Eastpointe Community Schools holds input session on facilities master plan

EASTPOINTE — With declining enrollment and underutilized school buildings, Eastpointe Community Schools officials have entered into a partnership with the strategic consulting firm Woolpert.

Woolpert, which has offices worldwide, has been sought out to provide an assessment of the district’s needs and to develop a comprehensive, long-term facilities plan.

In the late afternoon of April 17, Woolpert Project Director Kerrianne Wolf and K-12 consultant Gretchen Welch facilitated an input session at Eastpointe Middle School. The event was open to the community and about 30 people, many of them administrators and staff, attended. During the meeting, Wolf gave a PowerPoint presentation that explained the reasoning behind the facilities master plan.

The facilities master plan is a blueprint that will guide the development and management of the district’s buildings and infrastructure over time. The plan will be devised with feedback from the community to guide the district on how to best utilize its school buildings. The master plan will look at the conditions of the school buildings and the capacity of students within the district.

Wolf, who worked as a teacher for 10 years, also provided several scenarios that would address the declining enrollment and underused school buildings while keeping in mind the annual facility budgets. The master plan also will tie into the district’s strategic plan that the board passed in January 2023 and the $36.4 million bond proposal that passed at the polls in August 2023.

“Our focus tonight is really what to do about the facilities within your school district. We’re simply brainstorming,” Wolf said. “Your district has a surplus capacity. Your buildings can hold more students than are currently attending. We are able to look at the district objectively. (The community) is giving us the historical and emotional perspective.”

Wolf said districts must use 2% of their budgets each year to maintain buildings, although “most schools don’t achieve that.” In Eastpointe’s case, that would be $6 million per year. The district is looking at closing, consolidating or renovating buildings.

The district has four elementary schools: Bellview and Pleasantview are grades 3-5 and Crescentwood and Forest Park are grades K-2. The district’s Early Learning Center is where preschool programs are held. There also is Eastpointe Middle School, Eastpointe High School, the 8th Grade Academy, and Eastpointe Alternative Center & Virtual Academy.

Woolpert has presented five potential options for facilities master plans.

Option No. 1 includes three to four prekindergarten through grade 5 elementary schools and one 6-12 school.

Option No. 2 includes one early learning center, four K-5 elementary schools and one 6-12 school.

Option No. 3 includes three PK-5 elementary schools, one 6-8 middle school and one 9-12 high school.

Option No. 4 includes four PK-5 elementary schools, one 6-8 middle school and one 9-12 high school.

Option No. 5 includes one early learning center, four K-5 elementary schools, one 6-8 middle school and one 9-12 high school.

No decisions on any changes have been made.

One area of concern is Eastpointe High School. The building — which opened in 1929 — will turn 100 in five years. Currently, only 33% of the building is being utilized, according to data collected for the master plan. The Early Learning Center is getting the most use with 93% current utilization.

District Superintendent Christina Gibson, present at the input session, wants to get feedback from parents in regard to the district’s long-term plans.

“I was hoping to hear more from our parents this evening. We’re committed to listening to our community and continue to find different ways to elicit their feedback and input,” Gibson said. “We have to have the best facilities for our students and this community.”

School board President Jon Gruenberg, also at last week’s input session, echoed Gibson’s comments regarding feedback from the community.

“I really want to hear from parents. We are trying to build this district for our kids,” he said. “I’ve been digesting the information and going through it.”

He also appreciates the voter approval of the bond last summer.

“We’re happy the community supported us and gave us bond money,” he said. “I’m really enjoying the path we are on right now. We’ve got a robust strategic plan.”

But, according to the PowerPoint presentation, many priority needs will remain after the bond dollars have been spent to maintain the school buildings in good working conditions.

“There will be additional repairs that remain after the bond money is spent,” Wolf said.

Once all the data for the master plan has been collected, Wolf expects Woolpert will present a recommendation to the school board to vote on, most likely in June.

The district will hold a virtual input session April 19.

More information on the facilities master plan and a community survey link can be found on the district’s website at eastpointeschools.org.