Detroit, MI
Detroit Mayor Sheffield adds new city roles aimed at supporting students, schools
Student absenteeism, lack of transportation and out-of-school time are key areas to be addressed
Detroit — Carrying through on a campaign promise to do more to work with Detroit’s schools, Mayor Mary Sheffield announced on Thursday the creation of two executive-level appointments intended to combat major challenges facing the city’s K-12 students and schools, both public and private, including absenteeism.
Chanel Hampton was named the city’s Senior Director of Youth and Education, a newly created role, along with JerJuan Howard, who named director of the Detroit’s new Office of Youth Affairs.
Hampton will work closely with the Detroit Public Schools Community District, along with charter schools, out-of-school-time partners and community organizations to explore ways to address some of the most persistent needs of students, officials said at a Thursday press conference at the Heilmann Recreation Center.
“We are here to support you, to uplift you and to invest in you,” Sheffield said, referring to students and the systems that work with them. “We know that your success is our success, and that is why we are here today.”
DPSCD is the state’s largest school district with roughly 48,000 students. During the mayoral campaign, Sheffield pledged to do more to work with the city’s schools, even though they have their own autonomy and aren’t controlled by the city.
Hampton said her office will delve into three key areas: out-of-school time, absenteeism, and transportation, in addition to building a coalition with DPSCD. A series of community listening sessions will soon be launched, she said.
“There are many great things happening across the city, and the way that I think of it is in three buckets,” Hampton said. “One, what is already happening that needs to be lifted up? What needs to be scaled? And where are the gaps that we as a city can fill in or coordinate?”
The new roles were hailed by Nikolai Vitti, superintendent of Detroit Public Schools Community District, and Ralph Bland, CEO of New Paradigm for Education. Both joined Sheffield and others at the press conference.
Vitti said the new offices can potentially help Detroit Public Schools, the state’s largest school district, work better with city government, which are two separate entities.
“How can DPSCD be more of a partner through the city’s leadership around integrating services to our families, to our students, focused on things like after-school programming, summer programming, improving transportation, ultimately to improve chronic absentees and student attendance?” Vitti said.
Hampton was the founder and CEO of a Detroit nonprofit called Strategic Community Partners that oversaw more than $100 million investments into schools and community initiatives, city officials said.
Howard is a Detroit-based youth leader. His office will organize existing youth councils and other groups “into a more cohesive” voice, he said, that can help influence policy, he said. He will report to Hampton. Both offices will work under the mayor’s office.
Sheffield said both positions will be paid for the budget already set for the mayor’s office and will not take away funds from any existing programs. Hampton’s annual salary will be $175,000 and Howard’s $120,000, city officials said.
Sheffield said that her administration and the City Council are working on legislation dealing with how to reduce absenteeism.
laguilar@detroitnews.com
The Detroit Zoo welcomed a new giraffe, Nguvu, to the herd, officials announced on Wednesday.
Officials say 1-year-old Nguvu came from Utah’s Hogle Zoo as part of the zoo’s “long-term plan for the giraffe herd.”
“This move was recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Giraffe Species Survival Plan, which promotes the health, genetic diversity and overall sustainability of giraffe populations in zoos – and we’re eager to support Nguvu as he adjusts to his new home,” the Detroit Zoo says.
Officials say Nguvu has been working with the animal care teams for several days and will be introduced to the herd soon.
According to Utah’s Hogle Zoo, Nguvu was born in February 2025. His name means “strength” in Swahili.
The Detroit Lions are taking part in the NFL’s International series for the first time since 2015 by hosting the AFC Champion New England Patriots Week 10 in Munich at Allianz Arena on Sunday, Nov. 15 at 9:30 a.m. ET (3:30 p.m. local time in Germany) on FOX.
The Patriots represented the AFC in the Super Bowl this past February after a 14-3 season and their 22nd AFC East title. They beat the Los Angeles Chargers (16-3), Houston Texans (28-16) and Denver Broncos (10-7) in the playoffs to earn their 12th Super Bowl appearance, which they lost to Seattle (29-13).
Patriots QB Drake Maye is one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL entering his third season and New England’s defense is coming off a 2025 season in which they ranked fourth in points allowed (18.8) and eighth in total defense (295.2).
This is the second of Detroit’s 2026 matchups to be announced early (Week 2 TNF in Buffalo). The rest of the Lions schedule will be revealed Thursday evening.
4Warn Weather – Metro Detroit is getting a bit of everything this week: from freezing temperatures to summerlike heat.
Mixed in are rain chances.
Tuesday night will feature scattered showers and a chance of a few thunderstorms as a cold front moves through Southeast Michigan.
The strongest storms Tuesday night are not expected to be severe, but a few downpours and gusty winds will be possible before the rain tapers off overnight.
Overnight temperatures will settle into the 40s and 50s in most locations.
Cooler air will arrive first across the Thumb and northern communities, with lows dipping into the mid- to upper 40s near Lapeer, Port Huron, and Sandusky.
Detroit and Downriver communities will be in the lower 50s.
Wednesday
Wednesday will feel noticeably cooler and breezy behind the front. High temperatures may struggle to climb much beyond the mid-50s in Metro Detroit, while communities farther north could remain even cooler at times under mostly cloudy skies.
A stray shower cannot be ruled out during the day, but much of Wednesday looks dry.
That cooler air will greet fans heading downtown Wednesday evening for Game 5 between the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers at Little Caesars Arena.
Temperatures around tipoff at 8 p.m. will hover near 50 degrees with cloudy skies. By the time fans leave the arena later Wednesday night, readings may slip into the upper 40s.
Anyone heading downtown may want a jacket, especially with a lingering breeze making it feel a little cooler outside.
After the chilly midweek stretch, temperatures will rebound quickly heading into the weekend.
Looking ahead
Friday evening looks comfortable for the Detroit Tigers’ series opener against the Toronto Blue Jays at Comerica Park.
First-pitch temperatures around 6:45 p.m. should be near 60 degrees under partly cloudy skies.
Saturday may end up being one of the nicest days Metro Detroit has seen in a while. Temperatures are expected to surge into the lower 80s.
Plenty of sunshine and warm conditions should make for ideal baseball weather and a busy day across parks, patios, marinas, and outdoor events across southeast Michigan.
Sunday remains warm, with highs in the upper 70s and approaching 80 degrees, though the atmosphere may become more unsettled later in the day.
Flower Day at Eastern Market in Detroit should still feature decent weather for shoppers and visitors during the morning and early afternoon, but a few showers and isolated thunderstorms could develop later Sunday as moisture increases again across the Great Lakes.
That means people heading to Eastern Market may want to keep an umbrella nearby, especially if spending several hours outdoors later in the day.
Even with the chance of rain, temperatures will remain warm and pleasant for browsing flowers, plants, and outdoor vendors.
The warming trend continues into early next week, with highs climbing into the 80s again on Monday with additional rain chances.
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