Call the regular meeting of the Mount Clemens board of education to order. Call the role. Mrs. Cahoun here. Ms. Hammond here. Dr. McFaten. Mr. Shepard here. Mr. Walker here. Mrs. Walker here. Mr. Rickman here. A quorum has been
established. Next on the agenda, pledge of allegiance 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.
Next on the agenda, our citizens comments. This is the portion of the meeting where the citizens of the Mount Clemens Community School District can address the board within your questions, comments, or concerns. If you would like a written response to your inquiry, there are forms in the back that we ask
that you sign those excuse me, and turn them in uh to Miss L to get any written, excuse me, response to your questions or concerns. Be mindful you may not receive a response to your particular inquiries here this evening. Also, we have ask you
to stand, come to the microphone, state your name and address. You have three minutes by which to make your inquiries. Last but not least, I ask you request I request you address all questions, comments, concerns to the chair. The agenda is now open for citizens
comments. Second call. Citizens comments. Last call. Citizens comments. Hearing or seeing none, moving the agenda forward. Next on the agenda, item five, five, board recognitions. 5A
students. One, Mount Clemens High School 2024 2025 top five. Mr. Superintendent. Yes, sir. Thank you. Good evening, board, community, staff. Thank you for all for being here tonight. Um we have a special
night tonight. Uh Mr. Vil, our secondary principal is here. Um we wanted to acknowledge every year we like to acknowledge our top five all of our students but especially our top five students um and who uh performed exceptionally well this this year and throughout their their careers here with
us. So I'll turn it over to uh Principal Vil and let them take it away. All right. Good evening everyone. Um just bear with me. I I took the time to uh prepare something special for our top five students and uh we presented them
with cores yesterday as well at the senior penny. We had a good time at the senior penny. Um so it's my privilege to introduce the top five graduates of Mount Clemens High School, class of 2025. If you are here when I call your name, please stand. Uh these students have set the academic bar with their hard work, leadership, and commitment to
excellence. When your name is called again, please stand. David Jackson, ranked fourth in class of 2025, is known for his clever sense of humor, honor, and unfailing politeness qualities grounded in a deep
appreciation for family and friendship. A diligent student who asks thoughtful questions and never misses a chance to share a laugh. David plans to pursue a career in HVAC at Northwestern Tech. He sums up his outlook with his senior quote, "Courage is knowing it might
hurt, but doing it anyway. Stupidity is the same, and that is why life is hard." His parting advice to classmates is just as reflective. Time passes by fast, so sit back and enjoy what it has to
offer. D'Angelo Worm. D'Angelo Worm D'Angelo is ranked third in the class of 2025. He's recognized for his steadfast work ethic and vibrant artistic talent. Passionate about drawing and storytelling, he aspires to become a
professional animation artist and plans to launch his career as a freelance 2D illustrator/animator. While saving for college, D'Angelo strives to stay positive and improve himself every day, valuing a reputation for productivity
and effort over vanity. His guiding philosophy is captured in his senior quote, "A sound soul dwells within a sound mind and a sound body." Michaela Brown, ranked fourth in her class, is a kind, funny, and determined high school senior who is ready to make
a name for herself. With a deep desire to help others, she plans to pursue a career as a therapist so she can support people through life's challenges and make a meaningful impact. Michaela values honesty and consistently strives to present her truest self in every
situation. She will be attending Fagville State University to study psychology. Her senior quote reflects her commitment to authenticity. Don't try to be someone else. Be yourself and know that that's good enough. Her advice to underassman is simple but powerful.
Make sure you do your work. It's going to matter the most. Trayvon Jack, saludiatoran of the class of 2025, is a driven and ambitious graduate eager to embrace new challenges and explore the next chapter of his journey. Possessing a thirst for
knowledge and a fresh perspective, he infuses creativity, adaptability, and enthusiasm into every opportunity, whether in higher education, career pursuits, or personal growth. His unique blend of curiosity and determination positions him to make a meaningful
impact. Whether he ultimately chooses HVAC or welding, and whether his path leads him to Texas or North Carolina, Trayvon's parting advice to his classmates captures his balanced outlook. Sleep sometimes, eat real food,
and don't burn yourself out. You'll figure it out. All right. And lastly for my validictorian, Cheyenne Jefferson of the class of 2025 is Miss David here. She's at the regional track right now.
All right. So, she wears many, many hats around here. She is a responsible and driven senior committed to forging a successful career. She will pursue an accounting major at Oakland University with plans to become a certified public accountant,
earn an MBA, and eventually establish her firm that fosters a strong, healthy workplace culture. Cheyenne embodies a beautiful quality, duality, treasuring the accuracy and certainty of mathematics while embracing arts
unpredictability and freedom. No student or staff member has gone untouched by her gentle, ever helpful nature. She is always ready with a clear explanation or straightforward advice that keeps her classmates moving forward. Cheyenne approaches every challenge as her
authentic self and believes in taking life one step at a time. Her advice to underassmen reflects that philosophy. Seize every opportunity. Take your grades seriously. Don't let your high school years waste away. So at this time
I'd like to congratulate the top five. We are very very proud of you and you all made me look very good my first year. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Mr. Vio. And uh congratulations not only to the top five
of the 2025 graduating class of Mount Clemens High School, but also to the entire graduating class of 2025. We say congratulations and kudos. 5B staff B1 teachers of the year. A
Seino Academy. B Mount Clemens Middle School. Contins High School. Mr. Superintendent. Yes, thank you. Um, is it picking up? As you know, we're nothing without
our teachers and our and the impact that they have and the potential that they have to impact our students lives is um unprecedented and we know we can't do we what we do without them. So, uh, they they we can probably name other teachers of the year, but this year the three
that were selected, um, we want to acknowledge formally, um, and have them maybe come up. I also, we normally get a picture with our our top five kids. I know they're not all here. We got one here, so I would like to grab that at some point, too. Maybe just get at least for the person that the family that showed up. I think that's important. I
know he probably doesn't want to take a picture, but you will appreciate it one day. Um, but to our teachers, we just appreciate all of our teachers. these three who have um just gone over and beyond have set the standard and they're no strangers to anybody in this district. I don't care what building you
are, you know these names. And so again, Mr. Slack, Miss Aller, and and Miss Marino um for their outstanding job. We want to recognize them. Um we would like them to come up and uh take a picture with the board as well. Um and and thank you again for all your hard work and
dedication. And I I wish we can just duplicate them uh for all of these job postings that we have. Mr. Slack doesn't want to be duplicated anymore. Uh but thank you all for for your dedication and hard work to our our kids and our community and and um there
are great things happening in Mount Clemens and it starts with with with teachers like that. So thank you. All right. So let's get our our top five student if you can. Yeah. Let's do it this way. We did it last
year. have everybody come and then we'll have our our teachers as well once we get that bill. Oh, I guess I don't know what
it [Applause] Our teachers over Tina. [Music] I'm afraid to say [Applause]
Before we lose our uh our families for the rest of our exciting meeting, um Miss McVans, I had the pleasure for Cheyenne. I had the pleasure of uh Cheyenne, I acknowledged this at our last board meeting. Cheyenne was acknowledged as a Mcome County top 100
student for her academic performance. So out of out of thousands of kids in our county and she was one of the top 100 and um I believe she's attending Oakland University, right? Honors college, excuse me, that's right alumni over
here. U but she was acknowledged uh at a a huge county dinner. It was a beautiful uh ceremony and u for her her hard work, resilience and and dedication and and what a um all of our kids are phenomenal but phenomenal students and they come from phenomenal households and it's no
it's no mistake or uh or accident why they uh have achieved like they have achieved and and your support and and our district support is is responsible for a lot of that. So congratulations to Cheyenne's mom, our families and and all
of our top five students. Thank you. Excuse me. Agenda item 5B2, retirees, A, Dana Packati, and B. Gabby the Polo. Yep. Mr. Superintendent.
