By Harold C. Ford
Within two days, two memos with two different views were issued by the superintendent and teachers’ union leaders at Flint Community Schools (FCS).
FCS Superintendent Jones
On May 5, FCS Superintendent Kevelin Jones issued a statement that attempted to elevate the “positive stories happening in our district every single day.”
FCS Superintendant Kevelin Jones. (Photo by Tom Travis)
An excerpt from that memo:
“We know there is an influx of negativity surrounding the district, whether that is out in the community on social media or in the news. We are working with the Board of Education, our community partners and key stakeholders to address these issues and, as a result, build a stronger Flint Community Schools. We continue to elevate the positive stories happening in our district every single day, such as our 72 Flint Southwestern Classical Academy and Accelerated Learning Academy scholars announcing their post-graduation plans and the historic renovations at Doyle-Ryder Elementary. There is so much more to share, so stay tuned for additional positive stories from our team.”
The entire statement by Superintendent Jones can be found below or at the FCS website.
Readers should know that “positive stories” are regularly posted and available at the FCS website or the district’s Facebook page. Additionally, “positive stories” about FCS are issued by the district’s out-of-town public relations firm, Lambert & Co.
Teachers’ union heads Christian and Jordan
On May 6, a very different memo was issued jointly by Karen Christian, president of the United Teachers of Flint, and Bruce Jordan, Michigan Education Association uniserv director. A portion of the memo issued by Christian and Jordan is found below.
“We write this letter with grave concern for the future of the Flint Community School District (FCS). Over our 30+ years working in and with FCS we have never been more concerned than we are now … The historical knowledge/facts are very important to understand the ‘how’ and the ‘why’ as it relates to the current culture climate, and situation FCS is in. We want to emphasize that WE remain hopeful and want FCS, UTF (United Teacher of Flint), Congress (Congress of School Administrators), other staff AND all students of the district to succeed.”
The entire statement can be read here.
The lengthy memo by Christian and Jordan called for action on five fronts:
- Close and consolidate school buildings.
- Recruit staff to fill all vacancies in all job classifications.
- RETAIN the staff you currently have. This is vital. It will give us time to recruit new staff.
- Create long-lasting partnerships that will support Superintendent Jones’ vision and goals while, simultaneously, moving the district forward both operationally and academically.
- Unify as a Board, it’s not about your ego, it’s about the students.
The Christian-Jordan memo was sent to Jones, members of the Flint Board of Education, FCS teaching staff, and three media outlets including East Village Magazine.
[The entirety of the Christian-Jordan memo can be found below.]
Statement from FCS Superintendent Kevelin Jones:
May 5, 2023
Dear Flint Families,
Flint Community Schools and its scholars, families, teachers, staff, partners and neighbors have always demonstrated a high level of resilience amid ever-changing and difficult situations. This is what makes the Flint community so incredible. Flint is my home – I grew up here, graduated from here and proudly serve this district and its stakeholders. This is a responsibility that I do not take lightly, and I hope that you can all see my ambitions and vision at work here today.
This week, we made a big ask of our scholars and families by implementing a ban on backpacks across the district. We understand that this is an inconvenience and completely alters the day-to-day operations of our scholars, families and teachers, but we knew that our community would understand the need for this policy amid safety concerns. We are pleased and grateful that we did not have any issues with backpacks this week, thanks to your commitment to the district. Please continue to follow this protocol for the remainder of the school year.
We know there is an influx of negativity surrounding the district, whether that is out in the community, on social media or in the news. We are working with the Board of Education, our community partners and key stakeholders to address these issues and, as a result, build a stronger Flint Community Schools. We continue to elevate the positive stories happening in our district every single day, such as our 72 Flint Southwestern Classical Academy and Accelerated Learning Academy scholars announcing their post-graduation plans and the historic renovations at Doyle-Ryder Elementary. There is so much more to share, so stay tuned for additional positive stories from our team.
In the weeks ahead, we look forward to celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week, hosting hands-on learning events and preparing for graduation. In our classrooms, scholars are building the skills necessary for them to become lifelong learners, and teachers are going above and beyond to support the needs of scholars and families. I know firsthand the incredible things that are happening across our district, and I invite you to join me in sharing the positive with the greater Flint community – whether that is on social media, at a Board meeting or even just in conversations with your family and friends.
As your school district, we are entrusted with the safety and growth of those we serve – the children and families of Flint. We take this responsibility very seriously, and I want to assure families that we are making intentional and well-informed decisions to ensure that we are creating secure, positive environments where scholars can thrive academically. This requires a partnership, and I want to personally thank you for your flexibility and commitment. We will finish the school year strong while simultaneously building for a better tomorrow for Flint’s scholars and families – both present and future. As always, my goal is our success, and we will not let you down.
