Board of Education - Regular Meeting

I now call this regular meeting of the Board of Education to order at 7:32 p.m.. I would like to remind everyone that some of our meeting presenters may participate via zoom. Uh, also, we're trying to make a recording, so if you all can please try to, um, watch yourself in terms of volume, we want everyone at home to be able to hear as well. Uh, thank you. Uh, Mr.. May we have a roll call, please? I'm sorry. Did you. I didn't hear you. I'm so sorry. Trustee Baskette. Yes. President Feaster here. Trustee Muhammad here. Trustee. Schmidt. Present. Trustee. Wilkerson. Trustee. Wilkins. Vice president. Wilkes. Present. Thank you, Mr. Luzinski. I would now like to introduce the non-voting member at the table. Jaz parks, superintendent of schools. Good evening. Trustees. You have received the agenda. Is there a motion to approve the agenda? So move. Move by by Vice President Wilkes. Second reported by Trustee Schmidt and the discussion trustees. Any discussion? Seeing none, Mrs. Sanski, please. Get Jesse biscuit. President Feaster. Yes. Trustee. Muhammad. Yes. Trustee. Schmidt. Yes. Trustee. Wilkins. Yes. Vice president. Wilkes. Yes. Motion carries. Thank you, Mr. Luzinski. That now brings it down to the public commentary portion of the meeting. The board would like to remind everyone that individuals who have to the public commentary will have their name called and will be given the opportunity to speak. Commenters will receive up to four minutes, and the public commentary period will be limited to 45 minutes. When your name is called, please come forward and speak at the microphone to help manage your time. A clock will be placed on the screen in front of you. We would like to remind everyone that public comments generally pertain to our public school district matters. Comments about any individual or individuals are expressly prohibited. Also, please understand that board members

do not respond to public comments, but we will listen carefully and follow up as appropriate. And see how many times we have for this evening. We have 15 this evening, and in the 45 minutes each person will get three minutes. Thank you. Mr.. The first is Angela Berkeley. Hello. Hi, I'm Angie Berkeley. I live in Ann Arbor. I have two students at Pioneer High School, and they've been in the AAPs since kindergarten. I'm also a writing teacher at the U of M and have been since 2006. And I come here to speak to you as both a teacher and a parent, to urge you to avoid incorporating generative AI tools into the curriculum, as was suggested at the last board meeting. Here is a quote from the public significance statement attached to an article documenting original research, investigating what happens when students use AI chatbots in a series of large scale human experiments involving arithmetic and reading comprehension, we find that AI assistance improves immediate performance, but comes at a heavy cognitive cost. After just ten minutes of AI assisted problem solving. People who lost access to the AI performed worse and gave up more frequently than those who never used it. I, for one, do not want our AAPs students to be paying this kind of heavy cognitive cost while they are completing their formative years of education. When ChatGPT came along in 2022, I was cautiously optimistic. I talked about it endlessly with my students, about the ethics and the potential. I tried incorporating it into early drafting and brainstorming activities, and I was underwhelmed by the results. Most of all, because it was so clear to me that any writing task I could assign to them, they would have a much greater benefit from doing it themselves, rather than farming it out to a chatbot. Writing is difficult and slow, just like

building muscle is difficult and slow. Both are about practice and development, and my kids excellent Ela teachers already assign them reading and writing work that helps them engage in a genuine writing process of practice and development. I know that my kids feel a sense of ownership and pride in the work they do in their Ela classes, and I know it's helped them feel more confident and ready to do more challenging work in the future. It turns out that school is not magic. Unlike the title of an AI tool that we're thinking about incorporating. Nor should it be the kinds of benefits that my kids have gotten from their work here in the apps do not happen for students who are regularly using Llms. More and more researchers are finding this, and I've seen it myself. Now that I'm teaching students who have had easy access to ChatGPT throughout their high school years. I know that lots of people will say, well, they're using it anyway. We have to use them. We have to teach them how to do it responsibly. We have to educate them about it. And yes, they are using it. And in my experience, which includes reading hundreds of students essays since 2022, I can tell you that by and large, they're using it as a massive shortcut around the kind of work that we want to encourage them to do. Students are under pressure. They're overscheduled and overwhelmed. Sometimes feeling underprepared. So to turn to a tool that they know cannot be reliably detected, they can finish an assignment in minutes. It's just too tempting. But what I've just described about the difficulty.. I appreciate your time. Thank you. Thank you. Carolyn Hutchinson. Carolyn Hutchinson.

What's coming? Hello. Good evening everyone. I'm Carolyn Hutchinson, and I am a current sophomore at Pioneer High School. I'm here today to show my support for our teachers, and I hope to convince you that our teachers deserve a better contract. As I'm sure you all know. According to the official Ann Arbor Public Schools website, the district has had to cut approximately $25 million from the 2024 2025 operating budget to comply with the State and Board of Education requirements. These budget cuts have not only heavily impacted subjects like the arts and less valued sports, but also our teachers. Our district is one of the lowest paid districts in the state, and it's not just affecting the teachers in their families, it's affecting everyone. The poor compensation of our teachers is also affecting students and the many opportunities that are given to help us. As a student at pioneer, I've experienced the amazing kindness and support of our teachers. Even if I'm not in their class. These outstanding teachers all work really hard to make their sure their students understand their content. This includes staying after hours just to help students who might be struggling. Allowing students to be in their rooms during lunch and lead in clubs, all of which they don't get paid for. Their extra efforts are appreciated, but they are there already on lower wages and from the financial budget cuts. In other words, they quite literally do not get paid enough for this since the teachers have been working without a contract, the the teachers have started to cut the extra time that they give to their students. I can no longer sit in the teacher's rooms during lunch. If I miss a test, I have to make it up during class time and miss the

lesson for the day. Losing valuable time in the classroom. Some people might also ask why eating in the lunchroom in in the teachers rooms is so important to me. It's because of how crowded and overstimulating the cafeteria gets during lunch, especially at pioneer. Even with only underclassmen, there's hundreds and hundreds of people in there. It's not only a problem for people with sensory issues, but it's also many of my friends without them have refused to eat in the lunch in the lunchroom as well. I have heard many experiences of people being affected by this. In my last year of middle school, there were a whole list of staff who were laid off because the district simply couldn't pay them. In my last week of eighth grade, I helped my English teacher set up a goodbye party for all of the staff that were leaving. I remember seeing names of some of my favorite staff members who were no longer being paid for their job. Last year I remember asking my English teacher why he didn't have tissues in his room, and he told me that if he wanted to, he would have to cut into his own salary, which was already low. I already knew that a teacher's salary was very low at this point, but this was so surprising to me that it had become this bad. Thank you. Thank you very much. June, he. Hello, my name is Junie and I'm a sophomore at community. And I also split to Huron in the afternoons. Teachers have done so much for us students, at least for me and my siblings. They have always been there to support me. My parents chose to immigrate from China to Michigan specifically because of Ann Arbor's education system and growing up. Teachers have

always been there to support my family. My parents didn't get an education above the age of high school, so me and my siblings will be the first in our family to graduate high school in college, and without that, without those teachers that were there, we wouldn't have been able to do it. So why are we not making their care worth it? My siblings are all older than me. From five years to 15 years, and growing up I saw that they, their teachers did so much for them. And my parents always said that we should take advantage of our great education system in Ann Arbor. But why do we expect teachers to do so much support when you're pinching their time and their money? I go to HS and on the third floor in the teacher's lounge, there is a sign that says how many days the teachers have not been working or working without a contract. Recently has passed 100 days, as you guys know. And today is day 106. Walking past. I feel really hopeless because I want to do something great with my life and without our teachers, I can't build a solid foundation for a career and or even an internship. Teachers of the foundations for everything, whether it's learning how to tie my shoes with bunny ears in kindergarten or playing bassoon in middle school, or even learning ASL in a community. But the most important thing they've taught me is what's right and wrong, and what's unfair and fair. It is unfair that our teachers are not getting paid for their time, and they should get fair contracts. I urge you to give the teachers what they deserve because they are changing

lives. Thank you so much. Angela Prince. Good evening, I'm Angela Galati, prince pioneer graduate and pioneer parent. I spoke here on Sorry on August 8th and I want to thank Superintendent Parks for her strategic planning commitment and Mr. Britton for agreeing to meet. I truly look forward to it. I'd like to start with a frame. Compensating our teachers fairly is the best thing we can do for our kids education. The current pay dispute is affecting students canceled activities and teachers working second jobs. The fastest way back to focusing on education is to resolve the underlying compensation problem. And the data shows that we have the means to do it. Here are three points, some of which have already been discussed. First, AAPs has consistently underinvested in teachers. Today, a teacher at the top of the saline salary schedule earns $11,500 more per year than the same teacher here. There is no denying that we're asking our teachers to make a sacrifice, but it's unclear why. Because as my next finding shows, it's not a revenue problem. AAPs receives 21% more general fund revenue per student than the average of the peers mentioned early earlier, which is roughly 50 million more dollars a year. Some have mentioned during the budget session that part of the revenue is restricted, but these figures are apples to apples across every district, as it's general fund comparisons. So we have the money. Why the sacrifices? It is because over the years, our budget has prioritized other things. Since 2018, our priorities have been directed outside the classroom, with instruction growing only 16% and non instructional support growing 36%. Purchased services 42 and ops and maintenance 44.

There was discussion tonight that we contract out services like transportation that other districts run in house. And that might be true. But either way, that money's going to things that aren't in the classroom. And the analysis to show that in-house would cost more has never been revealed publicly. The question that we keep asking is, why are we asking our teachers to make these sacrifices? My educated guess is that we have let the budget plan itself. I believe the I believe the lack of a compensation philosophy has led us to where we are now. And I'd like to formally propose that the board authorize a Citizens Finance Advisory Committee to help the district develop and implement a philosophy of budgeting. Our teachers. First, this committee would consist of 6 to 8 community members with relevant financial backgrounds. Meeting regularly with the CFO to review spending patterns and benchmark against peers, we can figure out how to pay our staff competitively. This committee could also help address budgeting discipline over time. This board has been here before. Difficult cuts have been made before, but without a standing oversight body, those savings don't reliably hold, and we have evidence of that. Recently. This committee would be accountable to help ensure that sacrifices today actually deliver the outcomes promise for tomorrow. And it would give the community most effective teachers, parents, students a seat at the table, not just 4 or 3 minutes at the microphone. This could be stood up quickly. It costs nothing. Let budget let's budget teachers first so we can get back to educating our kids. Thank you. Sonia Chawla. Good evening, trustees and Superintendent Parks. As you know, I'm a parent of two children in APS. I've been here before. I also have a bachelor's degree in brain and

cognitive science and a master's and a PhD in psychology, focusing on child development. I have 17 years of research experience in neurobehavioral development, language acquisition, and early predictors of academic performance. I now work in scientific ethics and integrity lately with a substantial focus on ethical use of generative AI. I provide professional development and and am involved with a National Science Foundation funded project on generative AI use. In short, I have a deep understanding of child development, how AI works, and how AI can be productively used. Last week, Doctor Kallstrom and an impressive trio of high school students presented on the potential adoption of AI and AAPs. Much of what they said is consistent with the guidance that I give. However, there are some major concerns with their plan. First and foremost, where are teachers in this? Our teachers have the expertise both in age appropriate pedagogy and in working with our specific children, that is needed to inform the plan. And most importantly, its rollout. They need to be partners in developing curriculum around AI and incorporating AI into the curriculum without their collaboration. And I mean true partnership, not just input. Any implementation of AI will do far more harm than good to our students. Our teachers also need professional support and planning time to make these curricular changes. How will this happen? When the proposed to includes a substantial reduction in critical planning time? One of the rationale number two, one of the rationales for incorporating AI into the APS curriculum is that our students are already using it. So we should teach them how. That argument is reductive. Our students are comprised of thousands of individuals ranging in age from 4 to 18, with a wide variety of strengths and challenges. The plan involves introducing AI at a rudimentary level in third through fifth grades. Most children at this age are still beginning readers. Middle school and early high school students are just learning critical thinking skills, constructing persuasive arguments, and how to evaluate sources of information. All skills that need to be well

