Good evening. The time is now 06:00, and I'm gonna call the 08/25/2025 Oak Park Board of Education ran with the meeting to order. Miss Griffiths, call Rome. Mark? Here. Culbren. Here. Madison? Here. Scott? Here. Herman Cain? Here. And Tyler? Here. Okay. We do have a quorum. We're on item number two, which is approval of the agenda. Are there any changes for, on the agenda from anyone? I do have one to add to, items item six l, And I would like to add item six l, and that item will be named restructuring of board officers.
Any other additions or changes to the agenda? Without objection, we'll prove we'll approve a motion to, to accept the agenda by unanimous consent as amended. Is there, any objection to doing so? Okay. Here hearing none, the agenda is hereby approved. We'll go to item three consent agenda. We have three items on that. Approval of minutes, personnel action report, financial statements. Are there any, questions on the consent agenda? Okay. Hearing none, without objection, pass the motion to approve the consent agenda by unanimous consent.
Is there an objection to doing so? Hearing none consent agenda is hereby approved. Go to item number four which is report. Oh, I'm sorry. Is that what you wanted to? You want to commit? No. It's perfect. I can do it in writing. Reports and that's superintendent, to do ahead. Thank you very much, because Alvin. So I know we do things, a little bit differently. And in one motion, they hire everyone, but, I do wanna elevate, and and turn your attention to, our new Lessinger, director who's sitting, Simone Berry.
The team has recommended that and the board has approved that Simone Berry be the new Lessinger, Early Childhood Center director. So congratulations Simone. And, in case you don't know, she's a Delta. Right? Based on her. I get that out of the way. And and what really impressed me when I was interviewing, and and just getting to know Simone is her passion to serve.
And one thing that really stood out for me was her home visits, that she was paying and she was talking about their tie dye parties. How she was getting with parents. Remember that? She was getting with parents and and just having, what we at the heart of everything is capturing kids' hearts. And that stood out to me and that's very rare out of the 80 applicants
that we had very few stood out and above that even stood out and refined even more with their action and what they do so I know Simone's gonna take less injure to a whole another level and and I want be the first again at the board meeting to welcome you. So congratulations. Congratulations. Next, I have one more thing. Now I'm not a big kind of flower kind of guy, but my whole goal
is to make somebody cry today. So I'm gonna come up here. And my whole goal today was I'm a get her. I'm a get her. So you're in the midst of greatness and either you know it or you don't know it. But miss Desiree Fuller has been awarded high school English teacher of the year by
the Michigan Council. So I can't be my own camera person, so congratulations. I I learned how to do selfies, so can we know? Okay. You're right. Congratulations. Congratulations. Oh, I got some more to say. We do have an Android camera that's capable. No. We're good on there. Alright. So stay stay right here. So, I'll say something personal and then I'll say a little bit more formal. So I got to, meet Desiree three years ago and kinda made my way through
the high school and there's just one teacher that had I don't know if you remember this. She had her kids lined up and they were following her. I said, what? They're just following you around like ducklings. I don't know if you remember that conversation. Mother duck, you know, I was walking and here comes all the ducklings following around. And I said, okay. I gotta gotta get to know her. So I just went into her class and sat there. And just over time and over collaboration, she has just stood stood time.
And she has surpassed every challenge and obstacle that we have thrown her way. Whether it's, hey, we're a little bit behind with the senior self. Can you hop in? She jumped jumped in, from last year's seniors that she really elevated, and set the bar high with rooster tail there. That was I said, we we did that. Wow. So really it was her.
So let me just talk about her accomplishments. You need her to talk about our own accomplishments. No. No. I wrote it down. I wrote it down, but but I have to help him. Technologically challenged. Right? You know, the whole school here, you know, we're still no boats. Some some of us are still. So she knew Shivan. I I did ask her to tell me a little bit about what drove you. Right? What motivated you? So she knew she wanted to be a teacher as early as 11 years old, often dressing like her mother who was also an educator when she was sent to
school. Raised partially in Buffalo, New York and later in Detroit, she experienced firsthand the challenges of poverty and the life changing power of great teachers. In tenth grade, her English teacher, miss White, helped her discover her love for reading, writing, and storytelling, and most importantly, her own voice. That encouragement sparked a passion for mentoring and tutoring others and has solidified miss Fuller's calling to teach.
Today, Desiree is a highly respected high school English educator, department leader, mentor, confidant, and friend. She served in numerous leadership roles including English department head, just her curriculum lead, MTSS instructional coordinator, and other duties as assigned by the superintendents. That's not in the job discussion at the bottom, man. Other duties. Her miss her mission as an educator is to ensure that all students, regardless of their background, feel seen, affirmed, and empowered to choose their own path after high school.
She believes that literacy is freedom and works tires tirelessly to help students unlock their potential and walk confidently within their journeys. That's what fuels her. Again, against all odds, Desiree has earned multiple advanced degrees, including educational specialist and teacher leadership, two master's degree, and a bachelor's family and community services. And I wanna remind you that she was also a recipient of the Black Male
Educators Alliance teacher where we were all some of you guys remember that where we were all down dressed up. Yeah. Teacher of the year and, I'll I'll say this. I'm big. I'm coming to work, but I had to keep her home one time because she was sick. She kept on. I said, you know what? Go home. Stay home. Now those of you that know me, know I would never do that. I would never tell anyone go home.
