--------- Oh, there he is. All right. Good evening once again. We're resuming the Dearborn Board of Education September [Music] 2nd, 2025. We're in the middle of the board vacancy interviews and we have Miss Shama Monza.
Correct. If I said that right. Yes. Correct. Uh, you have five minutes to answer the questions that were already provided to you. I'll just give you a fair warning at the 4 and a half minute mark. Floor is yours. Thank you. My name is Shama Monzer. I am a long-term Dearborn resident. Um,
Dearborn have been my home for the last 20 years. I um um I have two children. They attended Dearbone Public Schools. Um, I currently serve as the chief programs officer at Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency. I earned this
seat after um 18 years of experience and community service. I um my first job actually was in Dearborn as a preschool teacher. Um I oversee over 120 million in federal, state, and local funding. um
supporting over 50,000 families across Wayne County, including thousands here in in Dearbornne. Um I lead a um diverse team of 700 staff. Um I um manage over 75 community programs aimed to support
our families toward the self sufficiency. I intentionally brought resources to Dearborn um throughout my career. Um, we have two Head Start sites in Dearbornne. Um, I built a strong relationship with the city of Dearbornne. I placed a
community resource navigator in a city of Dearbornne. Uh, bilingual. Um, their main focus is to bring resources to the community. Last year, we were able to serve over 17,000 Dearborn families. Um,
I serve on the National Energy and Utility Coalition board. Um, advocating on a national level in DC for our communities to protect the safety. As a board member, I believe the responsibilities will be um um signing
off on the district budgets, setting the policies for the um for the district, um uh overseeing the superintendent and making sure we are in compliance with um state and federal law. But I also believe as board members, we are
advocates. I believe board members, they do a great job advocating on a state level and a federal level. I also believe they connect uh families with administrators. I also believe they c they can bridge the gap between
community needs and between um district decisions. One decision that the board um took lately and I am super impressed and happy really to see is the care solace program. Mental health is key
need for our children. Um and to be able to provide um free mental health 247 in multiple languages to our families and and students um is a big win for Dearbornne. Um I do I do believe that
students cannot thrive if the families are not thriving. in my career and in my 15 years and uh in community service, I had always balanced between my first step is getting feedback from my community so I can design programs for the community but also making sure I am
in compliance with law and with regulations, supporting my team because if staff are not on board then I and I do believe the program is really designed to provide a seamless referral process not adding additional responsibilities on the staff but also
is community focused. Dearborn is very diverse and we speak so many different languages and we have so many new um newcomers. I was a newcomer 20 years ago and I know that mental health is key but we cannot accept mental health if
there's no trust and the first step is to really speak the same language so we can earn the trust. I do believe if selected I will bring a new perspective. I will not focus on students uh success.
I will bundle it with family self-sufficiency. And I do believe is if we were able to bundle both, our community will succeed. Still have a minute if you'd like to share anything else. I'm committed um to serve our community.
I am a fearless advocate. Um I I will do whatever I can to give back to the community that wrapped the arms around me. Um, I was an immigrant and I will always remain an immigrant. I learned how to wrap all the resources around our
families. Um, I am a proud mother of two successful Dearborn public school students. Um, and I take this with pride. Um, so if if selected, you will um see me strong, showing up strong as I always do for our community. And if not,
I'm always here to support. Thank you so much, Miss Moner, for applying. Thank you for your time. Next applicant is Mr. Radan Sal. Good evening, Mr. Sal. Uh, you have five minutes to answer the five questions that were already provided to you, and
I'll give you just a fair warning at the 4 and a half minute mark. The floor is yours. Thank you. Uh, hello everyone. My name is Dr. Adwan Salah. I begin my education at uh at Salford High School, moved to Henry Ford College and moved to UFM
where I get my bachelor in electrical engineering and master and PhD in project management. Uh I have more than 18 years of experience uh teaching under grad and grad students
and uh also I cooperated in developing the curriculum and also school system improvements. Uh I have also managed uh large and very complex projects which worth millions of
dollars. uh also even currently I'm managing projects with the city of Durban which also worth millions of dollars too. Uh I ensure that all the projects that I manage I participate from the initiative stage, planning stage, monitoring and control stage and
to the closing stage and make sure that all projects that I managed are uh finished within time and not exceeding uh the budget. Uh I also you know beyond my professional
work I deeply involved with the community and uh last year also I support uh the Durban schools which I worked hard for the millillage and ensure it was uh successfully done. Uh I ran for the board of education in 2022
and I get 8,000 around 8,000 uh votes which in the evening I was one of the winners and the second day I lost my seat because of the early votes but you know nevertheless this uh experience uh
strengthening uh my my my knowledge and make you know make me believe that my expertise and education can meaningfully support the success of uh Durban students. Regarding the second question, I see the board members uh roles and
responsibilities uh as setting the district visions, policies and priorities uh while representing the community's voice. uh regarding the third question which is uh recent poor decision you know there was
like the plan of uh engaging community and building in needs one area I'm particularly passionate about is school safety and facility you know when making decision in this area I consider different factors which is part of the
questions uh the community concerns family we're are always looking for uh safe schools while ensuring funds are used efficiently. Students needs uh safety is essential essential for
effective learners. Uh states and federal law all upgrades must com uh comply with building codes, ADA standards and uh federal safety requirements. The fourth factors which is uh staff consideration. You know teachers and staffs are always in the
front line. So their onput uh is critical to make the decision. Uh so balancing these factors with my values, I would support safety and facilities upgrades that protect uh students and staffs while maintaining the warmth and
openness of our schools. I believe schools uh must be both safe and welcoming and thoughtful investments helps achieve both goals. uh and this is what I always uh you know taught my grad students when
you are to make a decisions because the board uh members are decision makers you have to consider the factors that is related to the issue and for each factors you have to you know to gather an accurate and precise data in order to make the decision because your decision
will be based on the input of the data that you are gathering. So analyzing these data will allow you to make the correct and precise uh decision. Uh finally I would like to say uh all
students in Durban schools deserve all the best and we are here to support them to make sure that they are ready for their careers and for higher education. Thank you so much. Thank you Mr. Sal for your time. Appreciate it.
