Future of Education Forum

Our last few posts have, from our perspective, been pretty intense with news about "vouchers for vendors" being rolled into the budget and Gov. Snyder's secret "skunk works" project.  We would like to take a step back from the news with a few updates.  We'll return to detailed analysis and very current news next week.

Michigan State Board of Education Future of Education Forum
The State Board of Education has been holding forums around the state to discuss many of the subjects addressed in these emails.  The Okemos Parent Council Legislative Committee and the Michigan Sandbox Party are happy to welcome members of the State Board of Education to the mid-Michigan area for a community forum on education issues at the local and state level. Learn from expert panelists, engage in important dialogue and help bring awareness to the critical issues at stake.

Date: Thursday, May 16^th

Time: 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm

Location: Chippewa Middle School, 4000 N. Okemos Rd., Okemos, 48864

Panelists:

• John Austin, President Michigan State Board of Education (confirmed)
• Lupe Ramos-Montigny, State Board of Education (confirmed)
• Steve Norton, Executive Director of Michigan Parents for Schools (confirmed)
• Dr. Vickie Markavitch, Superintendent Oakland ISD (confirmed)
• Stanley Kogut, Superintendent Ingham ISD (confirmed)

Thanks to Okemos parent and Meridian Township Trustee Angie Wilson for her hard work in bringing this event together.

Next Week - Q and A with Meridian Twp. Trustee Ronald Styka
Meridian Township Trustee and former Okemos School Board member Ronald Styka has agreed to do a Q and A with Okemos Parents for Schools next week.  Trustee Styka brings a wealth of experience and understanding of school finance and management to these discussions and we are excited to bring you his perspective on issues like "vouchers for vendors" and what he thinks they mean for Okemos Public Schools.

What We Are Doing
Our first Action Item was a success.  We saw significant contact to lawmakers including from people who were not on our mailing list.  Our emailing and modest social media campaign generated hundreds of page views for our posts on "vouchers for vendors," and Gov. Snyder's secret "skunk works" project.  We continue to schedule times to meet with parent organizations within Okemos. 

Additionally, folks in Kentwood and Middleville have contacted us and plan to organize similar efforts in their areas. 

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - Lao-tzu