Board of Education Meeting Highlights

                                  March 3, 2025

for his academic and athletic achievements: AP Scholar, National Honor Society, DECA, varsity tennis & club soccer and all while running his own tutoring business. North Assistant Principal, Melanie Cargill, celebrated his accomplishments.

Plante Moran Presentation of Enrollment Projections and Building

• Plante Moran presented its annual enrollment projection and building utilization report. Demographics show the current district population of children, age 0 – 5, decreases at nearly every age level, with corresponding building utilization decline.

• On slide 14 of the presentation, in 2017, GPPSS graduated 730 students, in 2024 GPPSS graduated 502 students. On slide 17, preliminary enrollment for 2024 shows a decrease of over 1,500 students since 2017. President Worden asked if the data presented supports opening another elementary school in the district and Plante Moran responded that it does not. At our current utilization levels, they do not. Plante Moran believes that 85% building utilization is optimal. Currently all of the district buildings are below 85%.

 *Above slides from Plante Moran presentation

Bond Advisory Committee Update

• Bond advisory committee consists of community members and district employees, with a representative cross-section of the district and its six cities.

• Volunteers were chosen based on application answers, experience and ability to work as a team. BOE members serving on the committee: Colleen Worden, Sean Cotton, and Tim Klepp.

Approval of Human Sexuality Advisory Board

• This is a state-mandated advisory board to review the curriculum every other year. Committee will convene this year for an informational meeting.

• Next year the committee will review the curriculum. It will go through the EPLC process as with any GPPSS district curriculum. Approved 7-0.

CTE Program

• Dr. Stanley recognized the Career and Technical Education (CTE) program for its clean audit. Grosse Pointe North was randomly selected to undergo a state TRAC audit and was awarded a clean audit with no recommendations or discrepancies, a first for that auditor.

March 31, 2025

Superintendent’s Report

Budget and Contractual Matters. Consulting CFO Shelbi Frayer, provided the following updates, view discussion here.

• Budget Revision #1:

  • Instead of $1.2 million in deficit spending projected for the ‘24-’25 budget, the revised budget reflects approximately $510K in deficit spending.

  • Budget was amended to reflect a $6.7M increase for state aid payments, a $1.9M decrease in projected local revenue, and a $5M increase for expenses for increased teacher pay, steps, and classification.

  • There may be up to $700K in supplemental 31(aa) grant funding awarded to the district, but that is unconfirmed and has not been included in the budget.

  • The budget revision does not address the Special Education Fund or Food Service Fund.

  • Because the district’s health insurance is self-funded, the budget  impact will be determined after claims are submitted. Last year, there was an extra $1M in the budget because there were fewer claims.

• Plante Moran has been working without a contract since January 1, 2025 and will need to be compensated. Two contract proposals have been made that will require a vote. Dr. Tuttle noted that any contract payments are made from the sinking fund, not the general fund.

• MI 80/20 Publicly Funded Health Insurance Contribution Act limits a public employer’s share of total annual health care costs to not more than 80%. GPPSS has elected that option and will continue with that option. The Board approved the 80/20 resolution with a 7-0 vote.

  
  

Trombly Survey Update by Dr. Chris Stanley, Assistant Superintendent

• GPPSS mailed 1500 postcards with unique QR codes to residents in the Trombly catchment area on March 10, 2025. The survey closed on March 28, 2025.

• 435 responses were received, which is a 29% response rate.

• Trombly United, a community group, was recognized for their advocacy efforts.

• The survey analysis is expected within 2-3 weeks and may be presented at the next board meeting.

  
  

Strategic Plan. The Administration will provide a framework for the district’s strategic plan to the board. The board will solicit community input as well.

Agenda Action. Items were all approved with a 7-0 vote: meeting minutes, HR Report, and South’s Peru trip, and the 80/20 health insurance resolution.

Board Norms and Expectations Discussion. President Colleen Worden has asked that trustees submit board norms to her for discussion and vote at a later date.

• Trustees also discussed the MASB training and inaccurate social media posts that were made about that training. MASB training video available here.