Next applicant is Miss Mali. Welcome Mr. You have five minutes to answer the questions that were already provided to you. I will just give you a fair warning at the four and a half minute mark and there are times where you can see the time. Well, good afternoon. Uh my name is
Molly Lukeman. Um, I've ran for school board before. Um, so let me just start off with the first prompt. Why I'm interested in serving on the board of trustees and what specific skills or qualifications do I bring to the table? So I ran a few years back. I got nearly
7,000 votes just under um it was like 6,800 and I ran my own campaign and so I've been involved in the school board and that capacity and community work. So, I'm very very much in touch with with the community. Um, I have a background in education and in
leadership. So, I had been a teacher. I've been in the classroom since right out of high school, 2002. Probably shouldn't say that. I'm giving my age away, but right out of high school, I started as a subpar pro um in the special needs classrooms, ESL classrooms. So, I got to see the ins outs of that as I was completing my
teaching certificate. So in ' 08, I completed my bachelor's in education with endorsements in ESL, mathematics, um, and elementary education. Did my student teaching in Dearborn public schools, did some long-term subbing in Dearborn public schools. My mom was working as salina for nearly 30
years as a instructional tech community leazison. So she was a community leader for some time and kind of inherited a little bit of that role through the activism that she um she would pull us into, my siblings and I. So um then taught at Crestwood, taught abroad for
about a year in the UAE and currently hold a position at Alfrocon Academy as a principal. It's a private school. So I do have the education background. I know the ins and outs on every single level. Um from tutor, I was a summer youth
program, uh tutor at Salina. Um I was a teacher, I was a pair professional, worked in a special needs ESL. I was an ESL teacher at Crestwood, a SCUP coach. Uh I was a college administrator as an associate dean at WC3D. So I have the
experience for college and overseeing a college and college operations and I know Dearbone public schools is a um K13 school board. So I have that perspective. Um and I currently have the administration perspective at the school that I'm working as a principal. So as
far as experience I I think I have a pretty good um grip of that. Um I also completed a fellowship in leadership and specifically community leadership through uh the center for create creative leadership and the Kellogg Foundation which emphasized on
children and families and and serving them. Um and so I have that that was supposed to be 18 months. It dragged out to about 24 months because of COVID. And that involved um traveling around the country uh getting to know diverse groups and how to best serve them. So I
have that skill set and I also served um in Ham Tramik as deputy city manager. So I I got to work with you know a highly diverse community. So as far as leadership goes, as far as policy goes, as far as education goes, I'm pretty well-rounded and I'd love to bring that
to serve dearborn schools. Um I genuinely have no other intention other than to serve. Every time there is a vacancy, I have people from the community reaching out and urging me to to either run or to apply. And so my thing is if I can serve and I've been,
you know, given the skill set to serve and I can put that to serve service and better my community, then you know what, I'm here to to to do that. And that was pretty much the reason I ran my campaign campaign a few years ago. So um, as far as running the campaign and being
involved in that aspect, nearly 7,000 votes from the community, that, you know, that kind of says something as well. Um should I move on to the next question? Sure. What do you see as the roles and responsibilities of a school board
member? So schoolboard member is more of executive decision-m. So it's weighing in on the difficult decisions, the overall decisions, the operations of the systems and having that overview. Um I guess you can say like a a view like
it's you're you're overseeing everything, right? And you're also gathering data and you're gathering information and you're collaborating with people on multiple levels and layers of the system, right? And I'm doing that in my current capacity as principal. So I'm working with parents,
I'm working with students, I'm working with the teachers, the teachers assistants, the secretary, the the office staff. So you have to bring in you have to know how to collaborate. So part of leadership is knowing how to work with a team, but also knowing when to gather. Oh, was that for the second question?
No, 30 seconds. Five minutes for everything. Oh, okay. I thought it was five minutes each. Okay. So, um it's teamwork. It's collaboration. It's knowing how to to wear all those hats at once to come to a final decision. And obviously, I'm part of I would be part of a board, so the
decision wouldn't be ultimately mine. And I I find great comfort in that knowing that it's just part of the puzzle piece. Um question. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Thank you. Next applicant is Mr. Alibazi
as I get. Oh, okay. Mr. Bezi, you have five minutes to answer the three questions that were already provided to you. I'll just give you a fair warning at the 4 and a half minute mark. Okay. Floor is yours.
Thank you, uh, trustees. Thank you for your time this evening. My name is Adz and I would be honored to serve with you on the board of education because I feel now is the is the right moment for me to step up and serve my community in this important role. The district is at a pivotal crossroads. Three key decisions
are on the table. Filling the vacancies for both superintendent and HFC president as well as formulating an infrastructure bond proposal. These are decisions that will have a lasting effect on our children and grandchildren. Having grown up in Dearborn and later raised uh Having grown up in Dearborn and later returning
to raise my family, I feel a deep sense of duty to give back to the district that shaped me in a school system that now serves my children. As a parent of three, I understand firsthand the importance of strong, inclusive programs, meeting a child where they are, and being a partner with a responsive district that helps every
child reach their greatest potential. Professionally, I bring over 15 years of experience helping businesses adapt to change, marketing products, strengthening their communication, and building strategies that connect people with opportunities. I have helped businesses navigate the everanging balance between inperson and digital
environments, and have learned how critical it is to build trust and communicate with authenticity. These are skills that I believe will serve the board and our community well. As a volunteer, I have advised and supported organizations and causes that focus on helping those in need. This includes
dedicating the past 10 years to Zaman International, an organization with a mission to break the cycle of poverty for families in our community. I serve on the advisory board, direct a highly successful runwalk picnic event that brings hundreds of families to Dearborn every year and run and founded and lead
the Zmen Detroit run team. Through all this work, I have helped fund raise significant funds, build strong partnerships with local businesses and organizations, and inspire hundreds of people to live a more active lifestyle. Over the past 5 years, I have also dedicated time to supporting and advocating for the Dearborn Public
Schools special needs population by making community fitness events accessible to all. I have also advocated for and supported the city of Dearborn's initiative to build three inclusive parks, allowing children of all abilities to be no more than 10 minutes away from a park they can play in.
