GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Grand Rapids Public School District (GRPS) is set to host the first of several town hall meetings with the community to discuss the future of the district's buildings and other facilities.
The town halls will let the community weigh in on the district's "Facilities Master Plan," which could result in some schools and other facilities shuttering their doors. The master plan is designed to increase efficiency by ensuring that the district's resources are best utilized.
GRPS has seen a steady decline in enrollment over the last 14 years, with an overall drop of 26% in students enrolled since 2008.
The drop in enrollment has pushed building utilization in the district to approximately 53%, which is significantly less than the 85% recommended by the state.
District officials have already discussed the possibility of consolidating staff and students into fewer facilities so they can increase utilization of those buildings.
"It's not about cutting, and closing. We are not cutting and closing to prosperity. We are looking at what are some opportunities to take our facilities and how to manage them better for the future," said Leadriane Roby, Superintendent of GRPS.
And now, they want the community to weigh in on the possible changes. The first town hall meeting is Tuesday at Harrison Park Academy from 6-7:30 p.m. Ten other meetings will be held through Oct. 12.
GRPS officials say there will be refreshments, interpretation services and childcare available at each meeting. Two meetings will include a discussion in Spanish, and two meetings will be virtual. To see a full list of meeting dates, click here.
After the meetings are completed, community members are encouraged to take an online survey to provide their feedback. The survey will be available through Oct. 20 and take 10-15 minutes to complete.
“This plan needs all hands on deck and this public engagement plan reflects our desire to get as many voices at the table as possible,” Roby said.
For more information on the town hall meetings, click here. You can also find a list of each of the town hall locations by clicking here.
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