What do I tell you guys? Little day quilt. Work right through it. Little day quilt. Little you know, not not just just unexpected everybody. I did it. You know what I'm saying? But I have to keep her home. And and and even while she was at home, she was trying to navigate with her phone telling people. I'm like, stop trying to police them and everybody. And so I'm I'm so proud of her. She's part of your future. You will see it long after, some of us are not here. You will see her fingerprint on on the hearts and minds of her colleagues that
are here celebrating, with her and some of you as as board members who have seen firsthand what she's accomplished. So I know I spoke a lot, but congratulations again. How many years of school how many years of school was that? How many years of school you got? You named, like, 12 degrees. How many years of school was that? Yes, sir. You got work? First day of school was today. Yep. Awesome. Good. Some makeup, but we still got a lot. Enrollment is, more than we've More than budgeted too?
Well, we didn't budget for an increase. So everything is more than than budgeted. So Good. Oh, yeah. That's that completes my report. Okay. This takes us to item five, public participation. Public participation is one way communication in which members of the public are asked to address the formal work with the understanding that board members will not be able to respond. Trustee Perrigan Tanks. Okay. You have the public comment guidelines. If not, okay. You got it. Okay. Public to comment. Because the OFA Board of Education values public meetings, not just meetings in public, we
welcome public comments on school issues. Speakers are asked to express themselves in a civil manner with due process for the dignity and privacy of others who may be affected by public comments. The public comment portion of the meeting cannot be used to make personal attacks against a school board member or a school district employee. That disrupts the order of the meeting and are totally unrelated to the manner in which the member or employee performs his or her duties. Speaker should be aware that if statements violate the rights of others under the law
of defamation or invasion of courtesy, Such comments may result in illegal liability. Most comments can be concisely stated in three minutes, and the board respectfully asked that comments remain focused on the topic or issue and not be directed specific to add a specific personnel or board members. Okay. And then you mentioned the public with with the rest of the board. One right here. Is it, Rommel? Yes. Okay. Miles. Yep. The floor is yours, ma'am. Good afternoon to the school board, to the superintendent.
My name is Rommel Miles. I live at 24550 Center For Street in the beautiful Palmer Woods Manor in Oak Park, Michigan. When I caught last week because my grandson well, we live in a multigenerational house. My grandson goes to Key Elementary. I called to find out, busing situation. His mom has to be to work at a certain time. I have to be to work at a certain time, and we need to possibly put him on the bus. So they said no problem. They told me the bus, but I said, okay.
So where's the the pickup? And they told me at 10 Mile in Rensselaer. 10 Mile in Rensselaer sits roughly almost a quarter of a mile from my house. If everyone if you know where how far the woods is, it's a cul de sac. So you go in. You go go out two minutes. It takes us roughly ten minutes to walk him up to the bus stop and have someone to wait. He's six. He can't wait by himself. But now with all the construction of 696, if I have to drive them to the bus stop, I have to go down past Rosewood and come back around to
drop them off on the same side of the street on 10 miles. Now my question of it is is, like, why is there no school bus that goes through that subdivision? And she was like, well, there's never been a bus that went to that school subdivision. And I said, ma'am, I disagree. My I have both my daughters have graduated through Oak Park. One of them, prior to pandemic, she had been in an elementary school. So I understand with pandemic, yes, but bus services had been limited, had been but we're out of the pandemic. And there are and my kid, I I I'm I'm hoping that my kid is
not my grandchild is not the only person that has to go through the that has to be picked up in that Subdivision. It's a huge inconvenience. My mother is almost 80. If she has to walk him, that's in a cold. It's it's a safety issue. So all I'm asking is is that someone can please look into that to see if we can get a bus route back through Palmerwood Subdivision for at least the elementary kids. Thank you. Thank you. Are there any other members of the public who wish to address the board going once or twice?
Carry none. We will go to item number six or action items, and we have a good number of those tonight. So we can go to item six a, which is approval recommended personnel actions. Just page. Go ahead. Regal that the old Olds Park Board of Education hereby approves the recommended personnel actions for contracts for independent and AOSPA administrators staff staff as itemized in the document submitted by the administration and incorporated by reference at this meeting. Motion made by trustee Madison and second by trustee Clark.
