When Grand Haven Area Public Schools (GHAPS) Superintendent Kristen Perkowski made the surprise announcement that the district was closing Mary A. White Elementary School to open an early childhood center, many community members wondered why the public was not even aware this was being contemplated. Closing Mary A. White was never listed as a board meeting agenda item, yet the superintendent and board claimed they had been discussing the closure since November 2024.
During the November 12, 2024, GHAPS board business meeting, the board discussed hiring a consultant to help them create a strategic plan. The leading candidate, Thru Consulting, LLC, based in Connecticut, was recommended by former Lakeshore Middle School Principal Kevin Polston, who is the current Superintendent of Kentwood Public Schools. According to the discussion during the business meeting, Kentwood Public Schools had consulted with Thru, and although Polston was planning to do contracting work for Thru, he would not be part of the GHAPS Strategic Plan team. At the November 18, 2024, board meeting, GHAPS approved a contract with Thru for $75,000 plus $2,500 per trip for on-site engagement to develop a multi-year strategic plan.
After contracting with Thru, a 32-member Strategic Plan Workgroup was formed to assist Thru in developing the strategic plan. Participation in the workgroup was not open to the public. Rather, according to the GHAPS website, “group members were selected carefully” and consist of “staff members, parents, and members of the community.” The GHAPS website also explained that the Strategic Plan Workgroup would not be making any final decisions about the buildings and future of the district, but implied recommendations from the workgroup would be presented to the board for consideration. Furthermore, the GHAPS website stated that no plans or decisions were currently underway.
As of today, the Strategic Plan Workgroup has held two meetings. The first was on January 15, 2025, and the second was on February 19, 2025, one day before the announcement of closing Mary A. White was made.
Although closing Mary A. White was not discussed during any school board meetings, it appears to have been discussed during the Strategic Plan Workgroup meetings. It was also mentioned during the GHAPS Board Business committee meeting on February 4, 2025. During that meeting, Superintendent Kristen Perkowski talked about rumors circulating in the district and shared that the district was discussing options in the Strategic Plan Workgroup, although there were no current plans for laying off staff or closing any buildings. Interestingly, just the day before this February 4th board business meeting, the district created a job posting for a preschool administrator:
After the announcement to close Mary A. White was made, one commenter on social media claimed to have spoken with the school board president, Nichol Stack. According to the comment, President Stack said, “Superintendent [Perkowski] made the decision alone after seeing the data, and the board supports her.”
If the board supported the plan to repurpose Mary A. White Elementary School as the social media commenter stated, it does not appear to have happened in front of the public. If this is the case, has the board violated the Open Meetings Act? If Perkowski made the decision on her own, why did GHAPS staff receive the announcement from one of her staff members? Why did she not inform them herself?
According to Superintendent Perkowski, the district did not have a plan to close Mary A. White at the February 4, 2025, business committee meeting, yet a 180 degree turn was made and an announcement to the contrary was made on February 20, 2025. What changed during that time period? Perkowski mentioned a desire to be transparent and squash community rumors. Did the rumors stem from the Strategic Plan Workgroup meetings earlier this year on January 15 and February 19?
The district created a Strategic Plan Workgroup with hand-picked members, and a job posting for a new preschool administrator went live on February, 3, 2025. It is my personal opinion that select district administrators, some portion of the school board, and community stakeholders had a plan in place as early as February 3, 2025, and possibly as early as November 2024. I believe they were left contemplating how best to implement their plan.
Gaslighting parents and asking them for feedback after a decision has been made is not transparent. It is deceitful.