developed before being able to use AI effectively, especially when the evidence shows that AI overuse leads to reduced or underdeveloped critical thinking skills. Doctor Kallstrom also mentioned human the loop requirements, which is best practice. However, those humans in the loop must already have the content knowledge required in a depth and added depth that they can reliably identify what is accurate and what is not. Human in the loop is mostly useless if these humans do not have the expertise to tease apart truth from hallucinations and bias. You can teach anyone where they might find inaccuracies, but content knowledge is required to know what is and is not inaccurate. I'll leave the social emotional, data security, legal issues, bias training data, and environmental and financial costs due to a lack of time tonight. Ah, is AI out there? Yes. Are our children using it? Some are. Does the district have to force it onto our schools before addressing community concerns and meaningfully, including teachers who know our students as learners best? Absolutely not. Thank you. Kristen. Kristen Glassner. Good evening. My name is Kristen Glassner, and I'm the parent of a kindergartner at King Elementary. I also hold a PhD in higher education from the University of Michigan School of Education. And in my professional life, I work with limited income students and students who are the first in their family to attend college. Tonight, I'm here representing, screen wise, Ann Arbor, a coalition of parents, teachers and community members who believe technology should be used intentionally to serve our children's learning. Screen wise started with a focus concern smartphones in schools. Since September, we've collected over 1100 signatures from parents, teachers and community members across 27

schools in support of a belt policy. But tonight, I'm here to raise broader issues with respect to technology in schools. These issues are now front and center with first screen wise and arbor. We watched the Chromebook refresh for third through fifth graders, approved on March 25th, and the AI Working Groups presentation on April 8th for district wide generative AI rollout introduced, in our view, without adequate grounding and what the research actually says in both instances, we've heard concerns from dozens of parents who feel like AAPs is prioritizing technology over teachers. 1 to 1 devices are doing more harm than good, and that the district should seek more input before rolling out AI across the district. As a higher education scholar and parent, I'm asking for the same standard we'd apply to any educational intervention evidence, transparency, and genuine community input before implementation, not after the burden of proof falls on AAPs administration to clearly show us evidence that edtech programs like Dream Box, Lexia and Magic School AI improves student learning outcomes. The goal of this district should be equal access to high quality learning, excellent teaching, rigorous coursework, and in-person learning opportunities. When devices and edtech programs stand in for those things. We accept a limited definition of equity. The research is clear when screen time goes up. It's low income students who suffer the most. A Chromebook or an AI tool is not the same as a great education, and we should not conflate the two. The evidence for generative AI is as a learning tool is thin, contested, and in some cases genuinely alarming. Which brings me to two direct questions for Superintendent

Parks. First, and most importantly, is the district planning to move forward with the AI Working Groups framework administratively, or are you bringing it to this board for review and approval? And second, we've heard mention that there are plans for parent engagement and feedback about AI. We're also aware that parent input is part of the upcoming strategic planning process. Will you engage parents in their feedback regarding AI? We need to be involved in this conversation. Thank you. Thank you. Cody Ann Hall. Cody Ann Hall. Good evening. My name is Cody Ann and. I'm a student at here on high school. And I have. some things to say. Teachers do much. More than teach lessons. Teach lessons. They stay after school to tutor students, run clubs, and help kids who are struggling. Clubs and extra help matter because they give students support and confidence. When teachers don't have a new contract, that support disappears. The extra time gives students clubs, tutoring and afterschool help. It's one of the first things to go. Another important point is that students are the ones speaking up. Teenagers shouldn't have to advocate for support in schools. They should be focused on learning and being kids. The fact that students and even former students feel the need to come here and speak shows up. How shows how much teachers matter, do better. Than. Ben Szymanski. Hi. Good evening. My name is Ben Szymanski. I'm the parent

of two Hazel huskies. Um, I, um. My daughter, who is in fifth grade, has had four of her five past teachers leave the Ann Arbor Public School District for jobs elsewhere because they cannot be paid fairly here in Ann Arbor. I'm disappointed, and I'm asking the school board to, you know, have a fair contract for our teachers that can keep our best teachers here in the district. Um, we moved here in 2018. My wife had had a great experience in Ann Arbor public Schools growing up, and we moved back in part because of that. And it's a decision we're reconsidering. It's very unfortunate. And I'm beyond frustrated that these teachers have been working for the past several months without a contract, and that this contract negotiations have been going on for so long, and that they are not being paid fairly effectively with other districts, and that the proposed contract could lead to increased class sizes, cuts and specials. These negotiate a fair contract that pays our teachers what they're worth. Thank you. Thank you. Andrea Huang. That one more time. Andrea Huang. Hi, all. Good evening. My name is Andrea Huang. Along with being a parent to children at Waynes Elementary and Forsyth Middle School, and also the community building and learning manager at Embrace Race, a national nonprofit that creates resources and training for parents and educators who are looking to raise children for thoughtful, informed, and brave about race. We work with

leading researchers around the nation, translating the most recent research on children's racial learning development into best practices for caregivers. Whether educators in the classroom or parents at home. I'm here tonight as a parent and professional, to state that the contract offered to the teachers union is untenable, unsustainable, and will lead to a downward trajectory for the district. Research has made it extremely clear that fair compensation for teachers, class sizes and an overall supportive environment for teachers lead to one greater academic achievement by students to teacher satisfaction and retention, and three, a more equitable environment for students that represent our most marginalized communities in society. I'm happy to share several research articles for you. If you're looking for that, I encourage you, district leadership, to go back to the drawing board and encourage you to prioritize teacher compensation, not operations and maintenance, not purchase services, and not salaries of administrators. Thank you for your time. Joan Beaupre. Hello. Good evening. Thank you for allowing me to share tonight. I have three children in the Ann Arbor Public School system to a pioneer high school, and one entering tap in next year. We moved back to Ann Arbor a few years ago, and one of the driving factors in coming back was the quality of education here. Recently, we have heard discontent and decreased morale from teachers and most recently, our students have been directly affected by teachers leaving the district for better pay and benefits. Cancellation of clubs and activities, and office hours. And collectively, this is

heavily impacting our college bound students experiences, access to resources and support. Looking at the pay gaps compared to nearby districts and increasing health care premiums, it is very apparent why teachers are leaving or negotiating for better terms. I come here to support our teachers and advocate for our children's education, and ask the Board of Education and the district leadership to be transparent. Uphold your promises to prioritize our teachers. Close the pay gap with the comparable districts so we attract high quality teachers and invest in retaining the exceptional educators our students currently depend on. Thank you. Susan Zink. Good evening. Thank you for having me. My name is Susan Zink and I'm an APS parent. I have three children currently enrolled in the district, one at Tappan Middle School, two at Bruns Park Elementary. We've been an APS family since fall of 2019 and lived in Ann Arbor since 2014. I commented at the last General Board of Education meeting on April 8th as well. I spoke in support of our APS educators and the amazing work that they do every day with and for our children. However, these same educators are still working without a contract because APS financials are in such a state that we can't afford to pay them competitively. I've been working with a dedicated team of parents, many with finance backgrounds, throughout the district, on a teacher's first initiative to get our district spending under control and fix

our financial priorities. Our findings support what many of us have known to be true for years now. APS is a well-funded district that has been choosing over a long period of time to not invest that money into the very heart of our schools. The people directly educating our children. Now we're at a point where educator morale is at an all time low, and I'm worried every day that our schools are going to lose more experienced, dedicated staff to other districts. I hope that the community turn out tonight, both on site and those streaming the meeting at home shows how many people care about the future of APS. Now is the time to make a change before our students are further impacted. Other speakers have advocated for a Citizen's Finance Advisory Committee to help the district develop and implement a philosophy of budgeting. For teachers. First, I want to show my support for this idea. I think it would go a long way in proving to our community that the Board of Education and AAPs administrators value the community that they serve. I truly believe that we can be the strong, amazing school district that we once were, but none of us can do it alone. We all need each other and now is the time to come together and make it happen. Thank you for your time this evening. Thank you. Caitlin Smeed. Good evening. My name is Caitlin Smeed and I am an APS parent. I'm here tonight because obviously our district is still struggling to manage its budget and the proposed solutions continue to protect administrative bloat while starving our classrooms. We are told the money isn't there for

our teachers, but the data suggests that isn't true. The money is simply in the wrong place. So where is it? Well, we know much of it is in our central administration. While peer districts manage high performing schools with lean cabinets of 5 to 7 members, our superintendents cabinet has ballooned to a whopping 14 executive positions. We have assistant superintendents and executive directors covering overlapping territories. We have assistants to assistants while our teachers are being asked to give up planning time, and our best educators are leaving for Saline and Dexter for better pay and less overhead. A board's most critical purpose is to be good financial stewards, and we know that stewardship stewardship is about so much more than bottom lines and balances. A district's budget is a moral document. It reflects our values, and this board must take seriously its duty to protect and promote our community's values. Your repeated choice to maintain a top heavy administration while teachers work under expired contracts, threatening to increase class size and reduce planning time, and making cuts to art and P.E. and music. Not specials, but essentials is not just unconscionable. It's a failure of the board's obligation to care for this district and create healthy, equitable, sustainable communities. Every six figure administrative role that provides oversight and set of instruction is a choice to keep a classroom size larger. Every redundant executive director role that overlaps with assistant superintendent duties is a choice to let another veteran teacher walk away to a neighboring district. Every assistant to the assistant role in Central Admin is a decision to eliminate essentials like foreign language and idea lab. We parents are done hearing that this is a state funding problem or a Covid era grant ending problem. I am asking

this board to consolidate the cabinet to match the leaner ratios of our peer districts, and instead prioritize the teacher contract to ensure we can recruit and retain high quality educators. I am asking for a fully transparent budget so that every car allowance and travel stipend for central admin, every AI program and piece of tech equipment purchased without partnership from teachers who will actually be using it. And every single dollar can be accounted for. In short, I want to see what this board values. Right now, it certainly is in our students experience in the classroom. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Julia Blau. Hello. My name is Julia Blau. I'm a parent of a Skyline Junior. I've got one year left to go. I've been an AAPs parent since 2011, which seems like an eternity ago. Uh, been through this district through a lot of stuff. Am I here for the administrators? Respectfully, no. Am I here for this building, which I found out tonight has the same operating costs, essentially, as my child's high school? No. Am I here for the thousand different edtech programs? No. Am I here for the AI? I'm going to keep it school appropriate and say absolutely heck in no, I'm here because I'm here in this district with my children, because of the teachers. I'm here for the culture and the values that this district purports to respect. The district is hosting a Trump propaganda freedom. 250 event

