Ypsilanti, Willow Run spreading consolidation message at community events
Before the community is asked to vote on merging the Ypsilanti and Willow Run school districts, leaders will host a variety of public meetings to inform residents about what a “yes” vote for consolidation could mean.
Leaders will work to spread the message in any way they can — from the pulpit at local churches to the field at school sporting events.
The Ypsilanti and Willow Run boards of education met Aug. 8 at Welch Hall on Eastern Michigan University's campus to discuss a ballot proposal for November's general election. The next step is promoting the consolidation of the two districts.
Danielle Arndt | AnnArbor.com
The districts have launched a mass-marketing campaign to ensure voters understand the impact of consolidation. The real push will begin after school starts, when families are back together in one place and paying attention to school issues after the long summer break, district leaders have said.
But school officials already have been busy, conducting radio interviews, attending a West Willow picnic on Aug. 11 and meeting with the West Willow Neighborhood Association on Aug. 20.
Connecting with the various neighborhood groups is a major focus for the schools. District leaders will present on the consolidation to the Gault Village Area Neighborhood Watch on Sept. 24.
Three initial meetings for the general public have been set as well:
- 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10 at Christ Temple Baptist Church, 2372 Holmes Road, Ypsilanti Township
- 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11 at Community Church of God, 565 Jefferson St., Ypsilanti Township
- 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24 at the Ypsilanti District Library, 5577 Whittaker Road, Ypsilanti Township
The idea of reaching out to churches was a suggestion made by one community member at a public brainstorming session in July. Churches were said to be gathering places for segments of the Ypsilanti area's population. Football games also were targeted as an optimum venue for promoting or dispersing information to the community because of the large crowds that gather.
The Minister’s Alliance of Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor & Vicinity pledged its support of the unification effort via a letter in July. As a result, pulpit visits will be scheduled between now and November. One will take place at 10:25 a.m. Oct. 7 at the Second Baptist Church, 301 S. Hamilton St., and another is planned for 11:15 a.m. Oct. 14 at the Messias Temple, 200 Harriet St.
Dates for appearing at sporting events have yet to be established, according to a “Communications Initiatives” schedule posted Tuesday on the website for Ypsilanti and Willow Run’s unification.
A recent survey, conducted by research firm EPIC-MRA, showed that a majority of residents in the Ypsilanti area might be willing to support consolidation. Forty-five percent of survey takers said they would vote “yes” on Nov. 6, and 11 percent said they were leaning toward voting “yes.”
To view a complete listing of opportunities for engagement in the unification discussion, download this schedule of communications initiatives. Check back frequently at together4ss.org for updated and additional meeting times.
Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.
Comments
missypsi
Tue, Sep 4, 2012 : 5:17 a.m.
What WISD won't tell you (at least not out loud) is that if the merger goes through, kids from the former YPS district will receive less per pupil funding because according to the law, in a merger of this sort, the per pupil funding is averaged between the two entities. Since WR receives less in per pupil funding, the merger will drag down the funding we here in Ypsi have typically received. So how dos the district plan to offer better services with LESS per pupil funding? They will indeed "fire" all of the teachers from both districts, and rehire only those who get with the program. Teachers who apply for positions in the Ypsi-Willow district will probably be offered salary packages that are quite a bit less enticing than the ones they have now.I am EXTREMELY surprised that the union leadership in both districts has not raised hell over this. What is going on? The parents I've talked to are very ambivalent about the prospects of a merger. With all the vague talk about transforming the district, and no concrete plans at all, its hard to convince folks that less money, fewer, and less well paid teachers, and fewer choices at the high school level (with the inevitable closing of WR high school) will make for a successful merged district. Why are WISD and YPS and WR administrations not fighting hard for MORE per pupil funding? Why are they just rolling over in the face of pressure from the State to consolidate, and why aren't they asking for substantive support from the House of representatives (whose job it is to allocate funding) to make consolidation a success? And by the way, Ypsi may receive slightly more than WR in per pupil funding, but Ann Arbor receives almost double the amount in per pupil funding. What a great country! To paraphrase Aldous Huxley, "all of us are equal, but some of us are more equal than others."
Hilderomeo
Mon, Sep 3, 2012 : 3:08 p.m.
