music on the green and purchase garden
plants and garden-related items from the
vendor market. Homemade refreshments
will be served to ticket holders in the
Village Inn that will be decorated in a
Victorian theme. Plenty of parking is
available at the village and next to it in
the community park.
Proceeds from this event go toward
supporting local and national organiza-
tions that promote environmental and
horticultural causes as well as scholar-
ships for high school students interested
inpursuing science careers.
Due to safety restrictions, strollers or
walkers are not allowed in the gardens.
The Plymouth event is sponsored by
the Trailwood Garden Club, a branch of
the Woman's National Farm and Garden
Association is the sponsor of the annual
tour of local gardens. Trailwood Garden
Clubmember projects include: plantings
in downtown Plymouth, Plymouth
Community Veterans Memorial Park and
at the Plymouth Township offices; bird-
feeder at the Medilodge of Plymouth
nursing facility; Plymouth Fall Festival
perennial exchange; Christmas decora-
tions at thePlymouthHistorical Museum;
Michigan 4-H and other related activi-
ties.
For additional information, contact
Karen Jachym (734) 459-5087 or trail-
woodgardenclub.com.
A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
7
June 23, 2016
B
ELLEVILLE
- N
ORTHVILLE
Teachers filing lawsuit are suspended
New principal named at Amerman school
ROMULUS COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
3654O GRANT ROAD, ROMULUS, MI 48174
FREE MEALS FOR CHILDREN
The ROMULUS COMMUNITY SCHOOLS announces the sponsorship of the Summer
Food Service Program for Children. Free meals will be made available to children 18
years of age and under or persons up to age 26 who are enrolled in an educational pro-
gram for the mentally or physically disabled that is recognized by a State or local public
educational agency. The meals will be provided without regard to race, color, national
origin, age, sex, or disability. Meals will be provided at the sites listed below:
Site Location
Dates/Days*
Serving Times
Wick Elementary School 6/20/2016 - 8/11/2016 Breakfast: 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
36900 Wick Road
Monday - Thursday
Lunch: 11:00 AM to 12:15 PM
Romulus, MI 48174
Romulus High School
6/20/2016 -8/18/2016 Lunch: 11:00 AM to 12:00 NOON
9650 Wayne Rd.
Monday - Thursday
Breakfast: 8:30 AM to 9:00 AM
Romulus, Mi 48174
Jesus Christ
6/20/2016 to 8/19/2016 Lunch: 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Anointed Ministries
(formerly Merriman Elementary)
15303 Merriman
Monday - Friday
Romulus, MI 48174
*No meals served July 4th to July 8th, 2016 at all locations
For more information, contact Romulus Community Schools at 734-532-1144
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and
employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are
prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, religious
creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights
activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for pro-
gram information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language,
etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits.
Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact
USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program
information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program
Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at:
, and at any USDA office, or
write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information
requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992.
Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email:
.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD - INKSTER PREPARATORY ACADEMY
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that Inkster Preparatory Academy will be taking open
enrollment beginning June 24, 2016 through July 7, 2016. Enrollment will be taken
for students entering kindergarten through second grade. Parents and guardians may
enroll students from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm weekdays through July 1, 2016. Extended
hours will take place July 5th, 6th, and 7th from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Saturday hours
will be held on June 25, 2016 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Enrollments will be taken at
Inkster Preparatory Academy, 27355 Woodsfield, Inkster, MI 48141. For additional
information please call 248-978-8505.
Members of the Van Buren
Public Schools Board of
Education have suspended with-
out pay four Savage Elementary
School teachers who filed a law-
suit against the district.
The four, Pamela Bradley,
Michelle Komaromi, Brent Held
and Rebecca Tennis, had been
on paid administrative leave
since January when they were
removed from their classrooms
following an investigation of
cheating on state tests.
The teachers' suspension was
approved for the period of May
27 through June 16. The teachers
had filed a lawsuit against the
district May 20, also naming for-
mer Superintendent Michael
Van Tassel and Shonta Langford-
Green. The suit was amended
June 2 and included their claim
that while no official charges
had been made against them
and no disciplinary action taken
by the district, they were kept on
paid leave and prevented from
returning to their classrooms.
