Mauck Elementary closes

Mauck Elementary, which sits on the corner of Oak and Fayette streets, closed its doors indefinitely at the end of last school year.

The Hillsdale Community Schools Board of Education approved the closing of Mauck in November 2009 in a move to cut costs across the district and to try to adjust for a declining enrollment.

"In our case, because we have three elementary buildings, we were able to have some savings," Superintendent Richard Ames said. "In other districts there would have been overhead costs regardless."

Ames said Pre-K to second grade were shifted to Gier Elementary, while the third and fourth grades were shifted to Bailey Elementary.

Shutting down Mauck also meant losing some jobs. Ames said the losses were limited to an administrator, cook and some custodial personnel. Teachers, however, dodged cuts because the same number of students registered for elementary school this year.

"The staff is the same so the students can adjust easier," former principal of Mauck elementary Louis Foster said. Foster is now the principal of Bailey Elementary.

Senior Dan Rhodes observed at Mauck three times last year for his methods of teaching physical education. Rhodes said Mauck was small and the physical education teacher, Ann Harris, had to travel to different schools to teach different classes within a day.

Rhodes said the elementary also provided gym shoes and breakfast for the students.

"Maybe the cost of running all those programs at those schools—maybe condensing them—may have helped cut some costs," Rhodes said.

Foster said all programs are still in effect, but the gym shoes were for students who didn't bring correct footwear.

Ames said Hillsdale County's enrollment is declining overall. For now, Mauck Elementary will sit on the corner of Oak and Fayette, unused.

"It's difficult to say if we will use it in the future," Ames said.