On Feb. 14 (Valentines Day), Dearborn Public Schools residents over the age of 60 can stop in to any Dearborn Public School or the Administration Building to pick up the new Premier Citizen Discount Card. There will be free cookies for anyone stopping by to pick up a card and as a special bonus the first person to visit a school on the 14th to pick up a card will receive a Target gift card.

“We are proud that many residents in the over 60 crowd are alumni and we welcome them back to enjoy the events and activities that occur in our schools,” said Dearborn Public Schools Supt. Brian Whiston.

The Premier Citizen Discount Card is free and offers all the same great discounts as the Golden Ager card but with a new look and a new offer on school merchandise:

• Free admission to all school-sponsored activities* including concerts and athletic events. (*Due to fees charged to schools for licensing of performance rights, plays are not included.)

• Discounts on select Community Education classes.

• 10% discount on merchandise sold at school stores. (limit 4 items per year)

• Participation in school lunch programs at reduced prices. Reduced price is 10% discount on the total purchase. (must contact school in advance to participate)

“Our students have plenty to offer and community members will be proud of the accomplishments of the young people in their neighborhood. We hope that everyone over the age of 60 will pick up a Premier Citizen Discount Card and take advantage of the free admission and discounts,” Whiston said.

Goodman says education issues should take center stage in the 2012 Presidential election.

“ . . . it is mind boggling to realize that just at the time that the nation is coming to grips with the importance of an educated workforce in a global economy, we are cutting funding at the national, state, and local levels for publicly supported K-12 and higher education. This is even more pronounced in Michigan,” Goodman says.

“ Teacher salaries and benefits are going down and class sizes are going up. Moreover, public university tuition for those who want to teach is going up and aid to these students is going down. Also, the interest on federally insured student loans is now immediately payable, rather being deferred for some time as previously was the case, and these loans must be paid back sooner. Let’s see, our prospective teachers have to pay more to earn less. Hmmm. What’s wrong with this picture?”

His column begins below:

Morris Goodman

I am an education snob. Among my wife two sons, daughter-in-law, and me, there are 5 Masters degrees and one law degree (yup, that’s mine). It turns out that this snobbishness is also an important employment indicator. While this is not a surprising fact, the extent of the advantage a good education provides is. Presently there are radio ads for a local college touting the fact that a person with a college degree will earn on average $1.3 million over a lifetime more than someone with only a high school degree. Quite a difference.

At the beginning of December the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the United States added 120,000 new jobs in November and the unemployment rate fell to 8.6%, the lowest since March 2009. In the mass of data released at the same time by the BLS, several facts leaped out at me. First of all, the unemployment rate for those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was 4.4% and for those with only a high school degree the rate was 8.8% – precisely double. For those with no high school degree the rate was 13.2% or three times the rate for those with a college degree.

We all know that most new jobs being created in the U S today, even at the entry level, require more than a high school education. The auto industry used to employ just about anyone who could read and was willing to work. Recent articles about auto manufacturing jobs stress that almost all positions on the car assembly line or at parts plants require workers who have fairly sophisticated computer skills to operate the all pervasive robotic machines.

In our economic recovery, both nationally and particularly in Michigan, everything points to added employment in the next few years in auto related work. So clearly we, as a nation and state, need to put resources into preparing our student population for those kinds of jobs. Thus, it is mind boggling to realize that just at the time that the nation is coming to grips with the importance of an educated workforce in a global economy, we are cutting funding at the national, state, and local levels for publicly supported K-12 and higher education. This is even more pronounced in Michigan.

Teacher salaries and benefits are going down and class sizes are going up. Moreover, public university tuition for those who want to teach is going up and aid to these students is going down. Also, the interest on federally insured student loans is now immediately payable, rather being deferred for some time as previously was the case, and these loans must be paid back sooner. Let’s see, our prospective teachers have to pay more to earn less. Hmmm. What’s wrong with this picture?

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has made education in his city one of the top budgetary priorities, noted in a recent speech that the overwhelming majority of college graduates who now go into teaching in our country’s public schools graduate in the bottom one quarter of their class. Why would our better college graduates want to prepare themselves for a profession whose prospects are so bleak? This is not a recipe for a “Race to the Top” in producing public school students who can successfully compete in the global marketplace.

Another fact that stood out to me in the December BLS data was that unemployment among whites was 7.6% and had decreased 0.4% in November and unemployment among African Americans was 15.5% and had increased by 0.4%. This certainly makes sense because so many government jobs of all kinds are being eliminated due to falling tax revenues, and so many African Americans have government jobs. Michele Obama’s and Herman Cain’s parents both started their working lives in government jobs. So where are African Americans newly entering the workforce supposed to find work in the private sector?

