[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6349660,"mediaKeyId","2237529-e4ff12a53c9a66cf5b0bdac355a5f853","parentId",2237529,"title","Hazel Park board appoints Dr. Katherine Kost as interim superintendent after 4-3 vote amid union concerns","audioSeconds",2430,"startMs",70000,"endMs",2500000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2237529-e4ff12a53c9a66cf5b0bdac355a5f853&start=70&end=2500","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2237529-e4ff12a53c9a66cf5b0bdac355a5f853/thumbnail_70000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6349660/Michigan/Hazel-Park-board-appoints-Dr-Katherine-Kost-as-interim-superintendent-after-4-3-vote-amid-union-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6349660-2f28e3de307b932f22293c96d6376f34/orig.mp4?Expires=1770980616&Signature=NTg3bubxr-QYEg9s4hPzgKyk5vpNOFit1GhiFnm6gazlYVLGTBDW6YkIlEFdY6ox6XTZI8M4Pu3Vm0H~6sngGHauygbdzTLmIdif2dHs~jJZLm1~vvNKFSaegbLVDwEPQLXdgtSUNNFlWBznRaJcLMZ5aA9XuRzT32iMbZ9lHZ6T5zKo4ZFjNJm19AOQ4gct5wmY642Lk-ByLwkY~Qa12ffmWaw-4FNsY6d-0m4vxY7KCJIWt3PVXmEhnz9cNdIg9nAYXnd3fP9uzKCxU87MAp2MKtZXKAcnNMx0Bgd9sij3S7MTZkxh5LK61AaU2M341DLqvhIe7e4lRotMq2BPVA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","HPS TV","date","2025-02-03T00:00:00Z","article","The Hazel Park Board of Education voted 4-3 to appoint Dr. Katherine Kost as interim superintendent, following public comment from employee-union leaders and a lengthy board discussion about transparency and background vetting.

Unions representing Hazel Park employees asked to be involved in selecting an interim superintendent and urged the board to delay the vote. Monica Gregory, president of the Hazel Park Education Association, told the board the unions had submitted a joint statement asking to participate in candidate review and interviews and said the board’s short notice for Monday’s vote “falls far short” of that request.

Dr. Kost addressed the board before the vote. She said she had been chief negotiator with six unions in her prior district and that while there were public reports about her departure from Wyandotte Public Schools, she was not aware of a fund balance below 24% during her nine years there. “I am here because I care about your students,” she said, adding that she negotiated 36 contracts while maintaining fund balance above 24%.

Board members debated whether to delay the appointment to investigate allegations raised by union representatives and public commenters about Kost’s prior district. Board President Hinton said Oakland Schools recommended Kost and that the board had contacted multiple candidates; several people declined to serve because they feared retaliation or were unwilling to take a short-term interim appointment. Board members also discussed whether they could meet in closed session to hear more sensitive information; the board attorney, Tim Gardner, was asked about legal limits.

The motion to appoint Dr. Kost was made by Miss Fortress and seconded by Miss Lafond Weiss. The board’s recorded votes on the motion included Fortress (yes), Beaton (no), Becker (no), Fox (yes), Vertee (no), Pigeon (yes), and one board member listed in the transcript without a clear name (yes). The tally, as announced by the chair, was 4–3 and the motion carried.

Immediately after the appointment debate, the board also approved a separate motion to pay Tammy McHenry a one‑time stipend of $1,000 for serving as interim superintendent for a short period; the board amended and approved that payment during the meeting.

Why it matters: the district is operating under financial strain and an interim superintendent is legally required while the sitting superintendent is on leave. The appointment came amid calls from staff unions to participate in the selection and amid public concern about both financial and transparency issues. The vote ends the immediate vacancy but leaves some staff and community members seeking more information about Kost’s prior record.

What the board said it would do next: board members asked staff to provide all relevant materials to the board and discussed the possibility of extra vetting steps. President Hinton and other members said the interim appointment is short-term and can be rescinded with 14 days’ notice under the contract terms discussed during the meeting.

Documentation: the board discussed reimbursable fringe benefits in Kost’s contract (the contract includes a cell-phone allowance and a provision for termination with 14 days’ notice). Board members agreed to publish the contract and the audit materials following the meeting; the chair said the approved audit would be posted the next day.

Quotes

“[The unions] provided you a joint statement…asking that the unions be involved in the selection of the interim superintendent,” Monica Gregory, HPEA president, said during public comment.

“It was extremely important that we treat [unions] well…and the fact that I was able to settle 36 contracts…spoke to my relationships with our unions,” Dr. Katherine Kost said in response to questions about her prior work.

“We have to have somebody. It's the law. We cannot be without a superintendent,” President Hinton said in explaining why the board moved forward with the appointment.

