GPPSS Update
April 26, 2022
School Board Update
At their regular meeting Monday, April 25, the Board of Education had an extensive Superintendent's Update that included:
- Recognition of our winter sports athletes
- The Good News update, which included an update on Autism Awareness month and the new symbols and language to help with inclusion, as well as Earth Week celebrations, and reminders about the upcoming Listening Sessions (see graphic below)
- Experts (Amanda Van Dusen, Senior Counsel from Miller Canfield and Paul Theriault from Pante Moran Cresa) to answer questions from Trustees Papas and Ismail on the bond, the South IA building and the construction process in general, and a recap from Dr. Dean on the McCarthy simulation for those who missed the April 9 board work session. You can fast forward to his comments on the matter which begin at 2:05:20 of the last meeting or read the letter to parents explaining the exercise. This is an exercise that has been conducted for years to demonstrate McCarthyism. No data was collected and all forms were shredded.
Action items included:
- Minutes from April 11, passed 7-0
- The Human Resources Report, which included naming Daniel Hartley Director of Secondary Instruction, and retirements of office and plant staff. The HR report passed 7-0. More information will come soon on our annual recognition for those with 25 years of service to GPPSS and those retiring.
- GPPSS Superintendent and Executive Administrator contract extensions (separated into two action items per board request); both passed 5-2
- Approval of an Abatement project amendment, which passed 7-0
- Approval of the latest budget amendment GAAA #2, which included a favorable update on general fund equity now projected at $10,458,990, and passed 7-0
- Approval of the 7th-12th Grade World Language Resources with a comment from President Herd on how fantastic the presentation was, passed 7-0
- The revised guidelines for public comment did not pass 1-6
- The resolution to set aside Poupard and Trombly funds, and revised by Trustee Ismail per the discussion under the Superintendent's report, also did not pass 2-5
Future Meetings include:
- BOE Facility Committee Meeting, Thursday, May 5, 6 p.m., Morningside Board Room
- BOE Work Session, Monday, May 9, 7 p.m., Brownell Multipurpose Room
- BOE Closed Session, Monday, April 25, 6 p.m., Brownell
- BOE Regular Session, Monday, April 25, 7 p.m., Brownell Multipurpose Room
Morningside Office closed Wednesday 4/27
Due to a building issue, GPPSS Central Office which is located at 20601 Morningside will be closed Wednesday, 4/27. Staff will be working at other locations. North High School is not affected and school will be held as usual.
Register for an engaging Zoom with Dr. Gretchen Moran Marsh
In the past several years, there has been an exponential spike in anxiety and depression related disorders resulting in negative effects for children, teens and adults. This, coupled with the fact there are not enough great mental health providers, has caused a national crisis.
Come learn empirically validated strategies to not only immediately improve your mental health, but to also prevent mental health problems in the future. These strategies are exactly what Dr. Marsh teaches her private clients, but taught in a quick and easy way to understand and implement. This transformative and positive presentation provides actionable tools to cause change.
The Grosse Pointe Foundation for Public Education is funding this opportunity to bring Dr. Gretchen Moran Marsh to our GPPSS families at 7 p.m., May 10.
Enroll today!
Click here to watch the Zoom event that will be live at 7 p.m., Tuesday, May 10, and recorded for those who cannot join us live (similar to our Town Halls). All can submit questions in advance or during the session using this google form.
Hot off the press
Congratulations to Farrah Fasse, Eleni Tecos and Meghan Wysocki, who were among 15 outstanding high school seniors across the state selected for the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association's Statewide Team. These students, who represent the state's top journalists among scholastic media outlets, were honored during an online ceremony.
Farrah is the editor-in-chief of Grosse Pointe North's newspaper, North Pointe, and Eleni and Meghan serve as editors-in-chief of Grosse Pointe South's newspaper, The Tower.
Meghan was named Michigan's Journalist of the Year and was one of six members of the Student Journalist Staff to receive an All-MIPA scholarship, the organization's highest honor for student journalists. These six students represent the top students in their field for broadcast, digital media, news design, news writing, photojournalism and yearbook design.
