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| | Board of Education Meeting Highlights |
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| | New school board officers were elected: Clint Derringer, President Colleen Worden, Vice President Tim Klepp, Treasurer Valarie St. John, Secretary
Thank you to our school board Trustees for your dedication to our schools and community. Your commitment and willingness to serve is appreciated. |
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Jason H. was recognized as being a Scholar-Athlete who has started every game for three years. He was chosen as Team Captain as a junior and Team MVP as testament to his character and work ethic.
The board accepted 20 grant awards from the GP STEAAM Foundation that totaled $156K to support student projects, sports, field trips, travel, and assemblies. Thank you!
Ben Matteson, Director of Facilities, presented the planned ‘26-’27 sinking fund and bond projects.
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| Plante Moran presentation slides |
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| With 2018 bond funds, Trombly windows installation will be completed in March 2026.
Dr. Sara Delgado, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, provided preliminary results from the interest surveys completed for the 4K Preschool/Great Start Readiness Program (GRSP): 44 of 47 respondents who indicated an interest in GSRP live in GPPSS boundaries. The district’s current plan is to utilize the GSRP classroom at Ferry and evaluate the need for a second classroom at Maire Elementary. Families are advised to pay a deposit (one month’s tuition) for the tuition-based program to secure a spot for next year. If the family qualifies for GSRP, then the deposit will be refunded.
Andrea Argusa, Chief Financial Officer, reviewed the first budget amendment. A financial review revealed that $3.7 million in special education funding was erroneously counted in both the general fund and special education fund. However, this deficit has been offset by increased local revenue, grants, and other funding. The final budget deficit is nearly $1 million dollars as a result. Budget discussion here.
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Agenda Action Items
Other Discussion
There was initial discussion about the proposed budget parameters, which will be further discussed and approved at the next meeting. Dr. Tuttle presented options for pursuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the food service contract that is currently held by Taher.
January 26, 2026: Regular Meeting
Agenda and Recording
Superintendent’s Report
North Principal, Kevin Shubnell, presented about the school's meaningful community partnership with Corewell Health. Through the Student Nursing Program, three students completed an externship that allowed them to engage directly with nursing teams, observe clinical practices, and gain hands-on experience.
Kendall, Olivia, and Robert received high praise for their professionalism, maturity, and curiosity during the externship. Each student found the program valuable and helped strengthen their interest in science and healthcare. Robert credited his freshman honors biology teacher, Mrs. Sue Speirs, for sparking his interest and opening his eyes to the world of healthcare.
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For future meetings, North and South student leaders will address the Board with information about their schools, programs, and activities.
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| Slides from Dr. Tuttle’s presentation |
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The following items were unanimously approved by consent: January 12, 2026 meeting minutes; South Field trip to Egypt; and South Turf Replacement Project.
After discussion, the following items were passed unanimously: Resolution to Review and Amend Student Code of Conduct proposed to address conflict in student handbook, student code of conduct, and practices for open lunch within the context of students’ safety and security. President Derringer indicated that the status quo of open lunches will remain for this school year. No decisions are being made about the practice. There will be discussion, feedback, and public participation in the decision-making process. Approval of HR report with Trustee Klepp acknowledging retirements of North’s social studies teacher Brian Degore (23 years of service) and South’s languages teacher Cynthia Morefield Pinder (25 years of service) and thanking them for their service. Approval of 2025-26 Budget Amendment GAAA#1. President Derringer stated that he looks forward to monthly financial updates to provide more clarity and understanding about the budget. Trustee Worden expressed gratitude for CFO Argusa's transparency and reports to date. Approval of Budget Parameters. Trustee St. John moved to strike “foundations and private citizens” language from parameters #2 and #8 about funding sources. The motion was not supported and failed. Trustee Worden moved to strike transportation examples referenced in budget parameter #4. Trustee Klepp supported the motion. Trustee Klepp explained that it was an acknowledgement that sinking funds could be used for transportation. And that there was no ulterior motive or intent to suggest there were other district plans by using those specific examples.
With a 6-1 vote (Trustee Cotton voting no), the board approved seeking a Cost Reimbursable Food Service for RFP. Trustee Cotton inquired about why there is a need for the RFP. President Derringer responded that interim CFO Frayer provided feedback that third-party contract bids are recommended for competitiveness. Derringer stated that his “RFP vote is not about Taher, but about good governance and practice.” Trustee Jeup stated that there is nothing that leads her to believe that the contract should be put out for RFP. She read from Taher’s website quoting its mission and how it has met its standard.
Other Discussion
At the next meeting, the board will vote on bids for masonry, tuckpointing, and roofing contracts. The facilities discussion can be viewed here. Plante Moran provided guidance on allocation and governance for sinking fund and bond projects. Trustee Klepp would like details about how projects will be prioritized, which was not readily apparent from the document. A bond oversight committee will be established. President Derringer indicated that a resolution has been drafted. The committee will consist of community members who will review the progress of bond projects; this was also done for the 2018 bond.
