After Grosse Pointe Public School Board member David Braumbaugh resigned in late August, the School Board has been searching for a replacement for the trustee. This is after major budget cuts in the district at the end of last school year, as well as the resignation of Superintendent Jon Dean.
Braumbuagh, whose term would have ended in December of 2024, had to resign due to an upcoming move out of the district for professional reasons. Once he leaves, the district has 30 days to find a replacement under Michigan law. School Board President Ahmed Ismail has set a timeline for when the search will take place, considering it is a timely matter. Applicants will be reviewed at the Oct. 24, 2023 regular Board of Education meeting.
“With each being identified only by a random number,” Ismail said. “Finalists will be selected at the (Oct. 24 board meeting).”
As of Oct. 23, 2023 there are 11 applicants, including multiple community members who ran in the last school board election. The process to find a new school board member will be a group effort between all members, not a committee.
“Finalists will be interviewed in last name alphabetical order ” Ismail said. “Depending on the number of finalists and the length of their actual interviews, the meeting may recess and reconvene on Oct. 27, 2023. Board of Education members will follow the selection process outlined in the attached memo (found on the District’s website), after public comment is received to select the appointee.”
The final vote determining the School Board member finalist is not scheduled yet, but will be after the October 24, 2023 meeting once members narrow down the number of applicants. Trustee Valerie St. John said she is keeping her mind open when looking into candidates.
“Trustee Braumbaugh was the only school board member with current elementary age school children, so I would like to see someone with an elementary parent perspective since we will be missing that with his departure,” St. John said. “I think he did a great job negotiating compromises and using logic to help people come to a compromise, so I would love to have his replacement do the same.”
In the multiple meetings leading up to the final vote, scheduled time for public comment will be provided at every meeting. In the past the school board has faced criticism for limiting the amount of public comment time given. However, with the stress of finding a replacement trustee, many community members are pushing for a voice.
“We are getting this done and still doing the superintendent search, which is a similar process,” St. John said. “I am encouraging community members to come out during public comments to voice their opinion.”
Students have been loud advocates at past board meetings, most noticeably during critical budget cuts, proposed in June. South student Julia White ’25 believes it is important for students to have a voice.
“It feels, right now, like the school board has not done enough for the students and the school board has not been listening to the community,” White said. “I hope we have someone that will really make a difference. It would help the community in a massive way.”
Public comment will be available at every school board meeting regarding the search for a new trustee.
“I would like to see someone on the school board that seriously cares for the students and is looking out for the students and giving students the resources they need to succeed,” White said. “We need someone that will listen to students.”
Update: GPPSS School Board has chosen Terence Collins as the new board of member.
