This web page contains links to one or more pages that are outside the HPS network. They were named to replace Jaleelah Hassan Ahmed at a school board meeting Wednesday. Sherry Lynem, the districts chief financial officer, and Nabil Nagi, the director of English Language Development, will share responsibilities as acting superintendents. Blackboard Web Community Manager Privacy Policy (Updated). display: block !important;
Ahmed has been on the job since 2019, and recently received a contract extension. She remains on the districts payroll as of Feb. 18, more than a month after a Jan. 10, 2022, self-declared back-to-work deadline. The nature of the investigation has not been made public by the district. Ahmed was appointed as superintendent about two years ago, replacing longtime superintendent Tom Niczay, who retired. Pre-K and Kindergarten Round Up March 15, 2023 1p-3p. We strive to follow best practices based on federal requirements outlined in Section 508the "Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards," authorized by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Boardas well as recommendations of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Felix Chow is a Superintendent at Hamtramck Public Schools based in Hamtramck, Michigan. The Hamtramck High School building. The alleged conspiracy andthe stress suffered during the COVID-19 pandemiccaused Ahmed to experience severe emotional distress, the suit alleges, and forced her to take a three-monthmedical leave that beganOct. 10. The information was contained in the districts response to a Freedom of Information Act request. The school district's graduation rate of 80% has increased from 72% over five school years. Your email address will not be published. By Nargis Rahman - YAN - Hamtramck. HAMTRAMCK, Mich. - Hamtramck Public Schools is now leaving the crossroads of a few changes - labor talks between administration and the teacher's collective bargaining unit are continuing, COVID-19 restrictions are relaxing, federal grant dollars are being allocated, and then some. Mobile app for news, photos and video on the go. Hamtramck Public School District . Come get answers to your questions about the flu and COVID-19. A clue has emerged as to why Hamtramck Public Schools District Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed remains on leave. She told the school board that she will be on leave until Jan. 10. Posted: Saturday 06.04.2022 9:07 pm Revised: Friday 06.10.2022 9:07 pm School district fell short retaining them. Toast of the Town A Paczki Day diary: Brrrrr who invited winter to the party? Join us for an Open Forum! Jaleelah Ahmed and the school district are defendants in a federal whistleblower lawsuit by Christina Adamczyk filed by attorney Gary Miotke that pends in federal court. Hamtramcks acting superintendent Nabil Nagi did not respond to an email seeking comment on Ahmeds status. [1] As of 2011 the official graduation rate is 62%. from . In an interview, Interim Superintendent Nabil Nagi spoke . Toni Coral, the president of the teachers union, characterized the working conditions in the district as chaotic a description that was repeated over and over. A poll suggested that some 50 percent of teachers considered leaving the district for other jobs. Your email address will not be published. There is little doubt the school district suffers from a bit of turmoil at this time with all the staff turnover. Throughout the pandemic, I have continually reinforced that the well-being of our school community is the districts primary concern. Ahmed announced her leave of absence last week on the district's Facebook page. The Review obtained a copy of the district email directing employees not to contact Ahmed. He says divisions over the districts return to school policies heightened problems that already existed. Comments (-1) width: 100% !important;
The suit alleges the board members made false statements like saying that Ahmed was collecting her salary even though she refused to work and that there was no legitimate reason for her medical leave of absence. Michigan is home to the top-ranked public square in the entire U.S. The district will continue to address and support emotional well-being and mental health for those in our entire school community as that has been an element of critical focus. First Yemeni-American Superintendent of Schools in the United States Detroit Metropolitan Area. File photo, By Charles Sercombe Felix received a bachelor's degree degree from Inter-American University and a master of business administration ( M. B. In the last several months, there have been mass resignations by veteran teachers and staff members. Section 5: Miscellaneous. Her suit asks that she receive front-pay in case the district does successfully terminate her. Ahmeds evaluations for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years were highly effective, the highest possible rating, the suitalleges. Section 4: Benefits and Salary of Superintendent and employees greater than $100,000. It also says that the board members and teachers union falsely instructed teachers that it was necessary for them not to contact Ahmed during her leave. I must prioritize and address my own physical, mental health and well- Some of those who left have since returned while Ahmed and Imbrunone were on leave. This website provides the option to use Google translate; HPS cannot assure accuracy of the translation. It also said it was running an investigation on the matter, but has not given any details on that investigation. A mass exodus of teachers from the school district took place under Ahmeds term last year. Sarah Filipiak, who announced her resignation last week as principal of Dickinson East Elementary School, said that, under Ahmeds leadership, the message is loud and clear: you cannot grow here. Ahmed is the first Yemeni-American to be appointed as superintendent of the Hamtramck School District. In September 2020, the district experienced aninflux of autistic students, the suit alleges, promptingAhmed to direct the involuntarytransfer of twoteachers from their former assignments so the autistic students would have teachers who were properly certified under federal and Michigan law. They felt that some involuntary transfers that administration had implemented were retaliatory people who had spoken up about some things suddenly found themselves moved, Coral says. Also on the boards agenda were the hirings of nine new teachers and staff employees, including one for the filling of the high schools vacant principal position. It is unclear if this suit relates in any way to the alleged investigation cited in the article. Hamtramck Public Schools will be led by two administrators while its superintendent is on a temporary leave of absence. HAMTRAMCK, Mich. The superintendent of the Hamtramck School District was suspended with pay last week due to allegations that he violated state law while holding bids for contracts and for misallocation of school funds. Michigan Capitol Confidential is a nonprofit news service published by the Mackinac Center and funded entirely through voluntary support. Budget/Transparency Reporting and Title IX, Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Department. At a recent school board committee meeting, board Vice President Showkat Chowdhury asked when the district would begin a search for a new superintendent. The decision, to temporarily step aside, was not entered into lightly. Ahmed defended those involuntary transfers, citing the need to meet federal guidelines to serve an influx of autistic students with special needs who needed specialized teachers. She said the stresses of the pandemic has caused her to prioritize and address my own physical, mental health and well-being. Do they deserve it? |
