Good evening. Welcome everyone. My name is Anu Bum Chukudiv. I'm the vice president, but I'm filling in for President Christensen today who could not be here. So, I want to welcome everyone and we'll get started with introductions with my board colleagues on my left. That would be you, Amina. Ahmed. Thank
you everyone for coming. Hello, I'm Cheryl Peard and it's nice to see everyone. I'm Judy Wester. Thank you for coming out tonight. I'm Jennifer Voss. It's nice to see you all. Superintendent Merritt, could you introduce yourself and your staff? Good evening and welcome and appreciate
the flexibility as we deal are dealing with these technical difficulties this evening. I want to begin by introducing my assistant, Miss Diane Robertson. We want to thank her for being here to capture our minutes and to Mr. John Kger who is our technology guy who is over working overtime right now trying to get
us up to speed. I' like the remaining members of the team to introduce themselves to you. Thank you. Dr. Merrick Curtis, assistant superintendent for student services. Welcome. Good evening. Good evening. Jill Minnik, serve as chief finance and operations officer. Welcome. Good evening. I'm Jen Curry, chief
academic officer. Welcome everyone. Liz Vartanian Gibbs, assistant superintendent of student and family engagement. Thank you. And we also have at our board table, student voice and action co-chair. Welcome everyone on this wonderful evening. I'm Josh Patterson, Plymouth High School senior and student voice and
action co-chair. Good evening. Welcome. All right, let's stand for the pledge. Joshu 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. All right, we'll move right into our agenda. We will start with letter A, adoption of the agenda, approval of the consent agenda. I'm looking for a motion.
We don't have here. Madame Vice President, I move that we accept um action item 260909, the approval of the consent agenda. Thank you. Do I have a second? I'll second.
All right. So we have a motion on the table by secretary Westerraw and seconded by member Voss. Let's go through the agenda. Dr. Merritt. Yes. Thank you, Vice President Sidu. This evening, our consent agenda consists of human resources transaction since our last time together. We have
new hires for your consideration as well as leaves, resignations, and retirements. We also have the approval of minutes from our regular meeting that's on August the 26th, 2025. We have an outofcountry field trip that was vetted through our spa committee. And
finally, we have the first reading of policy 2414, reproductive health and family planning. Finally, we have the action item, which is the resolution for the tenative agreement with the International Union of Operating Engineers. This is our
security personnel and this agreement has been ratified by their union membership. Thank you. I'm going to call for a vote. All in favor say yes. Yes. Anyone oppose? Say no. Thank you. Motion passes. 50. Um, Mr. Medun, who's going
to fill in for Mr. Dr. Liz. Good evening, everyone. I have I feel very fortunate right now that I get to introduce to you all of the new hires in our school district. And these new hires are champions for students. And we
are so thankful that they selected Plymouth Canton Community Schools. So, when I say your name, stand up. And also, if you could come forward and I want to give you a candy bar that has your name on it and says, "Congratulations and the date." So, it's
really cool. It's just a nice little gift. And this is from Mr. Maidun's office. He's just sat with us here this evening. So, a first Amanda Blanchett, counselor at West Middle School. And we're going to clap at the end. Christina Blue Mule. Hi, Christina.
Occupational Therapist Elementary. Samantha Cunningham, Occupational Therapist Elementary School. Fernandanda Cusk, Spanish teacher at Pioneer. She's already grading papers. That's why she's not here.
Alexander Indosian, he is going to be our multi- language learner teacher at Salem High School. Brooke Larson. She is our GSRP teacher at Hovind.
And today was an exciting day because we welcomed our kids to school for the whole day. Thank you. Half day. Okay. They're coming all day tomorrow, so be ready. Morgan Nismer is our social studies teacher at Pioneer Middle School.
Goia Peterson. She is our new counselor at Plymouth High School. Congratulations. Caitlyn Schrader is our new first grade teacher at Smith. Matthew Seagrave is a resource room
teacher at Haling School. Congratulations. Christine Smith is our new resource room teacher at Faren and Field School. Hi Welcome. I also want to take a moment to
introduce you to our new Make sure you get the right candy bar. I also want to take a moment to introduce you to our brand new assistant principal at Liberty Middle School. This is Julie Ncastry. She has been at Liberty um for probably about eight years now.
My seventh year. Seventh year. And we are so fortunate now to have her as the assistant principal at Liberty Middle School. I just want to tell everyone thank you very much. I'm looking forward to working with our students and our families and our staff at a new
capacity. Um, and I was born to do this, work with children, and and I'm loving it. I've taught for 17 years, was a dean for three, and now on to a new uh chapter. So, forward to it. Congratulations. Can all our new hires stand up so we can welcome you to our
school district? So, congratulations. I also would like to thank Alyssa Durham for her 20 years of uh service for as an elementary teacher at Smith. She's retiring. Congratulations. [Music]
Are you guys going to take a photo? Before you leave, I want to say congratulations to the new hires. You are our champions. Welcome to our village. And to our retirees, congratulations and thank you for your service to our district. Yes. I'm going to take a photo. Okay.
[Applause] You can meet her out there. She's gonna get a photo of the inaugural class. All right, we will move on to the next portion of our agenda. If you're following along, we are on letter B, celebrating success. And today, member
Voss has that honor. Good evening. The school board is honored to recognize the hard work and dedication of our summer school leaders. Each year, summer learning provides a critical bridge for many of our students, and it takes strong leadership
and teamwork to make these programs successful. We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to Derek Southwick, Lauren Cummings, and Steven Bouier, who oversaw summer learning for our high school students. They worked to ensure that high school students had access to
classes that kept them on track for graduation as well as courses that gave them the chance to get ahead through both online and in-person options. Their work represents our commitment to ensuring every student has a pathway to success. We also want to recognize
Ashley Voidus and Kase Sharp who served as summer academy coordinators for our elementary and middle school students. These programs provide younger learners with the resources, encouragement, and structure to continue growing academically while building the confidence they need to begin the school
year ready to learn. My own son participated in the program this summer and had an excellent experience. His teacher was outstanding, providing engaging instruction and genuine support. She actually got him to enjoy reading a book.
In addition, we would like to recognize Jennifer Cameeri who coordinated the special education extended school year program. This program serves students of all ages who qualify through an IEP, and Jennifer's leadership ensured that these students received the continuity,
structure, and support they need to make progress throughout the summer months. We also recognized Daniel Farhat who continued who coordinated our summer learning programs for English language learners. Her efforts created opportunities for students to strengthen
their language skills, stay engaged with academic content, and build the confidence they need to thrive in the upcoming school year. At this time, I would like to invite our new chief of AC chief of academics officer, Jennifer Curry, to share a few reflections.
Thank you. Summer is a season of opportunity, a time for students to strengthen their skills, stay engaged, and prepare for success for the year ahead. Thanks to the dedication of our program leaders, students at every level were able to participate in meaningful learning
experiences this summer. We are truly grateful for your commitment to student growth, which extends well beyond the traditional school year. Your efforts reflect the very best of who we are as a district. Together we are ensuring that every student has the opportunity to
learn, grow, and thrive. Thank you. Thank you for your kind and encouraging words about our summer school leaders. Our summer programs are about more than just academics. They're about giving students the tools, encouragement, and opportunities to thrive. And none of it
would be possible without the incredible dedication of these seven leaders. On behalf of the board of education, we thank each of our summer school leaders for your tireless efforts, their time, and their positive impact on the lives of our students. Your dedication ensures
that learning does not stop when the regular school year ends and that every every student has the opportunity to thrive. This concludes tonight's celebrating success. Please join Dr. Liz Vartanian Gibbs in the hallway for a photo to commemorate this special
recognition. Do you want want to bring them up first? Yes, please bring them up. We'd like to acknowledge them all. Would any of you like to say a few words? Just a minute, like a few seconds.
