GPPSS Update

Then stay for the North-South rivalry football game at 7 p.m. If you are out of town or can't stay for the game, listen to the play by play on the Sportscaster and WJR Game of the Week with our very own North Alum Gabe Loper!

North student representative Elliana Orlando opened the board meeting with a celebration of North's homecoming festivities, including opportunities for North students to show their Proud, Tough, Together attributes. She invited the community to join us at North this Friday for the Tailgate and rivalry football game, and she also shares information about the Club Fair where students came at lunch to learn more about dozens of groups and ways to actively participate at North.

Then Maire Bears provided a sweet summary of their 90th anniversary celebration (click the image below to watch a short video from the day). Special thanks was given to Sarah Neely for all her work pulling together this impressive celebration of Maire's history. Then GPEA President Taryn Loughlin addressed the board sharing that the tentative agreement with the teachers' union had been ratified by their membership. She noted that while the TA was before the board this evening for their vote, work remains to be done.

Plante Moran then presented a clean and unmodified audit, and walked the board through the steps in the process and their findings. They thanked the finance team and answered questions pertaining to what programs were tested and how our new 19.1% fund equity compares with the state average (24.6%). CFO Agrusa shared the monthly financial update, including the impact of the contract agreements. And the central office team provided a quarterly update on the Strategic Plan, providing metrics and progress reports for each goal area.

All action items passed, including:

• the special and regular meeting minutes from 10/5
• the 2026 Audit Report from Plante Moran
• the Human Resources Report
• the tentative agreement with the Teacher's Union (6-0 as Derringer recused himself)
• Compensation schedules for the non-bargaining groups (central office minus the superintendent, performing arts, non-instructional staff)

Previewed for a vote next month was the regular 2026-27 Line of Credit. Discussion of a North & South field trip to France was postponed to next month.

Please watch the district calendar on the website for the latest information on board and committee meetings. Agendas and supporting documents are linked from the calendar. Upcoming BOE meetings include:

• Facilities Committee Meeting, Monday, November 2, 5:30 p.m., North Library

• Policy Committee Meeting, Monday, November 2, 6:30 p.m., North Library

• BOE Regular Meeting, Monday, November 9, 7 p.m., Brownell MPR

• BOE Regular Meeting, Monday, November 23, 7 p.m., Brownell MPR

On the website, click About GPPSS, then School Board. From there you can read about our board members, find links to past and current agendas, and watch the meetings. Meeting agendas with supporting documents are linked from the district calendar (see icon on right side of main page).

⏬Click the image below to watch an amazing video of the day where Maire Bears ages 2 to 92 celebrated the history and spirit of Maire. Thank you to Maire teacher Sarah Neely for spearheading the event and all her work capturing the history of Maire. This video was also shared at the Board of Education meeting October 19th during the Superintendent's Report.

Brownell 8th-grade students enjoyed their trip to Washington, DC. It was a great three days of touring, visiting monuments, having fun with friends, and getting to know each other much better.

The visit to Washington, DC allowed students to explore sites such as the Washington Monument, WWII Memorial, the Jefferson, Lincoln, FDR, and MLK Memorials, along with visiting the Capitol, Smithsonian Museums, and Arlington Cemetery.

The Brownell students were incredible on this trip. A perfect example is a tour guide, who has been doing this for over 30 years, commented, "These are the best behaved, most polite students I've spent time with in many, many years."

We would like to thank Mr. Dettlinger for organizing the trip, as well as the staff volunteers.

• submitted by Principal Hunwick

Both the Grosse Pointe North and Grosse Pointe South Marching Bands earned First Division (Superior) ratings at the MSBOA Marching Band Festival held at East China Stadium! From everything we have been able to determine, this marks the first time in the history of either school that both marching bands have earned First Division ratings at the MSBOA Marching Band Festival!

Each ensemble performed before a panel of three adjudicators who evaluated their performances in three areas: Music Performance, Marching Precision, and General Effect. Earning a First Division rating represents the highest level of achievement awarded at the festival and reflects the tremendous preparation, dedication, and musicianship demonstrated by our students.

As directors, we could not be more proud of our students, not only for the quality of their performances but also for the class, professionalism, and school spirit they demonstrated throughout the evening. Perhaps one of the best parts of the night was seeing the support our students showed for one another. Both bands were present for each other's performances, cheering on their fellow Grosse Pointe musicians. Before making the long trip home, the two ensembles came together for a group photo to celebrate this historic accomplishment!

