briefly about the issue of transportation. Thomas noted that in the proposal, the Roberto Clemente Student Development program would remain as it is, but high school transportation would be cut. Because Clemente was not located on an AATA bus route, he wondered how students would be able to get to the remote location. Randy Trent, AAPS executive director of physical properties, acknowledged that if the district were to eliminate high school busing, it could not discriminate between schools. Green noted that transportation must include special needs and homeless students. Forty-two percent of Clemente students are classified as special education.

Mexicotte questioned how they were able to supply provide to Clemente but not to Community High.

Trustee Simone Lightfoot asked if the number of common bus stops could be increased. Liz Margolis, AAPS director of communications, said that this school year, the district started off with fewer common stops, but ended up adding more for safety reasons, especially for students who lived in the more rural areas of the district. Margolis said the district will continue to have the conversation about transportation.

Margolis also noted that three AAPS routes at the high school level have been replaced with Ann Arbor Transportation Authority routes. So far, they’ve heard positive responses about the augmentation of service with the AATA. While the consolidated bus services “haven’t worked perfectly for everyone,” Margolis said that anecdotally, the district hadn’t seen an increase in tardiness or absenteeism due to the changes made to busing last year.

2013-14 Budget: Proposed Cuts to Athletics

Instead of the $1 million cut to athletics that was in the initial costing out phase of the budget’s preparation, Hoover presented a more granular proposal for athletics with a reduction of $512,685:

• Increase ice hockey rental fees to $600 per student ($36,000);
• Increase golf course rental fees to $225-$400 per student ($21,000);
• Reduce equipment purchases ($30,000);
• Eliminate transportation for games outside of Washtenaw County ($120,000)
• or eliminate all transportation to any athletic event ($300,000);
• Reduce middle school clubs by 16% ($18,989);
• Eliminate middle school baseball and softball ($31,000);
• Eliminate 7th grade basketball ($30,696);
• Increase pay-to-participate fee at the middle schools to $100 ($75,000);
• Increase play-to-participate fees to a one-time fee of $250 for all high school sports ($150,000)

Several district athletic directors were on hand to answer questions from the trustees. Rusty Fuller, Slauson’s athletic director (AD), said that they worked to make incremental cuts to the athletic program instead of the million dollar cut that was initially proposed. He emphasized that the ADs would like to work with the district more – because they did not realize that the cuts to the middle school baseball, softball, and basketball would be on the budget list.

Slauson Middle School Athletic Director Rusty Fuller.

The pay-to-participate fees generated some discussion among the trustees. Baskett asked how the increase in pay-to-participate would impact the number of students who participate in district sports.

Fuller said that Dexter Public Schools had significantly increased their fees and had subsequently seen a huge increase in scholarship requests. He said that because of the number of programs AAPS has already cut, they’ve seen a decline in participation, especially with girls.

Dottie Davis, Huron High AD, said that the district hasn’t raised its pay-to-participate fee in three years, saying “we’re the cheapest in town.” Fuller said that the ADs were comfortable with the middle school increase, as the issue at that level isn’t as big as it is with high school athletics.

2013-14 Budget: Proposed Cuts to Operations

Hoover also walked through reductions to operations totaling $1.23 million.

• Freeze furniture/fixtures purchases ($200,000);
• Reduce natural gas purchases by negotiating a lower price ($100,000);
• Realizing energy savings through a sinking fund investment ($200,000);
• Reduce grounds personnel by one FTE ($50,000);
• Restructure custodial services ($600,000);
• eliminate one crew chief ($80,000)

2013-14 Budget: Proposed Cuts District Wide

Hoover also presented several items that would have a district-wide impact for a total of $682,540:

• Reduce food costs ($70,000):
• Reducing conference and travel expenses ($50,000);
• Close middle school pools ($70,000);
• Suspend table rentals ($15,000);
• Reduce central office positions and restructure ($477,540)

Thomas asked that if there were any discussions about savings coming from reductions in the administrations’ salaries. He acknowledged that they were in negotiations with AAAA, and that any voluntary reductions in salary among the senior administrative staff had not been included in the budget proposal – because nothing was finalized. As the contract negotiator, Comsa said the board had given him direction on the amounts. While he couldn’t give trustees a number just yet, he said they had given him direction and, as the negotiator, he was working towards that.

2013-14 Budget: Outside Funding Options

The trustees spoke in depth about the role the Ann Arbor Public Schools Education Foundation (AAPSEF) could play in generating private giving from the public. Green noted that the AAPSEF has not been making any grants to the district since their executive director resigned at the start of the school year. They haven’t been able to fundraise this year, but will be working to improve upon that this next year.

Trustee Christine Stead said that while she understood the foundation’s circumstances, “we need them more than ever.” She wanted to encourage people to donate directly to APSEF with the assumption they’ll be looking aggressively at the district’s budget. Or the board needed to explore other options for people to donate. She said she would like to get an update on the AAPSEF fundraising.

From right: Irene Patalan, Christine Stead, and Deb Mexicotte.

Mexicotte noted that the topic of targeted funding came up over and over in the dialogue meetings. She expressed her desire for the community to have “a clear couple of paths” to donation. Thomas suggested the Karen Thomas Memorial Fund as an excellent conduit for making up a cut to the media purchases. The memorial fund was established in 2008 following the death of Karen Thomas, a local writer and Thomas’s wife. He acknowledged that they wanted to capitalize on the “sense of urgency” that has been created by the budget dialogues and board discussions.

Mexicotte suggested having a smaller, more widespread donation process by which the community could express their “$20, $30, or $40 desire” to help the district. Trustee Irene Patalan wondered if they could have a fund-drive similar to the public radio stations.

After acknowledging how awful the cuts were, Nelson said all the trustees would, if they could, choose to fund all the programs. During the community dialogues, over 100 people offered to help with raising revenue. The district needs to work on specific channels to help mobilize those people, Nelson said.

2013-14 Budget: General Commentary

Hoover noted that the proposed cuts eliminate 75 FTEs total $19,293 more than the amount that is needed to balance the budget. For any additional shortfalls that might occur, Hoover said, the recommendation is that they be paid for out of the fund balance.

Stead asked how much money the district needed in its fund balance to cover summer payroll costs. Hoover said she wasn’t sure – because they had never needed to do that. Stead said that it could be important: If the district had less in its fund balance than it needed to cover payroll, the district would need to borrow the money from the state, which would mean interest fees would be incurred.

Green highlighted some of the changes that were now “off the table” compared with the initial set of proposed cuts. Elementary principal sharing was determined to be a safety risk, especially in light of the recent Sandy Hook Elementary (Newtown, Connecticut) shooting. Several items, such as elimination of media specialist positions, could not be implemented because of contractual issues. Theatre funding was reduced instead of eliminated. It has been decided that the administration will be conducting a more thorough review of all alternative programs in the district – so the Roberto Clemente Student Development Center and Community High School were maintained as is. Middle school transportation was also recommended to be maintained.

Lightfoot reiterated her call to “amend, rather than end.” She said she wanted to make sure the administration was talking to the people in the trenches rather than the people at Balas – so that they are really looking outside the box. Green said that administration has done that, giving as an example the trimester scheduling at Skyline High School.

Mexicotte noted that this was the board’s first conversation about budget reductions, but it would not be the last. The administration has conceived what could be considered a draft budget at this point, said Mexicotte, and the board will be working under this framework.

Outcome: No action was required by the board, as this was a first briefing. The trustees will continue to have budget update discussions until they finalize the budget. The 2013-14 budget must be finalized before June 30, 2013.

2013-14 Budget: Community Dialogue Meetings

On Saturday, April 20, the trustees completed the last of four community dialogue meetings on the budget. Mexicotte and Nelson reported out on some general findings at the April 24 board meeting. Nelson thanked the nearly 300 members of the public who showed up for the four dialogues. He said that he gained a lot in listening and talking with people, and that it was truly a two-way dialogue.

AAPS trustee Glenn Nelson.

Mexicotte said she and Nelson had compiled the sentiments expressed by the public. They will also be separating the items out into short- and long-term items. The documents Mexicotte created was divided into four different areas: (1) themes arising from questions and comments; (2)specific suggestions and ideas for alleviating financial stress; (3) strategies and questions that are useful guides to future work; and (4) reflections of Mexicotte and Nelson.