Yes, please. So, I'm speaking on behalf of the high school summer school uh staff. Um, so I just want to say I appreciate the opportunity that we have at our high school to serve our community. Um, I was given an opportunity to take the job as summer school principal a couple years
ago by Mr. Hal Herd and um, it has been an awesome experience, but you know, our team is getting an award for being extra mileers a and I truly appreciate that. But in order to serve 1,085 students across five platforms, which is what we
did in summer school this year, um, and we did the research, Plymouth Canton has the most comprehensive summer school program in the Detroit area. So there's a lot that goes into that though. Um and it reflect all of it reflects really well on Plymouth Canton schools. Our
teachers, our paraprofessionals, administrative assistants, transportation, food service, maintenance, technology, security, our finance office, everyone is involved in making these programs work. So truly takes that village to make things
happen. Um so and then just my two counterparts, Steve and Lauren, couldn't have done it without them. Um, Lauren has this uncanny ability to get the community to chip in and help out at every turn. Um, and Steve really just jumped in and helped us launch three new
online classes that were super successful. Um, it does take everybody though and everyone in the district had a huge part in this. So, we appreciate being recognized, but there's a lot of other people that helped it happen. So, thank you. Thank you.
[Applause] What a great success. I want to learn more about the classes that were offered so maybe during one of our spa meetings we could take a look at the courses offered.
All right, we will now move into committee reports. Um, starting with the president's report, I met with um just actually on the phone talked to President Christensen. Uh, we don't have a lot in terms of announcements, but we do want to welcome our staff, our students, and our families to a brand
new school year. We wish you tremendous success, growth, and new friendships. So, best of luck with this new school year. It's going to be a great year. Uh, the other thing I want to mention to the public, the board is going to have a workshop after this business meeting today. We will adjourn and take a
five-minute recess and then we will do our board work which is to look at our board goals from last year and see how we want to tweak those for next school year. Although that will not be televised, you are welcome to stay and listen to to the conversations that we'll have. So I encourage everyone if
you can stay after the board meeting, please do stay. All right, that is it for the president's report. We will now move on to student performance and achievement with Secretary Wester. The student performance and achievement committee um had their first meeting of the year last
Wednesday, September 3rd. Uh we reviewed the early middle college update presentation that you will see tonight. Um and we also had an orientation for our new and returning members um to the committee. Uh our next meeting is
October 1st at 5:00 pm in this room and we welcome everyone to come um and and um attend the meeting. It's a lot of very interesting. Thank you. Next up is finance and operations with treasurer
Kiho. He's not here. So I wonder if there's anyone else from the committee that could give us an update. Anyone? Do you want to? Certainly. I'll simply share that the last meeting uh was not in session. We didn't have any agenda items. So, the next meeting
is scheduled for Thursday, September 18th at 5:00 pm in this room. Excellent. And again, we encourage the public to join the finance and operations uh committee meeting. Next up is policy committee with me. Um we actually have not met since our last meeting. So, I
gave a report out at the last business meeting. We haven't had a meeting since then, so I have no new update, but I will encourage all of you to come to our September 24th policy September 23rd policy meeting at 5:30 p.m. down the hall on the second floor. Next up is
Student Voice in Action with Josh. This school year has gotten off to a great start, and with school being back in session, SBA is having their first meeting of this year next Monday, the 15th, at 4:30 in the Pioneer Media Center. We'll be looking for additional students in grades 6 through 12 to join the committee as well. So, be on the
lookout for information regarding that. I hope to see everyone there and can't wait to continue our work. Thank you. For everyone that's watching or in the room, please encourage your youth to participate in student voice in action. They have a lot of great work ahead of them. Right. Next up is Superintendent's Report.
Thank you, Vice President Sidu. I will say that you're absolutely right. This is our first meeting since the start of school and there is nothing like the start of the school year. We had a wonderful kickoff. I'm sorry that the pictures aren't able to really show the justice to the excitement in our young
students faces, our families, our staff. It was so good to have everyone back even in the midst of all of the bond construction uh that was going on throughout the summer. We were ready to go. Our buildings look great. So, we want to thank our maintenance and operations team for that. Everybody really pitched in to get the school year
started off with a bang. I was so excited to see our close to,00 kindergarteners. So, we are really excited about just their entry into our system and looking forward to many, many years to come with our young students. Also, it's so wonderful and I want to thank our staff for some incredible open
houses. That's our opportunity to open up the door and invite our community in, meet your teachers, meet the staff, um see the building. Uh so, we had some great open houses already. So, just a great uh outstanding start to the school year and I'm really encouraged about what this year will bring. As we talk
about the start of the school year, I want to remind our families if you have not done so already, please go into my star parent connect and look for the back to school check-in information. This is a process that is required for returning students, new kindergarten students, and returning students up
through 12th grade. The parents can update our medical information, demographic information, contact information. These all are used to generate our emergency cards for our students. The deadline to complete the back to school check-in process is September the 29th. So spread the word.
If you have not done so, please get in there and get that taken care of. Finally, I want to extend an invitation to our district parents to come to our first parent council meeting that will be held on Thursday, September the 25th at 9:30 a.m. That's going to be right here in this room. That is a great
chance for our families to come together. We typically have representation across the district from every school. We have opportunities to hear about the great things that are happening in Plymouth Canton. This week we have the honor of next week 25th the
25th. This month we have the honor of uh meeting our new chief academic officer, Miss Jen Curry, and we also will have the executive director of high school education, Mr. Joseph Green. So again, that will be Thursday the 25th, 9:30 pass the word. And I do believe that
they do video record those meetings as well. So, if you're not able to attend, you can still check that out online. That concludes my report today. Thank you, Superintendent Merritt. We are now moving on to letter E, citizens comments. And this is the first portion of the citizens comments. We do 30
minutes at the beginning. After this, we will no longer accept any more citizens comments forms. And if we go over the 30 minutes, the remaining citizens comments will be at the end of the agenda. And I am going in order that they were received by Diane.
So just a quick few reminders. You have three minutes to speak and please adhere to this timeline. Diane's going to have a timer up there. And we want to make sure that you don't mention any names particularly if it's dealing with anyone's performance or any issues uh
because they do go through a protocol. And unless you have their permission to share their story, just please do not share any uh stories on behalf of staff that are dealing with some challenges. Um if your comment requires a follow-up, Dr. Merritt will follow up with you in
the next few days. So please request that in your comments that you would like a follow-up from someone. We appreciate your engagement and your opportunity to participate in this process. So we will start with the first comment. Sarah Krinski. Sarah.
And again, we'll get a timer up there for three minutes. Okay. Uh Sarah, a parent of two children in the district. So on January 20th, the current administration did something which many of us considered unthinkable.
They rescended the US government's long-standing policy which prohibited immigration and border control authorities from entering sensitive locations. What this heartless act did was make it possible for ICE to enter churches, hospitals, and yes, even our
schools to make arrests. Now, stop and think about that for a moment. Our places of worship, these are spaces which are considered sacred by the majority of Americans regardless of their religious background. Our hospitals, a formerly safe space for the
sick, the injured, and the dying. A place for healing for all humans regardless of race, creed, or color. And now our schools, a place that has always been a safe haven for all children to learn and thrive. The outrage has not
ended there. Things have only grown worse. The recent Supreme Court decision to allow ICE officials to harass individuals based upon their appearance or accents alone is stunning and sets a
frightening precedent. The abuse and harassment is not a problem that is happening in theory. It is happening on the streets of America every single day. This is not a border issue. This is not a Los Angeles issue.
