Huron Valley Schools Issues Release on Vacant Buildings

The following is a press release from the Huron Valley School District.

Over the past three years, declining enrollment and diminished state aid have required the district to make some extremely tough choices, including the closures of Highland Middle School and Baker Elementary. The district is committed to operating under sound financial principles with a consistent strategy toward facilities management. At the same time, we will never diminish our commitment to ensuring that our resources are used to best support students.

One of the district’s primary goals for the 2011-12 school year reads as follows:

Implement strategies that enhance the integrity and efficiency of resources through revenue maximization, cost containment, facilities management and employee relations.

In an effort to meet that goal, the district’s leadership is directing multiple activities that include but are not limited to the following:

• Assess vacant buildings to understand current condition, including structural integrity and costs of repurposing for other district programs, as well as programs that are operated by non-profits and institutions of higher education.
• Investigate land sale, redevelopment opportunities by private entities and costs of demolition.

It should be noted that district representatives have previously contacted area non-profit organizations, as well as universities and community colleges to assess potential interest in acquiring the buildings. None of the parties that were contacted expressed interest.

Decisions made in recent years to close buildings have been made with both instructional and cost saving considerations in mind. The district feels confident that HVS is operating with the appropriate number of buildings at this time.