Teacher Appeals to Keep Robotics in District

If Plymouth-Canton Community Schools officials stick to a plan to cut 269 jobs, teacher Jay Obsniuk, who specializes in robotics and electronics classes and leads the district's Robotics Club, will be out of work.

He's not worried. "If we can't run this program at Plymouth-Canton Schools next year — I don't want to blindside anybody — but it will be run somewhere else," Obsniuk told the school board during Tuesday's regular meeting.

"I've been approached by the local charter schools and Novi and Northville to support our program," he said. "I just want to let you know that I am going to run this program one way or another."

Obsniuk exemplifies the challenge faced by school officials across the state. Plymouth-Canton faces $18 million in cuts from its $162 million annual budget. Last year, the district cut $11 million, said Treasurer Judy Mardigian, and it cut $3 million two years ago. Next week, the district's Board of Education will discuss ways to renegotiate union contracts in anticipation of state funding cuts that amount to more than $425 per pupil.

The state cuts have not been finalized; a rally intended to sway lawmakers is planned for Thursday in Lansing.

Obsniuk told the board Tuesday that the robotics team, which costs about $20,000 to run each year, is fully funded by independent fundraising and Bosch "and nobody else."

Under the name Lightning Robotics, the team, founded by Obsniuk more than 20 years ago, participated in the national FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition in April.

Obsniuk's comments were delivered as part of a string of appeals Tuesday night, many by students and their parents. His supporters wore orange shirts, and in some cases, orange baseball caps, sitting together to create a vivid but silent show of numbers.

Jeff Tufts of Canton, who said he hates public speaking and had never attended a school board meeting before, stepped up to the lectern Tuesday because his son, Jacob Tufts, 15, is a freshman and robotics team member.

"These classes and this team provide training that is not available everywhere," said Jeff Tufts, a mechanical engineer. "It is a chance for students to have a team environment if they are not athletes."

Tufts described Obsniuk as the "heart of the program."

Parents and children also spoke in support of keeping Fiegel Elementary School open; if the proposed budget is approved, the school will close at the end of this school year.

Board OKs interim superintendent contract, new books

Board members unanimously approved a contract with Jeremy Hughes to become interim superintendent until a new superintendent is chosen to replace Craig Fiegel. Hughes' contract will run on a month-to-month basis, which can be ended on 20-day written notice by either Hughes or the district, according to school board President John Jackson.

Jackson said Hughes' pay will be $700 per day — $100 less than Hughes' normal daily consulting fee. Jackson said if Hughes works a full year, he would earn about $180,000, which is less than the salary being paid Fiegel by $15,000.

Hughes, who is retired,  as deputy superintendent and chief academic officer of the state Department of Education. He has consulted for the Plymouth-Canton district in the past.

Board members also approved the purchase of new middle school and high school textbooks. New math books for Grades 6, 7 and 8 will cost $14,066, $12,464 and $14,447, respectively.

Introductory Spanish and French books for students in Grades 8-12 and German books for students in Grades 9-12 also were approved. The Spanish and French books totaled $76,288 and $18,717, respectively, while the German books totaled $10,034.

The board also agreed to spend $59,795 for high school social studies books.