GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Grand Rapids Public Schools Board of Education unanimously approved a plan on Monday to close several buildings and make other changes amid a decline in enrollment.
“We’re trying to right size our district for our current conditions, but then also leave space for growth in the future,” said GRPS Superintendent Dr. Leadriane Roby after the the vote.
The resolution passed largely signs off on recommendations proposed to the board in November.
READ MORE: GRPS recommends closing 10 schools, click to find out which ones
Under the plan, the following schools are slated to close:
- Aberdeen Academy
- Brookside Elementary
- East Leonard Elementary
- Grand Rapids Montessori Academy (Fountain)
- North Park ECC at Wellerwood
- Palmer Elementary
- Sherwood Park Global Studies Academy
- Southeast Career Pathways (Jefferson)
- Stocking Elementary
- Westwood Middle School
The closures would begin next school year and continue through 2029.
Additionally, GRPS will combine its middle and high schools, with students at Alger, Westwood, and Riverside Middle Schools set to attend Ottawa, Union, and Innovation Central High Schools respectively.
The plan also increases theme offerings on the southeast side, including a new environmental science program at Ken-O-Sha that would join with Sherwood’s International Baccalaureate Global Studies at the newly renovated school.
Lastly, the Grand Rapids Montessori and North Park Montessori programs will move under one roof, while Ridgemoor Montessori would expand to offer closer opportunities to families who live in southern Grand Rapids.
In response to community feedback, the board opted to not renovate North Park ECC for a new neighborhood elementary school, and says it will instead chose another location in the city’s northeast side. GRPS is expected to make a recommendation by March 2024.
READ MORE: Nearly 2,000 people gave input on GRPS’ consolidation plan; here’s what they think
“Our young people are saying, ‘We need to have licensed teachers, we need to have strong programming within our schools,’” said Roby. “If you have it in one school and don't have it in other, that becomes an equity issue and we are really trying to address that.”
In a previous interview with FOX 17, Roby said up to half of the district’s 14,000 students could change schools under the plan.
According to the GRPS, it is projected to save them $63 million in outstanding maintenance costs and repairs and $2.3 million annually in routine maintenance. The district’s building utilization rate would increase from 51 percent to 73 percent.
The money saved through the closures and the district’s recently passed bond proposal allows the district to fund renovations at its other schools.
“We’re about uplifting what's good for the community overall and that requires that we sometimes have to make some tough choices,” said Roby. “We are so committed to continually engaging our community around this process and we know it’s iterative.”