Well, we should have stayed up for pictures. Um, so where is where is Miss P? There she is. Miss Fai, come on up. [Applause]
So for it's not just the kids that don't like the attention. So for our we normally um well normally being my first year last year we uh we have some gifts for you all
that we uh going to present you with. They were not ready at time but um just something to acknowledge in years. How many years? 33. 33 years. I'll tell you in my short time working here with Miss Py that her commitment to this district, this community, her
advocacy for everything in this district um goes goes un appreciate you and um you know when you do you spent 33 years in any profession but especially in this profession serving um other people's
children um sometimes you teach your own teach yourself uh But it's what we do. It's a service of calling that we do. So we appreciate you. We thank you. Uh 33 years is irreplaceable. Um but uh you made a lasting mark on this community
and you know after that time our doors are always open. But thank you. And then so we can just get a picture. I'm sorry, Gabby. Gabby. Mr. Paul. There she is. [Music] You can't take the salary.
Mr. Paul, how many years? 27. 27 years. [Applause] um all in how many in my clinic my 27 total it's over 30 so over 30 years of
education 27 in in my clinic alone um like I just said it sounds a little redundant but we appreciate you um the dedication and commitment to our kids this community um we just don't you know it's our profession is is a challenge as
everyone knows and to have that resilience. I I I I have a theory that it's it's hard to teach kids resilience um unless we understand and have it ourselves. And so clearly we have two uh outstanding
teachers who have dedicated their lives and have committed to our kids and modeled that resilience for them. Um it's just really appreciated. We appreciate your commitment. We appreciate your dedication and uh we wish every wish you and T well in your future endeavors and our
doors are always open. You know, we know what our needs are. So, take a little break. We'll be we'll be waiting on the call. So, thank you for continued blessings and everything that you do.
[Applause] All right, let's look at uh family's picture camera first. Hold on, Miss Beautiful. Good. One more. Thank
[Applause] you. Let the um parents That's that's the highlight of our fun stuff. We won't be offended if you want to leave. We put this at the beginning now for those reasons. So, anybody that would like to community that doesn't want to stay for the the exciting agenda or business
stuff, feel free. We won't be offended. Thank you for being here tonight and keep up the good work. Students and uh teachers and staff, thank you very much. Can't see dust. Oh yeah. Next on the agenda, action items. Item
six, consent agenda under the consent agenda this evening. Item 6A, approval of minutes. A1 approval of the committee of the whole workshop May 14th, 2025. A2 April 16th, 2025, regular
meeting 6B, approval of bills for payment B1, April bills for payment. Chair would entertain a motion relative to the consent agenda as is listed. So moved. Moved by member Cahoun.
Second. Second. Member Hammond. Any questions, comments, concerns regarding consent agenda item A1, May 14, 2025, committee of the whole
workshop. A2, April 20, April 16th, 2025 regular meeting. B1, April's bills for payments. Question. Are we not including C, D, and
E under the set agenda? Well, we have to we have to make a decision on on C. Okay. So, that's why. Got it. Any additional questions, comments, concern regarding consent agenda items A
and B? Okay. Hearing seeing none, call the role, please. Mrs. I'm sorry. Mrs. Cahoun, yes. Miss Hammond, yes. Mr. Shepard, yes. Mr. Walker, yes. Mr. Walker,
yes. Mr. Rickman, yes. Motion carries. He answered one, I answered the other. It's all good. Hey, it went on unhitched, you know. Consent agenda item uh excuse me, 6C,
MISD budget resolution. And the reason why I didn't do it under consent because we have to either approve it or not approve it or add comments. Um so and and I pulled it off the consent to deal
with it separately. So we we um the budget uh was passed out last week um if they had any questions um they could have been forwarded to the ISD for any clarifications. I don't know if that was
the situation. Um we have two options. We can approve the budget or we can uh vote not to approve the budget. The resolutions to approve the budget now therefore it be resolved as it follow. The board of education of
Mont Clemus Community Schools expressed its approval of and support for the MISD general fund operating budget for the next fiscal year or the same um opposite the M
Clemens excuse me board of education does not approve the MISD's general fund operating budget for the next fiscal year. Chair would entertain a motion relative to the
MISD operating budget for the next fiscal year. I'd like to move to approve the budget. Moved by member Shepard. Support. Second. Member D. Walker. Any questions, comments, concerns regarding
the motion of the floor? Hearing seeing none, call the role, please. Mr. Shephard, yes. Mr. Walker, yes. Mrs. Cahoun, yes. Miss Collins. Mrs. Walker.