While North and South may be rivals on the football field, last night was a wonderful reminder that we are all part of something bigger. These students represented their schools, our music programs, and the Grosse Pointe Public School System exceptionally well. We are incredibly proud of both ensembles and wanted to make sure this historic achievement was shared and celebrated across the district!

Congratulations to the students, families, and directors of both the Grosse Pointe North and South Marching Bands!

• submitted by Dr. Thomas A. Torrento

• South Choirs Fall Concert - 7 p.m., Saturday, October 24, Grosse Pointe North Performing Arts Center
• North Instrumental Pops & Pastries Concert - 7 p.m., Monday, October 26, Grosse Pointe North Performing Arts Center
• Brownell Fall Instrumental Concert - 7 p.m., Wednesday, November 4, Brownell Multi-Purpose Room
• Parcells Fall Instrumental Concert - 7 p.m, Thursday, November 5, Parcells Auditorium
• South Instrumental Pops & Pastries Concert - 7 p.m, Friday, November 6, South Main Gym

In accordance with the "Safe Storage Laws," MCL 28.429, MCL 380.1313a, and MCL 380.1313b, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services provided this information to the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) for distribution.

• What is the Secure Storage Law in Michigan: https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/-/media/Project/Websites/mdhhs/Safety-and-Injury-Prevention/Injury-and-Violence-Prevention/What-is-Secure-Storage-Law-in-MI-091225-4-final-Flyer.pdf
• Safe Storage Notice: https://www.michigan.gov/mdhhs/-/media/Project/Websites/mdhhs/Safety-and-Injury-Prevention/Injury-and-Violence-Prevention/Safe-Storage-Notice-09_12_25--NB-clean_sh-final.pdf

Additional resources and information can be found on MDE's Safe Storage Law webpage: https://www.michigan.gov/mde/services/health-safety/topics/school-safety/safe-storage-law. Questions may be directed to MDE's Office of Health and Safety at MDE-OHS@Michigan.gov.

The statutes referenced above are available here:

• MCL 28.429: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-28-429
• MCL 380.1313a: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-380-1313a
• MCL 380.1313b: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-380-1313b

All of our required Annual Notifications are also posted on a single page on our district website.

Chef Ryan from Taher came in for two days and taught our little Raccoons how to read a recipe, measure, peel and more! Who knew that Raccoons loved rainbow noodle bowls?! Thanks, Chef Ryan, Paul and Ms. Janis, from Taher, for a wonderful lesson that incorporated healthy choices, math, reading and fine motor skills.

Liam Willson ('27) and Tinley Gram ('27) have been appointed as State Executive Officers for the Michigan Junior Classical League, the state chapter of the National Junior Classical League, an organization of over 25,000 Latin students internationally. As officers, they will organize local and state-wide events, shape the direction of the MJCL through revising its constitution, and represent Grosse Pointe South's Latin club to other students around the state. Congratulationes vobis, Liam and Tinley!

• submitted by Sarah Keith, South High School, Latin Teacher

As part of our Arts & Letters unit, A Great Heart, Mrs. Nugent's fourth graders were delighted to welcome Dr. Stefan Smolenski and Dr. Erin Smolenski for a hands-on lesson about the heart. Students learned so much about the heart through their engaging demonstration showing how blood moves through the heart. We are so grateful to them for sharing their expertise and making the learning experience so meaningful.

• submitted by Jane Nugent, Defer 4th Grade Teacher

The Defer Student Leadership team had their first meeting of the 2026-2027 school year. They shared great ideas for how to unify the school, spread spirit, and help the community. Mrs. Perlin and Mrs. Hartley are in charge of student leadership at Defer.

Mason fourth grade students had an exciting opportunity this week to meet Officer Duncan Gill from the Grosse Pointe Woods Police Department and his specially trained K9, Arcos! Students learned about Arcos' training, his important role in supporting law enforcement, and how he helps keep our community safe. They explored how trained K9s can assist officers with locating missing adults and supporting a variety of safety-related situations. What a valuable learning experience for our students! We are grateful to Officer Gill for taking the time to share his knowledge and expertise and for helping our students better understand the important work our local law enforcement officers do to protect and serve our community.

