GRAND RAPIDS, MI - A week after Superintendent Teresa Weatherall Neal pitched her proposal to close 10 Grand Rapids schools as part of a restructuring plan, the biggest push back has come from closing Creston High School.
Neal told the school board on Monday, Nov. 5 that merging City High-Middle School with Creston, 1720 Plainfield Ave. NE, is an option to consider to increase the building capacity.
Low enrollment was the primary factor in closing the school of 600 students. The facility was built for 1,397. Enrollment would fall to 400 next year with the relocation of students in an engineering program. The building's operating cost is around $1.5 million.
"We are not married to this plan," said Neal, who said merging the schools would raise the capacity to 1,100. "We really wanted to receive feedback from this community. I take all of this to heart."
Neal had the first of five community meetings Nov. 1 at Creston on her plan to close, consolidate and revamp school programs. She got an earful from parents and students who said they would leave the district rather than attend Union or Ottawa Hills high schools.
The other option for students would be one of the career-focused Centers of Innovation such as the School of Health, Science, and Technology, which are proposed to be consolidated on the Central High campus.
“It seems like it would be less costly to renovate Creston to merge City students with Creston kids to have the capacity, versus losing students because parents are upset,” said board member, the Rev. Kenneth Hoskins Sr.
City, located at 1400 Fuller St. NE, one of the highest performing schools in the state, is an International Baccalaureate Middle Years and Diploma Programme World School and Center for Economicology. The 700 students had to test-in to get their spot in the school.
The conversation last week was about not letting Creston sit empty in the heart of the business district and neighborhood. The Creston Neighborhood Association and some City parents had proposed the relocation and expansion of the City program at Creston.
Board President Senita Lenear said because City is a test-in school, she thought a traditional program should also exist on campus.
"That speaks to people who ask, 'How can we vacate the Northeast Side?'" said Lenear.
Board member Maureen Slade wanted to know how City parents would feel about a merger.
"I want to keep Creston," said Slade, who said she understands why a parent right now wouldn't want to send their child to Union, which is currently ranked in the bottom 5 percent of state schools.
Board member Jon O'Connor also said he wants to keep Creston open, as a critical component to the neighborhood. He thinks the two schools could work on the same campus.
Board members wanted to get the message out to the community that the proposal is not a done deal. A board vote is scheduled for Dec. 17. Four of the five community meetings remain.
"There will be some tweaks to this plan," said board member Jane Gietzen. "It is worth coming to these community meetings. Don't just come and be negative; come with ideas."
Neal said if people can't come to a meeting to have their voice heard, the district has set up an action line: 616-819-1200.
Two community meetings are scheduled for this week: Thursday, Nov. 8, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Southwest Community Campus, 801 Oakland Ave. SW; Saturday, Nov. 10 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Ottawa Hills High School, 2055 Rosewood Ave. SE.
Email: mscott2@mlive.com and follow her on Twitter @Twitter.com/GRPScotty.
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