Courtesy photo First through third grade students gather in the Soo Hill gym to have their picture taken during Kindness Month earlier in the year. Soo Hill Elementary School will close June 5. First and Second grade students will attend Lemmer Elementary and third grade students will attend Upper Elementary starting the 2020-2021 school year.

ESCANABA — Soo Hill Elementary School officially closes the end of the 2019-2020 school year in Escanaba. There would have been happy hugs, teary good-byes, with the closure of the school, but on March 13, Governor Gretchen Whitmer closed schools due to the coronavirus pandemic and everyone left school to stay home three weeks. No one knew students and teachers wouldn’t see each other face to face during the remainder of the school year.

“We are still in the planning phase and hoping to have some kind of a celebration for our students, staff and families when the executive order is lifted,” said Soo Hill Principal Paulette Wickham.

Wickham has been the principal of Soo Hill School for 14 years and has made relationships with families of students and friendships with staff she has worked with during that time.

“I will miss our close knit neighborhood family atmosphere,” said Wickham.

In mid-December of 2019, the Escanaba School Board voted to close the Soo Hill campus, moving all grades into town. First and second grades were to move to Lemmer Elementary and third grade were to go to the Upper Elementary with fourth and fifth grades. Sixth grade, previously part of the Upper Elementary will be part of the junior high school in the 2020-2021 school year.

The Soo Hill building is now owned by the Intermediate School District and will re-open as the Learning Center in August.

Administration has not been able to ease students into the new schools and say good-bye.

“I want my kids moving on to third and fourth grade to know they will be truly missed by all of us, they will do great things as they continue to work hard in school and I love them all,” said Wickham. “I can’t wait to check in on them next school year and hear all about their accomplishments.”

Wickham is currently the principal of Soo Hill and Lemmer Elementary. Previous principal Matt Reeves retired earlier in the spring and opened the door for Wickham to work as acting principal in Lemmer before the 2019-2020 school year was out.

One of Wickham’s first tasks was to create a plan of the building showing how first and second grade students would fit in the building. She created a plan that offers all first and second graders room to learn.

“Our Lemmer Leopard family have been working hard to plan for some exciting things for our new school year. There will be lots of color involved, with some ‘Leader in Me’ and lots of staff fun as we work on our projects for our returning and incoming Lemmer Leopards,” said Wickham.

Soo Hill Elementary School’s story is wrapping up. Generations have passed through the building and it will be forever in their hearts — including Wickham’s — but as time ends one story, it starts another.

“We are wrapping up a great Soo Hill Elementary School story, but with this ending comes the opportunity for us to create a new story featuring Lemmer Elementary,” said Wickham. “I am beyond excited to be part of this story and to showcase all the amazing things already taking place at Lemmer.”

Wickham and her staff are planning new opportunities to offer students, their families, and the community.

“‘Every story has an end, but in life, every end is a new beginning’ — Uptown Girls. This quote sums it up,” said Wickham.