Ending

The board’s appointment of Dr. Kost takes effect immediately under the interim contract approved at the meeting. Several board members said they wanted additional time to review concerns raised publicly and by unions; the board directed staff to make available the contract and the audit materials discussed at the meeting.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Hazel Park School District - Special Board of Education Workshop - February 3rd, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Hazel Park Board of Education voted 4-3 to appoint Dr. Katherine Kost as interim superintendent after a contentious public discussion about union involvement and the candidate’s past tenure in Wyandotte Public Schools.","taxTitle","Hazel Park School District of the City of, School Boards, Michigan","taxId",54726,"location","Michigan","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6349650,"Hazel Park reports midyear reading and math gains; sixth-grade reading growth notably high",1294,3769000,5063000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2237529-e4ff12a53c9a66cf5b0bdac355a5f853&start=3769&end=5063","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2237529-e4ff12a53c9a66cf5b0bdac355a5f853/thumbnail_3769000.jpg","/articles/6349650/Michigan/Hazel-Park-reports-midyear-reading-and-math-gains-sixth-grade-reading-growth-notably-high","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6349650-0b24d49c2ee41ae9b4f96a8fc328530b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770980616&Signature=eNLBGpgogQ7F~A6u1Q6r2gFpmHB2k68UNp16DidMf8X~a2xqrePfKUU9vo3EeTjIe3hT6BDf6f~wUZ6rp~ZmJvEmHgLSDpvik-M0V8EJef5qLbnl9M4WfKWRadQuleZJcZGfQgPpe7aMbw1wCVZXQIDEtTnY3vjpEJ9~Kq844fIcB34OfFZCpOIXtbUi1pBt0RDOposfeuRRL4SuSaewa5DQi8w-ZDcajil0oSSKDwbBQ6hzx0gltdo-1lDSi2sOvuASindDjNxLjYLuBjpFrBmexNTluC80cU73-7cGPTc0zkB1jqRliWJKwDMkJftgNZVVHYs38sYW7-IY0ZPbTQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hazel Park Board of Education received a midyear student achievement update showing preliminary i‑Ready results that district staff described as early evidence of progress after several years of focused literacy work.

Dr. Domage (presenting as director of instruction) told the board the presentation was preliminary and formative but highlighted several positive trends. Among students who have been enrolled in Hazel Park for roughly three years, auditors of the instruction data found notable gains in reading: the sixth-grade cohort showed a median progress toward their typical growth target of about 121% at midyear — a result district staff described as unusually strong for the midyear point.

District goals included spring‑to‑spring percentage gains in proficiency (reading: +4% K–5 and 6–8 targets; math: +3% K–8 targets) and minimum thresholds for “tier 1” placement in I‑Ready (for example, a minimum of 50% tier‑1 for K–5 reading). Dr. Domage said the district’s three‑year literacy focus, including adoption of a core literacy program and aligned professional development, is beginning to show effects in several subdomains, notably informational text and vocabulary.

Other points from the presentation and Q&A:
- Kindergarteners posted both high growth and reasonable proficiency at midyear; the district emphasized the strength of early‑grade work after pandemic‑era disruptions.
- Students who started the year three or more grade levels below made substantial progress toward their typical growth target (median progress about 82% for reading among that subgroup).
- Math showed encouraging gains in several grades; median progress toward typical growth for those far‑below students was approximately 70% at midyear. Staff said math recovery has been slower statewide but that Hazel Park’s targeted interventions are producing measurable change.
- Dr. Domage said more disaggregated reporting would be provided, including subgroup analysis and links to chronic absenteeism; the board suggested staff examine how community‑school attendance work (outreach and home visits) correlates with individual student gains.

Dr. Domage and board members stressed the data are interim and that teachers use multiple measures. Board members asked for cohort and subgroup breakdowns and for a follow‑up that ties attendance interventions to academic improvement.

Why it matters: the midyear results are the first broad, district‑level indicators that the multi‑year literacy and intervention strategy is affecting student learning. The data are preliminary but inform instructional and budgeting decisions for the remainder of the school year.

Ending

District staff said they will return with more detailed, disaggregated results and recommended actions; board members requested a future presentation showing the relationship between attendance interventions and academic progress.