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January 20, 2026: Policy Committee Agenda and meeting recording
The committee reviewed the new district website and app privacy policy to ensure transparency regarding student and user data safety.
The committee discussed policy clarifications regarding external contributions to the district. This included distinguishing between grants (usually applied for) and gifts (generally unsolicited and with little restrictions) within the policy language.
Clark Hill attorney, Jeremy Motz, recommended specifying conditions that might exclude receiving a gift rather than delineating types of organizations to exclude, as a way of drawing guidelines. He advised against accepting gifts that would benefit one person or have an influence on the district in any way.
President Derringer expressed that he is "uncomfortable with accepting funds from an independent expenditure committee” … even if allowable under the law, “we are in an ethically gray area.” “The example of Parcells pools and transportation for kids to get those lessons is absolutely in line with the mission of what we should do as a public school district, but I cannot personally resolve the impropriety of accepting funds from an organization that was created for political influence… When we talk about political influence and money changing hands, I do not believe that we should accept those. And I'm not sure the best way to write it into a policy. But I believe 100% in my core that there should be a barrier there between political action committees and accepting funds in a public body.” Trustee St. John asked the administration to provide language that is not too exclusionary to be provided at the next policy meeting.
The committee discussed establishing an Artificial Intelligence(AI) policy, weighing the balance between limiting cheating and using AI as a tool. Student safety also has to be considered when using personally identifiable information as prompts into AI.
The committee asked the administration to gather direct feedback from students and staff, review the sample policy from Clark Hill, and provide new language for the next policy committee meeting.
January 21, 2026: Facilities Committee
Agenda and meeting recording Gary Kent, Plante Moran Realpoint consultant, provided a procurement overview and procedures for the district's infrastructure and bond program. Requests for proposals will go to professional service firms for architecture, construction, and technology design.
Dr. Tuttle discussed her email about the Series 2 Bond issuance. The board will need to decide when to pursue a Series 2 bond issuance, the amount, and the timeline for that issuance. The first bond series amount was reduced from $45M to $25M. PFM will need to address the next steps going forward and the board will need to discuss plans and goals for Series 2.
Paul Theriault, Plante Moran Realpoint consultant, responded that once the architect and construction manager is on board, then further discussions can be held about future planning and the bond issuance. Ben Matteson, Director of Facilities, noted that there are limitations due to timing of projects and his team’s capacity.
President Derringer also noted that current millage rate of 3.14 presents a constraint when determining how much and when to have another bond issuance in addition to other rules.
Mr. Theriault presented a proposed governance document for the bond program that covers purpose, roles & responsibilities, oversight committee guidelines, funding sources, which is designed to ensure financial transparency and governmental compliance. The bond projects will be tracked and will be disclosed on the district’s website.
A bond oversight committee will be formed and meet periodically throughout the process. Historically, committee members are chosen by the Superintendent and BOE President and have relevant experience.
Plante Moran will collect input from the Parcells community, staff, and students on the future of the former Parcells pool space. This will probably be in the third wave of projects given the need to determine structural needs.
Ben Matteson discussed the needs for tuckpointing and masonry throughout the district. RFP was sent out, which resulted in five bids. There were four bidders on the roofing RFP. Recommendations made and will be voted at the next board meeting.
During public comments, community members advocated for reopening Trombly Elementary, citing concerns about class sizes at other schools and the importance of neighborhood walkability.
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Superintendent Dr. Tuttle is Retiring
In a letter to the community, GPPSS Superintendent Dr. Andrea Tuttle announced her retirement. She will remain with the district through the school year with an effective retirement date of August 31, 2026. She stated:
“I remain fully committed to serving with complete dedication through the end of my tenure and to supporting a strong transition in any way that is helpful. Thank you for the privilege of serving Grosse Pointe Public School System. As always, it is great to be GP. Let’s finish the 2025–2026 school year as strong as we began, moving forward together.”
We look forward to Dr. Tuttle's continued leadership and strong finish.
Read full letter here. |
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| We Honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. |
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On January 19th, we celebrated the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his impact on education. Dr. King advocated for the right to a public education. He was vocal about the disparity in funding for public schools and believed that the right to an education was hollow if the schools themselves were underfunded and neglected. He argued that access to quality education should be a right for all citizens, regardless of their economic status.
Dr. King helped pave the way for major legislation that defines public education today: Civil Rights Act of 1964: Prohibited discrimination in any federally funded program, including schools. ESEA (1965): The Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which provided federal funding to schools serving low-income families. Disability Rights: The legal arguments used by King to fight racial segregation were later used to secure the rights of students with disabilities, leading to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Learn more: https://tinyurl.com/bd62aj7d https://tinyurl.com/mrasvnn7 |
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| 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. |
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| | | 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
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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. |
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| | Alliance for GP Public Schools Board of Directors |
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Policy Director LaKeytria W. Felder |
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| Communications Director Rosy Stefanatos-Knapp |
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