Parents and students a part of the Macomb Academy are now left looking for a new school three weeks before the start of the school year after officials at the school announced it would be closing.
“Really sad to not see my friends,” said Kelsey Wisz.
23-year-old Wisz has been attending the Macomb Academy for the past four years, now her future is uncertain.
“I don’t understand how the school board can do this to our children,” said Kelsey’s mother Chris Wisz.
The school's board of directors voted to close Macomb Academy during their Aug. 7 meeting.
“They have nothing now, absolutely nothing, so what are they suppose to do? Sit at home,” Chris said.
Macomb Academy sent us the following statement:
On Tuesday night, the Board of Directors of Macomb Academy, a public charter school servicing special education students ages 18 to 26, voted to terminate its' charter agreement with Central Michigan University and close the school. Recognizing the impact this would have on its' students, the decision was not made lightly or without significant efforts to avoid this outcome. The Academy has been experiencing significant financial hardship due to operational costs related to its facility, coupled with unexpectedly lower student enrollment. The Academy's administration had been working diligently to develop creative solutions to navigate the financial challenges so that the Academy could continue to operate and serve its' students. Despite these best efforts, the Academy faced the painful reality that it might not have the requisite finances and/or support to complete the upcoming school year. Rather than place its students in the position of potentially having the school closed mid-year, the Board felt it best to move to close the school now so that its families could seek other educational alternatives.
It has truly been a pleasure serving Macomb County's adult special education population for almost 30 years. Macomb Academy has always believed in its mission of developing life skills and supporting all residents of the surrounding counties, especially those with the highest needs. The Board of Directors and all staff and administrators are truly saddened by the decision, notwithstanding its necessity.
