Meeting Notes: October 27, 2025
Public comment, response to "blunder" article, update on grades, update on Herrick Park sale
Members Absent: Jacob Martinez, Lynn Davis
Original Meeting Video:
Corrections / Notes
In a previous article, I stated that the auditors were absent during this October 27 meeting. This was an error. It was our interim Director of Business Operations, Mr. Steve Lenar, who was absent (and doing his own audit). He will be giving his report at the next school board meeting.
The more accurate terminology for the specific “blunder” mentioned would be “underestimated expenses”.
Public Comment
Note: the audio in both of these clips have been reconstructed using an audio processor and a separate recording. The audio track for the TPS recording was atrocious, and virtually unusable. If you have trouble understanding a word, or believe it was transcribed incorrectly, feel free to verify the transcription with the original YouTube clip linked above and below.
A local father with children at Tecumseh Middle School speaks about an incident involving the school counselor, suggesting that she claimed to be acting on behalf of Child Protective Services.
Mr. Hilton gives his response following public comment here:
Anthony Alaniz, a local resident (and author of the recent article on the TPS blunder), spoke out in response to Mr. Hilton’s prior response on the TPS Facebook page. He reminds the board that questions are still left unanswered.
Mr. Hilton responds here:
Budget Committee - Simpson
Steve Lenar went over everything line by line in their meeting. Lenar couldn’t be there that evening, but will be giving a report at the next meeting.
Finance Report - Hilton
We are expecting increased revenue due to increased per-pupil funding. We are analyzing expenditures, and can expect an amendment in early December. He has already filed our audit report, treasury has confirmed receipt and acceptance. He is finalizing annual FID report (financial information database). Submission by Oct 31.
Student Report - Tucker
This entire audio track was inaudible and unsalvageable.
Herrick Park - Hilton
We have an informal offer on Herrick Park. LEA properties out of Adrian, 100k, as is, allows buyer to opt out if buyers can’t receive satisfactory tax assessments. Notes that this is a statement of intent, not legal purchase agreement. It’s intended use is development of recreation and event center, medical office space, etc. Hilton advises that he approach gentleman with non-refundable down payment offer. He is talking with Mattison about it.
McGee: Not a well thought-out plan, no clear plan for use, they have too many outs.
Hilton: Many of these uses don’t fit zoning requirements.
Simpson: Rezoning takes a long time.
Action Items
Audio was inaudible.
Superintendent Report - Hilton
Due to audio issues and the abundance of information presented, I will be using Google’s Gemini to summarize Mrs. Way’s presentation.
***Begin AI Summary***
This section of the meeting is dedicated entirely to the presentation and analysis of the district’s spring 2025 testing data, led by Superintendent Hilton and Mrs. Way.
Key Data Points & Comparisons:
MSTEP (Grades 3-7):
ELA (English Language Arts): The district is outperforming both the county and the state in all grades except for the fifth grade.
Math: The district outperforms the county in all grades except for third grade. A dip in proficiency was noted for the third and sixth-grade levels this year.
Science & Social Studies: In science, fifth grade saw a slight dip below the state average, but eighth grade remains well above state and county averages. In social studies, fifth grade was slightly below the state average despite a 6% increase from the prior year, while eighth and 11th grades performed well above average.
SAT (11th Grade):
This data was highlighted as a key “culmination” of a student’s K-12 experience.
The district is “well outperforming” the state, with 71% proficiency in Reading/Writing and 40% in Math.
In response to a question, Mrs. Weehy explains that SAT prep is built into 11th-grade classes, and this year, ninth and 10th graders also took the PSAT to provide extra practice.
AP (Advanced Placement):
A brief recap noted that the district has an 85% pass rate on AP exams.
Cohort Analysis & Intervention Plan:
Cohort Data: Mr. Hilton presented the data in a different format, tracking the same group of students as they move up through the grades (a cohort).
