Manar Resigns as School Board Treasurer, Board Recognizes Partnership With City

Jasan Manar announced at the Novi Board of Education meeting Thursday that he would be resigning as board treasurer after he was at the last meeting. Manar said he discussed holding the position with his employer, and they decided there could be a perceived liability if he were to serve as treasurer.

After this announcement, Ann Glubzinski was voted to take over as treasurer.

Recognitions

The board took a few moments at the meeting to recognize its partnership with the city of Novi and thank the staff for its continued cooperation over the years:

"School districts do not exist within a vacuum. Schools are part of a larger community and a school district's success is linked to the strength of its partners," said Superintendent Dr. Steve Matthews.

Matthews highighted several ways the city supports the district, including collaboration of snow removal, sharing of facilities, and hosting the .

Novi Mayor Bob Gatt, City Manager Clay Pearson, Director of Communications Sheryl Walsh and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department Director Jason Mangum all attended the meeting.

"People come to Novi not because of the snow removal, which we think is the best in the state, not because of our police department, and I think it's the best police department in the country, they usually come to Novi because of the schools; that's what attracts them here," said Gatt. "That's what attracts them here, and so the partnership that we have, the partnership that we've developed over the past 25 years continues to grow and to continues to make Novi the great city that it is."

Matthews also took a few moments at the meeting to thank each of Novi’s board members for their service in honor of School Board Recognition Month. He asked art students at the high school to create an art piece for each member to take home.

The school board members and their years of service are as follows:

• President Bruce Bagdady: 14 years
• Vice President Dennis O'Connor: 3.5 years
• Secretary Bobbie Murphy: 5 years
• Treasurer Ann Glubzinski: 7 years
• George Kortlandt: 17 years
• Shari Lebo: 2.5 years
• Jason Manar: 1.5 years                                                                                                                                       

Donations accepted

The School Board also formally accepted two donations to the district. Magna Seating is donating $50,000 to sponsor the FIRST Robotics Team, which it has been supporting for the past decade.

Also, the Japan Business Society of Detroit Foundation is donating $6,000 to provide interpreters and translators to work with parents, students and teachers.

Personnel changes

The board also accepted the hiring of several new teachers and resignations of several others.

Margaret Burt-Wilson, a teacher at the high school, Cathy Chubb, a receptionist at the school district’s office, Lisa Ogihara, a social worker at , and Gail Jiskra, a counselor at will all be retiring. 

An art teacher for the high school, a special education teacher for the high school and a special education teacher for the middle school are all being hired to fill open positions.

The board also officially voted to pass a budget amendment for this school year, which at their last work session.

Editor's note: A quote in this article from Mayor Bob Gatt has been updated to  clarify that Novi's snow removal and police department are high-performing.