}); 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. FARMINGTON HILLS, Michigan - Dozens of concerned parents protested their school system's adoption of the "21-Day Equity Challenge," a Critical Race Theory curriculum, at Tuesday's school board meeting, joined by members of the Oakland County Republican Party and Moms for America. Zach has worked for over a decade in a variety of public service roles at the local, county, and federal levels of government. He'll stay on as the superintendent through the end of the. display: inline-block; Walker: I believe all parents have the right to choose and that should not be taken away. "Toxic is theword of choice describing the boards culture in recent years. She has resided in Farmington Hills for over 20 years and was involved in her daughters' academics and extracurricular activities. Blackboard Web Community Manager Privacy Policy (Updated). Social issues, and not a Board Commitment to Academic Excellence & Improvement make up the stated goals of the current Board (Read Board Goals 2021-2022). 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. Michigan Association of School Boards Board of Directors Election, Section 8 Director for Birgit McQuiston of Lake Orion Community Schools as recommended. Effective November 2016, all terms will be for six years. An emphasis on excellence across the curriculum will attract students to the school system. } Herrera filed a complaint against Smith for harassment. } Elections in 2023 | While apparently emotional, Green read off the statement which mentioned that the resignation would be on mutual terms. She has provided professional development for teachers in adaptive/ assistive technology using data to inform teaching and learning. 2. I am happy with our direction, but this is not a time to rest because there is still plenty to do. One individual sported a shirt that read: We do NOT CO-PARENT with the Government., Parents were protesting a 21-Day Equity Challenge held by the Farmington Public School District last fall. 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. They felt uneasy. Angie Smith Vice President of the Farmington Public School Board angie.smith@fpsk12.net Brief Biography Yolanda Smith Oakland County Commissioner D17, and Realtor Brief Biography Nicole Wells Stallworth WONF Directory and Executive Director, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan nicolewellsstallworth@gmail.com Brief Biography Shelley Taub All rights reserved. margin-bottom: 1px; 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. ", 2023 The Detroit News, a Digital First Media Newspaper, 'Dysfunction' blamed for loss of Farmington's top three school officials. In public comments, some people called for the 21-day challenge to return, while others called to abolish it. Angie Smith, the Farmington Public Schools board secretary, was censured for "conduct unbecoming a board member" after the panel said she made public comments and social media posts. Herrera hadrecently filed a complaint against board secretaryAngie Smith for harassment, district officials said in a statement. I do have a strong personality, that is true, so I would have told him what I didnt like either. The meeting location is Maxfield Education Center, 32789 W. Ten Mile Rd., Farmington, MI 48336. Biography Smith earned her bachelor's degree from Wayne State University. Board president Pamela Green said in a statement that she read to the board that Herrera cited Smith's public statements and social media posts alleging he was against African American staff and students. The candidates listed below responded positively to our questionnaire and are ready to stand up for students and parents . Contact Shelby Tankersley at stankersle@hometownlife.com. We have tremendous momentum right now and Im excited about the direction we are moving in. } 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.. It was moved by Mr. Cook and supported by Mr. Smith that the Novi Community Schools Board of Education approve the Consent Agenda Items A and B as presented and vote on the donations separately. Student enrollment has had a nearly 25% reduction in less than a decade. Herrera had recently filed a complaint against board secretary Angie Smith for harassment, district officials said in a statement. I have the utmost respect for Dr. Herrera.. } Email: We must also continue the work that has already been established within our schools. Though she's plugged into the district, she said, "I knew nothing about the sale until the night it went down. Board meetings are cablecast LIVE on TV-10 and live . var encodedEmail = swrot13('natvr.fzvgu@scfx12.arg'); "I'm not happy about this because of how it affects our district. Her currently works for the Detroit School of Arts. color: white; I think it is a loss for the district, Green said. At the start of the 2022/23 academic year there existed a shortage of teachers and bus drivers. ", The larger problem she sees is a disconnect between the school board and the community. color: white; 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. Now with a mostly new school board who just picked Christopher Delgado as the next superintendent, board members say theyre determined to work together. .widget-value { Counties | The board called Smiths claims unfounded, but accepted Herreras resignation to avoid being sued by him. Weems, who led all voting, has lived with her family in Farmington Hills since 2010.

