Planning begins after Phelps closure announcement

Posted: 10.12.2010 at 5:27 PM

Phelps students on the move

ISHPEMING -- Ishpeming School District officials are already planning on how they're going to accommodate the 240 students from the CL Phelps Intermediate School after the Ishpeming school board voted Monday night to close the school at the end of this year.

Following winter break, all of the students will be attending classes in the high school/central building complex.

Grades five and six will be primarily in the central school side, grade seven will be split between the two, and grade eight will mostly be on the high school side of the building.

Officials say they're less concerned about the physical move and more about taking the time to make sure all of the logistical issues, such as scheduling conflicts, are in place ahead of time.

"One of the areas we want to be really concerned about are the students who are moving," said Superintendent Stephen Piereson. "We've had classes meeting prior to this decision with the students, and we want to go back to those students and meet with them again, outline what's going to occur, and concerns that they have. We want to do an orientation with the students."

Food service operations for the district also currently operate out of the Phelps school building.

Piereson says that will continue through the end of the school year, and the district has been in talks with the Negaunee School District to contract food service for the future.