Miss Collins. Oh, Jesus, it's early. Mrs. I apologize. Mrs. Cohon, I apologize. Yes. Okay. Miss Hammond. Yes. Mrs. Walker. Yes. Mr. Correct me. Yes. Motion
carries. Excuse me. Now we'll do with consent agenda items D 6 D purchase uh copy purchase purchase of copers and 6E special
populations coordinator. Um I did it. I didn't realize I should have put those DN with with the regular um um excuse me consent. So the chair would entertain a motion relative to consent agenda items
6 D and E as presented. So moved. Moved by member D. Walker. Support. Second by member J. Walker. Any questions, comments, concerns regarding the motion on the
floor? hearing. Seeing none, call the role, please. Mr. Walker, yes. Mrs. Walker, yes. Mrs. Cahoun, yes, Mrs. Cahoun. Oh, I'm sorry. Miss Hammond, yes. Mr. Shepard, yes. Mr.
Rickman, yes. Motion carries. Agenda item seven, MISD bianual election resolution. Um, this is an election year for two seats on the MISD board. I don't
know if anybody received information from the candidates. Usually they send them directly to board members. There are three candidates vying for two vacancies on the ISD board. You have two
incumbents, Ed Farley and Don Hubler. And then third person seeking a seat is Ian McCain. I'm in position to put a motion on the floor uh just to to move it. I
move that the Mont Clemens Board of Education support Ed Farley and Don Hubler. I'm sorry. Are those the two incumbents? Yes, sir. I'm I support that. Moved by Rickman
to support Farley and Hubler and a second by member Sheepard. Any questions, comments, concerns regarding the motion on the floor hearing and seeing none, call the role, please. Mr. Rickman, yes. Mr. Shepard,
yes. Mrs. Cahoun, yes. Miss Co. Miss Hammond, yes. Mr. Walker, no. Mr. Walk, Mrs. Walker, yes. Motion carries. Item eight, Mount Clemens Public Library
8 a one library point extension for one appointee Nancy Mitchell. Mr. Sub then that was a correspondence. Um they they were trying
to get their stagger back in line uh because it was messed up during the co time period and so they're requesting to add an additional year to uh Mrs. Mitchell's assignment on the mount on the um library board as one of the three
appointees from the school district and her term would expire in 2027 I think to get the staggered 28 2029 2029. Yeah. Okay. That is the recommendation from
the administration. And the chair would entertain a motion relative to agenda item 8 uh library appointment extension of Nancy Mitchell. I moved that we approve the appointment of Nancy Mitchell extension through June
30th, 2029 as presented. Moved by member D. Walker to approve the appointment extension for Nancy Mitchell as presented. Is there a second? Support.
Second. Member Hammond. Any questions, comments, concerns regarding the motion on the floor. Hearing or seeing none, call the roll, please. Mr. Walker, yes. Miss Hammond, yes. Mrs. Cahoun, yes. Yes. Mr.
Sheepard, yes. Mrs. Walker, yes. Mr. Rickman, yes. Motion carries. Excuse me. Moving the agenda forward underformational items. Item eight, business committee 8A, financial reports. Are there any questions,
comments, concerns regarding the financial reports? Item 8B, contract listings. Any questions, comments, concerns regarding the contract listings? takes us to item nine, superintendent comments. Mr. Superintendent. All right.
Good evening. Evening again. Um this busy time of the year as we all know um somebody I get asked every every day uh you know are you guys are you uh getting ready for a break and shutting
down and and it's no, right? It's never ending. and we're actually ramping up for next year and being proactive and getting prepared. So, but our students are however and our buildings are are are coming down and and this it's the celebratory time of the year um and acknowledgements and all the hard work
and and looking at some of the fruits of those labors. Uh so, I have a lot of things to just mention. The principal sent me some things they want to make sure we acknowledge and um and and celebrate. So, I'll be as quickly as quick as
possible. Um, from our elementary building, Miss McNeely and the team, um, wanted to acknowledge the tremendous turnout they had for family dodgeball event. Um, we brought families and communities and staff together. Uh, it was at the on the same night. It was another event. So, but they still had a
a great turnout. A lot of staff members came together to make that happen. Um, and in addition to their math and science night, um, a thank you to Kiara Johnson, our gym teacher there, Miss Murphy, Miss X, and Miss Brandon for their hard work pulling, uh, those
pulling those events together and our families that attended uh, those events. They want to just say thank you for coming out. You know, without our family engagement, it's impossible, right? We need our families to be involved um, at these events daytoday, etc. So, um,
anytime we we get our our community out and our families out, it's powerful and, uh, it makes a difference. So, thank you all, um, on behalf of the the prior elementary staff at the secondary. Yesterday was probably one of the most powerful
uh, events that we've had since I've been here. There have been a number of things, but yesterday was powerful. Uh, right outside of the large auditorium in the uh, the I I don't want to say older building or historical building. Um, we had the Mount Clemens Community
Coalition for Youth and Families were here and I mean there may have been there's probably over 40 30 40 vendors uh or organizations or companies that came out to uh bring resources to our kids. And so we want to extend a
heartfelt thank you to the amazing vendors, universities, military representatives, local businesses and organizations who came out to support the youth and shared valuable resources um with our youth and and opportunities. They they made a difference and it was our kids had a a great time. Uh the
engagement was high um and we had community members from as as I read uh from all over that came out to make that event happen. And I believe Pastor Larry was significant in correlating uh those efforts and and um it was you would have
been really proud. This community should have been really proud yesterday to see um the the response. In addition to uh proud as you know May 15th was our prom. Um it was held at the Emerald Theater and we want to acknowledge our senior
sponsors and and the staff that that all made that happen. Our kids, it was awesome. Um it was it was a beautiful sight to see. It was uh I mean it was first class. It was decorated first class. Our kids showed up and you know how prom is, right? They showed out for prom. Um everything from a horse and
carriage to I mean you name it. It was a beautiful sight. And so we're very proud of our our seniors. Um but our senior sponsors, Miss Marino, who you heard about earlier, uh Miss Finn were our sponsors. Um but there were uh there was a steering committee and a lot of people that participated and helped make that