During the April 24 meeting, the trustees talked over how the specific suggestions from the community could be added to the budget discussion. Nelson said that they needed to assess how best to approach some of the suggestions. Some of them could be explored through committee process, and some of them – such as illustrating the extent of cuts already made – could be immediately implemented.

Thomas asked if there could be a tracking mechanism so that the suggestions made didn’t go into “a black hole.” Such a mechanism would allow the public to see that their suggestions were considered. Lightfoot asked if there was a place for additional comments and ideas from the community. Baskett asked if any of the ideas could be acted on for this year’s budget.

Mexicotte responded by saying that while some of the topics, such as redistricting, would not be acted upon for the next year, the dialogues helped inform her about what was most important to the community. Because maintaining a smaller class size was a consistent theme at the community dialogues, it will be a lens through which she now looks when faced with budget cuts.

Nelson noted that some of the suggestions, such as eliminating half-day professional development days, needed to be worked through by a combination of board, administration, staff, and the public.

Patalan was grateful for the work Nelson and Mexicotte put into compiling the data. The dialogues, she said, left her with the feeling that the community absolutely values its schools. She noted that the district website was a valuable resource for finding information.

2013-14 Budget: Community Dialogue – Next Steps

Moving forward, the trustees will work to identify the issues as: short-term suggestions that can be easily implemented; mid-term items that will need to be addressed in committee and with the administration; and long-term items that “need long-term work by the staff.” Green and the cabinet were an “integral part of the process,” said Nelson.

Outcome: Because Mexicotte and Nelson are both part of the governance committee, it was decided that they will schedule a committee meeting to begin identifying the short-, medium-, and long-term items. A governance committee meeting is scheduled for May 3, 2013 at 9 a.m. at the Balas Administration Building.

2013-14 Budget: Public Commentary

Eleven members of the public spoke to express their support of programs the board has identified for possible reductions.

2013-14 Budget: Public Commentary – General

Christa Moran asked that the board make it so the budget cuts are felt across the district, not just by any one group. She asked that the programs themselves decide how they were going to have to tighten their belts.

2013-14 Budget: Public Commentary – Roberto Clemente

Several students spoke in support of the Roberto Clemente Student Development Center. Tevin Cole said that many doors wouldn’t have been open for him without Clemente. While there, he was taught: Anything is possible with self-determination. Karrah Weeder expressed her concern over what would happen to “all of us” if Clemente was moved or shut down.

Anyse Malcolm, a Community High School student, spoke in support of Clemente. She said she was saddened at the lack of sympathy and empathy from the board. While she was grateful to attend Community, she said she saw that the relocation of Clemente would only devastate the students who attend the program.

Nancy Kupina said that she couldn’t have been more wrong in her initial impressions of Clemente. Repeatedly using the phrase “you don’t know what you don’t know,” Kupina said the public entrusts the board of education to find out what the public doesn’t know. And she asked them to do that when it came to the “poorly researched recommendations” about Clemente.

Clemente teacher Mike Smith asked that the board to imagine it was their sons and daughters who didn’t succeed in a traditional high school and who needed another option. He said that because of decisions the board may make, the program might not be there in the near future.

David Malcolm said that the students of Clemente didn’t want to go through a “back door” of Pioneer. [This was an allusion to the possibility that the program would be relocated physically to the Pioneer High School building, with a separate entrance.] They wanted to stay where they were. In addition, Malcolm also recognized the Clemente and Community students who assisted with St. Mary’s Lodge #4 Adopt-a-Highway clean-up.

Joe Merrick asked that the board not to make the proposed cuts to Clemente. It was a program his son was succeeding in, and it should be kept intact, he said.

2013-14 Budget: Public Commentary – Community High

Parent Ed Borbely argued for maintaining block scheduling at Community High because it allows for more in-depth coverage of the curriculum and it produced results.

Student Carson Borbely spoke in favor of maintaining block scheduling at Community High School.

He said the school draws students into the district who would otherwise attend private schools, so it should be left intact.

Carson Borbely also spoke in favor of keeping block scheduling and forum at Community. Those two pieces were integral to the success of students at Community. “While there is a dollar amount attached to block scheduling,” she said, “the education is priceless.”

2013-14 Budget: Public Commentary – Athletics

Parent Mark Vorobiev said that while he was not born in America, he recognized that high school sports were as American as apple pie. Cutting funding to athletics and other areas like theater and the arts will take away the district’s competitive advantage, he said.

Superintendent Search

Earlier this month, superintendent Patricia Green announced her resignation, effective in mid-July. The trustees began discussing the search process at a study session on April 17, 2013.

Before the regular meeting on April 24, the trustees met again for a study session to take steps to address some of the most pressing needs of their superintendent search: identifying a salary, determining a superintendent profile, confirming the superintendent search timeline, and approving an advertising schedule.

Superintendent Search: Salary

The trustees were in agreement on posting a salary range, rather than a set number. After some wrangling about the top levels of such a range, they decided on $180,000 to $220,000, commensurate with experience. [Green began her tenure on July 1, 2011 with a five-year contract and a starting salary of $245,000.]

Justifying her desire for a higher top number, Patalan said she interpreted the money differently. The money they have to manage is important to her, she said, and so she would like someone who has had experience in successfully managing expenditures. Nelson and Stead also believed $220,000 was too low. Stead said she was interested in “hiring high,” knowing they would have to cut because it was not likely they were going to have more money in the near future.

During the last superintendent search, Thomas recalled, they decided they wanted to offer a high salary to get a very experienced, very accomplished superintendent. While they did that, he said, from the moment the salary was announced, it became a sore point in the community. He would like to be able to tell the community they were bringing in the superintendent for less than $200,000. Lightfoot said she was interested in incentives that could be added to the base salary as reward for things that were “profound and permeated the district.”

Baskett said that while experience matters, “longevity is the key.” The community was willing to take a less experienced superintendent, so long as there was longevity in the position.

Mexicotte summed up their position by saying that the board was in the same dilemma as it was last time. Their work was to do the best thing for the community by getting “the best candidate we think we can bear.” So they need to balance the demands of the job and the job market with what the community believes the salary should be. That’s why the low end is important, she maintained, because that number told the community where the board thought a superintendent might come from.

There was some additional discussion about how the fringe benefits match up to comparable districts. David Comsa, AAPS deputy superintendent of human resources and general counsel, said the current superintendent package includes the salary, life insurance, reasonable expenses, and vacation days, with a value of about $50,000. Some other districts include benefits such as annuity and car allowances, which AAPS does not have.

Superintendent Search: Profile

The board also decided on a list of 14 characteristics for the superintendent profile, which will be used during the search. The trustees amended and added to the profile they had used during the 2010-11 superintendent search. [.pdf of amended superintendent search profile]

Because Nelson came to the study session with an adjusted profile already written up, the trustees used his as a “straw man” and amended it as needed.

The trustees added to Nelson’s list. Stead focused on stressing the financial duress the district is under, saying the district needs a superintendent who understands Michigan’s financial plight – and specifically Ann Arbor’s situation. The idea of “a visionary” was repeated by several trustees. Mexicotte asked for the inclusion of media savviness. The ability to build relationships was also highlighted.

Superintendent Search: Advertising

The board also adjusted the advertising of the job opening to include some outlets that weren’t already listed by Ray and Associates – the search firm the board is using – and also to eliminate some places that didn’t have wide enough reach. Mexicotte noted that Ray and Associates had added LinkedIn as a new venue this time round.

The trustees decided not to advertise the position with the Broad Center. Lightfoot raised concern about the implication of a Broad Center trained superintendent, saying that the leadership of the Education Achievement Authority (EAA) was heavily Broad trained. It was “antithetical to the basic tenets of public education,” Lightfoot contended. Stead agreed, saying that some of the political agenda behind the Broad Center was to work to privatize public education.

At least two public forums will be held in the future to get community input on the superintendent search. Baskett reiterated that she wanted the community to be made aware that the board had discussed longevity, and was aware of what the community was saying. Trustees are looking for feedback from the community dialogues and from individuals, she said.

