Joint board meeting Aug. 8 to decide fate of Ypsi-Willow Run consolidation proposal
Before voters can decide whether they support school consolidation, Ypsilanti and Willow Run’s boards of education must approve placing a merger proposal on the November ballot.
The Ypsilanti-Willow Run Collaboration and Communication Task Force met Monday and unanimously passed resolution recommending that both school boards vote to support the question of consolidating school districts appearing on the Nov. 6 ballot.
A petition has to be filed in the Washtenaw County Clerk’s Office by Aug. 14.
If school board members vote in favor of the ballot language Aug. 8, it will be up to residents of both districts to determine whether the neighboring schools should combine to form a single school system.
Ypsilanti Superintendent Dedrick Martin, right, joined by Willow Run Superintendent Laura Lisiscki, center, and WISD Superintendent Scott Menzel, discusses the potential merger at an earlier meeting this spring.
Danielle Arndt I AnnArbor.com file photo
School officials conducted five visioning sessions, two data sessions and a two-day "strategic design" planning retreat to involve the community. They will host two forums reviewing the strategic design Aug. 6 and 7.
The motion approved at the April 16 meeting stated the question of consolidation should be brought before voters “only after there has been established a clear and detailed plan for the development and implementation of a unified education system,” according to the resolution.
At the upcoming Aug. 8 meeting, both sets of school board trustees will vote to determine whether those stipulations have been met and whether they can support the proposed ballot language.
Willow Run trustees Brenda Meadows and Bobby Stevens opposed the idea of consolidation at the initial meeting in April.
Washtenaw Intermediate School District Superintendent Scott Menzel has acted as a facilitator for the Willow Run-Ypsilanti collaboration talks and said the Aug. 8 meeting is a “major marker” in the unification process.
“The trustees and superintendents from both boards have worked tirelessly — first, finding ways to pool their resources to reduce expenditures in order to protect funding for educational programs, and now exploring the idea of a new, unified school district,” Menzel said. “This is an important and critical vote for the education of our children in the Ypsilanti area.”
The Aug. 8 meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents Room, on the second floor of Welch Hall.
School leaders with Ypsilanti and Willow Run first undertook the task of looking at shared services a year ago, almost to the day of when the joint meeting will take place. The idea was to ward off an emergency financial manager and maintain local control. Both school districts are operating with a deficit.
Ypsilanti Schools entered the red in 2009 and has a current deficit of just less than $10 million. Willow Run has had a deficit since 2005 and currently is about $1.7 million in the red.
Ypsilanti Public Schools employees face multiple pay-less paydays for the 2012-13 school year if nothing is done. The district has considered reducing support staff hours, closing the high school pool and cutting the number of art, music and physical education teachers at the elementaries to pay employees come fall.
Staff reporter Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.
Comments
picasso46
Mon, Aug 20, 2012 : 6:11 p.m.
And let us know how following kids "prenatal"works! What BULL!
picasso46
Mon, Aug 20, 2012 : 6:06 p.m.
All teaching staff should go based on age + number of years of service = 75 or above. PERIOD. I'm still seeing people around town and on staff lists who are hanging around. Most have not been evaluated for years and/or do not have subject credentials! VOTE NO!!
Tom Bower
Tue, Aug 7, 2012 : 11 p.m.
AnnArbor.com -- Where's the report about the August 6, 2012 meeting?
Danielle Arndt
Wed, Aug 8, 2012 : 8:19 p.m.
Tom, the task force conducted three strategic design reviews. We attended the first one on July 30 and ran a story about the meeting on July 31. Here is a link to that story: http://www.annarbor.com/news/ypsilanti/ypsi-willow-run-leaders-reveal-5-focus-areas-launch-phone-survey-to-gauge-public-opinion-of-potentia/#.UCKRue2ipP4 Thank you for reading!
sc8
Tue, Aug 7, 2012 : 8:57 a.m.
Emma is no longer YPS employee, she works for WISD. The WISD has voiced their support for the plan as well. I agree with the others who would like to see a digital copy of the plan posted. The general public does not trust "the man", so why go to a meeting where "the man" has the upper hand?
Bridgit Johnson
Mon, Aug 6, 2012 : 9:02 p.m.
Ms. Jackson is the hired PR person for Ypsilanti Public Schools. Expected response from her. The task force is made up of central administrators and board members from both districts along with Superintendent of WISD. It wasn't until recently that the districts asked building administrators and teachers to join the task force; AFTER, the decision to consolidate was made by central administration. Because, you see, central administrators do not want to lose their jobs to an Emergency Manager. Yet, consolidating and doing away with all other contracts and bargaining agreements, will allow those same central administrators who keep their jobs, to negotiate new LOWER salaries for everyone else in the district. This is a selfish move by a few who will benefit.
Emma Jackson
Tue, Aug 7, 2012 : 2:44 a.m.
Ms. Johnson, A few points of clarification on your post. I no longer work for Ypsilanti Public Schools. There has been teacher representation, from both districts, since the formation of the Task Force in August 2011. You are correct that building level administrators and support staff were added more recently when the task force and the YPS and WRCS boards of education voted to further the district unification discussion. Central administration cannot authorize consolidation, this decision rests with the boards of education (to place the question on the ballot) and then registered voters will ultimately make the decision.
Emma Jackson
Mon, Aug 6, 2012 : 1:20 p.m.
Taks force members are listed on the web site www.together4ss.org. The committee is made up of equal representation from both districts and there has been a wonderful spirit of cooperation. The prospect of creating a NEW, unified district has generally been well received by those attending the numerous public meetings. Rather than obtaining information solely from a capsulized news report, I would encourage you to attend one of the meetings this week to see the bigger picture.
tom swift jr.
Mon, Aug 6, 2012 : 4:38 p.m.
Ms. Jackson, thanks for the web link. For some attendance at a meeting may not be possible, is there a document available that describes the "design"?
tom swift jr.
Mon, Aug 6, 2012 : 12:02 p.m.
I would be curious as to the membership of the "The Ypsilanti-Willow Run Collaboration and Communication Task Force ", has that list been published? Also, is the "strategic design" document available to the public?
tom swift jr.
Mon, Aug 6, 2012 : 4:45 p.m.
Danielle, thanks for that information.
Danielle Arndt
Mon, Aug 6, 2012 : 2:43 p.m.
Tom, here is a link to the website listing the members of the joint task force: http://www.together4ss.org/about-us.html. I have been told the strategic design document will be uploaded to the website following the last "design review session" tomorrow. The public is encouraged to attend these community forums. The last two are from 6-8 p.m. tonight and Tuesday at the EMU Student Center, Room 310A, 900 Oakwood St., Ypsilanti. I hope this helps! Thanks for reading!
YPboyWRheart
Mon, Aug 6, 2012 : 11:46 a.m.
Ypsi 10 million debt. Willow Run 1.7 million debt. Looks like a take over. Willow Run community will lose in all areas if this passes.. Willow Run could be a good class C school. This will cause more white flight from Ypsi schools. The number of students gained from Willow Run to Ypsi,will be lost in defection from ypsi students. This is about Ypsilanti schools saving teachers jobs at Ypsilanti Schools, and WR giving up. People at WR who are pushing this will get high paying jobs at Ypsi. WR sellout. Wake up Willow Run you are being raided.