Ypsilanti and Willow Run Potential Consolidation Meetings

Ypsilanti and Willow Run schools are considering consolidating. I may write some more about the pros/cons of this sometime this summer, but for now what I want to share is the list of meetings about the proposed consolidation. There are plenty of opportunities for you to weigh in on this--and you should, especially if you are a taxpayer in either of these districts (and maybe even if you aren't, because I believe this has implications for the whole county).

I took these meetings from this article in annarbor.com.

Joint task force meetings

• July 10 — 5:30-7:30 p.m. in Ypsilanti (located to be announced)
• July 30 — 5:30-7:30 p.m. location to be announced

Visioning sessions
Interactive brainstorming activities to target what members of the public identify as their hopes, aspirations and learning-experience expectations for the potential new district. These sessions will collect input from the community to set the focus of the consolidated district.

• June 23 — 10 a.m.-noon at the Ypsilanti District Library Whittaker Branch
• June 25 — 6-8 p.m. at the Willow Run Child Development Center
• June 28 — 6-8 p.m. at Superior Township Hall
• June 30 — 10 a.m.-noon at Ypsilanti District Library Whittaker Branch
• July 9 — 6-8 p.m. Perry Child Development Center in Ypsilanti

Data sessions
An opportunity to examine the educational trend data — such as head count and student achievement data — for Ypsilanti and Willow Run as well as to review and provide feedback on the community vision statements developed at the earlier brainstorming sessions.

• July 11 — 1-3 p.m. at the Ypsilanti District Library Whittaker Branch
• July 14 — 10 a.m.-noon at Superior Township Hall
• July 16 — 6-8 p.m. at Ypsilanti Township Hall

Strategic design retreat
A two-day retreat for delving into various options for school and district designs that would achieve the vision outlined by the community. It also will focus on the local partnerships needed to create a successful, united school system, officials said.

• July 18-19 — 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at Eastern Michigan University’s Eagle Crest Resort

Design review sessions
Community feedback can be given on the design plan developed at the retreat. School officials also said the plan will be posted on the districts’ websites and an online survey will be available for feedback, as well.

• Aug. 6 — 6-8 p.m. at the EMU Student Center
• Aug. 7 — 6-8 p.m. at the EMU Student Center

Sarena Shivers of the WISD strongly encourages community members to attend the two-day strategic design retreat, which will be facilitated by an outside facilitator. 

The timeline is set up this way so that a consolidation vote could potentially be on the November ballot.