Farmington Farmers & Artisans Market 2010 video and photographs were taken with a Kin 1 camera I’ll be reviewing on the website that has been taking up most of my time: MichiganWomensForum.com
Unfortunately, WordPress.com doesn’t seem to want me to embed the file, so you’ll have to follow the link.
Filed under Farmington Farmers & Artisans Market, Uncategorized
Born May 7, 1943, Lawrence R. Hyslop II of East Lansing died April 15, 2010 at the age of 66.
Larry graduated from Farmington High School in 1961 and attended Wayne State University. He was a master guitarist, especially flamenco, classical, and jazz, as well as a composer, arranger, and teacher of guitar. With a personal library of thousands of volumes, his life was immersed in books and love of knowledge, especially physics, math, and philosophy. He enjoyed the life of the mind, lively conversation, discussions about theories of how things are, and exchanging puns with friends. His life was enriched by his love of family cats. He was proud of his Scottish and Cherokee heritage.
Lawrence was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence R. Hyslop and Betty H. Hyslop Istratoff, and his beloved grandmothers Phebe Hyslop and Mae Bogan. He is survived by his loving wife, Colleen; sister Claudia (Philip) Zamora of California; brother Frederick of California; sister-in-law Anne Bednar of Ann Arbor; and nieces Colleen Bednar and Emily Bednar of Ann Arbor, whom he dearly loved.
A memorial visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00 p.m., Monday, April 19, 2010 at Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, 1730 E. Grand River Ave., East Lansing, Michigan.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Hyslop Endowment for the MSU Libraries, Michigan State University, 100 Library W223, East Lansing, MI 48824; St. Vincent Home for Children, Inc., 2800 W. Willow St., Lansing, MI 48917; or Ele’s Place, 1145 W. Oakland Ave., Lansing, MI 48915 in memory of Lawrence R. Hyslop, II.
Online condolences may be made at www.gorslineruncimaneastlansing.com
Filed under Uncategorized
Weeping and gnashing of teeth, I expected.
The booing, I did not.
Everyone knew the news would be bad. Everyone expected deep cuts. But as Supt. Sue Zurvalec started ticking off the bad news in tonight’s 2010-2011 budget presentation, it became even more clear that our school district is facing a very different, very bleak future.
Start with 160 people losing their jobs, including teachers, custodians, mechanics, media specialists, para professionals – virtually every corner of the district would be touched.
Then let’s talk about eliminating elementary vocal and instrumental music programs. Hiking participation fees for high school and middle school extracurriculars. Eliminating community and adult basic education, reading and behavioral intervention programs. Increasing class sizes to 28 at the high school level, 25 at the middle school level.
The financial situation is dire. For years, state lawmakers have balanced their budget on the shoulders of Michigan school districts. The bulk of school funding comes from property and income tax revenues. And we all know what’s happened to those.
Zurvalec pointed out that the district’s cost of doing business has increased around 5 percent annually, while revenues have dropped 2-3 percent every year. The gap has created shortfalls in previous years, but nothing like what officials face this year.
The difference between expenditures and anticipated revenues for 2010-2011 (which could change when state lawmakers finish their budget at the end of the year) is $20 million.
You can’t shave $20 million. At that level, it’s time to break out the axe.
People can complain about Superintendent Zurvalec’s salary. They can allege wasteful spending at the top – too many consultants, too many assistants.
But we are now past the time when it would make a difference to cut a little here and pinch a little over there. We are at a time when saving even hundreds of thousands of dollars will only put a dent in the deficit.
Now, we’re using words like “destroying” and “dismantling.”
Zurvalec recommended two options to deal with the red ink:
The Orchard Lake Plan from the Facilities Study Team would save $5.5 million annually and avoid future costs of $13.1 million. It would be less disruptive, although two schools would be closed. And it would still leave a shortfall.
A grade reconfiguration plan proposed by district administrators would close four elementary schools and move kids into a K-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-12 grade configuration. Annual savings would be $9.8 million, with $21.1 million in costs avoided – more than $30 million in cost savings.
Bottom line, only heart-breaking choices remain. It’s not just moving kids, disrupting them more often than they should have to be. It’s not just an end to neighborhood schools. It’s the end of Farmington Schools, as we’ve all come to know it.
Board members all agreed the option they chose was awful. They also agreed on this: They could not, in good conscience, slash programs and increase class sizes to save buildings.
“It’s more disruptive to me to lose teachers, and it’s more disruptive to me to lose the programs that make our district great,” said Debby Brauer, who introduced the so-called “Option D” motion, which board members unanimously approved.
Parents commented on lack of details in grade reconfiguration report; some presented alternative budget and facilities plans; some questioned the data. And I was pleased to see several students speak in support of TV-10 and theatre programs. In the end, officials pointed out the obvious: the alternative programs focused on saving certain schools over others. Even considering them would have opened a Pandora’s box we’d never again see closed.
