ESCANABA — At a community forum Tuesday night, Escanaba School District residents asked Superintendent Coby Fletcher what they could do to change his recommendation to close Soo Hill Elementary School. Approximately 30 people including Fletcher, Escanaba School Board members Jim Beauchamp, Kathy Jensen, Todd Milkiewicz, Escanaba administration and staff members, and citizens discussed the Soo Hill community, timing, child development, and board members.

Jason Dubord, who has an interest in purchasing the Soo Hill facility if the school does close, wanted to know if an appraisal was done of the building yet, and if the building will be going out for bid. Fletcher’s recommendation is to sell it to the Delta-Schoolcraft Intermediate School District which plans to locate the Leaning Center there.

“The ability of the ISD to expand their program there and then the partnership type things we’d be able to enter into with them,” said Fletcher.

Dubord asked why not lease a portion of the Soo Hill building.

“The profits from that lease will subsidize the operating cost of the building,” said Dubord.

Fletcher said it would not be a good arrangement for the ISD.

“Do we know why the entire board isn’t sitting here today?” Dubord asked Fletcher.

School Board Trustee Todd Milkiewicz responded to Dubord and said he will speak to anyone and go to their homes to listen.

“I’m here for the kids and for you,” Milkiewicz said.

Board Secretary Kathy Jensen responded by saying she had another scheduled commitment and stopped in before she had to leave, but receives many emails that she addresses.

“We get reached out to a lot through email,” said Jensen. “Part of our training … one person speaks for the board, board president, unless the board chooses someone else, and the superintendent speaks for the schools. If you have all seven of us all communicating to you individually, you could get a lot of mixed messages.”

Fletcher was asked by resident Ashley Bjorne if the statement he made in another meeting about the possibility of losing 35 students counteracted any money saved by selling the school. Fletcher confirmed he said 30, plus or minus five students, to the board.

“I believe that is relevant information,” said Bjorne.

She continued to ask Fletcher to clarify words he said previously about rewarding students being loyal to Escanaba and receiving scholarships.

“The programs like the scholarship programs, that are optional and designed to benefit kids, should primarily benefit the student who has spent their time in Escanaba,” said Fletcher.

He said he would rather give the benefits to the student who stayed in the district.

“That can be considered bullying,” said resident Jessie Randall. “That’s going to get your butt in a sling.”

It was mentioned every year something is changing in the school district for young students and a consistency and stability is not there for them.

The concern of teachers needing aides at Lemmer Elementary was brought up and advice of fixing issues at Lemmer before closing a school. In both cases, Fletcher said he has set up a meeting to discuss issues with teachers.

“I’d love to know how squishing a larger amount of children into another building with less help makes any sense for anyone. The children who need those aides and the children who don’t,” said Bjorne.

She asked Fletcher who does this benefit and how.

“It makes the district more efficient and to be quite honest with you … if we can do the same thing right now in one less building, there are still reoccurring costs we alleviate by not doing that in separate buildings,” said Fletcher.

Dubord asked Fletcher if he had done a study showing how many students might be lost in closing Soo Hill. Fletcher had not.

“You’re saving money by closing Soo Hill, but that’s money you can’t go back to,” said resident P.J. Grandchamp. “So essentially you’re just eliminating the opportunity for growth, but you’re saying how you’re excited to have the Learning Center help you out by growing in Soo Hill. Why not give us the opportunity to grow and try to change the narrative of everybody leaving Escanaba.”

Fletcher says it is right sizing the district. He said there are new programs in the school curricula to try and draw students to Escanaba — Early Middle College being one. Escanaba has programs that other school districts do not have, according to Fletcher.

According to Escanaba resident Marisol Daniels, there are teachers and staff in the community who are afraid of saying how they feel about closing Soo Hill school in fear of retaliation.

Dubord asked Fletcher if he would be opposed to Gladstone moving its district line to include the Soo Hill area. By doing so, its tax dollars would move to Gladstone. Dubord said he checked into it and was told Gladstone would be willing to do that.

“If they are willing to grow, why aren’t we,” Dubord said.

Fletcher said he and the board want to grow the school district.

“We’ve been putting compelling programming out there,” said Fletcher.

The residents who attended the forum made it clear they were frustrated by the feelings of not being heard and not having a say in what might happen.

“I expected the school board to be here. They should care about my children,” said Grandchamp. “We don’t like it jammed down our throats … the timing and no say.”

Fletcher said he will provide anyone who asks the background information he has put together for his recommendation.

“You are taking our community away. Nobody wants to see it go,” said Jason Dubord at the end of the forum.