| The district has so far not given any details on why Ahmed never returned from that leave. File photo, By Charles Sercombe It is my hope that I will return and come back revitalized, with a refreshed perspective to continue to lead our efforts and be the driving force behind the advancement and vision we have for the students and families of Hamtramck Public Schools. By Charles Sercombe Nabil Nagi, interim superintendent, said the district wasunable to provide information or comment on legal matters. Ahmed announced her leave of absence last week on the district's Facebook page. During my absence, the Board of Education will appoint an interim superintendent who will have the full support of the entire team at Hamtramck Public Schools. Mobile app for news, photos and video on the go. Thus, our focus remains on providing our children with a learning environment that supports their academic, social, and emotional growth," Nabil said in a statement. The district has the Schools of Choice program, which allows non-district students to enroll in district schools. A poll suggested that some 50 percent of teachers considered leaving the district for other jobs. Nabil Nagi, the districts English Language Director, and Sherry Lynem, the districts Chief Financial Officer, were appointed to share the duties of superintendent. Unlike many news organizations, we made a choice to keep all of our independent, investigative reporting free and available for everyone in our community. Ahmed initially took a medical leave back on October, citing the stress she endured during the Covid pandemic. width: 100% !important; HPS teachers held week-long protest over superintendents return, Once again, the city has to face financial issues. Ahmed is allowed to remain on paid leave for up to 60 days. Jaleelah Ahmed and the school district are defendants in a federal whistleblower lawsuit by Christina Adamczyk filed by attorney Gary Miotke that pends in federal court. We're really reaching out to the community to . It seems like it would be big news. The Hamtramck High School building. 1K followers 500+ connections. She received the highest possible performance rating from evaluations since she became superintendent in 2019, something the lawsuit points out. As of Feb. 28, the school districts website did not recognize Ahmed in any role. Councilmembers and the mayor want a raise. Felix Chow is a Superintendent at Hamtramck Public Schools based in Hamtramck, Michigan. Board members like Major supported Ahmeds efforts in 2020 to promote a millage to construct a new elementary school, a proposal later defeated by voters. Hamtramck Public Schools (@hamtramckpublicschools) Instagram photos and videos. According to district payroll records, Ahmed was still collecting paychecks as of Feb. 18, 2022. WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. Exclusive podcasts from our top journalists. She was promoted to superintendent in 2019-20. They felt that some involuntary transfers that administration had implemented were retaliatory people who had spoken up about some things suddenly found themselves moved, Coral says. Im looking forward to working with [the acting superintendents] on some of the initiatives that had stalled over the last couple of weeks I hope those initiatives can begin to get us out of this crisis, Coral says. In a letter to the Hamtramck community posted on Facebook this week by Hamtramck Public Schools, Ahmed announced she was stepping away. chaotic whats chaotic? She did not say what specific ailment she has. Hamtramck Six Hamtramck schools employees are suing the interim superintendent and district, alleging the interim leader has discriminated against them, retaliated when they filed. HPS does not control the content or relevancy of these pages. Nabil Nagi Interim Superintendent. HPS is committed to ensuring that our educational materials and websites are accessible, equitable, and usable to everyone. Ahmed and the district also face litigation from a former middle school vice principal. Hamtramck Public Schools posted a letter from Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed, in which she explained that the leave is for her own personal well-being during the pandemic. Print Edition Hamtramck Public Schools posted a letter from Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed, in which she explained that the leave is for her own personal well-being during the pandemic. A clue has emerged as to why Hamtramck Public Schools District Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed remains on leave. Board President Salah Hadwan replied: Well, were still in an investigation. Hamtramck Public Schools will be led by two administrators while its superintendent is on a temporary leave of absence. In September 2020, the district experienced aninflux of autistic students, the suit alleges, promptingAhmed to direct the involuntarytransfer of twoteachers from their former assignments so the autistic students would have teachers who were properly certified under federal and Michigan law. "I would say on the surface that,not speaking for the board, I would hope anyone reading or seeing of these types of allegations would be able to look at the history andthe diligence the board has shown inthe pastfor listening to our community and trying to build thebest school system we can for families.". This content is only available to subscribers. Do they deserve it? According to a letter the district sent to Ahmed on Oct. 14, 2021, she was also barred from taking any actions as a school official. She was very serious about that. Posted: Saturday 06.04.2022 9:07 pm Revised: Friday 06.10.2022 9:07 pm The purpose of my page is to explore educational topics and share progress about my journey as the. Renowned Chef Anthony Bourdain at Polonia. 