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Ypsilanti Community Schools board re-elects officers, fills committee posts and approves organizational authorizations
Summary
At its Jan. 12, 2026 organizational meeting the Ypsilanti Community Schools Board re-elected Dr. Celeste Hawkins as president and approved vice president, secretary and treasurer appointments, committee liaisons, and routine administrative authorizations including bank signatories, auditor and legal counsel designations.
The Ypsilanti Community Schools Board of Education re-elected its officers and approved a slate of organizational authorizations at its Jan. 12, 2026 organizational meeting.
Dr. Celeste Hawkins was elected board president to serve until the 2027 Organizational Meeting. Trustee Sharon Lee was elected vice president; Trustee Talisha Sutton-Kennedy was elected secretary; and Trustee Jeanice Townsend was elected treasurer. Each election was made by motion and carried unanimously with the seven members present voting aye.
The board also approved appointments for committee representation and liaisons for the coming year, naming trustees to serve as parliamentarian, Head Start Policy Committee representative, Washtenaw Association of School Boards (WASB) and Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB) delegates and alternates, the Ypsilanti Foundation Board liaison, and chairs and members of several subcommittees including policy, financial and operational planning, strategic and educational performance, and community relations. The board moved that these appointments remain in effect until the next Organizational Meeting in January 2027.
In routine organizational business the board approved the consent agenda (including the Dec. 15, 2025 regular meeting minutes and personnel matters dated Jan. 5, 2026), adopted the meeting schedule for Jan. 26, 2026 through Jan. 11, 2027, and designated district compliance officers: the Assistant Superintendent as the 504 Compliance Officer and the Director of Human Resources as District Compliance Officer and ADA Coordinator, in alignment with district policy references noted at the meeting.
The board authorized administrative and financial delegations necessary for operations: use of facsimile signatures on specified district fund draws; designation of the Superintendent (or designee) and the Director of Business and Finance to execute contracts and sign documents on the district's behalf; and approval of official bank-account signatories including the Board President, Superintendent, Board Treasurer, Director of Business/Finance, and Finance/Accounting Supervisor. The board also designated depositories for district funds (Michigan Liquid Asset Fund Plus, Bank of Ann Arbor, Fifth Third Bank) and named trustees or administrative officers for Electronic Transfer Officer duties consistent with policy requirements.
For external services the board designated Yeo and Yeo as the district auditor for the year ending June 30, 2026, and authorized Thrun Law Firm PC (retainer) and Collins & Blaha PC as legal counsel. The Ann Arbor News was designated for bid notices and other legal postings. The Superintendent, or a designee, was assigned responsibility for posting notices of public meetings.
All motions reported in this article carried by unanimous vote of the seven members recorded present. The board's next regular meeting was scheduled for Jan. 26, 2026.
