Escanaba School Superintendent Coby Fletcher has presented the school board with several options to cut costs in the wake of the rejection of the sinking fund millage last November.
Fletcher opened Monday night’s special meeting by outlining the goals he has going forward, which includes “beefing up” student services that are offered to at-risk students, and behavior intervention programs.
Fletcher says that schools are underfunded in Michigan and at the same time, buildings are getting older and in need of repairs. Escanaba voters rejected a sinking fund proposal and the state does not fund building repairs.
Fletcher is giving the board two options to consider. One is to close the Soo Hill Elementary School. First and second graders would move to Lemmer, and third through sixth graders would move to the Upper Elementary building downtown.
The other option is to close the Upper Elementary…or junior high…building. Sixth graders would move to the high school, and the first-through-fifth graders would move to Lemmer and Soo Hill. The district would also have to decide whether to move the administrative offices out of that building, or keep them there (and the gymnasium) for other use.
The board did not take action on the proposals at Monday’s meeting.