Superintendent Search: Timeline

Additionally, the trustees adjusted the timeline suggested by the search firm Ray and Associates to reflect an end goal of a superintendent named by the end of July. The trustees wrangled to align their personal schedules with the needs of the hiring process.

It was determined that the final candidates would participate in a community forum the same week they would be doing the finalist interviews. Right now, that would fall during the week of July 5, 2013.

Superintendent Search: Public Commentary

Victor Stoeffler asked that the board “exercise restraint and thoughtfulness” when choosing the next superintendent. He expressed concern that the trustees had already proposed the parameters for the search, when so little time had passed for introspective conversations.

After listing off some of the characteristics she believed the next superintendent needed to have, parent Jody Huhn endorsed Ben Edmondson, current Clemente principal, as a candidate for the superintendency. It was critical, she said, to find a superintendent who wouldn’t back down from challenge and who understands the needs and perspectives of the students, the staff, and the parents.

Barbara Malcolm said there was a “systemic leadership problem” with the board of education, and specifically Mexicotte, because so many personnel have left under her tenure. She asked for Mexicotte’s resignation.

Briefings

At most regular meetings, the board hears initial briefings on items they will be asked to approve at a subsequent meeting. At the April 24 meeting, the board heard first briefings on tech bond purchases, paving contracts, and the Freeman School lease renewal. The 2013 spring grant awards was presented as a second briefing – for the board to approve the receipt and expenditure of the grant monies. Additionally, the standing committee appointments were finalized.

Briefing: Tech Bond Purchases

Trent briefed the board on bid recommendations for district-wide network cabling and mechanical modifications to support the 2012 technology bond initiatives.

After conducting post-bid interviews, the district’s professional team recommended awarding contracts to Fuller Heating Company for $80,669 for HVAC work, and to Complete Communications Inc. for $386,989 for network cabling. Both companies were the lowest qualified bidders for each job.

Trent noted that the district is opting for CAT 6 in place of CAT 5 cabling. While more expensive, it will take longer to be obsolete, he said. The team also opted for adding a “student drop” because it was cheaper to do two at the same time rather than pursuing a second drop later.

Trent also noted that if trustees approve the bids, they will have approved about 26% of the entire technology bond budget.

Outcome: This was a first briefing item. The board will vote on the bids after a second briefing at the next regular meeting.

Briefing: Paving Contracts

The trustees were briefed on bid recommendations for contractors to perform the 2013 summer paving projects. The first briefing was presented by Randy Trent, AAPS executive director of physical properties.

Trent had interviewed the lowest qualified bidders: Best Asphalt from Romulus, Barrett Paving of Ypsilanti, and Quality Asphalt of Howell. After the time when district conducted due diligence, Barrett Paving withdrew its bid.

Contract awards are recommended for Best Asphalt at $377,535 and Quality Asphalt at $60,208 to perform the paving projects. Trent noted that Best Asphalt previously has done paving projects for the district, and Quality Asphalt has tried to get projects with the district in the past. The projects are funded through the district’s 2010 sinking fund.

The schools where parking lot or sport court paving is being done in summer 2013 are: Allen Elementary, Ann Arbor Preschool and Family Center, Ann Arbor Tech High, Bryant Elementary, Roberto Clemente Student Development Center, Dicken Elementary, Forsythe Middle, Haisley Elementary, Huron High, Northside Elementary, Scarlett Middle, Slauson Middle, Tappan Middle, and Wines Elementary.

Outcome: This was a first briefing item. The board will vote on the bids after a second briefing at the next regular meeting.

Briefing: Freeman School Lease Renewal

Trent briefed the board on a recommendation to renew the district’s lease of Freeman School to Go Like the Wind Montessori School. The district has leased the building to Go Like the Wind since 1987. The building is located at 3540 Dixboro Lane in Superior Township.

If approved, the new three-year lease with one two-year renewal option would begin on July 1, 2014. The new proposed rate is $300,862, with a 3% increase each year. Over a five-year lease period, the district will receive over $1.5 million in rent.

Trent mentioned that the tenants have paid for renovations over the past 10 years, while the district pays for maintenance.

After Thomas asked about the possibility of selling the school, Trent said that as a school building, the property was not very lucrative. When it was last assessed several years ago, it was appraised at $600,000 for the building and the 40 acres of land it sits on. However, if the area becomes more developed in the future, Trent said, it could be an important property for the district to own.

Outcome: This was a first briefing item. The board will vote on lease renewal after a second briefing at the next regular meeting.

Briefing: Spring Grant Awards

As part of the consent agenda, the trustees unanimously approved the 2013 spring grant awards. There was no discussion about the grants at the meeting.

New grants include: $11,332 from the Ann Arbor PTO Thrift Shop for SchoolMessenger, a parental notification system; $15,000 from the Ann Arbor Public Schools Educational Foundation (AAPSEF) for the Community Builders program; and $8,900 from Toshiba America to purchase Lego Mindstorms for Pioneer High School.

AAPSEF is also providing renewal grants for the following: $15,679 for Great Ideas; $4,000 for 5th grade instrumental music instrument repairs; $21,000 for SchoolMessenger; and $22,644 for the Environmental Education Program. Secondary Perkins III is providing a renewal grant of $143,022 for the Career and Technical Education program.

The entire cost of SchoolMessenger will be covered by the two grants from the Ann Arbor PTO Thrift Shop and AAPSEF.

The board had been initially briefed on the grants at its April 10, 2013 meeting.

Outcome: The board unanimously approved the receipt and expenditures of the 2013 spring grant awards.

Briefing: Standing Committees

The trustees recently voted to move back to a standing committee structure. There are now four committees: planning, performance, governance, and executive. Planning and performance committees will look deeply into topics, then bring forward to the board an executive summary and recommendations. Governance will look at areas of board policy and boardsmanship. The executive committee, made up of the committee chairs and the president, will set the agenda.

Briefing: Standing Committees – Appointments

After polling the trustees as to where they would like to serve, Mexicotte named the committees.

• Performance: Thomas (chair), Lightfoot, Baskett
• Planning: Patalan (chair), Stead, Nelson
• Governance: Mexicotte, Nelson, Lightfoot
• Executive: Mexicotte, Patalan, Thomas

As all the trustees were amenable to the committee appointments, Mexicotte noted that the executive committee will meet as soon as possible to set the upcoming agenda. She also requested that the committee chairs poll their members to set up a meeting schedule. Other ad-hoc committees that have been formed, such committee formed to look at the district’s contract policy, will continue their work outside the standing committee structure.

Briefing: Standing Committees – Agenda

As the board moves to a standing committee structure, the agenda will need to be rearranged. Many of the items that were scheduled to be presented and discussed at regular meetings or at committee of the whole meetings will be divided up between planning and performance. Mexicotte proposed splitting up six of the topics: special education metrics, Roberto Clemente follow-up discussion, curriculum report, climate survey report, communications update, and preschool and HeadStart report. She recognized that the topics may not necessarily fit into the mission of the committees, but are put there because of the workload.

Association Reports

Five associations are invited to make regular reports to the school board: the Black Parents Student Support Group (BPSSG), the Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Committee for Special Education (AAPAC), the Parent Teacher Organization Council (PTOC), the Ann Arbor Administrators Association (AAAA), and the Ann Arbor Education Association (AAEA.) The Youth Senate is also invited to speak once a month, alternating with representative groups from each of the high schools.

At the April 24, 2013 meeting, the board heard from AAPAC, PTOC, AAAA, and AAEA.

AAPAC representative Erica Melnykowycz asked that the trustees recognize that students identified as having a disability are legally entitled to receive special education services that are individualized. She emphasized the importance of making sure students’ right to a Free Appropriate Public Education is considered when making budget decisions. AAPAC also asked for the continued support of SISS and the general education administration of the Disability Awareness Workshops, workshops for 4th graders to experience the challenges of living with a disability.

Amy Pachera, PTOC representative, thanked Flye and her team for their presentation to the PTOC on the balanced assessment system. During the presentation, they explained the testing students go through and the reasons for them. Pachera also addressed the public who spoke during public commentary about budget cuts. “When you have to cut a budget $15 million four years straight,” parents must get involved, she said. If the way schools are funded in Michigan doesn’t change, they will have to cut what makes AAPS so excellent.

Kathy Scarnecchia, Haisley principal, represented AAAA. She congratulated Green on her retirement, and asked that the board consider allowing AAAA to be part of the process for selecting the interim and permanent superintendent. She also said that AAAA “remains open to dialoging with you” regarding tough budget cuts.

Linda Carter, AAEA president, said in no uncertain terms: “The AAEA bank is officially closed.” The members of AAEA have sacrificed to keep the quality of education at the highest level, she said, but they cannot continue to see smaller paychecks.

Comm/Comm: Tappan Middle Orchestral Performance

The board meeting was started off with a performance by Tappan Middle School 6th grade orchestra, under the direction of Joe DeMarsh. The group performed two pieces for the trustees. Before the performance, DeMarsh congratulated his colleagues for their work in making AAPS one of the best communities for music education, as listed by the NAMM Foundation.

Comm/Comm: Administrative Professionals Week

The trustees formally recognized the district’s administrative professionals by approving a proclamation in acknowledgement of administrative professionals week.

Executive assistant to the board of education Amy Osinski. The board recognized administrative professionals week.

Mexicotte thanked the administrative professionals for their day-to-day work, as well as for their “sacrifice to the district.” As part of the AAEA office administrators bargaining unit, administrative professional now have mandated furlough days in 2013-14 and 2014-15.

Mexicotte also singled out “the tireless work” of Amy Osinski, executive assistant to the board of education.

Comm/Comm: District Accolades

In her superintendent report, Green highlighted several achievements: student accomplishments in art and music; a Gates Millennium Scholar finalist; success in the TeamWorks competition; Carpenter Elementary’s 175 anniversary; the Washtenaw Elementary Science Olympiad (WESO); and accomplishments of several teachers.

Green also acknowledged the “tremendous job” done by AAPS administrative professionals.

During public commentary, Stephen Barrett of St. Mary’s Lodge #4 spoke to recognize the efforts of Clemente and Community High students who assisted with the Lodge’s Adopt-A-Highway clean-up.

Stephen Barrett of St. Mary’s Lodge #4.

When students do something positive, they need to be recognized, he said.

During “items from the board,” Nelson reported that he had attended both the Choral Cavalcade and an event at the Neutral Zone. He said he was always impressed by the leadership of the Neutral Zone.

Stead also recognized WESO, saying it was a “high energy event” that she was very proud of. Stead, Lightfoot, and Baskett all thanked Patricia Jenkins, the Skyline Communication, Public Policy, and Media Magnet lead teacher for work she and some of her students had done.

Agenda Setting

As the board considered the May 8 agenda, priority was given to “a continued discussion of the budget.” A budget discussion update was added. A University of Michigan student presentation – about the ways student voices can enhance and improve the district – was referred to a committee. While Mexicotte noted the students had been working hard to meet her requests of relevancy and efficiency in presentation, the trustees decided their focus should be on the budget. They also voted to schedule an executive session on May 8 before the regular meeting for the purpose of labor negotiations.

Outcome: The agenda, with the above changes, was unanimously approved.

Items from the Board

Several trustees reported on various meetings and conferences they had recently attended.

Stead, Lightfoot, and Baskett attended the Pioneer PTSO, which Stead said ended up being like a pseudo-community budget dialogue. At that meeting, Baskett said, she connected with a parent who was interested in helping write grants for the district.

Patalan noted her own and Stead’s attendance at the Governor’s Education Summit. She said that she was proud that AAPS has already had conversations about a strategic plan, part of which other districts are only now just beginning to do.

Thomas noted he and Stead were part of a panel at University of Detroit Mercy Law School, which focused on the interaction between all levels of government.

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

Next regular meeting: May 8, 2013, 7 p.m., at the downtown Ann Arbor District Library’s fourth floor meeting room, 343 S. Fifth Ave.

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Earlier this month, superintendent Patricia Green announced her resignation, effective in mid-July.

The trustees were in agreement on posting a salary range, rather than a set number. After some wrangling about the top levels of such a range, they decided on $180,000 to $220,000, commensurate with experience. [Green began her tenure on July 1, 2011 with a five-year contract and a starting salary of $245,000.]

The board also decided on a list of 14 characteristics for the superintendent profile, which will be used during the search. The trustees amended and added to the profile they had used during the 2010-11 superintendent search. [.pdf of amended superintendent search profile]

Additionally, the trustees adjusted the timeline suggested by the search firm Ray and Associates to reflect an end goal of a superintendent named by the end of July. The board also adjusted the advertising to include some venues that weren’t already listed by Ray and Associates, and also to eliminate some places that didn’t have wide enough reach.

At least two public forums will be held in the future to get community input on the superintendent search.

This brief was filed the day following the April 24, 2013 AAPS study session and board meeting. A more detailed report will follow: [link]

Ann Arbor Public School superintendent Patricia Green

The board is now in the first stages of it has determined to be a “fast track” superintendent search. That’s because Ann Arbor Public Schools superintendent Patricia Green has turned in her resignation, after a little less than two years on the job. Her resignation takes effect in mid-July. In a brief letter to AAPS staff and families in the school system, Green said she intends to retire after 43 years in the profession. [.pdf of Green's letter]

The bulk of the board’s April 17 study session was spent discussing the first steps of a superintendent search. Led by board president Deb Mexicotte, the trustees discussed topics ranging from retaining a search firm, determining the superintendent profile, creating the search timeline, gathering community input, and naming an interim superintendent.

Also at the study session, Mexicotte also put out another call for trustees to indicate their interests for standing committee membership, as well as interest in chairing a committee. Appointments were to be made by the next regular meeting, which took place on April 24.

The dates and locations of the AAPS community budget forums were also announced. At the forums, the administration will review the budget for the 2013-14 school year.

The board also heard public commentary regarding potential budget cuts and the superintendent search.

Superintendent Search: Background

Green began her tenure on July 1, 2011 with a five-year contract and a starting salary of $245,000. According to AAPS spokeswoman Liz Margolis, a voluntary salary reduction that Green had recently offered has not yet been implemented. Under the terms of her contract, 90 days notice was required, which Green gave in her resignation letter to AAPS board president Deb Mexicotte on April 10.

Green’s resignation comes as the district was facing $17-$20 million of cuts for next year’s budget. That projected deficit has recently been reduced, but still remains around $9 million.

This is the second recent resignation by a top AAPS administrator. Robert Allen, the district’s deputy superintendent for operations, resigned earlier this year. His last day was March 22. Allen had served as interim superintendent in 2010-11 following the departure of former superintendent Todd Roberts. Allen left to take a job at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, which Roberts leads.

Superintendent Search: Search Firm

At the study session, Mexicotte reported she had already contacted Ray and Associates, the search firm retained for the previous superintendent search. Ray and Associates said they would allow AAPS to invoke the two-year guarantee. If AAPS were to engage the firm again, then only incidentals – such as travel expenses – would need to be paid. That is, no fee would be charged for the search itself.

AAPS board president Deb Mexicotte

According to Amy Osinski, executive assistant to the board of education, $29,919 was spent for the search that led to Green’s hire, $14,000 of which was the fee charged by Ray and Associates. Incidentals amounted to $15,919.

Trustee Simone Lightfoot asked if a similar guarantee would be in the contract if Ray and Associates were asked to conduct the current search. Mexicotte replied that she wasn’t sure the district wouldn’t get a similar guarantee – because the district has been a “very good reference for them.”

Lightfoot said she wanted to “debrief” before even discussing if the board would hire Ray and Associates. While she liked the fact that there would be no search fee, she felt it was out of sequence – that trustees needed first to discuss if they were even going to engage a search firm.

Mexicotte said she believed Ray and Associates were “helpful” and she “felt positive” about the board’s previous interactions with the firm. Vice president Christine Stead agreed, and said the firm provided a “nice, structured methodology.”

Trustee Glenn Nelson suppported taking advantage of Ray and Associate’s guarantee. That way, he maintained, the entire front end of “searching for a search firm” wouldn’t have to be done. If the board had to search for a search firm, the board would face a longer term of uncertainty.