This is happening right here today in places like Ann Arbor where a man was taken off the streets by mass men wielding guns. We're not talking about criminals here. We're talking about parents, legal residents, and people who have lived and worked and paid taxes in
America for decades. Immigrants and children are terrified and rightly so. We as a group have proposed that the school adopt a safe zone resolution.
This does not ask that teachers refuse to comply with the law when necessary. Instead, it gives the district a playbook to handle any potential ICE encounter. It lets teachers and officials know what their rights are. And it sends our students the message
that we are here to protect them. We will stand with them and we will create a safe space for them to continue their education. The time to adopt this resolution is now. Please, we beg you, do not delay in
your consideration and your commitment. Make a plan to put this policy into effect. Train your teacher your teachers and your faculty and send that word to everyone in our district that immigrants are valued members of our community that
we vow to fight for. [Applause] Thank you. Next up is Carol Weisner. Carol Weisner here. Good evening. My name is Carol Wesner
and I'm reading on behalf of Julie Casar who couldn't be here today. I'm a former English language development teacher at Bentley Elementary School. I am here tonight because what is happening at Bentley is not just concerning, it's dangerous. Children are being put at
risk. Teachers are being driven out and families are losing trust in this district. These are not isolated incidents. This is a pattern and it demands action. Just yesterday, a special needs student was lost for the third time while attending Bentley.
Although she was eventually found on school grounds, her mother is now living with trauma and constant fear every time she sends her daughter to school. No parent should ever have to question whether their child will be safe in the care of their school. This is not simply
a mistake. It is part of a repeated failure in leadership and accountability. I am equally concerned for the teacher and pair professionals who were with this child. These are dedicated, hardworking people who already face overwhelming challenges
every day. Yet, based on past patterns, it's far more likely they will be blamed and targeted rather than supported. This approach creates a culture of fear that drives good educators away and avoids accountability at the leadership level where it belongs. The district's
statement about this incident may sound reassuring, but it fails to acknowledge the deeper issue. This is not the first time. Students and parents have spoken up repeatedly only to have their concerns brushed aside. That erodess trust and it puts children directly in
harm's way. Staff morale has also been shattered under the current building leadership. In just a few years, more than nine teachers have either resigned or retired because of persistent harassment and bullying. I know this personally because I was one of them.
After nearly a decade of effective ratings, strong WEDA outcomes, and faithfully using our department and district approved practices, I was blindsided. After less than an hour of observation for the entire school year, I was placed on an individualized
development plan. It was degrading, unfair, and deeply disheartening, erasing years of dedication in an instant. Instead of being valued, I was treated like a problem to be pushed out. What broke my heart most was the impact of my students. All of them were English
language learners, and these students came to my school every day already facing challenges most people cannot imagine. They need stability, encouragement, and someone they could trust. They found that in me, and I found so much purpose in them. When I for when I was forced out, they didn't
just lose a teacher. They lost an advocate who knew their stories, who celebrated their progress, and who believed in their potential even when the system overlooked them. That kind of loss doesn't just disappear. It creates an instability, disrupts their learning,
and denies them the equitable education there they are legally entitled to. Leadership refuses to acknowledge this reality, but I will. It is the children, especially our most valable val vulnerable, who pay the highest price. Thank you.
Next up is Sheri Bowler. Hello. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak once again. Um, my name is Sheri Bowler from Bentley Elementary. In a letter written to a parent of a Bentley student from our superintendent, it stated that at this
time there are no allegations that meet the district threshold for placing a staff member on administrative leave. This is regarding the principal at Bentley Elementary School. What is the threshold? What more do we need? Here are the real
facts. One CI teacher left because of the principal. One Young Fives teacher left because of the principal. Two out of three kindergarten teachers left because of the principal. One second grade teacher transferred
because of the principal. One fifth grade teacher left because of the principal. Both ELEL teachers left because of the principal. One resource room teacher left because of the principal. And over 10 parros pair pros
left because you guessed it, the principal. That's 21 employees that have left and and we haven't met the threshold yet. We're con we're concerned. We know for a fact that
several teachers had told us that if the principal continues to keep his job, they will be leaving Bentley. We know for a fact that several other staff members have said that if he starts to target them like he did with the other previous teachers like myself,
they will leave. At what point do we meet the threshold for suspension? How many teachers are you willing to sacrifice for just one principal? Do you think that we are making all of this up? We're not. We
lived through it. What more do you need? What more proof? Please tell us because we will get it for you because we probably have it. We didn't We don't know if whatever you need, we will tell you and we will get it for you. I will be anxiously awaiting your response.
Thank you. [Applause] Thank you. Next up is Michelle West. I am Michelle West, a former teacher at Bentley, and I'm here to follow up what the other two teachers have talked
about. On May 13th, 2025, Bentley staff members formally addressed the board of education, sharing critical concerns regarding the workplace environment. During this presentation, the board was made aware of ongoing harassment experienced by staff under the
leadership of the current principal. The staff's testimony highlighted a pattern of behavior that has significantly affected morale, professional well-being, and the overall climate within the school. It has been 119
days since Bentley staff bravely spoke. The silence from the leadership has been devastating. The principal remains in place and the consequences have been devastating. We've lost 10 teachers. None were
planning to retire. These weren't just names on a roster. These were pillars of our school community carrying with them over 210 years of experience, dedication, and care. These are not just isolated departures. They are a direct
reflection of a broken environment. one that is driving out our most committed educators. And over the past two years, over 10 pair of professionals have also left. That's not turnover. That's exodus. Bentley is bleeding talent.
Our students are losing mentors. Our community is losing trust. And still nothing has changed. While older teachers have fast faced harassment rooted in age discrimination, several younger teachers faculty members
have also bravely stepped forward now to report serious allegations of sexual harassment involving the principal. Their courage in speaking out highlights a troubling pattern that demands immediate attention and accountability.
We are calling out to parents, not just as educators, but as members of this community who care deeply about your children. The teachers at Bentley need your support. We need you to be aware of what's happening behind the classroom
doors. This is not just a staffing issue. It's a crisis of leadership and it's affecting the quality of the education your children receive every day. When experienced, passionate teachers are driven out, students lose mentors,
consistency, and the kind of learning environment that they deserve. [Applause] Thank you. Next up is Rachel Hayes. [Music] Hello, my name is Rachel Hayes and I'm a P flag board member and a member of
Western Wayne Indivisible. On September 4th, the Michigan House of Representatives passed House Bill 4024, which requires students in public schools and universities to use bathroom or locker rooms that coincide with the gender they were assigned at birth. This
vote was split along party lines, and even though this will not pass the Senate, it is another attempt to forward Trump's fascist administration's anti-trans agenda. It is another example of focusing on what should be a non-issue instead of very real issues
that affect all children, like maybe passing funding for their schools. So, in light of this disgrace, I want to speak about the harm caused when transgender students are forced to use only genderneutral bathrooms instead of the facilities that match their gender
identity. On the surface, a separate bathroom might seem like a compromise, but in reality, it singles out transgender students, marking them as different and unwelcome. It outs them every time they walk to that one space, making them more vulnerable to bullying
and harassment. And a side note for those who do not know the definition of outing, it is the practice of revealing the sexual or gender identity of a person. So if this singling out were a reality, many trans kids would avoid using the restroom altogether, risking
their health. National surveys show that students who are denied affirming access face higher rates of anxiety, depression, absenteeism, and even physical illness. Now, a board member has told us that there are girls who say they feel unsafe sharing a bathroom with
a transgender student. These feelings are real and should be heard with compassion. We encourage discussion about this. It is important to recognize that safety concerns are based on misunderstanding, not fact. There is no evidence that allowing transgender
students to use the restroom aligned with their identity puts other students at risk. What does put students at risk is creating policies that isolate or stigmatize. The way forward is not to exclude transgender students, but to expand choice for everyone.