What a fun way to end a Friday! Some of our Kerby alumni, now fifth graders at Brownell, stopped by after school to serenade us with their instruments on the blacktop and field! It looks like they are loving instrumental music at Brownell, and we loved seeing them back at Kerby sharing their new talents.

Once a Cougar, always a Cougar!

Our Kerby Kindergarten Cougars had a great time visiting the Farms Police and Fire Station to learn all about fire safety! A huge thank you to Officer Jon Ross and his fellow officers for welcoming our students and teaching them important ways to stay safe. What a fun opportunity to learn from the people who help keep our community safe every day!

• submitted by Principal Katy Vernier

The North=South game will be broadcast on WJR 10/23: https://www.wjr.com/sportscaster-high-school-football-game-of-the-week/

The SportsCaster.com High School Football Game of the Week brings Michigan’s biggest high school football matchups to 760 WJR with live play-by-play coverage. Join Chris Renwick each week as he calls the action alongside an aspiring young broadcaster, thanks to our partnership with SportsCaster.com, a platform dedicated to developing the next generation of sports media talent.

That week the young broadcaster will be our very own North alum Gabe Loper! If you're in the area, you are invited to come on by to our Sportscaster Pregame Huddle at the National Coney Island on 8 and Harper, Wednesday 10/21 at 6:30 p.m. as they host player interviews, give early takes and analysis, and of course eat delicious food.

Please visit the Food Service section of our district website by clicking Meals in the upper right corner. And be sure to download the Taher Food4Life app for your phone. These are the easiest ways to access the menus by school (use the dropdown menu to select your school and your meal - breakfast or lunch). Click on any menu item to see the Allergen and Wellness Guidelines. A form for those with dietary restrictions was included in the K12 Pre registration packet and is available in each school office.

Thank you to all those who showed interest in the GPPSS Curriculum Public Forum October 19. Curricular areas up for review include:

• Phase I

• Young 5s-4th Grade Report Card

• ELA (6-12)

• Math (9-12)

• Phase II

• Performing Arts/Drama

• Business/Industrial Tech

• Math

• PE/Health

• Adolescent Health

• Family and Consumer Science

Here is a link to watch the presentation portion of the evening.

And here is a form to submit comments to the EPLC (Educational Programs Leadership Council). This form will also be posted on the webpage dedicated to EPLC. The form was developed in response to feedback at the forum. Other feedback centered around technology use and frequency of testing.

Students are selling Achatz Pies to help fund their spring trip to Nashville. A student earns $5 for every pie sold. You can place an order with any Band, Orchestra or Choir student or purchase online at www.gpnib.org/fundraisers. If buying online, you can still credit a student at checkout. Sales end 10/23 and Pies will be delivered to the school on 11/12

Early On

Early On is Michigan's system for helping infants and toddlers, birth to age 3 and their families who have developmental delays or are at risk for delays due to certain health conditions.

Build Up

Build Up helps parents and their eligible children, ages 3 through 5, access special education supports and services as they develop and learn skills before they go to kindergarten.

If you have a concern about your child's development, go to https://miearlychildhood.org/ to make an online referral for a free Early On or Build Up evaluation.

Do you know someone who would be a good fit for one of these open positions in GPPSS? We're particularly looking for paraprofessionals and early childhood staff, but check out the possibilities and help us spread the word to find great candidates! Here are a few positions to explore:

• Parapro Subs - require fewer hours than teacher subs, but those signed up for teaching positions can also help out here. Be sure to click the button for classroom assistant notifications.
• Lunchroom supervisors - still needed! Please share.
• Athletic Trainer

• ASD Coach
• Kids Club Caregiver, multiple sites

• GSRP Caregiver

• Performing Arts Center

• Lifeguard-Swim Assistant

• Swim Instructor

• Guest Teacher (Instructional Substitute) through EduStaff

If you know someone (neighbor, grandparent, business owner, public official) who would like to be on our mailing list for the district newsletter, please share this form with them. There is no cost to subscribe and emails will not be shared with any other organization or business.

Did you know you can submit stories to celebrate throughout the school year by emailing info@gpschools.org and putting Good News in the subject line? We love photos and try very hard to balance stories across the district. Thank you for sharing your stories.

• Did you partner with a classroom on a special learning opportunity?
• Did you go to 5th grade camp?
• Do you coach a team?