A special board meeting on Oct. 26 revealed that hazardous mold may seal the fate of Newberry’s former high school building.
Key points
- Severe mold in the vacant former Newberry High School may lead to demolition, with state 23E grant funding under consideration.
- The board appointed Kenn Depew as athletic director while retaining his chemistry teaching duties, moving the class online due to staffing constraints.
- District officials will test basement records for mold and aim to digitize them before any demolition proceeds.
Tahquamenon Area Schools’ Board of Education convened a special meeting on Oct. 26 to address mold that has proliferated inside the historic former Newberry High School, a structure that has been closed for more than a year following extensive water damage.
Trustees expressed stark disagreement over the building’s future: Trustee Jeff Puckett advocated demolition, noting that “the money that would take to repurpose that, no one’s going to pay that,” while Trustee Colleen Duflo recalled the original plan to “mothball” the facility for a later administration. Superintendent Shawn Tebo said the mold level makes entry unsafe, but suggested the district could tap state 23E grant funds—information on which is expected by Nov. 1—to help cover demolition costs.
Mold crisis and demolition prospects
The basement still houses important school records. Tebo indicated the district will seek testing to confirm mold contamination and, if feasible, digitize the documents before any demolition proceeds.
In the same meeting, the board approved the hiring of Kenn Depew as the new district athletic director. Depew, a Newberry High School alumnus and former district AD, also teaches leadership, middle‑school science and chemistry. Although not a certified high‑school chemistry teacher, he has been preparing lessons nightly and will continue to oversee the chemistry class while serving as AD.
Board votes on new athletic director
Because Depew’s chemistry class cannot be covered in‑person, the board voted to shift the 24‑student course to Synchronous Online Instruction, a model costing up to $18,000 for the remainder of the semester. Superintendent Tebo highlighted the broader challenge of staffing rural Upper Peninsula schools, noting many educators are enrolled in the Teachers of Tomorrow program. The meeting also resolved that the district, as owner of the TAS Public Library, is responsible for insuring its contents.
Reader questions
What is the 23E grant mentioned by the board?
The 23E grant is a state funding program that can be used for school construction or demolition projects; the district expects details on eligibility by Nov. 1.
Why is the chemistry class being moved to online instruction?
Because the newly hired athletic director, Kenn Depew, is not a certified high‑school chemistry teacher, the board decided to use Synchronous Online Instruction to ensure students receive live teaching while Depew fulfills his AD duties.
Source: mynewberrynews.com