Genderneutral single stall bathrooms are available as an option for any student. Whether it's for extra privacy, religious reg reasons, or comfort, but they should never be the only option for transgender students. Inclusion means giving every student access to the same
spaces with the same dignity. When we protect transgender students rights, we're not taking away from anyone else. We're modeling fairness, empathy, and respect. We're teaching all of our students that differences don't make someone dangerous. Exclusion is the real danger with very real consequences. We
thank the board majority for upholding policy 5517.03, which affirms transgender students right to use bathrooms and locker rooms that match their identity while also offering private alternatives for anyone who wants them. That balance ensures safety, dignity, and belonging for all. Thank
you. And I'd like to end with a thank you to Trusty Boss for her kind and understanding letter to me. It is very much appreciated. Thank you. Thank you. Next. Next up is Mary Miller.
Good evening, members of the board and superintendent Merritt and community members. I'm Mary Miller. I'm here tonight as a proud ground grandparent of two beautiful, talented, and thoughtful grandchildren who were also students at Plymouth Canton Schools.
And as a member of Western Wayne count Wayne Indivisible, my family's legacy is rooted in civic engagement, compassion, and justice. And it's from that place that I speak tonight. I want to express my strong support for
adopting the safe zone policies to protect immigrant students from the threat of ICE action and to uphold every child's right for a safe uninterrupted education. ICE activity near schools does not
affect just affect uh immigrant families. It reverberates through the entire school community. Students of mixed status or students in mixed status families live in fear and anxiety.
Attendance declines and teachers are left to help children manage trauma that never should have entered the classroom. Even a rumor of enforcement undermines the promise of a safe of safety and belonging for every child.
According to censusreporter.com, nearly 17% of the res residents in our district are foreign born. That's double the state average. That's not just a statistic. That's our neighbors. That's our co-workers. That's our children's
classmates. Our schools must be sanctuaries of learning, not places of fear. This is why I'm urging you to adopt the safe zone resolution. Now, this sends a clear and simple message to
uh to the district that every child matters regardless of their immigration status. Elanar Roosevelt once said, "Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? in small places close to home.
Such are places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Plymouth Canton can live up to that ideal and make the schools truly safe
zones. I urge you, I won't get to all of them, but I urge you to include the following in your resolution. Provide mandatory staff training on how to respond compassionately and appropriately to immigration related concerns.
Establish clear protocols for handling law enforcement inquiries, including requiring judicial warrants and notifying legal counsel. Ensure student privacy protections so no personal information is shared without proper legal documentation.
Communicate these protections clearly to families. Thank you. Thank you. Next up is Crystal Clark or ClariS. Clark. Clark. Okay, thank you. I lost my little notepad, but um hi. I
was uh here last year and sadly I have to be back to address the same concerns that I had last year regarding my daughter Audrina who is a six-year-old first grader at Bentley Elementary School who has Down syndrome. Um she was
lost on the playground again for the third time. Um, last year when I came here and spoke with everyone, we we had a safety plan. We had ideas and we were going to do this and that and
something's not working. Um, because here we are again. And I'm just here today to really ask and pretty much beg, please get a fence at the school to protect the children. The CI program is
at Bentley. There's several classes with tons of CI students that like my daughter don't understand the safety, you know, that um the protocols that all the other students that are typical students and can understand. They don't
understand the dangers that are, you know, out there if they run off the playground, such as my daughter. Now, um, with that being said, I don't understand how this is happening again to the staff that was out there watching
her because what I was told last year is that um, they were going to take the CI classroom, they were going to have them out there by themselves so that it wasn't going to be a bunch of children out there. For whatever reason, that's not happening right now, which I'm not
even mad about because it's unfair to those children to not be able to play with everybody else. They should have the staff being able to properly watch them and ensure that they're safe. Um there's just no excuse for it. And um
uh you know the Canton dog park has this really awesome dog park where you can take your pets and they can play and they can run around and you don't have to worry about them getting loose or hit by a car or someone stealing them. So why does a dog park have a fence but we
can't have a fence for our children to be safe at the school? So, I really just plead that we can rearrange things in this budget and and make it a top priority because my god, if this happens
again, I really can't tell you like I I it just can't happen again. So please hear my my pleads and implement um you know also new new and better trained paras at the school because like they
had touched on earlier paras are coming and going. I didn't know anything about the other part of that story, but I just want staff there that are going to understand what my daughter's needs are and make sure that they meet those needs and make sure that she is safe every time she goes to school from the second
she gets there to the second that they hand her back off to me. Thank you. Thank you. Next up is Mark Clark. set this one out. She pretty much uh Okay. everything on that one. So,
all right. Thank you. Next up is Meta Mandel Reyes. And if I mispronounce it, please pretty well. Okay. I take anything close. Hello. Um I'm a district grandparent. My granddaughter just started first grade
and I want to thank you for a small thing that I think is actually connected to a big thing. The small thing is that we love to walk over to Lower uh Rouge River on the path near our house and every time we do there are all these beautiful signs, pictures made by
children in the school district. Um we love to chase where they are. Uh, we really love it. And I think that's just a teeny little illustration of how close the school district is to the community. And that's the big thing I want to talk about. I want to talk about community
values. We come before you to ask that you do everything in your power to make sure that every child at this district feels safe and feels a sense of belonging regardless of gender identity or
immigrant status or the status of their parents because that's the kind of community we want to live in. Those are our community values. Let me put this another way. Let me tell you about what happened at my dinner table last night. Yesterday was the day when the Supreme
Court said it was okay for immigration, for ICE to racially profile people, to pick them up because of the way they look, because of the way they talk, because of where they're working. Uh my
son-in-law is a Filipino immigrant who became a naturalized citizen about nine years ago. He has darkish skin. He has black hair. If you don't know that much about what Filipino looks like, he could
be taken for a Latinex, for somebody who has no right to be here. Last night, we were talking about this decision and all of a sudden I kind of looked at my daughter and I knew we were thinking the same thing. We didn't say anything. The
conversation shifted over. My granddaughter wanted to sing the new song she learned at school. I am a pizza. Very cute. But the next morning after Eugene had gone to work, my dog talked to my daughter and we were
thinking the same thing that Eugene could be picked up at any time because of the way he looks. He doesn't have an accent anymore. He's not working at a car wash, but he could be stopped. He could be picked up. That's not the kind
of community I want to be part of. That's not what it means to belong. That's not what it means to be safe. And when I say when we say we want the schools to give children a sense of safety, a sense of belonging, we're
talking out of our community values. Values that I think everybody in this room shares. Safety, belonging, part of a community, part of a school. Thank you. Thank you.