Any closing on the motion? Hearing none, miss Greer, please call the roll. Clark? Yes. Cochran? Yes. Elwin? Yes. Madison? Yes. Scott? Yes. Perriman tanks? Yes. And Tyler? Yes. Okay. We'll go to item six b, approval of first student contract district wide transportation services. Trustee Scott, do you wanna do it? Okay. Let's do it. It's okay. I'm ready. Okay. Be it resolved that the Oak Park Board of Education accepts the recommendation of the administration and contract amendment with First Student Inc, including a three year extension of transportation
services from 07/01/2025 through 06/30/2028. The option to extend the contract for up to two additional one year terms and the addition of five new buses to the transportation fleet. Thank you, Trustee Scott. Motion made by Trustee Scott. Is there a second? Second. Second by Trustee Tyler. Any questions on the motion? Hearing none is clear. Please call the roll. Tyler? Yes. Clark? Yes. Herman Tanks? Yes. Cochran? Yes. Scott? Yes. Alvin? Yes. And Madison? Yes. Okay. The motion passing goes to item six c, approval of athletic training center weight room
equipment. Trustee Clark, please. Resolved that the Oak Park Board of Education hereby approves the attached invoices and authorizes the purchase of essential weight equipment for the newly renovated athletic training center at Oak Park High School. Be it further resolved that the equipment shall be purchased from Design 2 Wellness, PO Box 398, Lewis Center, Ohio 43035, in an amount not to exceed $101,996.33. The purpose of this purchase is to equip the facility with modern, safe, and performance
enhancing tools that meet the needs of our student athletes and support the district's training programs. Thank you. Motion made by trustee, Clark, seconded by trustee Madison. Any questions on the motion? Yeah. Trustee Corcoran. This question is, to miss Tiffany. The inventory that's been taken, for the equipment, at any time once this is up and going and there is something missing, how would they handle that part? You know? Because you can't have one ten pound, you know, without the other one.
So just think just so we will have Canvas set up in the area as well, so we'll be able to monitor the use of the effort. Thank you. Is your question answered? Okay. Any other questions on the motion? Hearing numbers. Melvin. Yes. Clark. Yes. Fairman Times. Yes. Scott. Yes. Tyler? Yes. Madison? Yes. And Culbren? Yes. Okay. Approval. We're going to item six d now. Approval of athletic training center furniture. You wanna do it? I'll do it. Okay. Let's go. Trustee trustee Resolved that the Oak Park Board of Education hereby accepts the administration's recommendation
to purse purchase office furniture for the Oak Park High School Athletic Training Center from HPS located at 3275 North M 37 Highway, Middleville, Michigan 49333. For the acquisition of Essential Furniture for the newly renovated athletic training center at Oak Park High School, and be it further resolved that this purchase shall not exceed the amount of $36,053.04
$53.40. Motion made by trustee, Paramount Tang, second by trustee Clark. Any question on that motion? Hearing none, risk free. Please call the roll. Cochran? Yes. Tyler? Yes. Madison? Yes. Clark? Yes. Scott? Yes. Alvin? Yes. Herman tanks? Yes. Okay. That motion passes. We go to item six e, pool AV equipment and installation for the Oak Park High School Athletic, training center. Trustee Clark. Okay. Resolved that the Oak Park Board of Education approves the administration's recommendation for the acquisition
and installation of modern audio visual AV equipment to enhance interactive learning, performance analysis, and team collaboration at the Oak Park High School Athletic Training Center. This project will be awarded to the following vendors. Scope of work vendor amount, AB systems and equipment sound planning, $83,740.08. Low voltage cabling division, $2,713,846 dollars and 87¢. Network equipment, date Delta Network Services, $11,783.20.
Wireless access points, InacomTSG, $13,550. Surveillance cameras, professional cabling cabling solutions, $17,333.62. Monitors in account to TSG, $27,271. PA Clock Systems, Radlock Rotland? Rotland? Okay. Soundcom, $49,485. Project contingency managed by district not available, 7,500.
Total project cost, $224,509.69. Be it further resolved that this purchase will be made using cooperative pricing and bond funds and that the total expenditure shall not exceed exceed $224,509.69. Okay. That was a rather long motion read by trustee Clark and Sarah, set set seconded by trustee, Parament Tank. So are there any questions on the on the motion? Hearing none, miss Greer, please call the roll. Scott? Yes. Calvin? Yes. Cobrin? Yes. Tyler? Yes. Pearmund tanks? Yes.
Mark? Yes. And Madison? Yes. K. We are now at item six f, benchmark assessment, I rating, NWEA map. Trust trust me Madison. We got that the old track board of education hereby accepts the administration's recommendation and accrues the renewal of the benchmark assessments I ready and NWEA map for use in all schools for the two 2025, 2026, and twenty twenty six, twenty twenty seven school years. Okay. Motion made by trustee Madison. Is there a second?
Second. Second. No. Tyler. Second by trustee Tyler. Thank you. Any question on the motion? Hearing none, miss Kirby. You can spell the wrong. Tyler? Yes. Madison? Yes. Clark? Yes. Scott? Yes. Coburn? Yes. Kelvin? Yes. Perriman tanks. Yes. Okay. We'll go to item six g. Capturing kids' hearts program. Trusty pair of a tanks. You got a now you got a nice easier one this time. Resolved that the Oak Park Board of Education hereby approves the renewal of the Capturing Kids Heart program, including professional development and licensing for all schools for the 2025 through
2026 and through 2026 to 02/2027 school years. Okay. Motion made by trustee Pyramid Tank. Is there a second? Second. Second, Scott. It was coming. Seconded by trustee Scott. I talk so fast. Sometimes I gotta get let my brain catch up. Seconded by trustee Scott. Thank you, trustee Scott. Any, any question on the motion? I do. Okay. Go ahead. This is still gonna be through the, teaching and learning. Right? Yes. Thank you. Any other questions on the motion? Hearing none, miss Greer, please call the roll.