According to the legal briefs, all
four of the teachers received dis-
ciplinary letters from the school
district on May 26, immediately
after their lawsuit claiming Civil
Rights violations was filed. The
disciplinary letter accused the
teachers of perpetrating viola-
tions of the state MSTEP testing
protocols.
The teachers said they
received no notice of the
impending disciplinary actions
and were offered no opportunity
to respond to the allegations.
The amended brief claims that
the disciplinary letters were a
direct response to the filing of
the lawsuit and an act of retalia-
tion by the school board mem-
bers.
The legal brief also claims
that a fifth teacher, accused of
the same conduct and violations
of the testing procedures, was
allowed to return to work and
not disciplined or suspended in
return for her relinquishing her
right to seek legal redress
against the district in the situa-
tion.
Prior to the meeting of the
board members last week, the
trustees went into a closed ses-
sion to discuss the legal action
with attorneys from the firm of
Collins andBlaha.
School Board Vice-President
Martha Toth read a statement to
the assembled audience at the
meeting announcing that the
board members were unable to
respond to any questions regard-
ing the lawsuit as it was an ongo-
ing legalmatter.
Following a discussion of the
legal costs the district is facing
during the public meeting,
Trustee Sherry Frazier referred
to the lawsuit issue as a “toxin
running through our communi-
ty.” She added that the issue has
developed into a community
concern, and asked for more
transparency on the issue from
the boardmembers.
Marco Marando has been
named principal of Northville
Public Schools Amerman
Elementary School. Northville
Board of Education members
unanimously
approved
Marando's appointment at their
June 14 meeting. He succeeds
Debbie Madeja, who will retire
at the end of June after 37 years
as an educator, including three
years as Amermanprincipal.
Marando, whowill assume his
new post July 1, comes to
Northville Public Schools from
the Taylor School District, where
he has served as principal of
Blair Moody Elementary School
for the 2015-16 school year. While
at Blair Moody, Marando was
instrumental in fostering the
development and beginning the
implementation of The Leader
in Me framework, which result-
ed in the school being awarded a
The Leader in Me Foundation
grant, school officials said. In
addition to serving as an active
and visible leader, Marando has
worked collaboratively with
stakeholders at the school to suc-
cessfully increase parent
involvement. Prior to joining
BlairMoody, Marandowas a fifth
grade teacher for five years with
Lamphere Schools in Madison
Heights. While with Lamphere,
he also served as a summer
school principal, teacher leader
and athletic coach. In addition,
he was selected for participation
in the Galileo Leadership
Academy and the Oakland
Schools Aspiring Principals
Leadership Academy. Marando
also served for a year as a sev-
enth and eighth grade English
language arts teacher at the
Allen Academy in Detroit before
joiningLamphere Schools.
“As a leader, Marco Marando
aspires to create an atmosphere
where students grow intellectu-
ally, emotionally and socially,”
said Northville Superintendent
MaryKay Gallagher. “He is excit-
ed to join the Amerman commu-
nity and Northville Public
Schools, with the goal of foster-
ing student achievement and
building on a school culture that
works in partnership with fami-
lies and the community to
ensure that we make a differ-
ence in each of our student's
lives. We are fortunate to have
Marco joining our leadership
team.”
Marando has a Bachelor of
Science
in
Elementary
Education from Oakland
University and a Master of
Education - Principalship from
Saginaw Valley State University.
He also serves on the Alumni
Resource Development Board
for the School of Education and
Human Services at Oakland
University and recently received
“The Young Alumni 10 Within
10” award from the university for
his accomplishments in educa-
tion.
“I was immediately attracted
to Northville Public Schools and
Amerman Elementary School by
their commitment to excellence,
project based learning, The
Leader in Me process which
builds student leadership, and
their dedication to incorporate
technology throughout the learn-
ing process,” Marando said. “I
was attracted to Amerman even
more during my visit to the
school that was part of the inter-
view process. The Student
Lighthouse Team gave me a tour
of the building and shared how
proud they are of their school.
During the tour, I was impressed
with the students and how they
were excited to be leaders at
Amerman. I look forward to
being a part of the Northville
team.”
Marando lives in Macomb
with his wife, Molly, and their
two children, Caterina, almost 3
years old, and Antonio, 4 months
old.
Marco Marando
Gardens
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