on May 7th at Skyline High School. This is not acceptable. The class, proposed class size and the tentative agreement of 36 kids in a high school class is not acceptable. My son actually had an English class last year with 36 kids. There is not physically room for 36 kids in the class. It is not acceptable to not pay our teachers a fair wage. It is not acceptable to expect them to pay more and more of their health insurance. It is not acceptable for teachers to be working without a contract. That's not acceptable for the teachers, and it's not acceptable for the students. Clubs are canceled. Kids cannot make up tests or work out before and after school or during lunch. Kids cannot get tutoring before and after school and during lunch. Kids cannot get are being told that they have to ask way in advance for letters of recommendation. So planning for college next year, it will hopefully not be difficult because hopefully we'll have a fair contract by then. But the kids who are hitting my son's friends who are heading to college this year, are having a very difficult time. I. As other parents have said, a budget is a is a moral document, and the fact that teachers seem to come last time and time again when teachers are the reason we're here, is not acceptable. Amir McCloud. Thank you. My name is Amir Macklin. And before I begin, the reason why I wanted to make some comments, I'd like to say that we stand in solidarity with the teachers, faculty and staff. and demand a contract for them. And I really want to take a moment to recognize someone who represents the very best of public service in this community. Uh, trustee Rima Muhammad. April is Arab American Heritage Month, and I just wanted to take a moment to

say that Rima is not just a member of the Public Schools board. She's a voice of steady, thoughtful and grounded in what really matters our students, our families, and our future. And as an Arab American woman, she she her presence matters. Representation isn't just about being seen, it's about being heard. And more importantly, it's about being understood. Uh, Rima brings lived experience, cultural awareness, and a deep commitment to equity into those spaces where perspectives have often been missing. And. But what truly sets her apart is, is how she leads. She listens first, and she shows up and she does the work, especially when it's not easy and especially when it requires some courage. And so in a in a time where public education faces some real challenges, from funding to curriculum, from, you know, wages, um, student well-being, we need leaders who don't just talk about solutions, but also build trust and take action. And that's what Trustee Mohammed is. She reminds us that leadership isn't about titles. It's about responsibility. Responsibility to advocate for every child, responsibility to ensure every student feels like they belong, and a responsibility to leave our schools better than when we found them. And so I'd like to honor Trustee Rima Muhammad. She is the exactly the kind of leader our community needs. And for Arab-American Heritage Month, I'd just like to say, you know, Trustee Muhammad, we we appreciate you. Thank you. Thank you. Yasmin Koppelman. Hello. My name is Yasmin Koppelman, and I am a sophomore at Pioneer High School. I have seen firsthand how our teachers at how hard our teachers at APS work. But recently I found out how little they get paid. The average APS teacher makes approximately $289,911 less in

their careers than comparable districts. District leaders tell our teachers they don't have the money to pay them better, but APS is one of the most funded districts in Michigan. APS is also one of the only districts nearby that doesn't cover 80% of health care premiums for employees. Instead, they cover about 65%. This is thousands of dollars uncovered for Teachers health, while also having salary issues. Another concern in APS recently has been rising class sizes. According to the contract proposed a few days ago, the maximum classroom size will be increasing by three students, going from a maximum of 33 students to 36, although three extra kids seems like a small amount. That's three more tests and assignments. Teachers must grade three more students to accommodate and three more students to monitor daily. In an already very busy classroom. Although I know our teachers love their jobs and want to help as many students as they can, this amount is not manageable. I have seen how hard it can be to teach and controlled classes of 33 people. I couldn't imagine how much more chaotic a class of 36 would be. Not just for our teachers who have to take care of us, but also for students trying to work and learn with minimal interruption. Current teacher salaries are also affecting the future generations of educators in our area. Some teachers are choosing not to look for jobs in Ann Arbor because they know how low the pay is here. I want to be a teacher when I'm older, and I would honestly be hesitant to choose APS because of the current conditions regarding students. Some parents who know of the harsh conditions and APS are enrolling their kids elsewhere. I hope our teachers and district leaders can agree on a contract that treats our teachers right. The amount of work that our teachers put in to make our classrooms feel

fun, interactive and welcoming is seen and appreciated by us students. I hope this same appreciation can be seen from our district leaders. Supporting fair teacher pay means supporting student education. Thank you. Thank you. That concludes public commentary. Thank you, Miss Luzinski. We appreciate hearing from our community. The board would like to thank everyone who spoke and shared their comments tonight. Miss parks, are there any points of clarification? Thank you. President Feaster. A few, um, as we continue to, uh, very sincerely state, we are absolutely committed to the long term planning and decision making necessary to get to a better place financially, which includes, um, prioritizing competitive compensation for our staff. Um, we mean that, um, and we plan to do the do the difficult work to get there. Um, additionally, uh, the district has not scheduled, uh, an event. We will look into the skyline, uh, event to see the to find out what the particulars are. But if it was scheduled, it was not at the district level. So we'll look more into that. Um, we are, uh, in relation to our comparator districts. We have done a series of reductions in the central office over the past couple of years without adding those positions back. And, uh, when we look at our comparator districts, we are actually in terms of ratio, um, not over bloated or overstaffed. We are actually staffing at less than our comparator districts, given the size of our district, because we we have not replaced those, uh, layoffs that we did back in 2024. Uh, additionally, for a couple of other points of

clarification, parent engagement, um, on a host of priorities for the district, for families, for staff, for students, uh, including AI is an integral part of the strategic planning process. Um, and importantly, it's a shared goal. So absolutely, we will be doing that. That is that's an integral part of the strategic planning process and the feedback that we want to hear from families about their priorities for their children and our schools and our district. Um, and as was mentioned at the Board of Education meeting last time, the board was asked to determine if the AI guidelines will move forward. We'll move forward. Um, so we are not having that conversation this evening, but we will have continued conversation about that. Um, so the board has an opportunity to be fully informed, to weigh in, um, to request any modifications or changes or to not vote to authorize it. So, um, we stated at that meeting at that time that it was something in front of the board to approve or not. Uh, and on that note, if he's sorry, I think that concludes clarifications. Thank you. Superintendent Parks. That brings us down to community feedback. Trustees, I would like to call your attention to the community feedback for this meeting. That then brings us down to reports of associations. And I know I see Mr. Klein present. Um, so I'll invite EA President, uh, Fred Klein to the microphone, please. Steve. Superintendent parks and our public schools community and the dedicated and fierce AA members present and watching at home. Uh, also want to share some love for all the public commentators and the community that is supporting us in this struggle. Uh, we love it. And thank you so much. Um, just a brief update tonight. Uh, on our 112th day working without a

contract. I would like to begin by recognizing an outstanding accomplishment that reflects the strength of our students and our educators. LED by social studies teacher and AA member Chloe Root. The community high school Mock trial team earned first place at the state competition in Lansing. This achievement is the result of months of preparation, collaboration and commitment to excellence. It also marks the program's 10th state championship, an extraordinary milestone for this community. Chloe and her students will represent Ann Arbor at the National Mock Trial Competition in Des Moines, Iowa, from May 6th to the ninth, and we are proud of the work they continue to do on behalf of our district. Congratulations, Chloe. I want to provide an update on the collective bargaining process. The AA. EA has signed a tentative agreement for the 20 25, 26 and 2627 school years. This agreement comes after a lengthy and intensive process that began in October. Using the interest based or IB bargaining model. While that process is designed to foster collaboration and shared problem solving, it did not ultimately produce the progress needed to reach an agreement. As a result, we transitioned to mediated bargaining with the support of a Merck mediator. Over the course of six months. Our bargaining team participated in dozens of sessions, gathered feedback through multiple member surveys, and spent countless

hours preparing and refining proposals grounded in the needs of our educators and students. The tentative agreement that we signed reflects the district's most recent proposal, and represents a point at which we believed it was critical to bring the process forward to our membership for their review and their decision for our AA standing rules for ratification of a tentative agreement. We held an emergency council meeting this past Monday where we shared this to with our building representatives. After that, we shared it with our membership, following those same ratification rules, we will be having a general membership meeting tomorrow at Huron High School and the auditorium at 5:00. To hear concerns and to answer questions related to this to from the entire membership. Next ratification voting will be open on Friday, April 24th at 7 a.m. and will close on Monday, April 27th at 5 p.m. will be an online vote conducted through May. Our members will carefully review the agreement and make their voices heard through this vote. Once that process is complete and we have shared the outcome of the vote with our members, which will probably be Tuesday, we will communicate the outcome to the district. Our educators remain deeply committed to their students and to this district, and they deserve an agreement that reflects that commitment. We will keep you informed as this process moves

forward. Thank you. We also have clear answers from the AP. Thank you, Miss Luzinski. Invite Miss Art to the podium and so can you. Lower it? Can someone lower it for her? All right. Hi. Guys. I think that's okay. Great. I'm so happy to see everyone today. Greetings, trustees. Superintendent, parks, Ann Arbor staff and families, Claire Arthurs proud to represent over 340 part time and full time para educators in our unit. We stand in solidarity with the teachers and their productive struggle that they're having. I also want to wish a happy OPP day to all of our office professionals and our sibling union. Our office professionals do a hundred things daily that support AEP members that we know about, and likely another 100 or 300 that we don't. Thanks for all you do to help our students run and make our members lives easier. Ops are also without a contract at this time. FOIA office professionals join para educators in being education support professionals. As I as a reminder, the board has not yet formally endorsed the ESP Bill of rights that I mentioned in November. It would be a powerful demonstration of commitment to our collective units if you did so. Families and individuals. You can also endorse the ESP Bill of rights online. If you need information, please let me know. EAP morale is a mixed bag to report at the moment. On one hand, it continues to be abysmally low. The fault is very simple. It is not in the students. It is in a lack of resources. It is a lack of staff. Our numbers remain down almost as low as they were at the start of the school year. In October, I shared how hard and heartbreaking it is to try and support a student while attempting to support seven others and failing to support any of them. I've received nine new higher paperwork's since last report, seven after school

childcare part time, two Tas. We've also had eight Tas that have quit since last report. More are expected. Members report feeling on valued by the district, shown through compensation. Unrealistic workloads and a general lack of respect and grace. An easy example for a small thing that could be an opportunity to retain employees, but currently isn't. In past years, our members were able to request to use a personal business day before a holiday by emailing the same email as the teachers do. I know this because both myself and the Vice President have done so successfully. This year we were told because it's not in our contract, if staff want to take these days, they must be unpaid rather than being allowed to apply one of their personal business days. An unpaid day to someone who makes so little and depends on their salaries. A real kick in the teeth. Two members with plenty of sick time were docked pay instead of sick time when they had to miss work for family emergencies on professional development days. What's significant here? School is not in session on those days, so there was no money that the district needed to pay for substitutes on those days, since they had significant sick days. It gave them a feeling of just sort of a slightly petty. There are a lot of examples of small things that don't cost the district very much. That could be done and aren't at this moment. On the other hand, morale in the union itself is increasing as more members become upset with our unsafe work conditions, lack of clear communication channels, blatant outsourcing of our positions to higher paid contractors, and most significantly, lack of support in the reduced number of colleagues and how negatively this harms our students. Folks are fed up in that way. Dues paying membership is increasing with it. More voices and more help to be stronger in negotiations in this way. I suppose I should thank the district. We have the potential to be the largest educator union in the state of Michigan. Our biggest news is that there's a changing of the guard. After 12 years, George Brzozowski of advocating for our unit. AEP has a new unit served director Lori Tunick. It's a newly created position

