Cain cites declining enrollment for elementary school consolidations

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Port Huron Area School District Superintendent Jamie Cain plans to move forward with the consolidation of district elementary schools. Announced earlier this week, Port Huron Schools plans to close Kimball Elementary School and cut back the number of classrooms at Roosevelt Elementary. Cain, speaking to WPHM yesterday, says declining enrollment due to low birth rates is the reason and that the issue is not unique to Port Huron. “We’ve lost 900 students at the elementary level,” says Cain. “We are only at 65% percent capacity at our ten elementary schools.” If the district chooses to close Kimball Elementary, students within the Kimball footprint would be transferred to Indian Woods, Michigammee or the Cleveland-Wilson Academies. A special board meeting will be held Monday at 5pm at the district’s administration building to vote on the consolidations.

ORIGINAL STORY:

The Port Huron Area School District is considering the consolidation of area elementary schools. Announced yesterday by Superintendent Jamie Cain, district administration has recommended the closure of Kimball Elementary School beginning in the 2019-2020 school year. Furthermore, Port Huron Schools will consolidate all grades at Roosevelt Elementary into one level, closing the second story of the school to classes. Cain tells WPHM the district has been studying elementary school capacity issues and that elementary age enrollment has declined by over 833 students since 2013. More information on the consolidations can be found on the district’s website, phasd.us. The consolidation would need the approval of the Port Huron Schools Board of Education, which will hold a special meeting Monday the 26th at 5pm at the district’s administration building on Riverside Drive.

AUDIO OF CAIN’S INTERVIEW WITH PAUL MILLER: