November 10, 2025: Closed Meeting

Agenda and recorded meeting

• After the closed discussion, the board voted 6-0 in favor of accepting the investigative report and findings of Complaint # 2025-01.

• With the assistance of legal counsel, President Worden will provide the redacted report to the parties.

November 10, 2025: Regular Meeting

Agenda and recorded meeting

Superintendent’s  Report

• In recognition of National STEM Day (November 8th), Ferry Elementary Principal Jodie Randazzo, shared photos of Ferry’s STEM Day, hosted by MobileED productions. She hopes to collaborate with other district elementary schools to host a STEM day in 2026.

• Superintendent Tuttle and Board President Colleen Worden expressed gratitude for the community’s overwhelming support of the bond. On November 4th, 70% of the community voted in favor of the 20-year $120 million school bond. Special recognition was given to Rebecca Fannon, Communications Director, for her tireless efforts in educating the community about the bond.

• Dr. Tuttle announced that the district’s Moody credit rating has been upgraded from A1 to Aa3. The higher rating will attract more investors and save about $1.9M in interest costs. This upgrade is due to the current district financials and the district’s clean audit.

• The district has been considering Universal Preschool. Dr. Tuttle asked for guidance about further exploring a program launch for the 2026-27 school year, possibly partnering with Wayne RESA.

• Discussion here and Q&A here.

Agenda Action Items

The board approved the meeting minutes from October 20, 2025, and voted to amend the agenda to postpone the vote on the Revised Protocol for Security Camera Live Access for Law Enforcement.

Other Discussion

• Holli McNally, Director of Curriculum and School Improvement, briefly presented recommended updates to the Middle School and High School Programs of Studies.

  • For middle school, she noted that the 5th ELA curriculum was updated to the Great Minds Arts and Letters curriculum over the summer.

  • For high school, all courses remain in the event that courses can run in the future.

• Universal Preschool is under consideration and will be further discussed by Dr. Sara Delgado at the next meeting. Dr. Tuttle did not present full details and was seeking guidance as to whether the board wants her to proceed with Universal Preschool.

• Trustee Cotton asked why preschool is not being expanded for residents as he understands that there is a waitlist. And he stated that the available rooms listed for the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) should be looked at for tuition-based preschool offerings for parents in the Pointes. Dr. Tuttle did not know how Wayne County would determine who would get slots in available classrooms. She indicated that it may be based on economic needs.

• Trustees Derringer and Hull expressed interest in learning more about the program and for specifics about the economics, implementation, and impact. Dr. Tuttle stated that based on her experience with GSRP, the classrooms are generally revenue generating. Watch discussion.

  
  

• Editor’s Note: Learn more about PreK for All here.

November 20, 2025: Superintendent’s Evaluation

Agenda, recorded meeting, and MASB evaluation tools

• Dr. Rodney Green, consultant with Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB), facilitated the three-hour superintendent evaluation, which was open to the public.

• Dr. Tuttle began with a presentation of central office and district personnel changes, progress made toward district goals, and financial overview and fiscal stewardship.

• After the presentation, the board was tasked with scoring Dr. Tuttle in 32 areas. The board areas included governance and board relations, stakeholder relations, student growth, and progress toward goals, among other items.

• The scoring options were 1 (needing support), 2 (developing), and 3 (effective). MASB’s approach aims to reach consensus, but with differences, then the majority score is used. Board members were given the opportunity to discuss and support their score in each category, which became contentious and disparaging at points.

• There were stark differences in scoring for most categories – with Trustees Jeup and Cotton favoring all 3s. Trustee Klepp with majority 3s.  And Trustees Derringer, Hull, St. John, and Worden with  scores ranging from 1.5 - 3.

• Dr. Green tallied the final evaluation score as 2.699 = 90% score, which is an Effective rating.

• President Worden made a motion to accept the evaluation. The board voted unanimously to accept the evaluation and Effective rating.

• Public commentary and board comments were made following the evaluation, watch here.