This analysis showed that while ELA scores generally trend upward for cohorts over time, math data revealed a significant challenge. The cohort of students currently in third through sixth grade shows a downward trend in math proficiency, signaling a clear area for intervention.
Identified Pattern: The data shows an “early middle school decline” in performance, particularly in fourth and fifth-grade math. This is followed by a “middle school recovery” in grades 7-8 and “high school stabilization”. The fourth and fifth-grade transition is identified as a “critical intervention point”.
Action Plan for Math: A comprehensive intervention plan is already in place to address these findings:
K-3: Math interventionists are working with students using a research-based program called Delta Math.
K-4: Teachers are receiving new professional development focused on best practices for teaching mathematics.
Grades 4-5: An intervention model has been adjusted so that fourth and fifth-grade teachers support each other’s classrooms, providing extra math support to identified students.
Grades 6-8: A math interventionist supports students in study skills classes.
K-12: The district is in the process of a full K-12 math curriculum review to ensure vertical alignment and close skill gaps.
You can watch the full meeting here: Tecumseh Public Schools Board of Education Meeting Monday, October 27, 2025
***End AI Summary***
Next Agenda - Hilton
We can look forward to hearing from our directors, and an update on the district’s strategic plan and what’s been done so far.
Board Comments
The board comments got a little feisty. I will let Google’s Gemini AI service summarize:
***Begin Gemini Transcription***
[01:13:59, 01:14:55].During the “Board Comments” portion of the meeting, discussion turns to the district’s “tough situation” regarding finances. One board member, Trustee McGee, attempts to provide a detailed public explanation of the recent audit finding, outlining the specific variances and rules. This is interrupted by Trustee Simpson, who argues that such a detailed financial report should come from the district’s professional staff, not a board member, to avoid misrepresenting information. This sparks a procedural debate among the trustees about their role in oversight versus the administration’s role in reporting, and the need for a clear, unified message on the financial issues. After halting her financial presentation, Trustee Brooks concludes by reminding the board of its social media policies and sharing a positive recap of recent student activities.
The meeting is then adjourned [01:40:44].
***End Gemini Transcription***
My Thoughts
Audio
This audio track was effectively useless, making the entire video effectively useless. There was good discourse between board members about finances and procedures that the public will never hear. I encourage my readers to watch a Tecumseh City Council meeting on zoom. They began livestreaming around the same time TPS promised to livestream. Notice the difference. Ask yourself why.
Dorky Bloggers
It goes without saying that I agree with Mr. Alaniz’s public comment. When we have a board president using the word “missing”, swearing profusely that information wasn’t withheld, a closed door with an attorney, and a director’s sudden resignation, we have a blunder. If it turns out that our fund reserve is able to absorb the hit of this “blunder”, we still have the “blunder” of how haphazardly this district operates.
I stand by what I said in my previous article, More Data, Please. This publication would be a friend to a district that willfully shared information. Mr. Hilton suggests that we could have asked him before publishing our articles, like the Herald and WLEN did. I hadn’t even considered that option because I knew this “blunder” wasn’t Mr. Hilton’s fault. It’s unfortunate that he took it personally.
If Mr. Hilton feels that an injustice has occurred, I would remind him of what he said when I felt an injustice occurred: “I looked into it, but I’m afraid we can’t change the past”. If Mr. Hilton feels that we aren’t interested in working with him, I would remind him of how his secretary responds after I have to CC him to get a response: “we’re looking into it”.
I would also add that this is a blog, not a newspaper. We have no interest in being the PR wing for this district. Our interest is in transparency, and we’ll know it when we see it. Our audience is larger than the district’s social media. When the district freely shares information, we freely share it to our larger audience. When the district sits on information, we fight to get that information. The tone of this blog depends on the ease with which we can get information to the public. The ball is in the district’s court.
Thanks for reading!
Further Reading
Evading Accountability - How TPS Lost Their Director of Business Operations
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