to support Wayne County and AEP. It is hard to overstate how much George has done over the 12 years he's been with AEP. I am grateful to George for all of his work, and especially for showing me the ropes. I'm lucky for the time and patience he took with me as I grew into my position. Lori has been a UD with me for region seven for a decade. She's fantastic. While we're sad to say goodbye to George, Mia's increased investing in both AEP and coincidentally by doing so more with our sibling units of the teachers and the ops is a blessing. We are excited for this. We bargained. On Monday, I'm pleased to share the majority of proposals have reached agreement. Those remaining are almost exclusively related to financials, where we've been remaining at a bit of a standstill. We've been told that any raises or financial incentives at this time would be based on concessions. We still have no concessions to offer. Couple isolated facts. We've had at least two TOS quit their jobs after working less than four months. I'm wondering if HR is tracking this data. I think it might be beneficial to look at which schools that's happening at. There are more reports of AEP members working with staff subs who are on their phone all day, leaving classes alone with the Ta for over 20 minutes. Cursing out students and or shaming them when faced with perceived disrespect. Job postings seem to have a varied amount. Many show a salary of a new teaching assistants in the range of $26,000 or more annually. I presume good intentions. I'm pretty sure it's a typo. Besides the fact that this is more than most of us make and would be based on HR offering a new salary, Laine pay group or our amount. Um, the most noticeable thing is that the postings are still there, so even postings for jobs that make $3,000 more than most of us start at. We still have over 40 positions vacant. A lot of my reports feel competitive. A combination of Groundhog's Day. Today I wanted to lift up voices of some of our members. Many have said they'd like to speak directly to the board, but they fear retaliatory action. If they did. Members

who have written to the board have shared that they have very much have shared how much they enjoyed receiving personal replies that you sent them. Thank you for that and for all you do. From our members. I'm a one on one and I work with other students. We have a sub Ta that's been here for months. He's not great and undermines both me. Special education teachers regularly. I've been in the district over nine years and I'm still not making $25,000 the entire time working here. I qualify for and use both Medicaid and the Snap program at the start of another student and another staff. At the start of the school year, I was assigned a student to a one on one. Soon I was given an additional student. Since my student is friends with them, making me a two on one. My two students also share most of their classes with another student who has a one on one. The other two and I support, which is great. Thing is when the other tier is absent, I'm expected to support all three students on their own. They all have needs significant enough to warrant having a one on one in general education classes, and I can't meet them all at the same time. We've lost our TSI support, so that's another support gone. I do understand there's a staffing shortage, but it's starting to become overwhelming. Our principal is very approachable and supportive, but I just don't know how much more they can do with the staff shortage. Um, there's so many of these. We would like a clear chain of command at schools. There often seems to be confusion about who we should go to for broader questions or concerns. We're told from the district OSC to listen to the case manager, but often the case manager, social worker and gen ed teachers communicate different things and were caught in the middle. I just want to help my students. Um, I've seen past hires that do not have the skills to work with kids who refuse to have behavior. I'm sorry this is relating. They've asked for differentiated PD. Um, have difficulty communicating with general ed kids, let alone kids with different needs. We have an edgy staff sub right now who can't work with most caseload kids and is assigned to students without an IEP. That's a problem. That's a position that is wasted and kids lose out on support. The district

loses financially. Under no circumstances should warm bodies be hired for these positions. I've never had a safety orientation, and I'm not sure why the district keeps saying that they have them. I've been a district employee for a while and worked at three schools. I figured it out over time as I've been around long enough, but it was never formally taught. I'm a parent educator who supports two different students with full time, one on one write ups in their IEP. I show up unpaid at least a half hour before work every day, and most days I stay till 415 or 430. Informing, collaborating with parents and teachers about student instances behaviors or filling out my accommodation logs and data tracking. I work three jobs because it's the only way for me to survive, even though I'm single and have no dependents, I live in an apartment with a roommate to split rent and utilities, as I can't afford anything more. Another says I love my job and I find joy in my students. I don't know if folks realize a normal workweek. For me, usually it includes quite routinely. In a normal week, I have been kicked, been punched, had things thrown at me, been spit on, and occasionally peed on all of this for the small amount of money we receive. Last year I took a $4,000 pay cut, essentially due to the increased health insurance costs. Someone else says where our frustration comes as the number of students were expected to support in the classroom due to the cutback in Tas. Unless we have a one on one, we're supporting as many ten kids, as many as ten kids in a class at a time. That's not small group. The kids are slipping through the cracks. If there's a behavioral issue with one student, the rest miss out on the support that they need. We are all overloaded and we can support only so many at a time. Um. They continue. I'm in bankruptcy, which is the only way I was able to keep my house and make things work. We're drowning in debt and homelessness. Please pay us what we deserve. It would be nice if we were respected more and treated like the work we did was important. PTAs need built in planning. Time to talk with others regarding shared students, as well as meet with social work to review VIPs and case managers to review data tracking. This is hard. Without a prep, I usually give up my lunch or email a bunch of hours from home for free. Our PL continuously emphasizes the importance of collaborating

with our special education team. Yet there's rarely, if any, an opportunity in our schedules to allow for such collaboration. We need our PL experiences with educators with whom we spend the day doing people in isolation, regardless of how valuable or meaningful the learning is, is almost useless. I'm almost done. I swear, when I go to bed, still stressed out about the day's past and the day ahead, there's only one question top of my mind why am I doing this big job for such small pay? By failing Tas? You are failing kids. This should be obvious. The lack of staff is at a disastrous level and we are just putting out fires. Lots of kids report feeling unsafe instead of getting the best education they can get, and need to develop and thrive as people they're being shoved into heavily understaffed, self-contained classrooms or gen ed classrooms with no structure endangering them not just themselves, but others. The lack of structure comes from the situation, not from the teachers. The teachers are phenomenal. The real question isn't whether they will get through their school years, but whether they will get through the rest of their lives with their safety, dignity and freedom intact. I love my job and I am grateful every day I get to work with these wonderful children who have been the greatest source of joy, fulfillment, but also learning and self-growth. I feel there's no better job in the world and none more important, although I'm constantly told I am the hardest job, I am the backbone, the beating heart of the schools. I am not paid enough to support myself. Even when splitting a home and living costs with others. Please allow me to live a manageable, independent life while continuing to do this job that so many have told me is vital for the happiness and well-being of our most vulnerable, yet gifted and special children. That's them. I'm back to me for one tiny paragraph. Many of us used to be readily able, willing and happy to recruit others to work for AA positions. A lot of this was very teaching assistant heavy, but for our other positions as well in preschool, after school, community assistance. We all know that even with job fairs, word of mouth is the very best way to recruit for positions, personal connections a lot of us used to, but we haven't for years. We haven't since there were

repeated insults to our unit when we returned from learning after Covid virtual time, the entire district was given a memo. Everyone has to be six feet apart and we cannot hug colleagues. Everyone should eat lunch in their own classroom. Safety is paramount. When teaching assistants said, well, we don't have a classroom, how does that work for us? We were told we should all eat unmasked in the in the student lounge staff lounge. At the same time, just try and separate ourselves and maybe open some windows. This level of. Disrespect is what many of us have felt for several years. Coming now, and it's reflected in our not recruiting for you. We can recruit for you if we are given the respect and support that we need. I wanted to come here dressed as a Lorax, but I showed tremendous personal restraint. I will tell you that unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not. Please help EP. Thank you. Thank you. I think that brings us down to more committee reports, and I will turn it over to finance and Planning chair. Trustee Wilkerson for his report. Thank you. The finance Committee met on Friday, April 10th at 3 p.m.. We covered three action items or agenda items every day math, journals, food and nutrition services, contract, and the monthly budget monitoring for February of 2026. Those will all come before the board this evening. Thank you sir. Uh, that any questions? Seeing none. That brings us down to the governance committee, which I am chair. And I'll ask Vice President Wilks. Uh, she wants to to chime in and help. Anything I missed. But I know that we met this past Friday the 17th. Uh, to address the agenda for future meetings and to talk about a couple other items. Yeah, it's my mic on. Can you hear? Yeah.

Yeah, we talked briefly about, um, school start times since it's a topic that's been coming up. Um, just sort of the ins and outs that that would involve. And we also, um, Superintendent Parks mentioned that this would be a topic that would be a part of the strategic planning. Um, agenda. So, um, that was one of the things that we talked about. Um, we also we talked. I cannot yes, ma'am. Yeah. So just to clarify. so it may for the school start time, it may come up as if just we have to look at the strategic plan. For my understanding. Thank you. That's correct. And then the 2000 series. Is that what we looked at? Yeah we did look at that. Also the. The 2000 policy series. Yes. Right. So little things will be coming either to strategic planning and the policy series will be coming forward uh, at one of the future meetings. So any questions trustees, thank you all for helping me. Since I was late to that meeting. I appreciate it. All right. Uh, that brings us down to the committee of a whole. And I'll turn it over to our chair. Uh, trustee basket. Thank you, President Feaster. The bond committee met this afternoon, shortly before our study session, and has recommended that the presented contract bids come forth to the board tonight. So you will see that was trustee on the agenda. Thank you. Trustee basket. If there's no questions that brings us down to number seven. Our superintendent update. And I'll turn it over to Superintendent Parks. Thank you. President Feaster. Uh, I appreciate the opportunity to, um, highlight some important recognitions and people and events in the Ann Arbor Public Schools and, um, acknowledgments, acknowledgments that we make throughout the month of April. And May. So April is national, bilingual, Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month. This month is

dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments of our bilingual and multilingual students. The fastest growing student population in our district. We affirm and appreciate the value contributions of our AAPs, multilingual students and families. This month, we have the opportunity to help our multilingual students feel empowered by their strengths, reinforce the benefits of multilingualism, and advocate for the resources that support multilingual student success. We're also grateful for the dedication of our English learner teachers and staff who support students in developing proficiency in multiple languages while honoring students cultural identities. Our teachers and staff work not only to enhance academic achievement, but also to prepare our students to thrive in our increasingly interconnected global society. The week of April 19th. This week is National Volunteer Week, which each year provides us with an opportunity to express our appreciation for the wonderful parents, families, PTO members, community and strategic partners who selflessly serve in the Ann Arbor Public Schools, volunteer support, classroom and school enrichment activities, field trips, office and library support, academic and bilingual support. Noon hour and recess support. After school and homework support, and in many other capacities in the lives of our schools and students. We recognize that strong communities are characterized by strong public schools. Our APS schools are strengthened and made more vibrant, connected, and successful through the engagement, participation in support of our caring and committed school volunteers. Speaking of caring and caring and committed, uh, as has been previously mentioned this evening, today as administration, Administrative Professionals Day, we want to recognize our AAPs office professionals and their work as vital partners in our APS family. We appreciate the

dedicated service they provide throughout the year. Their efforts, knowledge, and expertise are crucial in enabling the strong connections that service our district and service our district provides for our students, staff, and families in the Ann Arbor community. The role of the administrative professional encompasses an incredibly wide range of expertise and skills. They are the frontline presence that ensures support throughout our school days. We have come to depend on the multitude of tasks that they maneuver through daily and without their support, we cannot serve and care for our students as well as we do so to our amazing administrative professionals. Thank you for your hard work, dedication and positive attitudes. You make our jobs easier and more enjoyable and we are grateful for everything you do. Happy administrative Professionals day. In keeping with our longstanding commitment to the environment and our public school students and schools across the district, celebrate Earth Day 2026 today. Each year on April 22nd, we mark the anniversary of the first Earth Day in 1970 as the beginning of the modern environmental movement. Today is widely recognized as the largest observance in the world. More than a billion people every year celebrate this as a day of action to change human behavior and create better global, national and local policies to protect our health and environment in classrooms across the APS. They represent an excellent opportunity for learning as students, teachers and school teams explore and celebrate a shared commitment to environmental sustainability. We look forward to continued engagement in our collective effort to serve as strong stewards of our planet, within our Ann Arbor Public Schools community today and for our future generations. The APS and