event special for our our seniors. Um Miss Finn, Miss Conover, um assisted with by Miss Hines, Miss Low, Miss O'Neal, uh Chef Foster, and decorated by our our own curriculum uh coordinator,
Dr. Lewis. Um so, uh thank you to the Emerald Theater for the hospitality. It was safe. It was fun. Kids got in without incident. Whenever you have prom without incident, it's a beautiful thing, right? So, uh great job to our our um senior sponsors and everyone who
participated and uh helped uh make that event happen and and all of our high school staff. Um it makes me want to acknowledge something else, too. We we Miss Marino's not here, but uh we got a communication uh we took our some of our high school students went to the rec
bowl for a bowling end of the year event. And I wish I I'm gonna get the communication from the rec bowl. They emailed us back and um they uh stated that they had never had or seen a group of students that was that pleasant and what a joy to have. And so they were
really uh grateful and appreciative and acknowledged uh the character our kids uh displayed and um really celebrated us in a in a response. I'll make sure we share that with you all so you can see. I thought it was powerful and and then those things need to be said and heard louder. um you figure you take a group
of high school kids to a bowling alley, it can a lot can go on. Um so we're just proud of them for representing us well and um uh doing it the ba way. Senior Penny last night was um I got a actually
our our parent, Mrs. Spooner, our PT um C PTA um president here at the secondary uh emailed myself and Miss Marino last night and her daughter uh Lori is um one
of our building leaders. She uh Miss Spooner just wanted to acknowledge she she she shared that it was since her time here and I think she had a couple kids that has come through um our district. She just acknowledged, she said it was the nicest event she's ever attended here, experienced. Um, and
again, Miss Marino, um, and several other, all of those names I I mentioned earlier, um, from Pastor Larry, Miss Finn Conover, Miss Terry, our counselor, Mr. Vil, our principal, everybody contributed some way. Um, but, uh, Miss Spooner on behalf
of our parents said it was one of the nicest, well-represented events where our kids, our top, not only our top five, but a number of our other kids were acknowledged. um and celebrated and received their cords for graduation. So um kudos to everyone who made that event happen and uh it was well attended by
our families too. Uh it was it was powerful um and and it just highlights that um despite what we think sometimes uh about parent involvement on a day-to-day basis when people you know wherever they are during those times
when when it matters they our families show up. They do care. Um and so we want to thank them for coming out and and making those nights uh last night special for our seniors. Um also at the secondary um Mr. V wanted to acknowledge a few
other folks as well. Uh Norah Spooner, Mrs. Spooner's daughter, who I mentioned earlier, uh Cheyenne Jefferson, our top 100 and one of our top five students, receive scholarships from the Optimus Club as essay contest winners. Um also we had a number of students that
uh go to Panka that receive uh their sports medicine certificates. Norah Spooner, uh, Jalia Steel, Shariah Jackson, um, and in criminal justice, Tyrese Thomas, Health Occupation, Naa Cotton, all received trade certificates
from Panka. So, they're not here, but I think we should give them a round of applause. Um, we also wanted to acknowledge Julia Steel. She got announced last night. She had 300 community service hours, the most by any student in recent history. So, that's awesome. Congratulations.
to Julia and we have like we we saw earlier right we our students do a lot so people are everywhere doing different things and so everyone couldn't be here tonight but uh we wanted to make sure it was on the record that we acknowledged their uh and celebrated their success uh
athletic update at the secondary um our boys track and field um won back-to-back regional championships uh uh the other two days ago. Um so we're very proud of them. Um they represented us well and uh we hope they
continue to grow and and go on and compete. Uh today they're at the I think the league um and the state quarterfinals uh regional champions on our track track team. In first place for the 100 meter and 200 meter and 400 meter was Chris Walker. Uh Adrienne
Walker got second place in the 200 meter meter. second place in the 100 meter and second place in the 200 um I said that twice 200 meter and our boys 800 meter relay we got first place was uh C right Wright
um C Walker Zjack and RJ Jackson Mr. Mr. Pitman didn't give me the first name, so I apologize for not saying the kids' first names. We also uh got first place in the boys 400 relay. Um and Lamaya Johnson got Lamaya Johnson Baker got
first place in the discus. Don Reading got second place in the high jump. So, congratulations to all of our student athletes, student athletes, um for their success on the track, um in high jump and discus. uh girls
basketball wrapped up and that has completed that was um they had a lot of success. One of our standouts was Leah Williams. She made honorable mention all state. So congratulations to Leah. Um and in middle school athletics. So for those of you that may not know, we we really didn't have many middle school
opportunities last year when I got here. I'm very proud of a couple of these things. So middle school track is going on right now. We have about 15 students that participate. um they their middle school regionals will be tomorrow and our girls are expected to win. So fingers crossed, prayers, whatever you
do. Um one of the things I'm very um proud of and you don't you don't um not too many places offer this, but we got it off the ground thanks to our athletic coordinator pupil accounting person uh populations um person, Mr. Pitman, uh,
who's who has really been, um, spearheading the efforts to get our students more, um, access, more opportunities, and really make school fun, right? Um, without those things and, you know, different opportunities for our kids, it can be kind of boring if you're active and you want to do
those things. So, um, we have middle school football, middle, not flag, we have flag, too, but we have middle school tackle football. So when we talk about developing a a high school program, building with now our own feeder system within our our district is powerful. And we got about 30 to 35 kids
that come out and participate and play on that team. So we're very proud of um that being underway and um the work that the coaches, our administration, and our um our athletic director is is putting in to make those things happen. So, shout out to everybody that
participates, all of our student athletes, but especially the adults that uh go over and beyond to make make those opportunities possible. So, thank you. And middle school volleyball ended uh as well. And our girls, it was their first time. A lot of them are all seventh graders, so we're excited for next year.