Mexicotte confirmed that Ray and Associates could start immediately and could have all applications and resumes forwarded to the board by the first week of June. With that schedule in mind, candidates would be vetted and interviews held, with the idea of having a new superintendent named by the end of July.

One of the benefits of selecting Ray and Associates, said Mexicotte, was that the firm agreed that they knew the AAPS community and could interview the trustees over the phone rather than come to Ann Arbor to interview.

Mexicotte clarified that Ray and Associates could conduct the search in whatever way the trustees chose. They could help with the vetting of internal and external candidates, as well as assisting in getting community input.

Lightfoot said that while “fee-free does matter,” she was not as wedded to Ray and Associates because she was not wedded to a national search. She would prefer to look internally. She also clarified that the district was not legally required to use a search firm in the same way a district is required to have a superintendent.

Trustee Susan Baskett said that while some of the people with Ray and Associates “rubbed her the wrong way,” she didn’t want the community to spend more money or have the trustees do more upfront work to find a search firm. Baskett, too, said she would prefer first to look internally.

Outcome: The board voted to use Ray and Associates as the search firm.

Superintendent Search: Timeline

The trustees spent a significant time talking over the timeline for the search. Mexicotte asserted that the timeline was the first piece that needed to be determined – that it determined everything else. If trustees wanted to move quickly, Mexicotte maintained, they could have a superintendent named by mid-July, in place for fall of 2013. Or, if they wanted to “go out slow,” Mexicotte said, they could decide to go with a long-term interim and not begin the search until November, with hire possibly in January 2014.

The trustees coalesced around a fast search. Trustee Irene Patalan said she was willing to work hard to get a superintendent in place by the fall, recognizing that “the community would appreciate that.” Trustee Andy Thomas blanched at the idea of waiting until November to start a serious search. But he also noted that he didn’t want to do a hasty search that omitted a number of other potential candidates just because of the timing. If the district could have a candidate in place by October, or even December, he “could live with that.” Nelson agreed, and said it would be good for the district to settle on a new leader by early summer, even if the candidate couldn’t start until Jan. 1, 2014.

Baskett said Sept. 1 was not soon enough. She maintained they needed to have someone in place before the rest of the staff started the new school year at the end of August. She also acknowledged that their immediate focus was on the budget, and that the spring and summer were her personal busy season. Mexicotte said the point was well taken that if the search “was fast and now, it’s an additional burden for us all.”

AAPS board vice president Christine Stead

While Stead said she would prefer a fast search, she recognized that right now, the bulk of the work the board was doing currently was focused on the budget gap. So she wanted to keep the two items – budget and superintendent search – separate as much as possible. Baskett echoed the concern about the budget not forgetting about the budget.

Stead was also concerned that if the search was conducted over the summer, it would be more difficult to get the kind of community input they wanted. She raised the point that if a slower search was conducted, an interim superintendent “could get used to the role” and demonstrate his or her capability for the role.

Thomas asked if there was a “sweet spot” for when superintendent candidates were generally out looking for jobs. Mexicotte replied that according to Ray and Associates, there was a cycle for hiring. Right now was good, and six months from now is good. A candidate starting in October would be unusual, Mexicotte said. She also noted that if trustees conducted a search and were not happy with the candidates who were available, the board always “has the prerogative to go out later with the search.”

If they went fast, Stead said, trustees knew the steps. They could identify the desired candidate characteristics and send a survey out to themselves and the community by the end of April. Baskett said that because trustees have done this before, some parts of the process could be eliminated – like one-on-one interviews the search firm had previously conducted with each trustee.

While it was “intense work right away,” Nelson said search materials could be sent out by the end of April. May would be a budget-heavy month, with not a lot of time required for the superintendent search [because the search firm would be collecting candidates], then as the budget winds down, trustees would start working on the search again, Nelson said. With that schedule, Nelson felt it was a workable timeline. Mexicotte agreed.

Baskett asked how soon a search could get started. According to Mexicotte, Ray and Associates, based in Iowa, were ready to begin the very next day. The sticking point, however, was the profile the trustees needed to provide. A salary range needs to be identified as a part of that profile.

Outcome: The board voted to approve a fast-track search, with the goal of having a superintendent vetted and hired by Sept. 1, 2013. 

Superintendent Search: Profile

Mexicotte said that “linchpin” of launching the search was creating the superintendent profile – the bulleted list of needed characteristics. She said trustees could work on the profile that evening at the study session or they could meet at another time to figure it out.

Thomas did not want to make the criteria too fine before advertising the position. What would be advertised, he said, is the district, the reputation of the schools, the strategic plan, and all the positive things trustees believe in. That alone, Thomas maintained, will attract a wide variety of candidates. Then, as applications come in, they can sharpen their criteria.

Stead outlined a couple of criteria that were important to her. She said it was important that trustees were clear with incoming candidates about the “donor district” status of AAPS. The district has been cutting its budget for the past 19 years. While she was okay with setting a salary range, she did not want to set a target salary as a single number. She would like to take a different approach to salary than the one trustees used with Green.

Nelson said trustees should aim for completing the profile by the end of the following week. The trustees decided they would meet on Wednesday, April 24, for a study session before the regular meeting that evening.

Outcome: The board voted to meet before to the regular meeting on April 24 to finish developing the superintendent profile.

Superintendent Search: Community Input

Mexicotte asked the trustees how they wanted to gather community input. She said they could gather input after they have opened the search or they could gather it before. Her preference was to have the community input before they begin looking at resumés, but not necessarily before they “cast their net.” The characteristics they would be looking for were “very broad,” and the community has already begun making their interests known to the trustees.

Baskett said they needed input before posting the job, to head off any kind of conflict. Lightfoot agreed, saying that some of the qualities they had wanted before may have changed. She encouraged the public to informally weigh in on annarbor.com, and then the trustees would craft their profile. She said if trustees put a profile out, then ask for community input, it “doesn’t sound as if we’re taking their input into account.”

Thomas said he thinks there has been a shift in community opinion over the past two years, so trustees need to make sure what they were looking for is consistent with community expectations. But he did think that getting community input needed to precede posting the position.

AAPS trustee Glenn Nelson

In contrast, Nelson said he didn’t perceive any marked change in community feeling over the past two years. He noted that trustees were already getting input, indicating he didn’t think the board would need to ask for it.

To get community input on the superintendent search, Nelson suggested using the same dialogue format that the board had been using for community input on the budget. That way trustees could respond to questions, comments, and concerns. He suggested scheduling two or three more dialogues specifically centered around the superintendent search. Patalan liked the idea of holding community dialogues, saying that annarbor.com is not a place where she gets her information.

Stead pointed out that for the district’s last superintendent search, a survey was sent to community members to get a list of criteria for a superintendent. At the most, 345 people responded. She said they went through a “fairly lengthy process to get folks to engage.” Lightfoot cautioned against assuming that because not a lot of people participated before, the trustees should not have to ask for community input.

Outcome: The board will host several community dialogues to gather community input. 

Superintendent Search: Internal Candidates

Stead said trustees would still need to go through the exercise of identifying internal candidates. Mexicotte emphasized that a national search does not preclude internal candidates meeting the criteria. If you cast a wide net, she said, you can still catch the near fish.

Baskett recognized that while all of the trustees have probably received emails about all the wonderful candidates within the district, it’s important that there are names and that those candidates want the job.

During public commentary, Letitia Kunselman urged the board to look for an internal superintendent candidate before searching externally. She said there was an enormous amount of talent within the district.

Superintendent Search: Interim

After the trustees decided they wanted to pursue a fast track search, they spent time talking over the process of selecting an interim superintendent.

Mexicotte noted that because trustees had used a relatively short time frame for the previous superintendent search, they appointed an interim [Robert Allen] who indicated he was not interested in the permanent position. If they needed a longer-term interim, Mexicotte said, they would look at it a bit differently.

Mexicotte asked how they should identify interim candidates. Previously, the outgoing superintendent Todd Roberts had recommended Allen without the board asking him to make a recommendation. She said that they could ask for a recommendation from Green for an interim.

Nelson said that Mexicotte, as president, could use her judgment with the administration’s cabinet members and with the superintendent to get a sense which people would be willing to serve.  He said he did have some apprehension about settling this too quickly – because the co-existence of a superintendent and a named interim could be a “bad dynamic or at least an uncomfortable one.”