Selene 41st Annual College and Career Fair will be held on Wednesday, April 29th from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Saline High School. Representatives from more than 70 colleges and universities will be available to meet with students. Students will also have the opportunity to learn about skilled and technical trades from local business and industry leaders. Students must pre-register in advance of the event to receive a barcode, and that can be found on our district website that is shown there on the screen. On Saturday, March 21st, um, Community High School won the state championship for Michigan High School Mock Trial held in Lansing. Team Michigan now prepares to represent our state at the national championship in Des Moines, Iowa, May 6th through 10th. Mock trials are designed to teach content and appreciation of our judicial system and reenact much of what might take place in a trial court. Student students take on the roles of attorneys and witnesses and compete against each other in real courtrooms, in front of real judges and lawyers. We wish the best of luck to our Championship Community high school team under the expert guidance of Chloe Root, as they take on teams from across the country in Des Moines. We couldn't be more proud of our students and coaches. At MSV, Emma, State Solo and Ensemble Festival on April 10th and 11th, two ensemble ensembles from pioneer choirs were named the top performers of the festival. Calling as a chamber choir from within, pioneer a cappella choir was chosen as the top large ensemble and Fresh Trouble, a freshman SSA trio was chosen as the top small ensemble. Each group will automatically perform at the MSA, All-State Festival in May, which is the highest honor of vocal music achievement in

Michigan. They will sing at a recital featuring the top 13 large ensembles, five small ensembles and eight soloists. This is the second straight year that the corps leaders have received this designation, and the 14th straight year that the Pioneer choirs have had an ensemble choir. And or and or soloists selected to perform at this prestigious event. The pioneer choirs are led by Stephen Lorenz, the Director of Choirs, and Zion. You, our pianist, so we want to congratulate them in our outstanding students on this accomplishment. Lastly, the Pioneer Robotics team is headed to work to the World Robotics Competition. The Pioneer High School robotics team, Pi Samurai, won the regional robotics competition and will move on to compete next week in the World Robotics Competition in Houston, Texas. Against nearly 600 teams from around the world, this is the first time they have reached this level since the team was created in 2003, and there are some details that are on the screen there that you can find linked to. To tell you more about this event in our teams. And with that, that concludes the superintendents report. Oh no, actually no it doesn't I'm sorry. False alarm. We also have today here with us our district librarian department chairs. Um, we talked last time about being school. Uh, this being school library month. So they're here to talk a little bit about our AAPs libraries. We have Jennifer Colby and Rachel Goldberg. All right. Welcome. Here we go. Um,

Go to the next slide. Hi, there. I'm Rachel Goldberg. I'm Jennifer Colby. And before we get started, we want to say that we're here obviously, as the library department chairs representing our department during National School Library Month. But we also stand in solidarity with all of the other special area departments who provide critical instruction to all of our students throughout the district. Um, so a little bit about our department. We support all of our diverse learners grades, young fives through 12, including our Ell students, our students in self-contained classrooms, our students with diverse learning needs. We have librarians in all 31 of our buildings K-12, many of whom have master's in Library Science and Information degrees, many of whom are also ND certified. That's the media specialist certification from the state of Michigan. Although we use the term library librarian here in APS. Um, our programs are wide ranging from elementary through high school and including instruction and research skills and finding and evaluating information. Digital citizenship. We host special activities and events, book fairs. We do fundraising for our programs, and we also are supported by the friends of the Ann Arbor Public School Library, a 501 c three three volunteer group made up of parents and community stakeholders who work to support our program. One of the first of its kind in the country. Um, we offer a wide range of resources to students print books, digital books, research databases and streaming video. Um, for our students research. Uh, next slide please. We directly support around 6000 students per day in the high school. About. And the comprehensive high school is about 500. Um, the alternative high schools, about 50, 200 every day in middle school and 125 a day average in elementary school. What are our students doing when they come to the library?

Um, we are teaching lessons. They're checking out books, they're getting tech support. We're doing test prep. Um, I'll talk a little bit later about the safe spaces that our libraries provide a to virtual classes also meet in in school libraries, club advisory and homework help is just a broad overview of the kinds of things that are happening in our school libraries every day. Last slide. Please. Yeah. Um, so this photo is outdated because since then we have five new members added to our department this year at Carpenter, Abbott, Mitchell, Thurston and Huron. Um, this is a group of professional educators and librarians who we use all sorts of different tools to support our collections, ranging from diversity audits, which is a tool built into our destiny. Circulation software. We're always working to update our collection, making sure that it is representative, relevant. Offering windows, mirrors, sliding glass doors to our students, our librarians and our amazing library clerks catalog, we offer shelf service we all do purchasing for our collections. We also weed out and deselect materials that no longer meet our our criteria for selection, including things that are outdated or no longer relevant or no longer used. We also offer teacher support and co-teaching with classroom teachers across curricular areas. Um, we are certified as Common Sense Educators based on the lessons that we teach through Common Sense Media and the work that we've done to become Common Sense Certified educators. We present at conferences, uh, from the Michigan Association of School Librarians to the Michigan Association of Computer Users and Learning and other local and national conferences. And we are all certified school librarian. School library of the 21st century. Through the Library of Michigan. We received that designation after working really hard on those applications several years ago. Oh, here we are. Um, so 28 School Library. The 21st century certifications. So these are our librarians have shown a strong commitment to

information literacy and student achievement by focusing on these key areas. So these are the areas to qualify for this library of Michigan school library. The 21st century designation. We were evaluated on these three key areas, um, instruction. So teaching for 21st century learning, the built environment like our library spaces and then leading the way to 21st century learning in terms of advocacy and collaboration, both in our buildings and on district level and beyond. She has signed us, so I'm going to keep going. Um, in terms of instruction, what is instruction look like in the library? Um, we teach and support students literacy goals. We teach research, we teach digital skills ranging from safe and responsible computer use to how to use the variety of digital tools. You'll see some of our resource portals, our elementary and middle school resource portal are over there. Those are pages that we maintain that are the the default pages. When students open up a new tab on their Chromebooks so that they are immediately given a wide range of vetted, reliable resources to use for their schoolwork. Um, digital citizenship, as I've mentioned, is all about safe and responsible use of the internet. And both in terms of consumption and creation of information. Information literacy is how to sort fact from fiction, including media literacy and news literacy. And we also teach keyboarding, which is also known as typing, because our students are still using devices for now at least, that require them to use a keyboard. Now it's. You know, it's me. Um, and then besides all of the traditional library type programs and tools that you would expect and good instruction in the libraries. Um, we also do a lot of digital resource support for tools that are used in the classroom as well. So all of these tools and

more, um, we provide instruction and support for students and staff in all of our buildings to deliver our district wide curricular content. Um, and then I do want to clarify a few misunderstandings about AI literacy And the work that the librarians are doing in. Our schools. Um, to be clear, that AI literacy encompasses an understanding of how AI works, using it responsibly, recognizing its social and ethical impacts, understanding its benefits, potential benefits and risks, and knowing how to mitigate those risks. So AI literacy instruction does include using AI tools. Elementary students are not being taught how to use AI, and elementary students in our district do not have access to AI tools on their district devices or in our schools. Um, and we are working as a team. We have a small team of librarians that are meeting tomorrow morning. In fact, um, to discuss the revision of our acceptable use policy for our students. We want to make it a responsible use policy. Um, incorporating media literacy, digital digital literacy, AI literacy, research skills, and any tool that is used on their district devices. And this all includes increases our students digital readiness. Um, and then also to clarify, um, we have five lessons that all of our fifth grade students are engaging with with their school librarian this year, starting this year. Uh, at some buildings, it might include some fourth grade students, depending on, um, if the librarian feels it's appropriate to introduce it at a literacy at an earlier grade level. And those lessons include what is AI? AI chatbots, what is behind the

screen? A chatbot, chat bots and friendships, artificial intelligence, intelligence. Is it plagiarism and the environmental impact of AI? These lessons were modified based on the common Sense Media AI literacy lessons. And then Rachel and I decided that there was no lesson from Common Sense Media about the environmental impact of AI. So we built our own to share with our students. That that was. Work that the district supported. Us working on this. Um, okay. So then besides everything else that we've already talked about, we do many special events and activities, including everything listed here. Um, I encourage you to read through it. It's it's varied and unique to our district, I believe. And then our wonderful librarian at Clay, Kim McLean, consistently, um, produces a newsletter for our department. Um, so that's linked there. You can look at the current one and you can link, uh, look at links to our previous newsletters as well. Uh. This was a special program we had this year. Uh, well, a couple programs, community partnerships, one at um, Scarlett Middle School, where a local artist, Linwood, worked with the Scarlet Librarian and the student ambassadors to create the mural that you see there in a space that was otherwise, um, void of any, um, interest at all. And she found that she needed she wanted to bring in a community member and work with the students to build, to create something special for the school. And that is not just a mural. It has actual relief. I encourage you to go to Scarlett and take a look at it. Look at it. It is very special. And then on a regular basis, um, students who have been at their elementary or have graduated from their

elementary school will come back to their elementary school to help out their librarian and read stories to the students. Um, I do know that, uh, King students are doing this at I'm not King Huron students are doing this at Thurston in the next few weeks. Um, to help with understanding of financial literacy. So, uh, it's just fun for us to have our students come back to their elementary school libraries to help the new generation of elementary school students. Um, so in addition to our budgets, and I wanted to just mention I have a post-it note here. Um, for our print budget, it's about $5.36 per student this year. And for our, um, book library, which I'll, we'll talk about in a moment, too. It's about $1.88 per student this year. So that's a total of $7.24 per student that we receive from the district. Um, to purchase materials in our libraries every year for our students and staff. Um, so in addition, we consistently raise about $25,000 per year to supplement these budgets. Um, this could happen through book fairs. Many grants were always applying for grants. Um, and now with our friends group, our parent group, uh, they have been able to raise. Some money. Oh. Um. All right. Um. So more about our amazing friends group, and I could talk to you about them all night. because to be, like, buoyed up by community. Members who just. Value the school library, it's. A pretty. Amazing thing that. We have here in APS. Um, so they provide volunteer services, they raise money, they advocate for the library at local and state levels. They go to events and have tables and recruit other volunteers. They have directed fundraising that they're working on. They received a $15,000 Knight Foundation grant to purchase

