Green said the common thread was one of her elected colleagues, current trustee Angie Smith. While this is not how or the time that I wanted to leave the district, I felt it was necessary to do what was in the best interest of our entire school community, Herrera said. Describing his reasoning to the board, Johnson said the group "has just completely changed. One action local districts can take to address diversity, equity and inclusion is to evaluate teaching materials to ensure materials represent diverse perspectives and content, represent a range of voices, and are culturally responsive. I could not emotionally continue, Green said. School board members set overall district policy and manages the district superintendent, in this case Superintendent Christopher Delgado, who oversees day-to-day operations. Jim Stark, a former board president,resigned in 2018 for similar reasons. Smith questions the need for three assistant superintendents, and wonders whether the district's could have waited for a time when more money was available. ", Teachers want parents to be involved with the schools, she said, because "it's a partnership. She is a champion for children. The new policy took effect, Feb. 9, and applies to busses as well. 2022 Election Results. FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (FOX 2) - A lengthy school board meeting heard more than 80 people speak during public comment with a clear divide when it comes to the district's approach to teaching. The resignation comes after claims from board member Angie Smith that say the superintendent was racist toward Black students and staff, however, it's unclear what instances took place. Farmington Public Schools Superintendent Robert Herrera, who was hired just last year, resigned Monday night during an explosive, emotional board meeting. Farmington Municipal Schools is seeking applicants to fill the District 4 Board position. }); A University of Detroit-Mercy graduate in Communications, with a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and a two time graduate of Specs Howard School of Media Arts, Donald Walker has worked in media and education for 30 years. On Nov. 8, voters in the Farmington Public Schools district will choose three people to serve on the school board for six years. var encodedEmail = swrot13('pynhqvn.urvaevpu@scfx12.arg'); "So this is painful. Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. In a July 8 Mlive story titled Critical Race Theory isnt taught in Michigan schools, so why is it such a hot topic?, the writer, without citing evidence, claims that Critical race theory is most often taught in colleges and universities. var encodedEmail = swrot13('znoyr.sbk@scfx12.arg'); Smith: I have been a dedicated resident and member of the Farmington Hills community for the past 26 years, and have served on the school board for 6 years. Incumbent David Turner and Mark Przeslawski defeated Fritz Beiermeister for the two-year terms. We have more work to do to incorporate feedback from our parents and our community so that our parents and students become our biggest cheerleaders and bring more of our districts students into our schools. We must also continue the work that has already been established within our schools. The median household income for Oakland County was $66,436, compared to $49,087 for the entire state. You can watch Shawn Leys full story in the video posted above. 2. The filing will be dropped, the district said, now that he is leaving. It has been shown that strong student relationships can reduce the gaps that can sometimes occur, particularly in the area of racial inequalities as it relates to school discipline. background-color: #f9d334; But I would have been good with that. Particularly long answers were shortened, which is indicated with an ellipsis. In addition to white privilege checklists, the challenge asked participants to join a BLM or affiliated protest to bail out arrested protesters and rioters, and included a list of microaggressions to avoid, such as calling America the land of opportunity.. The six-member Board is also responsible for hiring a superintendent to administer the District's educational program and carryout Board policies, and for setting an annual budget that ensures proper and effective use of public funds. Also, we should focus on ways to encourage individuals to apply for open positions within our district (substitutes, bus drivers, and para pros for example). School board chaos at Farmington Public Schools leads to superintendent's resignation. He's previously worked for Detroit's public school system and Specs Howard School. U.S. President | Smith said she has talked to teachers at the high school level who want to move back to semesters from the current trimester scheduling, a move she would support. When we understand that each student brings unique experiences, strengths, and ideas into the classroom, students become more confident academically and improve critical thinking. The board was fighting bitterly over Terri Weems as president, and it was made very clear to me that she needed to go as president, Mukamal said of Weems previous tenure as board president. Very painful.". 2023 www.detroitnews.com. As a school board member, she said, she would first and foremost listen to parents, teachers and students. Within 10 days of becoming a candidate, candidates must form a candidate committee. Ballot measures, Who represents me? Board members should have had a longer community conversation around the sale, she said, adding, "People are afraid now, and they are angry. State legislature | Through tears, Green, a former elementary teacher, said Herrera's dedication to educationinspired her to want to return to the classroom. Claudia retired in 2015 after a 40 year career in education, teaching high school mathematics at Riverside High School in North Dearborn Heights, Mercy High School in Farmington Hills, and Stevenson High School in Livonia. We have completed our strategic planning, identified the profile of a lifelong learner and negotiated long term contracts with our staff. Minnesota Parents Alliance