School start times have been a contentious issue in Dearborn and now a petition is being circulated with the goal of pressuring the Dearborn School Board to consider rolling back the start time of high school students until after 8:15 a.m.

Fatima Shareef, a senior at Edsel Ford High School, penned the column below and makes a pretty compelling, commonsense argument regarding the sleep time needs of people between the ages of 11 – 22.

Opinions vary but early school start times are a medically proven detriment to health and education. We wrote about this very topic in 2009.

You can sign her petition HERE

Her column begins below.

By FATIMA SHAREEF

It’s a Monday morning. It’s dark outside, and your head is throbbing, but you force your melted eyes open to start getting prepared for the day and think to yourself, “why do I have to attend school so early?”

Last spring, the school administration offered to have our high school start time moved up, but at the expense of not offering transportation for 30 percent of students who ride the buses, 27 percent of students who play sports, and 9 percent of DCMST students.

For yet another year, we are left to deal with the consequences of starting school so early. Students are putting their heads down on the desks, dozing off, and not focusing on the lessons. This is not entirely due to waking up early in the morning, but it is a major factor that the failed plan could have easily eliminated.

Some people argue that going to bed early, reading a chapter of a book, and eating a healthy breakfast are all you need to wake up feeling refreshed and alive. The issue—for teenagers, anyway—is much more complicated than that.

According to the research done at Brown University by Mary Carskadon, for students between the ages 11 to 22, the brain chemical melatonin is distributed to the body at 11 p.m. and ends at 8 a.m. This means that unless students are going to sleep by 9 p.m., they will miss an entire cycle of rapid eye movement and remain sleepy all morning as a result.

Dr. Charles Czeiler, a professor of sleep medicine at Harvard Medical School, says that when students don’t get an adequate amount of sleep, the sleep deprivation accumulates, and within a week, that deficiency is equivalent to being awake for 24 hours. He says that the deficiency also has the same impact as being legally drunk in terms of reaction time and other measures of performance.

Helena Thornton, a DHS parent and Edsel graduate, said, “I’m concerned about the fact that the data shows that the students are missing an entire REM sleep cycle with an average of seven hours sleep when studies show they need nine, and how sleep deprivation builds up over the week and has been shown to measurably affect performance comparable to being under the influence of substances.”

Recently, Ms. Thornton asked me to conduct a survey with students from our school about their sleep patterns. In my sample of 42 students from grades nine to twelve, the average amount of sleep that students get is 7.17 hours. Compared to the nine hours that we are supposed to get, the results are quite alarming.

I was also asked to survey them about their opinions on changing the school start time from 7:20 a.m. to 8:20 a.m. Only forty percent of them said yes. The others argued that they would like to be able to wake up a later time, but if it means that they have to stay after 2:15 p.m., then they would rather just wake up earlier and “get it over with.”

This careless attitude towards our learning is dangerous. Instead of thinking about which start-time plan gets us out of school the earliest, we should be supporting a plan that will make our learning experience as productive as possible. We are going to be in school for the same amount of time anyway, so we might as well make the best use of it. Any parent, student or community member who understands and supports this issue is asked to join in our communication to Dearborn Public Schools by signing the following petition: HERE

So what does 2013 hold for Dearborn?

They say optimism is the passport to a better tomorrow.

Here is hoping that Dearborn will be able to move into a great 2013.

There is much to do . . .

Happy New Year!

The City of Dearborn will collect yard waste in proper containers on trash days one last time the week of Dec. 10-14, but then the program for 2012 concludes until next year.

The curbside yard waste collection will resume the week of March 18, 2013.

Residents whose trash day is Monday, Dec. 10 should put out their final yard waste for pickup that day and the pattern will continue all week long,  ending for residents with trash days on Friday, who should put out their yard waste for pickup on Friday, Dec. 14

Note that the city’s Public Service Days program has already ended for the season, meaning trash day parking restrictions are lifted until April 1, 2013.

However, it is still a good idea to keep vehicles off the streets when possible on trash days, to allow for more efficient pickup even during the winter months, said Nick Siroskey, director, Dearborn Residential Services.

Residents and business owners are invited to an interactive community forum, with refreshments and door prizes included, on Wednesday, Dec. 12 to share ideas for development near Dearborn’s Intermodal Passenger Rail Station.

The forum will be in Studio A at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center and will begin at 5:30 p.m. with hors d’oeuvres and light fare, followed by a presentation at 6 p.m., and interactive activities until 7:30 p.m.

Coordinated by the City Plan Division and the Economic and Community Development Department, and facilitated by experts from MIPlace Partnership, the forum will ask participants to think about the look and feel of the area near the train station, now under construction on Michigan Avenue near Brady Street.

The forum has the tag line: “Lend us your imagination…be part of Dearborn’s transformation.”

The city was just one of five in Michigan to win a competitive grant to earn MIPlace Partnership’s expertise. MIPlace will focus on the area around the new train station.

Creating a sense of place means planning future economic developments in the area with the community’s unique characteristics in mind.

Placemaking is based on the understanding that thriving communities are sites that attract employees, where connections can happen, where productivity and creativity increase, and where networks foster collaboration and innovation.