audiobooks for us in Sora. They also pay for training and resources, and they hold book covering parties at the local public library, where they train volunteers to come in. Um, perhaps you're familiar with the plastic covering, sort of like contact paper that we cover all our books with so that they last a long time since. Um, Jennifer just shared the state of our the amount of money that we get for books each year. So we have to make them last for a long time. So that takes a long time. And our librarians and our clerks are working on that. But when our friends host volunteer parties and they bring high school NHS volunteers to the public library on the weekends to cover books, for us, it's a pretty amazing way that this community comes together in support of our school library programs. We're really. Lucky. All right. Um, these are just some of the. Uh, digital. Resources that we offer to students. And one of the things that I just want to highlight in terms of equity is that our Sora book library. Is available. To all students at all schools. I mean, obviously, it's leveled. So we have the books that are available of an elementary, middle and high school level. But it means that at a at schools where when we have a smaller school where there's a smaller budget for book purchasing, since our book budgets are tied to our number of students, it means that when books are available in Sora, they are available to all students across the district. So that's a pretty tremendous, um, force acting to ensure that all of our students have access to a wide range of diverse and relevant and timely. Uh, uh, digital resources. Um, Pebble go next is a subscription database that we use for, uh, sorry, Pebble Go and Pebble Go next. There's a lower and upper elementary subscription databases that we use for research. Um, Gale databases are used by our secondary students, and then the Michigan Library is a fantastic, um, resource rich database

repository available through the Library of Michigan. Um. Oh, do you want to. Get your, um. Jennifer forgot her password? But, uh, this was the. This is, uh, so far this year, we have checked out 216,520 books. But since we created this slide a few days ago, there have been an additional 16,122 checkouts just this week, just this Monday through Wednesday. So our children are checking out a lot of books in our school libraries. Um, so. Yeah. It's pretty awesome. So that's you. So again, with sorts, our district wide digital library, it's ebooks and audiobooks and read along format books. Um, besides being available to all of our students and staff, I should add, um, it's available 24 over seven all year long. So when our libraries are closed, our book library and audiobook library is still open. Um, it has lots of features that some students prefer. We have some students that just only read on their district provided device, or listen on their district provided device, because that's the format of book that they prefer to engage with. And using a tool like Sara helps our students develop the digital readiness skills that they need to prepare for online testing, including on screen reading. There's a notes and highlights tool that you can engage with in books, and then defining words. So lots of practice and engaging with a screen, um, to understand better understand content. Our source statistics for this year, we had 112,377 ebooks and audiobooks checked out so far as of Monday, and um. That's on a later slide. That's fine. That's the breakdown of our collection, and you can see the checkouts per month. Um, it obviously goes up in September because that's when our librarians start promoting this

as a resource for our students. And then that equates to 52,135 hours read district wide. I wish I could find the same data for you for our print collection, but that would be rather hard to gather. And then, uh, as of April 20th, we've had 919,039 all time checkouts. Um, that's getting close to a million. And we were at a mere 500,000 back in the 2223 school year. And as of tonight, we've had. Oh, no, that's fine. It's in my note. Um, we've had an additional 1455 checkouts in just two days and saw. All right. So our programs are worthwhile and critical and central to our students learning on their own. And there is a tremendous body of research, all of which is a lot of which is linked in your slide. Um, on the ways that our school library programs supports students, uh, success on standardized testing and other literacy outcomes. So you'll see, um, this first, uh, there's there are two articles there worth highlighting, um, that students with well-resourced school libraries were certified librarians consistently perform better academically and score higher on standardized assessments. This should come as a surprise to no. One, and students with a full time librarian score significantly higher in reading and math than similar students who do not, um, that our students are reading and they are thinking and they are growing and they are researching. And of course, this translates to their test scores. Slide, please. Um, this is a brief from the International Literacy Literacy Association on maximizing the power and partnership of school librarians, and explains that having school librarians as collaborators advocates for literacy, equity, and as

providers of access improve student literacy outcomes in a variety of ways. Again, of course, having full time librarians in each building, uh, contributes to increase positive outcomes for students literacy goals. But you don't have to take my word for it because I have research to back it up. And then this last one, um, is an interesting study from the Journal of Academic Librarianship. So, uh, you know, university librarianship, talking about how students coming from high schools with high school librarians feel better prepared for academic research, that it's not just the elementary school students where they are having dedicated school library class, um, for a certain number of minutes each week, as many minutes as possible each week. Um, but also that our high school students and our high school librarians who are working directly with and our middle school students. Yes. Sorry. Um, that are secondary school students are also, um, seeing gains from their work with school librarians in middle and high school as well. Um, and the other, uh, important piece of information is that it's not just about students academic outcomes, it's that school libraries are safe spaces for students. And this slide I am going to read to you many. This is from the 2023 Human Rights Campaign LGBTQ Plus Youth Report. Many LGBTQ plus youth feel unsafe at school, yet the library is often seen as a safe haven. Um, while almost half of LGBTQ youth, including over half of transgender and gender expansive youth, report feeling unsafe in at least one school setting, almost 9 in 10 LGBTQ plus youth report feeling that they usually are always feel safe in their school library. Um, this is really powerful. It means a lot to our department, and I hope that it is also a powerful piece of information for you. So all that being said. Um, Governor Gretchen Whitmer proclaimed school librarians our guiding light, their

mentors, advocates, and researchers that help students spark their infinite imagination. To every librarian in Michigan, thank you for keeping our state curious and inspired. Thank you very much, Governor Whitmer. Um, and I also want to say, I've been saying for years, um, AAPs is lucky to have a librarians, but I recently have decided that really, we are smart to have librarians. And I just want to encourage you to come to our libraries, see what we're engaging, how we're engaging with our students and staff. And you're welcome at any time. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. That school library. I believe that brings us down to 7.2, our monthly budget monitoring report for February 2026. All right. And we have Mister Mister Zaleski coming forward for this item. Good evening. Good evening. Um, before we get started, I just want. to point out, as we always do, that this is just a point in time, this report and also the format, we brought a new format to the finance committee. So it's going to look a little bit different. Um, but I wanted to say that we're continuing trying to make, um, improvements to it, to make it more user friendly and more useful to the board in general. Thank you. Um.

This is actually the march we need, the February 1st. I'm happy to go with you guys. Have it in front of you if you want me to. Go ahead. We've got it. Looks like we've got the. Okay. We can go then. If it's. Okay. All right, so, um, our first slide, um, when you guys are looking at it is our, um, general fund expected, um, revenues versus, um, actual revenues. And, um, as it looks right now, we're we're trending exactly where we thought we'd be about this point in time in the year. Um, the next slide is the same thing for expenditures. Uh, same story there. We're trending exactly where we thought we'd be for February. Since a common theme here with the presentation, um, the next slide is, um, where we're at and where we anticipate to be at, um, at the end of the year for, um, fund balance. And in that as well, we are still trending. As you can see, we have the two lines, the orange. There we go, the

orange and the blue. So, uh, we're still projecting to be down to you can go to the third slide. And I'm sorry, were there any questions on the first two slides? All right. So the next slide. So on this next slide as we always talk about the blue line is where we anticipate to end the year at which is the 5.72%. We're still trending um into that. And that's where we still anticipate to be around at the end of the year. So we're like I said, we're still trending where we anticipate to be at this point in the year. Any questions on this one? All right. This is our, um, also on this one, we're showing our general fund revenues and expenses. The percentage of the total either collected or spent for the year. Um, as you can see, uh, local revenue, we're almost done through February. When the March report does come, we will be almost fully, um, received all of our tax revenue. Our expenses are right in line with where we thought it would be. And actually, all these line items are as expected at this point in the year. All right. And this is our special revenue funds, our community service fund, food service fund and student activity fund. Also with these I would say we're trending exactly where we anticipate to be at this point in the year. Um, any questions on this slide? Right.. On our last slide is going to be just the our cash where we're at in comparison to last year at this point in time, um, as we've discussed for many months now, uh, the general fund is above where it was, uh, a year ago, based on the cash flow loan that we did have to

take in the prior year. So everything there is trending, uh, the food service, one that was based on timing of when invoices were paid. And reimbursement sometimes can lag behind a month, month and a half, two months after, just based on when reimbursement is asked for from the state. Any questions on this slide? All right. Thank you. Thank you, thank you. Mr.. All right. You know, no questions. That brings us down to, uh, first briefing, uh, 8.1 and 2265 every day. Mass, K-5 student journals. And I believe Mrs. Linden is going to present. That correct as she makes her way to the podium. Just a little preview. Um, we here in APS use everyday math, um, as the districts at the elementary mathematics, uh, curriculum. And we have done so for many years. And a part of that curriculum includes, uh, consumables. And so Miss Linden will talk us through this item around our everyday mathematics journals. Thank you very much. I appreciate that, superintendent parks, president Feaster, trustees. Uh, this evening I'm bringing forward a renewal of everyday math student journals. We would. Fondly refer to them as workbooks in our historic time of learning. Um, these are workbooks that have been placed. We purchased. Them every year since the adoption. Of Everyday Math back in 2003. Um, we have. Updated Everyday math to newer versions. as the research. Has emerged. And we're now in the most, um, recent copyright edition. Um, in. The past we have moved. Forward with. multi-year

purchases of the journals to lock in pricing and to get the best possible use out of our taxpayer dollars. Um, so the only change in this particular item is we're recommending only a one year, um, renewal at this point. And the reason for that being, we are looking to maximize the use of existing remaining journals that we are gathering and inventorying in the building to make every cent count. And we're also pursuing some options that, may be emerging in other districts to purchase from districts who have additional workbooks. So we're just trying to be really cautious about how we're using funding. And I know your responsibility as board members is to scrutinize every expenditure here very carefully, and I respect that. Um, we are also looking forward to the potential of a pilot, of a potential new math curriculum. And that could mean we stay with everyday math. That could mean we move away from that. So we really don't want to purchase multi-year, um, journals. So I'm happy to take any questions. Today we're asking for the approval for a maximum of $256,552.65. That amount may be less, but it will not be more. I'm just glad that they're doing pencil and paper things for math. Thank you. Please. Same. We cannot sit and just punch stuff in. Correct? I gotta work through it. Correct. You know. Yeah, I have that in my notes and I, I almost led with it. Trustee Schmidt. But I do need to say that the paper pencil elements of the student journals are really important. Um, not only do they provide structured practice for students in really systematic ways, but it's a real support for teachers in workload and lesson preparation. They don't

have to go make copies. They're right there. And it shows them formative assessments of how students are doing as the students are completing those books. So they're powerful. I do have one question what in this program? And maybe you talked about this when this was adopted, but what did they have built into this in grades three four that really just get at those facts. The multiplication of division facts. Because I can't express you how frustrating it is when we have middle schoolers who don't know the facts, and you're never really going to be that good at math if you don't have certain foundational knowledge. What is it built in here or somewhere else? So there are lessons specifically with built in fluency practice. In the lessons I don't I can get them for you so I can. I hope this. Happens because this is an issue. This isn't unique to Ann Arbor School. No, it is not. No, it is not. Yeah. Okay. Mr. President Wilkes. Yeah. So first of all, I remember everyday math and, um, I'm glad that we're still using it, but I do have a question that came up a lot. Um, every day, math workbooks contain a lot of word. Problems. And I just know that, um, you know, when we talk about literacy and students who may be struggling readers, um, I don't know, has everyday math sort of changed its format a little bit with these word problems to address that. That some of the improvements in the newer additions is the accessibility for English learners, for students who may have some language challenges to unpack. So, yes, there have been improvements in the differentiation elements that are included in each lesson. With particular eye for universal design and linguistic acquisition. Um. Making that much easier for students. Um, I'm not going to say that they're not language heavy. Um, there's still a lot of language, but it's it's really improved. Okay, that's good to know. Yeah, absolutely. Thank you. Great question. Trustee Wilkerson. I just have one comment. I just want to say, you know, the board very much appreciates the

work that the team is putting in to also manage these costs. These do come from the general fund. But knowing the other avenues that you're going through to try to purchase these on the used market and then also exploring printing options, I know we talked about that in committee. I think that's really important that the public hears that as well. Thank you. I appreciate it. Thank you. Very much. Appreciate it. And next on our agenda, we have the 8.2 and 2265 Food and Nutrition Services contract. Fiscal year 27 renewal. And I believe Miss Margolis and Mr. Zaleski, uh, we'll be here for that. Great. Good evening everyone. Um, we have brought to you today, uh, a one year renewal for our food. Food service contract with compass Group. Chart Wells. Um, this is, um, this will be for year three of a five year contract. Previously, the board approved the first year two years ago. And then last year, we were able to just initiate the renewal, um, as planned. And then this year, MDD has required that, uh, school boards actually sign the renewal. It has been already approved by MDE, but we need school board approval as well now. Um, this we serve approximately 2 million, $20,000, $20,000, 20,000 meals equivalent meals annually. We are actually up a bit this year. Um, and again, the original contract includes a 3% increase annually. And then I'm going to let Mr. Zaleski here talk about some of the pricing. So I know in committee some of the discussion was around the not to exceed amount. So we went back and did some research.

