Grosse Pointe Farms The Grosse Pointe board of education is closing two elementary schools and approved a K-4 and 5-8 reconfiguration for the district Monday night in a controversial. This year it isdown 35% to 7,500 students. The Grosse Pointe Public Schoolswill beclosed Monday for students and staff due to theanticipated snowfall and cold temperatures, the district stated on its website.Also closed according to ClickonDetroit: Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. What is the point?". The district is in a hurry to move because last fall parents voted to tax themselves more. At Poupard, which has about 304 students, about77%of students are African Americanand 64.8% are economically disadvantaged,according to state data records. There are a number of concerns, and parents tell 7 Action News there has been a lack of transparency when it comes to the move. According to a recent statewide poll, 62% of Michiganders strongly or somewhat support closing schools and universities for the foreseeable future; and the University of Michigan suspended . Connect With Us: Find it Fast. Parents voice concern over potential Grosse Pointe school closings Schools closed due to inclement weather Friday morning include: Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Declining K-12 enrollment has meantfinancial losses for theaffluentMetro Detroit district,school officials said. "If we don't reconfigure the district now, we'll be looking at something much worse.". Declining K-12 enrollment has meantfinancial losses for theaffluentMetro Detroit district,school officials said. Dr. Gary Niehaus, the district's superintendent, told Local 4the steady decline already had the school board's radar up. "I think they tried to be inclusive, but they didn't get out and get those marginalized voices involved. I cant imagine having to teach my children two separate curriculums and work full-time without sacrificing their education. Earlier this week, Southfield did. "We can always use more help. GROSSE POINTE, Mich. Last year, 218 students left the Grosse Pointe School District. Arbulu said some board members might be empathetic. These are some of the top-rated public schools in Grosse Pointe based on a variety of measures, including academic performance and equity. Operations savings range from $1.3 million to $1.9 million, and bond savings range from $9.1 million to $15.5 million. Emergency School Closing Procedure; English as a Second Language; Enrollment; . It islooking at closing several schools to rightsize the district. That, and other must-know dates for parents, students and teachers. A student from Grosse Pointe recently received her diploma from The Ethel Walker School in Connecticut. Check for announcements on government closings, business cancellations, winter Grosse Pointe parking bans and winter delays throughout Grosse Pointe MI from the following Grosse Pointe area media stations. See how FAFSA applications changed for Grosse Pointe area high schools. Grosse Pointe graduate Michal Ruprecht was recognized for his commitment to the community and chemistry. The goal is to haveat least $1 million a year in savings and be at least 80% capacityat as many schools as possible, Niehaus said. The Grosse Pointe Board of Education voted 5-2 late Monday to closeRobert Trombly Elementary School in the south end of the district andCharles A. Poupard Elementary School in the north end as part of a cost-cutting effort to combat declining enrollment. All begin at 6:30 p.m. 2023 The Detroit News, a Digital First Media Newspaper. Several board members have been targeted for recallas the result of the school reconfiguration thatstems from declining enrollment K-12. "Their inability to step outside their shoes is always difficult," Arbulu said Tuesday. Many parents are unhappy with the prospect of seeing their children stuck at home for another school semester. The board's action Monday nightcomes after 15 years of declining enrollmentand a move to restructure the district withoutopening its doors to Schools of Choice students. Around a dozen parents and children protested the move Monday night, outside the planned school board meeting. It needs to be inclusive, fair and transparent," Arbulu told the board. When the vote was taken, members of the crowd, some of them in tears, exchanged hugs and left the auditorium quietly. "It is our only Title 1 school," Dean said. Copyright 2020 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Arbulu recommendedthe school boardtake action to improve the process and ensurethe concerns of all stakeholders were considered. Allison Jacob and her husband just moved to a house in Grosse Pointe Farms thats in walking distance of Brownell Middle School. School Contact Information / School Directory - Grosse Pointe Public Curious who the best teachers in Michigan are? Grosse Pointe School Board Approves $4.6M In Budget Cuts, Grosse Pointe Woods Woman Charged In Crash That Killed Fraser Teacher, Bus Driver Charged In Crash That Killed Grosse Pointe Park Woman, College Planning and Financial Aid Webinar, Northern Lights Possible In MI: When And Where To See Them, $1.5M Winning Lottery Ticket Sold In Oakland County, New Dogs, Cats, Pets Up For Adoption In The Grosse Pointe Area. Tromblyin the south end of the district and Poupardin the north side will close in June 2020. Grosse Pointe votes to close 2 elementary schools - Detroit Free Press Cynthia M. Douglas, president of the NAACP chapter for Grosse Pointes/Harper Woods, said on