The school board has two employees, the superintendent and the college president. One of the most important responsibilities of the board is to appoint the two best people to carry out the mission and vision set by this board for the district and the college. From there, the board must support them while holding them accountable. And the board
must hold itself accountable to the residents of Dearbornne, fulfilling the promise to help provide high caliber education for our community's youth. The board's accountability also includes responsibly financing the district's needs, whether that means maintaining existing facilities or supporting new
programs and spaces that allow our students to thrive. That is why the upcoming bond initiative is so important. As we know, the previous 2019 bond failed. I've heard varying reasons why residents voted no. One of the reoccurring themes shared with me was the need for transparency.
Often I find I find in my career sometimes the issue is not that information isn't shared, but it is difficult to digest in the midst of a busy life with work, childare, and family obligations. Transparency must also mean clear accessible communication, breaking down complex issues into understandable and
reasonable messages and meeting res excuse me and meeting meeting residents and families where they are across a variety of communication of uh a variety of communication channels available today. While the board is not legally permitted to advocate for or against the bond, it can and must ensure that the
facts are communicated clearly so residents understand both the current situation and what the bond could achieve for our students. If appointed, I would bring that expertise to the table. We must develop a bond that addresses near-term needs while building a foundation to serve students for decades to come. And when the plan is
ready, I look forward to executing an information campaign that ensures every resident understands the vision, the priorities, and the potential outcomes. I saw firsthand how powerful, clear, and accessible communication can be during the 2024 operating mill renewal. In the weeks leading up to the vote, I received
calls from parents concerned that the millillage would not pass. I took the time to analyze the available information and develop a direct and easy to understand digital campaign encouraging residents to vote yes. I worked with the teachers union and PTA to deliver the messaging effectively in
a short time frame. In the end, the the renewal passed with 72% district-wide support and I'm proud to have played a part in that. Like so many of us here tonight, I'm a proud product of Dear Public Schools. We all stand on the success that came from decisions made 10, 20, or even 30 years ago. The work
of the school board along with its two newly appointed leaders will set the goal and vision that will have outcomes that will last for generations. This is a pivotal moment for German public schools and I want to be a part of a board that tackles the hard questions, makes thoughtful, transparent decisions and keeps students at the center of
everything it does. If appointed, I would work to make sure every decision we make puts our students first. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Vazzy, for your time. I appreciate it. Next applicant is Mr. James, sir Johnny, you have five minutes to
answer the three questions that were provided to you. I will just give you a fair warning at the 4 and a half minute mark. When you're ready, the floor is yours. All right. Good evening. Good evening. Um,
in addressing the questions uh provided, I have over 20 years of experience um instructing and supervising students at the community college level. Um, that experience includes seven years as an
adjunct at Henry Ford College. And in that time, I've gained insight into not only how public schools function, but what students need in order to optimize their uh scholastic growth. So, I have unique perspectives that I would love to
share with um with this district. In through my many years uh as an instructor um I've been provided unique perspectives into education among them technologies role um in the learning
environment and I've come to appreciate the role that technology plays in enhancing the teachers ability as well as uh providing many um benefits to the students. Uh this is one of the reasons I'm a firm
advocate for professional development amongst uh the wonderful staff and teachers we have in Dearborn public schools because they need to stay on top of the technology technology and education is it the sky's is the limit.
It's been wonderful and I would love to see our teachers uh take advantage of that and be on the cutting edge of professional development so they can share that with their students. uh AI is also right at the forefront and um again professional development passing that on
to our students I believe um would be um would be a great resource. Furthermore um teaching um in as I've been doing since 2000 has afforded me firsthand look um at students coming out of
uh high school. I see both their weaknesses and their strengths. And one of the weaknesses I see is their um they struggle with the interface the uh online resources, course resources, learning management systems, they struggle with this. Um, and I think if
Dearbornne, you know, kind of prepare them for that, and I know the district is already doing that through their mission and, uh, their strategic plans, Dearbornne, which I love, is very student student focused, and maintaining that we can give our students the
advantage that they need going into uh, college or entering uh, trade schools. Um but having that knowledge and the ability to interact with online interfaces, learning management systems, um and again providing our teachers with
the adequate resources they need to learn about those things. Um and uh right now I'm currently employed at um Oakland Community College and Washington Community College. And I believe that through my experience and
my points of view um that I would have value in helping Dearborn public schools assemble the best resources for their students. Um, I'm familiar with learning management systems such as Blackboard, D2L, Brightpace, Canvas. Um, I'm also
familiar with the nuances of hybrid courses, uh, remote instruction. Basically, what I'm trying to convey here is that I understand the apparatus of education. I'm very familiar with and I would love to share uh, what I know with the school district and moving it
forward. Um, in addition to my professional uh attributes, I've spent significant time volunteering in the ArabAmerican and uh Muslim communities, um, I've held leadership positions in the Young Muslim Association, ADC, etc. And I've volunteered with the
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Um, one, um, element uh, one thing that the board has decided or executed in the past that I feel, uh, that I could address here would be the interviews here tonight. And although I understand that the uh in the bylaws you're required to provide
interviews. I think it would be much more beneficial to have some sort of vetting process whereby all the candidates get an opportunity but the public as well as you folks on the board have more interactive um experience with the candidate. I think you would get to
know them better, the public would get to know them better and I think overall it would be a more thorough process and if I were appointed I would do my best to um streamline that sort of process. So, everyone gets a chance, but also it gives you guys an opportunity to ask questions because technically this isn't
really an interview. It's more like a speech, but I think uh we could do that. And I want to thank you guys for listening to me and thank you for your commitment to our kids and have a wonderful evening. Thank you, Mr. Johnny. I appreciate your time. That brings us to the conclusion
of today's interviews. We still have 19 interviews to go on Thursday. Um, so we will go ahead with the citizen participation section. We did not have any blue cards. I know former trusty
Barry wanted to address us. You still want to address us, Mr. Barry? All right. There no citizen participation then. Uh, this meeting is adjourned. We'll see you Thursday. Part: 2
I'm like right. Good evening everyone. Welcome to the Dearbornne Board of Education special P12 meeting. Today is Tuesday, September 2nd, 2025. It is 60:02. I call this meeting to order. Uh, Mr.
