EL Board Votes 5-2 to Reopen Red Cedar

With a standing-room only crowd and public comment that lasted several hours, the East Lansing Board of Education voted 5-2 on Monday night to re-open Red Cedar Elementary School in less than a year as a STEAM school for all grades.

Earlier on Monday, the Committee for Educational Programming released their recommendation that the district reopen Red Cedar for pre-school programming starting in fall 2016, and then K-5 programming starting in fall 2017. The Committee also recommended that the District establish a program in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math in conjunction with Michigan State University for the school.

Board member Kath Edsall, who made the original motion to create the Committee and also served on the Committee, then changed the recommendation to propose opening Red Cedar to all students pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in less than a year.

Ms. Edsall also clarified that the Committee did not recommend consolidating all ELL (English Language Learners) students to Red Cedar. Any discussion of consolidation during the committee was only for the purpose of “optimal delivery of services,” she said.

Edsall also emphasized that it was not the intention of the Committee to close “Glencairn or any other school” in the District. However, students living within the previous Red Cedar boundaries who now attend Glencairn Elementary school would be automatically placed in Red Cedar, including all those living in Spartan Village, and later in University Village. There may be the possibility that they could remain in their current school by applying for a “permeable boundary” request Edsall said.

Seventeen members of the public expressed their opinions on re-opening the school, and also their thoughts on innovative programming across the District. Some, like Glencairn fourth grade teacher Lauren Shefke, recommended expanding STEAM education to all schools within the District. Others preferred focusing on early childhood education starting from infants up to developmental kindergarten as sole programming for Red Cedar.

“Every K through 5 student should have access to STEAM education,” said Ms. Shefke. “By offering weekly education for K-5 throughout the District you increase students’ opportunity to pursue fields so necessary in our world.”

Many expressed concerns that the Board was moving too quickly without having enough information about the costs of re-opening the shuttered school, or gathering enough input from the community.

“I have to say this process did not build trust,” said parent Sarah Preisser. “It is totally irresponsible to approve this without knowing the details.”

Other members of the public expressed their support for the plan, and their faith in the School Board.

“I am a trusting person. I support this and can’t wait to see what happens,” said Red Cedar Neighborhood resident Opal Wong.

The Board’s decision essentially reverses the 2012 and 2013 decisions to close Red Cedar Elementary and move its students to another elementary school in the District. Those students have now been attending Glencairn Elementary School for nearly two years. In addition, the staff at Red Cedar Elementary was transferred to Glencairn.

The seventeen-member committee met four times to create the proposal that came before the Board. They were assisted by Rossi Ray-Taylor as facilitator. Ms. Ray-Taylor presented the recommendation to the Board.

“The committee was absolutely clear that this is not a comprehensive plan but a vision for moving forward. They know there are many, many details that need to be clear before we move forward but the committee wanted to bring the vision forward first,” she said.

During Monday’s meeting Board members also expressed concerns about whether the District will be able to afford this plan, and discussed the possibility that if, at some point, the District decides it is not feasible, that they can stop the process of re-opening the school. The longest debate between Board members was about whether or not to open the school to the full slate of grades in 2016 or 2017.

Those voting in support of reopening Red Cedar Elementary were: Board President Nell Kuhnmuench, Kath Edsall, Yasmina Bouraoui, Karen Hoene and Erin Graham. Voting against it were Kate Powers and Hillary Henderson.

“There are so many holes in this. I want to trust you but there are so many basic logistics that I can’t wrap my head around it,” said Henderson. “I am concerned about costs, sustainability, and teachers.”

For more information about the makeup of the Committee for Educational Programming and its  original recommendations see ELi's earlier report here.