Perriman Kings? Yes. Cochran? Yes. Tyler? Yes. Madison? Yes. Alvin? Yes. Scott and Clark? Yes. Yes. That was good. I didn't get it out fast enough, but you did it too fast. Okay. Here we go. We'll get to item six h. The textbooks, consumables, digital licenses, and instructional materials. Trustee Clark. Resolve that the Oak Park Board of Education hereby accept the recommendation of the administration and approves the renewal and purchase of textbooks, consumables, digital licenses, and related instructional material
for all schools for the 2025, 2026, and twenty twenty six, twenty twenty seven school years. Okay. Motion was made with trustee clerk, sitting with trustee Batson. Any question or motion? Trustee Tyler? We've furnished some textbooks. It's not gonna be stored up nowhere, are they? I guess That's a good question. For years. I worked in this district for ten years and, I can go in a lot of spaces with textbooks we just sit in and we purchased them over and over again. You know, they're not just gonna be sitting up. I think that's the assistance of Richard in there.
Yes. Trustee Tyler, that is not our heart's desire to leave any of the textbook sitting, in any of the storehouses, but to be made use of by our students. I know we're in the technology world, so I'm seeing you got digital here. So That's a fair question. Any other Thank you. Any other questions? I just have one more. Is that digital gonna be used, at the home as well? Yes. It's accessible at school and at home through room, classroom, and clever. Any additional questions? Hearing none, miss Greer, please call her on. Cochran? Yes. Scott? Yes. Clark?
Yes. Herman Changs? Yes. Alvin? Yes. Tyler? Yes. And Madison? Yes. Okay. We'll go to item six I. Digital licenses and online learning resources. Yeah. And I was about to work off. We missed you there. Trust me. That's what happens when you go a month and a half without a meeting. Trustee Scott. Unresolved that the Oak Park Board of Education hereby accepts the recommendation of the administration and approves the renewal of digital license subscriptions and online learning resources including iXDL for
all schools for the 2025, 2026, and twenty twenty six, twenty twenty seven school years. Motion made by trustee Scott. Is there a second? Seconded by trustee Madison. Any questions on the motion? I just have one question. Is this the one that, that we have they have the computers at home or are they just we don't provide. Right? No. We just provide access. Now some of our students that were in the district when we had the pandemic and we gave every child a a device, many of them still have them and they bring them in to get them support.
But this is accessible. Most things are accessible on phones, tablets. Okay. Yeah. That that's where I was getting. Mhmm. I just wanted to just make sure that, you know, I didn't know if it was, you know, if they were still utilizing the computers that they have or Yeah. Most of our especially our high school students access on their phone, especially ISBL. They're they're a lot compatible with the technology that the students are using. And I know sometimes, you know, with the cell phones, you can't do what you can do on your computers. No. Perfect. Thank you. Anything else? Miss Griffiths, call the roll.
Madison? Yes. Clark? Yes. Calvin? Yes. Cochran? Yes. Scott? Yes. Hermann Tangs? Yes. And Todd? Yes. Alright. That motion passed. We'll go to item six j. Authorization for board members of tenants at the two thousand twenty five NSBA Q annual conference, September 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Trustee Scott. Okay. You can't come to the little maze, I figured I'd keep Whereas the twenty twenty five NSBA Council of Urban Boards of Education annual conference will be held from September 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
And now therefore be it resolved that the Oak Park Board of Education hereby authorizes the attendance of the following individuals at the twenty twenty five NSBA cube annual conference, board member Madison, board member Tyler, and superintendent after the hit be further resolved that all related expenses, including registration, travel, lodging, and meals shall be paid in accordance with the district policies and procedures governing conference attendance and shall be supported by appropriate recipients and documentation.
Thank you, for that rather long, motion. Trustee Scott. Trustee Scott has made the motion. Is there a second? Second. Saved by trustee Clark. Is there any question on the motion? Hearing none, miss Greer, please call the roll. Owen? Yes. Herman tanks? Oh, yes. Scott? Yes. Madison? Yes. Coprin? Yes. Tyler? Yes. And Clark? Yes. K. Item six k. Acceptance of Square One Strategy Group proposal and contract from Ford Workshop. Trustee Clark. Be it resolved that the Oak Park Board of Education approves the proposal from Square One Strategy Group to provide a full workshop series for core development at the cost
of $15,000 The series includes four tailored sessions. Summer, understanding roles and responsibilities, dollars 3,750, Fall financial oversight, $3,750. Winter effective communication, $3,750. Spring strategic planning, $3,750. The total cost includes all workshop materials, facilitated travel and lodging, and a customized board manual for each member. Okay. Motion made by trustee Clark. Is there a second? Second. Second by trustee Madison.
