ROCKFORD, Mich. (WOOD) — A decision by Rockford Public Schools means the end of Parkside Elementary as it is now and the expansion of early childhood education — a plan that has upset many Parkside parents but also piqued the interest of parents with small children.
In a 5-2 vote Monday, the Board of Education OK’d a plan to relocate students from Parkside Elementary School to Valley View Elementary School and repurpose the Parkside building for early childhood learning.
Public comment during the meeting was emotional, with parents opposed to the plan saying that the process broke their trust and that the move would negatively affect students.
“You are taking living, growing children and you are pulling them, roots and all, out of the school,” one woman told the board, pulling a plant from its pot as a visual aid. “It’s heartbreaking, but you would rather listen to your experts. It is so disrespectful for you to just yank this up.”
But with the decision made, families who support the addition of an early childhood center are saying they looking forward to it.
“I thought maybe there would be a little more availability. If you aren’t using the elementary, then maybe early childhood might be able to benefit from that,” Sarah, a parent, said.
Rockford joins a number of Michigan districts — including Grand Haven and Holland — in prioritizing child care, preschool and early childhood education.
“Districts are really now focused on, this is a real opportunity to help prepare our students to be successful once they get to kindergarten,” Rockford Superintendent Steve Matthews said.
There is demand. Parents with children too young for elementary school say that right now, their options for preschool are few.
“We have a 7-month-old and it’s not great. I’ll tell you, the waitlists are two-plus years. We have thought about it and it’s been very hard to get in, for sure,” Sarah said.
“From the research that I have started to do, there’s a few things. I’ve only found one in Rockford, specifically, that I am interested in — just heard about it from a friend. Otherwise, I don’t see a ton of advertising about that kind of stuff, early ed specifically,” another parent, Talia, said.
A couple who has a student at Parkside now and another ready to begin preschool said they thought from the beginning the restructuring was the best thing for both kids, but felt pressured to keep silent. Citing that pressure, they declined to speak on camera to News 8 Tuesday.
Matthews said that in-district school of choice remains an avenue for parents that would rather see their kids at a school other than Valley View. He also said district leaders will continue dialogue with frustrated parents.
The restructuring will go into effect for the 2025-26 school year. That means the transition will start happening soon. Step one is to start to reach out to families at Parkside and Valley View to build a combined community, the superintendent said. Once school is out for summer, the physical work of updating the buildings will begin. Furniture currently inside Parkside will move to Roguewood Elementary.
“We’ll place an order now for some early childhood furniture that will be appropriate for the size of students that are going to be in that (Parkside) building now,” Matthews said. “We’ll talk to our construction manager about what we can do between now and September to enhance the playground space, to enhance the outdoor space for those students who will be there in the fall.”