Next up is Ian Gonzalez. Uh good evening, members of the board. Uh my name is Ian Gonzalez and I work locally with End Gun Violence in Michigan to promote safe firearm storage and community education. Uh it's good to be back with you and I want to thank the board president for taking the time to
connect with me recently. I truly appreciate uh the conversation the conversation and learning more about how the board is supporting firearm safety. Uh since my last update, I've shared educational resources from BSmart and the University of Michigan with the
assistant superintendent of uh student and family engagement. And I've also been in conversation with the camp police department to coordinate outreach and expand access to free gun locks. Uh at the same time, I've run into some challenges with distribution uh of
gunlocks. and I'm exploring options through uh project child safe and other sources such as uh re re regal products uh to bring gunlocks to our schools. Um I also want to share an exciting new development. Uh the University of Michigan's Institute for Firearm Injury
Prevention has expressed interest in partnering with us to study um on a study right here in PCCS. The goal is to measure how effective it is to distribute free gun locks uh along with a campaign actively communicating secure storage through our schools. Uh
some schools would receive locks right away while others would serve as a comparison group for a short period of time. So we can clearly see whether school-based distribution changes how families store firearms at the home. Uh after the evaluation period, all schools would receive the locks. Uh if the study
shows an impact, PCCS could help set a model that other school districts across Michigan may adopt. As you know, the safe home safe schools law takes effect on October 1st. Uh the state is still finalizing the required materials, so there uh there may be a delay in what's
provided. In the meantime, we have local resources ready, and this is a great opportunity for PCCS to take adv in uh to make this project successful. We will need to build a network uh at the school level working directly with principles and school heads to plan logistics of getting locks and resources
to every school. Uh that is where your support is essential. Coordinating locks and resource oh sorry u lost my place. Um uh that is where your support is essential. Uh coordinating across schools and departments will allow us to make sure every family in the district
has access to these tools and it will show how seriously PCCS is taking this issue. Uh if PCCS takes the lead on this, the district will won't just be in compliance, it will set the standard across Michigan. Uh thank you for your time and leadership and uh commitment to
keeping our students safe. Uh I look forward to um continuing this work with you. So thank you. Thank you. This will be the last uh citizens comment for this portion. The next up is
Lori Mays. Uh, Superintendent Merritt, Vice President Sudu, members of the board and administration. I'm Lori Mayors, president of Plymouth Canton P Flag and a longtime Plymouth resident. Now that we are in the second week of the school year, I want to thank the administration
for its commitment to thoroughly train all building principles on the district's anti-bullying policies. that will include 551703 which tr which supports transgender and non-binary students. I trust that the
principles will make certain that all building staff members including security officers and bus drivers address bullying as it happens. In today's climate of federal cruelty to transgender people, immigrants, and people of color, it's critical that
school is a place of emotional and physical safety. I also want to thank member boss for her kind letters to members of our P Flag team. She told us that after hearing the stories of so many transgender students,
she has gained a deeper understanding of how important it is that they are not only accepted but supported in ways that allow them to thrive. I want to recognize her for saying that and I look forward to her ongoing support for LGBTQ
students as the school year continues. The aggression and lawlessness that is happening at the federal level is shocking. I have no doubt it will continue to get worse. So, it's disheartening to see Republicans in the legislature follow the federal example
by passing a ridiculous bathroom bill and other anti-trans member measures instead of passing a legitimate state budget that will secure money for our schools. Amidst all this chaos, thank you all for doing your jobs to help our
minority students learn in a safe environment. There's much more to be done, but we appreciate your commitment. Thanks. Thank you. Uh we have just a few more items to go and after that we will do the other I
believe it's like six, seven citizens comments. So, please stick around. We will now move on to the administrative reports and recommendations with the early middle college update. Thank you. I'm pleased to welcome Amanda
Palucas uh who will be presenting on our PCCS early middle college uh program that we offer our students. And I don't want to steal her thunder. So, uh she'll be giving some highlights of the program and uh sharing with the community what the program is all about.
Thank you so much for having me here tonight. I'm really excited to share the early middle college program that we are in our second year at the park. And as said, my name is Amanda Plucas and I am the coordinator of the program. So, what is an early middle college? It's a specialized five-year program
that motiv motivated students. It's designed for motivated students to allow them to complete both a high school diploma and an additional credential such as 60 transferable college credits, an associates degree or professional certificate. It's a structured pathway,
so students follow courses of study with a concentration in the major of their choice. It's more comprehensive than dual enrollment where students are limited to 10 courses throughout their high school career or an AP class where your credit is dependent on the passing of the exam or whatever the college
accepts for that course. So the advantage of an early middle college first it's the cost savings for our students and families. So tuition um and books are covered. And if we look at the average cost of tuition in Michigan, a community college for two years
averages five or $15,500. In State University, this does not include room and board. It's approximately $46,000. Our cost for our students is zero. So it is a significant savings for our families. It also allows career
exploration. Many college students can reconsider their field once they're in there and they've started and they don't know what to do. Early Middle College gives them the opportunity to explore these options. Helping them make decisions and decide when they're make
confident decisions when the stakes are higher. So if they start something with us realizing that it's not really what they want to do, they can move on and try something different. And I think the most important thing is the success rate. Early middle college students have
a rare two times more likely to obtain a bachelor's degree within four years of graduation. So 21% of all early middle college students are going to get their bachelor's degree as compared to 11% of students who are not part of the early
middle college. So what makes Canton's early middle college different? We have created a program that is truly an exemplary program to those in the area. It starts with the intentional support. It's a guided support all throughout the
program. There are frequent one-on-one meetings with the EMC coordinator with me. I meet monthly with our students as a group when we have a seminar meeting where we work on building um essential skills that they need for college success. We also bring in guest speakers
from local colleges and universities and I do frequent family check-in meetings. The part of our program that truly is special is the engaging academics. We have right now 13 different majors that
our students are preparing for a college. They um the programs of study are developed for each student. This truly is an individualized program. We are not a one-sizefitit all that we might see in other programs. We take each student, I sit down with them, if
we if they're interested in a program we don't have, I get on the phone with our partner colleges and we create a program for those students. So really PCCS coordinates the work done in school to uh I'm sorry, the school done in school with the careers students want after
graduation. I can't tell if it's my glasses or the uh the board that's a little bit um It's the board. It's not you. Yeah. So, I'm gonna take the glasses off. Maybe you'll be able to read it better. We also allow our students uh to
participate in the PAP activities and sports. We know that we have a a a campus like no other and with our hundreds of sport or activities and clubs in sports. We encourage them to be part of that, have the full high school experience while they are they are
aggressively um pursuing this diploma that they are receiving from the community college. They can also play sports as long as they follow the MHSA guidelines. So again, this is part of the difference. Um we have a guest speaker uh last May from University of Michigan
Ann Arbor. he came and he talked about the different opportunities that are available to our students. Talked about some different programs that are a really good fit for some of our uh majors. And then we also meet monthly. There's a group of my business students that we sat down and we um had a conversation about courses, how they
were going and and they traded some um helpful hints to each other in in pursuing their their bachelor's or I'm sorry, their associates degree in business. So when we look at the student profile expectations for our early middle college students, an ideal candidate is a self-motivated student. They have to
be prepared to navigate the college courses in a less restrictive environment. Um it's not like traditional high school. They have a lot of online classes where they have a lot of freedom. So they have to be motivated to get that work done to hit uh to hit
the timelines and to do everything that's required for passing that class. They also need the required skills either possessing or actively developing the skills like attendance, preparation, follow-through, communication, responsibility, and resilience. Things that we would expect of our our college
freshmen. And then we have a minimum requirement. It is a gradepoint average of a 2.5 and a strong attendance record. Uh those uh minimum requirements are put forth by our our partner colleges. So what does the program and timeline look like? The application opens in m
midfebruary for all current 9th and tth graders. The application does include several short answer questions for writing sample. In the acceptance process, they get a conditional acceptance from the early middle college and we send out our notifications and their final acceptance happens when they
apply to our partner college. They must be accepted by them. Then we have an advising session where students declare their major pathway of study. They meet with me. We review or select classes as according to their plan. The program length requires a commitment of an additional year after 12th grade.