float:right; 	display: inline-block;  Claudia retired in 2015 after a 40 year career in education, teaching high school mathematics at Riverside High School in North Dearborn Heights, Mercy High School in Farmington Hills, and Stevenson High School in Livonia. Following the creation of the committee, candidates have an additional 10 days to register the committee with the school district filing official by filing a statement of organization. It really does take a village. If you look at our board meetings, all they say is Ms. Smith, you are out of line, and I am not out of line.   var encodedEmail = swrot13('pynhqvn.urvaevpu@scfx12.arg');
 Smith said she has talked with district workers who are fighting to keep their homes, and an employee whose wife has cancer. Walker: Two main priorities: safety and mental health and resources used to accelerate and supplement learning. During a special meeting held with the school board Monday evening and streamed on YouTube, a motion was made to amend the agenda to include consideration of entering into a resignation agreement with the superintendent. 61 South Main Street Farmington, Utah 84025 Phone Directory Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Financial transparency is another issue that needs additional attention. 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. The Board of Education is aware that at times members of the community and District employees would like to . My children went to Farmington Public Schools. . Since 2020, some classrooms have facilitated cultural arguments over equity and diversity and debated how history should be taught.  Tolonen Family Pet Shop one of downtown Farmington's newest businesses, Farmington school board offers superintendent job to Walled Lake administrator, The Hawk in Farmington Hills prepares for June opening. These results are automatically generated from Google. 	color: black; 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. Donald Walker was appointed to the board in 2021. Johnson and Weems have gone as far as filing complaints against each other to the district. 	color: white; This is a community with over 87 nationalities.. This is just their way of telling me to shut up. Angie Smith, Farmington Public School Board of Education Vice President. 
 However, Macfarland says there is a middle line between teaching historical mistakes and teaching CRT. Critics said Smiths behavior created an environment Herrera couldnt work in, prompting the complaint. Email: 
 It never stops. The polls will open at 8:00 AM and close at 7:00 PM . The movescame during a special board meeting Monday. .widget-row.value-only.black { Join Facebook to connect with Angie Smith and others you may know. Ballot measures, Who represents me? "LosingDr. Herrera will be a great loss for our students," Zach Rich, a board trustee, said during the meeting. The Federal Centers for Disease Control acknowledged that it did not respond well to the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. Congress | Contact reporterShelby Tankersley at stankersle@hometownlife.com or 248-305-0448. School board members agreed its roleis to manage the superintendent and let him or her run the day-to-day operations of the district. Follow Us. I support schools of choice because it forces each school to consider how they must be constantly improving, to be a viable choice for those parents and caregivers. So you get bogged down in all this minutia.. She has also taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels in the fields of both education and psychology. Terri earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Science degree in accounting from the Honors College at Ohio University. "I am embarrassed and I feel so bad because I feel like I let everyone down. "That would never have happened under (former Superintendent) Bob Maxfield's leadership.". Minutes earlier, board vice president Terry Johnson, whose term expires next month, also resigned, effective Saturday. "Dr. Robert Herrera indicated a desire to resign his employment with the district," Green said. It was very clear there was a lot of disruption on the board, she said. Real history is flawed. Teachers and administrators, should place an emphasis on each student in the pursuit of excellence. She is the mother of three young adults, products of Farmington and Detroit Public Schools. "It didnt have to lead to him resigning," she said. The Board of Education is a governing body which is independent of other municipal, elected governing bodies. } Take a sneak peek inside. Angie Smith Farmington School Board - 6 year term Donald Walker Farmington School Board - 6 year term Claudia Heinrich Farmington School Board - term ending 12/31/2024 Susie Muzbeck Crafton Walled Lake School Board Becky Spagnuolo Walled Lake School Board John Paul Torres Waterford School Board Recruitment, vetting, and training are expensive propositions. Dr. Herrera was appointed as superintendent in 2019. Carr: The very real challenge for the board of Farmington Public Schools is to gain the trust and confidence of parents and residents. 	width: 150px; He'll receive a $105,000 severance. In the past, she's been involved with the Oakland County School Board of Directors and is a former employee of Farmington Public Schools. 	