Any question on the motion? I have a question. Go ahead. I saw two I saw one here and I saw one here too. Go ahead. So this is what, like, MA SB does. Right? Or It's it's funny that you're asking me. But, Or anybody? I I mean, I I guess I can I can answer? It's not the exact same thing that Nasby does. No. It's a tailored approach. They have more focused sessions, that I this was coming from his presentation. This is not for anything I know to be true other than his presentation.
A more of a tailored approach to the board itself. And so one way or the other, this board as a whole, in my opinion, should have some development. So, but that's what he stated when he was here. So it's not the exact same as. Okay. Okay. So I'm a go over here, and I'll come back to you. Okay. Trustee Corcoran. Okay. I had a concern, with the item, being placed on the agenda one. First, the pricing is astronomical. I did not I did my research, in comparison to the rates similar to board
workshops offered by other organizations. MASB charges $825 for a three hour workshop. Not sure how many hours it's not. Is that workshop? I don't I don't know. Oh, well, not knowing how many hours that workshop is, the other, organization is the Metro Bureau charges $900 for a three hour session. In contrast, Square One strategic group is proposing a fee of $3,750.
Also to add, MASB do issue reimbursements in some cases. To better understand the cost difference, I contacted mister Smith from Square One strategic group. However, the significant group in pricing still doesn't make sense. We don't need, to continue to just spend so much money. And, you know, the difference here is that from what I spoken and then being
a master level four using MASV, in regards to the program that he's offering, is actually, it's it's, there's no certifications from the difference from what I've experienced is or being with MASP is the amount. And also, there's no certificates. There is no, you know, longevity with that. And also, as a board member, we are responsible for being good stewards of this
district's funding and also, and this proposal raises serious concerns about the fiscal responsibilities. Thank you, trustee. Corporate. Trustee Tyler. Okay. Just have a couple of concerns for me, with this. I've I said through the presentation, it was a good presentation. But, I think that with this roll out up here, when he has, I think we've been doing well lately. I know in the beginning, of anything of people coming on new and maybe old, you know, I think, you know, just trying to, navigate.
I think we've been doing much better, in the months that we have been lately going out and and things of that nature, communicating. And so I believe this was brought at a time where I I feel as though it was probably needed. But I think in the direction that we're going, I think we've been headed in the right direction with a couple of outings and things and that we have been doing, as a board coming together as a, as a family. And so, we may not always agree, but we can agree to disagree.
And so but I'm thinking this here of 15,000 and 3,000 some east session. I think we've been doing well. I don't know. I'm just speaking for myself. Lately, it's been a turn up of of a great building. And so, I would say to this 15000 is is and we already getting stuff. And have we even reached out to MSAB to come in and see what we need, to strategize? I heard you say that, you know, to tailor made for us, but has have
they came in to see what we may need to tailor make because we've already pinned into something. I'm just thinking that this is a little excessive. And I didn't remember him saying 15,000 in the presentation. Maybe not. He may not have. I don't. Okay. He may okay. So Yeah. Okay. So then I I told him you missed it. Also, so but I think that I think we've been, you know, doing a a better turn of of going uphill with our, you know, gatherings together and so, I think this is a little excessive. Okay. One thing. For each session. Thank you, trust. We've been sitting there thirty minutes.
Thank you, trust my my response to to, to that in general is that, one, we do have the money for it. I've already checked into that. If you feel it's exorbitant, that's your prerogative, whoever feels that way. I would note though that you're not getting a an approach specifically tailored for this board, when you do when you go with some of the other organizations that were noted earlier. And in and in turn, some of those same organizations, we've all received training from
them. And I know you're saying we're doing better, but, you know, that's that's relative and that's that's also a subjective term better. And so I think we have four new board members, and those who are board members, all board members, even some of those who've been here longer, need to continue to be, trained and to continue to figure out a way to work, together for some level of, camaraderie and collegiality, on this board. So it's I'll be voting yes. I understand that there are concerns from, other board members.
Okay? Yes. Did you have something? Yeah. I just felt I, I like what Tyler said, but I also feel like maybe we should try on our own first. We haven't sat down and tried on our own. Try it on our own. Trustee, like she said, we've been going out to dinner and stuff. Maybe we could also just assess it. I think I just think this $15 is a excessive amount of money. Maybe he can come back to us and do something with this price because we we are, you know, we paying x amount of dollars somewhere else.
I'm just saying, you know, maybe we can do do something with this price. That's all I'm saying. I I believe what you're saying is right that, you know, we can be developed and whatnot, you know, because we are new, you know, I'm a let you. Oh, you're talking about it. And so, but I'm just thinking this price is just so accessible. Right. Alright. It's it's it's it's crazy. It's going alright. Okay. Trustee Madison, you you keep both in one spot. Come back to her. Trustee Madison did. My view on it is, regard regardless of the price, we we approve a lot
of things that are a lot of, money. I feel like investing in us being the, head of the school district would be Thank you, Trustee Madison. Trustee Corcoran. Okay. Going back to, trustee Tyler. She stated that, strategic, Square strategic group did not impose a pricing. No. They did not. But looking back at the video, trustee Clark did ask him how much it would be, and he stated it's a high price.
