(Note:  The following is an abbreviated letter that was sent to all district staff.)

May 12, 2009

This has been quite a year all around.  The State of Michigan has gone through the most dismal economic stretch in its long history.  The public school system has not been immune from the economic doldrums that Michigan is experiencing at this time.  Quite frankly, Michigan will never be the same again.  This is sad, disconcerting, and even unsettling. 

The Stimulus Package will help in some respects, but not nearly enough to keep pace with rising costs.  It seems that Lansing wants us to do more  and more with less and less.  We are also looking at even bigger executive order cuts (foundation grant decreases) for this year and next.   

At our May board meeting, we reacted to the economy we find ourselves in.  As you know, this past March we officially offered the BRPS Board of Education several budget cut scenarios.  It was determined at that time that we form a Community Advisory Committee to the Board to help aid in their decision making.

At the end of the day, information garnered from the Committee provided indication to close a building, and that the building should be Hillcrest. Because of those results, the Board voted to go in that direction.  For a multitude of other reasons, it was also determined to reconfigure grade levels at K-1, 2-4, 5-8, and 9-12.  This was a very tough decision because all of our elementaries are phenomenal, and have a lot to be proud of.

Please be assured that I appreciate all of you and I know that we will come out of this a stronger school district.

Thank you

Dr. Thomas M. Langdon
Superintendent,
Big Rapids Public Schools