Willow Run amends deficit elimination plan to include closing Willow Run High School in 2013
The Willow Run Community Schools Board of Education recently approved an amended deficit elimination plan that would call for closing the high school, the Ypsilanti Courier reported.
Where high school students would be housed if the current building is shut down is not clear at this time. Per the deficit elimination plan, the high school would close its doors prior to the 2013-14 academic year.
The Willow Run Community School's mascot, the Fliers, logo on the brick at the high school building.
Courtesy photo
The district has been steadily losing students, creating significant space in numerous buildings. In 2010-11, it experienced a population loss of nearly 42 percent, compared with student count data from 2009-10.
Closing the high school could save Willow Run approximately $1.4 million in instructional costs, the Courier reported.
Willow Run Community Schools is $1.7 million in the red, according to data released in May. The district is exploring consolidation with Ypsilanti Public Schools, with a possible merger proposal to appear on the Nov. 6 general election ballot for voters of the districts to decide. Ypsilanti has a current deficit of about $9.9 million.
Read the Ypsilanti Courier report here.
Staff reporter Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.
Comments
Bridgit Johnson
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 6:46 p.m.
I am not certain why my POSITIVE comment about Willow Run High School was deleted??? Maybe the Ann Arbor News isn't interested in POSITIVE comments regarding the schools! Again, I am the mother of a WRHS student and I have been so pleased with the level of instruction my son has received, all the wonderful opportunities with local universities and community partners, and the dedication of all the staff from the principal and teachers, to the secretaries! The school is safe, has a positive energy and is doing great, innovative things! Come check it out!
Mark Wilde
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 6:32 p.m.
Ypsilanti Courier: Willow Run amends deficit elimination plan to include closing Willow Run High School in 2013 WILLOW RUN SCHOOLS: Board members consider closing Willow Run High School ---- These are two different headlines ! The following is the statement that I read at our Thursday night Board Meeting in response. ---- Willow Run has an image problem. Actually a public perception problem would be more accurate. Lies and other misinterpretations are told by many including our own employees, the public at large, and most unforgivably--the media. Yes the media that refuse to step foot inside of our walls, to find out firsthand what a wonderful job most of our staff does. The media that instead, half-heartedly plagiarizes other reporter's works, and then in what appears to make it look their own work, changes the facts that were originally reported by the real reporter who took the time to show up at our meetings and interview the board and other staff members to get the most correct information out to the public. Rachelle Marshall has been doing a very good job of factual reporting. The other Media that use her work to attempt to derive their work, you should ashamed of yourself. The coverage by Rachelle and subsequent reporting in the Ypsilanti courier does NOT state that we are going to be closing the high school, it does say we may have to look in to it. Danielle Arndt's headline that says we are planning on closing the High School is very inaccurate. To both Danielle and Rachelle please, come in and cover us, come out see how despite our struggles our students are making positive gains, see how our staff is working with us to work through these tough times, that not just Willow Run is being attacked by but the State of Michigan as a whole is working, and the entire country is truly struggling to get through. Please don't make these times tougher by misleading our citizens and your readers. (Second half will in my comment that follows)
Danielle Arndt
Sun, Jul 1, 2012 : 5:13 p.m.
Mark, thank you very much for your comment. I would like to direct you to the third paragraph of the above aggregation: "Willow Run must achieve a positive fund balance by June 30, 2014, to satisfy the state. The deficit elimination plan does not need to be followed precisely; however, the district must be capable of defending the plan, school officials previously explained." This clearly states that the plan can change and the plan does not need to be carried out to a T, but rather that the end result of a positive fund balance must be achieved. And if you will re-read the headline, it states that the plan includes closing the high school, which is fact. Willow Run may not end up needing to, but the plan does include it. I appreciate your sentiments and would love to engage in further conversation with you about how AnnArbor.com can better cover your district. If you would be so kind as to email me with your contact information, I would love to give you a call to speak with you about this further and to help you understand some of the troubles we have encountered in trying to cover Willow Run. Thank you again. I look forward to hearing from you. My email address is daniellearndt@annarbor.com.
Mark Wilde
Sat, Jun 30, 2012 : 6:32 p.m.
Sure we are the smallest district on this side of the county, but that does not mean we are the most troubled. Look around, and see that all 5 entities (Lincoln, Van Buren, Willow Run, Ypsilanti, and the charters) that service this area are struggling with most of the same issues. And start to report on the financial issues that Western county districts are starting to acknowledge, and then maybe you should ask the State why they appear to be deliberately under funding everybody including the elite districts that get ~$10,000 per student instead of the State norm of ~$7,000. I charge you reporters with helping us by making sure the public knows the real challenges faced by traditional Public Schools.
tina
Wed, Jun 27, 2012 : 11:05 p.m.
well it dont matter to me cause their 1000 of kids that graduated and cant do 4 grade math my son couldnt walk a crose the stage cause he didnt have a 2.0 so lets single out the kids r having trouble and tell they they cant walk cause the dont have the right grade point avarage i thank willow run needs to close and open it up for kids that have specal needs or kids that need specal ed cause if they did i would bet they would have more kids that would graduate with a higher grad point advrage then what they have now but thats just me im a mom that was in the same boat as my son and it makes your self a steam low as hell so please close but open it for the right reason
SuperiorMother
Wed, Jun 27, 2012 : 12:56 p.m.
"In 2010-11, it experienced a population loss of nearly 42 percent, compared with student count data from 2009-10." This is a little unclear. It sounds as though 42% of students who attended WR schools in 2009-2010 went elsewhere for the 2010-2011 school year. However, after reading the linked article carefully, I believe that it actually means that 42% of the children who live in the WR district didn't attend WR schools in 2010-2011. It's likely that most of them were already attending non-WR schools in 2009-2010.
jns131
Wed, Jun 27, 2012 : 6:37 p.m.
Which from what I am reading is absolutely true. No one would dare send theirs to WR hi school. Why? Not a school of choice trying to get into Harvard, Yale or UM. Where we live? Is mostly seniors. Ours is in a charter and now in a public school elsewhere that has money to spend on activities and such. WR is basically a school that only does the three R's. Reading Writing and Math. Hate to say it, but there may be no consolidation if WR continues down this path.
jns131
Wed, Jun 27, 2012 : 10:53 a.m.
When I saw this title I had to recheck the calendar. I thought it was April 1. Wow. So where are the children going to go to now? School choice maybe? Is the entire system going to shut down? Or is this part of the consolidation I wonder? Good luck.
brightlights
Wed, Jun 27, 2012 : 1:17 a.m.
If you can't operate and do business that is top notch, stop doing business! Shut the whole place down and let the ALL the kids go to a district that can do right by them!