CONSTRUCTION
You may see construction work going on at the high school on the light poles that had collapsed. This work is being paid for by our dollars that came from selling the bonds in March, and not from the operating budget. We have three years to spend this money which comes from the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) which can only be used for construction and renovation.
GRADUATION!
Oakland Early College graduated three students, all with HIGH honors, on May 14 in the Smith Theatre on the Oakland Community College Campus. One of our graduates plans to attend University of Michigan Engineering School, while another will study Marine Biology at Eckerd College in Florida. Our last graduate has received her high school diploma and will continue one more semester at OCC before she receives her Associate’s Degree and then goes on to the University of Michigan.
Last night I attended the West Bloomfield High School Prom, which was held at the Detroit Yacht Club. Approximately 500 students enjoyed a safe and beautiful evening, with amazing food and a great time.
Thank you to the Board of Education, the administrative team and staff for presenting awards and honors at the Honors Convocation. We were proud to announce that West Bloomfield High School grads received over $3 million in Scholarships for students’ continuing education.
West Bloomfield High School and Laker Academy Graduation will take place this Sunday, June 6 at Compuware Arena, followed later that evening by the Senior All-Night Party. This has been a tradition in West Bloomfield that seniors look forward to and work on all year long. We have over 450 graduates to be proud of as they receive their diplomas this year.
Roosevelt Elementary students in Carrie Roth’s classroom had a real treat as they visited Oakland Early College and found out what a real college campus is like. As part of a program where 5th graders are celebrating a 15 year reunion, FIFTEEN YEARS EARLY, students are asked to imagine and plan where they will be fifteen years from now. This includes what colleges they may have attended, and what careers they will be embarking upon. Principal Tom Shelton joined the students as they toured OEC classrooms and met with OCC President Dr. Jackie Shadko.
NEGOTIATIONS
We have not yet reached a settlement with our teachers union. The West Bloomfield School District and the West Bloomfield Education Association are continuing negotiations with the assistance of a state appointed mediator from the Michigan Employment Relations Commission. The mediator works with both sides in the negotiations process with the goal of helping the employer and union reach agreement on a new contract. Information on the status of those negotiations will continue to be posted on the homepage of our website.
Informational picketing has and may continue to occur outside of our buildings before and after school hours, at some of your school events and board meetings. This is common during negotiations and should not be disruptive. Although it is unusual in our community, know that many districts see this type of action during negotiations, so it is not unique to just West Bloomfield.
The education of our students is and always will be our priority. Quality teaching and learning has been and will continue to occur in all of our classrooms each and every day to the credit of our faculty and staff members. We place a high value on the education profession and the quality service that our staff members deliver daily.
Unfortunately, our savings account is empty. The district’s fund equity is exhausted and the district is projected to end the 2009-10 school year in a true deficit of $3.1 million, where our expenses have exceeded our revenue.
In our case and that of other public school districts in Michigan, it is our legal obligation to have a balanced budget. While we are making difficult decisions that will help us to balance our budget, it is of utmost importance that each child has rich learning experiences every day.