November 24, 2025: Regular Meeting

Agenda and recorded meeting

Superintendent’s  Report

• Trustee Derringer, Facilities Committee Chair, reviewed the list of Sinking Fund and Bond projects. The committee accepted the administration’s project recommendations. There was support to advance a project, the GP South Athletic field, from Summer 2027 to Summer 2026, if possible.

  • Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Management firms will be selected from a proposed closed RFP process, which includes a short list of vendors that have a history with the district. Trustee Jeup proposed an open-bid process, which will be decided at the December 8th meeting.

Plante Moran presentation slides.

• Trustee Cotton and Superintendent Tuttle, without evidence, accused President Worden of not placing Trombly on the priority list of bond projects. President Worden was adamant that she never did so. President Worden noted that this issue was never brought up at the Facilities Committee meeting.

• Trustee Derringer reminded the board that the Series 1 bond issuance was reduced from $25M to $45M in a facilities meeting and approved by the board. To his understanding, the projects list was generated by the Administration.

• Plante Moran representatives presented the district’s financial audit results after reviewing control assessments, financial statements, compliance testing for federal programs. The district received a clean audit. Both revenue and expenditures were reviewed, which show a $14.6M “healthy” fund balance. Presentation here.

Plante Moran presentation slides.

Agenda Action Items

• The following items were approved unanimously: the November 10th closed session and regular meeting minutes, the HR report, the 2025 Audit report, the Middle and High School programs of studies.

• After extensive discussion, with a unanimous vote, the board approved the  Revised Resolution Protocols for Security Camera Live Access and the related Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Security Cameras after making amendments.

  • Attorney John Kava answered questions and clarified policy provisions and language. The MOU is based on prior agreements that the district has used in order to protect both the district and police agencies.

  • In response to questioning, Attorney Kava also explained that the district retains camera recordings for 30 days. If law enforcement requests those recordings, then a warrant or subpoena is required. The issue is that law enforcement can not record live stream due to FERPA.

• Attorney Kava presented information about new requirements for receiving state 31aa funding for mental health, safety, and security programs for school districts.      

  
  

  “To receive funding under this section, a district, an intermediate district, a nonpublic school, or the  Michigan Schools for the Deaf and Blind must agree to be subject to a comprehensive investigation, must affirmatively agree to waive any privilege that may otherwise protect information from disclosure in the event of a mass casualty event, and must agree to comply with a comprehensive investigation.”

  
  

• This issue is being litigated in state and federal courts. School boards must make a decision to receive 31aa funds with the waiver requirement by December 4th; however districts may be permitted to opt-out at a later date. 31aa funding is provided at a rate of $140 per student approximately $900K for GPPSS.

• The board discussed what a waiver would mean and how it would impact students, teachers, counselor records, rights, and privacy. Trustee Derringer emphasized the importance of these considerations.

• Trustee St. John read the proposed resolution into the record for consideration, which was passed unanimously. Additional legal advice will be provided before the December 8th meeting.

Other Discussion

• Ben Matteson, Facilities Director, presented information and costs for the first phase of the sinking fund projects: North/South Chillers, concrete flat work, 2026 paving project, and North roof replacement.

• Dr. Sara Delgado, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, presented specific details about Universal Preschool/PreK for All that uses the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) as the vehicle. She reviewed the district's current preschool offering, enrollment trends, and costs.

• GSRP provides $12,222 per pupil allowance and a $50K startup cost for each new classroom.

• The next steps include outreach to currently enrolled families in the paid-tuition program to gauge their interest in GSRP. In May 2026, income restrictions will be lifted and all families will become eligible. Until then, there are enrollment prioritizations that consider income and special learning needs.

Slides from Dr. Delgado’s presentation.

Committee Corner

November 17, 2025: Facilities Committee

Agenda and meeting recording

• Public comments focused on moving up the schedule for repairing South’s athletic field turf given its age and potential for injuries.

• Dr. Tuttle noted that the South turf is a scheduled project from sinking fund proceeds and questioned how the project could be moved up by using the $1million contingency fund.

  • Next steps would require a design, proposal, acquiring turf contractor, and determining timing given the field’s usage, vendor capacity is a challenge.

