Ferndale High School

Ferndale Family,

It is with great excitement that I announce the hiring of Radhika Issac as the new principal of Ferndale High School and the promotion of David Gardner as the new principal of University High School.

With 20 years as an educator, Radhika brings experiences as a classroom teacher, curriculum coordinator, and administrator to Ferndale Public Schools. Leading with empathy to build meaningful relationships is what defines both her professional and personal focus. Radhika actively facilitates opportunities to grow equitable access to curriculum and instruction for all students, families, and staff. She has been a learner, leader, and advocate for social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion in both at the district and county level.

"I am eager to join the Ferndale Public Schools family. I look forward to connecting with each student, family, and staff member at Ferndale High School as we continue to build a community that honors our history and culture. I will strive to support students and staff as we develop our purpose, create a plan, and find our passions," Radhika Issac, Principal, Ferndale High School.

David Gardner graduated from Ferndale High School and has been a leader at University High School for more than a decade, first as a teacher, then counselor, assistant principal, and now principal. David inspires everyone around him to be a better educator, colleague, mentor, and person. The meaningful and authentic relationships he establishes with students and staff have lead to significant increases in student academic achievement and growth at UHS.

"I am excited and prepared to continue working on behalf of the students, families, and staff of UHS and Ferndale Public Schools. I recognize the strong work ethic and innovative practices of the UHS team and pledge to support them as we continue our journey of equity through inclusive and relevant curriculum and instruction and meaningful socio-emotional practices. UHS is a special place and I consider myself fortunate to be given the opportunity to continue the growth of its student-centered culture," David Gardner, Principal, University High School.

Our Ferndale Family is incredibly lucky to welcome these outstanding educational leaders to their new roles.

Dania H. Bazzi, PhD

Superintendent, Ferndale Schools

Starting on July 1st, Ferndale Schools will be transitioning to a new communication platform, replacing Q Communication with Remind.  While we understand how frustrating it is to learn a new system, this decision was made after careful deliberation and consultation with many staff and community members.  

What is Remind?

If you're not already familiar with Remind, it's a classroom communication tool that makes it easy to stay involved with your child's learning. Remind is free to use, and you'll be able to get and send messages on any device—even a simple text message from your phone!  Remind uses email, text, and telephone calls to help you communicate with individuals or groups quickly and safely.  Many staff, parents, coaches, and students may already be experienced in using Remind.

How does this impact me?

Families are automatically signed up to receive communication from their child's school, teachers, and Ferndale Schools. In order to receive emails, telephone calls, and even text messages, all you have to do is maintain your contact information and manage your personal preferences within our student information system, MiStar. Click here to update your contact information in MiStar.  If you do not remember your login information, please email mistarhelp@ferndaleschools.org.

As part of this rollout, official accounts will be created for all the educators, parents, and students in Ferndale Schools. Around the 1st of July, you'll receive an email or text message from Remind. All you need to do is follow the steps in the message to finish setting up your account. Watch a video demo here to see how Remind works »

Thank you for your patience and flexibility as we roll out this new system. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to ask.

FHS senior Branden Nicholas just received a $10,000 scholarship through the Midnight Golf Program, a leadership development program that teaches students how to navigate life through golf. Branden received a Zoom call from former Detroit Lions player, Devon Kennard, to accept the scholarship.

In conjunction with Lighthouse, St David's Episcopal Church in Southfield will be distributing 20 lb boxes of fresh produce every Thursday through August. Boxes will contain potatoes, onions, celery, carrots, cabbage, apples and strawberries. The hours of the distribution are Thursdays,  9:30 am – 1:00 pm. The church is located at 16200 12 Mile Rd, Southfield, MI 48076.

Thursdays 9:30 am - 1:00 pm
St David’s Episcopal Church
16200 12 Mile Rd, Southfield, MI 48076