Using transportation hubs, such as the train station, as a focus for placemaking projects is called Transit Oriented Development (T.O.D.), and has been successfully applied in towns around the country.

T.O.D. is not a familiar concept, but participants should not be intimated, said Barry Murray, director of the city’s Economic and Community Development Department.

“Please come and share your ideas about how the west Dearborn area can capitalize on the benefits of having a major train station in one of our downtowns, and how we can build on our community’s traditions to generate a unique sense of place,” Murray said.

“It’s meant to be fun, while at the same time giving people a chance to speak up about what they think should be included in the future development of west Dearborn neighborhoods and business areas,” he said.

The forum is open to all, including residents throughout Dearborn, business owners, and those who work and go to school in Dearborn.

The Dec. 12 event will set the stage for a three-day forum, known as a charette, which will take place in January.

Supporting the event through door prizes, food and beverages (as of Nov. 30) are: Joe Vicari’s Andiamo Italian Steakhouse, Bailey’s Pub & Grille, BD Mongolian Grill, L.A. Bistro, Merle Norman, Sophia’s Giftique, Starbucks Coffee Company, The Post Bar, and Westborn Market.

The following is a guest column from Dearborn Schools Supt. Brian Whiston.

Supt. Brian Whiston

Dear community member,

– 26 consecutive years of increased enrollment

– Graduation rate up 6%

– Five schools in Dearborn recognized by the state as “Beating the Odds”

– Continuous improvement on local and state tests

– A five year program allowing students to graduate with both a high school diploma and a two year college degree at no cost to parents

– Students earning millions of dollars in scholarships each year

– Districtwide Response to Bullying and Positive Behavior programs ensure a safe learning environment

– Choices for students include magnet programs, Early College program, STEM program,

AP courses, and dual enrollment

Does this sound like a school district that needs to be overhauled, reformed, and taken-over by a state controlled board? I don’t think so, but obviously some legislators in Lansing do.

If two bills, HB 6004 and SB 1358, currently sitting before lawmakers in Lansing are passed in the next few weeks school districts in the state could face drastic change that will have a devastating impact on your child’s school.

These bills shift control away from local school board trustees that you elect and give a great deal of power to a single statewide school district known as the Education Achievement Authority (EAA) that is accountable only to a board appointed by the Governor, not elected by the people.

Even more troubling about these proposed changes is that the important job of educating children will be turned over to for-profit operators who can pick and choose the children they want to allow into their schools.

We are fortunate that our representatives in Lansing, Mr. George Darany, Mr. David Nathan, and Senator Morris Hood, understand how wrong these proposals are and they need our support. We need to contact our representatives in Lansing and let them know that HB6004 and SB1358 must not be approved. It is vitally important that we take action now to make sure these bills are not passed before the legislators leave for the year.

It is important to share your own personal concerns about this legislation. On our district website we have placed key points that you may want to include in your correspondence and we have provided names and addresses of our legislators. You can find out more information on this legislation by visiting HERE.

Despite the many challenges we face, our district has made a great deal of progress and has had plenty of student success. This success can be attributed to the hard work and dedication of our staff. I want to thank all of our staff members and our parents for making student achievement a priority and believing that each child can have academic success in our classrooms. We are also very fortunate to have a supportive and knowledgeable Board of Education that understands the needs of the children in our schools. I urge you to take action today and make sure that this legislation is not passed!

New weekend entertainment option begins Friday, Dec. 7

You won’t have to go far for a few laughs when Dearborn opens the Studio A Comedy Club at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center on Friday, Dec. 7.

The Studio A Comedy Club will feature locally and nationally known comedians on most Friday and Saturday nights through February. Shows will be at 8 and 10 p.m. and are value-priced.

Beer, wine, soft drinks and a variety of mixed drinks will be available for purchase, as will light appetizers, such as buffalo-style chicken wings, pizza squares, Swedish meatballs and a fruit and cheese plate.

Headliner Steven McGrew, along with Frank G., will be the featured performers on Dec. 7-8.

The remaining December schedule for the Studio A Comedy Club features Ruben Paul with David Beck on Dec. 14-15, Mike Green with Stu McCallister on Dec. 21-22, and Tommy Savitt with Cory Hall on Dec. 28.

Tickets for the Studio A Comedy Club are $15 a person. Patrons must be aged 21 and over.

The Studio A Comedy Club will also host a pair of special New Year’s Eve shows, headlined by Mike Bonner and featuring Ron Sweet.

Tickets for the New Year’s Eve shows are $25 for the 8 p.m. performance and $40 for the 10:30 p.m. presentation. The latter ticket includes party favors and a champagne toast.

Tickets for all Studio A Comedy Club performances are available at the door, as well as in advance at the Michael A. Guido Theater ticket box office, which is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Purchase online at www.dearborntheater.com.

For further information, call 313-943-2354.

“The Dance of Bliss” sculpture by Mike Sohikian is installed in the West Village Plaza Court Yard next to Starbucks. Constructed from steel and concrete, “The Dance of Bliss” stands about six feet high and is priced for sale at $7,500.

