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    From: Ahmed Ismail [mailto:ahmed@portraitplacegpw.com]

    Sent: Monday, May 11, 2015 3:05 PM

    To: School Board; Fenton, Christian; Dean, Jon; Fannon, Rebecca; cindypangborn@gmail.com; 'Lois Valente'; roesked@gpschools.com; summerb@gpschools.com; 'Ahmed Ismail'; weertzm@aol.com; gafaj@gpschools.com

    Subject: RE: National Honors Society Follow Up Information

     

    Jon,

     

    There was the issue of the two high schools not following the exact same criteria when I first joined the school board back in 2004 (different GPAs, service hour requirements, etc.).

     

    Bottom line--in 2015, are the kids being held to the same objective set of standards of admission to NHS at both schools (GPA, hours of service, etc.)?

     

     

    I have a real issue if there isn't a clear, uniform "check list" that the kids can touch and feel as a road map for admission.  In 2004, there we differences in the objective requirements between the two schools as well as a "subjective, undefined" factor that would be brought into play.  This would leave us with two students with the same GPA, same service hours, etc., yet one would be admitted to NHS and one wouldn't.

     

    This is too important an item for a student's resume to have it be a subjective process in my opinion.

     

    Thank you in advance for the follow-up.

     

    Ahmed

     

     

     

    -----Original Message-----

    From: School Board [mailto:SchoolBoard@gpschools.org]

    Sent: Monday, May 11, 2015 12:56 PM

    To: Fenton, Christian; Dean, Jon; Fannon, Rebecca; cindypangborn@gmail.com; Lois Valente (valentl@gpschools.com); 'Daniel Roeske'

    (roesked@gpschools.com) (roesked@gpschools.com); summerb@gpschools.com; Ahmed Ismail (ahmed.ismail@comcast.net); weertzm@aol.com; gafaj@gpschools.com

    Subject: FW: National Honors Society Follow Up Information

     

     

    ________________________________

    From: Bur, Maureen

    Sent: Monday, May 11, 2015 12:55:38 PM (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US &

    Canada)

    To: Dean, Jon; School Board

    Cc: Fenton, Christian; Murray, Kate; Hamka, Moussa

    Subject: RE: National Honors Society Follow Up Information

     

    Thanks Jon.

     

    I just tried calling the parent who spoke at last week's BOE meeting.  I was unable to speak with him directly, but left a message on his answering machine asking him to call me.

     

    Maureen

     

    Maureen G. Bur

    Director of Secondary Instruction

    Grosse Pointe Public Schools

    Twitter:  @maureen_bur<https://twitter.com/maureen_bur>

    313 432-3042

    Maureen.Bur@gpschools.org<mailto:Maureen.Bur@gpschools.org>

     

    From: Dean, Jon

    Sent: Monday, May 11, 2015 12:15 PM

    To: School Board

    Cc: Fenton, Christian; Bur, Maureen; Murray, Kate; Hamka, Moussa

    Subject: National Honors Society Follow Up Information

     

    Dear BOE Members,

     

    At the BOE meeting last week Ahmed asked for a copy of the selection criterial for the NHS chapters at both South and North.  I've worked with Moussa and Kate, along with the NHS advisors, to obtain this information.

    (Please note that I've carbon copied Chris, Maureen, Kate and Moussa on this

    email.)

     

    For both schools the process they use has been in place for quite some time.

    The process at both schools is relatively similar.

     

    North:

     

    North provided me the following summary of their selection process.  Please note that I've cut and pasted this information so the use of the word 'I' in the following doesn't reference me, instead it references the NHS advisor:

     

     

    .         Any sophomore or junior who has a 3.25 (changing to 3.33 this next

    year) or higher at the end of their respective years are notified of the opportunity to fill out an information packet.  No further evaluation of academics is factored into a student's admittance.

     

    .         Once students fill out the packet, a list of prospective

    candidates is forwarded to the faculty for ratings on Character and Leadership.

     

    .         Once those ratings are done,  a group of 5 faculty members (who

    agree to participate)  meet to evaluate the forms of all potential

    candidates and vote on their admittance.   Our focus at North for admittance

    has been  1. Participation in School related activities

     

    2.  Participation in Community Service.   If there is a question about any

    candidate's form, I will follow up with the student and get back to the faculty council.  I am a non-voting member of the council.

            *      Students who are voted in, are notified with a letter home.

    I meet with any student who does not get admitted and discuss with them

                    why, and create a plan to amend the issue.   If they are a

    junior, they can work on those things and possibly be admitted at the beginning

                    of senior year.

     

    South:

     

    South provided me links to the following two documents that highlight their process and criteria:

     

    The by-laws for the South chapter of NHS are:

     

    http://www.gpschools.org/cms/lib/MI01000971/Centricity/Domain/405/

    GROSSE%20POINTE%20SOUTH%20HIGH%20SCHOOL%20bylaws%20October%202014.docx

     

    The selection process details are:

     

    http://www.gpschools.org/cms/lib/MI01000971/Centricity/Domain/405/

    Selection%20Process%202015.docx

     

    Finally, I've attached a copy of the national NHS bylaws to this email.

    Maureen will be following up with the parent that spoke at the BOE meeting last week to answer any further questions he may have.  I know that Moussa has already spoken to him as well.

     

    Please contact me if you have any questions.

     

    Jon

     

     

    M. Jon Dean

    Deputy Superintendent for Educational Services Grosse Pointe Public School System

    313.432.3015      jon.dean@gpschools.org<mailto:jon.dean@gpschools.org>

    twitter: @jdeanlearner