East Lansing School Board Suspends Efforts to Re-Open Red Cedar for 2016

The East Lansing Board of Education voted tonight to rescind its December motion to reopen Red Cedar Elementary School as a pre-K through 5^th grade for the fall of 2016.

Instead, they have agreed to create a panel of “teacher leaders” with at least one community member to study the feasibility of putting pre-kindergarten programming at the closed south side school.

Board President Nell Kuhnmuench said that if the Board found that the school could feasibly be re-opened as a preschool or pre-kindergarten this fall, that would be “worthwhile”. But if not, the committee would continue to study the issue.

A similar panel will be created to study ways that the entire District could benefit from STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) programming.

Trustee Kate Powers had offered a motion to reassure families and teachers that the current K-5 programming at the five elementary schools – Donley, Glencairn, Marble, Pinecrest and Whitehills – would remain the same for the foreseeable future. Trustee Hillary Henderson seconded the motion, which failed 5-2.

“I put this motion forward based on the feedback from the constituents over the past four days,” Powers said. “Our community is skittish and would like to see specific assurances that there will be some stability in our district in the future.”

Trustee Yasmine Bouraoui voted against it, saying she didn’t see the need for the motion, and that it would “feed into the frenzy.” Trustee Kath Edsall felt the motion might “tie the hands of the committee and the superintendent as they move forward.”

Other motions passed unanimously, including one to amend the District’s budget to remove the anticipated start-up costs for reopening Red Cedar.

Superintendent Robyne Thompson also presented the Board with a plan to create a committee to study a long-term plan for the use of bond planning. The committee will study the needs of all the students in the District, including pre-school children, and create a bond recommendation. Dr. Thompson anticipates putting the bond before the voters in May of 2017, instead of the current plan to put it on the general election ballot during the president election this November.

“This District-wide long-range plan will include innovative planning, achievement gap and preschool needs,” she said. “It allows the District to gather community input focusing on long-term planning.”

Trustee Erin Graham presented a motion to convene a panel of Michigan State University faculty members from the College of Education who are currently doing active research to discuss the global achievement gap. The motion passed unanimously.

Parents and teachers in attendance at the meeting expressed their appreciation for the change in direction by the Board.

“Thank you for slowing down and listening to the members of the East Lansing community. I believe we are moving toward common ground,” said parent Dianna Erickson. “Thank you for taking the time for careful analysis.”

Others asked the Board to continue to listen to the needs of all the schools throughout the District and redirect their resources to the neediest.

“There are a lot of critical issues that need our collective wisdom,” said Don Power. “These issues are complex and full of emotion and I would urge all sides to pace yourselves as you move forward. Make decisions based on data when you can. Consult all, listen to all, even when you are angry.”

Rebecca McAndrews, a reading interventionist at Marble Elementary, also mentioned the needs of students who are struggling not just academically but in various aspects of their lives.

“My students have needs beyond the scope of what I can give them. I am limited by time and resources. But my students have the capacity to learn and achieve like any other students in this District,” McAndrews said.

But a few aren’t quite ready to trust the Board again. David Price, fourth grade teacher at Marble Elementary School, said some education students at MSU no longer want to teach in the East Lansing School District.

“All this reckless and single-mindedness has left the District and community so fractured and distrustful that people are shaking their heads in disbelief,” Price said. “And it does have its consequences.”

Others viewed the process with more hope that the Board could use their energy to improve the entire District. “You are really listening and we appreciate it. You have an auditorium filled with parents who care. I have reason to believe they could be your strongest advocates to getting a bond passed,” said Bree Anderson. “They could be your biggest people in the trenches for anything done in a positive way. Thank you. We’ve got your back. When you move forward with the bond, let us know.”