AAPS trustee Susan Baskett

While Thomas said he would like a recommendation from Green, he would not limit it to just that. He asked that board members also put forward names of individuals from the community. Baskett agreed, saying, “Good ideas can come from anywhere.” Lightfoot said the onus should be on the person who brings forward a name to make sure that person would be interested in the job. If a trustee brings forward a name, that trustee must contact that person to determine interest, she said.

Stead said that she would find it helpful if Ray and Associates were involved with coming up with some evaluation criteria the trustees can use to determine the interim – especially because trustees could wind up with a considerable number of names to go through. She felt that if Green had worked in the district for five years, Stead could fully support Green’s interim recommendation – but because that wasn’t the case, she would like something more objective.

Mexicotte then summarized what she was hearing from the trustees: they wanted Mexicotte to speak to Green to get a recommendation on an interim; Mexciotte will talk to cabinet members to ascertain their interest; she will collect names from trustees as suggestions for an internal candidate; and she will be asking Ray and Associates if they have any insight or a process to aid trustees in their evaluation of interim candidates.

Mexicotte then floated the topic of a timeframe for interim suggestions, and how to deal with the question of a potential interim’s interest in the permanent job.

Patalan and Nelson both said they would be in favor of an interim who was not interested in the job. Nelson maintained more candidates could be attracted if the interim was not also interested in the permanent position.

Thomas, however, said he wasn’t quite as ready to eliminate the possibility of an interim being a candidate for the permanent position. He also did not think candidates should come solely from the cabinet. Baskett said she felt that the possibility should be left open. The interim must be given the option to try it out, she said. Lightfoot was in agreement with that idea.

Nelson said that he was not comfortable having a public discussion of cabinet members as possible candidates. Stead said she would not like to “get a name without strong support.” That highlighted a need for criteria. Mexicotte said if trustees were going to establish criteria, then they could talk about who fits those criteria rather than having a discussion about the cabinet generally.

Stead argued for a structured vetting process for the interim – because it could be “one of the most important decisions we make.” Trustees need to address the budget gap, they still have vacant leadership positions, they still need someone to advocate for the district, and they need someone to work on the long-term vision of the district. While she would like a short-term interim, it might not necessarily end up that way, Stead allowed. For that reason, Stead said, she wanted really to understand the background of the interim. Lightfoot agreed.

Mexicotte said she was “kind of dismayed” that trustees were so invested in what she considers a short-term interim issue. While she recognized there are important issues that need to be addressed, if the timeline the trustees outlined earlier holds true, they would be looking at an interim serving for only a short period of time. And if it turns out they will need an interim for a longer period, trustees can have another conversation.

Mexicotte preferred that trustees look internally for an interim, and that they take the recommendation of the superintendent under strong advisement. If no one was willing to do the short-term assignment, then they could look externally. She didn’t see the interim as more than a “strong and informed caretaker for the short term.” It was a bit of complication, Mexicotte said, that the board didn’t need to delve into right then. Thomas and Nelson were persuaded by her argument.

Stead, Lightfoot, and Baskett disagreed. Stead felt the position warranted some vetting, given the responsibilities that a longer-term interim might need to take on. Lightfoot said she didn’t want to have repeat the conversation if trustees decide they needed the interim to serve for a longer period. She was fine with any additional vetting and additional meetings that would need to take place in order to do so. Baskett said she would volunteer her time to have the deeper conversation to find the district’s caretaker.

Outcome: The board voted to work with the superintendent to consider internal interim candidates to bring to the board within a month. They will be ideally looking for a short-term interim. The interim candidate will be able to apply for the permanent position.

Superintendent Search: Debriefing

Lightfoot asked for an executive (closed) session debriefing.

AAPS trustee Simone Lightfoot

She wanted to talk about “what happened … who did what, when, and how can we do things better before we move forward.” She asked if a closed session to talk over Green’s resignation would be allowed under the ‘personnel’ clause of the Open Meetings Act.  David Comsa, deputy superintendent for human resources and general counsel, clarified that a closed session under the personnel clause could be held only if “the person you are talking about requests a conversation.”

Lightfoot wanted to have the conversation to talk over “what the heck happened,” and wondered if no one else felt a need to have a discussion about Green’s departure.

Mexicotte reiterated that the rules of closed sessions under the Open Meetings Act mean that such a conversation would need to happen in public. She asked when that discussion would be most helpful to the board. She said that maybe sooner rather than later would be better – because that way the trustees could express their concerns to the community.

Mexicotte also pointed out that opportunities always existed for the trustees to ask questions of the superintendent or the administration one-on-one. As it stands now, Mexicotte said, the superintendent has made a public statement – and if the board wants to talk amongst itself, that can be done at anytime it chooses.

In response to Lightfoot’s request, Nelson said that rather than “talking about talking about it,” he would want to talk about it. Lightfoot said she wasn’t ready to have the conversation that evening but would like for the board to make time for it.

Stead agreed that a discussion reflecting back would be a good idea. Green’s announcement was a “major event for our organization,” and Stead supported the notion of reflecting on the past couple of years.

Baskett ventured that it might be more productive to have sidebars with her colleagues. If they had a public conversation, she said, it would most likely “impede progress and the mood moving forward.” And the board still needs to move forward, Baskett added.

Lightfoot asked how trustees would let the public know they’d had those conversations and has addressed the community’s concerns – if they were only sidebar conversations. If the board was amenable to sidebars, however, she said that was fine.

AAPS trustee Andy Thomas

To gauge the feeling of the trustees, Mexicotte asked if a debriefing of what they might have done better or could have done differently was a conversation the board wanted to have as a group.

The trustees decided that sidebars were enough. Patalan said that for whatever reason, a superintendent can resign.  And it was the trustees’ job to go forward, she said. Thomas contended that a public discussion “has great potential for being very contentious and potentially destructive to our effort to move forward.” Nelson said that it was his objective to get a superintendent profile completed over the next week, and if this kind of conversation had a bearing on the profile process, then he wanted to have it done. Stead said the search itself was a priority, and she would be fine with limiting the discussion to sidebars.

Lightfoot again expressed her concern that the public would not know what the trustees had talked about. But because the rest of the trustees had reached an apparent consensus  on sidebar conversation, Lightfoot agreed.

Outcome: The board agreed to having sidebar conversations about what they could do differently moving forward.

2013-14 Budget: Forums

Mexicotte announced the schedule for the AAPS community budget forums to be held by the administration. The forums will be held Thursday, May 2, 2013 at Huron High School and Tuesday, May 7, 2013 at Pioneer High School. Both forums will be held from 7-8:30 p.m.

Lightfoot asked when the ideas from the public will enter into their conversation about the budget. Green responded that while the administration has been asked to bring forward expenditures, it was the board who decided what to do with those ideas. Mexicotte said that it will be part of an organic conversation as the trustees discuss the budget.

Green said there were “no good cuts,” and there was nothing the administration wants to cut. She recognized that it will pit program against program, group against group. And the board will wrestle with the same kind of decisions the administration has faced.

Concerned that the community’s input has to be “hashed out at the table” instead of being included in the administration’s recommendation, Lightfoot said the administration should  include ideas from the community. Green countered, saying the administration “can’t develop a budget in a day.” The last community dialogue meeting was to be held on April 20, just five days before district director of finance Nancy Hoover was to present the budget recommendations.

The community dialogue meetings so far, Nelson said, will help trustees with the principles and vision that they should use to guide their decision-making process. He hears that people are sick and tired of cuts. They have collected “scores of names” from people who are volunteering to work on increasing revenue to the district.

2013-14 Budget: Public Commentary

Parent Erica Gordon spoke about her own family’s experience with alternative education, with one child at the Roberto Clemente Student Development Center and another at Community High School.

Katie Hook addressed possible cuts to the athletic budget.

She said the budget cuts seem so limited, and she asked if there could be a fundraising campaign to keep cuts from impacting students. She contended that the community would be willing to raise money to keep AAPS “exceptional and accessible” for all.

Student Katie Hook addressed possible cuts to the athletic budget by arguing that participating in sports was instrumental in building better body images for young women. She also mentioned that she and another student was working on a proposal to bring a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) program to AAPS. JROTC, she said, would be an asset to the district.

