GRAND HAVEN, Mich. — Grand Haven's School Board voted Monday night to move forward with a plan to repurpose Mary A. White Elementary School into an Early Learning Nature Center. Parents packed at Monday night’s meeting, explaining their frustration with what they call a rushed decision. They believe the proposal isn't well thought out and lacks a long-term vision.
“The implications for removing the school from our city center are huge, and rushing through this process will have lasting effects on our town. I ask that you dig deeper, explore all the options, and most importantly, include the community,” a Mary A. White Elementary parent said.
“I believe that the current timeline does not allow for a sufficiently thorough and transparent process," another Mary A. White Elementary parent added.
“The decision was made first and then research was conducted to validate it. That is not how strong communities that value their employees and constituents operate,” a Mary A. White Elementary teacher said.
Monday night, the majority of parents asked the school board to dig deeper and explore all the options, but the board told the packed gym of parents that they received support for this move in a 2 to 1 ratio.
This all comes after Superintendent Kristin Perkowski announced plans to repurpose the school last month.
Perkowski referenced a stat that over 1,000 students have left the district since the 2014/15 school year, and enrollment is slated to decline even more in the next five years. A significant projected budget deficit next school year also prompted the proposal.
Perkowski's 90 day plan, discussed in Monday night’s meeting, now pushes three areas of focus: stakeholder engagement, transparency in sharing their stories, and accessibility within the community. The plan explains nature-based learning will lead to better school-ready behavior.
But still, the parents present at Monday night's meeting remain concerned by the rushed decision, which they feel has been made without a clear long-term plan.
“Neighborhood schools matter," said Robyn Cook, a Mary A. White Elementary parent. "They draw families into areas. They keep communities in areas, and they create a space that's safe for our children…. so they’re important to keep."
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