identifies and endorses school board candidates across the state who are aligned with our mission of prioritizing academic achievement, equality and parental rights in their school district. EDUCATION COMMUNITY. Olson: One tangible action would be to explore proven programs that improve student-teacher relationships. Senator Bayer is proud to be endorsed by the following: Marcia Gershenson, Oakland County Commissioner and Board Vice Chairwoman. Smith won the seat in the at-large general election on November 8, 2016 . State and local courts | .widget-value { Angie Smith has had problems with every single person on that board, Terry Johnson, a former board vice president who alsoresignedin November, said. Tuesday night's protest was followed by a school board meeting where concerned residents spoke out about curriculum that includes Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. and holds the Superintendent and staff accountable for policy implementation. This is painful, very painful, school board President Pamela Green said. Walker: The best action begins with an equity audit to determine how your district is addressing these issues. It continues the cycle of negativity. FPS can attract new and returning students by focusing on the priorities Ive already mentioned above, primarily returning to a strong fundamental curriculum, free of the distractions that happen when a district has prioritized social and political issues over academic excellence. } margin-bottom:0px; background-color: red; Email: "I don't like anything sticking," she said. "I'm not happy about this because of how it affects our district. Heis slated to act as a consultant before receiving a severance payment of $105,000 onJune 30, 2021. $(document).ready(function () { "That would never have happened under (former Superintendent) Bob Maxfield's leadership.". $('span#sw-emailmask-4633').replaceWith(''); Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Information, Information for the 2021-2022 School Year, Social Emotional Support Tools for Families, School Closing and Repurposing Information, NWEA Student Progress Report - Parent Information, Farmington/Farmington Hills Education Foundation, 2018-2019 Farmington School Culture & Climate Survey - Staff, Absence Management / Attendance Reporting, Board of Education Committee and Representative/Liaison Appointments. background-color: grey; Angie attended Wayne County Community College and Wayne State University with a major in Mortuary Science. We need to give racism the death it truly deserves and stop CRT and teach our kids the right values and the right history and that we do live in the greatest country in the world, Macfarland told The Center Square in an interview. I chair the Communications/Community Engagement committee and work on the Legislation committee for our board. She has resided in Farmington Hills for over 20 years and was involved in her daughters academics and extracurricular activities. 3. After the motion was requested, board president Pamela Green read a statement regarding "extraordinary developments" since the last meeting. $(document).ready(function () { width: 150px; Smith, a 12-year member of the council, did not register as a candidate for the Nov. 8 election by the Tuesday deadline, according to the website of the Minnesota Secretary of State. .widget-row.heading { It was very clear there was a lot of disruption on the board, she said. Based on the State var encodedEmail = swrot13('greev.jrrzf@scfx12.arg'); ", Smith is a self-admitted pot stirrer. width: 250px; The next Regular Meeting of the Board of Education will take place on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at 6:00 pm. Walker: IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) funding. Currently, Mable is a consultant with Michigan Virtual. For her part, Smith said this could have all been solved with a simple conversation.". We were founded on the Declaration of Independence.. }); Claudia Heinrich was elected in November 2020. Two board members and the superintendent of Farmington's school district resigned from their positions last night, amid a big shakeup in leadership on the board. But when it comes to the $220 million bond issue on the ballot August 6 . Follow Us. Personal conflicts, they say, also drew attention away from the schools. The Farmington Public Schools superintendent and the top two members of the board of education resigned Monday amid allegations of harassment and racism.During a special meeting Monday, the. Claudia has had a lifelong involvement in community service; she was a member of the Farmington Area Jaycee Women, PTA, Girl Scout Leader, Religious Education Teacher and Youth Basketball Coach. There is an opportunity to enhance outcomes for these learners. Weems pointed to the boards decisions regarding in-person learning as evidence of that. Inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies should be directed to: Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, 32500 Shiawassee, Farmington, MI 48336. Our priority should be delivering excellence in education. Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. The two boards members were not identified. I understand the complex issues and pressures facing public schools and have extensive experience in effectively solving public problems at the local level. legislators. Pam Green, a former board president who resigned last November, said she never knew the board without problems amongst itself. I am MASB board certified which means I have taken the needed classes to learn how to be an effective board member. "When he told me how much he makes my 19-year-old makes more. It is exhausting and its hurtful.. Spotlight Junior Players proudly presents Disney's "Aladdin Jr" for ONE weekend ONLY! $('span#sw-emailmask-157').replaceWith(''); FARMINGTON HILLS, Michigan - Dozens of concerned parents protested their school system's adoption of the "21-Day Equity Challenge," a Critical Race Theory curriculum, at Tuesday's school board meeting, joined by members of the Oakland County Republican Party and Moms for America. Zach has worked for over