This creates an environment for FPS to be competitive for parents decisions. 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. Farmington Public Schools will continue to serve the students and families well in our community; the district has a strong leadership team that will continue to move the district forward.. Take a sneak peek inside, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles. Fixing the boards culture is important to its effectiveness moving forward. She is co-founder of Calvary Education Center and provides enrichment and STEM summer experiences for Metro-Detroit children. The agenda can be found here at least 18 hours before the meeting. if(document.getElementsByClassName("reference").length==0) if(document.getElementById('Footnotes')!==null) document.getElementById('Footnotes').parentNode.style.display = 'none'; What's on my ballot? I am concerned with turnover in our district. FARMINGTON, Mich. As the chaos surrounding the Farmington school board continues, the superintendent and two board members resigned during an explosive, emotional meeting. How to run for office | "It didnt have to lead to him resigning," she said. Mable is co-founder of the Farmington Area Concerned Citizens and former member of the Farmington Hills Police Crime Prevention. Following his resignation, the school board censured Smith, and twoboard members followed Herrera's lead and resigned, as well. Counties | The adult behavior at the board has been horrible, and as a result, the children are suffering, Johnson said. . .infobox p { $(document).ready(function () { } State legislature | Smith had dialed into the virtual meeting minutes after Green spoke about Herrerabut said she couldn'tparticipate due to a family emergency. FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (WXYZ) Farmington Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Robert Herrera has resigned from his position, allegedly following allegations of racism toward Black students and staff in the district from another board member. There's some evidence, however, Smithwas resistant to soothing school board tensions, declining requests the board undergo restorative practice training in 2019. Weems, Smith, and Stark won these seats. Newsroom tweets. Two of her daughters live in Farmington Hills and their children attend Farmington Public Schools. I believe the intent of the challenge was equality, but I think it did the opposite. So in response to that, the board got together in spite of the fact that some members disagreed … everyone wanted to make sure the new board members wrestling with that decision had a chance to be heard.. This vote followed the Board of Education's decision in August to. The board firstpassed a resolution accepting the resignation of Superintendent Robert Herrera, who hasled the district since 2019. Join Facebook to connect with Angie Smith and others you may know. background-color: grey; 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. Describing his reasoning to the board, Johnson said the group "has just completely changed. Herrera had filed a harassment claim against Smith,which she said citeda "hostile work environment." Inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies should be directed to: Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, 32500 Shiawassee, Farmington, MI 48336. Welcome to the Counseling Center! "I'm not happy about this because of how it affects our district. 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. Terri and her husband live in Farmington Hills and have three children who attend Farmington Public Schools. Two other board members also resigned. At the board meeting, Terri Weems, the Farmington Public Schools (FPS) Board of Education president, said she was proud and had no plans to stop the DEI program. The Town Meeting will be held on the following day . "I guess what prompted me to do it was when we had to wear those red shirts and walk around North Farmington," she said. A candidate committee that does not expect to receive or spend more than $1,000 during the election cycle is eligible to receive a reporting waiver, which allows that committee not to file pre-election, post-election, and annual campaign statements. "You've got to be involved and see what's going on in the classroom. 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 21-day equity challenge labeled my children based on their skin color, he said during the news conference. To learn more about county-wide races and ballot issues, visit "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. Several board members said Hererra's not the first to administrative leader to leave the district because of strained relations, sayingformer Superintendent George Heitschs retirement was premature. Apply today! 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. Backup QB C.J. Parents protest outside of North Farmington High School on Jan. 11, 2022. "It's time for me," Smith said. $(document).ready(function () { He was an announcer for Mix 92.3 and Oldies 104.3 WOMC, Director of Education and Instructor at Specs Howard School of Media Arts, Production Director at WRCJ, videographer and editor for the Communications Department at Detroit Public Schools Community District. $(document).ready(function () { Another area of attention that must be addressed is the recruitment and retention of qualified teachers and support staff that serve the district. $(document).ready(function () { Upcoming Agenda: The next regular meeting is Monday, March 13, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. Real history is flawed. Green said the common thread was one of her elected colleagues, current trustee Angie Smith. Herrera filed a complaint against Smith for harassment. Board Meeting Details. font-size: .9em; She has resided in Farmington Hills for over 20 years and was involved in her daughters academics and extracurricular activities. 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. I have the utmost respect for Dr. Herrera.. Smith earned her bachelor's degree from Wayne State University. "It's bittersweet that it has to be against two friends.". Angie has also served the District as a Building PTA President, PTA Council president, PTA State Region D Representative, and Co-Chair of the Farmington/Farmington Hills MCMR MLK Walk. The candidates listed below responded positively to our questionnaire and are ready to stand up for students and parents . 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. In addition to teaching high school, Claudia taught mathematics at Oakland Community College and Schoolcraft College. var encodedEmail = swrot13('
[email protected]'); Michigan Association of School Boards Board of Directors Election, Section 8 Director for Birgit McQuiston of Lake Orion Community Schools as recommended. 2022 Election Results. The percentage of people below poverty level was 10.0 percent for the county, while it was 16.2 percent statewide.[7]. MINUTES 3 Michael Swiecki - Wyandotte Public Schools Regina . 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. Walker: We have accomplished much. Weems pointed to the boards decisions regarding in-person learning as evidence of that. Her censure-ship was much more than what the portrayal is, Green said. Take a sneak peek inside. She is the proud mother of two Farmington High graduates. How to vote | 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. The meeting location is Maxfield Education Center, 32789 W. Ten Mile Rd., Farmington, MI 48336. I believe that by serving on the Board that I can help move the district in the right direction and correct shortcomings of the past. We look forward to working with you. Johnson and Weems have gone as far as filing complaints against each other to the district. Board members should have had a longer community conversation around the sale, she said, adding, "People are afraid now, and they are angry. Ithurts our community, it hurts our students, our parents and our schools. and holds the Superintendent and staff accountable for policy implementation. The Board of Education consists of seven school district residents who will hold either four or six-year terms. A Twitter List by candgnews She has provided professional development for teachers in adaptive/ assistive technology using data to inform teaching and learning. Angie Smith was elected in 2016. Carr: I have a Ph.D. in Public Administration and my academic career has been in public education. .widget-row.value-only.black { At a glance, things appeared fine in public meetings, but board members say personal attacks amongst themselves plagued their lives outside the board room. $(document).ready(function () { The reasoning was cited as "conduct unbecoming of a board member," and was based on Smith's social media posts, which members agreed interfered with the superintendent's ability to perform his duties, among other things, a release states. | It really does take a village. Those struggles, they said, happen because elected school boards aren't in agreement on all issues. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. 2023 www.detroitnews.com. But when it comes to the $220 million bond issue on the ballot August 6 . "That would never have happened under (former Superintendent) Bob Maxfield's leadership.". "You cant tell a board member to keep quiet, but that is what they like to do.. The fact that Farmington Public Schools was not able to retain him is a big black mark on our district, Mukamal said. Copyright 2002-2023 Blackboard, Inc. All rights reserved. I could not emotionally continue, Green said. Follow Us. Carr: The very real challenge for the board of Farmington Public Schools is to gain the trust and confidence of parents and residents. Effective November 2016, all terms will be for six years.