But he did not ever answer her. No problem. However, to your point that there is, president Alvin, to your point, there is a lot of work to be done with four new well, actually, three new board members, because it was it was four. But I know. I can't count some time on you. With three new board members, I mean, we are making adjustments.
Vice president stated that all the board members are not there. Well, that is because all the board members are not available, for the timing that was brought forth. And, also, MASB is the state, board association Michigan State Board Association. So they put a lot of time. Just this past weekend, myself and trustee, Pearman Tate, were at a conference.
It was the summer conference. And sitting in those rooms of our classes that we were taking, there were so many different cities from all over Michigan in the little rural areas that I had never even known exist. Knowing that they can all get together and talk about, you know, the issues bring bringing forth and taking, like, ethics class or different c CBA classes. They tell you and they teach you, and they also have new board member classes
that are way I'm sure they're speaking of the same, thing that strategic planning, group is speaking on. And they have virtual classes. They have, in in person classes. And I know that we still do not have a state budget, at this time. And I do know that in reality, we are not really sure on how much, finances or budgeting that we are gonna receive and $15,000 to instruct this board on
something that we can we are already paying a membership into MASB is absolutely ridiculous. Thank you, Trevor. $15,000. I'm sorry. I thought you thought that No. It's I'm sorry. I thought you thought that was No. It wasn't. $15,000 but I just wanted to end, by just saying that we have textbooks that we need to purchase. We have other things that we need to, to get done. But MASB offered these classes, and once again, there is reimbursements, to that amount.
So if you go out and you buy a car, if you have the mud the money in your budget, which you did state, we have the money, but we have the money right now. But we're not sure what we're gonna have later. So if we have this amount now, we don't know if we're gonna get that amount back. And I just still stick to my guns that this year is definitely a little bit over over the top, for for, for us to actually relearn what MASB offers
us. Thank you, trustee Corcoran. Any other questions or comments? Miss miss Griffith, please call the roll. Tyler? No. Madison? Yes. Perriman tanks? No. Scott? No. Elvin? Yes. Colpron? No. Clark? Yes. Okay. Motion fails. We'll go to item number six l, restructuring of board officers. And so at this time, I will note that, at the conclusion of this meeting, I will no longer be serving as board president. And so it is, it is, our duty to elect a new board president that
will serve at the conclusion of this meeting. And so with that, I'll open nominations for board president. I have a nomination. Trustee Clark? I would like to nominate Paige Madison to be the board president. Okay. So there's a nomination for trustee Madison to serve as board president. I will just so just for the record, I'll go ahead and second that. And so a motion to put it in a motion, then trustee Clark, are you able to do that on on the fly? Resolve that the Oak Park Board of Education approve Paige Madison to suit the role
of the board president. I'll put a time element. For the duration of the year. For the duration of the 02/2025 until the organization be in January. Okay. So that was your motion. I second that motion. Any questions, comments on the motion? Hearing none. Can I nominate you? We gotta finish this motion and then we can do that. If it fails, then you can go ahead and do that. Miss Gure, please call the roll. Clark? Yes. And I near you. Yes. Coprin? No. Alvin? Yes. Madison? Yes. Scott? No.
Herman Tanks? Yeah. Herman Tanks? Yes. Tyler? No. Okay. The motion passes. We because trustee Madison is sitting as their current vice president, we will need to elect a new vice president as well. Is there trustee Madison? Zandra Clark. Trustee Madison has has put, Sandra Clark up as a vice president. Is there, I would say put that in a motion. Miss miss Gregory, can you help out with that? I can put the same hear you. Were you through the lock?
As Sandra Clark, as a resolved the title for vice president of the Oak Park School Board. Assumes, I think. Assumes. Put a time element on it. For the duration of the twenty twenty five year. And I would say through the organizational meeting. Through the organizational meeting. 02/2022. Okay. Thanks, Pete. Alright. I'll second that motion. Any questions or comments on the motion? Hearing none, miss Greer, would you please call the roll? Clark? Yes. Cochran? No. Alvin? Yes. Madison? Yes. Scott? No. Excuse me? No.
No. Perriment tanks? Yes. Entire? No. Okay. That motion passes. We will now need a new treasurer because trustee Clark is stepping up to be the vice president. Is there a name for treasurer? I don't know. Throw one out there if y'all did. Uh-huh. Go ahead. I would like to recommend, trustee Scott. Trustee Scott, is that something you're interested in? Treasury. Trustee Scott's name has been put forward. Secretary. Would you like to put that in? Resolved that the, that Tiffany Scott assumed the role of treasurer for the Oak Park
School Board during the duration of 2025 until the organization meeting in New York County. You don't want it? She you could say no. You can learn it. Okay. Continue. I'm sorry. Until the organization meeting in January. Thank you. The motion's on the floor. I'm gonna second that motion. Any questions on the motion? Miss Greer, please call the roll. Clark? Yes. Cochran? Yes. Alvin? Yes. Madison? Yes. Scott? Yes. Fairmont Angus? Yeah. Professor. And Tyler? Yes. Okay. Thank you. I would like to congratulate all our offers which will take effect as soon as
this meeting is over. So congratulations to them. Alright. We are at item seven, call for closed session. First section eight, see, in open meetings after the purpose of strategy negotiation connection with collective bargaining agreement, I move that we go into closed session. Is there a second? Motion's been made by myself, seconded by trustee Clark. Any questions on that motion? Okay. We can do that by, unanimous. If there's no questions on that, we can do that on on unanimously. Any, opposition to that? Hearing no, we are hereby going into closed session. Thank you. Sorry. Sorry. I'm saying something, but she was reading.