I wanted to discuss that tonight. So, um, we put on the bottom kind of how we came up with that number. Um, with that, it's when we put out a bid for it, we have to ask them the number of meals that we think we're going to serve. Technically, for food service, they are reimbursed on a meal equivalent. So it's a dollars on the sense or whatever. How many, many meals? So, um, when we looked at this and looking at it again, um, probably before it comes back for a second reading, we're gonna add the meal equivalent, because that's what goes up by 3%. So I know it had to not to exceed of the 7.1 billion. Realistically, we're up about 100,000 meals this year. So on that we have to pay the meal equivalent to that. That's how the contract works. So we're going to rework a little bit of the wording on here with that. But I know that came up in committee. So we wanted to kind of talk about that today. And that's why I know I think we have provided the 3% of what the meal equivalent went up by, and their management fee of their monthly management fee also goes up by 3%. So, um, it is a little bit harder to say what the not to exceed is because if we serve 100,000 more meals, we have to pay that meal equivalent. So I know that came up in committee. So on to come tonight and discuss. That. Jesse Wilkerson. Yeah, I think thanks for addressing that. So what what I see here in the proposal is we took the prior year proposal and then added the 3% increase. Yeah. So to the equivalent. So I. Proposed management fee. Yes. I propose that we worked reworked this language a little bit to talk about the meal equivalent because essentially that's the 3%. That's going to be the increase. So I know we had the not to exceed. And we talked about how we got to that number. But then number probably could go over that based on the number of meals that we're providing. So really

we'll want to approve the 3% increase on their meal equivalent and their admin fee, which is how MDE approves the contract. Okay. But I think the important thing is also to come up with how we how we get to that base number. Right? So it's the equivalent, the management fee and then some sort of calculation based on the number of meals. So I think that's what we're kind of hoping to see. Yeah. And and at the end of the day, like I said, MD cares about the 3% of the admin fee and the meal equivalent, with the caveat that if we serve more or less meals, the amount that's paid to the management company would be more or less. So. Yeah, before this comes back for a second briefing, we're going to work on a little bit. and add some of the per meal equivalent in there. Okay. Thank you. I'm sorry. Just to clarify. So the number that we have, the 7 million, you are saying between now and next briefing will increase. Based on calculations. Yeah. We're going to go back and look I think realistically this will have to change and say what the per meal equivalent as the admin fee. Because realistically this is based off the original number of meals from two years ago. Um, I don't think we're in that ballpark as why we paid them last year more than the 7.1. That's how this calculation was done. But now, as we've talked about it more, we said, okay, well, it really should just be the meal equivalent and the admin fee showing how that went up by 3% from last year. So so trustees should be aware then that the number itself may change. But we're talking about the increase, the 3%. increase is basically what we need to be aware of. And between now and the next meeting, you will provide us with a revised document to review. Yes. And when it goes to MD, everything for food services, really they they have to approve everything. So on their

system we don't actually approve it amount. They approve the 3% increase on their per meal equivalent. All right. Thank you for that clarification. Yeah I'd just like to add on to that. I fully respect and understand that MDS process. But if the board is signing off on a contract, I think we need to understand how that number is calculated and what that not to exceed amount is. Sure. So I will provide that between now and the next briefing. I guess. Yeah. No, the number. Right. I guess. What you're going to give us. A false estimate, right. Sure. So we can we can we can do an estimate, I guess in my opinion, we'll probably go high on it because at the end of the day, this 7 million, obviously based on what we originally thought, the number of meals served, we're serving more, which is great news, but it does change our calculation. So yeah. Want to be. Serving. Absolutely. So yeah. But we can definitely do that. And and when we come back to talk about second briefing, we'll have some more stuff in there as well. So we'll do some more tricks. So can you. Use it. Based on like what has been served like this year, past years like. The this year would be more accurate because we're up by 100,000 meals. Okay. So, um, we need. Some pretty. Yeah, we can sort of. Okay. Make our. Sorry. We can make our best guesstimate based on this year's number. But again, it it will it might be high so that we if we have to do a not to exceed probably be much higher so that we don't. Reach. That in the end we get, we get charge for how many meals we serve. And this is just like the max. And okay, I just. Yeah, I will say this. The one thing with the food service contract, it is a little bit different than other contracts because of the not to exceed. Yes. Like another contract comes in front of you. We'll want to really worry about that, not to see this one

because of the reimbursement model and the way the state approves it. We can put a range in there. Um, we're probably going to make it higher just to make sure we catch it, but then not to exceed as harder because technically the contract is approved on a meal equivalent. And the admin fee, which goes up by 3% each year, which I believe was in the original bid from three years ago. So real quick. So this, uh, uh, payment for these meals would come out of our general fund? No, it is not food service fund. And we get reimbursed. And reimbursed. Yep. We get federal, state. Reimbursed for 100%. For the current year. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. All right. Correct. So reauthorized next. Year okay. Yep. All right. Well thank you all so much for that information. I greatly appreciate it. Thank you. And I believe that will bring us down to a point three. Uh, unless I'm mistaken. But that will get down to the item from the bond committee of the whole. And, uh, annex A in two, two, six, nine Slawson Middle School, summer 2026 abatement contract recommendation. Thank you. Yep. We, uh, we have, uh, Mr. Bing and Mr. Stansbury here, uh, to bring forward the, the next couple of items. And so we'll start with the as you stated, president of the Slawson Middle School Summer 20 2026 abatement contract recommendation. All right. Thank you, Superintendent parks. Good evening. Trustees. We appreciate the opportunity to bring forward these timely and critical infrastructure items for consideration. We're addressing some immediate needs related to projects planned for this summer's work at Slawson Middle School, Pioneer High School, and Forsyth Middle School, and as typical with all of our investments through the capital program, we try to maintain a focus on creating

and maintaining healthy, high performance learning environments for our students and staff. Um, so to introduce each one of these items, starting with an two, two, six, nine, uh, I'll turn it over to owner's rep, our owner's rep from Gilbane Building Company. Mr.. Kevin Stansbury. Good evening. Trustees. Superintendent parks. Um, as Jason said, we're here to talk about an 2269 Slawson Middle School summer 2026 abatement. This scope includes abatement of ceiling glue pods, floor tile, fire doors and frames, transit ceiling materials, adhesives for wood flooring, uh, duct caulking, spray down, fireproofing, insulation, and sinks with under coating. These are materials that were identified in the niche app the district has done for all of its building, but at Slawson, these were the ones that appeared in the niche app, which is the assessment of hazardous materials. And this work is done in support of the work that you previously approved for Slawson Middle School. The owner requirement is to abate materials that would be impacted by work prior to the work happening. So this is that abatement contract. This work is scheduled to be completed this summer in conjunction with the Slawson renovation. The phase of the Slawson renovation that will take place this summer. The Capital Program team solicited bids from qualified contractors and conducted post bid interviews with a strong group of Michigan based and regional bidders reviewing the scope of the project schedule, staffing level, requirements and specified materials for compliance with the documents, and identified the lowest qualified bidder. As a result, the district recommends to approve the Slawson Middle School Summer of 2026 abatement

to Door and associates out of Bay city, Michigan in the amount of $254,500, plus a 15% project contingency of 38,175, for a total award of 292 $675 to be paid from capital program funds. Questions. Trustee. Wilkerson. Yeah, I have a quick question on the bid sheet. So it looks like there's a base bid and then a per man hour rate is as well. And so obviously we went with the the lowest base bid here in this case. But how do the Herrmann our rates play into that or linear foot. Um I will do my best to answer that. I was not part of the bid process, but typically the way that works is if there is additional work that's paid out of the contingency, we've locked in rates for that additional work. So man hours, if we find other materials that weren't identified in the bid documents that the environmental consultant says have to be abated, we have prices for that and that gets drawn down out of contingency. Um, I will say on this, on this bid, I think, you know, we're looking at a slight variation of $5,000 between the next lowest bidder, but the low bidder has much cheaper rates established for additional abatement. So I don't know if that was considered in the selection. It may have been, I believe the lowest qualified bidder is what we're we're bringing typically would be for the lump sum amount, but not always the case, but might just be a collateral benefit that any additional work this contractor does is less expensive. The the vetting process took place involving capital programs. I

think Gilbane was there, but primarily the environmental consultant assessed the qualifications of the firm since they prepared the documents. Okay. And then electrical power, water and mobilization, are those just standard costs that are assigned? Yes. Okay. I think we should review those as well, just because, again, that second lowest bidder is those are cheaper for each of those bids. So we're we're very close. I just want to make sure we're still going with the lowest bidder. With the information we have at hand, not knowing whether there will be any contingency use. I believe that that's who we're bringing to you, but it could be the case if the full contingency is used, that that might differ. But that's not information we have at the time. Okay. All right. I'll do some calculations if I have any additional questions. Okay. Vice President. Wilks, I just want some clarification. So the amount that you're seeking the $2,554 and 54 2500 and. Well, the $2,550 for this project. So it will not exceed that based on what you're saying because of the contingency. Is that correct? No. The the base bid amount for door associates. Is to 292. Yes. 292 includes 15% contingency. Okay. Got it. And it will not exceed that amount. Typically. No. We you know something might come up where it needs to. But the reason the contingency is at 15% is to predict that the kinds of things that might happen in an abatement. Contract, right? We typically. Try not to use contingency. Certainly not all the contingency. But this

particular scope of work has to react to conditions that are found on site. If they differ from what's in the documents, because we must abate. Okay. I have nothing else. Thank you all very much. Uh, well then the next one. Maybe you as well. But that brings us to 8.4, which is annex A in two two, seven zero Pioneer High School. Uh, 2026 abatement contract recommendation. Uh. Thank you. This is an 2270 Pioneer High School summer 2026 abatement. This is also abatement work in support of work we're going to be doing at Pioneer High School. In that case, it's the emergency notification system. So any time this particular abatement work is for plaster walls and ceilings, which is the identified element that would be impacted by the installation, the removal of existing clocks and speakers, and the installation of new and emergency notification systems. Um, this work will be scheduled in coordination with the work we're going to be doing at Pioneer High School this summer. Um, as with the Slawson Middle School abatement work, this, uh, this was solicited by the Capital Programs team from qualified contractors. We conducted post bid interviews with a strong group of Michigan based and regional bidders reviewing their scope. Uh, the project schedule, staffing all the requirements and specified materials, identifying the lowest qualified bidder, the district recommends to approve the Pioneer High School Summer 2026 abatement to page Construction Incorporated of Plymouth, Michigan, in the amount of 36,720, plus a 15%

