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Oak Park board to hear recommendations for school closures

Oak Park board to hear recommendations for school closures. Shawn D. Lewis / The Detroit News April 10, 2010. http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20100410/SCHOOLS/4100355/1026/Oak-Park-board-to-hear-recommendations-for-school-closures. 2 schools recommended for closure.

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Oak Park board to hear recommendations for school closures

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  1. Oak Park board to hear recommendations for school closures Shawn D. Lewis / The Detroit News April 10, 2010 http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20100410/SCHOOLS/4100355/1026/Oak-Park-board-to-hear-recommendations-for-school-closures

  2. 2 schools recommended for closure • Oak Park -- Residents in the Oak Park School District will learn Tuesday which two schools will be recommended for closure to help plug a projected $7.1 million deficit. • An ad hoc committee was charged in February with recommending which schools should be shuttered as a result of dwindling enrollment. Members will present their findings during the regular school board meeting at 7:15 p.m. But the board will take no action Tuesday. • "We could accept some of the recommendations, none or all of them," said board treasurer Maxine Gutfreund. "We'll ask questions of the committee during the board meeting, and then we'll take the information back and have our own meetings to study the recommendations, but we have committed to closing two buildings in our deficit elimination plan."

  3. Not all agree • The plan to close schools angers parent Arkita Bryant, 27, who attended Oak Park schools from grades three through 12. She has a 4-year-old daughter in a Head Start program. • "I'm upset and my feelings are hurt," said Bryant, who plans to attend the meeting. "I know the city is struggling, but I think the school district is taking the easy way out by deciding to close schools. • "I think there are some unnecessary renovations going on at Oak Park High School, like the new football field. I think the old field was just fine."

  4. Not the only one • Oak Park -- which has about 4,000 students in seven schools -- isn't the only district considering shuttering schools as officials across the region struggle with reduced state funding and falling enrollment. • Utica Community Schools, which has a $33 million budget shortfall, is considering closing four elementary schools in the next school year. And Wayne-Westland Community Schools may close six. • Staff layoffs also are imminent in Oak Park. • A letter to Superintendent Sandra Harris from the Michigan Office of State Aid and School Finance about the district's deficit elimination plan notes that the school board plans to issue layoff notices by May 24.

  5. How many schools? • Elem • Einstein 522 students • Key 451 students • Pepper 400 students • Lessenger Early Ch’ldhood 119 students • Middle • Roosevelt (6-7) 827 students • Oak Park Prep (8-9) 600 students • HS • OPHS 1348 students

  6. Economics • Looks like 1 small elementary school – although it looks special. • Relatively standard size middle schools. • Fairly large high school. • What to do?

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