We call this the associates year, the 13th year. During that time, they're going to finish all of their college coursework on campus, the college campus, and they will complete their high school approved math course for their high school credit. So, at the end of that fifth year, their graduation outcome is that they receive both their
high school diploma and their associates degree at the same time at the end of the 13th year. So, our partner colleges are Schoolcraft and Community College. And here are available programs of study. I'm I'm very proud of this. We
have a general business, a computer information systems, criminal justice with or without the police academy, advanced manufacturing, liberal arts, business administration. We also have mechatronics, supply chain management, health sciences, graphic design,
pre-engineering, elementary and secondary education. Each of the programs it whatever the major is dictates what school they will attend and what grade the program will start. So this year in our cohort we have 27
PAP students. School craft we have 15 students in business uh business administration computer science liberal arts and criminal justice. We have 10 I'm sorry 12 at 10 in our health science and two in our pre-engineering. We will
have our first EFC grad this year. Uh, one thing I want to add is that we have five students who are in an accelerated program. They will finish this program in four years. So, that is not something a student can apply for. It's when a student is accelerating and is a high
achiever. Um, we are able to create a plan for them to help them hit their goal earlier. I also have some students here with me today. to two students who wanted to talk a little bit about the early middle
college and their experiences. Yeah. Uh hello, my name is Aliana and uh this is my second year doing uh the early early middle college program. Um, one of the main reasons why I decided to do early middle college is like Miss
Paluca said, it um, saves me the financial debt. And, um, another reason why I wanted to do EMC was because it allows me to get an associates degree within my high school careers. And I think that's pretty cool. Um, one of the
fears or hesitations I had when I first um, applied to the program was that it was really new. When I was in ninth grade, there was no one in my social circle that was familiar with it. So, when I applied, it was kind of like a leap of faith, but I'm very glad that I did it because um once I got comfortable
with my classes, um any fears or hesitations I had faded away because um the classes are really nice. Um finally, uh uh the best thing about EMC is the fact that um like I said before, you're able
to get an associates degree. I think that's unlike any other program I've heard of before and I would recommend it to any student that is um that is passionate about their education just because of that. So yes, thank you.
Thank you. [Applause] Hi. Uh good evening. My name is Sanjas Atre and I'm doing my associates at schoolcraft in uh the bachelor sorry
associates in business administration and um I joined the early middle college program because I knew I was interested in a business degree. I was already in the business academy which is offered at pap. But with the business academy, they
have like conditions where you have to uh do their classes for all the four years and then you get I think I think it was about 12 credits and you have to go to Washington if you want to um get those college credits and then things
like APs and dual enrollment. I wasn't very sure about dual enrollment and with APs you don't always know if you can get that college credit. So, a program like early middle college where I could be confident that as long as I get good
grades and I can um I can like pass all my classes, I could get that college credit and then I could look at colleges that would accept most of my credits or like based on how I wanted to do it. Uh for me something that I was worried
about when I uh joined early college it was things like English classes where I was a sophomore so I wasn't sure if like college level English if I could um like if I had the necessary skills but that was not an issue. I actually right now
this semester we have English 102 so we already passed English 101 and it hasn't been difficult at all. the teachers, you can reach out to them. There's support for us with like people like Miss Palucas, our uh Schoolcraft advisors and
counselors. They're also like people that support us. So, I never had any worry that after I joined and I figured it all out, I wasn't worried that I couldn't do it. Um, my favorite thing about being in EMC is that all my
classes, uh, and I think this is like it depends on what kind of program you're in, but all my classes are asynchronous, which means that I can do them whenever I want, like wherever I want, as long as I have like a computer. And this really helps me out because I can plan around
all my extracurricular activities. So, I can join all the clubs I want to with PAP. I could even attend events at Schoolcraft and I can still get my work done. Nice. I would like to mention that both of those students are in our accelerated
track and have 4.0's at school craft. Very nice. [Applause] Any questions? Thank you. Thank you for bringing the students and students. Thank you for sharing your experiences. All right, we will open it up for
questions and we'll start on my left with member Ahmed. I have a question about how um like what I understand that the students are able to do extracurriculars and sports at PAP, but what other interactions are they
having if any with the rest of the student community at PAP? So until 12th grade, they have a combination of both high school and college courses. Okay. Once they move into 12th grade in year 13, then they are with their own cohort,
but we have our monthly meetings to make sure that they're still part of the community as well as any activities they have after school because they can still participate in any of those activities. So, till then, they still have some classes with other students school. Okay, great. Thank you.
Um, thank you for the presentation, but I do not have any questions. Thank you. All right. So, we saw the presentation in the spa committee and I have to say that I think this is a wonderful program. I hope that we see it expand as it as it goes on and matures because I
think you're still what in the second year we're in year two. Yeah. So, I think this is a fantastic opportunity for our students and I look forward to seeing it grow. Thank you. So, thank you. Thank you. I just have one question.
So if they do five years, do they walk in graduation with their class or do they walk the next year? So they have the option to walk with their 12th grade class. So they could still go to prom and do all of those senior year things and then the 13th
year then they would walk at the community college if they chose to do that. We would just hold back their diploma until year 13. Okay. Thank you. That's excellent. I also had the opportunity to be part of student performance and achievement presentation where we heard the first version of this
and u one of the questions I asked in terms of the program success which we see it growing but how do we let more families and students know about these opportunities given that these two students have shared their experiences how do we amplify that so more students
hear about it understand it have those opportunities to learn more about it and families to engage in these conversations so they can be prepared when February comes around. So we will have um several community nights, family nights, um some some virtual um some in person. We do a
partner a partner college night so they can talk directly to the colleges to answer any questions they have. And then um my cohort of students who don't know this yet, they'll be going to the middle schools to speak with the eighth graders about the early college options.
There we go. and they did a great job. So, thank you for bringing the students. Yes, they're wonderful. And for the families watching, this is a great opportunity that Plymouth Canton has started. We'd love for others to join us who are outside of our districts because I know for some time our students were going to other schools for
early middle college. Well, we have our own now. So, we're open for any family to join us for early middle college. It's a great opportunity. It is. And I just want to reiterate the um the individualized plans for students that is unlike any other program in the area.
Awesome. Thank you. Thank you. Any other last minute questions, comments? I have one. Yes. What is the capacity of the program? It is unlimited. Okay, there you go. Community, you heard that. Thank you. Let's fill this up. Yes, please.
Thank you so much. Thank you. [Applause] All right. Uh we are now going on to the second part of citizens comments and
we will start with this round. Same rules apply. Three minutes. Be respectful. Um we will not engage in a conversation here. This is your time and if there's a follow-up needed, Dr. Mayor will reach out to you. Okay. We are now
moving on to Heather Gate Gate. Again, please correct me if I mispronounce your name. Hi, I'm Heather Gatney. Gatney. Yeah. Oh, where did I miss them? And I live in the district with uh both of my kids and I am here tonight to
thank each and every one of you for the action that you have taken for our students. At the last schoolboard meeting, I stood here and asked you all to act. I asked you to ensure that our teachers and staff receive training on anti-bullying and anti-harassment
policies with an emphasis on protecting our queer students. I am sincerely grateful that you not only listened, but responded with meaningful action. Last week, a school leader reached out to let me know that the district has developed a plan to
train teachers and staff on all three anti-bullying policies. Yeah, this means the world not just to me and my family, but to every student who just needed to know that their school community will stand up for them.
I know you're working under many constraints like the fact that we still don't have a state budget to fund schools going forward. Yet, even in the midst of all this chaos, you chose to make protecting kids from harassment a priority.
It's a step that will make a difference in the lives of countless students, especially queer students who have previous previously felt unseen and unsupported. I also want to say that your decision to prioritize staff training demonstrates
true leadership because in this climate when so many districts are facing uncertainty around these issues, it takes real courage to act in the best interest of the kids regardless of the pressures. You put the
well-being, safety, and inclusion of every student first. That's not just a moral commitment. It sends a powerful message to students, families, and our wider community that every child is valued and supported
without exception in this school district. Your decision to train teachers and staff on all three anti-bullying policies sets the tone for the whole year. Not just for teachers and staff, but for students and parents like me.