Secretary, can we have a roll call, please? >> Trusty Aljah >> here. >> Trusty Deio >> here. >> Trusty Pelichkov >> here. >> Trusty Zaher here. President Mos >> here. I'll be uh leading everybody with the pledge of allegiance. We all can rise,
please, if you're able. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all. >> Thank you. So uh the purpose of this special meeting that we are having today and also we're having on Thursdays to conduct board um member interviews for the vacancy that we do currently have.
Uh pursuant to our last meeting at the college we have discussed this kind of quote unquote interview process. We'll be conducting uh interviews for 35 applicants as two uh have withdrawn their application. I'm hearing now more
people have uh withdrew their application as well. So that brings the number down. Uh the application uh the applicants were sent the questions uh the board members have selected. Each applicant will be given five minutes to
answer. Um and I will be giving a fair warning once they reach the four and a half minute mark. There will be no follow-up questions, no interruptions to the applicant. Um, I understand that five minutes might be too short. Uh, but
unfortunately with the number of applicants that we have, the majority of the board felt giving more time would yield unfair advantage to the people who are interviewing last. We'll be conducting interviews today and Thursday. Both days we'll hear from
citizens as well. uh in citizen participation section and on Thursday at the conclusion of the meeting we'll be discussing the selection process for v both vacancies. We will also have a special meeting prior to the board
meeting on September 8th to make the selection and fill the two vacancies. Any questions from the from the trustees before we start with our first interviewee? Okay, seeing none, we first have Mr. uh
Steven Hernandez. Um the questions were as follows. Um the question one, why are you interested in serving on the board of trustees at this time? And what specific skills or qualifications would do you believe you would bring to
the board? The second question was what do you see the roles and responsibilities of a school board member? And question three was, identify a recent board decision that you felt strongly about and describe how would
you balance community concerns, student needs, state and federal law, staff considerations, and your personal values and beliefs to determine your vote on the issue. Mr. Hernandez, you have the floor. >> Thank you very much, board members.
First of all, thank you so much for the opportunity to speak to you this evening. Again, my name is Stephen Hernandez and perhaps like many of the students in the district, I myself am the I'm the first generation uh child of immigrants. My uh mother and father are
both from Mexico. I'm a product of public school education. Well, I did not go to Dearborn public schools. There's a few towns over. I went to Garden City Public Schools. I see this opportunity as a great opportunity for me to give back to the public school education system which
provided so much of opportunity for myself and for my siblings. My father had a very limited education in the village of Mexico where he grew up. So you really really drill into myself and my si siblings the importance of education. So through his hard work through my own efforts went through
college um um I am now a white collar worker. Uh so my father blueco collar hero like many like many of the dads in the district he wanted something different for myself and for my siblings. So in terms of my qualifications I work in corporate
philanthropy. I have more than 10 years plus of grants management experience, corporate oversight, board facilitation, board recruitment and management, nonpr nonprofit consulting work, budget review and compliance matters of all different
types. In terms of my on the paper qualifications, those are some of the things I would bring to this board. So, a really strong commitment to ethics, budgetary oversight, maintain rules and regulations. That's a big part of my day job. Perhaps of more importance though
is that I'm very proud to be a father to three different kids in three different schools in the district. I have one at Snow, one at Stout, and one in the high school. So drop off and pick up time can be an interesting adventure from time to time. I am very proud to be a husband to
a teacher in the district. So the issues and concerns that we would potentially review together as trustees would not be a theoretical thing. This would be something that's very personal to me because of my my kids are in the district, my wife is in the district. So
I would really hope to marry those two things with my qualifications in terms of as I said corporate oversight, budgetary concern, recruitment and management of an executive or in this case a superintendent. So those are the qualifications and personal desires I
have to join this board. With regards to the roles and responsibilities as I see it for uh board of trustees, I go back to that uh compliance perspective. My job, I feel my role that I would
bring to this board is that strong commitment to high ethics, high ethical standards with regards to the budgets, the grants, the federal and state funding the board has to review and oversee. This board obviously must be concerned
itself with providing open and honest feedback to the communities that we serve. That's something I have a great personal commitment to with whether it's in regards to developing processes and procedures, hiring and recruiting, recruiting and hiring and providing
feedback and management to high level staff like the superintendent. So the upcoming board members would be part of that very very important decision to recruit that next superintendent to really set the next stage for the district. So that's a huge
responsibility that I would take incredibly seriously. With regards to question three, a board decision that I felt very strongly about was the borderline exemption discussion that happened last year. To me, the borderline exemption,
the ability for DPS staff to have their children attend the schools where they worked, I felt was a very very important nonmon non-monetary part of the total compensation. You know, as a board, it is our responsibility to be able to
recruit and retain the best and brightest teachers. Having that borderline exemption, maintaining that for them. Our teachers who work year in year out, they miss all the special days and opportunities often with their own children. So having them them them there at the schools that they work at I feel
was a really important thing to balance those communities balance to make the staff ha happy and really kind of make this school make this district a really important and desirable place to work. So maintain the borderline exemption I felt was a great example of that
delicate balance that trustees must strike to retain teachers, please the students and balance out community needs. Thank you so much for your time. I appreciate it very much. >> Thank you, Mr. Hernandez. Thank you. Thank you for applying. >> Next.
>> Yes, President. Does that iPad have a timer on it? >> Yes. >> Okay. See the time? Okay. >> So, we don't have to say 30 seconds like that. >> That's okay. I just >> give them the benefit of the doubt. >> Sometimes when they focus, they might not see it or anything.
>> Miss Manuri is next. David. >> Okay. Thank you. Hi Sadi. >> So you already have the questions. You have five minutes. Just a fair warning when you reach the four and a half minute mark. >> All right. Um I do have my cheat sheet.