a decade in a variety of public service roles at the local, county, and federal levels of government. Join Facebook to connect with Angie Smith and others you may know. I am concerned with turnover in our district. Donald Walker was appointed to the board in 2021. It never stops. "You've got to be involved and see what's going on in the classroom. Email: 100% remote. Walker: I believe all parents have the right to choose and that should not be taken away. A resolution also passed to censure Smith. Weems: There are researched backed reasons to support diversity and, practicing equity in education is a requirement. This board member is outside of that coverage scope and does not receive scheduled updates. Minutes earlier, board vice president Terry Johnson, whose term expires next month, also resigned, effective Saturday. Newsroom tweets. } Cities | Though different factions present different reasons for Heitschs retirement, all say he left the district sooner than he wanted to because of board dysfunction. We are trying our best to develop partnerships with experts in the area. Angie Smith (Farmington Public School District, Michigan) This disambiguation page lists articles with similar titles. Before that, he attended Forest Elementary and Warner Middle School before being a Farmington District ambassador to the International Academy. The board called Smiths claims unfounded, but accepted Herreras resignation to avoid being sued by him. I view the school board as instrumental in setting goals for the district and adopting policies that support achievement of those goals. I support in-house relations opposed to resourcing out, revisiting this would be major for me, so I would have a meeting of the minds of all stake holders, to keep from this happening again. We have great programming, sustainability projects, state and national honors, and boast the largest CTE department in Oakland County. FPS Board Secretary Angie Smith said DEI includes hard topics that have to be brought up., During the protest, Debbie Kraulidis, a Moms for America vice president, said the 21-day challenge and teaching CRT are racially dividing and anti-American., Our schools have drastically lost their way, and they must get back to the mission of education, Kraulidis said. You have permission to edit this article. Hometown Life sent each candidate a questionnaire on their ideas and the state of the district today. Our goal is to help you prepare for graduation and to move into an interesting and meaningful career. She is the mother of three young adults, products of Farmington and Detroit Public Schools. Smith: Yes, because we have hired a new superintendent who shares the same values and understands our mission and vision for the district. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Angie Smith is always in the middle of gossip and personnel issues, and I am so tired," she said. How to run for office | Backup QB C.J. Don Wotruba,executive director of the Michigan Association of School Boards, said operating without a clear vision and culture can hold a board back. Before the school board meeting, about 60 people huddled together in freezing temperatures for a brief news conference highlighting concerns of parents and entities about the teaching of CRT to school children. FPS Board Secretary Angie Smith said DEI includes "hard topics" that "have to be brought up." During the protest, Debbie Kraulidis, a Moms for America vice president, said the 21-day challenge and teaching CRT are "racially dividing" and "anti-American." Board president Pamela Green resigned following the meeting, as well as vice president Terry Johnson., citing frustrations with specifically two unnamed board members. font-weight: bold; FPS Superintendent Chris Delgado said he supports the DEI program. At a glance, things appeared fine in public meetings, but board members say personal attacks amongst themselves plagued their lives outside the board room. Copyright © 2002 - var currentTime = new Date();var year = currentTime.getFullYear();document.write(year); Blackboard, Inc. All rights reserved. Bargaining units. Former board members Johnson, Green and Mukamal said problemsweren't limited to one person, arguingTerri Weems, the board's current president, has also fueled discord. Walker: Two main priorities: safety and mental health and resources used to accelerate and supplement learning. Carr: The priorities of the district should be on excellence in education provided to all students. FARMINGTON -- Farmington School Board voted Feb. 8 to amend the district's mask advisory policy so that masks are "highly recommended" instead of mandated. I would place myself in the position of the bargaining unit to understand their needs, but it must be extremely important that it is explained that the districts needs have to be met to clarify the board's decision-making. During the past six months, the number of public and internal comments that include disparaging, false and defamatory statements has increased and is in direct violation of district policies, Herrera wrote in the complaint. The Board establishes policy matters (curriculum, budget, personnel, etc.) Im not in trouble, Im in good trouble, Smith said Thursday. }); Zach Rich was elected in November 2018. The candidates listed below responded positively to our questionnaire and are ready to stand up for students and parents . Angie Smith is an at-large representative on the Farmington Public School District school board in Michigan. I feel the role of a school board member is to be an advocate and voice for the community and to make sure we are serving our residents, staff, students, and stakeholders. More: Tolonen Family Pet Shop one of downtown Farmington's newest businesses, More: Farmington school board offers superintendent job to Walled Lake administrator, More: The Hawk in Farmington Hills prepares for June opening. He is the right man for the job.. width: 100%; The seven-member school board is relatively young withfour members elected or appointed in the past 6 months. ROBERT DEAN Former MI State Representative, District 75 DORIS BURKS TAYLOR .widget-key { We do this by helping you register for the classes that you need, advising you on subjects such as testing, college readiness, career readiness and connecting you to the . if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; What's on my ballot? Carr: The very real challenge for the board of Farmington Public Schools is to gain the trust and confidence of parents and residents. } We completed an equity audit and are working on our strategic plan in conjunction with the audit We successfully negotiated contracts, became a fully certified board with engaged leadership We still have a lot to do. The board firstpassed a resolution accepting the resignation of Superintendent Robert Herrera, who hasled the district since 2019. I am not interested in having her do this practice, Smith wrote to Green of the suggested instructor in a March2019email. font-weight: bold; ", 2023 The Detroit News, a Digital First Media Newspaper, 'Dysfunction' blamed for loss of Farmington's top three school officials. She's been involved with the PTA, Women of Tomorrow and her homeowners association. A Farmington schools trustee who was censured at a board meeting this week wheretwo members and superintendent resignedsaid the rebuke signals that they want her to "shutup" and not challenge or question her colleagues. She is the single mother of three daughters who all attended Farmington Public Schools - graduates of 2006, 2010 and 2016. To help you prepare to cast your ballot, we've put together a handy collection of links to our candidate profiles, and those published by other organizations. $('span#sw-emailmask-156').replaceWith(''); That email, and dozens of others Hometown Life obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, highlight some of the behind-the-scenes rancor among the elected officials. Pastor Doug Jones, Welcome Missionary Baptist Church Pastor and Chair of the Oakland County Ministerial Alliance. Conflicts in school board elections, 2021-2022; Partisanship in 2022 United States local elections; Trends in 2022 ballot measures; The Biden administration. Angie Smith Farmington School Board - 6 year term Donald Walker Farmington School Board - 6 year term Claudia Heinrich Farmington School Board - term ending 12/31/2024 Susie Muzbeck Crafton Walled Lake School Board Becky Spagnuolo Walled Lake School Board John Paul Torres Waterford School Board They felt uneasy. I think we need to do some cutting at the top. The Board of Education is a governing body which is independent of other municipal, elected governing bodies. Teachers and administrators, should place an emphasis on each student in the pursuit of excellence. Together they raised 4 daughters who attended Farmington Public Schools from preschool through high school graduation. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports. Social issues, and not a Board Commitment to Academic Excellence & Improvement make up the stated goals of the current Board (Read Board Goals 2021-2022). However, I am pleased with the direction the district is moving in, especially in the last year. Many held signs, with one reading: Let me get this straight. Angie Smith Vice President of the Farmington Public School Board angie.smith@fpsk12.net Brief Biography Yolanda Smith Oakland County Commissioner D17, and Realtor Brief Biography Nicole Wells Stallworth WONF Directory and Executive Director, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan nicolewellsstallworth@gmail.com Brief Biography Shelley Taub Johnson and Weems have gone as far as filing complaints against each other to the district. Democrats and media have claimed CRT isnt taught in the state, despite in November Detroit Public Schools Community District General Superintendent Nikolai Vitti saying the 50,000-student district is teaching CRT. We need to start getting rid of stuff we don't need.". } I love these kids, and Farmington just lost an amazing superintendent.. I support schools of choice because it forces each school to consider how they must be constantly improving, to be a viable choice for those parents and caregivers. Copyright 2002-2023 Blackboard, Inc. All rights reserved. .widget-row.value-only.black { Student enrollment has had a nearly 25% reduction in less than a decade. They dont want me to keep bringing up stuff because I ask questions and they dont like that. background-color: white; T.R. Smith: Offering programming and bringing in experienced DEI consultants to help engage and educate our staff and community. Johnson, the board's vice president,told the panel he wasresigning 45 days before his term expiresbecause the group"has just completely changed.". They need to have a conversation about who they want to be as a board, who they want to be to the public, how they want to be toward each other and how they are going to conduct themselves, Wotruba said. Carr: I have a Ph.D. in Public Administration and my academic career has been in public education. We have to gain the trust back. This vote followed the Board of Education's decision in August to. } background-color: #003388; Weems, Smith and Zach Rich, another veteran trustee, have said theyre optimistic about a new board being able to turn things around. var encodedEmail = swrot13('qbanyq.jnyxre@scfx12.arg'); Due to retirements and other issues, we have lost quality staff members. What is happening now is that it is showing and they need a scapegoat," she said. A statement read by board president Pam Green at Monday'smeeting, at which she,Trustee Terry Johnson and Superintendent Robert Herreraannounced their departures, cited Smith'spublic statements and social media posts that allegedHerrrera was against African American students and staff in submitting his resignation. $(document).ready(function () { Disclaimer: Farmington Public Schools shall not discriminate against an person based on race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sexual orientation, gender, age, disability, height, weight, or marital status in any of its programs, services, activities or employment. Biography Smith earned her bachelor's degree from Wayne State University.