Um I today we had interviews for basketball coaches. And one of the conversation, one of the questions that I always ask is is is about winning, right? and de you know here in Mount Clemens our goal is to define winning right is it it's not necessarily about
who has the most points right if we can help you develop some things that will uh transl translate into your life as you go out to be a productive citizen in in society uh we won. So we're just happy that our kids are having the opportunity to express themselves, find themselves through sports and activities
and and other opportunities. Um and so we'll continue to build more and more programs, not just athletics as you heard, um student leadership opportunities, academic opportunities, um but as it's all coming together. So,
um, other acknowledgements before I get into upcoming dates, I just want to acknowledge everyone that, uh, took the time to chip in, whatever you did, whatever, whether it was a phone call, a contact, a meeting, attended, uh, whatever efforts you gave to help
support the district with the bond initiative. Um, we mentioned this earlier in a couple of meetings. Now, although the bond initiative did not pass, you know, it wasn't a loss. We had 912 people that said yes. We had a uh more people that said no, but the the learning that came from that for me and
for us as an organization is huge, right? Um people people spoke their minds. Um it it gave us some insight, gave me some insight of some deeper rooted things that need to be addressed and I we have to respect that, right? And so, um, everyone was heard and, um,
it it it gives us a little more direction and things that we need to do to make sure, um, our story is told even better. And we want to continue to engage, uh, everyone in this community to come in, you know, come and volunteer, come and see our kids, um,
come and meet our kids, you know, just get involved a little more. I think the the biggest thing was the for whatever reason the the years of the and the disconnect uh with some of our community, not all, some of our community members and in our district and our school and you know, some of the
the true perceptions and and views of some of our community members about um some of our data is real and we know what it is and not hiding from anything and and we're doing the work getting the right staff and teachers on board here. um getting the right people in the right
seats on the bus and we'll begin to really drive that bus and and and get the results, right? I say this all the time. I've said it in multiple town hall meetings. You know, we we can't talk our way out of a situation that we've acted our way into. So, we got to do work. We got to we got to get results and and
those things will speak for themselves. So, um thank you to everybody that came out, supported or even shared your your voice. Um you were heard and and we appreciate you and we'll continue to move onward and upward. um like we've been doing and we're excited about the future still and a lot of great things
are are still to come. I want to uh give us some a few special acknowledgements and and and um thank yous to you all our board who all participated in different ways uh in support. It was probably for my second year here as a superintendent.
It was that that was something that that whole process was something I don't think any class or anything can prepare you for. you have you got to go through it and uh I learned a lot and um and I'm grateful for that, but I'm also grateful for all of your support. Um special
special shout out, not to get beat up or anything, but I want to to to Miss Cahoun and Mr. Walker on our board um who who were were there by my side participating whether it was recording a town hall meeting uh being present at the town hall meetings just at at any
function or any um event uh coordinating meetings um to get us out and get us in front of folks. But I want to thank both of you for your extended um service uh to to this district and our community. So thank you very much. Um, also want to acknowledge one of our community
members, former board member, Miss Collins. Jamie Collins was uh instrumental in um advocating and just getting out information. At the end of the day, we're just trying to get out information. You know, I said this before as well, not wasn't trying to the goal was not to uh convince anybody, but
to share uh share the facts and then let people make informed decisions. And a lot of people contribute to that contributed to that and and made that possible. So, thank you. Special shout out to Miss Collins uh for stepping up and and being out there. Uh and I want to give another special shout out just
to Mr. Walker um for there hasn't been an probably an event Mr. Walker's probably been to more events this year than me. So I'm just It is what it is. I'm everywhere. M I don't know. I don't know. I don't know what I don't know. I just appreciate it. And and and it came
to me yesterday because a staff member brought it to my attention and said, "Is he a board member?" I said, "Everything." I said, "Yeah, I know." And I said, "Uh, he probably thinks you're a student." Yeah. And he had on his hoodie yesterday representing too. And so he he fits right in. But uh but
but thank you. It doesn't it doesn't go on unseen. And our staff see it. Our community sees it. And u you really have a you all do and I try to you know keep you informed as well. But, you know, when you have that pulse of what's happening, just like I shared with the community, when you're in here and you're at these events and and you all
come to different things, when you're around our kids and you see it um and you see what doesn't show up on the website or state reporting, sometimes we make a difference and you make a difference. Your presence makes a difference and um your support for me makes a huge difference. So, thank you
and thank all of you um for being there. Those late late night phone calls with questions because you've been through a bomb before and 100 years ago um to whatever you did. You appreciate it. Last but not least, just some upcoming events. Uh mark your calendars. You've got board, you have these already, but
this is for everyone community as well. Um June 3rd is our senior barbecue 12 p.m. at the secondary complex. That's a kind of a ritual I think that's been going on. I don't know if you started that, Dr. Jack, Mr. Jackson back in the day. But, uh, our seniors have a a barbecue, fun, relaxing gathering time
for that class of the class of 2025 to celebrate, come together before graduation. Um, and then June 3rd as well, later that day will be the senior clapout where our our seniors will go through the building and as well as over at seminal and walk through the hallways and be acknowledged and clapped out by
all the students. It's important for uh especially our younger students to see, you know, what that um I don't even want to say the the final lap looks like because it's only the beginning. They just don't know that yet, but of this process, right? And so um it's powerful
and if you have a chance to come come over, it's it's really powerful to see the little kids looking and celebrating these big old giant seniors uh walking through. So that'll be on June 3rd. June 4th, our Head Start GSRP graduation is at 5:30. Our youngest learners uh take
the stage as they complete their preschool journey and prepare for kindergarten. Right? That's another big step. Um so, uh you're all invited, everyone's invited to come out to that. June 5th is our fifth grade promotional ceremony. Um and it'll be at 5:30. It's going to be here in the large auditorium
as well. Um we are excited about our our our fifth graders getting over here to see that, right? Um I don't know when the last time or with fifth grade had their promotional ceremony in this auditorium, but that's also part of that exposure, right? Some of that angst sometimes for fifth graders coming to
sixth grade is even getting them over here. So it's really strategic and intentional with with bringing them into this environment and and letting us be letting them see their new home. So uh you're invited to that. June 6 uh is our high school graduation. 6 pm for the first time in I don't know how many
years. It'll be in our large auditorium. Um, we got we got that as tight as we can get it. Um, and our kids loved it and uh they helped actually get it together. So, we'll be back in there at 6 p.m. You're invited to that. Um, and
as we celebrate that class June 9th, middle school graduation, um, it is our eighth graders. It'll be at 10:00 a.m. secondary complex. They haven't made the final determination of where in this campus, but it'll be here as well. And on June 10th, last but not
least, our our our um probably the the most tears will be at this graduation. It'll be kindergarten graduation. Uh will be from 1:30 to 2:30 and the little babies are going to be in the large auditorium here as well. So, uh that
should be a great site to see. So, those are some updates. Those are uh those are my updates and my and and my notes and upcoming events. So, thank you all for the for listening. Thank you, Mr. Superintendent. Yes, sir.
