West Bloomfield Schools Millage Proposal Approved for May 2013 Ballot

Voters will decide on 1.25-mill, 14-year building and site sinking fund proposal in special election.

The 2013 election picture got a little clearer at the West Bloomfield School Board meeting Monday with the approval of a building site and sinking fund millage proposal. The district will ask voters to pass a 14-year, 1.25-mill ($1.25 per $1,000 of taxable valuation, or $125/year for taxpayers in a home with a taxable value of $100,000) proposal in a special election May 7. The first levy will, if approved, take place on July 1, 2013.  The millage is expected to raise $30.25 million if approved for the district to use primarily on upgrades or repairs. The district's school enrollment and facilities committee identified $23.1 million in needed repairs, including $4.1 million of work at the high school, $9 million at the district's two …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

UPDATE: Superintendent Explains Lockdown in Letter to Parents

WDIV-TV apologized to West Bloomfield School District Superintendent Gerald Hill Tuesday.

Updated: 9:39 a.m., Dec. 19 with information from letter A television photographer testing school security in the aftermath of shootings in Connecticut caused the building to go on lockdown Monday, according to Superintendent Gerald Hill. Hill said at Monday's School Board meeting that Gretchko Elementary School's Principal, Sally Drummond, called West Bloomfield Police about 11:30 a.m. after unsuccessfully confirming the photographer's identification, after the reporter tried to get into the school. "The doors were all locked and the person wasn't able to get in," Hill said. The photographer had tried to access every exterior door at the school, according to Hill, which alerted teachers to tell the principal. Then, Hill said, Drummond saw…

•  14 Comments
• Photos (1)

Oakland Area Schools Superintendents Team Up on WDET Broadcast

West Bloomfield Supt. Gerald Hill is among the featured guests on The Craig Fahle Show Tuesday, speaking out against controversial education bills.

Three local school district superintendents spoke together Tuesday on WDET-FM's Craig Fahle Show against recent legislation currently in the Michigan House and Senate concerning public education. West Bloomfield's Gerald Hill, Bloomfield Hills' Rob Glass and Farmington's Sue Zurvalec joined Oakland Schools Superintendent Vickie Markavitch to continue protest against House Bill 6004, Senate Bill 1358 and House Bill 5923, which could still pass through the "lame duck" session of the state legislature. Local school districts may not unite on such a message very often, but together with the other area superintendents in the Tri-County Alliance for Public Education, a swift campaign has been launched against the legislation, which they say is …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (5)

Timothy Rath

11:33 am on Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Hi, Maastricht! Check out the following link: http://westbloomfield.patch.com/articles/your-guide-to-michigan-education-reform-proposals-fcec1605   more ›

West Bloomfield Schools Supt. Hill Blasts State Education Overhaul

302-page proposal presented to the Michigan State Legislature Monday damages public education, according to Gerald Hill.

Could West Bloomfield Schools Millage Proposal Return to Another Ballot?

Tuesday's 'no' vote puts district in a 'less proactive position' to make improvements to buildings, said Superintendent Gerald Hill.

Edited: 1:55 p.m., Dec. 17 to remove information regarding building and site sinking fund The West Bloomfield School District administration could be faced with difficult decisions regarding the value of making improvements to buildings versus continuing general fund expenditures at an acceptable rate in coming years, according to Superintendent Gerald Hill. Hill said that the failure of the West Bloomfield Schools' building and site sinking fund millage proposal at the polls Tuesday could be a result of voters having never seen the measure discussed in the media or at community events. The 1.5-mill levy proposal ($1.50 per $1,000 of taxable valuation) would have reportedly generated an estimated $2.4 million annually for the district to …

•  30 Comments
• Photos (2)

cathy merzin

6:22 am on Friday, November 16, 2012

Thank you Karen. I also considered voting the bond issue down, because I don't agree with the way the District spends and spends. But I did vote yes, along with my neighbors and friends. All of this will be mute if the Governor and the Oxford Foundation Bill passes and students can go to any school district during the day. We will see how our Board will responds to this new attack on public …   more ›

Photo Gallery: West Bloomfield Goes Back to School

Abbott Middle School got the year off right in part thanks to student leaders.

For all of the students on the first day of school who agonized over their outfits, about 65 students Abbott Middle School received the most attention for wearing similar t-shirts. Jo-Anne Scheloske, a language arts and social studies teacher at Abbott in West Bloomfield, explained that the WEB student leadership group, comprised of 65 new eighth-graders at Abbott, helped new students navigate everything from new lockers to lunch tables on the first day of school Tuesday. The students wore matching shirts on the first day, largely to assist new sixth-graders moving to middle school. Teachers, administrators and para-professionals could be seen in the halls working with the leadership group to help students. Scheloske said that the …

• Photos (10)

West Bloomfield Schools Gear Up for Millage Proposal Question

A building and site sinking fund, paid for with a 10-year, 1.5-mill levy, would help make repairs at schools.

The West Bloomfield School District community is gearing up this week for homework, bus schedules, school lunches, and passing a millage proposal Nov. 6. An information campaign to inform voters of the building and site sinking fund millage proposal on the general election ballot is underway, said Superintendent Gerald Hill at last week's board meeting. The 1.5-mill levy ($1.50 per $1,000 of taxable valuation) will, if approved by voters, take place for a 10-year period from July 2013-23. Hill said that passing the millage could generate $2.4 million annually for the district to use primarily on upgrades or repairs, specifically on playgrounds and sporting areas. "If we don't get that money, we either have to pass bonds and pay interest on…

•  5 Comments
• Photos (1)

New West Bloomfield Schools Supt. Takes Pay Cut

Gerald Hill's annual salary is $80,000 less than his previous job as superintendent in a Glenview, IL district, according to reports.

Gerald Hill, 60, signed a four-year contract on Friday to work as the superintendent of West Bloomfield Schools in the wake of JoAnn Andrees' retirement. Hill, who most recently worked as superintendent of a school district in Glenview, IL, will receive $190,000 the first year with the possibility of an increase each year after, plus an $11,000 annual annuity, under the agreement.  Hill earned $270,000 in his last year as superintendent in Glenview, according to reports. Andrees earned $153,425 with a $10,000 annuity this year, which represents a 10 percent pay cut from last year's salary. Hill's salary is tied to that of the teachers, represented by the West Bloomfield Education Association, in that it will be increased by the same …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (1)
• Documents (1)

Feature Photo: Hill Signs on to Lead West Bloomfield Schools

Gerald Hill signed a four-year contract to serve as Superintendent on Friday.

Weekend Countdown

Meet and Greet New West Bloomfield Schools Supt.

Gerald Hill expected to approve superintendent contract Friday.

It's Monday. The weekend just ended. However, it's always fun to look ahead at what's going on in and around town for the next weekend. We are going to pick some of the fun events daily to help you plan and count down until it's the weekend again. Our pick: Special School Board Meeting Where: West Bloomfield High School, 4925 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield When: 4-6 p.m. Friday Why go: The West Bloomfield Board of Education will conduct a Special Board Meeting on Friday, May 18 at 6 p.m. in the Media Center of West Bloomfield High School, 4925 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield. The purpose of this meeting is to approve the new Superintendent's contract. The board unanimously voted to negotiate with Gerald Hill of Glenview, IL, for the …

• Photos (1)