So >> all right, floor is yours. >> All right. Good evening. My name is Manar Sidi Jamie and I want to thank you for this opportunity first of all for allowing me to interview for this uh role. Um as a parent, as a professional, as a proud member of the Dearborn Yemen
and Lebanese community, I'm honored to share why I feel I was called to serve this time. Uh so for the first question, why are you interested in serving on the board of trustees at this time and what specific skills qualifications do you believe you would bring to the board?
So, I'm deeply invested in Dearborn Public Schools because of my children, my family, my community. I have four children, two of which are have gone through several of our Dearborn public schools, elementary, um, middle school,
and high schools. Uh, both were were awarded a collegiate to be to become the collegiate uh, program. One is currently still enrolled. Another of my children will begin December in public school in the Dearwood public school. Um my
family's connection to the district is one that is long-standing and it is ongoing. Um I want to I want to ensure that every child in the district gets a part um to succeed similar to what my children have
gone through. Uh this is also an opportunity for my family connections in the district as well. Um, as my husband owns a local restaurant that has partnered with classrooms and and some teachers have encouraged their students to write letters to their favorite
restaurants. Um, that part and that response was partnering with these students um and bringing them to the uh restaurant with allowing them to experience that. And that type of engagement really is a lasting memory for these students. Um, and it just
shows how deeply my family is tied to this community. Um professionally I serve as a supervisor of operations uh quality in Corwell Health in the corporate side. Um in this role I lead teams uh to ensure
uh that we have uh accountability and fairness um and also use a lot of data driven um decisions make a lot of data driven decisions to um in in in all the complex environments of the healthcare.
Um I also serve as an ambassador on a culture and diversity council uh for the system. Um in addition to my role as a culture lead for uh our uh one of our business resource groups which is the next professional network. Um in
addition to that I also uh have led several mentoring circle programs for the system for the entire Corewell priority health system. Um I do believe I can serve as a trustee who understands both the needs of families and the importance of strong transparence governance.
For question two, what do you see the roles and responsibilities of the school board member? I do believe that a school school board member first and foremost is a steward of the community's trust. Trustees are responsible for setting visions, approaching, approving policies
um and also ensuring that the resources are applied um and not nec not necessarily that but also applied fairly. Um it's not to manage the day-to-day operations uh but it is to uh
collaborate with administrators and educators um as well. Um and Dearborn this this also means a bridge between our diverse community and the district. As someone who is Yemen and married into a Lebanese family, I know how important
it is for families to feel present represented and and heard. Trustees may engage with parents um and community members to listen with empathy and ensure that every decision keeps students at the center. Above all, I do
believe that guid the guiding question for any board member should be does this help our students succeed emotionally and physically and and also socially. Um for the third question to identify a recent board decision that I felt
strongly about. One area I felt strongly about was the discussion around access to educational resources including books in our schools. This has been a very important conversation in Dearborn and it reflects the complexity of balancing diverse perspectives.
If I were making a decision like this as a trustee, I would begin with students needs. students must have access to age appropriate highquality resources that support their learning and reflect the diversity of their community. I would also respect state and federal laws on
non-discrimination and access to education. And I would listen to the expertise of our teachers and staff who work with these resources every day. At the same time, I know how important community voices are. So again, as someone who is from the Dearborns Yemeni community and married into a Lebanese family,
>> Merced to be fair to all of the candidates. Absolutely. >> I thank you so much for applying. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Next candidate is Mr. James Thor. President, maybe we should also just remind them that they have this timer in front of like in the beginning. Hey, you
have a timer in front of you. Yeah, >> just in case they don't know. >> Good evening, Mr. Thor. Uh, you do have five minutes to the questions that were provided to you. We won't interrupt you. You do have a timer in front of you. I'll give you a fair warning when you reach the four minute and a half mark.
Floor is yours. >> Good evening trustees. My name is Jim Thorp. This is my fourth time participating in this exercise. Twice as an applicant and twice while serving on the board. I thank you for your service. I know this is a
challenging time uh to be a trustee. I'm interested in applying for the board position to help out in a current time of need. Uh the district is going through a lot of change, needing to search for a new superintendent, a new college president, and the possibility
of an infrastructure bond in a couple of years in addition to all the other day-to-day things that you're currently dealing with. The role of a board member is to approve the budget on an annual basis to
oversee both to in the hiring and evaluation of the college president and the superintendent of the school district. It is also to set the policies for the school district and to help set the vision and strategic plan of the
district. What a board trustees job is not to do is to solve everybody's problems. And through eight years serving on the board, when people would come to me uh with various uh questions and concerns, I would just do my best to make sure that they were being directed
to the people that could help answer everything that they had. in terms of uh current board decisions that I I feel strongly about. Since stepping off the board last
January, I've still followed what's going on. Uh I know there's some things that are beyond the board's control like budget at a federal and state level. Um but through the last eight years, we dealt with so many different crisis. uh
whether it was the school um book issue uh COVID both the start and coming out of COVID uh redistricting busing there's so many different things that there's not any one thing that I could point to right now and and just say that that I feel strongly about it but I know
that these are very emotional uh times for many people and what I learned to do through those years was just to talk to people in various positions gain knowledge, gain their experience, and do what I thought was in the best
interest of our students, our staff, and our community through all of those. Uh, in closing, what what I would say is what I am offering is a bridge for the board to the next election. uh this is a
trying time that you are either relearning or learning about uh again with two different searches uh commencing uh the infrastructure bond like I mentioned and everything else. Uh so what I'm looking to do is be able to
help out till the next election cycle uh to provide the experience that I've gained both through serving this board uh as a director of the Michigan Association of School Boards and through other organizations throughout the community. Uh just to make sure that the
and to help other all the trustees uh be in the best position possible. >> Still have a minute and 40 seconds if you'd like to add anything else. No, it's not a conversation. So, I can't ask you guys how you been. But again, I I would say having been
through this process, I know this is a tough process to go through. Uh it's exciting to see that you got so many people interested in applying, but I know that does not make the decision any easier. So, what I can do is give you back a little time in your day to talk to the rest of the candidates. Again, I
