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GRPS to level empty school building after unanimous vote on facilities master plan

Superintendent Leadriane Roby says the cost to repair the building is too much to keep it running.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — Grand Rapids Public Schools is looking to the future. The fate of an unused facility was decided at a board of education meeting Monday night.

The old Adelante High School on the southeast side of Grand Rapids will be torn down after the facilities master plan was unanimously approved by the board. 

The master plan has been discussed at several town halls before the vote, with the board taking public input into account. Superintendent Leadriane Roby says the plan includes the potential to close multiple schools in the district, which will be decided after further research.

"It includes multiple strategies," says Roby. "That includes like looking at our enrollment, looking at our school programs, how do we offer more programming so that we are a good choice for our community, there's lots of opportunities to kind of continue to develop a pre-K through 12."

The old Adelante High School joins another vacant building on Alexander Street to be leveled. Roby says the cost to repair is too much to keep them running.

Now, the next phase of the facilities plan will begin to take shape over the next year, including deciding which schools will be closed.

"The next steps will include kind of drilling into how schools will be selected," says Roby. "And then also kind of making sure that we are very intentional about working very closely with those school communities."

Roby says more public input will be sought at town halls in the coming year before decisions are made on school closures.

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