We all know the financial problems, high drop out rates, and struggling single parent families plaguing the nation’s urban school districts where the majority of African American families live. We also know that Detroit and other Michigan cities are used as examples of everything that is wrong with public education. Unfortunately, with the constant pressure to cut taxes there is presently great resistance in Congress and state legislatures, including in Lansing, to financially help urban school systems improve.

Education issues should take center stage in the 2012 Presidential election. Whether that means there will be any progress towards improving the educational level of our student population is anyone’s guess? Hope springs eternal. If the Lions can make the playoffs and the Spartans and Wolverines can play in important bowl games, anything is possible. I know I ended another recent column like this. Sports are easy to use as analogies, so what the heck. 

San Francisco is 4-1 and plays the undefeated Lions at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Ford Field in Detroit.

The 49ers are scheduled to practice at my alma mater between noon and 2 p.m. on Saturday. Dearborn Police will be at the field to keep an eye on things and manage any crowds that may gather if the practice is held.

Now Dearborn High School can brag that they really do have the best football field in Dearborn, good enough for the five-time Super Bowl champ 49ers to ask to use.

Go Lions!

Dearborn Public Schools Supt. Brian Whiston (left) and school board president James Schoolmaster (right) accept a ceremonial check from Wayne County Commission Chairman Gary Woronchak for a $20,000 county grant to support the anti-bullying effort launched Sept. 14 jointly by the school district and the city of Dearborn.

Wayne County Commission Chairman Gary Woronchak secured a $20,000 county grant which was formally announced at the kickoff for the anti-bullying effort held Sept. 14 at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center.

Planning for the city schools program to combat bullying had been in the works for a year, but Woronchak approached school officials with the offer to help fund the effort less than two weeks before the kickoff event.

Woronchak explained that the funding is a county PASS grant. PASS (Prevention Action Services System) provides grants for programs that help young people develop academically and socially and to avoid the juvenile justice system. The county’s 2011-12 budget, which was approved by the commission last month, included funding for the grants through the Department of Children and Family Services.

“As word got out about the school district and city’s anti-bullying efforts, around the same time as we were putting final touches on the county budget, it seemed to me that this program would fit perfectly with the prevention service grants,” said Commissioner Woronchak, himself a product of Dearborn Public Schools.

School officials were pleased to learn of the grant and expressed gratitude to Woronchak for taking the initiative and quick action to obtain the funds.

“In working to put this plan together over the last year, organizers came up with many good ideas and concepts to address bullying, but some seemed out of reach because funding was going to be limited with tight budgets in the school district and city,” said Superintendent Brian Whiston. “Commissioner Woronchak bringing this unexpected grant to us just as we were about to kick off the program gave us great momentum going forward.”

Parents, students, staff and elected officials attended the Anti-Bullying Extravaganza Sept. 14. At the event, Dearborn Mayor John B. O’Reilly Jr. and Superintendent Whiston shared details of the plan, including the intended curriculum and activities for schools.

Students presented videos they created that capture the anti-bullying theme and the district rolled out the “Response to Bullying Behavior” poster contest. The winning poster will be distributed and displayed at schools, shops and homes throughout the city.

The kickoff program also featured costumed team mascots from the Detroit Tigers, Lions and Pistons, and emceed by WXYZ-TV reporter Anu Prakash.

From left to right, Dearborn's newest principals, Jamel Lawera, Kristin Waddell and Daniel Hartley.

Students at three Dearborn schools will begin the school year with new principals.

The Board of Education recently approved the appointment of the following principals:

Mr. Daniel Hartley, Principal of DuVall Elementary (my childhood elementary), previously Assistant Principal at Bryant Middle School

Ms. Kristin Waddell, Principal of Whitmore-Bolles Elementary, previously Assistant Principal at Maples Elementary

Mr. Jamel Lawera, Principal of Salina Intermediate, previously Assistant Principal at Salina Intermediate.

The Dearborn School District was fortunate to have had many outstanding candidates for these positions. We wish all three of these administrators a great school year.

The existing building (foreground) will be connected via corridor to a new 4-story building (background).

The apartments will be located directly across from the University of Michigan-Dearborn campus at 760 and 780 Town Center Drive, the road that circles the Fairlane Mall. These two buildings formerly housed Ford engine engineers.

In addition to the two existing buildings, construction on an all-new four-story building is expected to begin this year at the same location. Corridors will also be constructed to connect the new building with the two existing structures. In all, there will be 506 beds consisting of studio and three- and four bedroom apartments, according to Bowers and Associates, the architect for the project.

One of the buildings also would serve as a student union hall where students could gather and purchase food.

In this rendering, all three buildings for University of Michigan-Dearborn student housing can be seen.

 A fourth building could be build at this same location if demand exceeds apartment availability.

