Brendan P. Walsh

I encourage those who have interest in the Grosse Pointe Public School System to review the presentation below, “Budget Models and District Benchmark Overview.” I shared this presentation at the April 24, 2023 Board of Education meeting. I welcome any questions on this presentation or related topics.

After delivering this presentation I was not particularly surprised to hear certain GPPSS trustees scorn my efforts (despite their obviously hollow calls for greater community engagement). Apparently, such trustees feel that no one other than administrators are capable of reviewing operational and financial structure to solve difficult problems. I find this disappointing because I have never seen trust in district leadership – at all levels – lower than it is now.

Allow me to offer some background on myself.

I have a deep-rooted interest in the health of public education in Grosse Pointe. Aside from having served on the Board of Education from 2005 to 2013, I am also a district graduate (G.P. South 1986). I have enjoyed wonderful experiences in the GPPSS as a student, parent, and as a trustee. I have had five children graduate from GPPSS schools and more nephews and nieces than I could count.

Education has long been a primary interest. I graduated from the University of Michigan with a secondary school teacher’s certificate (English major and Latin minor). I student taught as Cass Technical High School and worked in the Trenton and Detroit Public School systems. I taught courses in mythology and Shakespeare. At the time of my graduation the state was going through a horrendous financial crisis. Teachers were laid off by the score. Life had different plans for me.

In my post-education professional career, I accompanied my reading and writing skills with a growing interest in technology and analytics. This contributed to my growth with companies such as IBM and AT&T. I routinely earned management and leadership roles at these companies.

I learned to assess problems and develop solutions. My professional career continued to grow and I became Chief Information Officer of MSX International. Concurrently I served as our marketing and communications leader. I served as the CEO’s Chief of Staff. I have been building informative presentations for decades. For MSX I helped drive change through digital transformation which requires business process mapping and re-engineering skills. I enhanced my ability to make complex topics accessible to those who do not have the time to deeply research topics. This allowed me to continue to teach, but just in a different environment.

I was then promoted to serve as president of Geometric Results. I assumed responsibility for a company that was experiencing debilitating operational, financial, and customer loss. I was asked to lead as a turnaround specialist. This required the ability to focus on the essential mission of the organization and clear understanding of the value we delivered for our customers. I was a chief architect of the turnaround effort. I brought the plan to our private equity owners whose business and financial acumen was world class. I received support for the plan from our board and we navigated a ruthless climate. Our turnaround was successful and resulted in the successful sale of the company.

I was able to employ all of these skills when I served on the GPPSS Board of Education at a time of unprecedented financial turmoil for Michigan’s public schools. It was the only time in state history when per pupil funding was actually reduced multiple times – including even a mid-year cut. Meanwhile retirement costs exploded amid the global financial meltdown of 2008. This foisted millions of additional costs onto local school districts, with even less funding from the state. Today’s environment is not easy, but nearly a picnic compared to the effect of Michigan’s one-state Depression from 2008-2012.

The anger and confusion in the community at that time was understandable. The root cause issues were complex and not easily solved. The demands for answers and transparency were sky high. The administration had plenty of problems to deal with that left little time for them to create materials to help an anxious community better understand the challenges and the options to solve them. I helped fill that gap.

Before anyone makes micromanagement charges, I say simply you have no idea of what you’re talking about unless you walked in our shoes at that time. It is nothing other than a lazy and uninformed analysis to claim that any time any a board member puts in extra effort that it amounts to an affront of the administration. It is more an indication that such critics lack the skill set and/or the ability to find a mutually beneficial partnership model with administration. If you simply want to be along for the ride, I suggest you go find another hobby – least of all criticize others who are actually trying to help.

That is my origin story as it relates to my credentials to offer opinions on school finance topics. I could not possibly tabulate the hours and hours – over twenty years – over which I have grown and honed my knowledge in Michigan K-12 finance and operations.

I have always used these skills to help the GPPSS, and I will energetically continue to do so.