"It's really unfortunate that we've actually gotten to a position where we can't even disagree without being disagreeable We need some real change in this district and we need to hold people accountable," he said. When it comes down to the diversity in this community and being a people person, that was why I could not vote to put him in, Smith said regarding her dissenting vote when Herrera was initially hired. We were founded on the Declaration of Independence.. We have great programming, sustainability projects, state and national honors, and boast the largest CTE department in Oakland County. Infighting wasfueled by big egos and big personalitiesandultimately pulled the board'sattention away from their primary focus: students, those critics say. | But when it comes to the $220 million bond issue on the ballot August 6 . Walker: We have accomplished much. Smith provided the following statement on his priorities for the district to the League of Women Voters Oakland Area: Our top 3 issues are, 1. We have a new superintendent who is committed to long term leadership in FPS. .infobox { Johnson, Green and Mukamal contend Weems and Smith allow their personal friendships to dictate their school agendas and frequently get involved in issues that should be handled by administration.
Smith said she has talked with district workers who are fighting to keep their homes, and an employee whose wife has cancer. Both current and former board members expressed frustration over squabbles standing in the way of work that would benefit students in a district with continued declining enrollment. text-align: center; "That would never have happened under (former Superintendent) Bob Maxfield's leadership.". Apply today! The district paid Herrera a $105,000 buyout,and the district continues to pay his six-figure salary through June as his replacement is hired. 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. I think we need to do some cutting at the top. padding-left: 10px; Farmington Public School District At-large, Angie Smith (Farmington Public School District, Michigan), Ballotpedia does not currently cover this office or maintain this page. 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. U.S. Congress | After the motion was requested, board president Pamela Green read a statement regarding "extraordinary developments" since the last meeting. He and Green did not immediately respond to requests for comment late Monday. Weems: We need to do a better job of marketing the great things that are happening in our district. When you see a staff member having to buy groceries with a Bridge card, that troubles me," she said. Fixing the boards culture is important to its effectiveness moving forward. 2. Email: For subscribers: 'Dysfunction' blamed for loss of Farmington's top three school officials. 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). How to run for office | Having achieved that, today, I am interested in being re-elected because I want to continue the progress the district has made recently in efforts to engage every student in a quality learning experience so that they can achieve their full potential. I am happy with our direction, but this is not a time to rest because there is still plenty to do. Olson: Some of the attributes that make me qualified to be a school board member include being a parent of 4 kids in the district, a taxpayer in the district, and my strong business acumen. Contact reporterShelby Tankersley at stankersle@hometownlife.com or 248-305-0448. The closure of four elementary schools also has Smith concerned, both with the crowding of students into the remaining buildings and what happens as the district's population starts moving back up. Jim Stark, a former board president,resigned in 2018 for similar reasons. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. 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. On November 8, Farmington and Farmington Hills voters will help elect new leaders at the federal, state, county, and local level. Angie Smith was elected in 2016. This was like Mean Girls.. clear: both; Parents manifested a concern that the district was not responding well to the pandemic. Drawing upon current neuroscience about how the brain learns best, Dr. Blau specializes in creating highly engaging, interactive, experiential lessons designed to bring the curricular content to life for students so that they will connect meaningfully and deeply with what they learn. If you have any questions about what may or may not constitute an expenditure of school district funds, please contact MASB's Legal Counsel Brad Banasik, J.D. [3], In Michigan, candidates are prohibited from receiving contributions from corporations or labor organizations. This community has lost trust with the district.". We have completed our strategic planning, identified the profile of a lifelong learner and negotiated long term contracts with our staff. However, I am pleased with the direction the district is moving in, especially in the last year. Smithsaid dysfunction on the board is nothing new, "it's just become more visible.". Email: Pastor Doug Jones, Welcome Missionary Baptist Church Pastor and Chair of the Oakland County Ministerial Alliance. CBS Detroit - Farmington School Board Superintendant Robert Herrera resigned along with School board Vice President Terri Johnson and President Pamela Green, citing online, public, and. I would work with the districts financial advisers and work out a five year plan, and discuss with labor relations what their input would be, and to make sure that funds would be allocated in technology to keep us current. We must concentrate on our literacy and math scores and closing the opportunity gap. We must create more academic challenges for our gifted students. Angie Smith is an at-large representative on the Farmington Public School District school board in Michigan. 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. 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. Biography Smith earned her bachelor's degree from Wayne State University. Herrera's resignation came after he filed a complaint against board member Angie Smith for harassment after she made posts online claiming he was racist toward students and staff. Problems get created when members see their role differently than what MASB or their board sees as the appropriate role of a board member versus a superintendent, Wotruba said. "Angie Smith has had problems with every single person on that board," Terry Johnson, a former board vice president who also resigned in November, said. The board called Smiths claims unfounded, but accepted Herreras resignation to avoid being sued by him. 