Educationally Yours,
Kevelin Jones, Superintendent
* * * * *
Statement by Christian and Jordan:
An open letter to the Flint Board of Education and Press Release sent to local media including:
- The Flint Board of Education Members
- Superintendent Kevelin Jones
- Flint Beat
- East Village Magazine
- ABC 12
- The entire teaching staff
We write this letter with grave concern for the future of the Flint Community School District (FCS). Over our 30+ years working in and with FCS we have never been more concerned than we are now. As you may know, Karen Christian is the President of the United Teachers of Flint and I am the Michigan Education Association UniServ Director assigned to work with your local staff union the United Teachers of Flint (UTF). In doing so, we have fostered a plethora of beneficial and fruitful relationships in the district over the years and none more than with the current (as well as some now recently former) administration team lead by Superintendent Kevelin Jones. We have a unique perspective as both having been a math teacher/elementary teacher for FCS, UTF leaders, and now the President of UTF and UTF/FCS UniServ Director. The historical knowledge/facts are very important to understand the “how” and the “why” as it relates to the current culture, climate, and situation FCS is in. We want to emphasize that WE wish to remain hopeful and want FCS, UTF, Congress, other staff, AND all students of the district to succeed. It is paramount the following topics get priority.
Consolidation of FCS school buildings.
- Over the last decade or more, FCS has seen a decline in student enrollment in staggering numbers. Based on conversations during Board Committee of the Whole meetings, regular Board meetings, as well as Board sub-committee meetings, We estimate that FCS owns around 40 properties. Of these properties, around 20 are being actively maintained, and 12 are actively open and being utilized on a daily basis for educational programing. If only 12 properties are “active” and “open”, the other 28 properties are in a category all by themselves. These 28 properties, collectively, are a drain on vital resources the district must shift to other areas of the budget to increase student success and achievement, retain our much-needed staff, recruit highly qualified staff to fill a staggering number of vacancies, as well as bring YOUR deficit budget to the positive.
- The FCS Board of Education MUST make the difficult decision to close buildings. This is not a suggestion or a wish, it is a fact. The current student enrollment does NOT support the number of open and active buildings in the district. As we have mentioned many times during public comment, this should have been announced months ago. This Board must act now. A school building cannot close itself. It takes a thorough plan involving community, staff and communication. It is vital to announce a closing at the same time as announcing what school will be honored to take on the role of education the students of the closed building. This creates buy-in with parents and students, as well as minimize the loss of students because of the closing.
- The Board is very behind in any announcements to consolidate schools for the 2023/2024 school year. Weare directly asking the Board to act on a consolidation plan at their Regular Board Meeting in May 2023 (this month)!
- Resignations of Central Administrative Staff.
- We are not privy to any details of how the Board and Administration interact. What we are privy to are the statements made by the former CFO, former HR Director, and former Assistant Superintendent. All are stating hostile working environments as it relates to the Board as a whole and/or individual Board Members. These resignations should be of grave concern for the Board. These jobs are difficult and there is rarely a simple answer to anything. We aredirectly asking the Board to support Superintendent Jones and the action items he, and his team, bring forward… especially personnel recommendations.
- Resignations/Retirements of Staff.
- If you don’t know, you should. The sheer amount of resignations and/or retirements are overwhelming. We cannot speak accurately regarding paraprofessional staff, administrative staff, and technical staff, but we can speak accurately as it relates to the UTF teaching staff.
- About a month ago we were able to get a payroll snapshot of the current teachers in the district. In this snapshot, there were 192 teachers, NOT INCLUDING the 90-100 current vacancies. Also, Ms. Galloway provided a list of 9 staff that have submitted for retirement effective between that payroll snapshot and the end of the school year. Taking out those 9 retirements, there will be 181 teachers to start the 2023/2024 school year. This is assuming no one else resigns or retires.
- Of the 181 remaining teachers, 75 of them have 25 years or more of service to FCS. 41% of these remaining 181 teachers are eligible to retire at any time!
- Assuming that there are 90 vacancies, these vacancies represent 33% of the positions needed to teach the students of the FCS. How can our MDE Partnership agreement be successful when 33% of the teaching positions are being filled by substitute teachers; and with many going unfilled? YOU are failing our students by not addressing the root problem, the retention and recruitment of desperately needed staff.
- The primary job of a school district is to education the students in which it serves. With this said, it is important to realize that student success is nearly impossible with 1/3rdof the teaching positions being unfilled by qualified staff. We are putting our students in a situation where we have failed them. Just look at the Personnel Recommendations in the May 10th Board Agenda and Packet…Another round of retirements and resignations and some/most of these are NOT INCLUDED in the figures above with ZERO new hires.
- Moving teachers to the salary step commensurate of their teaching experience is a vital component to retain the 181 teachers you currently have. Fortunately, doing so will not add any money to the instruction line item of your adopted budget! Yet, it has not happened and is still opposed. Why? This is not tenable. You must retain current staff to mitigate the effect of retirements and resignations of current staff that have been frozen on steps for years. We are directly asking the Board to act consistent with the platforms that many of you campaigned on: competitive teacher salaries, restoration, retention, and recruitment of qualified teaching staff. All vacant positions need to be filled in order for FCS to succeed both competitively and academically.