The apartments, which will be privately owned rather than managed by the U-M Dearborn, are targeted to open in August 2012, according to the architect for the project.

Just how many of the current 8,700 students at the University of Michigan-Dearborn will utilize the apartments isn’t known but being able to offer student housing is expected to help the university reach its target of growing to 12,000 students by 2012.

This project has been a long-time coming and could go a long way towards helping the Fairlane Town Center, as well as downtown West Dearborn.

It’s a first-ever twist, in line with Gov. Rick Snyder’s idea that public employees should pay more toward their health insurance.

Under the agreement, Dearborn Public Schools has capped its contribution at $12,000 per employee, and the union will have to run the health plan and figure out how to best spend the money.

The paper says it’s a risky move for the union, which would have tough decisions if the plan goes over-budget. On the other hand, the plan would bank any savings to cover future cost increases.

Read the full story HERE.

The public is invited to attend this free program at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Ave., in Dearborn to watch hundreds of talented Dearborn students perform, display and demonstrate their arts.

“We called this the Youth in Arts Festival—not just a concert—because of the variety and high spirited energy of the program,” explained EmmaJean Woodyard, executive director of the Dearborn Community Fund (DCF). “It’s really exciting for everyone involved because it’s the first time that all of the schools in Dearborn have pooled all of their arts initiatives together at one time, in one place, to demonstrate how many of our young people are involved in the arts.”

Visual Arts

The Youth in Arts Festival includes the all school exhibit in the Padzieski Art Gallery featuring the artwork of K-12 students.

Fifth grade students will demonstrate the ancient art of kumihimo, a decorative form of Japanese braiding. Their work will be for sale with all proceeds donated to the Red Cross to aid Japanese earthquake victims.

In addition, high school students from the Pockets of Perception (POP) design team will be on hand with designs of their project which culminates later this year with the installation of two outdoor sculptures, one in west Dearborn and one in east Dearborn.

Choral

Choral performances will highlight the voices of students in the Elementary Honors Choir directed by Jim Walters, the Secondary Honors Choir directed by Jennifer Pegouske, and the Edsel Ford Choir, directed by Robert Doyle.

Dramatic Arts

Edsel Ford High School Musical Theater students will add a dramatic element to the program under the direction of Robert Doyle.

Instrumental Arts

Representing the power and passion of instrumental arts, performances include the Fordson Jazz Band conducted by Scott Guthre, Dearborn High School 10th Grade Concert Band conducted by Jeff Oshnock, and the Maples Music Ensemble conducted by Catherine Prowse. The Dearborn Youth Symphony Flute Choir directed by Donna Olkowski will perform in the theater lobby as guests arrive.

Special guests for the evening will highlight Dearborn schools graduates, all of whom have gone on to pursue careers in the arts. The guest list includes: pianist John Boonenberg; comments from Mike Mosallam, director of the Film Initiative for Wayne County; and, conducting the program’s closing number,

G. Kevin Dewey, director of choirs, Henry Ford community College.

The Youth in Arts Festival is sponsored by the Dearborn Community Fund (DCF), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with the mission to support cultural and recreational programs in Dearborn.

Honorary chairs for the event are Mayor John B. O’Reilly, Jr.; Karen Nigosian, chair, DCF; and Brian Whiston, superintendent, Dearborn Public Schools.

The Youth in Arts Festival Honorary Organization Committee includes: AAUW Dearborn Branch, Artist Society of Dearborn, the Dearborn Public Schools, and the Dearborn Symphony Orchestra.

For more information about the Youth in Arts Festival, other projects sponsored by the DCF, or how to contribute to the Fund, call 313-943-5478.

Four buses – provided by the Dearborn PTSA Council – have been reserved and will leave Dearborn School’s Administrative Services Center, 18700 Audette at 9 a.m.

Organizers are asking that attendees pack a lunch and arrive no later than 8:45 a.m. Buses will return from Lansing to Dearborn about 2:30 p.m.

Those interested in attending should email Colette Dunsmore, Dearborn PTSA council president, by Friday, April 8 at donoval@dearborn.k12.mi.us

“We want everyone to know up in Lansing that Dearborn is there and that we want to make sure our quality education continues,” said Dunsmore in an email to DeepsaidWhat.com. “Make signs, bring letters to the Governor, have your children write letters for you to bring up with you! WE NEED PEOPLE and lots of them!! So, please spread the word! . . . Let’s make Dearborn proud with the strong support and showing of our people in Lansing on Tuesday, April 12th!”

Separately, Morris Goodman, a Dearborn attorney, past president of the Dearborn Democratic Club, a longtime political activist and observer and regular reader of Deepsaidwhat.com sent along this column asking “Did you get what you voted for?”

Goodman says that July 1, 2011 cannot come soon enough because that is when Gov. Snyder will have been in office for six months  . . . and a recall can then be started.

