LCS officials hear opposition to district’s consolidation plan (From the March 17th County Press)

[William Gavette]

Online petition drive underway

BY JEFF HOGAN 810-452-2640 • [e-mail]

Superintendent Matt Wandrie addressed nearly 100 residents Wednesday evening during a forum held in the Lapeer East auditorium. Photo by Jeff Hogan LAPEER — Ninety eight people attended a forum held Wednesday evening at Lapeer East High School hosted by Lapeer Community Schools officials regarding the district’s proposed secondary program strategic plan.

School officials anticipated many more district residents to attend the meeting, one week before the Board of Education is expected to take up a resolution on the consolidation plan that has been in the works for nearly two years. The Lapeer East auditorium can seat 550 people. There were many more pens and note cards available for attendees to write out their questions than were needed.

The plan, as currently drafted, calls for the consolidation of Lapeer East and Lapeer West high schools to operate from the East campus, while moving the ninth graders into the district’s two mid- dle schools, Rolland-Warner and Zemmer.

The current plan under development by Lapeer Community Schools is to close Lapeer West to make Lapeer East the district’s main high school. Lapeer Community High School would be moved into West from the Cramton Center. If approved Thursday, the strategic plan is to have the school ready to go for the start of the 2014-2015 school year. Photo by Jeff Hogan Superintendent Matt Wandrie walked through a power-point presentation for approximately two hours after which several other school officials, including principals, teachers and coaches, began taking questions from audience members.

Wandrie took some comfort in the turnout.

“We really came away with a positive feeling. We’re hearing that people seem to be behind the idea of one high school,” Wandrie said. “I’ve been talking to a lot of groups. I met today (Thursday) with the Optimist Club and they seemed supportive of the plan. The Lapeer alumnus group supports the consolidation too.”

A concern cited by several people in attendance and on the editorial page of today’s County Press (page 4A) was not whether it’s a good idea or not to merge the high schools into one, but rather the proposal to move the ninth graders into the middle schools. This aspect of he plan has struck a nerve with many residents, particularly mothers concerned about the well-being of their daughters in a building with upperclassmen.”

“I have a young daughter who I know will not be ready to be in a bigger school with ninth graders, particularly the older boys,” said Elaine Sherman, 47, of Mayfield Township. “This is a real big issue for me. I don’t think the ninth graders have any business in a middle school... Besides, didn’t we just spend all this money to get two middle schools for the first time ever and now they want to change that too,” she shared with The County Press at the conclusion of the forum after 9 p.m.

Sherman is not alone. An online petition drive in opposition to the high school consolidation plan is circulating in the community. E-mailed to The County Press on Thursday, the sender claimed to have received 120 signatures in less than one day.

The petition reads, “We as community members of Lapeer Community Schools do no want our school board to approve plans to combine Lapeer East and Lapeer West in 2014-2015.

“More studies and planning needs to occur, followed by a community survey consisting of at least 50 percent of the families that have children enrolled in Lapeer Community Schools.”

It continues, “The leadership team is moving too fast. Please do not experiment with our kids’ high school experience.”

Jayme Crossen was direct in our opposition. She posted online, “No! I do not want ninth graders in the middle school. Absolutely not.!”

Lori Seguin commented, “My son will be a senior in 2015. He deserves to graduate from his own high school. He was a seventh grader when Rolland-Warner was new and spend one year there, then had to move to Zemmer and spent eighth grade there and then had to move to the high school for ninth grade. That’s enough moving. Let him finish high school where he started for once.”

Aware of the online petition campaign, Wandrie responded, “In our eyes it’s an opportunity for people to have a voice. This is how it works in a democracy. At this point for us it’s another way for us to receive input. The issue of the ninth graders is something we will consider as we go forward over the next year. We’re getting all kinds of feedback and it will also be considered, absolutely.”

The LCS Board of Education is expected to take up the secondary education program proposal (grades 6-12) when it meets Thursday at 7 p.m. To accommodate a larger than usual turnout for a typical meeting, the board has moved the meeting location from its administration office to the cafetorium at Zemmer Middle School, 1920 W. Oregon Road.