thank you for your time. I look forward to an opportunity to work with you again. >> Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Next applicant is Mr. Joseph Mary. >> Good evening. >> Good evening, Mr. Do have five minutes
to the questions that we provided to you. There's timer on the screens and also in front of you. I'll give you a fair warning at the four and a half minute mark. >> Thank you. >> Floor is yours. >> Okay. Well, thank you very much for having me today. I appreciate the time. Um going based off the questions uh the
first question, why am I interested in uh joining the school board? Um I firmly believe that strong schools lead to a strong city. If you know anything about me, u highly engaged in the community. I love Dearbornne. Uh I live in Dearbornne. been here a long time, been engaged in the community a
long time, and I really care about this city, and I think that the schools are integral part of having a successful city. Um, I have a love for learning and education. Uh, if you've looked at my resume, you know, I've been through many, uh, educational programs. I have
two undergrad degrees, uh, two masters and a PhD. I love to learn and uh I think education is is uh an ed education I received was instrumental into me uh achieving the career of my dreams and I
want to make sure that our students within Dearbornne have that those same opportunities to learn um to become educated so they can fulfill what they want to do in life. Um I have a focus on fiscal responsibility as a as a taxpayer in Dearbornne as vest in this community. I
want to make sure that we are using our tax uh money appropriately and fiscally responsibly. Um the schools has has a very large budget the very big uh part of our uh our taxes and I want to make sure that we are being fiscally responsible as well and I think I can
contribute to that uh given my background. Uh, as you know, I'm the fire chief and I'm responsible for multi-million dollar budgets, develop our budget, I manage our budget, and every year for 13 years, uh, I've made our budget uh, right on target. So, I have a lot of experience uh, with
budgets, have also have a lot of experience with grants, written many grants, been awarded many grants, managed many grants. I think I can contribute uh, to the school board in that capacity as well. I also have a lot of connections in the community. Uh so I'm probably not a stranger to anyone on
the board. I know uh most of you and have relationships with most of you, some more than others, but um we are all out there. We know that being uh in the community is part of this this role. And I think um I've been out there. I think everybody knows me how engaged I am with
this community. And I think that's an important part that I want to bring uh to this board as well. And uh uh one thing about me, if you know my history, doesn't matter if it's West End, East End, South End, Dearbornne Heights, I have relationships everywhere. I work
with everybody. I work with all groups, listen to everybody, and uh I think I can uh bring that uh to the board as well. And I also think it's a very important time. So there's obviously some very big decisions that need to be made uh by the board very quickly uh with the departure
of our superintendent and the college president. Uh these are very two very big positions that are going to really um uh lead us into the future uh and share their vision uh with our students and uh very important that we get these right. And I think that the board has
done tremendous uh uh job so far uh in preparing for that. And I and I think I could also contribute to the board just given my history with this community, given uh my relationships out there, know understanding this community and really being able to focus on what our
community needs in the next superintendent, the next uh president of Henry Ford. Uh see as the roles and responsibilities for schoolboard members, obviously there's very there's a lot of responsibilities. Uh can't focus on all of them due to time constraints, but budgets obviously
number one. uh developing the budget or uh approving the budget, managing the budget. Uh like I said, I do have a lot of experience with multi-million dollar budgets. I think I can be effective in that role. Policy uh in my current role as fire chief, I develop a lot of policy
and that's another uh responsibility of the board members. Uh so I think I can contribute that way. And obviously hiring. So we have the two positions we spoke about. Uh two top executives. I do a lot of hiring my positions. um and I do a lot of research. I think I can
contribute there. As far as the um a decision that the board has made recently, uh it's it's one that's been made and ongoing is facility infrastructure. Um I've been am very impressed with the with how the uh board has been handling that so far. I've seen think you guys have done your due
diligence. I'm I'm willing to contribute in that capacity as well. Just the other night, we're talking about the uh SEC at Henry Ford. Um, and obviously with these costs increasing and everything, we had to make some changes, but I think that if you do that, uh, if you do the
research, you're open, you communicate well, um, that you'll be successful. And I, you know, potentially we have um many other projects coming up infrastructure-wise and I think I could help given my relationships in the in the community to help inform our residents, educate our residents, and
get the support that we need to uh get the funding, make sure we have the funding to uh make sure that their students have great places to uh be educated. >> Thank you, Mr. Murray, for your time. Thank you. Really appreciate it. >> Next is Mr. Moner Al- Muresi.
Sir Misi, you have five minutes to answer the questions that were provided to you. >> Yes. >> And um I'll give you just a fair warning at the four four and a half minute and the timers are in front of you so you could be aware of the time. Floor is yours. Should I read the
>> Go ahead. >> Should I read the question? Just answer. >> Uh, just answer the questions. The questions were already read. >> Okay. What interested in serving on the board of trustee at the time and what specific skills or qualification? Well, uh, first I'm a father. I have two
three kids. They going to dear school. I watch their grown up. I watch their uh, participate in school. When they come back, we sit together on a table. We ask them, they talk, we talk each other. I put some notice what they want,
what they miss, what they think the school need to be improved. From that point when I saw this advertising, I said I will be there for them and for all students in my kids age. Uh number two
responsibility is for school board member will be vision will be uh finance re review will be hiring the inter the superintendent and also uh
also watching the school process with goons. uh remarks also very important for the uh school board member. If there's any shortage in service does the goals are not meet so has to be
review and just discuss and have a meeting with it. Identify a recent board decision that you felt strongly about and describe how you would balance community concerns, students needs, state and federal law.
staff consideration and your personal values and belief to determine your vote on that issue. Well, there's three I believe three uh section here we will talk about. First one technology, second one time and third
trust. We have to build plant a trust in our students and our kids going to school. When these kids go to school, the parents in home they feel safe. That building have to be safe for them. So safety for kids very important
technology how to use technology a day uh nowadays technology to employ this technology for the kids how to make how to be updated with the technology for the kids what will they need and not to make this technology control the kids but use the tech technology for the kids
needs as I said technology safety and number three is uh also uh review Always continuous review all the time. Review with the kids what how the technology will be help them how to be accessed and
how that time also the time how to use the time to employ technology in the uh kids future. >> Yep. >> You still have a half if you'd like to add anything that >> yes consider.
