The East China School Board faces an important vote on November 25. With declining enrollment and revenue, the option to close Palms Elementary School in Ira Township at the end of this school year was discussed at a special meeting this week.
Many community members were in attendance and many voices were heard. The recommendation to close the school was made by Superintendent Suzanne Cybulla at last week’s monthly school board meeting. East China School District’s bond proposal failed earlier this year and a new proposal is in the works for the future. In the meantime, the district faces some hard choices in maintaining and investing in its array of buildings throughout the large district. Closing schools to consolidate resources is a trend in the Blue Water Area, with a declining population of school-age children and shrinking state funding levels. East China closed Eddy Elementary earlier this year and the Port Huron Area School District has closed schools in recent years while reinvesting in remaining buildings and building a new Early Childhood Education Center. Stay tuned to see what the future holds for our local districts as they try to make the best choices for area children.
Reporting for WGRT, Karly Hurley.