","District staff presented preliminary midyear i‑Ready results showing gains across K–8 reading and math and unusually strong median progress for a sixth‑grade cohort of students who have attended Hazel Park for about three years.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6349655,"Auditors give Hazel Park an unqualified opinion but flag material weakness; general fund balance falls below state threshold",1219,2531000,3750000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2237529-e4ff12a53c9a66cf5b0bdac355a5f853&start=2531&end=3750","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2237529-e4ff12a53c9a66cf5b0bdac355a5f853/thumbnail_2531000.jpg","/articles/6349655/Michigan/Auditors-give-Hazel-Park-an-unqualified-opinion-but-flag-material-weakness-general-fund-balance-falls-below-state-threshold","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6349655-911f7e1a89093eb237d6d7c26b6913aa/orig.mp4?Expires=1770980616&Signature=jZpUrlY1OW~QSEIDifxWlxeSGZOboEfHWuGxw7-BHshLOC-F8TFhcNZ~CCPT84PlKbzQUNPEQ55nAG3r56xheue88KIo2KZN5x4GcaleQJgN8btN1iuIisrP0BuK1-JTyKizIX03L549i03PlurOHTvHUWu6EB7FjNo2dMA4APXX-EW~TQlTVzdT4jAK4dTg4-2j1CZaIT4MtGKbC-xyg-QUkAE-hAKDGlWCfyKNzXy7kGIziLulu-0qlJSieoGJ4ArrPVBVBRtVGl4Oqq-DT~cg8tlIsx1Y8d8TX5kJuolYu0-G2ltXZcSznTw5VBtluWZwvNzXFYbFkgOQx3lHfg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","External auditors presented the Hazel Park School District’s fiscal-year 2024 audit and an accompanying single-audit report and recommended several control and reporting improvements while issuing an unqualified opinion on the financial statements.

Amber Sutter, engagement partner for the district’s auditors, told the board the auditors issued an unqualified (clean) opinion on the June 30, 2024 financial statements. The auditors also reported a material weakness in internal control over financial reporting, driven by late or incomplete schedules, material adjusting entries and repeat issues from the prior year. A single-audit finding noted a significant deficiency on Title I: the district failed to meet a 1% parental-involvement spending requirement for that grant.

Key figures presented by auditors and staff:
- Total governmental net deficit: approximately $39,000,000 (auditors attributed most of this to pension liabilities).
- Net pension liability reported on the balance sheet: about $80,000,000.
- Net OPEB position flipped to an asset position (reported as approximately $1.4M on the statements).
- Total governmental assets reported near $80,000,000; noncurrent liabilities including bonds about $38,000,000.
- General Fund balance (reported): $992,877 (approximately 1.8% of expenditures by the figures presented at the meeting), down from about 11.3% the prior year.
- Unavailable or late federal revenue (grants): about $1.8 million recorded as unavailable because receipts fell outside the 60-day reporting window.

Sutter described several auditor recommendations in an attachments list: file a food-service spend‑down plan if needed; improve year‑end closing procedures and payables timing; review and approve capital asset purchases at board level; strengthen IT controls and draws for federal grants to ensure drawdowns are recorded within 60 days; and reconcile activity run through district accounts for separate nonprofit groups (the auditors flagged Junior Vikings as an example to evaluate).

Board members asked for clarification about specific numbers and requested a supplemental financial update to bring the board up to present-day cash and state-aid receipts. Staff said state aid disbursements were expected imminently and that a $12 million loan taken after the audit date was disclosed in the audit’s subsequent-events note; the loan’s term requires repayment by Aug. 29, 2025 and carries material interest expense estimated by staff at roughly $400,000–$500,000.

The board approved the audit and single-audit report by roll call (vote recorded as 7–0).

Why it matters: the district’s low general fund balance (below the state 5% warning threshold) triggers a required corrective‑action and multi‑year plan with the state; the material weakness is a repeat finding and requires management corrective action; the single-audit finding requires monitoring and a corrective action plan tied to federal grant rules. Several board members and staff said they would use the audit to inform the budget discussions scheduled for the coming week.

Quotes

“We audited the financial statements for the 06/30/2024 year end…we ended up with having a material weakness,” Amber Sutter, engagement partner, said.

“There is $1,800,000 that was submitted after the 60‑day mark; if that had been included it would have been revenue available to us,” a district finance staff member said, explaining the unavailable revenue classification.

Ending

The board accepted the audit 7–0 and asked staff to provide a supplemental update that projects the district’s position from June 30 through the present, including expected state-aid receipts and proposed payoff strategy for the $12 million loan. Auditors and staff provided a corrective‑action plan in the audit packet; the board will review those actions alongside the upcoming budget adoption process.

","Auditors issued an unqualified opinion for Hazel Park School District’s fiscal 2024 financial statements but reported a material weakness and a single-audit deficiency; the district’s general fund balance stood at $992,877, triggering state watch requirements.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Hazel Park board appoints Dr. Katherine Kost as interim superintendent after 4-3 vote amid union concerns

Hazel Park reports midyear reading and math gains; sixth-grade reading growth notably high

Auditors give Hazel Park an unqualified opinion but flag material weakness; general fund balance falls below state threshold