Just knowing that administrators are serious about safety and will stand behind teachers who do the right thing gives us all hope and reassurance. Thank you again for your time, for your empathy, and your willingness to lead on these
important issues. So, thank you. [Applause] Thank you. Next up is Michelle Mustakas. It's a very good pronunciation.
Got practice. Took me a long time to learn that one. Thanks. Hi, good evening. My name is Michelle Mustakis. I am an 11-year resident of Canton and a member of Western Indivisible.
I put my glasses on. I missed the first two meetings of this school year and I want to take this opportunity now to welcome everybody back and to hope that you all had a restful and great summer.
You certainly earned it, deserved it, and you'll need it for this next coming year. I'd intended tonight to talk about our local indivisible group and our support for the board in their efforts to protect all students and also to correct some misconceptions that one of
the board members has about our group. But that is a talk for normal times. These are not normal times. I scrapped that talk yesterday after the heinous ruling by the six members of the Supreme Court after they handed it down. Some
people call them the conservative members, but there's nothing conservative about shredding our constitution. Basically, as has already been said, this decision legalizes racial profiling and allows ICE to stop
anyone that they decide is suspicious. This overturns numerous lower court decisions and years of precedents. It is cruel. It is terrifying. It is unamerican. So, why are we talking about this? this at a school board meeting
because as Ma said, what impacts our communities impacts our children and that impacts our schools. We are not in the middle of some lily white Midwestern small community. We have a large
population that is wonderfully diverse. Some 15 to 17% of us are not USORN. And that makes us a target. A target of our own government. How unamerican can you get? Just think of the impact. Maybe
not on us of European descent, but for example, what about a new and anime? I'm singling them out because that's what's going to happen. They'll be singled out. They'll get pulled over for no reason by mass people dressed in
fatigues and carrying guns. even if they're let go, what impact does that have on any children that might be in their car? And it's already happening here as people have already said. So, what can we do? We can start with adopting the safe zone resolution and
policy that Western advocated for last year. We provided copies of a sample resolution and policy for the district to consider. We had some great feedback from the district about their intent to protect our immigrant students. But at 10, intent is not enough. We need to get
feedback on how the district intends to move forward on this resolution. Our families are frightened. What is going on is not normal. We need to reassure these families that we stand with them. Thank you. Please adopt the resolution. Thank you.
Next. Next up is Christopher Voss. Hi, I'm Christopher Voss, father of nine. Had a couple kids go through the district. Um, tonight, good evening, members of the board and administration. I'm here tonight to speak about an issue
that been frustrating for many students, parents, and community members. Our bands absence from athletic events. Recently, visiting teams have brought their own bands, while our own students who have brand new uniforms that I
believe cost over $100,000 have not been there to support our own teams. That's not only disappointing, it's a missed opportunity for our community. Traditionally, bands were created to foster school spirit and support athletics. Somewhere along the
way, we've shifted our focus more for competitions, and we're losing the original purpose to have a band. Our band has a potential to be a shining star for this district, building school spirit and bringing everyone together and not just focusing on trophies. The
students want to perform. The community wants them there. Athletics has tried to find solutions, but the continued refusal to participate has become an embarrassment. We're not asking for a full halftime show every week. Just a pep band or something in the stands
playing a few songs that would make a huge difference to our athletics. I just want to say we don't need endless committees or surveys. This, I think, is an easy lift. We don't need another rubric or other studies to be done. We just need action. This is something that
we can't wait on. The season will be over before we know it. We need to act quickly and make this happen now. I think it's a no-brainer. We just need to ensure that our band is visible, active, and celebrated, not sidelined. Thank you.
Thank you. Next up is Sebastian Oster. Oh yeah. Okay. Uh yeah, just thank you everyone for coming out. I also wanted to thank Oops. the board. Okay, this works a little bit tall. I also wanted to thank the board uh also all the
members of the policy committee and the current board. Uh although unfortunately I think two people are missing but otherwise nonetheless I wanted to thank the board for approving at least on the first reading the revisions to policy 2414. Uh this is a very very important policy in that it states very clearly
that this district will not step into any controversial issue specifically the issue of abortion. Uh that is something that I think that we can do as a district. We can make it very clear that this is not going to be something that our district that our teachers our employees our faculty are going to touch and that will allow the families to make
the decisions about this issue themselves. Uh this is very important. Uh I'm not sure if anyone has heard but in Virginia uh there's right now a colonel investigation into a high school which actually is the least of the problems. Uh the biggest problem is actually just the optics of it is the
fact that uh there were allegations that staff were helping students to get abortions without parents ever knowing about it and they were even funding the abortions using district dollars. Now of course that happened in Virginia. It's not Michigan and it's not us here. Uh and by passing this uh this revision of
the policy, you're both uh making a statement that this is never going to happen here, but you're also making a statement to the district that uh you know, education is about protecting and supporting and guiding kids to become the next, you know, they are the future generations. uh and it's very very
important because when we when other districts when other groups have in the past tried to kind of uh use education as a means of trying to advance their own agenda things don't end up very well at all and especially when we it comes to an issue like this I mean there are
many controversial issues out there in the world but this is on probably one of the most controversial period u because I mean there are many different opinions on it but at the end of the day and I would I would submit to you that every single successful abortion there unsuccessful ones, but every successful
abortion ends in a dead baby. And the fact that we're saying as a district, we will not have anything to do with this. It is a step of courage, especially in today's society. Um there are many places that are very much pushing ahead with the agenda that okay, we're going to make sure that young people uh
regardless of what their parents may know what's best for them or what or anything, we're going to give them all these different things. uh and then years later when they re regret it or even worse if they die during the procedure um we're not we don't we're not legally responsible for it. Uh and
that is a danger that the Virginia district chose to make. Uh that is a a risk they chose to take. But by standing up and saying we will not do this. You are making a very positive impact on the community and you are making it clear that never will we ever do this. Uh because we not only respect parents but
we respect each and every single child born and unborn. So, I just want to say thank you for everything that you've done uh and for everything that you're continuing to do and thank you. Thank you. Next up is Rachel
Mod. It's Hoover. Mover. Sorry about that. Okay. Uh, thank you for hearing me out tonight. I've been asked to come speak since February and because of my work,
I've been struggling to get in. Um, this is regarding the revision of uh 2414. Um, thank you for your vote tonight. Um, I would like to speak about the disciplinary policies for this and other policies in Plymouth Canton.
So, a little bit of my background. I'm a teacher. I am pursuing a master's in education administration. In elementary school in PCCS, I along with my classmates were called names by our teacher in front of classmates. In middle school, a teacher was open with
the class about her fertility issues. That was not in the curriculum. Uh, in middle school, a teacher also threw books at two students and nothing was done about it. In high school, a teacher was open with the class about a personal medical issue that had to do
with creating their own family. Um, all throughout school, teachers have publicly sworn and um made demeaning jokes, thinking that this is a way to bond with students and to relate to them on their level. Um, as a student teacher, I witnessed another student
teacher also share some political views with another student regarding voting for the next president. Um, throughout my education, I've been subject to viewing my co-workers and my
mentors uh sharing their personal, political, medical stories with children between the ages of 8 and 18. And although all of these are against policy and you have all written disciplinary action for these, the
teachers go against them anyway. When it comes to 2414, all I can imagine is that there are going to be teachers who also ignore this one. I've seen it. They ignore the policies believing that disciplinary action is not going to be very strict because of the teacher
shortage. The worst that is going to happen is a slap on the wrist. And then they all know that replacing a teacher is quite difficult. This past year, I was my students fourth ELA teacher in the year because the students knew that if teachers talked about specific
topics, they would be subject to disciplinary action in my charter school and they purposely tried to get the teachers to talk about these topics so that they could be kicked out, fired, replaced. Again, this happened three times leading to my employment.
