Superintendent Merritt Celebrates Successful Back to School Bash and District Achievements

The P-CCS Board of Education held its regular meeting on August 26, 2025, focusing on the start of the new school year and various updates from the district. The meeting began with a presentation from students Josh and Arjun, who highlighted the upcoming Student Voice in Action meeting, set to take place at the start of the school year.

Superintendent Dr. Merritt provided an enthusiastic report, reflecting on the successful Back to School Bash held on Saturday, which featured community engagement activities such as a petting zoo and face painting. He expressed gratitude to the communications and marketing department for their efforts in making the event a success and acknowledged the participation of board members and staff.

Dr. Merritt also shared positive news regarding the district's performance in Advanced Placement (AP) exams, revealing that 91% of students scored a 3 or higher, significantly above the national average. He commended the staff for creating an environment conducive to student success.

In addition, the district's food service department received recognition for its healthy meal initiatives, earning five Healthy Meal Incentives awards. Dr. Merritt emphasized the importance of nutrition in student readiness to learn and congratulated the food service team for their achievements.

However, he also addressed concerns regarding the state budget, noting that current funding for school meals is only guaranteed until September 30, 2025. He urged families to advocate for the passage of the school aid budget to ensure continued support for meal programs.

The meeting concluded with Dr. Merritt celebrating the recent rankings from U.S. News and World Report, which placed all three PCEP high schools among the top 36 public high schools in Michigan and within the top 5% nationwide. He attributed this success to the collective efforts of the entire school community.

Lastly, Dr. Merritt provided updates on ongoing construction projects funded by the 2020 bond, including renovations at various schools and the completion of new facilities. He expressed excitement for the upcoming school year and the progress being made within the district.

The meeting transitioned to citizen comments, allowing community members to voice their thoughts and concerns, with a reminder for respectful discourse. The board will follow up with participants after the meeting.