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Farmington Schools Endures Challenging Year

In 2011, the district struggled with the demolition of four buildings, a lawsuit, tense union negotiations and tougher academic standards.

 

It seemed like the hits just kept on coming for Farmington Public Schools in 2011.

From a controversial building sale to unsettling news about academic performance under new state standards, officials often faced angry parents at board meetings. But the district also celebrated some significant milestones.

Here are a few of the year's biggest stories: 

Schools demolished

A controversial vote in January authorized the solicitation of bids for the demolition of elementary buildings closed in 2010, and Fairview Early Childhood Center, closed in 2006. Wooddale, Flanders and William Grace Elementary and Fairview Early Childhood Center were eventually leveled, but officials in January received an offer for Eagle Elementary, from the Islamic Cultural Association (ICA). There are no plans to develop the now vacant school sites, but Eagle Elementary is a different story.

Lawsuit over Eagle sale

The news of an offer on the Eagle Elementary building surfaced in May, when it was considered on the agenda of a public meeting. More than 100 residents showed up at a meeting in June to protest the sale, which was unanimously approved on June 14. In July, residents Eugene Greenstein of Farmington Hills and Melvin C. Sternfeld of West Bloomfield filed suit to stop the sale, claiming the Board of Education failed to follow board policies and procedures of the district. Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Rae Lee Chabot ruled in September that the plaintiffs did not demonstrate they would be harmed by sale of the closed building. The ruling has been appealed, and the sale is expected to be completed Jan. 12, 2012.

Support services survive

School officials secured steep concessions from transportation, custodial and food services employees, after requesting proposals for outsourcing those services. While officials said the district's gloomy financial picture left them with no choice, union workers and their supporters urged them to keep the services in-house. In the end, the unions came up with $2.3 million in wage cuts, increased benefit contributions, vacation and holiday time accruals and more, which officials voted to accept. 

Big changes at North Farmington

Long-time principal Rick Jones and theater teachers Dean and Sue Cobb retired at the end of the 2010-2011 school year – but they won't be forgotten. The school's theater wing was named in honor of the Cobbs, and the main school building is now the "Richard B. Jones Academic Center". The school's new principal is Joseph Greene, and Samantha Feldman, a 2007 North graduate, directed The Laramie Project this fall. 

Green schools

The environmental efforts of eight Farmington schools qualified them this year for "Green School" status. All of the schools are at the Emerald or Evergreen level, the two highest levels. The schools and their Green Team names are: 

County honors teacher

Honored among Farmington Public Schools Teachers of the Year, Beechview Elementary's Bobbie Blazo was named the 2011 Oakland County Outstanding Elementary School Teacher of the Year. Blazo was selected from a pool of 16 nominees evaluated in engaging students, meeting students' individual needs, demonstrating knowledge of the subject area and other criteria.

State-wide testing

Farmington officials were pleased with the results of the Michigan Education Assessment Program (MEAP) tests earlier this year, and especially with an improving trend in mathematics. But districts across the state got a rude awakening in November, when the state released a look at how students would do on MEAP and Michigan Merit Exam tests under new, more rigorous standards that will go into effect in 2013-2014. The district has partnered with Oakland Intermediate School District on the development of new "Common Core" curriculum, and teacher training is underway.

IB launches

The district's new International Baccalaureate (IB) program launched at Harrison High School this year, with 110 freshmen. Harrison principal Aaron Johnson told school board members in November that students from five continents are enrolled, and IB has brought new energy to the school. Thirty teachers have been trained and are writing curriculum for the program, which is for 11th and 12th graders, but students begin preparing for it in 9th grade. 

Related Topics: 2011 Year in Review, Common Core, Eagle Elementary, Farmington Public Schools, Farmington School Board, International Baccalaureate, MEAP, and MME

S

2:26 pm on Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Why don't you do an indepth article on the IB program and what it really is...an arm of UNESCO that is violently against our form of government, that believes rights are granted from government (not ours to begin with) and that the entire SL history course revolves around learning about Islam. Plus, FPS has spent at least half a million dollars implementing a program governed by a group in SWITZERLAND...while cutting core services to our students along with music, art and other electives. Something stinks, and it isn't Denmark.

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Joni Hubred-Golden

3:11 pm on Tuesday, January 3, 2012

S, we will be doing stories about the progress of Farmington's program in its first year.

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