Farmington School officials made the right decision. They’ve saved programs, probably some jobs (nothing to sneeze at in this economy). But this is not the end of the fight.
Because if this happens again next year…
Well, I can’t even imagine.
A couple of things bothered me:
1. Livonia School Board members had no business nosing in on our financial crisis. They have one of their own.
2. I happen to have complained loud and long when school board members jacked up the superintendent’s salary years ago. But parents just don’t belong in salary negotiations.
3. Nobody should be tossing out accusations at a public meeting with a cryptic “ask me about this later” comment. It’s irresponsible to publicly insinuate wrong-doing, without having solid proof that it exists.
4. I hate booing. I hate it at sports events, and I hate it even more in public meetings. Shame, shame, shame on those who booed speakers with whom they disagreed and were disruptive when others were speaking. The way we behave teaches our children something, too.
Be sure to check out the full budget presentation, which is posted on the District’s home page (in the Announcements column).
–JH-G
Filed under Schools
It has been more than a little stunning to watch Farmington school officials reject options proposed by the Facilities Study Team, in favor of an administrative committee’s recommendation to reconfigure grade levels.
Stunning, and disappointing, given how well the District has thus far communicated with and engaged parents. Community volunteers spent more than 1,000 hours poring over information about facilities and delivered a detailed and thoughtful report. The district even posted a facilities survey on-line, along with every last bit of information available about the Facilities Study Team.
Go to the FPS Web site, you’ll find their meeting minutes, detailed information about their report and presentation to the board. If you want information regarding the grade-level configuration study, you’ll have to look a little deeper.
It’s in a three-page PDF, linked on the Facilities committee page as “Response to Board Questions on Option D.”
Grade level configuration is not a bad option. It’s an unknown option. Dropping it into this public conversation on February 9, with the intent of voting on it February 24 makes no sense at all.
I am neither claiming conspiracy, nor intending to prompt any discussion that even hints at underhanded dealings. And just so you know, I won’t tolerate that here. Farmington School officials are not corrupt.
They do seem to wear an extraordinarily large set of blinders.
Consider this: The most frequent complaint I received while working as a reporter and editor in our community had to do with officials forming citizen committees and commissions, and then not using any of their recommendations.
Elected officials and local leaders complained most about the lack of citizen engagement.
Connect those dots. It’s a straight line.
No matter what they intend, FPS officials have reinforced the idea that they don’t value what citizen contributions. And it’s not because they rejected all three recommendations from the Facilities Study Team. Sometimes, a study only reveals what won’t work. Team members may feel disappointed in the outcome, but no matter what happens, all those hours of work were not wasted.
In fact, the Facilities group questioned middle school grade level configurations early in the process. They weren’t allowed to move in that direction. So administrators launched a parallel study. They just weren’t quite as “public” about it.
Here’s the progression, as described in the “Response to Board Questions on Option D” PDF:
In November, the Facilities Studies Team raised a question about whether three middle schools could accommodate 800-1,000 6th – 8th grade students. With the help of our middle school leaders, it was determined three middle schools could house all 6th – 8th grade students, with a few renovations. However, the thought of having that many students in a school with an age span between 10 and 14-years-old drew concerns from administrators.
Subsequently, they began looking at ways to be near capacity, but without the vast difference in age level. Since some of our neighboring communities had recently transitioned to a 5/6 and 7/8 configuration, administrators began to look into this configuration. After investigation, this configuration can house about the same number of students, but having 5th and 6th grade students together and 7th and 8th grade students together it presented a much better fit.
Compared with the volumes published about the Facilities Study Team (including information about the members themselves and where their children attend school), the District’s Web site carries very little information about the administrative team and its research. That has to change, in order for citizens to make well-informed contributions to this public discussion.
If officials believe grade re-configuration is the way to go, then it’s time to bring residents up to speed, to exercise the same care and due diligence that were part of the Facilities Study Team process. It’s time to present the public with a comprehensive report that compares the facilities report savings, pros and cons, with grade re-configuration report savings pros and cons. It’s time to engage parents in discussions about this new approach.
Rather than pushing forward, officials should be gathering and disseminating information and sharing it with citizens on-line, on TV-10 and at informational meetings.
Call me crazy, but I think that’ll take more than two weeks.
–JH-G
Here’s a place to start:
Grade Configurations by Joyce A. Craig, REFP
School Planning & Management
Filed under Schools
To the editor:
We would like to acknowledge the fine work of Mr. Joe Derek, retiring naturalist for Farmington Hillls.
Joe was one of the first city naturalists and brought nature to us through his excellent television program, Nature in the Hills. He spoke at the Finnish Center garden club on many occasions and always delighted the audience. Joe will always be remembered as one who could answer any questions about natural events in the Farmington area. He will be missed. Thanks, Joe, for your many years of service.
Sincerely,
David and Jeannette Sharpe
We couldn’t agree more. Joe fought for the preservation of Heritage Park and the environmental education of our children. His work will not be forgotten, and we wish him all the best in his retirement.
Filed under Letters