His column begins below:

When the polls closed on August 6, 2010 in the Michigan primary election, 34 percent of Republicans voted for the Bill Milliken and Bill Ford endorsed self proclaimed non-ideological nerd Rick Snyder for Governor. Forty-two percent of Democrats voted for the two term moderate Majority leader of the Democratic controlled Michigan House of Representatives Andy Dillon.

How many of those Snyder primary voters thought he would put forward the kind of draconian cost cutting and tax burden shifting agenda he has so far? How many of those Dillon primary voters thought he would not endorse for governor the candidate he lost to, Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero, and later go to work for the Snyder Administration as Treasurer?

In the first week of April, 2011, just seven short months from that portentous primary, Michigan has enacted, or is about to enact, legislation that was not even contemplated under the 12 years of the very conservative reign of Gov. John Engler, most of which he also had Republican majorities in both House of the legislature. Michigan has entered into the unfortunately clichéd, but true, “uncharted waters” of the radical right and these radicals seem to be just getting started.

On the front page of the New York Times on Tuesday March 29 was an article about Governor Snyder’s decision to sign legislation that as of January 1, 2012 reduces the number of weeks of unemployment compensation for newly unemployed workers from 26 weeks to 20. Michigan with one of the nation’s highest rates of unemployment will now have the nation’s lowest number of weeks for state unemployment compensation benefits. Snyder seems to be completely buying the philosophy articulated in the April 2 Wall Street Journal’s lead editorial which says:

“The jobs recovery gained speed in March – not ramming speed, or cruising speed, but let’s call it chugging along speed……… [However, there is the ] sour note that the percentage of Americans out of work for at least six months increased to 45.5% from 43.9%. The danger here is that the longer these 6.1 million people are out of work, the harder it can be to find it.

“One factor has to be Congress’s decision last year to extend unemployment benefits to 99 weeks, making it easier to hold out for a better job rather than accept one that’s available. This is one more example of false government compassion – like the minimum wage – that harms people in the long run.”

What hogwash. There are at least 5 workers nationally looking for work, more in Michigan, for every job available and a large chunk of those new jobs are at the minimum wage. Do the Snyder voters really believe that the huge number of long term unemployed auto industry workers are shirking jobs because unemployment compensation is available? Do they really believe that the Michigan minimum wage of $7.40 is so high that it is discouraging employers from hiring? I think not.

Moreover do Bill Milliken’s and Bill Ford’s moderate Republican followers and Andy Dillon’s moderate Democratic followers really want, in addition to the decrease in unemployment compensation weeks: (1) the collective bargaining rights of police and firefighters almost completely taken away through the repeal on Public Act 312 and those rights of other state workers severely limited; or (2) pensions taxed like any other income; or (3) giving businesses a $1.8 billion tax break while at the same time essentially cutting the budget of $1.8 billion in “unnecessary spending we can no longer afford; or (4) cutting K-12 funding by $470 per student and lowering aid to Michigan’s universities by 15% or more; or (5) having Emergency Financial Managers very easily appointed with enhanced powers to override the decisions of elected officials and to void collective bargaining agreements. I do not think so.

At the March 30 Dearborn Democratic Club meeting, there was loud and frequent talk of instituting a Recall Campaign against Mr. Snyder and many of his cohorts in the Legislature. I never heard such talk before even during the height of the Engler budget and tax cutting and union bashing years. I believe that Snyder and his Republican colleagues are pursuing an extreme right wing agenda that a significant majority of Michiganders do not want.

Michigan law mandates that a Recall cannot be started against an elected office holder until he has served six months. July 1, 2011 cannot come soon enough for many who thought they were voting for a view of state government that just is not the one that Governor Snyder has.. Be careful what you wish for. Snyder might still be a nerd, but he sure is not the non-ideological nerd his self paid $6 million advertising campaign portrayed him to be.

Some of you will recall that we wrote about the Dearborn High School band and Orchestra last September when they were invited to march in the 2011 Dublin St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Members, parents and supporters held numerous fundraisers so that some 119 people could travel to Ireland, including 18 chaperons.

Not just any high school band gets invited to perform in Dublin. You have to be good. And under the supervision of Dearborn High’s Music Director Jeff Oshnock, the Pioneers are outstanding. One proud parent tells us that Dearborn High School’s musicians score top rankings at solo/ensemble competitions and band reviews.

In 2008, the Dearborn High School Marching Band participated in the Memorial Day Parade in Washington, DC. It was that performance that helped the band secure a position to perform in the 2011 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin.

The Dublin Parade will be streamed live over the Internet.  To watch, click HERE.You will have to get up at 6 am to view it live.

Official Festival Site is HERE.

The Dearborn High School band was featured on Local 4 News, WDIV and you can view that HERE.