Wayne- Enrollment Slide Pattern Changes
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> ?r ^ ^ ^ ^^w^m^ww m vw^i»iv ™»\vm.\!^^^^^^^^m^m^n^^^^ PPPPVP 7 . i Volume 18 Number 30 Thursday, October^, 1982 Westland, Michigan 48 Pages Twenty-five cejits ' 1SJ2 Sabi/bn Cooim»oi<-«iioa Cwporttjoo All RlfkU RrwKrd Wayne- enrollment slide pattern changes By 8ii8an Rosiek meah "a continued re-evaluation of staff writer building needs in the district." Livonia has closed more than 21 Student enrollment in the Livonia school buildings in the last decade. A and Wayne-Westland public school dis report last fall called for more closings tricts continues to drop. at the elementary, middle and high In the Wayne-Westland district, the- school levels. Bentley has been suggest steep decline of several years ago, ed for closing by Garver because of its which was predicted to eventually cut age and operating costs. No decision, the district's size in half, has changed however, has been made by school trus to a steady downgrade. tees. "' ' ' Dan Slee of the student relations de Wayne-Westland, unlike its neighbor partment said that this.year's total en Livonia, is an in-formula school district rollment for grades kindergarten and receives state funds on a per-pupil through 12th totals 16,844 students. basis for education. State aid is the dif That's a drop of 642 students from last ference between what the state deter year's total of 17,486. mines it costs to educate a student in "The last two years we've had signif the district and the amount the district icantly fewer students leaving the dis can contribute. When property increas trict," said Slee. es in value, the district collects more The enrollment decline this year was property-tax dollars based on its mil- expected to total 16,596, which would lage, thereby lowering the state's obli have brought the total decline closer to gation. the 850 students lost last year. Previ SUPPLEMENTING the K-12 enroll ously the Wayne-Westland district had ment in the Wayne-Westland district is. experienced enrollment declines of its continuing education enrollment, in about 1,000 students each year cluding the alternative and adult high ' The biggest variance from projected school completion programs. Slee pre ART EMANUEl.E/$1aff.photographer figures, according to Slee, walTin the dicts tfiat enrollment this year will to elementary grades which had 169 stu tal .about 3,800 students, down from Ready for action dent more than were expected. Of that last year's total of 4,345. figure, 65 more than expected were en Members of the Jets, one of the street gangs in the musical "West Westland Civic Theatre Spotlight Players Friday and Saturday of rolled In kindergarten. At the junior Slee explained that it takes some Side Story," warm up for a possible rumble with their rivals, the thi8 wp»lr=gim-mrrt-Trt-ft^vm-4« U/aynn Momnrial Auditorium. For high lew»l, Uieiti wt»ie41 jtnH«atudents- time for continuing education enroll- Sharks. The popttfar musical will be presentad-feyMfee Wayne- "ment to be tabulated lu team of full- more photos and story, turn to Page 3A. than expected and 38 more at the high y^ students since many attend school school level. ., only part-time. Canton Township, considered to have ^^av<» ^ »f ft„ ^nnt «H,TW »A -jt-hlgh-popuUUou giowUwaw, sent ucation programsOn^the-gUte,"-said- rmeotarySchool. ; •V.>'.-;^'' - ^- IiTiivdiilar thet^a*e-7,WS studetila 1 enrolled in the elementary grades. The THE ENROLLMENT picture in the middle schools (grades seven through Deadline for filing as a candidate In filed as candidates. The two are Phyllis the necessary signatures. Steve Fetter, legal assistant to the 'Livonia School District, which includes nine) reported 2,950 students. The high the'Dec. 7 special school board election Runyan, 1610 S. Walton, and Dorothy An election .official said that peti governor, said that-a final decision is students from northern Westland, dif school student population is 7,250. in the Wayne-Westland district is 4 Stockwell, 547 N. Byfield. tions 'submitted by Runyan and expected by Monday. fers from that of surrounding districts. There are 1,135 pupils enrolled in spe p.m. Thursday. ; Candidates must have 1,685 signa Stockwell must be examined to deter "The governor will decide if there is According to the annual statewide cial education classes in Livonia Public Electors will fill four vacancies cre tures of registered voters. The number mine that they contain enough valid a need for any appointment. If he de fourth Friday count in that district, Schools. - ated by the recall of four school trus is three percent of the 56,183 regis signatures. cides there is based on the information there are 18,898 students in kindergar At the elementary level, the smallest tees: tered