Have you seen love tone where he says you wrecking my flow? I just seen him walking and so I'm like, sorry. Need to read it. You need to move to a menu agenda at the site. Just to eat my chips. I move to amend the agenda to insert what is recommended in the resolution for the oh, it's with the agreement between the OPART Board of Education and OPEA. Okay. The motion made by trustee Clark. Is there a second? Second. Seconded by what was that on the left side? Allen County.
Trustee Tyler. Any question on the motion? Hearing none, miss Greer, if it's called the roll. Clark? Yes. Cochran? Yes. Alvin? Yes. Madison? Yes. Scott? Yes. Paramount tanks? Yes. And Tyler? Yes. Okay. That motion passes. Trustee Clark? Alright. Recommendation. It is recommended that the board of education formally approves the letter of agreement related to hiring third party school psychologists and speech and hearing therapists as presented. Be it resolved, the Oak Park Board of Education has thoroughly reviewed the letter of agreement between the board of education and the Oak Park Education therapist.
The Oak Park Board of Education only accepts and approves the letter of agreement as presented. Motion made by trustee Clark to the second. Second. Trustee Tyler, have that second. So motion is seconded by trustee Tyler. Any question on the motion? Hearing numbers, we're here. Please call the roll. Tyler? Yes. Perriman Tanks? Yes. Scott? Yes. Madison? Yes. Alvin? Yes. Cochran? Yes. And Clark? Yes. Thank you. Motion passed. We'll go to item number nine, information items. Are there any information items? I don't see any on the agenda. Hearing none, we'll go to item number 10, communications. Any communication from members of the administration?
For members of the board, trustee I would like to welcome everyone back to this new semester. It's gonna be a great semester. It's going to be a blessed semester. I wanna give all the things to the board I mean, the band, instructor, mister Aches. Mister Aches and, his team of band members have been diligently on a nine mile in Coolidge, and they have been putting in the work in that hot sun.
I did see the water because I was gonna breathe. And I wanna say that I am very, very proud of their dictate I mean, their progression. Yes. Their progression. And, I mean, I actually watched them walk from the high school all the way down to there. They don't get a bus or nothing. They walk in and but I wanted to definitely give them a shout out. They worked hard this summer on whatever that they're trying to do for this semester, and just welcome back, you know, the parents and, you know, just saying, you know,
that we we're gonna just have a great, you know, a great semester. That's it. Thank you. Trustee corporate. Trustee Clark. I got to drop my son off this morning at Pepper. I do sincerely apologize that I was not able to get to any pictures as requested. But it was really nice to see us. So mister Haley, I got to to meet the assistant principal. One of the sororities was out shaking, tassels. I will not name what the sorority is because I don't know all of the names, and I don't wanna get What color were they wearing? Blue. Is that They say That's my fault. So that was really And they have a Oak Park chapter?
Yes. So it was very nice to see them and to say hi to them. So it's very exciting to see all of the smiling faces. I saw a couple tears, mostly from the children and a few of the parents. So I do wish success for everyone. I hope that everyone is safe and productive, that the school year goes off without a hitch, and that everyone gets to learn something. Thank you. Well said. Trustee Madison. Oh, and I just wanted to say that I had the pleasure of going to, Key, Oprah, Messenger, and the high school.
It was great. Everything was great. What stood out to me today was the welcoming of the sixth graders at the middle school. That was just so sweet, so nice. Because they were super nervous. Like, going to a new school is, you know, overwhelmed, probably. I don't know. I know myself have been nervous for, like, three weeks. And real, like, every time somebody say something about it, and he, like, he stopped talking. He, like, hi. I'm, like, what? What's wrong with you? So that was, really fun. They had the music playing. There was a pom pom shaking.
It was nice. I had to call Angel about that. That's it. And then congratulations to anybody that got appointed in this commission today. Thank you, president-elect. Appreciate it. Trustee Tyler. I've had the opportunity to go to several schools as well today. You gonna name them. You gonna name them. New president-elect, named them several. So it'd be good. But it was just a great joy to, be able to see the kids back, in school getting ready for a new year. And, as I stopped over at, Einstein, I had an opportunity to talk to the principal there. And, it was a great first start.
