Support staff make their case
as school layoffs loom

It’s been less than a month since the year's first school board meeting hinted at hard times ahead for Grosse Pointe Public Schools employees. But the human resources staff will fight for their positions within the Grosse Pointe School district. read more...

All-day kindergarten proposal passes,
despite some parental objections

While budget cuts and financial crises have eclipsed other concerns in Grosse Pointe schools, the question of an all-day kindergarten program stepped into the light at February’s school board meeting.  And the board approved the plan.

The program will cover every child in every Grosse Pointe elementary school, takes effect with the 2010-11 school year, is tuition-free and allows parents to remove their student from the program at mid-day if that is their preference. read more...

Comments

ADK Decision: Tax Relief and Makes GPPSS a Better District

Submitted by brendan_p_walsh on Mon, 03/01/2010 - 08:06.

The logic of this decision is overwhelmingly in favor of a district-wide no fee All Day Kindergarten (ADK) program.  I wrote a blog entry over a month ago providing my rationale for this decision and I would encourage everyone to read it.  But I want to call a few key points out:
 
1. To the argument made here that this decision was made "without a nod to taxpayers" I submit the exact opposite is true.  This move eliminates the unfair double tax extracted from families who have been enrolling students in the former fee-based Extended Day Kindergarten program.  Michigan school districts receive full per pupil funding for all students, even half day kindergarten students.  To charge those families extra for sending their children to an all day program for which we already receive funding is taxing them twice.
 
2.  On top of this, the fee for the former program was being raised every year - equivalent to a annual tax hike.  Taxpayers across the district should recognize this decision as an elimination of an unfair tax that was increased every February.
 
3.  There was public discussion of this decision at least twice preceding this vote.  It was made quite clear we would be voting on this a full month before we did vote.  There were two community survey touching on the topic completed by more than 1,200 residents.  There were multiple references to the issue on the district web site.  At some point residents must take it upon themselves to remain engaged in these discussions.
 
4.  The students who will benefit the most from a no-fee ADK are the ones who could least afford it.  The community always asks, what are we doing to make improvements?  How can we better prepare students to excel?  Well, this is a great example.  Ask families who have had children in Extended Day Kindergarten how well those students were prepared.  If advocates for half-day kindergarten want to remove their children mid-day then they will be allowed to do so.  Meanwhile, those who choose to stay will get a richer experience.  That is the intent.  The choice remains with the parent.
 
Having been on the Board for over four years and listened to the concerns of taxpayers, I am proud of my advocacy for this decision.  It makes us a better district.  We are often compared to Bloomfield Hills and Birmingham and neither of them have such a program as this.  It is my goal that Grosse Pointe Schools be recognized as THE best district in the state.  This decision is progress in that direction.
 
Read the papers.  While well-heeled districts in the Tri-County area are closing elementary schools (Farmington, Bloomfield Hills) or are close to operating in a deficit financial position (West Bloomfield) Grosse Pointe Public Schools is investing MORE in core educational services with this decision.  
 
Brendan Walsh

MME tests loom for high schools;
three-day exam includes the ACT

Grosse Pointe high school juniors begin taking the Michigan Merit Exam (MME) next week. 

“The tests provide a snapshot of student progress in relation to the Michigan Merit Curriculum,” said Joan Murphy, assistant principal at Grosse Pointe South High School.

Doing well on tests like the MME reflects on the school and community, where high scores are touted by real-estate agents and chambers of commerce. Students at South scored in the top 2 percent in 2009. read more...

School board member predicts
layoffs as part of fiscal reality

With state aid reduced, the next Grosse Pointe public schools budget will require layoffs, board member Brendan Walsh predicts. 

Walsh outlined the situation at the school board meeting on Jan. 25, a session that also saw staff members reeling over recent queries about the importance of certain human resources positions. read more...