Agenda item 10. Oh, I got one more thing. We would like to we got certificates to acknowledge uh two of our board members. Um this comes from the Michigan Association of School of Business. We want to first we have uh Mr. Walker um
who has received the level two award of merit is awarded upon completion of of certification level one and minimum of 45 education credits and the second one is to Dr. McFaten um for the level four master board member award is awarded
upon completion of of certification levels one through three nine one through three nine 200 or 300 level classes and a minimum of 368 education credits. So congratulations to you. Learning never
stops even if you're a board member, right? Thank you. Say we'll get this to Dr. McF. All right. Okay. I promise. I'm just going to wait a second. Okay. But wait, there's more.
I'm wait. Mr. Walker will have something that I forgot. sir. Oh, there he is. Dr. McF and Dr. McFaten. Um, sorry. Oh, there he is. There you go, sir. From MSBO, master board member award.
Congratulations, sir. You playing that? Yep. Good job. That it just checking. Agenda item 10, board comments. Miss Hammond. Oh, well, thank you, sir.
Uh, just one clarification regarding the Head Start graduation. They have recognition day, which is June 12th, just in case we have any parents in the district that are watching that attend here at the high school. Um, we continue to do great things here
at M Clemens, hearing all the um, reports coming out success at the prom, hearing the top five, the teacher of the years, um, the teachers that are retiring. And also, I want to wish everyone a safe and relaxing Memorial
Day weekend. Thank you. You're welcome, Miss Cahoun. Thank you, Mr. Rickman. Um, thank you. I just want to do a huge acknowledgement because without the staff, faculty, like
the people that work here every day for the kids, the kids, we wouldn't have the kids here. We wouldn't have these celebrations that we have for the school district. So, thank you to the staff, the faculty, the administration for your continued perseverance of providing a great standard of excellence to the
students. You are the reason for the You are the reason the future looks so bright at Mount Clemens. Congratulations to the top five and to really all the seniors that are graduating this year. But the quotes that Dr. V had mentioned
um were so amazing and so empowering. I mean I would have thought they would have already had some years of work, right? Um, so I absolutely love their drive and it will serve them well in their future endeavors. I hope they come back to encourage other students to
work hard and persevere. Congratulations again to the graduating class of 2024 2025 and to the teachers of the year. Um, thank you for all your hard work and dedication to academic excellence for
the kids. um any kids that have walked through the doors at Mount Clemens. Um I do want to make some remarks um regarding our work our uh work session last week. Um we had I'm
just going to read it off of what I wrote um just from my own thoughts that I wanted to put together before this meeting. So I love that we had many people engaged on the bond. I loved that we had
engagement online even though some of it a lot of it was negative. I think by and large we educated a lot of people on what the district is doing and we have a lot more work to do. So I'm going to start off my remarks
by discussing the elephant in the room as stated by one of the board members at the board workshop meeting last week. for our discussion about the bond at the board workshop, there was a statement that people online who wanted the bond to fail were white. Over 50% of the
bonds in the state didn't pass. Is that because pe the people were white? If it is believed by the majority of this board or the faculty, which I don't believe it is, that the reason the bond failed is because white people don't
want to vote on the bond because of the color of the people's skins, then we will never see a change in this city, this country, this world, and especially this district. The same board member also stated that taking talking to the
residents is really unnecessary. As I had said last week, and I will continue to say, the taxpayers of this district are the ones that pay for the bond. Not having discussions with them is missing a vital part of a
solution. From the hundreds of comments I've fielded online, the word race never came up, not once. It was the amount of the bond, the amount of the bond based on many years of bad leadership which has closed
buildings. And some people online did talk about coming together to discuss things. And in fact, I put a poll out and asked people online if they would come to a meeting about how we can move forward
together. 25 people said yes, they want to come to that meeting. And we had um I think about 10 that said no. School of the school of choice is the reason that we lost kids.
Competition breeds growth. And this is what people in sports teams learn all the time. So school districts that are losing kids are blaming school of choice. They need to look internally and say, "What can we do better?" If my son fails, I say to
him, "What could you have done differently?" I don't say, "Blame others for your failures." If parents pull pull their children from the public school system, which they have done at massive rates lately, it isn't because the schools are
doing well. When you have competition, that breeds the growth. Because parents choose other districts, private schooling, homeschooling means that they don't like what they are seeing in the public schools. And it is a it has absolutely
nothing nothing to do with race. I want to see every child succeed. I don't care what color they are. I don't care where they come from. I don't care anything about other than their success.
I think that when we can start having discussions and truly listening to each other, I feel like things will then eventually change. I want this district to succeed and it has grown immensely over the last
two years. I have said to you since you started, I want to see the the Mount Clemens brand get out there. the great things that are happening in Mount Clemens that has nothing to do with race. It has everything to do with
academic excellence. That's why you came up your your your group came up with the standard of excellence, right? So, if we can start talking about those things and and educating the residents
and and meeting them where they are and figuring out where we can grow and do better to bring people all people into the district, then I think we'll make progress. Mr. President, that's my
comment. Thank you, Miss Walker. Well, thank you, Mr. President. I want to congratulate our top five um and all our graduates, our wonderful teachers of the year, our retirees. Our
retirees have 60 years total. That's a lot. That's a lot to be proud of. Um, a lot of good was said tonight. a successful prom, our wonderful athletes. And I will just end by saying that during all of this bond information and
passing information out and talking to people in the city and talking to people where I work, this city, our kids, our parents, my fellow board members, you make me proud to tell people that I am part of the board of education for this
district, and I'm proud of it, and we're going to do great things. Those are my comments. Thank you, Miss W. Mr. Walker. Thank you, board president. What's I would like to say congratulations to the top five um including Cheyenne Jefferson
who is validictorian going to my current college and my neighbor as well. Um, I would like to say also that our entire class of 2025 has been doing a great job and advocating for themselves.
