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Board of Education Meeting Highlights

August 17, 2026: Regular Meeting

Agenda | Recording

Superintendent’s Report  

Summer Financial Update by CFO Andrea Agrusa noted the following:

• Grosse Pointe Administrators Association (“GPAA”) contract for building principals, assistant principals, athletic directors, and special education supervisors:

• Costs of settled union agreements, except for GPEA (teachers union), which was not settled as of August 17th.

For the curriculum update, principals Cindy Parravano (South High School) and Kevin Shubnell (North High School) reviewed the expectations and proposed policy for personal electronic devices for 9-12 students. Students will not be allowed to use cellphones and other electronic devices during “instructional time.”

• For Grades K-8, the term “instructional time” is defined as beginning with the first bell of the school day and ending with the last bell of the school day. Each building is to follow its posted bell schedule for the purposes of defining instructional time. [A “bell-to-bell” ban on use of cell phones].

  
  

• For Grades 9-12, the term “instructional time” is defined as including: all scheduled class periods, study hall, intervention blocks, home room periods, flex time periods, assemblies or alternative instructional sessions/periods; library instructional periods; school-sponsored field trips; and any other time designed for academic instruction.

  • High school students will be allowed to use cellphones before and after school, passing periods, assigned recess periods, and assigned lunch periods.

• The principals explained that this policy is supported by administrators and staff for several reasons:

  • Open campus lunch where students are permitted to leave school grounds.

  • A bell-to-bell policy would require staffing to enforce in the hallways, which the schools do not have.

  • The policy is clear. Phones are off and put away when the bell rings.

• The cellphone policy was developed with administrator, teacher, and student input.

• Trustee Jeup commented that she wanted clear privacy protections for students and asked whether school officials could search student cellphones. Principal Parravano stated that state law prohibits school officials from accessing students’ cellphones. Trustee St. John added that the policy includes all laws, including Michigan’s IPPA, Internet Privacy Protection Act, prohibiting schools from requiring students to share online accounts, social media, and private email with school officials.

• Assistant Superintendent Moussa Hamka shared an update about open campus lunch at the high schools. During registration, parents can elect to opt-out of allowing their student to leave campus. If leaving, students will be required to use a scanner system when leaving/returning to campus.

Agenda Action Items

• The following items were approved unanimously: regular and special meeting minutes for July 27, 2026 and the human resources report. After discussion, the following were also approved with a 6-0 vote (Trustee Hull absent):

  • Approval to hire Melanie Danley as Special Education Supervisor for Elementary Education

  • Approval of Revised Board Policy and Admin Guideline 4.21 (Cellphones)

  • Approval of SRO [School Resource Officers] Agreement President Derringer noted that 31aa grant funds from the State will cover SRO costs.

• The three-year tentative agreement for GPAA (Administrators) for principals, assistant principals, athletic directors, and special education supervisors was approved with a 4-2 vote. Trustees Cotton and Jeup voted against the agreement claiming concerns about the budget impact.

August 17, 2026: Special Meetings

Combined Agenda |  Combined Recording

• Meeting topics included closed session discussions about pending litigation matters (first meeting) and strategy for collective bargaining (second meeting). President Derringer recused himself from the second meeting due to a conflict of interest because his spouse works for the district.

• The meeting was adjourned after the second closed session without any discussion or votes on any matters.

Beacon Pointe of View

Support Our Teachers

salaries since 1995 when adjusted for inflation, the equivalent of $100,064 to $71,023 in 2025.*” The report includes data that shows:

• The gap between what teachers in Michigan earn relative to what similarly educated professionals earn has grown.

• Michigan’s teacher compensation standing relative to other states continues to fall.

• Michigan has experienced the largest decline in teacher compensation of any state over the past 30 years.

• There is strong public support for increasing teacher salaries, though Michiganders’ views about how to fund salary increases vary considerably depending on the policy mechanism.

Our teachers have taken on increasingly demanding roles, addressing not only academic needs, but also students’ mental health, social-emotional development, and the growing demands of standardized testing. Their commitment extends well beyond the school day and school year. During the summer, teachers pursue professional learning, lead camps, provide tutoring, and create enrichment opportunities for students.

Like other professionals, teachers deserve to be fairly compensated for the expertise, dedication, and immeasurable value they bring to our students’ educational journeys.

How has your family been impacted by a GPPSS educator? Take Action. Add your voice. Email: schoolboard@gpschools.org. Share your story. The district should understand how much the community values our teachers and supports them.

*Smith, Jackie. Michigan teacher pay down 29% since 1995, creating ‘uphill battle’ for schools, study says. Available: https://www.mlive.com/education/2026/08/michigan-teacher-pay-down-29-since-1995-creating-uphill-battle-for-schools-study-says.html.

GPPSS Listening Sessions

Vote Ready! Trivia Challenge with Jamie Ding

Join us for a free, fun, interactive evening of voter education and engagement!

Space is limited - Click here to RSVP

Test your knowledge in a lively trivia challenge featuring civics and pop culture facts. Learn more about the importance of voting and election integrity, and get practical information about voter registration, your ballot, voting options, and polling locations.

🙌 Friendly competition and prizes

🗳️ Voter resource table

🎤 Q&A with Jamie Ding

We are grateful for Jamie's generosity in giving back to his home community by joining us for this important civic event!

Come learn, play, and get ready to make your voice heard in November!

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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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