Twelve sculptures have been placed throughout Dearborn as part of the community’s 2012-2013 Art in Public Places – Midwest Sculpture Initiative (MSI).

Funding for the project is provided by the Dearborn Community Fund and the East and West Dearborn Downtown Development Authorities. Each month a different sculpture and sculptor are highlighted.

“The Dance of Bliss” by Mike Sohikian is the featured sculpture for December. The sculpture is installed in the West Village Plaza Court Yard next to Starbucks. Constructed from steel and concrete, “The Dance of Bliss” stands about six feet high and is priced for sale at $7,500.

A retired ironworker, Sohikian always loved art but didn’t start his own career as an artist until 1995. He frequently draws inspiration for his work from literature and the work of other famous artists and is best known for creating innovative pieces from salvaged steel incorporating other industrial type materials, like concrete, in to the designs. The end results reveal fascinating forms that frequently embody an air of whimsy coupled with strength conveyed through the very materials used to create the piece.

Dearborn has hosted Sohikian’s work in the past. His “Guerrero” was installed at the theater entrance to the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center for the 2010-2011 sculpture initiative, and in 2011-2012, his “Eight Horse Power” sculpture could be seen on the Dearborn Historical Museum grounds located at Michigan Avenue and Brady. Besides Dearborn, Sohikian’s work has been exhibited throughout Michigan and Ohio. He has won numerous prestigious awards and recognition, and his work can be found in over 400 art collections nationwide.

A video about “The Dance of Bliss” sculpture will air on Dearborn cable television during December and can be viewed online at www.cdtv.pegcentral.com/.

“I Spy Dearborn’s Art in Public Places” cards, which include photos and locations for the 12 MSI sculptures and two Pockets of Perception pieces, are available upon request or on the Dearborn Community Fund web page at www.dearborncommunityfund.org.

For more information on Dearborn’s 2012-2013 Art in Public Places Midwest Sculpture Initiative, including information about purchasing the sculptures, contact the Dearborn Community Fund office at 313-943-5478

Santa is coming to the Dearborn Fire Department’s Fire Safety House on Friday, Nov. 30 and Saturday, Dec. 1.

Santa will arrive by ladder truck at 6 p.m. both nights. He will stay until 8 p.m.

The Fire Safety House is next to Fire Station 2, 19750 Outer Drive.

This holiday event includes a picture with Santa and a tour of the Fire Safety House, along with winter favorites of cookies and hot chocolate. No one will leave empty handed as every child will receive a coloring book and balloon.

The festivities are free, but donations will be accepted. All proceed will benefit the Dearborn Firefighters Burn Drive and help firefighters purchase toys for children in the hospital.

The city of Dearborn’s Public Service Days program will conclude for the season on Friday, Nov. 30 and resume again on April 1, 2013.

That means for the winter months, residents will not be required to remove their parked vehicles from the streets from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on their trash collection day.

However, it is still a good idea to keep vehicles off the streets when possible, to allow for more efficient trash pickup, said Jim Murray, the director of the Department of Public Works.

The collection of loose leaves raked into the streets continues until Dec. 7, so having parked vehicles off the street as crews do their work is helpful, he said.

Another date to remember is Dec. 14. That is when the City will stop its seasonal collection of yard waste put in proper containers on trash day.

This curbside yard waste collection will resume the week of March 18, 2013.

For more information, contact the Department of Public Works at 943-2085.

Valu Land is moving into the building on Michigan Avenue that was once home to Michaels.

West downtown Dearborn is getting a new grocery store but it isn’t a Trader Joe’s as many had hoped for in the past.

Spartan Stores Inc. plans to open a new Valu Land store in the building that was once home to Michaels arts and craft store.

Michaels, readers of Deepsaidwhat.com will recall, moved its store in 2008 to Allen Park. Valu Land will be the new neighbor to ACO Hardware, the second-hand store Goodwill and the Family Dollar, which opened in 2011.

Valu Land is Spartan’s version of Aldi, a discount grocery store with no brand name products. Valu Land is also designed to compete with Save-A-Lot and even dollar stores. Many of the products lining the shelves of Valu Land will be the grocer’s own Spartan brand or the discounted brand Valu Time.

This smaller Valu Land is a new direction for Spartan Stores, a Byron Township, Michigan-based grocer which operates about 100 stores across the state under the banners of D&W Fresh Market, Family Fare Supermarket, VG’s Grocery and Glen’s Market.

Spartan Stores opened the first of three Valu Land locations in 2011 in three smaller cities — Marion, Leslie and Clare, in north-central Michigan — and a fourth store earlier this year in Lansing Township, the only store that was not a conversion from another banner. The Lansing store is located in a shopping plaza that houses a Volunteers of America Thrift Store, Rite Aid and Dollar General store. Similar to the new Dearborn location.

In addition to Dearborn, Spartan Store officials have said the company plans to open Valu Land stores in Warren and Roseville — metro Detroit cities that have a “larger population base in the surrounding prime trade area” than its other stores.

The company hopes this new model store will help the grocery retailer expand beyond its Michigan borders. The grocer’s wholesale distribution business supplies more than 350 independent grocery stores across Michigan, and northern Ohio and Indiana.