Grosse Pointe Academy
hosts Montessori night

Families interested in the benefits of a Montessori education will be able to learn more and personally experience the Montessori educational approach during Montessori Night at The Grosse Pointe Academy on Wednesday, Feb. 24, at 7 p.m. This event is being held in conjunction with Montessori Awareness Week Feb. 22-26, a nationwide celebration of the Montessori method's child-centered, individualized approach to education. read more...

GP South's literary magazine wins
two top awards from Scholastic Press

Looking Glass, Grosse Pointe South's literary magazine, won a First Place Award with Special Merit and an Outstanding Cover Award in American Scholastic Press Association's annual competition. The cover — with artwork created by Kelsey Horne — received one of only four awards given nationally for outstanding magazine covers. 

The competition included publications created during the 2008-09 school year. South students who worked on the winning magazine include: Daisy Bledsoe-Herring, editor in chief; Sarah Helenka Siwak, design director; Jasmyn Samaroo, managing editor; Spenser Feller, written submissions editor; Jesica Dawson and Theresa Zettner, art submissions editors; Liz Olson, copy editor; Emily Cirocco and Claire Eckert, publicity directors; Jeanne Frisby-Zedan, distribution director; Amelia Johnston and Kelsey Horn, contributing staff members. Submission team members were Becky Berger, Melissa Bryan, Matt Clune, Alexa Cornwall, Elisha Deogracias, Marcus Hedenberg, Natasa Kopcak, Kate Lucander, Olivia Murray, Raya Saksouk, Abby Stapleton and Chuck Winter. Sheila Young Tomkowiak is the group's adviser. 

This is the eighth consecutive American Scholastic award for Looking Glass, and its second First Place with Special Merit. read more...

Preschoolers share more than toys

The Cooperative Nursery at Christ Church, as part of its annual "Giving and Sharing" week, donated 438 pounds of non-perishable foods to Gleaners Food Bank this Christmas. The kids decorated shopping bags that were filled by their families. Pictured here are the Redbird class (3-year-olds) and the Bluebird class (4-year-olds) with their donated goods.

In first meeting since devastating cuts,
GPPS board assesses the damage

The Grosse Pointe Public Schools board could hardly conduct its monthly meeting Monday (Oct. 26) without acknowledging the $4 million elephant in the room–two rounds of budget cuts, and possibly a third, that will slash funding for the district. The cuts were made by the state legislature, and by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, last week as part of a bruising state budgetary process in a dismal Michigan economy.

“I cannot say how disgusted I am with our legislature,” said board member John Steininger. read more...

Millages pass, but few new faces
in quiet municipal elections

A municipal election short on contested races concluded with few surprises and much relief for educators, who face steep state funding cuts but were at least rewarded with a continuation of existing tax millages.

Two millage measures, one for operating funds and another for building and physical-plant maintenance and improvements, passed decisively by 3-1 margins. Their passage was welcomed by board members, who already have to reconcile $4 million in funding cuts delivered during the state's brutal budgeting process. The money generated by the two millages accounts for 25 percent of the Grosse Pointe Public School System's budget. read more...

Budget process, governor's veto
leaves local schools reeling

One budget cut is painful. Two downright hurt. Expecting the possibility of many more to come is excruciating, and Grosse Pointe Public Schools can relate, after Gov. Jennifer Granholm blindsided state schools with budget cuts.

“The state knew there was a significant budget shortfall back in May and June when schools were reviewing and approving their budgets,” said Christian Fenton, assistant superintendent for business and support services.

Granholm signed the School Aid Act bill into law Monday (Oct. 19), which cuts funding by $165 per pupil. But in an unexpected move the following day, the governor used her line-item veto to eliminate Section 20J funds, an additional $198 cut per pupil. The cutting still isn't over, however: Late yesterday (Oct. 22), Granholm took another chunk of money away from the schools–$212 million statewide, or another $127 per pupil. School officials estimate the grand total is roughly $4 million per year. read more...