Pontiac School District Boasts of Successes During Biennium
By Camille Welch Contributing Writer
More than $15 million, partnerships and Mandarin Chinese — what do they all have in common? The answer is the School District of the City of Pontiac. In 2009, Thomas G. Maridada II, Ed.D. became superintendent of the Pontiac School District. Since then, Dr. Maridada, his executive cabinet and the Pontiac Board of Education have implemented new programs, secured grant dollars and initiated new partnerships. These accomplishments occurred despite reduced federal, state and local funding.
When Dr. Maridada began his tenure in Pontiac, his executive cabinet was comprised of Associate Superintendent of Academic Achievement Mischa Bashir, Associate Superintendent of Organizational Development and Human Resources Dr. Jumanne Sledge and Chief Deputy Officer for Strategic Reform Dr. Robert Martin. Dr. Martin left the district in 2010 to accept a position as Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction in the West Bloomfield School District. Dr. Alison Harmon later joined the team in Pontiac to provide oversight of numerous initiatives, including various grant-funded initiatives, as the Chief Strategic Reform Officer.
Dr. Maridada believes in applying for grants, especially when a district is faced with budget cuts. Since his hiring, the U.S. Department of Education has awarded the Pontiac School District several grants totaling more than $15 million. That’s in addition to other grants awarded to district administrators, program directors and community partners which benefit Pontiac students. From all of those sources combined, the district will have access to nearly $20 million in resources over the next five years. The largest grant is $7.3 million. Only 25 districts in the nation received this grant. The dollars will fund the SOS: Strengthening the Odds for Success! High School Graduation Initiative over a five-year period. The goal is to increase high school graduation rates and re-enroll students who have dropped out of high school. The funding also helps cover the cost of tuition for Pontiac students who participate in the Early College and Career Academy programs at local colleges and universities. The district procured a $2.3 million performing arts grant, one of only 36 awarded in the country. The money will support the transformation of WHRC Elementary School into a performing arts school with an “artists in residence” program. Another U.S. Department of Education grant is for counseling and intervention services. The $1.2 million grant provides access to clinical psychologists, social workers and other clinicians who can assist students and families at four elementary schools in Pontiac.
With the influx of grant dollars, Dr. Maridada decided there was no better time to ensure that the district is operating efficiently from a financial standpoint. So, the superintendent and the executive team, with the support of the school board, hired Plante & Moran to implement standard accounting practices used in corporate arenas. Also, the district procured software to align payroll and human resources with the finance division.
Dr. Maridada said the relationship between the Pontiac School District and Plante & Moran is working well, as are the district’s various partnerships. School districts thrive when they have the backing of parents and their community, including members of the clergy, business owners, local organizations and agencies, and lawmakers at the local, state and federal levels.
“You cannot allow financial challenges to serve as a barrier to success. If you’re loyal to the purpose, then you have to find a way to make it happen. The purpose is to provide our students with a school district that is the epitome of excellence in education. My executive team and I are loyal to the purpose, so we can make the dream a reality. That commitment motivates us to aggressively pursue competitive grants and partnerships with corporations, colleges and universities, as well as philanthropic entities,” said Dr. Maridada.
“There are too many partners for me to name them all, but we are grateful for each one. When Dr. Maridada came on board, he reached out to our local clergy who wanted to strengthen their bond with the district. This school year, dozens of ministers met with our executive team, staff and school board and offered their help. They’ve been advocates of our district for years, now we’re listening to their feedback and tapping into their resources,” said Pontiac Board of Education President Damon O. Dorkins.
“Also, Rep. Tim Melton, Teresa Rodges, the POH Riley Foundation and the Pontiac Promise team continue to be an enormous help to our students by providing services to increase the chances our children are college bound,” said Dr. Maridada. “Judy Muhn of the United Way for Southeastern Michigan, her colleagues and even Mike Tenbusch are constantly in our district working on ways to decrease the dropout rate and keep our children engaged. Dr. Michael Stafford and the Cranbrook Institute of Science are our partners, Dr. Irma Hamilton and the Detroit Zoological Society, the list goes on. I can’t thank them enough,” stated Dr. Maridada.