Committee Membership

As a brief part of the study session discussion, Mexicotte asked the trustees to let her know their preferences for committee membership as soon as possible.

At the April 10, 2013 meeting, the board had voted to eliminate the committee-of-the-whole structure and return to planning and performance standing committees, along with a governance committee. Mexicotte said she planned to finalize committee appointments and chairs by the next week.

An executive committee [made up of standing committee chairs and the board president] will meet, to set the agenda moving forward. At that point, Mexicotte noted, the executive committee will make sure to add a conversation about Roberto Clemente Student Development Center to the agenda.

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

Next regular meeting: Wednesday, April 24, 2013, 7 p.m. at the fourth-floor conference room of the downtown Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave.

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Green is currently the superintendent of schools at North Allegheny School District in Pennsylvania. She’s a career educator, with her own educational background including a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a doctorate in education policy, planning and administration. The AAPS website includes additional biographical material on Green. [See also Chronicle coverage of first round interviews with the candidates: "AAPS: Final Phase of Superintendent Search"]

Patricia Green answers questions at a community forum held at Pioneer High School on March 4, 2011.

The decision to enter into negotiations with Green was made after the board held second interviews with Green and Michael Muñoz last Saturday morning, which followed a community forum the night before. At the forum, held at Pioneer High School, both candidates answered questions submitted by many of the roughly 100 members of the public who attended. Several board members also attended the forum.

The board selected Green after lengthy deliberations, which included reports on reference calls, an extensive discussion of candidates’ strengths and weaknesses and a number of straw polls displaying support for both candidates.

The fact that straw votes by trustees at one point had five of the seven supporting Muñoz – before the board eventually decided on Green – indicated that the board’s consensus was reached only with a great deal of effort. Board members frequently expressed their satisfaction with both candidates.

“We have two excellent candidates,” board president Deb Mexicotte said. “This is good for the outcome but tough for making the decision.”

Other board members agreed, frequently prefacing their statements of support for one candidate by allowing that, ultimately, they would be fine with either choice.

This report describes how the board’s discussion on Saturday unfolded.

Initial Straw Poll: Green 4, Muñoz 3

Trustees began deliberations by taking a straw poll to see where the board stood, an unofficial process Mexicotte felt would “take the board’s temperature.” The poll was taken by having trustees write their choice on a piece of paper, collecting the votes and tallying the results. For the first straw poll, Green received four votes – from trustees Christine Stead, Irene Patalan and Andy Thomas, as well as Mexicotte. Muñoz received the remaining three – from trustees Glenn Nelson, Simone Lightfoot and Susan Baskett.

Impressions from Andy Thomas

Thomas was the first to speak, expressing his support for Green. He cited the reference calls he and Baskett had made on behalf of the board when site visits had to be canceled due to inclement weather. He and Baskett had reported on their findings at the beginning of the meeting.

AAPS board members Glenn Nelson, left, Andy Thomas chat before the start of the Friday evening superintendent candidate forum at Pioneer High.

Thomas presented the report explaining that he and Baskett tried to talk to four people from each candidate’s district: a school board member, an administrator in the district, an officer of a local union, and a parent or community member. He said both candidates received generally positive remarks.

Thomas said the responses received about Green praised her work ethic and problem-solving abilities, as well as her leadership. Thomas spoke with Green’s school board, asking if they would renew her contract if possible, to which a board member replied yes, but it would not be unanimous. The dissent, according to Thomas’ report, would likely have come from two fiscally conservative board members.

One endorsement that Thomas said was particularly striking was from a mother he spoke to who had a daughter attend school in Green’s district. The mother said she would like her daughter to emulate Green and view her as a role model.

These responses helped convince Thomas that Green was the candidate Ann Arbor needed.

“I was impressed with what I heard about Green relative to where her [previous] district was [when she arrived] and where she brought it,” Thomas said, emphasizing that Ann Arbor was good, but that it could be better.

Thomas also told his board colleagues about his experiences making calls to address a concern he had about Muñoz. Specifically, because Muñoz is his district’s chief academic officer, not the superintendent, Thomas wondered if Muñoz would be prepared for the position of superintendent.

The reviews Thomas heard about Muñoz were generally positive, although they were less detailed or specific, due to the large size of Muñoz’s district and the lack of visibility that comes with his current position, Thomas felt. In addition, Thomas said that board members he interviewed were not very familiar with him, because he was not superintendent.

“We went on this national search because we wanted someone who has demonstrated that they can do the job,” Thomas said.

Thomas continued his remarks by talking about the impression he had of Muñoz after Friday night’s community forum. Thomas felt that Muñoz had not performed well when answering questions about special education programs, whereas Green has had “direct, very positive experiences with special education programs,” Thomas said.

This poor public impression could be attributed to Muñoz’s style of operating and interacting with the public. During the reference calls, both Thomas and Baskett found that those who worked with Muñoz said he had a laid-back style of working.

“He doesn’t speak a lot, but when he does, it is very focused,” Thomas said. “Because of his quiet style, he is sometimes perceived as not passionate, but that’s not the case.”

Baskett agreed, saying that his quiet nature could be attributed to his counseling background. She added that people didn’t describe him as flashy, but rather as a humble person who served as an example for the saying “still waters run deep.”

Nevertheless, Thomas concluded his remarks by saying that he felt Green would be the best candidate.

Impressions from Glenn Nelson

Nelson was the next to speak, expressing his support for Muñoz and identifying his experience engaging with a diverse community as a significant strength.

Board member Glenn Nelson took notes at the Friday night public forum.

Muñoz comes from a district with nearly 32,000 students speaking 43 different languages. Of these students, 65% live at or near the poverty level and 49% of the students are minorities. He also has extensive experience connecting with members of his district, sharing stories at the community forum that included him going to door to door to inform community members about news in the district.

Nelson added that Muñoz had documented experience working at the middle school level, a critical period, in Nelson’s opinion. He finished by saying that he felt Muñoz would be more likely to stay with the district for a long period of time, and appeal to students not currently enrolled in the Ann Arbor.

Impressions from Irene Patalan

Patalan spoke briefly after Nelson. She had voted for Green in the straw poll, citing her level of experience as the deciding factor. Patalan mentioned hearing these concerns about Muñoz and his relative lack of experience in the feedback from those who attended the community forum.

[Comments from people who attended the Friday community forum were solicited on "impression sheets" and were photocopied and given to each board member to review].

“When I looked at the community feedback, I saw that I was kind of on the same wavelength as the community,” she said.

Impressions from Christine Stead

Stead continued the theme of supporting Green for her experience, highlighting Green’s leadership on the legislative front.

A Friday night forum attendee holds aloft a completed "impression sheet" on Patricia Green, to signal it was ready for collection.

This was consistent with Stead’s question during the board’s final interview with Green. When Stead asked about the importance of legislative advocacy for the district, Green mentioned background that included advising the state senate whip in Pennsylvania on issues regarding education. Green said she balanced her commitment to advocacy in the political realm with a commitment to what she felt education was really about.

“As a superintendent, the district is important,” Green said. “It’s not about Republicans or Democrats – the kids are important.”

Impressions from Simone Lightfoot

Lightfoot offered a different perspective, saying that Muñoz represented the type of non-traditional candidate the board wanted to consider.

“We wanted to include non-traditional candidates, and we’d be remiss to hold them accountable for being non-traditional,” she said.

For Lightfoot, Muñoz had experience with diverse cultures, while Green didn’t. Lightfoot felt Muñoz could cross spectrums to connect with people, and that he was a candidate who is not just more of the same.

In support of Muñoz, she cited the plan Muñoz had discussed for his first 100 days as a superintendent. Muñoz frequently referred to his entry plan during interviews and the community forum – it’s a plan that calls for meeting with staff and administrators, reviewing curriculum and a wide range of other measures. Lightfoot felt this effort meant that Muñoz would be hungry to improve the district, connect with the district and stay for a long time.

Lightfoot concluded her comments by mentioning that Muñoz would be the district’s first Latino superintendent, and having someone in this position would be very positive for Latino students.

