From: Ismail, Ahmed (GPPSS)
Sent: Friday, May 06, 2016 11:22:43 AM (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
To: Mackay, Pamela
Cc: School Board; Niehaus, Gary
Subject: Closing High School Campuses at Lunch - Issuing ID Cards and Scanners

Hello, Pam,

Thank you for your email regarding the concept of closing the high schools at lunch.  I am answering your email from my school system email address, as we have a policy that I must do so when communicating on any school-related issues.  As an Outlook addict, I apologize in advance for any formatting errors due to my lack of Google Mail expertise!  :)

First, as I am sure you can surmise, the vast majority of parents who have taken the time to stop in, email me or call me share your opinion.

The whole concept of closing the high schools for lunch came out of a security study commissioned by our superintendent, Dr. Niehaus.  The company that was retained to compete the study is Compliance One.  They created a system wide overview of what they felt were security vulnerabilities.  The results were presented to the Board on April 25 in the form of the attached report.

Dr. Niehaus held meetings with a number of student and parent groups on the issue.  Needless to say, there were a lot of concerns expressed to me about the proposed campus closing with regards to the change in the quality of life at the schools, whether the expenditure to accomplish the lunch closing could be better spent on student drug counseling and guidance and what damage it would do to the businesses that have serviced the students at lunch and supported the schools financially for so many years, among others.

In response to the rumors and second hand information being spread through the community, Dr. Niehaus prepared the attached letter dated May 5 with the answers to frequently asked questions.  Based on this letter and its attachments, I would not anticipate the closed lunch concept to be in effect for the 2016-17 school year.

Dr. Niehaus' letter does reference the use of student ID cards and scanners to track student whereabouts this coming fall.  He has not formally presented this protocol to the Board of Education, nor have we received any estimates as to the cost of implementing this protocol or the source of funds.

I hope the above and the attachments shed some light on the issue, Pam.  If you have any other questions, please send them my way and I'll do my best to answer them from my perspective.  If you have thoughts you would like to share with the entire board, feel free to email us all at schoolboard@gpschools.org.  All of the attachments and this email are public documents, so feel free to share the above information and the attachments with others you know who share your concerns.

Best wishes to all,

Ahmed

Ahmed Ismail, Trustee

Grosse Pointe Public School System

Phone: 313-343-9060 (The Portrait Place - 10am-5pm)

Email: ismaila@gpschools.com

Notice to Recipient:  The views expressed in this transmittal and its attachments (if any) are those of its author individually and are not necessarily shared by the other members of the Grosse Pointe Public School System's Board of Trustees and/or its administration.  If you would like the official school board position on an issue or would like to communicate to all of the members of the school board at once, please send your email to schoolboard@gpschools.org.  Thank you.