voters In the Wayne-Westland we have received, then the next step is ten through 12th-grade programs. The class is the first grade followed by sec- While many petitions have been tak district, which also includes a portion ^TT IS STILL unknown whether Gov. to figure out whom to appoint," Fetter fourth Friday count represents a loss of orid grade and kindergarten^ en out, so far only two district resi of Canton Township. Potential candi William Milliken will make an interim explained. more than 1,500 students, or 7.7 per At THE MIDDLE school level, Frost dents — both from Westland ^-. have dates have had only 15 days to collect appointment to the board. The recall election Sept. 14 left the cent, compared to last year. is the largest school with 927 pupils fol . (board with only three members, one, "Declining-enrollment continues.un short of the ,number needed to-form a abated," George Garver, Livonia su lowed by Emerson (820), Riley (765) quorum to conduct regular district perintendent of schools, told board and Holmes (689). business. The trustees are Ffexl Warm- members on Monday. Franklin has the largest high school R^ts target of code enforcement bier, who has" been appointed as^pre- "Some surrounding districts have populatiiff'with 2,011 students. siding officer," board treasurer Davids _ha.d a sizable abat ]t in declining ; iK' • • - By Maurie Walker istration's recommendation of attack of about 1,300 yards on 49 blocks in the Moranty and Dewey Combs, who was enrollment, however, hat's not the staff writer ing the rat problem through stepped-up city selected by county and state health elected to the board in June. case here," said Garver code enforcement and education. department of ficials. • the three remaining board members Garden City school fficials report Ccllumbus Day Westland may soon have^two code According to the proposal, about Pickering said the survey was con have recommended to Milliken that he the smallest pupil decrease in the last enforcement officers to help combat $60,000 would be used to pay the sala ducted to determine JIQJJ serious the appoint Harry L. Smith, 46, a General 10 years.. ..,-.- -. observance the city's rat problem. •*"*> ries and fringe benefits of two code^en- problem was. He said he was con Motors Corporation public relations In Oakland County, the Southfield The City Council Monday, concurring forcement officers. The remaining cerned about using the fundsj in re- employee. Active in PTA jn the dis Public Schools report the enrollment with the city administration, passed a $10,000 would be used; to purchase, . sponse to telephone complaints about trict, Smith has also been a member of loss is no£ as great as it had been" in the alters service resolution to use $70,000 in federal traps, poisons and print and distribute rats without knowing if the city was several board-appointed citizens com past. The district's student population Due to the official observance of Co community development funds for the educational material, Artley said. hitting the major problem areas. Ac mittees. dropped only 3.47 percent from last lumbus Day on Monday, WestlandiCiiy project. The one-year plan to battle the rat cording to the survey, rats are a se^ '. While the state recall election law year._In theBinrunj&am_S£hooi _Dis-- -Hall; post offtcer and most banks will be The city will have to obtain special program had been outlined by Mayor rious problem (an infestation rate of at , calls for" a special election to fill the' "fftct."officials believe that Increases in closed. The post office lobby will be permission to use the funds in the tar Charles Pickering, building director least 6 percent) in areas bounded'by> * vacancies, the state school code says kindergarten enrollments indicate the open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for box get areas. A public hearing, required Robert Fritz, and community develop • Wayne, Newburgh, Ford and War that appointees may serve "only untjl enrollment decline is stabilizing. holders. before the funds can be transferred, is ment director Gene Hudson. ren roads in the central portion of the the next regularly scheduled board ' THE LIVONIA superintendent said - Garbage pickup, however, will re-" scheduled for Oct. 18 in city hall. xity. election held each year in June. the district's enrollment slide will' main on schedule that week. Council President Thomas Artley THE PROBLEM areas were deter said the council approved of the admin mined by a week-long random survey Please turn to Page 2 Bag it! Leaf burning pollutes air .'-fi The color change is just beginning It .•' "It (burning) causes a lot of smoke, open burning of all materials, of which won't be long, though, before the beau and in the smoke are a variety of con ' leaves are just a part.