775 likes. Also on the boards agenda were the hirings of nine new teachers and staff employees, including one for the filling of the high schools vacant principal position. .page .article .comments .fb-comments iframe { March 3rd, 3pm-4:30pm, Hamtramck High School Auditorium Free food and drinks! Budget/Transparency Reporting and Title IX, Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Department. Toni Coral, president of theHamtramck Federation of Teachers, said Thursday the lawsuit had been sent to attorneys to review. The board met last Wednesday and accepted her request for a leave. Join to view profile Hamtramck School District . This is not an environment I want to return in, said the teacher. The eNewspaper, a digital replica of the print paper, every day. The Hamtramck Public Schools are operating with a surplus (thanks to Thomas Niczay's, former Superintendent, diligence in budget and cost control) and will be able to continue operations if they do not pass their bond. Come get answers to your questions about the flu and COVID-19. Originally meant to be split between Nagi and Sherry Lynem, the Interim Superintendent position will now be completely filled by Nagi. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. Hamtramck Public Schools haven't had a permanent leader since mid-October, when Superintendent Jaleelah Hassan Ahmed announced "a temporary leave of absence to address my own personal. She declined further comment. It is against that backdrop that I am writing to inform you that I will be taking a temporary leave of absence to address my own personal well-being. Pre-K and Kindergarten Round Up March 15, 2023 1p-3p, Notice of Cancellation of COW Meeting 12-20-2022. An email apparently circulated among Hamtramck Public Schools employees ordered them to not contact Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed, who is now on a leave of absence. Some teachers and administrators said transfers made no sense and felt punitive against those who had raised concerns over work conditions during the pandemic. Superintendent at Hamtramck Public Schools . Director of Innovative Programming. Accessibility is a core component of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and it is referenced throughout the UDL Guidelines. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Donate | Contact Us, Michigan senator rakes in donations from energy companies, blasts them on Twitter, On House Bill 4001, Michigan Senate Republicans deny immediate effect, preserve tax cut, Why a Michigan paraprofessional left his union, Feds give Michigan $110M to install 127 EV chargers. By Nargis Rahman - YAN - Hamtramck. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); News, views and interviews from the Arab world and the Arab American community document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright The Arab American News. HAMTRAMCK Hamtramck Public Schools Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed, who has been on leave since last October, has filed a lawsuit accusing five board members and the teachers union of conspiring to get her fired. going backwards from our best years In what way? 1/ Day for Students & Staff (HOZ - Final Exams), No School for Students & Staff, Spring Break, HAMTRAMCK PUBLIC SCHOOLS3201 Roosevelt StreetHamtramck, MI 48212SUPERINTENDENTJaleelah AhmedPhone: 313.591.7400Fax: 313.284.6094Office Hours: 8:00am - 4:00pm. This web page contains links to one or more pages that are outside the HPS network. 2). Ahmed has been receiving pay during her absence, as she is still under contract with the district, which has not officially terminated that contract. In 2016, Ahmed was hired to serve as the district'sEnglish language development director. The mass exodus has been connected with her time as superintendent in local conversations and in local media over the months of her unexplained absence, during which teachers themselves spoke out during public meetings. Ahmed, like so many other school superintendents, has had added responsibilities and burdens while overseeing the district during the COVID-19 pandemic. Come get answers to your questions about the flu and COVID-19. The suit also says that the previous superintendent, Thomas Niczay, had made involuntary transfers in the past, with no repercussions. At a recent school board committee meeting, board Vice President Showkat Chowdhury asked when the district would begin a search for a new superintendent. She is a native Detroiter who grew up listening to news and music programming on Detroit Public Radio. Ahmed notified district officials on Oct. 11, 2021, that she would stop performing her duties as superintendent until Jan. 10, 2022. This statement doesnt say much. This web page contains links to one or more pages that are outside the HPS network. Decided December 22, 1986. Ahmeds leave took many in the district by surprise. The district will continue to address and support emotional well-being and mental health for those in our entire school community as that has been an element of critical focus. Renowned Chef Anthony Bourdain at Polonia. Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. It is unclear if this suit relates in any way to the alleged investigation cited in the article. Here are the top scams of 2022, totaling $8.8 billion in losses, Three Ramadan Nights activities to attract thousands of visitors to Dearborn. The Hamtramck Review said this week that trouble began with several job transfers of teachers, some involuntary, which resulted in backlash from some board members about former Human Resources Director Michelle Imbrunone, who was hired by Ahmed. These transfers were made to improve the educational opportunities of Hamtramck Schools students, Lusk said, but triggered demands from school board members and the union forAhmed to firethe district's Human Resources director,MichelleImbrunone. width: auto !important; Your email address will not be published. Toast of the Town A Paczki Day diary: Brrrrr who invited winter to the party? Definition of Terms 2020-2021 School . The suit alleges the board members made false statements like saying that Ahmed was collecting her salary even though she refused to work and that there was no legitimate reason for her medical leave of absence. 2021 Salaries and Benefits over $100k. A clue has emerged as to why Hamtramck Public Schools District Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed remains on leave. Above: Hamtramck Public Schools Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed says the portable classrooms for elementary school students stand in the way of equitable learning "Hamtramck has never passed a bond like surrounding cities," Ahmed said.