>> Yep. Uh time also time very important. We have to invest time in the kids in the in the children they go to school how to outline their time going to school coming back not to waste it respect and respecting also how to grow I mean teaching our kids to be respect
in school respecting your their teacher parent when they go visit the schools also the safety also the communication communication between parent and schools has to be more more valuable right now we have Emails,
emails they go from the schools and to the parents. But still emails is not that like that effective factor. We need to be like very meeting like every two weeks, three every two weeks, every month, one week like one month, one time
a week, a month to be meeting between parents and uh school. So email factor they use it right now Dearborn public school but I I don't think it's effective. meeting is very very
important and to get uh very close uh uh how to how we know about kids how the how we know about the school the cardboard they send to the school to the homes is still good also but still not that much like face toface meeting face tof face meeting will solve a lot of
problem will also be like for the kids when they parents come to the school and meeting with the with the school teachers once a month that will help the kids also to be in concern and >> seconds. >> Yeah. To be concerned and uh uh to put
in their mind that there's someone watching after them. Our culture has to be also maintained. We live in this deb in this city dear this multiculture multi-ethnicity. But we have to have our culture to be reserved and also be watched from time
to time. I'm not saying like separate kids from boys from girls from in a school in one class. No. But have to be the background have to be taken in consideration. Uh we don't want to fe the kids feel the school is different environment than your time is up. Thank you Mr. Maurici for applying. Appreciate
it. >> Next is Mr. Muhammad Ali Ham. >> President Mos could we could we ask someone to move the mic a little closer to the speakers if possible? >> David, can you >> can I do it? >> Yeah. You have to ask
Welcome Mr. Hammud. Thank you for applying. You have five minutes. Uh the questions were already provided to you. Um the timers are on the screen as well as in front of you. I'll give you a fair warning at the 4 and a half minute mark. Floor is yours. >> Good evening. My name is Muhammad Ali
Hammud. My resume and experience show that I'm not just a regular candidate, but a strong candidate. My commitment is both p personal and professional. Born and raised in Dearbornne, a student with that attends Maples Elementary and a product of its own schools. My investment to our community is
multigenerational. Professionally, I bring three qualifications. One, governance experience. Currently serving on the board of education, Darborn Board of Educa, I'm sorry, currently serving on the Durborn Education Foundation and the Darborn Chamber of Commerce. Serving as a role, I'm sorry, serving as a role
member as a board member has given me direct insight into the the the job of a board member. For example, with regards to oversight, policy, and strategic direction. Last year, the Dearborn Education Foundation awarded over $180,000 in scholarships and grants to our
teachers and students. Legal analysis. As an attorney based in Dearbornne, I am trained to dissect complex problems, negotiate contracts, interpret policies, and make evidence-based decision. All crucial skills for this board. And finally, community leadership. As a
general counsel of Alhuda Islamic Association, one of Dearborn's largest mosques, I have developed strong leadership skills and governance skills, ensuring organizational accountability and fostering community engagement. How I see my role and responsibility on this as a school board member is really
three-folded. One, strategic oversight. Two, having a fiduciary duty. And three, accountability. My role would be to debate and advocate for my position during deliberation using evidence and using evidence and reason. However, once a majority vote is taken, it is then my
duty to support it publicly and work together to implement implement it effectively. respectful disagreement followed by unified action is key to good governance. Finally, how I would a recent board decision that I felt strongly about was a September 24, 2024
special meeting where the board discussed how it would engage with the community regarding infrastructure infrastructure needs and pursuing a potential bond. A successful bond requires public trust and transparency. So, we would hold listening sessions. We will share data on facility conditions
and explain the benefits and the long-term financial impact for our taxpayers. Here's how I would balance the various factors to determine my approach. Community concern. Community's primary concern is financial management and transparency. Meaning we have clear communication. We demonstrate fiscal
responsibility and we have a multi-channel engagement process. Student needs the most important factor. Students need a safe, healthy and modern learning environment. Classrooms that are too hot, cold, or overcrowded directly impedes learning. Any bond
planning must show how each project improves student learning. State and federal law. While the bond campaign itself is a local decision that operates within a strict legal framework, we would ensure that any bond proposal and its campaign adhere to all state laws regarding ballot language, regarding
debt limits, regard regarding millage rates. Staff consideration. Our teachers and staff are the ones that work in these buildings every day. They have firsthand knowledge of what isn't working. New facilities boost staff morale and demonstrate that we value their work environment as much as we de
we we value our students learning environment. Engaging with staff and teachers early is crucial in this process. And finally, my personal value. My personal value was centered on fiscal responsibility, educational equity, and transparent governance. I would only support a bond proposal if it was a if
the for a community vote if the engagement process proved it was community informed. I want to thank the board. In closing, I want to thank the board for this once in a-lifetime opportunity. I I I admire how you handled your positions with class and professionalism. I've witnessed
firsthand the hard work you guys put in from running a successful campaign to door knockocking to uh interacting with our community. I want to assure you that I'm not taking this opportunity for granted as I also value the the I also have value the I also value hard work. I
don't see this role as a platform for a single issue but more opport but I see this as an opportunity to serve to serve the students to serve our teachers to serve our families and community well with the critical challenges ahead such as hiring the new superintendent hiring
the president of Henry Ford College and also managing a bond campaign my experience means I can step into this role on day one effectively I am committed to upholding Dearborn's mission to inspire to educate and to celebrate every child in this district.
Thank you for your time and consideration. >> Thank you, Mr. Hammud. Truly appreciate your time and thank you for applying. Uh, next candidate is Miss Silva Alawi. Anybody want to sing?