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. Welcome to the Counseling Center! To learn more about county-wide races and ballot issues, visit 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. width: 43%; WATCH: Amazon Organizer Big Mike Foster, Labor Leaders Host Rally and Canvass for Andy Levin. 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 in the statement. EDUCATION COMMUNITY. 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. Its really unfortunatethat weve actuallygotten to a positionwhere we cant even disagree without beingdisagreeable. Counties | color: white; What I found is instead of being a cohesive, collaborative board, there was a lot of division and there was one common thread amongst it.. The movescame during a special board meeting Monday. } The priority for ARPA dollars should be focusing on helping students recover academically and emotionally from losing a year in the classroom. color: white; width: 250px; Farmington Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Robert Herrera resigned from his position, allegedly following allegations of racism toward Black students and staff in the district. At a glance, things appeared fine in public meetings, but board members say personal attacks amongst themselves plagued their lives outside the board room. Weems: These one-time dollars present a huge opportunity to foster real change and innovation. .widget-row.Democratic { The new policy took effect, Feb. 9, and applies to busses as well. Ballotpedia provides comprehensive coverage of the 100 largest cities in America by population as well as mayoral, city council, and district attorney election coverage in state capitals outside of the 100 largest cities. Livonia Chamber stickers program helps businesses highlight inclusive values, Comerica bank to sell Livonia office building, move to neighboring Farmington Hills, Henry Ford Health brings new emergency room, specialty services to western Wayne County, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. .infobox p { 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 . It really does take a village. We have tremendous momentum right now and Im excited about the direction we are moving in. }); Claudia Heinrich was elected in November 2020. He and his family have been a part of the community for 20 years. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, with a BA in Education and Eastern Michigan University with a Masters Degree in Mathematics. Angie Smith is on Facebook. "His skill set was like nothing we have ever seen in this district," Green said Monday of Herrera. Angie Smith has served on the school board since 2017. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Board Meeting Details. It's like saying, 'Honey the house is in foreclosure, but there's a Bentley in the driveway.' Zach is actively involved with the Northern Guard Supporters and is a co-owner of Detroit City Football Club. Those completed goals come at the expense of Academic Excellence. Parents protest Farmington High school board meeting over CRT, 21-day equity challenge, How Police Department Spending in Michigan Compares to Other States, Home Buyers in Saginaw, MI Are Making Some of the Smallest Down Payment in the Country, Heres How Many Guns Were Sold in Michigan Last Month, Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs At Risk of Automation and AI Replacement in Michigan, Judge declares Illinois' gun ban unconstitutional, Report finds $860 million lost in homes seized by government, U.S Treasury sanctions cartel-run timeshare fraud network targeting Americans, Air Force leader's testimony on military vaccine mandates contradicts IG report, Gaetz says, Biden takes fire after vowing to ban assault weapons, Madigan asks judge to toss out 14 of 23 corruption counts. }); 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. The polls will open at 8:00 AM and close at 7:00 PM . var encodedEmail = swrot13('natvr.fzvgu@scfx12.arg'); Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. Im frustrated and think we can do a lot better for equality.. Particularly long answers were shortened, which is indicated with an ellipsis. The motion was requested by board vice president Terry Johnson. State executives | Schools of choice options provide a great opportunity for students outside of our district to join us, however . there are a huge number of students who live in our district who do not attend our schools. "It's bittersweet that it has to be against two friends.". 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 district serves about 9,100 students right now, a number that dropped over 300 students from the 2019-2020 school year. How to vote | Student enrollment has had a nearly 25% reduction in less than a decade. Smith: RETAINING OUR EXCELLENT STAFF. The current school board removedSmiths censure in January, wanting to puteveryone on the same footing as it moves forward. Weems: Mental health is a huge issue facing not just our district, but the whole nation. Donald Walker was appointed to the board in 2021. Smith allegedly said Herrera in a sense had his knee on the neck of an African American coworker.. She is the single mother of three daughters who all attended Farmington Public Schools - graduates of 2006, 2010 and 2016. "Dr. Robert Herrera indicated a desire to resign his employment with the district," Green said. Conflicts in school board elections, 2021-2022; Partisanship in 2022 United States local elections; Trends in 2022 ballot measures; The Biden administration.} Interns wanted: Get paid to help ensure that every voter has unbiased election information. School districts | Bjorn Olson is a father of four children in the Farmington High district who was concerned about the 21-day equity challenge. 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. Federal courts | [1], Five of the seven seats on the Farmington Public School District school board were up for general election on November 8, 2016. Take a sneak peek inside. In public comments, some people called for the 21-day challenge to return, while others called to abolish it. .widget-value { She has resided in Farmington Hills for over 20 years and was involved in her daughters' academics and extracurricular activities. When we understand that each student brings unique experiences, strengths, and ideas into the classroom, students become more confident academically and improve critical thinking. Applicants can submit their resume, letter of intent, and three letters of reference here. 1. } Board of Veterinary Medicine 335 Randolph Avenue, Suite 215, St. Paul, MN 55102 Phone: (651) 201-2844 Fax: (651) 201-2842 Hearing/Speech Relay: 1-800-627-3529