Interim Superintendent. Interim Superintendent & ELD Director at Hamtramck School District Hamtramck, Michigan, United States. Director of Student Services. The purpose of my page is to explore educational topics and share progress about my journey as the. Photo: Hassan Abbas/The Arab American News. 2023 The Detroit News, a Digital First Media Newspaper. 775 likes. While I know the news of my leave may come as a surprise, I also know that you will continue to serve as an invaluable partner in your childs education. Hamtramck Public Schools ( HPS) is a public school district based in the city of Hamtramck, Michigan ( USA) in Greater Detroit . Previously, Felix was a Superintendent at Anderson Commun ity School Corporation. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); News, views and interviews from the Arab world and the Arab American community document.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright The Arab American News. As of Feb. 28, the school districts website did not recognize Ahmed in any role. 75897, 75901, (Calendar No. Your email address will not be published. She was scheduled to return on Jan. 10 but it was announced, at last months regular board meeting, that she remains on leave apparently at the boards insistence. In the last year, over 20 teachers and administrators opted to resign and take jobs with other districts in protest of the management decisions. "We believe it is important to continue to respond to the changing pandemic, and to always put the safety of our school community first," Hamtramck Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed said in a. Ahmed and the district also face litigation from a former middle school vice principal. max-width: none !important;
The most highly paid employee in the Hamtramck Public Schools district has been collecting a paycheck for about four months while staying home and claiming a COVID-19 leave of absence. The district responded by stripping her of school building and communications access codes, keys and pass cards. The energy and passion they bring every day continues to make a world of difference and will play a huge role in helping accelerate their learning as we continue to address the effects of COVID learning loss. I have no idea about the happenings in school this year. The new lawsuit does provide a more detailed picture of the conflict between Ahmed and the school board, something that has been shrouded in mystery since late last year. In an unexpected move, Hamtramck Public Schools Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed has taken a leave of absence. Terms of Use | Online Privacy Policy. .page .article .comments .fb-comments span,
The lawsuit alleges the school board refused to permit the involuntary transfer of teachers to serve the students, resulting in the Hamtramck Schools being out of compliance with federal and Michigan laws governing the education of students with disabilities. The suit says Ahmed was harassed by the board members over her defense of the human resources director and blamed both for the mass exodus of teachers and placingImbrunone on a paid leave of absence in October. Join us for an Open Forum! Her contract ran through June 30, 2024. Pre-K and Kindergarten Round Up March 15, 2023 1p-3p, Notice of Cancellation of COW Meeting 12-20-2022. Hamtramck Public Schools (@hamtramckpublicschools) Instagram photos and videos. Councilmembers and the mayor want a raise. Support staffs seem to be quitting as well. Ahmeds gross pay was $176,750 in 2020-21; she was appointed superintendent in July 2019. Hamtramck School District Of The City Of, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 854 school districts in Michigan (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2020-2021 school year. It is my hope that I will return and come back revitalized, with a refreshed perspective to continue to lead our efforts and be the driving force behind the advancement and vision we have for the students and families of Hamtramck Public Schools. Your email address will not be published. Print Edition
But there were some who spoke favorably of Ahmed. This was covered in several local media outlets, with a remarkable number of teachers leaving in a short period, and the fact that it reflected national trends of teachers finding better work environments. Above: Hamtramck Public Schools Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed says the portable classrooms for elementary school students stand in the way of equitable learning "Hamtramck has never passed a bond like surrounding cities," Ahmed said. Come get answers to your questions about the flu and COVID-19. Her leave of absence also comes at a time of turmoil in the district. Hamtramck Public Schools Jul 2019 - Present 3 years 8 months. Annual Amount Spent on Lobbying -- Not Applicable ($0) She is a native Detroiter who grew up listening to news and music programming on Detroit Public Radio. After questions from residents and local media, the board said it had extended her leave, but did not explain why. According to a letter the district sent to Ahmed on Oct. 14, 2021, she was also barred from taking any actions as a school official. Copyright 2002-2023 Blackboard, Inc. All rights reserved. Posted Oct. 15, 2021. Do they deserve it? "We attempted unsuccessfully to pass a bond in 1997. Hamtramck School Board Trustee, Moortadha Obaid, said it was "really sad" that Niczay is leaving the job, he lauded the superintendent as a "great guy". We strive to follow best practices based on federal requirements outlined in Section 508the "Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards," authorized by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Boardas well as recommendations of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). "She has a contract with Hamtramck.