color: white;  Weems pointed to the boards decisions regarding in-person learning as evidence of that. "His skill set was like nothing we have ever seen in this district," she said. 	font-size: 1.2em; Herrera will continue as superintendent until Jan. 22, which is the end of first semester. This vote followed the Board of Education's decision in August to.  Smith said she has talked to teachers at the high school level who want to move. Smithsaid dysfunction on the board is nothing new, "it's just become more visible.". In a tearful statement, Green told her colleaguesmost of her two-year tenure had been spent "managing unprofessional adult behaviorsversus focusing on the important work that we have been entrusted to do as aboard of education.". We must concentrate on our literacy and math scores and closing the opportunity gap. We must create more academic challenges for our gifted students. ", Smith is a self-admitted pot stirrer. Angie Smith has served on the school board since 2017. Board president, vice president also resign. 	font-weight: bold; Incumbent Terri Ann Weems ran against challengers Donald David, Clark Doughty, Bruce Lilley, William Lubaway, Tammy Luty, Ed Richardson, Tera Shamey, Angie Smith, and James Stark for the six-year terms. 	clear: both; Smith: Offer a longer period of time for marketing and advertising. The current school board removedSmiths censure in January, wanting to puteveryone on the same footing as it moves forward. Based on the State 100% remote. 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. Smith: We should be focusing on the transition back to in person learning and the SEL initiatives for staff and students. She also would like to see Superintendent Susan Zurvalec take "more of a cut" in salary and eliminate more staff from the central office to get more money into the classrooms. FPS has what is needed to provide a wonderful experience for a student. Herrera had filed a harassment claim against Smith,which she said citeda "hostile work environment." Terri is an active member of her community. } There are no incumbents among eight candidates for three Farmington school board seats: David Barr, Becky DeWilde, Joe Fritz, Melissa Gorman, Kelsey Jezierski, Maggie Storlie, Steven. 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. 	word-wrap: break-word; Together they raised 4 daughters who attended Farmington Public Schools from preschool through high school graduation. Two other board members also resigned. The Farmington Public Schools superintendent and the top two members of the board of education resigned Monday amid allegations of harassment and racism.During a special meeting Monday, the. Smith is unapologetic for her approach. Pastor Doug Jones, Welcome Missionary Baptist Church Pastor and Chair of the Oakland County Ministerial Alliance. Olson: Most issues are certainly on the radar of the residents, but one that seems to be overlooked, but should not be, are improvement opportunities for the FPS Special Education Program. Follow her on Twitter@shelby_tankk. | $(document).ready(function () {
 Northville Public School Board Vice President ANDREW MUTCH Novi Councilmember ANGIE SMITH Farmington Public Schools Board Member JOHN MAGEE President Wolverine Lake Township Council LAURA MIKULSKI Ferndale City Councilmember REV. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. .widget-row { Claudia has had a lifelong involvement in community service; she was a member of the Farmington Area Jaycee Women, PTA, Girl Scout Leader, Religious Education Teacher and Youth Basketball Coach. Michigan Republican lawmakers have aimed to ban Michigan schools from teaching CRT, sparking pushback from some educators and Democrats who accuse the GOP of trying to whitewash history. } Weems: Mental health is a huge issue facing not just our district, but the whole nation. 	background-color: #f9d334; 	display: block; Pam Green, a former board president who resigned last November, said she never knew the board without problems amongst itself. Mable has over 30 years of experience in educational consulting throughout the state. If you would like to help our coverage scope grow, consider donating to Ballotpedia. Former and veteran trustees say being on the Farmington school boardthe last five years was like dealing withschool bullies all over again. Currently, Mable is a consultant with Michigan Virtual. .widget-row.Independent, .widget-row.Nonpartisan, .widget-row.Constitution { 	padding-left: 10px;   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. Angie Smith (Farmington Public School District, Michigan) This disambiguation page lists articles with similar titles. It would be beneficial for the board to retain experience and knowledge so that we can continue to be a highly functioning board. $(document).ready(function () {
 Angie Smith is always in the middle of gossip and personnel issues, and I am so tired," she said. We can continue to improve on that by thinking innovatively about how we provide our education services and marketing all of the wonderful options for learning and engagement we have to offer. Farmington public School board trustee Three newcomers win seats on Farmington School Board. legislators. The Farmington Public Schools superintendent and two board of education members resigned Mondayfollowing infighting and an allegation of harassment involving another board member, the district announced. 
