Tecumseh, MI – Tecumseh Public Schools held a second community input session, referred to as the “Rightsizing Plan for 2024” on Thursday evening at the High School. Superintendent Rick Hilderly presented four options, while also addressing questions and concerns from both the community, as well as employees of the school district. The options include:
Plan 1
- Keep the Early Learning Centers Young 5s through Second Grade
- Changing the Middle School to Third through Sixth Grade
- Changing the High School to Tecumseh Junior High/ High School by having Seventh through Twelfth grade
Plan 2
- Making the Early Learning Centers Young 5s through Third Grade
- Changing the Middle School to Fourth through Seventh Grade
- Changing the High School to Eighth through Twelfth Grade
Plan 3
- Making the Early Learning Centers Young 5s through Third Grade
- Changing the Middle School to Fourth through Eighth Grade
- Keeping the High School Ninth through Twelfth Grade
Plan 4
- Making Sutton Early Learning Center Young 5s through First Grade and Tecumseh Acres Early Learning Center Second through Third Grade
- Changing the Middle School to fourth through eighth grade
- Keeping the High School ninth through twelfth grade
All four plans include the closing of Herrick Park Intermediate Learning Center and Patterson Intermediate Learning Center, ultimately saving the school district $1.2 million. They guarantee that three percent of the annual budget will be allotted for maintenance and building upkeep, and twelve percent would be put into savings to build equity for the school district. Additionally, they include the elimination of 11-13 current district employees.
Hilderly addressed the necessary closure of two of their schools, explaining that the district is losing students each year and that they currently use twenty-five students as the projected loss year after year. While school of choice remains a battle for all schools in Lenawee County, the greatest concern is the decreasing incoming kindergarten class sizes, compared to even a decade ago. A struggle for Public Schools in Lenawee, as well as the State of Michigan, which seem to compare to national averages.
Community members raised questions related to safety, as well as not feeling like any of the plans have a vision for the future, in the case that the school district was to grow. Hilderly responded that growth would be a concern without a new Elementary School, but that “portables” (trailer classrooms) would be the first solution without a passing bond.
Community members expressed concerns about being heard and making sure the right plan is put into place, as well as stating that they felt the decision was a done deal. Hilderly responded stating that the district could no longer operate on the “wait and hope plan” or the school district would be out of money in two-years. He assured the community that they would be doing a survey with details about all four plans, allowing each participant to rank the plans in order of preference, that way the school board would be able to make a decision that best fit what the community wants for the future.
One community member asked Hilderly directly about what plan he felt was best, as they respected his leadership of the district. Hilderly responded that he felt Plan 4 was the best option for the community. He stated it gets them closer to the model of having one elementary, one middle school and one high school. While he felt it was the best plan, he also stated the risk for Plan 4 is that the district families, who live on the boundaries, may use school of choice rather than make a nineteen-minute commute. While that is a risk, he also knows it is on the right track of where Tecumseh Schools needs to be. He was very clear that neighborhood schools no longer make sense. He stated “…they’re too small, they’re too old, they’re out of date and number one, they are in the wrong location. Herrick Park in 1957 didn’t have buses, that neighborhood fed that school by kids walking. Now, not a single kid walks to school, because they don’t live in that neighborhood, they live out in the perimeters.”
School Board Vice President, Lynn Davis, assured the community that this would ultimately be their (the community) decision, which is why they are holding meetings about the plans and planning a survey. Davis also stated that closing two schools and implementing one of the plans was necessary, or the district, in as little as a few years, could be looking at the potential of the State of Michigan assigning an Emergency Manager to take over the school district. Davis was referring to the Local Financial Stability and Choice Act, which holds school districts to financial accountability, or an Emergency Manager is put into place and often times, the elected school board is removed.
The future of Tecumseh Public Schools will remain in the hands of the community, as parents, teachers and community members who care about public education, continue to raise concerns and questions, ultimately leaving the school board and Hilderly to a tough decision. One thing was clear, though, Hilderly wanted to be sure this decision was made and not left to the individual who will be hired to fill his role after he retires at the end of the school year.
Tecumseh Public Schools invites the community to their next board meeting on November 27th, when they will be receiving information regarding transportation and how it impacts each of the plans presented.