Um, and at the event yesterday by the coalition, they got to meet with different colleges and different vendors as well to to get the resources they need. Um, and thank you to my fellow co coalition members as well who put that all together, including Ruthie Stevenson
who is here today. Um, I want to say congratulations to our teachers of the year, Miss Aller, Mr. Slack, and Miss Marino, who I've gotten to know, um, over the years as well. Um, I've not had them as a teacher, but of course in
the building, got to help out with different age groups and kind of mentor the students who they had in their care as well. to Miss Pankatar and Miss Dupala. You guys have done very great work with the students that we serve um
this today and years in your years of service. Um going to miss seeing you at the board meetings at different events across the district. Um you're irreplaceable by many marks and means. I don't think we're ever going to employ
someone with your knowledge and your strength. You're going to be very missed. And that's my board comments. Thank you, Mr. Walker. Mr. Sheepard. Um, first off, I want to uh thank all
the uh the parents that came uh the teachers and the teachers families. Um it's so great that we get to share a little bit of the welldeserved pride that you have and um I'm looking forward to graduation where I can also um kind
of bask in your glory. So, I'm uh really looking forward to that. Again, it's welld deserved and um um it's more than uh more than I can ask for. So, uh secondly, the bond um I've voted
to to approve going out for that bond. Um sight unseen pretty much. I was given a one sheet piece of paper uh that gave me an amount and what it the bond was for in a general purpose and um because of the hard work that the board put into
preparing that bond um even though I didn't witness it uh but uh uh including Miss Collins and Mr. Monk um I I basically voted to approve it and I don't regret it. Um I also based on the results still don't regret it. Um, I was
very emotional about it because I'm an emotional person and um, and when it comes to the future of the school and the appearance that people would undermine it also sight and seeing um,
is very disappointing. uh there are people who would just uh the beginning and the end of their comments is a big fat no and uh I don't really see anything constructive about that. So
um so basically that's just my view of the bond. Um a spiteful part of me would just want to go out for a dollar less and uh do it all over again. Uh, but I think that'd be a um a poor use of the superintendent's time. Uh, so I'd like
to just uh move forward as planned. Uh, as we said repeatedly, the district's not going anywhere. Um, we are on the right track. Uh, we are experiencing growth. Um, and it's small growth and I think that we should uh take pride in that.
Um, as I said at a previous meeting, um, you know, the Bible says to, uh, basically, um, rejoice in small beginnings. So, uh, that's what I intend to do. Um, I again, I think we're on the
right track. Uh, for teachers, uh, I know it was teacher appreciation. um and that uh and that our uh students and our teachers are indeed in a competition with other districts and
with um people who choose to homeschool and um in some instances it's although it is a competition, it might not be a fair one. Um when you're judging in like diving or since we're uh
doing a sports comparison uh in like diving, figure skating or whatnot, you take something like degree of difficulty into it. Um our students are mostly special needs or I shouldn't say mostly special needs are a good portion of
special needs. Um there is a lot of uh trauma. Uh there's a lot of um there's just unique needs to Mount Clemens and uh for children whose parents might not
have an opportunity to take them to a different district. Uh if a teacher was just teaching um there wouldn't be as much to to really appreciate. A teacher is asked to
manage 30 people uh whose brains haven't been developed yet. Uh some of which don't want to be there. Uh I'm sure they wish they were all the top five students here. Uh but sadly some are not. Uh you're also asked
to uh be accountable for people who show up late or who don't show up at all. And uh your performance is measured by their lack of performance. Um and a lot of students have legitimate excuses to not
perform and uh some it is just simple laziness. Uh kids being kids. Uh for my ability to pull my daughter from the public education system as opposed to working with it. If I were to just
pull her out, right, if I had that ability to, or even that desire to, I guarantee I can educate her better than any any teacher can because it's a one-on-one setting and I know my daughter better than anyone.
So my decision to pull her from from public education, if I were to choose to do that, it wouldn't be saying that the public education system is failing. What it is is saying that I can do better, which
is which is not a boast. It's and it's again not not saying that the public education system is failing. It's a minimal observation. Uh so um so and the same with private schools
and things like that where parents are invested at least in putting tuition uh forward. So again there's uh there's there is a competition yes but it's not a fair one.
Um, and I'm sure that we can all um, you know, whine and drag our feet about it or we can choose to move forward. I choose to move forward uh, for the sake of the uh, students who are here um
because I know that they aren't um, whining about it. Uh, they're moving forward. So, um that's just it about like the bonds. Uh again though, uh for the teachers, um
I'm I appreciate all of you. Um and I I really hope that uh that we can continue to grow as a family. To those uh who are retiring, uh job well done. um you finished the race and
um this is your calling and I'm sure it's not going to end uh just because you're done with the public education system uh for now but uh I wish you well in whatever endeavors uh you choose to to follow and uh that's my that's my
comments. Thank you Mr. Chef Dr. McB back. Thank you Mr. President. First of all, I want to uh recognize the top five. Congratulations to them. Teacher of the year, uh Mr. Slack, Mrs. Aller, Miss
Marino. Um awesome job. Um this is not from the hip. This is from the heart. I will miss the retirees, Miss Pankit and Miss Apollo. Uh they have teach all my children and um they've been amazing. Um always open arms. So I want to say um
thank you for them. not saying goodbye, but I want to say thank you for all the work they put into these students. Also want to say um I hope Nancy Mitchell got back on the uh library thing. Well, congratulations to Nancy Mitchell. So, uh I love Nancy. Um like I said, not
from the hip, it's from the heart. Um, I'm going to speak about the bond, too. And I'm like I said last time, um, I think the bond was a very great success. And I say that because the conversation was made and stirred up for the people of this community to have a conversation. It's almost like having a
conflict every 5 years. Sometimes you got to stir up some dust just to see where everything settles. So, um, I don't think it was a failure in no part, no how. Uh, those who voted no or yes, but everybody became or left away with more information about how this school district is running.
