UCS Board Secretary Michele Templeton up for Re-Election

After six years already on the UCS Board, Michele Templeton claims she isn't done yet. She has lived in the Sterling Heights area for 28 years and even graduated from Stevenson High School herself. Her daughter will graduate from there this June. Templeton joins other veteran board members, Klida and Territo who are running as a slate in the election in May.

Shelby-Utica Patch: Utica schools have proven statistically to be exemplary schools, what do you think they could do better?

Michele Templeton: In all areas of academic achievement things can always be improved. For the size we are, we need to address all groups of students. There are high achievers and there are others who need more help. We have English language learners. We have a lot of children with special needs and in every area there is always room for imporovement. 

Shelby-Utica Patch: You've been on the board for six years now, what do you see as the biggest challenge for the board coming up - besides the budget itself?

Michele Templeton: Regarding continuing academic achievement, one of our challenges we have is our English Language Learner population is increasing greatly. We're fortunate to be in a melting pot of many cultures. We receive a lot of children from various countries. It is not a challenge that is unique to us. It's nothing that happened overnight. It's been in existence for some time, but we have to address that, populuation continues to grow and every child who walks in our door is our student, whether they speak english or not. It is our job to educate them, so they are successful. It is a challenge to any school district. They are tested every year on the MEAP, just like every other child is, and they are expected to achieve and it's our job to get them to that point. We have over 1000 in the English Language Learner programs, k-12. Elementary program is a bit different from the other schools, but there are various levels of profeciency . You get the various groups within those groups because they can move within the profencey groups within a  year. They are tested by the state every year and we have to achieve certain threshold every year to make annually progress. And I'm happy to say we did make annual progress again. However, is it where we would like to be? - NO. We'd like to do more. You hate to bring up the budget but eventually everything goes back to the budget. We would like to bring in more help. We would like to diversify our staff more in certain languages that would help these students. But when you're not hiring it's difficult to do those things. Things do tie back to the budget one way or the other and we continue to monitor this very closely and do what we can to make improvements.  We've moved programs around. We've tried to do some reconstruction of the programs - how we pull the students out for intensive help. So like I said, we continue to make progress and it can always be better.

Shelby-Utica Patch: How do you plan to promote yourself for the election?

Michele Templeton: The three of us are running together as a slate. I have to say it's because we are a good team. The current board is  a good team. We work very well together.  We are seven people who come from different backgrounds, with various occupations, different families.  We do disagree on things, despite what people think, but we hash it out. And, at the end of the day we are all focused on one thing and that is coming together for a decision that is best for all students. Sometimes that's hard to do. Everyone has their heart strings to a certain school. But when it comes down to it we have to look at the big picture. And I think that's what this board does. It's a good team that works well together.  Our focus is on one goal and that's academic achievement.

Shelby-Utica Patch: Can you give an example of an issue you dealt with from beginning to end?

Michele Templeton: Oh gosh, it's ongoing. Every year brings different challenges.  Unfortunately, the last few years it's been extremely challenging because we are challenged with the budget.  That impacts absolutely everything. It impacts curriculum, and what we want to do program wise. How can we expand when there's no  money to expand with?  We 've gone for grants and successfully obtained some federal grants that have allowed us to develop more programs, and offerings for all of students. The International Baccalaureate program is something. That program is going to graduate their first class next year in 2012. That's an exciting thing. When Dr. Johns came on board that was something she thought we should look into.  We pursued the grant that has allowed us to go there and it's very successful. The parents and the students are pleased with the program. There is a little bit of whining on the how hard it is but they get it.  It a different type of educational approach. We can hang our hat on that. We had the first accredited IB program in the county.

Shelby-Utica Patch: Are you involved in any other boards or volunteer services?

Michele Templeton: I'm very active in my church. I'm a founding member. I'm a former church school teacher and a choir director at St. Mark Orthodox Church in Rochester Hills. Between that and the board and being just being a mom, I'm busy. Also, within the board, I'm on two sub committees - the Curriculum Sub Committee and the Human Resources Sub Committee of which I'm the chair.  The sub committees review things before it goes to full board.  

Shelby-Utica Patch: We just came out of Reading month, how did you celebrate? 

Michele Templeton: I read at in Utica. I read to the lower elementary. Some years I have read at several schools, but I know how busy the teachers are and they get a lot of guest readers. I tell them I'm available to read. I read three or four different books per room for various grade levels. 

Shelby-Utica Patch: What do you do for your REAL job?

Michele Templeton: Well, I'm the Choir Director at St. Mark so I direct around 20 singers, and they sing in church on a regular basis. I prepare the music for special events, and the readings for the service each week. I've also been a reader myself for many years. 

Shelby-Utica Patch: Any more insight you want to add about yourself?

Michele Templeton: I think all of us - the three us running together  - we have about 40 years of experience, my portion is only the six years. But it shows what a dedicated group this is. After serving for 20 years, Ms. Klida and Mr. Territo's  kids have long graduated. Mr Territo actually has grandchildren in the district. That people are that dedicated and have that much passion for education that they want to continue.  We all feel that we're not done - there's more work to do.  And especially in these difficult times. We need to see the district through this. Because we're responsible not only for this year's graduating class but for the class of 2024. We need to perserve the district so it remains the leading district that it is. And decisions we make today affect the future. Like I said, we're a good team and work well together. I didn't know any of these people before I came on the board. But as soon I became a member and got into everything. I felt as if I knew these people my entire life. We work good together and are very one-minded for what we are there for and that's the kids.

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