 According to Weems, the board did not look at "meaningful" student achievement data for almost two years. He is a two-time graduate of Wayne State University with a Bachelor of Public Affairs, co-majoring in International Studies and University Honors, and a Master's Degree in Public Administration. Carr: The priorities of the district should be on excellence in education provided to all students. We look forward to working with you. It would require masks indoors and when social distancing is not possible "for all persons who are present on . Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Information, Information for the 2021-2022 School Year, Social Emotional Support Tools for Families, School Closing and Repurposing Information, NWEA Student Progress Report - Parent Information, Farmington/Farmington Hills Education Foundation, 2018-2019 Farmington School Culture & Climate Survey - Staff, Absence Management / Attendance Reporting, Board of Education Committee and Representative/Liaison Appointments. $('span#sw-emailmask-4631').replaceWith('');
 I believe the intent of the challenge was equality, but I think it did the opposite. 
 U.S. President | 	vertical-align: top; Former board members Johnson, Green and Mukamal said problemsweren't limited to one person, arguingTerri Weems, the board's current president, has also fueled discord. }  There is an opportunity to enhance outcomes for these learners. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. While officials have alleged in meetings that some of the backlash over the sale has to do with bias against Muslims, Smith said, "It has nothing to do with race. Backup QB C.J. We have completed our strategic planning, identified the profile of a lifelong learner and negotiated long term contracts with our staff. 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. Farmington Public School District At-large, Angie Smith (Farmington Public School District, Michigan), Ballotpedia does not currently cover this office or maintain this page. I felt like I was back in high school," former trustee Richard Mukamal said of the school board. The resignation agreement makes Herreras complaint moot and will no longer be pursued. ", She felt the district should have gotten more than one bid and more than one appraisal before selling the property. 3. Sure," Macfarland said. I think it could have been done in a better way. She is co-founder of Calvary Education Center and provides enrichment and STEM summer experiences for Metro-Detroit children. Claudia is currently active as a Farmington Area Goodfellows Volunteer and a member of the DKG International Society of Professional Women Educators. This year, our Town and School Elections will be held on Tuesday, March 8, 2022 . But, longtime elected officials will also admit theyve said that before. 	padding-left: 10px; Bjorn Olson is looking to hold office for the first time.   $('span#sw-emailmask-152').replaceWith('');
  Afterwards, Herrera will act in a consulting role until June 30, 2021, when his employment with the district will end. As Director of Multimedia at Detroit School of Arts, he provides administrative support to the digital media programs and teachers.  Angie Smith - Farmington Public Schools  Michael Swiecki - Wyandotte Public . 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. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.  The Farmington School Board approved a "Communicable Disease Plan" Tuesday evening. She is the single mother of three daughters who all attended Farmington Public Schools - graduates of 2006, 2010 and 2016. } Appointees Terri Weems and James Stark won six-year seats Tuesday on the Farmington Public Schools Board of Education, as did long-time district volunteer Angie Smith. Bjorn Olson is a father of four children in the Farmington High district who was concerned about the 21-day equity challenge. Parents protest outside of North Farmington High School on Jan. 11, 2022. She was elected Precinct Delegate at 21 years and interned for the Detroit Council Member, Honorable Erma Henderson. MINUTES 3 Michael Swiecki - Wyandotte Public Schools Regina . Masks had been required when the district's residential population was classified as high risk for covid-19. } I'm not going to treat anyone different from how I would treat a family member. Online learning requires a significant investment in teacher training, equipment, and curriculum delivery.  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.  	background-color: #f9f9f9; 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. His decision came after meeting with legal counsel, she told the members. The Michigan Education Association has given Andy Levin a "Highly Qualified" rating in his run for the 9th Congressional District seat. In the past, she's been involved with the Oakland County School Board of Directors and is a former employee of Farmington Public. 