Many questions come to mind when thinking about a possible merger of the two school districts: 1. Why would the WRSD want to take on YSD's 10+M in debt? 2. If the merger were to occur, would there not be multiple layoffs? Along with the layoffs, the tenured educators possibly being layed off, would they lose their pensions and benefits? 3. If hiring of first year or new teachers occurs, (to save money, no matter what the outcome of the merger), how is this going to affect the students, when they are already 3 months in to the school year? 4. How many Chief's does one school district need? In addition, what about the high salaries of those top officials? Can the individual's referred to not take a pay cut to help with the budget deficit? 5. Has anyone talked to Brenda Stumbo and/or her staff to find out how they managed to keep Ypsilanti Twp out of debt, came to agreements with employees to retain them, got the Trustees to agree not to receive pensions, cut what needed to be cut to insure the solvency of the Twp? A school district(s) should be run like a business...just like anything else. You make a budget, you follow it, you hire within the budget, you make certain your best employees are rewarded and those that don't "make the grade", terminate them.
jns131
Tue, Sep 4, 2012 : 2:20 p.m.
Maybe WR should take discipline procedures from AAPS since WR has many.
beard
Mon, Sep 3, 2012 : 8:25 p.m.
This isn't one of the meetings btw. Maybe you should ask these questions there. And Jns... This has nothing to do with AAPS.
jns131
Mon, Sep 3, 2012 : 7:02 p.m.
Pioneer has a new principal and from the emails I am getting? He is going to be enforcing a lot of rules this year. Can't wait to see them enforced.
xmo
Mon, Sep 3, 2012 : 2:26 p.m.
No Separation between Church and State? "Churches were said to be gathering places for segments of the Ypsilanti area's population."
jns131
Mon, Sep 3, 2012 : 12:50 p.m.
I think I see how they are going to make WR better. By removing the problems WR has. This includes tenure teachers. IMO. Think about it for a minute. They are closing WR hi school. Laying off all of its teachers and staff. These teachers and staff have to re apply for the jobs that will become available in September. They do not have to hire any of the laid off teachers. But if they do not apply? They do not get unemployment. Period. It happened when they consolidated the buses. It will happen again. Good luck and I hope WR does get a better staff then it has now.
jns131
Mon, Sep 3, 2012 : 7 p.m.
I don't have to set foot inside WR to talk to the teachers who are already looking forward to early retirement from a school that really is from all I hear? A skate school. Don't make the AYP? Guess teachers need to do a better job on the tests. I hate to say it mine will never set foot inside that school ever and I found a way to make sure of that. Glad you like WR because from what I hear? Detroit does a better job.
Rachel Mattimoe Jenneman
Mon, Sep 3, 2012 : 4:17 p.m.
Jns131, when was the last time you set foot in Willow Run High School? You should come visit and meet the great staff. You can see all the changes that have been made and the hard work that we have been doing. I'll give you a tour. You might be surprised.
slave2work
Mon, Sep 3, 2012 : 3:44 p.m.
I doubt that the union or wisd will allow all the teachers fired. I'm sure there are just as many " bad" teachers at Ypsi high. And btw.. WR does have some great teachers.
Basic Bob
Mon, Sep 3, 2012 : 5:11 a.m.
Is there any organized or grass roots opposition to a merger? Hopefully the new board is able to quickly extricate WISD from the operations to minimize the additional overhead.
greg, too
Sun, Sep 2, 2012 : 6:05 p.m.
It still scares me that there are no real specifics being offered. Sure, its nice to think that they will come up with a way to bring in "achievement gains," but how? Telling us that your ways are new and innovative and yet also proven says nothing. If the two school districts were amongst the "persistently lowest achieving high schools" in the state, what are they planning on doing differently? There are just too many unanswered questions, or questions answered with hyperbole and cliches, for anyone to vote yes on this. This is a multi year process that the school boards are ramming through quickly out of fear of losing control to an EM. And, it scares me that the WISD is going to appoint a new board, probably made up of people from the two failing districts. So we will just keep repeating the same mistakes, but this time in a new, much bigger (until more kids leave) school district.
slave2work
Sun, Sep 2, 2012 : 8:08 p.m.
then i suggest you go with questions to the meetings and ask , I'm sure you arent the only one who needs answers.