Huron Valley Schools, Highland Township Decline to Move Forward with Former Highland Middle School gymnasium

By Kim Root, Huron Valley Schools

After several months of discussion, Huron Valley Schools and Highland Township have agreed that attempts to save the gymnasium at the former Highland Middle School will be halted due to the costs associated with the project.

The process of razing the middle school is already underway. Contractors will also demolish the gym. “Both the township and the school district dedicated a significant amount of time working out the details of how the project might move forward,” Rick Hamill, Highland Township supervisor said. “In the end, however, it was just not a fiscally responsible path to go down.”

Highland Middle School was shuttered in 2011 by Huron Valley Schools. Attempts were made to lease or sell the building, but no parties expressed viable interests in doing so. The decision to raze the building was finalized by the school district’s Board of Education earlier in the year. Mr. Hamill requested the opportunity to develop a plan to save the gym as a community center for future use. HVS committed the facility and the township requested the opportunity to raise the funds from private sources to make the necessary improvements in the facility.

“The relationship between Huron Valley Schools and Highland Township has grown tremendously over the past several months,” Jim Baker, Huron Valley Schools Superintendent, said.  “We will have many more opportunities to partner in the future. I look forward to that collaboration.”

The land that contained the middle school and gym will be cleared and seeded. The green space will lead to the baseball fields that will continue to see a tremendous amount of community use, according to Baker.