By Simon Albaugh
Hamtramck, Mich. – Jihan Aiyash has been dedicated to growing as a Board of Education Member with Hamtramck Public Schools. Volunteering to go to conferences, taking courses and assuming the role of Secretary within the Board of Education are just some of the things she’s done.
Now, in addition to her work on the Hamtramck Public School Board of Education and her role with the Michigan Public Health Association, she’s also going to be a part of the Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB) to serve on their Resolutions and Bylaws Committee.
“I am thankful to Hamtramck Public Schools for providing me, and my board colleagues, professional development opportunities through courses and conferences,” said Aiyash. “I am hoping that my commitment to MASB through this committee will influence my peers to get more involved within our state level work. Public education should not live in silos – we need to work together across Michigan.
Jihan Aiyash (Photo Courtesy of Hamtramck Public Schools)
Jihan Aiyash is currently the Secretary of Hamtramck’s Board of Education. As Secretary, she’s contributed to the Board, with the admiration of her peers. She is also a graduate of Hamtramck Public Schools. She’ll be the first in Hamtramck’s history to represent the Board of Education in a state-wide role.
“Secretary Aiyash has made significant contributions to the HPS Board since her election in 2018,” said Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed. “She is committed to providing equitable education opportunities to students and will help MASB advance their mission.”
Aiyash is hoping that her appointment will allow the state to see a renewed focus on the needs of urban school districts like Hamtramck Public Schools. Since much of the State of Michigan’s population lives in rural areas, many state-wide initiatives focus on school districts with small populations and almost entirely different educational needs.
“It’s just very good to say ‘hey, I understand that the rest of Michigan is this way and the way that it’s built and the way that it’s built with school districts, but city school districts also exist’,” Aiyash said. “We have unique circumstances that also need to be addressed.”
Her appointment on the Resolutions and Bylaws Committee of MASB means that Aiyash will be working with other Board of Education Members from around the state to create policy suggestions on the state-wide level for the MASB’s official position on certain issues.
The Michigan Association of School Boards is an association of more than 600 School Boards from around the State of Michigan. Its stated mission is to provide quality and equitable educational leadership to every school district in Michigan.
This position won’t be the first state-wide policy position that Aiyash has held. Having worked with the Michigan Public Health Association has prepared her for this new role. Even though she’s moving to the next stage of Education Policy in Michigan, she’ll also be continuing her work as Secretary for the HPS Board of Education.