To top it all off, Tower adviser Kaitlin Edgerton received the 2022 Golden Pen Award, MIPA's highest award for an adviser. She was nominated by her students.
"I am so lucky to have someone like Edge in my corner," Eleni wrote in a letter of support. "It's one thing to be a teacher that advises a school newspaper, but it's another to be an unrelenting adviser and advocate for your students. Edge is that person. She is compassionate, kind, intelligent, and by far the most impactful teacher I have ever had."
Upcoming Listening Sessions with the Superintendent
Tomorrow's listening session at Parcells Middle School will take place in the library. All are welcome!
Register now for GPPSS Summer Programs
Check out registration dates for GPPSS Summer Programs!
- Camp Invention – registration open
- Summer Theatre Camp – lottery runs from April 4-14
- Summer Connection – registration open
- Camp O’Fun – registration open
- Summer Music Festival (instrumental) -- registration open
- Grosse Pointe Summer Choir -- registration open
High School Classes and Credit Recovery - Registration for both in-person and virtual classes begins Monday, May 23, and ends Thursday, June 30. Classes run June 28-August 4, 2022. For more information on registration, class schedule, and SCSACE summer school calendar, please use the GPPSS Summer Learning link.
GPPSS partners with Cyber Safety Consulting
Cyber Safety Consulting is an expert in the field of Internet safety, having developed and delivered programming focused on Internet safety nationwide. CSC will conduct the following age specific sessions virtually from 6:30 p.m.-7:45 p.m. (75 minutes including Q&A):
April 27, 2022 Balancing Our Digital Life - Middle & High School Parent Presentation (parents and students welcome)
- Your digital footprint and its future consequences
- Social media sharing best practices
- Cyberbullying
- Sexting and sextortion
May 12, 2022 When is my child ready for a smartphone? - Elementary Parent Presentation (parents only)
- Most popular apps and devices
- Creating a Digital Roadmap
- Monitoring tools, BARK, Safesearch
- Parent/child technology agreement
- Predator and grooming examples
May 24, 2022 How do I protect my teenager online? - Middle & High School Parent Presentation (parents only)
- Technology trends, social media statistics
- Sexually explicit material
- Technology addiction
- Parenting strategies for protection
- Using social media in the application process
Register for One or All
Parents, GPPSS staff and students (when appropriate - see notes behind each title) can choose to attend some or all of the programs but you must register in advance through this form, and participation is limited so sign up today! Those who register will be emailed a link and password the day of the event they registered to attend virtually.
If you missed the first session Healthy Technology in Your Home -- which is targeted for elementary parents and students -- email info@gpschools.org and we will forward you the recording and passcode. It covered:
- Tech free time and space in the home
- Creating an Exit Strategy
- Gaming do’s and don’ts
- Protecting personal information
GPPSS Green Teams and GP Garden Center invitation
Our GPPSS Green Teams and the Grosse Pointe Garden Center invite you to a Basic Gardening Session dedicated to SOIL on Thursday, May 5, 2022, at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Learn about Healthy Soil and Wise Fertilizing.
This session delves into the mystery of soil, the different types, and their compositions. Learn the crucial role soil plays in growing healthy plants that will be better able to withstand ever-present diseases. How to improve and maintain nutrient-rich soil in your garden. What soil amendments actually work and what to avoid. When and how to get your soil tested and what to do with the results. Healthy soil is key to a garden’s success.
Sue Grubba is a respected and knowledgeable lecturer, Advanced Master Gardener, and
owner of Creative Scapes, specializing in landscape night lighting, gardening, and
designing. She is a certified landscape designer and landscape technologist, senior
instructor at the Michigan School of Gardening, and President of the Association of
Professional Gardeners.
Registration: visit www.gpgardencenter.org Advanced registration is required for all.
Admission: Free for Garden Center members, $10 for non-members.
Our Vision: One Inclusive Community Learning Together
Our Mission: Cultivate Educational Excellence By:
- Empowering Students
- Valuing Diversity
- Inspiring Curiosity
- Pushing Possibilities