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. Given the emergency timeframe, there were serious shortcomings in online education delivery. FARMINGTON, Mich.  As the chaos surrounding the Farmington school board continues, the superintendent and two board members resigned during an explosive, emotional meeting. .widget-row.value-only.white { Weems: We need to do a better job of marketing the great things that are happening in our district. The fact that Farmington Public Schools was not able to retain him is a big black mark on our district, Mukamal said. The Board of Education consists of seven school district residents who will hold either four or six-year terms. Angie Smith is on Facebook. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. A statement read by board president Pam Green at Monday'smeeting, at which she,Trustee Terry Johnson and Superintendent Robert Herreraannounced their departures, cited Smith'spublic statements and social media posts that allegedHerrrera was against African American students and staff in submitting his resignation. A Certified Public Accountant, she has volunteered with parent groups at her children's schools and,  These seats included three seats with six-year terms and two seats with two-year terms. I chair the Communications/Community Engagement committee and work on the Legislation committee for our board. Cowboys name Brian Schottenheimer offensive coordinator Feb. 24, 2023 06:29 PM EST. The two boards members were not identified. .widget-row.Green {  We are trying our best to develop partnerships with experts in the area. Email: 
 Olson: One tangible action would be to explore proven programs that improve student-teacher relationships. . Copyright © 2002 - var currentTime = new Date();var year = currentTime.getFullYear();document.write(year); Blackboard, Inc. All rights reserved. The new policy took effect, Feb. 9, and applies to busses as well. "I would never discredit any of my board members, past or present  let alone the superintendent," she said. After the motion was requested, board president Pamela Green read a statement regarding "extraordinary developments" since the last meeting. We have hired a new superintendent who is dedicated to our school district, onboarded 4 new board members, and become a highly functioning certified board.  ADMINISTRATORS; Superintendents; Superintendent Secretaries; CORPORATE SUPPORT; VIP Program; VIP Directory; Sponsors This was like Mean Girls.. Smith allegedly said Herrera in a sense had his knee on the neck of an African American coworker.. Conflicts in school board elections, 2021-2022; Partisanship in 2022 United States local elections; Trends in 2022 ballot measures; The Biden administration. 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. Our goal is to help you prepare for graduation and to move into an interesting and meaningful career. 	font-weight: bold; Schools Details: Top candidates who won a seat on the Farmington 192 Independent School Board are: Melissa Gorman with 6,219 votes, Becky DeWilde with 5,693 votes, and Jessica  farmington public schools board election  Verified Just Now One action local districts can take to address diversity, equity and inclusion is to evaluate teaching materials to ensure materials represent diverse perspectives and content, represent a range of voices, and are culturally responsive.  Inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies should be directed to: Director of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, 32500 Shiawassee, Farmington, MI 48336. 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. The agenda can be found here at least 18 hours before the meeting. The Board establishes policy matters (curriculum, budget, personnel, etc.) During the Pandemic, numerous other schools were a much better fit for their students, and as a result FPS enrollment suffered. Jim Stark, a former board president,resigned in 2018 for similar reasons. Mable is co-founder of the Farmington Area Concerned Citizens and former member of the Farmington Hills Police Crime Prevention. School Board meetings are held on the second and fourth Mondays of each month beginning at 5:30 p.m. Board Meeting Details. The issue was so upsetting to Green and board Vice President Terry Johnson that they resigned. Click here to contact us for media inquiries, and please donate here to support our continued expansion. Angie attended Wayne County Community College and Wayne State University with a major in Mortuary Science. Incumbent David Turner and Mark Przeslawski defeated Fritz Beiermeister for the two-year terms. The district declined to elaborate on Herrera's claim.