GWINN, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Gwinn Area Community Schools will have a $45,550,000 bond proposal on the November 7th special election aimed at remodeling the middle and high school buildings. Marquette County voters will be deciding on this multi-million dollar bond allowing the school district to centralize the campus.
Superintendent Dr. Sara Croney noted that there’s more to the remodeling than just construction. “The citizen’s committee calls it one school-one community and that’s exactly what it is…we are in some declining enrollment and right now there is a first and second-grade combination class over at Gilbert Elementary, instructionally that’s not what’s best for kids but it’s all we can do,” continued Croney.
The new remodel will allow Gwinn Area Community Schools to support the amount of students coming in, and provide extracurriculars in a new building. “Because educators aren’t paid what they should be there’s teachers who are falling out of the field, I don’t see anyone losing their job I see attrition but you have a breath of grade levels that a teacher could move to they’ll still have a job,” continued Croney.
Gilbert Elementary, K.I. Sawyer Elementary and Gwinn Highschool have different transportation needs, but with the new bond proposal potentially relocating everything to one school campus, the Dr. Croney believes that can be corrected. “Whether the students are transported the 15 minutes from K.I over to the central campus, it’s happening already grades 6-12, now they might be with a sibling coming over I don’t see transportation as a difficulty in any direction,” continued Croney.
Gwinn Area Community Schools wants to assure the community that they already have plans put into place if the proposal doesn’t get voted through, however, they have a strong belief in the community’s appreciation for UP education. The superintendent expressed that even though taxpayers could see an increase in taxes it’s still a vital increase in the investment into our next generation.
“I do feel an upsurge in positiveness if you google our district and look at our Facebook page their vision is to make the good and positive and the celebration so loud that the negative can’t be heard,” continued Dr. Croney.
To view more information on Gwinn’s bond proposal, click here.