Tuesday she was disappointed with the decision to close the schools and to not take the advice of theMichigan Department of Civil Rightsto hold off on adecisionamid allegations of racial bias. National school rankings database ranks 89 metro area school districts. Fouryears ago, Ferndale Public Schools merged two elementary schoolsin an attempt to desegregate classrooms and create a level education field for its youngest students. Options include closing at least two of the district's nine elementary schools andreconfiguring grades across the district, such as moving fifth graders out of elementary school and into the middle schools that currentlyservegrades 6-8. He defended the process. Opinion: Grosse Pointe school budget talks, proposed closures looming I'm hoping that wedo take your advice.". Grosse Pointe Public School System | Grosse Pointe Woods MI - Facebook Helen Hannigan was upset with the decision by the board because it will close the school her two children attend, Trombly. The district will host more town halls through May to gather community input on the reconfiguration work of the committee. The vote to close Poupard and Trombly elementary schools was 5-2, while the vote to reconfigure grades was 6-1. "I think the administration needs to move quickly with implementation plans and provide other details we left aside while we were trying to determine which configuration to gowith," Summerfield said. At the time, Kennedy Elementary School was majority white and not economically disadvantaged, while Roosevelt Primary School was majority black, a majority of students lived in poverty. But its the democratic process.". Kids like to snack, and theyre sitting at home, Murphy said. Statewide K-12 student enrollment has been on the decline for years. Students in the Grosse Pointes will have a three-day weekend after a night of snow. Hes put on weight because what can he really do all day? I'vegotten emails from concerned parents that the process did not allow for all the voices to be heard.". Around the turn of this century, Grosse Pointe's schools had about 10,000 students. Nearly 59% wanted to close two schools in the south end while 41.2% advocated closing one school there. She thanked Arbulu for coming to the board and for broaching a sensitive topic of race. Winter Storm Related Closings in the Grosse Pointes | Grosse Pointe, MI The reconfiguration will result in the move of all fifth grade students to three middle schools starting in the 2020-21 school year. Like most districts across the state, Grosse Pointe schoolshave experienced declining enrollment. In themeantime, there is another issue parents have. Members of the Blue Ribbon Committee also were asked to consider where to place an expanded early childhood center, with the district recommending Kerby or Barnes. The petition language mentions the proposal to close schools as a reason for the recall. Students who have volunteered at the Huntington Woods Library are eligible for two new $500 scholarships. Its probably unsafe for our students.. "Some in our community warned that restructuring our schools would have a negative impact on our resident enrollment. No students or staff are believed to be involved in the incident, according to the district. More: New survey reveals how Michiganders feel about masks, Whitmer. With each student equal to around $10,000 in school revenue,the district's average 100-student drop peryear is $1 million lost. Grosse Pointe's schools are not alonel. "But they are driven by their own mindset? Douglas said she was especially concerned over the fact that Poupard holds a large Head Start program. "This year, our new resident student enrollment is 50 students greater than our previous high over the past five years. "But whether you have a voice in the roomis a separate thing.". It would also eliminate 15 teaching positions. School Delays And Closing - AmericanTowns.com Winners of the first round of scholarships, which are corporate-sponsored, were announced on Wednesday. Jon Dean, deputy superintendent of educational services, said because two other north-end elementary schools, Ferry and Monteith, each can hold 600 kids, the district does not recommend closing those schoolsbecause there is not enough room in the other elementary schools to move students. One of its high schools is 28.3% black. The board's action Monday nightcomes after 15 years of declining enrollmentand a move to restructure the district withoutopening its doors to Schools of Choice students. We want time for the community to be able to solve the problem through our education foundation," he said. "You can influence how this is implemented," he said. Choice, Gafa said,creates flight and a pattern of moving. Weber has two elementary-age children and said she is glad she came to Thursday's meeting. About 74.5% recommended closing Mason while 25.5%wanted to close Poupard. Families in the Grosse Pointe Public Schools heard via email Friday that administrators recommendeda 100% remote environment, with no face-to-face learning or other activities. The prominent district, considered a bellwether for smaller school systems,covers the five Grosse Pointe communities and part of Harper Woods. College Planning and Financial Aid Webinar, Northern Lights Possible In MI: When And Where To See Them, $1.5M Winning Lottery Ticket Sold In Oakland County, New Dogs, Cats, Pets Up For Adoption In The Grosse Pointe Area. Statewide K-12 student enrollment has been on the decline for years. Here children