- The Board accepted/approved 6-month Focus Plan.
- The eight focus areas are numbered below. We are demanding that the Board FOCUS and ACT on to support and move these focus areas forward! We have posed a few comments/questions in blue for some of them below.
Phase 2 of ESSER Funds: We currently must allocate $86 million dollars in ESSER 3 dollars. Due date of spending9/30/2024.
These funds are a “once in a lifetime” opportunity. Our counterparts across Michigan, as well as a plethora of other districts, MDE, and legislators, are watching you. Failure to allocate 100% of these funds should be criminally negligent. Please put your egos aside and get the work done to ensure FCS has the ability to draw down 100% of these funds, anything less will be labeled as an epic failure of the Board and FCS as a whole. Please see the link below to the MDE ESSER Dashboard indicating where FCS stands with the utilization of all the ESSER funds.
Academic Partnership Agreement with MDE and GISD: The plan is for the next 3 years, and we have 7 identified schools and 3 schools who will have added support. The schools are as followed: Potter/Neithercut/Eisenhower/ Holmes/Brownell/ Pierce/Doyle-Ryder /ALA/ SWA/ Freeman
This is progressing, however, how can it be successful when 33% of the current teaching positions are vacant? The short answer is, it cannot!
Plan for a sustainable future: As we look to move out of an operational deficit, this is something we can start now. This will take time and meaningful efforts to prepare. We are working on a plan that we will present to you soon. We are in a race against time.
Mott Foundation and Partner support for possible New Schools: Thank you for your recent approval to start these conversations. It is not just about The Mott Foundation. It is about leveraging any and all opportunities for funding for our district.
This is a great opportunity; however, you need to know that UTF is 100% against these partnerships without addressing the step freezes of teachers and the current staffing crisis FCS faces.
Staffing: We do not believe there is one of us that do not want to see action in this space. However, we must come together. The board needs to definitively decided if are we opening or not opening the teachers’ contract for salaries. If we are going to do this, please allow us and our team, to handle this work with the UTF. This issue is not going away. We will then bring information to you along with the Board’s lead negotiator (Tim Gardner) at the appropriate time.
Why hasn’t the Board formally approved Superintendent Jones to engage with UTF in this area? If you have already approved this plan, when will the Board formally authorize this?
Approve the personnel recommendations that we are bringing forward to you please. We need support in HR.
This has obviously not been a focus of concern from this Board. Why? Now, because of the lack of support, FCS has no one leading HR, not to mention the Finance Department or the Assistant Superintendent’s job responsibilities. Three critical positions absolutely necessary for FCS, staff, students and the community.
We will be asking for support to bring in a company to take all our paper personnel files and turn them digital.
We would also ask this Board invest in a robust HRS and payroll system that meets the needs of both departments. To our understanding, the current system/s are antiquated and nonfunctional.
We want to initiate an employee handbook that FCS has never had to our knowledge for our employees. We may not be able to completely finish in the next 6 months, as it depends on HR staff support, but we will get this work moving.
Board, Superintendent, and Administration Communications: As we have experienced two different boards over the last two years, several different presidents, and drop offs, we have not been able to establish how we will communicate to ensure a positive climate and culture amongst us, that has been consistent.
Clearly, an established communication model between administration and the Board is desperately needed in this district. It is evident when viewing and sitting through hours of your Board meetings.
Continued work and Completion of Renovations approved 2022: Parking lots, furniture, Doyle-Ryder and Potter renovations are all underway. We must maintain the timelines and focus on this work.
This is great. Reinvesting into the district with capital improvements is an excellent step in the right direction.
Satisfaction Survey to Stakeholders from FCS. Surveys have all been through Community Education Foundation for FCS. We want to establish our own satisfaction survey for staff and families.
This is also a good thing. Input from all stakeholders is a very important component in moving forward.
In closing, WE believe in the vision, leadership, and focus plan of Superintendent Jones. Based on the district being in an operational deficit, the crisis level and dire need to retain and recruit staff, and the need to significantly reinvest in infrastructure renovations and new buildings, we whole heartedly believe the Flint Board of Education is in a position to effectively change the future of the Flint Community School District….but you MUST come together. You MUST act as one and make positive decisions that will address the items in this letter in order to move the district forward, together. If you don’t, there is a high probability that Flint Community Schools will not have enough staff (and students) to remain open in the coming school year.
In summary:
- Close and consolidate school buildings.
- Recruit staff to fill all vacancies in all job classifications.
- RETAIN the staff you currently have. This is vital. It will give us time to recruit new staff.
- Create long-lasting partnerships that will support Superintendent Jones’ vision and goals while, simultaneously, moving the district forward both operationally and academically.
- Unify as a Board, it’s not about your ego, it’s about the students.
WE can do this. TOGETHER.
On behalf of the Flint teaching staff:
Karen Christian – President of the United Teachers of Flint and,
Bruce Jordan – MEA UniServ Director
EVM Education Reporter Harold Ford can be reached at hcford1185@gmail.com
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