Parents and teachers urge board to rethink Thurston rebuild and rescind health‑care hikes

Dozens of residents and school staff filled the public‑comment period at the Nov. 6 Ann Arbor Public Schools Board of Education meeting to press the board for changes to the Thurston Elementary rebuild plan and to oppose proposed increases to employee health‑care contributions.

Speakers from neighborhood groups, parents and teachers said the district’s current plan would permanently reduce green space at the Thurston Nature Center, bring significant noise and air pollution to students during a multi‑year construction period, and result in smaller, less usable outdoor play areas once the project is complete. “We are asking that you adopt the alternative building timeline for Logan, King and Thurston,” one parent told the board, urging staging at other sites to preserve long‑term green space.

Many speakers pointed to an online community group, LetThurstonPlay.com, and outlined a three‑phase alternative that would stage students at other sites and avoid building in the nature preserve. A number of commenters called on the board for more transparency about decision‑making and earlier, broader engagement with neighborhood stakeholders. One longtime neighbor said volunteers have maintained trails and native plantings for decades and warned that “the proposed siting would destroy plants and eliminate habitat for the organisms that have been encouraged to live there.”

Teachers and union representatives also used public comment to highlight district compensation and benefits concerns. The Ann Arbor education association’s representative said informational sessions on the new health plan were scheduled but warned that “99.8% of the increased cost of these healthcare premiums is being passed directly onto the paychecks of teachers,” and that the district already had experienced resignations and rescinded offers tied to rising premiums.

Several teachers described personal financial strain: an educator with more than 20 years’ experience said a proposed $400 monthly increase in premiums would reduce take‑home pay sharply and could force relocation or career changes; another said co‑pays and deductibles were set to more than double under the new options. “Without more support and better pay, we can’t be the teachers that our students deserve,” one teacher said.

Board members and district staff acknowledged the concerns. Bond committee and district leaders told the board they are reviewing community feedback on Thurston and noted that staging options and site constraints are under active review; they said any revised plans would be brought back to the board for review. Superintendent Parks said the team is “exploring the feedback” and will update the community after the bond committee vets options. On health care, the board heard that the bargaining team has met with the district and that informational sessions are scheduled before open enrollment.

The meeting closed without a formal vote on the Thurston site or on healthcare changes. Trustees and staff said they will continue to study alternatives and report back; community members called for additional public briefings or committee sessions to review options before final decisions are made.