project contingency of $5,508, for a total award of 42,228 to be paid from the capital Program funds. All right, Trustee Wilkerson. Question this one. Um, the authorized user on this is just a project manager estimator. Would they have authority to sign a contract on behalf of this firm? We can find out. I don't know the answer to that. Okay. Typically the vetting process would have covered that and we wouldn't be bringing it to you. But I was not part of that process. So we can find that. Information. Okay. Yeah. I think confirming that would be helpful. Um, it going back to the Slauson project, to be sure we understand, um, what you what additional information you would like. Sorry we didn't ask this back then. Is there a way you can provide clarification to us whether it's here tonight or separately, for exactly what we need to bring? Yeah, yeah, like I said, I'll do quick calculations and I'll follow up if I have. Additional because we could clarify at second briefing. Yeah, absolutely. Thank you. I just have a quick question for, um, Trustee Wilkerson. Um, just to clarify, what issue do you have with the estimator project manager signing? I guess just to to clarify. Uh, typically to enter a contract on behalf of a new this at this level, it would require a leadership approval for that contract to be valid. So it would be signed by somebody that's in a leadership role at the organization rather than a project manager or estimator. Okay. Yeah. I did ask. A question regarding the process. So Trustee Wilkerson, I think it would be helpful if you shared your concerns. I know you said you were doing

calculations, but exactly what you're trying to get at. And if you could share that with the superintendent and myself so that we understand and make sure that your concerns are addressed. Um, but and so all of when we come back, everyone will have a basic understanding, um, the team will go off and do the work, but all of us trustees will have the clarification before the next briefing. Does that help? Yeah. No. Happy to do so again. And maybe there's not an issue. It's just looking at the total cost rather than just the base bid. Well, I think also too, there may be a question in the calculations of what exactly when that those numbers, their hours, which I have an issue with. Guys um ah kick in versus not because as you noted, the second lowest responsible bidder, they're man hours. It's more expensive. I think it was 90 or less expensive by $8 per hour. But there were other costs too, that you were going to calculate. So just help us understand. So if you can just shoot us an email, that. Would be helpful. Thank you. Yeah. I wonder if the question about signatures, um, is based on the documents that you're looking at now, my understanding of these are the signature is attesting to the bid, but it isn't itself the contract. So signing the contract, may be with a different party from the company. Who would be qualified to enter into a contract. This signature might just be saying we comply with your requirements for this bid. Okay. Yeah. No. If that is the case, that that's fine. I mean, for my experience, again, like you said, you're signing off that all this information is correct. Um, you know, I stand for my company. And as you said, the the big contract, so to speak, the approved contract would be signed by somebody, quote unquote, in charge.

Yeah. But thank you for the question. Uh, if there's nothing else on this one. Move on to the next one. And 8.5, which is annexation 2272 for South Middle School, greenhouse demolition and exterior rehabilitation recommendation. Oh. Sorry. Um, I was not asleep, I promise. Uh, so an two, two, seven two Forsyth Middle School greenhouse. Demolition and exterior rehabilitation. This work is also, to some degree, in support of other work that we'd be doing at the site. That other work would be roofing work that previously was approved. Um, this particular condition at Forsyth is a original construction that has proven very difficult to make watertight over several several repairs. So when we entered into this new roofing project, we assessed whether to rebuild, redesign the greenhouse so that this problem would be permanently fixed, or to demolish the greenhouse and reconstruct the area around it like the surrounding area. Without the greenhouse, which is the approach that, um, working with the district was selected. So this particular um, work includes the demolition of the existing greenhouse as part of the roofing evaluation. The interface with the building was called into question. As I said, it includes a limited amount of new window system. Um, Andrew, maybe we can bring the slides up. That might be helpful. Um, well, Andrew's doing that. This greenhouse encloses an area of adjacent science rooms that would have been exterior windows originally, like the original exterior windows nearby.

However, those other windows have since been replaced, so the remaining windows within the greenhouse are still the original windows. And because the greenhouse would go away, they would then need to be upgraded to serve as exterior windows. Like the other upgrades. Um, there's a couple exterior doors that currently open into the greenhouse. They appear in this picture. This white, this white element is an exterior door. However, it is between a classroom and a greenhouse, and in the future it would be between a classroom and the outside. So these two doors and the windows that you see next to them are not exactly exterior envelope grade fenestration. And this project, in the removal of the greenhouse, we would convert these into real exterior doors and and windows. Um, there is maybe enter the last slide is probably the most valuable one here. So this is the context for the greenhouse in the foreground you see a patio area which is used I believe, occasionally, primarily I think from the science, um, classrooms. There are two science classrooms here that open into the greenhouse. They will then, without a greenhouse, open into this courtyard area that has a patio. So part of the scope is to recreate that patio after the greenhouse goes away. Um, the demolition work will be completed during the summer of 2026. The exterior rehabilitation work will start in the summer of 2026, and will be. The completion will be based on lead times after project award. So there's a possibility that wrapping this area up outside would extend into the school year. But all of the noisy, dusty work would have been done in the summer. That's something we didn't discuss in committee. Apologies. Um, so the Capital Program team solicited bids from qualified contractors and conducted post bid interviews with an excellent group of

Michigan based and regional bidders reviewing the project scope, schedule, staffing level, requirements and specified materials to identify the lowest qualified bidders. There are two bid categories here. The district recommends to approve the Forsyth Middle School greenhouse demolition and exterior rehabilitation trade contracts to Blue Star Incorporated of Warren, Michigan. That's the demolition contract for $37,925. And to Spence Brothers of Ann Arbor, that's the general trades contract. The reconstruction portion of the project for $194,900, plus a 15% contingency on both of those trade contracts of 35,924, for a total award of 268 $749 to be paid from the capital program funds. When was this thing, uh, this greenhouse put on. there originally. You know, what year? Uh, well, it was the original construction of the building. And in. These, uh, I knew this at one time, I'm going to say in. The 60s, it was. Just tacked on and looks really okay. No, I think what happened is all the other areas have since been improved. Oh, and this one, this area has not. Yeah, yeah. So, you know, the questions. All right. Thank you all very much. I think that's all we have for you all for right now. So appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you thank you. Guys. And that looks like it brings us down to the consent agenda. And I think this is yes, we are now the consent agenda. Miscellaneous. Will you please read the consent agenda. Certainly approve minutes of the April. 8th. 2026 regular. Meeting. Approve minutes of April 16th, 2026 special meeting approval. Uh. donations from.

Rebecca Cook. We received. Two student trombones. Donated to the. A2 Steam Band. program from Michael and Lisa Scotsman. We received. Two clarinets in cases donated. To the. Ann Arbor Open. Music program. and from. Sandy Kunkel. We received. A class Nova that she donated to Angel elementary, and also will approve a closed session on May. 6th. At 6 p.m. for the purpose of negotiations and attorney client privilege, if that is needed. Thank you very much. Would anyone like anything removed from the consent agenda? Seeing none, do I have a motion for the consent agenda? So moved. Second. Moved by Trustee Schmidt, supported by Vice President Wilkes. Any discussion? Trustees. Seeing none. Missiles, and squid, plates. Trustee. Baskette. Yes. President. Feaster. Yes. Trustee. Mohammed. Yes. Trustee. Schmidt. Yes. Trustee. Wilkerson. Yes. Trustee. Wilkins. Yes. Vice president. Wilkes. Yes. Motion carries. Thank you very much. And I believe that brings us down to number 11 or the new ten. Uh, item for agenda planning to trustees have anything for agenda planning? Seeing none. I believe that brings us down to number 12 items from the board to trustees. If anything, they would like to share. Um, I. Do, Vice President Wilks. Okay. Let me just call it up real quick. Hold on. Okay. Okay. Um, first of all, Trustee Schmidt and I had the pleasure of attending Freedom Bound. Uh, a performance by the fifth graders at Angel school. The students did an outstanding job. Um, I just wanted to say thank you to vocal music

teacher Katie Ryan and classroom teachers Jay Lee and Julia Newman for the invitation. And also, thank you to Principal Fenwick. I hope I pronounce that correctly. Okay. And then lastly, um, Andrew, I actually have a slide with this last one. Um. Are you're not aware? Okay. You're not aware of it? Uh. It's it's a slide of our superintendent. Yeah. Well, I can talk while you're getting that out. I'll have some remarks. You want me to remark while that's been work done? Okay. Um, I would like. To. Uh, with my fellow trustees that helped organize this event. That's coming up. Um, trustee and trustee Wilkes. Um, we would like to invite the community on May 13th at 6 p.m. here at Earhart. I'm going from 6 to 730. We will be hosting a school finance teaching. And what that means is it's a place where we're bringing in an expert, um, so that we can all learn more about how statewide school funding works. Um, our guests will be David Aasen, a longtime resident of Ann Arbor. He's a professor emeritus of education policy and K-12 educational administration. He's an economist specializing in public policy and public policy analysis. His research focuses on school finance, school choice policies, education, governance, school capital facilities, and the privatization of education services. He earned his PhD at the University of California, Berkeley. And Doctor Aasen has two children who have graduated from Ann Arbor schools, so I hope that people will join us. Um, on the 13th, um, for that 1.5 hour event, um, he will do a presentation a little under an hour, and then there will be

time to take community questions. Okay. Goes to you if they've got the picture ready. I don't know. Are we ready? I hope we are. Okay. I'll just go ahead and get started. Okay. So congratulations are in order for our very own superintendent, jazz arts. Superintendent parks was one of 50. Let me repeat that. One of 50 women of excellence honored by the Michigan Chronicle newspaper recently at Huntington Place in Detroit in honoring Superintendent Parks, the Chronicle said, and I quote, thank you for your commitment to educational equity and unwavering belief in the power of education to change lives. Your commitment to do what's right, not what's easy, sets a powerful example for us all. We are proud to celebrate you for your integrity, courage, and compassionate leadership. Again, congratulations to our very own Superintendent Parks. All right. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Any other item from the board for trustees? And I have something. Um, I had the privilege of attending the National School Board Association annual conference in San Antonio, Texas. Uh, from the ninth through the 12th of this month. Uh, it was an amazing opportunity. Um, there were some sessions that were directly on point with things that we're dealing with right now. Uh, being able to fellowship and learn from other trustees across the country and others from our state. It's an amazing opportunity. I know we have three new trustees here. Uh, I encourage you all to go to these conferences in the future. Uh, they are excellent. And they, if nothing else, they refresh you. From all of the

difficult things we have to go through. Give you the energy you need to do this work. And you can learn so much. And so, please, I encourage you. I won't be I won't be going back. This is my last one because I won't be here next year. But for the new trustees who come behind me, please encourage them to go. It's a great opportunity and I'm thankful I was able to go, so I recommend it. All right. And that brings us down to adjourn. Adjourned. Closed session. Is there a motion to adjourn? I'm sorry. Do I have a motion to adjourn by voice vote. For regular meeting. So moved. Second. All right. Moved by Trustee Schmidt, supported by Vice President Wilkes. Uh, all in favor? To adjourn to closed session. Say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Say nay, and we are adjourned to closed session

at 948. Recording.