Note:  Alliance believes in respectful and civil discourse. Since our formation, we have explicitly stated that we lament the division and turmoil that is afflicting the GPPSS community. We hope to build bridges by informing the community, promoting civic engagement, and encouraging civil discourse in our efforts to support Grosse Pointe public schools.

During public comments, a community member alluded to a violent act at the end of his public comment. There is no place for violence or even references to violent conduct in civil discourse. No one should feel unsafe or threatened as an elected official.

While the speaker’s final comment was not widely heard and the next speaker proceeded, we are thankful that law enforcement was present and alerted to the nature of the comments. No one deserves that.

Committee Corner

Facilities Committee, March 11, 2025

View agenda and meeting here.

• Dr. Tuttle shared a presentation that covered the following topics:

  • Overview of funding sources;

  • Planned sinking fund projects;

  • Facilities assessment update; and

  • Facilities, grounds, and maintenance demands.

Policy Committee, March 11, 2025

View agenda and meeting here.

• Dr. Bishop shared feedback he received from district counselors, social workers, and mental health staff after they reviewed the Parental Rights Policy proposed by Trustees Cotton and Jeup:

  • Mental health staff expressed that items in the proposed policy would violate their professional ethical standards and responsibilities.

  • As professionals, they collaborate with parents and work with multiple agencies to make sure they are fully supporting students.

  • They recommended reinstating the original policy since the concern was about abortion conversations, which are not happening in our schools.

  • Legal counsel advised that the district now has the option to keep the original language.

  • Committee Recommendation: propose that the district revert back to original Policy 3.26.

• Reinstatement procedures for expelled students, Policy 4.11. The Administration proposes that the petition for reinstatement be formally included in the process and change language that parents “shall” (instead of “may”) be invited to the reinstatement meeting.

  • Dr. Bishop will get clarification on language from legal counsel

• Internal district transfer, Policy 4.04.1. Administration proposed changing language to reflect its current practice of allowing limited student transfers within the district.

  • Trustee Jeup expressed her support for a more lenient policy citing her own personal experience and others whose privacy she respected.

  • Trustee Hull expressed concerns about the impact that a more lenient policy would have on schools, students, and administrators. She also noted that it may limit the chance for new students to attend their zoned schools if they becomes full due to transfers.

  • Trustee St. John noted that the current policy was enacted based on Michigan Department of Civil Rights’ advice that the old policy could lead to unintentional segregation.

  • Dr. Tuttle indicated that a much larger conversation would be needed with the full board, but suggested that there could be a general lottery for “school of choice” within the district.

• Note: GPPSS Policy Manual available here.  

Bond Advisory Committee, March 12, 2025

View meeting here.

• Before the presentation, Dr. Tuttle welcomed the committee members and explained why they were chosen out of the 80 applicants.

• Plante Moran (Paul Terrio and Gary Kent) presented (see slides 17-41).

• Mr. Matteson reviewed facility assessment items individually (see slide 41).

• After a breakout session, each group identified their top ten items for potential projects from slide 41 and ranked them in order of priority.

• Questions were collected to be answered at the next meeting.

March 18: Special Meeting CFO Hire

View meeting here.

• Dr. Tuttle recommended Dee Ann Irby for Chief Financial Officer.

• As a former GPPSS employee, Dr. Tuttle was excited about her experience in the district and her resume.

• Ms. Irby met with Dr. Tuttle, Dr. Bishop, and consulting CFO Frayer, and later met with President Worden and Treasurer Klepp.

• After discussion, the board voted 7-0 to approve the contract.

March 18: Board Training

Meeting can be viewed here.

MASB Training -“Working as an Effective Governance Team”

Upcoming Board of Education Meetings

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Regular board meetings will be held on Mondays at 7:00 pm unless otherwise noted. BoE committee meetings will also be on Monday evenings; times vary.

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We seek to partner with the Grosse Pointe and Harper Woods communities in the collective effort to create a safe and inclusive learning environment where students can achieve academic success, maximize potential, and become engaged citizens in a vibrant democracy.

Alliance for GP Public Schools is not affiliated, associated, authorized or endorsed by Grosse Pointe Public School System.

Alliance for GP Public Schools Board of Directors