Um, also about the comment about our children um, being in competition with other school districts and teachers and stuff of that nature. And I'm going to bring that off because of I want to say congratulations to the boys track team backtoback regional champions. And if you know a little bit about track, you
might not replace first at all your meets. You might come in ninth, 10th, 11th, or 12th. Someone always come in first. But it's not about you racing against the person on that track. It's about you racing against yourself. And when a child come off the track and I ask them how you do today, IPR, that
means for if you don't run track, personal best, personal record. I like to see a child make a personal record every time they get on the track instead of winning the race every time they get on the track and they don't personal record. That tells me there's no growth. You just happen to come in first. That's not that hard to do when you have all
the uh chips in your pocket and you have all the resources behind you. So I put that scenario out there to um give you the visual aid in stating what our children be doing in this district. I have seen children in this
district who come in a hardship as in like not doing well in their classes and the quarter or semester later pick it up. And that's what we all about picking it up. So with the bond and their children and everything else I'm glad
the conversation was had. The conversation needed to be had because people need to understand who you're dealing with as people and we all same people. There's no difference between who you are, what you believe in. At the end of the day, we all bleed red. Except for myself, I'll bleed OD green. Go
Army. But all jokes aside, um it was a very great success. So I hope no one's holding their head down. I hope everybody's holding their head up. I can say the nose and the yes. Uh Mr. President, those are my comments. Thank
you, Dr. McBad. Sounded like a broken record, but this happens when you go last. Uh, congratulations and kudo to the top five uh to their parents and their support system uh for assisting uh these
students because when you graduate uh in the top five of your class, that means that you went above and beyond just going to school. uh you actually came to school, participated and met the challenges and exceeded those challenges that were placed in front of you. So
congratulations to the top five. Uh congratulations to the entire graduating class of 2024 2025. Congratulations to the teacher of the teachers of the year. You've been around the district any time. These names are no are not strangers and it's
not um it's not uh by coincident uh that these individuals have been named uh teachers of the year uh Miss Aller, Mr. Slack and Miss Marino. Um, and it it
says something about you and and your commitment, your personality, your drive uh when you are voted by your peers as a teacher of the year. The superintendent didn't appoint uh these individuals as teachers of the year. The building
principal did not select uh these individuals as teachers of the year. The board did not select these individuals as teachers of the year. These teachers of the year are voted on by their peers and it shows the
respect that their peers have for them and kudos uh to our teachers of the year. Congratulations to Miss Pankatai and Miss Depalo. Again, if you've been around the district anytime, these are
very familiar names and faces. Um six combined 60 years of experience. Uh it's not when and these are two positions that we'll have to replace. And it's not just replacing somebody. You're
replacing 60 years of handson dayto-day experience working here in the Mount Clemens Community School District. That's the part that's impossible to to feel when you bring in uh new hires. You bring in new people.
they start their tenure. Um, but again, 60 years of combined service uh to this district is impossible to replace. And I know these two individuals are not just going to sit at home. Uh they might do that for a couple of weeks and then they'll be out back out, you know,
changing the world and assisting in whatever way they they desire. and I wish you well uh and much success in whatever you you continue to do as you go move into your next career. Congratulations to the Battling
Bothers boys track team for back-to- back regional champions. Um it's been a while um since the track team has won the district and now we have a team under the leadership of coach Maurice Wallace that are not only uh win the
regionals last year but they followed up by again winning the regionals this year. Uh and congratulations out to Lady Baylor Miss Baker for qualifying for state. um to in order to go to state you have to qualify if you're a relay and is
the top two in that region and if you're individual events you I think it's the top three or top four in that individual event and so uh kudos out uh to Miss Baker for qualifying for the state uh and congratulations uh to all those who
will participate uh in the state meet and any other uh meet that's in between the state meet I think they have uh league meets and things of that nature generally coming on and they have the county meet. So congratulations uh to to the bthers. I'd like to um
congratulations to member Dante Walker um for your achievement of level two boardsmanship and to Dr. McFaden for your achievement of master boardsmanship. Uh this shows a dedication and commitment uh to
understanding and learning your craft. Uh I've been always have been a staunch strong supporter of board members taking advantage of learning sessions. That's what the uh Michigan Association of School Boards back in
1986 or ' 87 developed the um boardsmanship uh criteria and classes because they realized that you get you have to be 18 in the state of Michigan, not convicted of a felony, and convince
more people to vote for you than to vote for somebody else. And now you become a board a board member of a multi-million dollar organization. and you have no experience in doing so. That's what the board training is for is to help you understand the processes and the
responsibilities and roles that we each have as we sit around as board members. So, I strongly encourage uh my colleagues on the board to take advantage of the CBA trainings that are offered. Some are offered online, some
are offered in on in person, but I strongly uh advocate for members of the board to take take advantage of that situation. Uh to the students that are not graduating this year, um you're in
the fourth quarter. Uh and you still have time to finish strong. Um so you can go been had a summer with with a positive outlook and a positive attitude. Uh so finish strong uh to those students uh as we continue uh to
complete this uh school year of 2425. Um and many of us follow the local newspapers or we see stuff on the news but I have not seen any article in the newspaper where this district is facing
a deficit. I've not read any article in the newspaper where this district has students that were found with loaded weapons in on the campus. I've not read in the newspaper or on the new on television
where this stu where this district has admitted students into our school by by schools of choice that were then arrested for suspicion of uh of murder.
I have not seen or read these negative articles that appear in the newspaper and many of these some of these articles are about our neighboring neighboring district where people think they're so much greater than what we do here in the Mount Clemens Community School District.
It's all your perception and your perception is your reality and it's our job to change that perception. Those are my comments. The chair would entertain a motion to adjurnn. Move to adjourn. Moved by member D. Walker. Support.
Second by member J. Walker. It's not debatable. Call the roll, please. Mr. Walker? Yes. Mrs. Walker? Yes. Mrs. Cahoun? Yes. Miss Hammond? Yes. Dr. McFaten? Yes. Mr. Shepard? Yes. Mr. Rickman? Yes. Motion carries.
Meetings adjourned at 7:50 p.m. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.