I am pleading that there is some stricter disciplinary action for teachers who just ignore the rules. It can be difficult. I understand because you already have the disciplinary action and this is a choice that teachers are making when it comes to the policies
like this abortion one and others. But it might be time to revisit this disciplinary action and make it a little bit more strict. Thank you. Thank you. Next up is Garia Gutier.
Am I close? No, it's Chila Gut. It's a Hungarian name. Chila Gout. Yes. Yes. It's pronounced like a c like cheese. Thank you. Yeah. You're welcome. And this is Alana Strager. Welcome. She's my former colleague at
Ford and she she and I have teamed up together to host an event and I thought uh we should bring this to um the Plymouth Canton School Board. The our goal is for an introduc to introduce and
bring awareness to the community about the human trafficking issue here in the Plymouth Canton area. A little background, I hosted an A21 um freedom walk last October in Plymouth
Township Park and this year they have a new venue so you don't have to walk. It's basically a watch party. So, uh, I Alana and I met with the Plymouth, uh, township police chief and the Plymouth
Township Assistant Police Chief and had a conversation about human trafficking and here just locally and uh, we asked how many human trafficking incidences they had locally here
in Plymouth. So, pop quiz, where's U where's Michigan? uh ranked in human trafficking in the US. Does anybody know? We're the seventh from the bottom in the
whole country. We have the biggest problem. Okay. There's only six states that are worse than us. Let's put it that way. Uh what letter grade did Michigan receive on their report card for human trafficking? This is from the human
trafficking commission here. The Michigan Human Trafficking Commission. They had a mixer on Wednesday. What do you guys think? We got an F. Prevention and training is also a
straight F. So, I'm happy to share these materials with with you. And then what was the number of incidences you think here in Plymouth Township in one week? um two two incidences in one week. One was the
night before. So, we'd like to give you a little background. We'd like to um we I mentioned we attended the mixer with the human Michigan Human Trafficking Commission in Lancing and we're hosting an A21 global freedom
summit. It's a watch party. It's a one-hour event. and we're interested in um the following groups are interested in more information from us from the A21 organization. The Michigan Human Trafficking Commission asked for more
material. Human trafficking uh the Michigan Attorney General asked for more information. The Michigan State Police uh director also asked for more information and Vista Maria's CEO also asked for more information. So, our
goals are to increase awareness about human trafficking, partner with PC uh Plymouth U PAP to host a global freedom summit watch party. [Applause]
Next up is Carol Pish. I believe am I the last one? You are. last but not least. Hey, my name is Carol Ponish. I'm really from Northville, but just right across
five miles. So, people in my neighborhood actually go to PCCS, but um I'm here well, I'm also a member of Western Wayne Indivisible and P Flag and um but that's not why I'm here. I'm here because I spent the day the day today in
Lancing um with the Michigan Climate Summit. It's an annual meeting that brings together advocates, professors, experts in the field um trying to address climate change and and the risks and the um and the dangers that it that
is create has is creating. Um so they had uh talks on every um everything you can think of. Um, but I went to one talk this afternoon and this woman from the state of Michigan was talking about a grant to purchase um for school
districts to purchase uh electric buses. And do does um does Plymouth Canton have electric buses right now? Zero. How many you have none? Zero. So anyway, you can get up to seven well up to 90% paid for
a bus and the grant expires in December. So, if you don't be apply for this grant before um December, it's that money is going to be gone. But they have millions of dollars. I mean, if you apply, it's very likely that you will get an electric bus. And um this lady even went
on to say um that electric buses, you get more money if you're um busing students with special needs. Um, I'm not sure why that is, but 70% for most districts, but 90 if you have if you have um free and reduced lunch program.
It depends. You can go into this website. I'm going to tell you it right now. It's www.mapt.org and you can actually go in and crunch numbers and see how much your district is going to be available or could be available to you. Um but one interesting thing she said that um when you're in a
electric bus it's very quiet and students with uh special needs autism um do very well when there's a quiet environment and they they're ready when they get to school they're better prepared because they they're calmer but anyway anyway good luck with your uh I
hope you apply for it I'm going to take it to Northville too so um just kind of a nice thing thank you thank you for caring Right. [Applause] We are now moving on to discussion. Uh
this is the Michigan Association of School Boards Delegate Assembly. Um my colleagues, I just want to let you know we have Plymouth Canton given its size gets four seats at the Michigan Association of School Board delegate assembly. We have an annual conference,
annual leadership conference coming up in October. Um I know I am going uh President Christensen and Dr. Mayor will be there for one day doing a panel discussion and I know President Christensen has asked all of you board members to say if you're interested send
her an email um so we can get the logistics going. But the discussion for today is who would like to be one of the four delegates for the delegate assembly because we have to do a resolution and we have to get that done. Diane, give me
could you please give me the deadline for that? Uh October 2nd. So we'll have the resolution on the next board meeting. Okay. So if you want to think about it, please uh you can do so up until the next board meeting. If you have any questions, uh, you can look up MASB
delegate assembly online. They will give you a lot of information and by next board meeting, we should have the final names to submit for the resolution. And again, reach out to President Christensen or I if you have questions. Any questions on that?
Can you remind us of the dates? I believe the delegate assembly is on a Thursday night and it's 7 to 900 p.m. Sometimes they go over um you know October 23rd. So that's the
start of the annual leadership conference but it starts with the delegate assembly and there are some preessions that if you wanted to go to some uh workshops and then the conference itself starts Friday morning if you want to stay for the conference. it is in Trevor City. Given if you're going to be staying till 9 or 10 for the
delegate assembly and stay the night, you could do a one day or two day uh workshop session or attend the conference. Okay. All right. Next, next we're moving up to follow-up
board discussions. Uh I don't have any notes from President Christensen in terms of do we have any follow-up questions from our last meeting? No, we do not. Okay. Do we have any follow-up questions from this meeting that we need to provide Dr. Merritt with so we can get answers? I have a couple questions.
Sure. Um I'm interested to know the the P flag group. They have talked about the training that has happened for principles and I'm hoping teachers. I'm wondering, are we
making an effort to also train bus drivers and coaches? Okay, good question. Um, and I am also wondering um when our staff raises questions about
workplace bullying, are we what process are we taking? Are there protections for them in place? what is happening for them. Okay. So, we can um ask Dr. Mayor to
send us policy and information about how that is addressed. Okay. Okay. And then I'm also um wondering about the the child who was um
lost. Yeah. Um like could we as a board go and see the school and see what needs to happen to get fencing or um you know what needs to happen so this doesn't happen again to this little girl
or any of the children in our district. Right? So safety is uh the number one priority for the board for the superintendent and everyone in every building. Um, so typically what happens when there are citizens comments, we do not respond because it is Dr. Merritt's
job to do the research to find what is happening and get us the facts. The board does not engage in those things. So I will give Superintendent Merritt an opportunity to do the investigation. She will provide the board something in writing and then from that point we can
ask Dr. Merritt um any further questions. But I want the public to know that we don't engage in a conversation because we don't have all the facts. We don't have all the information. But you will get a follow-up from Dr. Merritt or someone on her team for the issues that
you addressed. So do know that there is communication that gets followed up. So okay, thank you Jennifer. [Applause] Um, if you have questions outside of today's meeting, uh, please email this
to Dr. Merritt and President Christensen. And anything else that you feel like you want to follow up on, um, please send that to Dr. Merritt and President Christensen. Okay, let's we are at the end of our actual business meeting
at 8:38. We will take a fivem minute recess before we do our workshop on the board goals. Again, all of you are welcome to stay and listen to our deep discussions about our board goals.