Curtis Elementary School Closed; Layoffs Expected
By Paul Gingras

Facing a crowd of Curtis Elementary School supporters, the Tahquamenon Area Schools Board of Education voted 5-2 to close the kindergarten through fourth grade institution in Portage Township, at a special meeting at Curtis school Monday, February 25.

The doors will close this June, unless a group of concerned citizens, the Three Lakes Area Education Committee, finds an authorizer to allow the 50-year-old public school to remain open as a charter school.

If Tahquamenon Area Schools were to keep Curtis Elementary open, the district would face a $174,000 deficit at the end of the 2008/2009 school year, said Alice Walker, Tahquamenon's superintendent, explaining that it is illegal for school districts to operate on deficit budgets.

The decision to close Curtis Elementary was made reluctantly, she added.

One year ago, Tahquamenon faced a $425,000 deficit and considered closing Curtis School as a costcutting measure. Rather than shutting it down this year, the school board moved the fifth-grade class from Curtis Elementary to Newberry Elementary, made staffing cuts, and chose to have Mrs. Walker serve as both superintendent and special education coordinator, rather than hiring a full-time superintendent.

"We have cut as much as we can. It is just not enough," Mrs. Walker said. "Unfortunately, this is where we are right now." She referred to insufficient state funding to keep Curtis open, declining enrollment, and the cost of educating students in Curtis.

Tahquamenon estimates that it costs $1,125 more to educate a student at Curtis school than at Newberry Elementary School, taking into account the cost of paying for teachers, support staff, utilities, and other school expenses, and dividing the cost by 77, the number of students who attend, Mrs. Walker said.

There are four kindergarten through fourth grade teachers serving Curtis Elementary students, and 14 kindergarten through fourth grade teachers serving 272 students at Newberry Elementary School, said Mrs. Walker's administrative secretary, Judy Lee.

Curtis Elementary School's four teachers have more seniority than most of those at Newberry, so the district is planning to move all Curtis teachers to Newberry Elementary, lay off at least two teachers there, and possibly cut teacher aide positions, Mrs. Walker said.

She likened the situation to districts throughout the state.

"Open any paper," she said. "This is happening everywhere. There is declining enrollment all over Michigan."

Ultimately, "we have to do what is best for our district," she added.

Although the district will save money on staffing, it may lose students to other districts.

Tahquamenon hopes all 77 students will attend school in Newberry, but students can go to any district they choose, Mrs. Walker said.

"We are not naive. There is a good possibility that we could lose as many as 30 students," she added.

The district will save money on busing, said Transportation Director Kris Derusha, and by not accommodating the 2:30 p.m. dismissal time at Curtis, the district will be able to run more efficient bus routes in the Curtis area.

Some students may face longer bus rides, such as one-way trips of up to 1.5 hours, Mrs. Walker said.

Curtis school has been an elementary school for decades, but it began as a kindergarten through eighth grade institution. More than 20 years ago, middle school students were directed to Newberry.

The closing of Curtis Elementary has not deterred the Three Lakes Area Education Committee in its efforts to secure charter status for the school. The group contends that the Curtis school is not draining the district's resources, and pointed out that Curtis drew 30 students from other districts, providing more than enough revenue to keep the school afloat, said Jennifer Wing, a parent and committee member.

Last school year, Tahquamenon "was actually making money on the school," Mrs. Wing said.

"The community is really fired up and backing the school. There is a huge network of parents helping," she said, pointing out that 60 volunteers are involved.

With so much support and adult mentoring for students, "We feel that our community school can provide a better education," Mrs. Wing said. Test scores are unusually low at the Newberry school, the group contends.

If the charter goes through, a local construction company and several clubs have offered donations, and the group has several letters of support for the effort from the township government and other groups.

Three Lakes is working with Michigan Association of Public School Academies to find a chartering agent for the school, and has sent out applications to five agencies, said committee member Donna O'Grady. They include Central Michigan University, Grand Valley State University, Bay Mills Community College, Oakland University, and Tahquamenon Area Schools.

Commenting on the number and diversity of supporters in favor of keeping Curtis Elementary open, Mrs. Wing said, "They say it takes a village to raise a child, and this proves it."