Local Celebrities Read to Roosevelt Students (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, March 18, 2014) To an adult, it is twenty minutes away from their day jobs. But to the youngsters at Roosevelt Primary in Ferndale, the guests who come to their classrooms on Reading Day are celebrities and heroes. The tradition takes place each year in…
Roaring 20s Dinner Raises Money for Ferndale Education Foundation (Crystal A. Proxmire, March 15, 2014) The Ferndale Education Foundation had it’s annual dinner Friday with a Roaring 20’s Theme. With feathers, fringe and furs the fine ladies of Ferndale mingled with dapper gentlemen in suits. They enjoyed a delicious meal, watched dance, band and acting…
MEAP Scores Released, Improvement in Reading Celebrated (Michigan Dept. of Education Press Release, Feb. 28, 2014) Reading test scores for Michigan fourth graders improved for the fourth consecutive year, the Michigan Department of Education reported today. Results from the Fall 2013 Michigan Education Assessment Program (MEAP) are reflective of what children had learned the previous…
Ferndale Schools Take Advocacy Trip to Lansing (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Feb. 19, 2014) Dozens of concerned parents, teachers, students, administrators and Ferndale School Board Trustees gathered in front of Ferndale High School for an early morning rally and photo opportunity Wednesday, and to send a caravan off on an advocacy trip to Lansing. Armed…
How Are Michigan Schools Funded: Kevin Deegan-Krause Explains (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Feb. 18, 2014) How Michigan schools are funded is a complicated subject, but one that Ferndale School Board Trustee Kevin Deegan-Krause hopes to help the public better understand. Deegan-Krause, who is also a political science professor at Wayne State University, gave two presentations…
Ferndale Superintendent Takes Pay Cut, Hopes Others Will Too (Crystal A. Proxmire, Feb. 12, 2014) Concessions continue as Ferndale Schools tries to negotiate their way out of a $2.4 million budget shortfall by asking employees for temporary pay cuts. Superintendent Gary Meier and Director of Finance Maureen Adams accepted 7.38% reductions in their contracts for…
Bridge Magazine Ranks Michigan School Districts (Crystal Proxmire, Feb. 9, 2014) Bridge Magazine looked at public school districts and public charters and compared them based on performance weighted by economics to determine how schools are performing compared to expectations. The publication used three years’ worth of data and ranked the schools. A score of 100…
Ferndale Schools State of the District Address Feb. 12 (Ferndale Schools Press Release, Feb. 9, 2014) Wednesday, February 12, 2014 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM 5:30-7:00 Meet the Board | 7:00 Address (Free and open to the public) Local Kitchen and Bar, 344 W. Nine Mile Rd, Ferndale The Reception will feature an opportunity to…
Ferndale Schools State of the District Address Feb. 12 (Ferndale Schools Press Release, Feb. 9, 2014) Wednesday, February 12, 2014 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM 5:30-7:00 Meet the Board | 7:00 Address (Free and open to the public) Local Kitchen and Bar, 344 W. Nine Mile Rd, Ferndale The Reception will feature an opportunity to…
Ferndale Schools State of the District Address Feb. 12 (Ferndale Schools Press Release, Feb. 9, 2014) Wednesday, February 12, 2014 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM 5:30-7:00 Meet the Board | 7:00 Address (Free and open to the public) Local Kitchen and Bar, 344 W. Nine Mile Rd, Ferndale The Reception will feature an opportunity to…
Mode Shift’s Road Map To Understanding SEMCOG (David Sands, Mode Shift, Feb. 2, 2014, orig. wearemodeshift.org/mode-shifts-road-map-understanding-semcog) It was a noteworthy 2013 for the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments. The organization not only helped jumpstart the new Regional Transit Authority, but it’s been busy developing a regional non-motorized transportation plan and conducting an analysis of rapid transit…
Education Advocacy Trip to Lansing Planned for Feb.19 (Ferndale Schools, Jan. 31. 2014) Join the Ferndale Board of Education, administration, union leaders, municipal leaders, PTA and your neighbors and travel to Lansing to advocate for the fair funding of our schools. Although legislator schedules are tentative, this schedule is being designed to allow participants maximum…
Jazz Bands Play at Treat Dreams for Blues Fest (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 31, 2014) As part of the annual Ferndale Blues and Music Festival, Jazz Bands from Ferndale Middle School and Ferndale High School played a special concert at Treat Dreams. Parents and supporters enjoyed the student performances, as well as the custom…
Jazz Bands Play at Treat Dreams for Blues Fest (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 31, 2014) As part of the annual Ferndale Blues and Music Festival, Jazz Bands from Ferndale Middle School and Ferndale High School played a special concert at Treat Dreams. Parents and supporters enjoyed the student performances, as well as the custom…
Jazz Bands Play at Treat Dreams for Blues Fest (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 31, 2014) As part of the annual Ferndale Blues and Music Festival, Jazz Bands from Ferndale Middle School and Ferndale High School played a special concert at Treat Dreams. Parents and supporters enjoyed the student performances, as well as the custom…
Cold Prompts School Closings for Tuesday (C. Proxmire, Jan. 27, 2014) School administrators across SE Michigan have declared Tuesday a “snow day” due to temperatures and wind chills below zero. Classes and events will be cancelled in many districts, including Berkley, Birmingham, Clawson, Farmington, Ferndale, Hazel Park, Madison Public Schools, Pontiac, Rochester Schools, Royal Oak,…
Oakland Chamber Network Learns From National Trends (Crystal A. Proxmire, Jan. 27, 2014) Collaborating to improve the environment for business success is the core strength of Chambers of Commerce in general, and the Oakland Chamber Network doubles up on that principle by bringing 27 local Chambers together. At their annual meeting on Jan. 22, OCN…
Group Seeks Ballot Measure to Increase Minimum Wage (Mothering Justice Press Release, Jan. 27, 2014) Community organizing, social justice and labor groups today formed a committee to explore a ballot campaign to raise the minimum wage in Michigan. The minimum wage in Michigan –currently $7.40 an hour – hasn’t been raised since 2008, leaving many…
The Return on Investment from Michigan Passenger Rail (Dan Sommerville, Michigan Environmental Council, Jan. 26, 2014, orig. Michigan by Rail Blog) Passenger rail has been booming nationwide and in Michigan. Record-breaking ridership was recorded in 10 of the last 11 years (1) (2), and there has been a whopping 78% growth in Michigan ridership since…
Review Team Finds Financial Emergencies in Royal Oak Twp. & Highland Park (State of Michigan Press Release, Jan. 25, 2014) Two separate, independent Financial Review Teams, appointed December 2, 2013 to examine the finances of Royal Oak Township and the City of Highland Park respectively, under Public Act 436 of 2012 (Local Financial Stability and…