  • Trustee Cotton suggested prioritizing turf field over South’s media center. Ben Matteson, Facilities Director, stated that there are strong opinions about the media center because it was not renovated under other bond as planned.

  • Trustee Derringer does not favor prioritizing practice field turf over media center.

• Jeremy Motz, attorney from Clark Hill, reviewed legal requirements and compliance rules for undertaking school projects. 

• Gary Kent & Paul Theriault of Plante Moran presented project plans and timing of 2025-26 future sinking fund projects and 2026-27 bond projects.

• Parcells pool re-purposing will be a longer project because community input is needed.

AI in Education: Risks and Opportunities

By Maria Williams, Guest Writer

Cause for Concern

The tech industry has turned public education into a market for private products, without regard for the negative impact on students.

An MIT study warned that AI’s “potential impact on cognitive development, critical thinking, and intellectual independence demands a very careful consideration and continued research.”

And as AI becomes more conversational, lonely students who begin using an AI assistant for help with school work are increasingly turning to chatbots for companionship, sometimes with tragic consequences. Because their brains are still developing, young people are not always able to distinguish between reality and fantasy, making them particularly vulnerable to risks posed by AI.

What You Can Do

Ask teachers how they are using AI in the classroom. Ask administrators how AI tools are vetted. What is the AI policy?

Talk with other parents and teachers to get their perspective on using AI for educational purposes. If there are concerns, brainstorm ideas together about what actions you can take. Opting out of EdTech is always an option.

Caregivers can be mindful of their own technology use and reflect on the example they’re setting with screen-based habits.

Prioritizing Relationships

The constant decision making regarding the development and deployment of AI tools allows us to resist the narrative of AI inevitability. Responsible AI use certainly has the potential to enhance learning, but we must prioritize real-world relationships that foster healthy social connections. “This means centering relationships in our public systems, starting with education,” as explained in a recent commentary. “Let the age of AI not be the age of emotional outsourcing. Let it be the era where we remember what it means to be fully human—and choose to build a world that reflects it.”

Read full essay here.

Thank you to the teachers, staff, and administrators of GPPSS who show up everyday for our students in big and small ways. Beyond creating an enriching learning environment, your care and compassion extend outside of the school walls. We see you showing up for community events and competitions. We see you hosting food drives, collecting hygiene items, and providing resources for those in need.  We thank you.

Thank you to the school board members who serve with grace and courage, even amid unrelenting harassment. Thank you for unwavering commitment to our students and schools. We appreciate you!

Thank you to the Grosse Pointe and Harper Woods community for investing in our schools with the passage of the 2025 bond.  

And we are extraordinarily grateful for the community’s support as we strive to keep you informed and engaged as we continue to strengthen the coalition of people supporting and advocating for Grosse Pointe public schools.  You’re a testament to the strength of grassroots organizing. Thank you!

and culture in Michigan: https://www.michigan.org/native-american-ethnic-history

On Giving Tuesday, December 2nd, please consider Alliance for GP Public Schools in your giving plan. Your financial support allows us to continue our advocacy work and action on behalf of our students, teachers, and staff.

Your support allows Alliance and its supporters to:

• Educate and inform the community about BOE and Committee meetings, policies, decisions, and issues via social media;

• Record committee meetings that the district does not record (53 videos to date with 1000s of views);

• Publish a monthly newsletter with BOE and committee meeting notes and education-related content;

• Advocate for policies that are student-centered and supportive of an inclusive learning environment for all students;

• Encourage and guide civic engagement via editorials, public comments, letters, and emails to the BOE;

• Organize community meetings and events, i.e., School Budget Seminar by MI League for Public Policy and a Community Conversation with local education experts;

• Perform outreach focusing on voter education and civic action; and

• Endorse BOE candidates who share our mission, vision, and values.

Upcoming Board of Education Meetings

Click here for calendar

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.

The Beacon team welcomes your thoughts and letters. All letters may be edited for content and length.

We reserve the right to refuse any letter.

• Limit to 200 words

• Include your name, city of residence, and phone number

• Email to newsletter@alliancegpps.org

Alliance Mission Statement

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