>> No, not currently. >> Oh, this is Miss >> She did call earlier. >> Okay. She called earlier and said she wasn't feeling well, but she thought she was going to. >> Okay, sounds good. Then we do have the
next candidate is Mr. Na and Mr. Na, you have five minutes to answer the five questions that were provided to you. I'll just give you a fair warning at 4 and a half minute mark. >> Okay, the floor is yours. >> Thank you all for uh giving me the
opportunity to meet with you guys. Um the first question is why are you interested in serving on the board of trustees and what qualifications would you you bring? So I'm uh the main reason I'm interested in serving on the board
of trustees because we're at we're at a pivotal role um with both Dearbone Public Schools and Henry Ford College. Um, and as a graduate of both Fortson, uh, Jerbo public schools, you know, Forton, the Michael Barry Career Center,
and Henry Ford College. Um, and now pursuing my, uh, degree in special education at Wayne State University. Um, I know firsthand the challenges that students face um, within the the the school systems. Um, also my experiences
as a as a registered behavior technician working with uh children and young adults with autism. Um, and also I'm an ambassador with the Michigan Disability Rights Coalition. Um, that taught me advocacy,
um, inclusion and coalition building. I believe these skills prepare me to serve effectively as one of the board uh, of trustees. Um so uh I've experienced the system both
as a student, a graduate and a and now as a future teacher. Um my community advocacy taught me how to listen and collaborate with um other individuals. Also my lived experiences as a person
with a disability. it um is an important part of um how I will uh bring myself to um make decisions on the board. Um so for the second question, why do you see what do you see the as the roles and
responsibilities of a trustee? Um the role for me I see that the role of a trustee is um to set policy, approve budgets and ensure compliance with the law. Um and I t take that as the most you know with everything that we do we
need to make sure that um the students are first and you know with that the law we have to maintain that we are following um the law as strict as possible. Um we we also the this board is also serves as a bridge between the
schools and the community. So we need to make sure that all stakeholders are um are uh part of the um are part of uh who we work with to make to make our decisions. Uh we also need
to uh as the board we also need to not make sure that we're looking short term but we are making long-term decisions that affect our students in uh future students and future um stakeholders in the long term. Um especially with students, we need to
um um look at how their um um their uh their career paths for higher education and um career. Um, so the trustees for me are not
individuals who are responsible to set day-to-day um, operations, but they're about being transparent to the community and making sure that all stakeholders have um, a say and um, you know, a word
on what's going on with um, matters that relate to the both the college and the school board. and the district. So, give an examp uh give an example of a recent board decision you felt
strongly about and how would you balance concerns and make your decision? So, one uh board decision that I saw uh you guys uh was voted on was um about strengthening special education services
and I think that's very important. I feel like sometimes um with special education services kind of stuff gets left out and as someone who worked with those families I feel like uh it's an important um it's an important uh thing
to make sure that uh those uh groups are not forgotten. 30 seconds. >> Um and also you I feel that the board has strongly um with those decisions have made sure that um following the the
law and the IDA and with the disabilities act is one of the things that they put forefront. >> Okay. Thank you very much Mr. Sh for applying. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. >> Next candidate is Mr. Remy say more.
>> Thank you. >> Hello, Mr. Samoa. If I'm saying your last name right, >> you have five minutes to answer the questions that were already provided to you. I'll give you just a fair warning at the four and a half minute mark. >> Okay. >> Floor is yours.
>> Okay. Good ne good evening. Thank you for your time. Um so regarding the first question um why am I interested in serving on the board? Um well it's for the students personally. Um, as a proud
product of William Ford Elementary and a Dearborn High uh, graduate myself and a HFC graduate, uh, I've benefited from the programs that Dearborn Public Schools has to offer and I think it's
about time that that I give back. So, um, uh, regarding the specific skills and qualifications that I have, um, I have a undergraduate degree in construction management. uh and a master's degree in business administration. Uh these two degrees
combined um are very specific in the nature of the responsibilities of the board especially regarding uh the infrastructure concerns that the board uh the Dearborn public schools are dealing with. Uh we have aging buildings and infrastructure, mechanical,
electrical, plumbing and there's constantly change orders and contracts coming in in which my expertise would help. Um, also, uh, I serve, uh, civically, uh, at the city of Dearborn as a planning commissioner, the vice
chair of the planning commission. Uh, I have a strategic, um, planning perspective in that regard, which is, uh, lends well to this board. Uh I also serve as the chairman of the environmental commission for the city of Dearbornne where we make decisions to um
ensure the health of the public and uh to make positive decisions for the residents and people who visit the city. Um for the second question um what do I see as the roles and responsibilities of
a school board member? Um ultimately it's uh to preserve and maintain the safety well-being uh of the students. Um that's the primary goal. Um everything
else is is secondary to that. Um but um to to be specific uh the board as you are all aware uh is in charge of um the hiring the
superintendent. Uh recently there um the superintendent's been appointed to the state superintendent position. So, this is a interesting time uh for the district and um there's there's ways where um my
expertise in uh in construction management and my background would help uh with that. Uh I'm a project manager with CDPA architects and planners for over 10 years. I've managed over $30 million in uh construction budgets. uh
balanced them and uh delivered them and uh assured stakeholder uh satisfaction. So um ensuring that the budget is maintained well is uh is a primary concern. Um
for the uh final question uh a recent uh board decision in which I felt strongly about well there's the issue with the uh the bond and the millillage in which uh we're trying to do the energy efficiency
in which we're trying to supplement not having a bond which I I suppose works in in the short term and I commend you all for making that decision but ultimately it's uh if if it's not pursued in the next ballot, then it's going to be uh
difficult to maintain uh the uh the buildings in our district. So um in my experience of managing uh budgets and um working with the large dollar
amounts um I I see it as a easy fit um for me to contribute uh in that regard whether it's infrastructure uh budgetary or um the hiring process in general. So, um,
in conclusion, uh, I'm a lifelong resident of Dearbornne, um, civically engaged and, uh, plan to stay here for the long haul. >> 30 seconds. >> So, thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Samaria. Appreciate it.
>> Appreciate your time. >> Uh, we at this time we will take a 5m minute break and when we come back, we'll come back with Miss Sha Monzer. So, let's take a five minute recess. Stretch your legs.