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17
Jun 2010
"School's out, forever..."
Posted by Scott Spielman
at 3:50 PM | Comments
Click image to enlarge
Patchin Elementary principal Molly Funk signs a t-shirt on the last day of school.I couldn’t help but think about that classic Alice Cooper song as I wandered the near-empty halls of Patchin Elementary School Thursday afternoon.
The school, steeped in history, is one of several to close permanently in the Wayne-Westland Community School District. An iron bell that dates back to 1841 is attached to the walls in the lobby, above black and white photographs that show the old two-story structure that existed from 19-27-1964, as well as the original one-room school house constructed in 1852.
Children, normally excited at the prospect of summer, rubbed eyes that were red and swollen.
“It’s sad,” said Principal Molly Funk, who worked as a teacher there prior to her promotion. “Most of us have worked together for 10 years or more. We’ve been through the good and the bad. We had a lot of happy times.”
The Wayne-Westland District closed six elementary schools and will re-align grade levels at the existing schools next year as declining revenue and a loss of students set up a budget deficit for the district, going forward. The new plan will make the best use of resources and provide additional educational opportunities for students.
It’s a sad day at Patchin and at several other schools throughout Wayne-Westland. The district family is getting a little smaller, but it’s getting better, too.
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