Through a partnership with Rochester College and Oakland Community College, students are able to earn their Associate of Arts degree tuition-free concomitant with their high school diploma. The Early College program will expand to Oakland University and Baker College.
The district developed a partnership with Eastern Michigan University, the Detroit Zoological Society and Project Lead the Way to create a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) School at Alcott Elementary.
The Cranbrook Institute of Science is working with the district to increase academic achievement and exploration in science and mathematics. Cranbrook also contributes to the STEM program at Alcott Elementary.
Walker-Miller Industries and the Society of Black Engineers are helping International Technology Academy (ITA) students develop alternative energy and robotics projects. ITA opened its doors during the 2010-2011 school year. Each year, an additional grade level will be added. In 2011-2012, ITA will be home to 6th-10th graders, eventually becoming a 6-12 school. ITA was created to give Pontiac parents an option when their children enter the secondary phase of their school trajectory. Students in ITA are interviewed, must maintain a designated GPA and are expected to enroll in the Early College program.
The district developed a partnership with the Kellogg Foundation, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the First School Initiative. This project is being implemented in Jefferson-Whittier Elementary School. With a $4 million grant from the Kellogg Foundation, Pontiac is one of four Michigan school districts which will be a member of the First School Early Readiness program. The focus of the initiative is to ensure that students in Pre-K through 3rd grade demonstrate grade-level proficiency in reading and mathematics.
In addition to the partnerships and grants, numerous programs and initiatives are now in place in the Pontiac School District to enhance the lives of students and expose them to the global society. Relying on the expertise of MyChinese360, the district will pilot a program that provides instruction to students in Mandarin Chinese through distance learning with a teacher in China. In the second year, the district can sponsor teachers from China to teach in-house. Whitman Elementary School has been designated as the site to pilot this program.
Herrington School is in Phase I of becoming an International Baccalaureate (IB) School. The IB designation means the school will re-align its curriculum and instructional standards with
global and international targets for proficiency.
The district is reconfiguring Bethune Academy into a career-pathway and technical education school by using grant dollars. Each student at Bethune will be required to not only recover credits leading to high school graduation, but they will also be required to explore a career-pathway and learn a trade or vocational skill.
Starting in June of 2012, the IB program and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China will partner with the school district to provide Pontiac students with a unique opportunity. Secondary students who meet academic and behavioral requirements will participate in a cultural exchange with students from China.
“I want Pontiac children to have the same exposure to other cultures as children in suburban school districts. Our students are spectacular, unbeatable, trainable and destined for greatness. I want to make sure they know that each day they set foot in the Pontiac School District,” said Dr. Maridada.
These are many of the milestones the executive cabinet has reached in the last two years:
• Created the Early College Initiative with Rochester College, Oakland Community College, Oakland University and Baker College
• Initiation of the International Baccalaureate Phase I designation for Herrington Elementary School
• Creation of an International Technology Academy for students in grades 6-12
• Began reconfiguring Bethune Academy to become a career-pathway and technical education school
• Developed a partnership with Eastern Michigan University, the Detroit Zoological Society and Project Lead the Way to create a district-wide STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) School at Alcott Elementary
• Formed a partnership with the Cranbrook Institute of Science to increase academic achievement and exploration in science and mathematics
• Developed a partnership with Walker-Miller Industries in conjunction with the Society of Black Engineers to work with International Technology Academy students
• Developed a partnership with the Kellogg Foundation, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the First School Initiative to improve reading and math skills
• Procured a $7.3 million U. S. Department of Education grant (only 25 awarded in the country) to increase the high school graduation rate for students in Pontiac
• Procured a $2.3 million U. S. Department of Education Performing Arts grant (only 36 awarded in the country) to form a performing arts school and “artists in residence” program at WHRC Elementary School.
• Procured a $1.2 million U. S. Department of Education Counseling and Intervention grant
• Developed a partnership with MyChinese360
• Developed a partnership with the IB program and China’s Embassy for a cultural exchange with secondary students in China
• Partnered with Plante & Moran for fiduciary accountability“
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