And I believe the way you started being, that's the way you end up being. And, so I believe that it's gonna be a great year because even though you had some hiccups of scheduling, still at that high school, just not together yet, but we're gonna we're gonna work through it. And so but it was a great day to see, just people, parents, organizations, board members, superintendents, assistant superintendent. It was just great and phenomenal to see everyone out. And so I'm excited in the direction that we are going. I know that we have visions and we have vision, that when you cast vision
so that people can carry it. I'm sorry. I'm going into a preacher. And so I'm excited for this particular year. And, I I thank everyone everyone who's been elected, and I just believe that we're going from, as they were saying, church in Florida. Now I'm going from higher to higher. So I appreciate the things that, is to come in Oak Park. And it's great things that are is to come. And guess what? Friday, y'all, it's football time. It is football time, and I'm excited for football. And so I believe that coach Carter is gonna do great this year.
And, I'm excited for, what is to come. Thank you so much. Very good. Anything from the other board members? Yeah. No. I went to Einstein where they shine. Okay. I'm like, it's like, oh, but, it was really great. It was great to see the assistant principal out there. He seems, like, really cool. It's great for the little boys to see a male family in that role, so I'm really excited for that. I'm excited for this year. My kids was excited. And I'm excited to see where this board is gonna go with living little people in office stuff. It's done. It's done. And I'll just piggyback with, both of them because I was at schools with Paige,
but the nostalgia of walking through the schools that I went to was everything. I was like, oh my god. I literally teared up at Roosevelt because it's the same Roosevelt as Oldsville. It was Roosevelt. And I was like, oh my god. And to see the kids were lost, and we were they were asking me exactly, where is my classroom? And I was like, oh, let me find somebody. It was just so great to see how excited the kids were. And it remind me of well, me, I know, probably the rest. When we started on that first day, it was really good to see it.
It was good to see Angel walking through. And he was greeting all the kids telling them to slow down running. He was getting on but he was doing I they like this, and the teachers appreciate it too. Good stuff. Good stuff. Anything else from members of the board? I have one item. So bear with me. Dear Oak Park Schools, Board of Education members, administration into the Oak Park community. Four years and nine months ago, nearly nine months ago, I was I was, I took the oath of office to serve on on this board. Serving on the Oak Park School's board of education has truly been one of the
greatest honors of my life. When When I was elected, I promised to work tirelessly to strengthen our schools and to create opportunities for every student in our district to thrive. Looking back, I'm proud of what we have been able to accomplish together. For example, we hired a superintendent who has shown a deep commitment to moving our district forward, hiring and retaining top tier talent and promoting from within. We passed a much needed school bond that that will allow us to invest in safer buildings, stronger facilities, and better learning environments for our students. And you can look at the evidence of that at Oak Park High School.
And we expanded our advanced placement offerings, opening the door for more of our students to challenge themselves and prepare for the future. These successes were not mine alone. They were only possible because of the commitment and hard work of our educators, our administrators, the families, the community members who believe as I do that our children deserve their very best. At the same time, I cannot ignore ignore the reality that has made my decision tonight necessary. Too often, our board has shifted its focus away from student achievement and toward divisiveness.
I've seen members engage engage in gotcha games with staff and with one another, and this toxic environment has taken its toll. We have lost talented leaders, two chief financial officers, and even a superintendent, who in part resigned because of the treatment they experienced from certain members of this board. That reality has weighed heavily on me. We often say that we expect our children to be leaders, but we as purported community leaders really model the behavior that we want from them. We expect our teachers to care deeply about our students, but too often our actions
show that we care more about sowing divisiveness than about truly supporting their work. And far too much of our time is spent acting as Monday morning quarterbacks, second guessing seasoned professionals who's who went to college for four, eight, and sometimes more years to earn the right to operate in this profession. If this experience has reminded me of anything, it is that time is something we can never get back. Every hour spent in conflict is an hour lost, an hour that could have been invested in lifting up our children. Because of this, tonight will be my last meeting as a board member.
This was not an easy choice, but I believe it's the right one for me, my family, and for the district I care so deeply about. Before I close, I want to express my deepest gratitude to people of Hope Park for electing me to this role and trusting me with the responsibility of serving our school. I also want to thank the friends, mentors, and supporters who encouraged me and helped me to get here. Your faith and support has meant the world to me. Although I am stepping down from this position, my commitment to Oak Park Schools does not end here. I will continue to be an advocate, a supporter, and a proud community member.
And to our students, never forget that your future is worth fighting for. And you are the reason so many people give their time and energy to this district. Thank you for the opportunity to serve. It has been an honor I will never forget. We're going to item number 11, adjournment. Please, if you would, please. The next meeting of the board of education will be held Monday, 09/08/2025 at 6PM in the boardroom at the Administration Building. Thank you. Your time is your time is now 07:15, which is fourteen.
07:15, will miss I will miss many of you as well. But you just tell me you're standing on the floor. I just say it. For as long as this army is still here, which is not till next week. So time is 07:15. And, without objection, we'll pass the motion to adjourn by unanimous consent. Is there an objection to doing so? Yeah. You state some time. Hearing none, we're hereby adjourned.