grow up within walking distance of great schools and safe parks. "We dont know who is behind it. "I think the challenges are very realand I think displacingthem and disrupting the program in place would be a challenge for them," he said. As a fourth-grader, the boy was enjoying his final year at Mason Elementary until last spring, when the school closed for the pandemic, Murphy said. ", MORE:Michigan athletics COVID-19 update: Nine more test positive in latest round of testing, Contact Bill Laitner: blaitner@freepress.com, New survey reveals how Michiganders feel about masks, Whitmer, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. "What we arelooking for is more time. And come up with a better plan that does not tear apart our community, Pangborn said. Best Grosse Pointe Schools | Grosse Pointe, MI School Ratings | Best The idea is highly unpopular with parents. Grosse Pointe A civil rights organization isreviewing a decision by the Grosse Pointe Public Schools' board of education to close two elementary schools, one of which primarily serves low-income black students. The vote was the latest twist in a controversy that began in January and came after more thantwo hours of heated discussion that includedaccusations of racism, deception and other improper behavior by the school district and its school board. A company that specializes in heat maps hired by the district is working on a new boundary line map that should be ready by early fall, Summerfield said. The decision took on racial overtones in part because the majority of students at Poupard are black and it's the only buildingin the system that is designated as a Title I school, making it eligible for additional funding to serve poor students. Summerfield saidthe district might be the last "mature district" in Metro Detroit to go through the painful process of closing schools due to a declining student population. Reconfiguration is needed to prevent further cuts to this district, board member Christopher Profeta said. Grosse Pointe Public School System / GPPS Home Last week, the Michigan Department of Civil Rights asked the Wayne County school district to hold off on its decisionsamid allegations of racial bias,but Grosse Pointe Public School System Superintendent Gary Niehauswas unmoved by the request. Its a struggle every day to get him to do it. "I mentioned how Grosse Pointe is fortunate with a strong sense of community, educated, financially prosperous and yet overwhelmingly white," said Dr.Agustin Arbulu, executive director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, who pleaded with the board to delay the vote. So far there are no school names on the target list. It is looking at closing several schools to rightsize the district. Weve been running our KidsClub (a latch-key program) and some of our teams were holding conditioning workouts my son is on the soccer team and theyve been meeting three times a week and were still getting positive COVID tests from some of the adults and some of the students. With up to eleven inches of snow expected, Grosse Pointe Public Schools announced Friday's closing Thursday night. Part of these plans include closing two elementary schools. Staff Login. Staff Login. The board of education also will not consider Schools of Choice, an option to open its doors to neighboring school districts' studentsand their per-pupil foundation grant from the state, school officials said. Our intention is to sell the building and move out," Niehaus said. The land value of any buildings closedranges from $3.9 million to $6.4 million. Staff Login. Grosse Pointe schools and others to stay closed this fall Mike Calin, a father of two daughters ages 8 and 10, is leading that charge. Arbulu said the Grosse Pointes had a history of deed restrictions that excluded African Americans, Jews and immigrants from someof metro Detroit's wealthiest enclaves. School leaders say privately that because the pandemic continuesto flare up across Michigan,prompting among other measures such as the closures of bars in northern Michigan this week,they expect Whitmer may soon revise her Roadmap to forbid face-to-face learning this fall. According to a recent statewide poll, 62% of Michiganders strongly or somewhat support closing schools and universities for the foreseeable future; and the University of Michigan suspended practices in four sports on Friday after nine athletes tested positive for COVID-19. A reconfiguration in the district means fifth graders will now be in the middle school. Niehaus told the crowd of about 100 people Thursday that whenever a district adds or subtracts from its building stock, school boundaries change. Grosse Pointe Schools News | Grosse Pointe, MI Patch It made my decision easy as far as Poupard goes, Summerfield said. Poupard is located in Harper Woods but is part of the Grosse Pointe school system. Grosse Pointe School Delay and Closings Media Stations and links. No shooter was found and the school day resumed, according to The Detroit News. In Grosse Pointe,many are ready to break out the checkbook to ensure this doesn't happen. We are not sure at this point if any action is going to be taken by the NACCP. ", 2023 The Detroit News, a Digital First Media Newspaper, voted Monday night to close Poupard Elementary School in Harper Woods and Trombly Elementary School in Grosse Pointe Park, Video with racist slurs surfaces in Grosse Pointes amid school closure tensions, theyears since the board voted to restructure its elementary schools.