Impressions from Deb Mexicotte

Mexicotte, the board president, identified herself as the fourth and final vote for Green, admitting that she had switched her vote in her head countless times and would likely switch again before a decision was made. Mexicotte’s reasoning included a number of arguments already mentioned, with an emphasis on the feedback she’d read from the impression sheets filled out by the audience at Friday’s community forum.

Mexicotte said that while each candidate took hits in certain areas from the community feedback, the criticisms of Muñoz touched on a number of issues relating to lack of experience, including concerns over budgeting experience and how his quiet demeanor would be perceived. In contrast, Green had been criticized for answers that were too general and for possibly lacking a commitment to diversity. But Green was frequently praised for her experience and track record, with one commenter saying that she had “a whole-community view.”

Mexicotte finished by saying the final interview with Green, as well as her district’s documented minority student achievement, helped Mexicotte to decide that Green was the entire package.

Impressions from Susan Baskett

Baskett was the last board member to share her views, expressing support for Muñoz. Baskett felt that she would enjoy working with Muñoz more, and that he would have an easier time connecting with communities, making progress after the transition go much quicker.

Susan Baskett took notes at the Friday night forum.

About his quiet demeanor, Baskett said that while Muñoz had started out on the quiet side, she felt that he had become more comfortable interacting with the board as the interview process has gone on.

Baskett added that the feedback from the community forum should be taken with a grain of salt – because attendees were not asked to rank the candidates, only to give positives and negatives.

Nelson agreed, saying that the crowd that attended the forum was not a random sample of Ann Arbor. He said he doubted that anyone was there representing students who have chosen not to attend school in AAPS.

Second Straw Poll: Green 2, Muñoz 5

The initial round of views expressed by board members brought them to another straw poll. After taking a few minutes to reflect, trustees voted again. The new poll showed a significant shift in support toward Muñoz, who received five votes to Green’s two – from trustees Patalan and Thomas.

Continued Board Discussion

Mexicotte and Stead, the two board members who changed their votes in favor of Muñoz, explained that they switched because they felt there were adequate structures in place to support Muñoz in the areas he was deficient. Stead pointed to the legislative presence that she and other board members have already created through advocacy and legislative breakfasts to inform local elected representatives. Mexicotte also felt that the administrative team in place was strong.

“Where he has been perceived as deficient, the stuff we have in place will scaffold him,” Mexicotte said.

Patalan and Thomas then defended Green, explaining why they did not change their votes.

Thomas spoke first, allowing that Muñoz’s entrance plan was impressive. However, Thomas felt compelled to comment on the assertions that Green was not committed to equity and diversity. He said that she had a track record of success when she worked at a school district in Prince George’s county in Maryland, a very diverse area, and he was surprised that point was made against her.

Patalan agreed with Thomas, saying she was glad that Green had spoken about her work in Prince George’s county. Patalan added that while Muñoz is a solid option, Green would provide immediate leadership, making for a smooth transition.

Third Straw Poll: Green 3, Muñoz 4

The discussion on the second straw poll led to another straw poll, still showing support for Muñoz, but only by a 4-3 margin. Mexicotte chose to switch her support back to Green, returning to her previous logic that Green represented the whole package of what they were looking for, adding that she wasn’t sure how much more the board could discuss the issue to get more of a consensus.

Baskett then spoke and shared in more detail some of the problems she had with Green. She said she was not comfortable with Green’s handling of issues of diversity, referring to a metaphor Green had used during interviews and at the community forum that included large crayons of different colors she had in her office to remind her to celebrate diversity. Baskett said she was committed to helping Green with these issues but “she is not where Muñoz is in carrying the issues of diversity.”

In response, Patalan said that if Green was lacking in something like dealing with issues of diversity, she would be more than committed to improving herself.

“A commitment and a desire to be well-rounded is there,” Patalan said.

Fourth Straw Poll: Green 3, Muñoz 4

A fourth straw poll was held with the same result, but with a twist: Stead and Mexicotte had both changed their votes.

Stead explained that she had decided to throw her support back to Green, because of the arguments made about the differences in experience. She added that she was starting to question the commitment by the district that would have to be made to support Muñoz if he is lacking in experience.

Bill Newman, left, and Alvin Johnson of the consulting firm Ray & Associates sort through audience-submitted questions at the Friday night forum.

Thomas accentuated this notion by pointing out that several senior members of the district’s administration could be close to retirement, creating a significant loss in people with “institutional history and knowledge regarding the district” and making for a more difficult learning curve.

Mexicotte said her change was motivated less by a preference for one candidate over the other, and more by a desire for board unity.

Nelson took the opportunity to jokingly identify Ray & Associates, the search firm hired by the district to help with the process, as the reason for the difficult decision.

“In case anyone is misinterpreting this, the people to blame are Ray & Associates,” he said. “They produced two super candidates.”

Fifth Straw Poll: Green 4, Muñoz 3

The continued discussion led to a final straw poll, with Mexicotte saying that she had come full circle and would be supporting Green. The final count was 4-3 in favor of Green, with board member votes distributed along the lines of the original straw poll. Green received votes from trustees Christine Stead, Irene Patalan and Andy Thomas, as well as president Deb Mexicotte. Muñoz received votes from trustees Glenn Nelson, Simone Lightfoot and Susan Baskett.

The Vote on Green: 6-1

With that, Nelson moved to nominate Green as their choice for the position of superintendent. The board voted 6-1 in favor of Green, with Baskett as the dissenting vote.

Details of the Offer

Discussion then moved to specifics about the contract the district would be offering. Trustees discussed a number of clauses that could be included in the contract, like the length of the contract and the salary of $245,000.

On the issue of the contract’s term, Mexicotte said a four-year contract had been brought up because it would send a message of longevity.

Stead addressed concerns that the salary was too high by saying that the $245,000 figure is about $1,000 less than the average superintendent’s salary in a university town.

In the end, the board agreed to make Green the offer of a four-year contract with an annual salary of $245,000. It will include the same health care package as other top AAPS administrators, a term life insurance policy at three times the salary, and fees and dues to join community organizations and up to four professional organizations. Green will also be offered three personal days per year, 12 sick days that could accrue up to 200 sick days, and 25 vacation days per year that do not accrue.

Finally, the board decided to offer Green the opportunity to present three competitive bids for moving expenses, with the understanding that the board will choose the lowest one.

Coda

In closing, Thomas commented on the process that was coming to an end after a long, detailed search.

“From the moment that we started, there has been a lot of criticism about the process. My observation is that we completed the process within the time frame; we were presented with a group of 12 candidates who were all qualified and had been properly vetted and we narrowed down to a group of six with which we had strong consensus. After public interviews, we were down to a group of three, then two. We did offer to the community to suggest questions. We had public forums where a significant number came. We did carefully consider public input. We came down to a choice between two extremely well-qualified candidates,” he said. “As tortuous and convoluted as this procedure was, it worked.”

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

Next regular meeting: Wednesday, March 16, 2011, 7 p.m., at the fourth-floor conference room of the downtown Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave.

About the writer: Eric Anderson is an intern for The Ann Arbor Chronicle.

The other finalist was Michael Muñoz (Des Moines Public Schools, Iowa). A third finalist, Shelley Redinger (Oregon Trail School District, Oregon), had announced her withdrawal from consideration earlier in the week. Redinger accepted a different position – with the Spotsylvania County school system in Virginia.

The morning interviews were the second round of questions from the board. The first round of interviews took place during the week of Feb. 14. Both candidates had also answered questions at a community forum held Friday evening, March 4, which drew around 100 attendees at Pioneer High School.

The proposed offer to Green will be a four-year contract with an annual salary of $245,000, and will include the same health care package as other top AAPS administrators, a term life insurance policy at three times the salary, and fees and dues to join community organizations and up to four professional organizations. Green will also be offered three personal days per year, 12 sick days that could accrue up to 200 sick days, and 25 vacation days per year that do not accrue. The board also decided to offer Green the opportunity to present three competitive bids for moving expenses, with the understanding that the board will choose the lowest one.

If negotiations with Green are successful, she would be taking over the position from interim superintendent Robert Allen, who assumed those responsibilities after former superintendent Todd Roberts announced his resignation on Aug. 13, 2010. Allen did not apply for the superintendent job.