Beaver Island Michigan

As a former BILS staff member, it saddens me to see that the Lighthouse School will be closing. I know it meant a lot to the economy of the Island, and the relationship the staff and students had with various islanders was meaningful for all.
Leadership has stated they hope to see the school reopen after a year if funding issues can be adequately addressed, but unfortunately the Federal Government's reclassification of eligible students under WOIA (formerly WIA), significantly hurt the school. Please pray that the school may again open to transform lives and consider giving to one of the many funds being opened or already open to help.

Sad, the school saved many disadvantaged kids from total collapse. Hopefully it will come back, it has been good for a lot of troubled kids!

I have some great memories of the Lighthouse kids. They did a lot of forrest clean up out at my folks house many years ago. Dan Burton led the crew and kept them safe and productive. Somewhere I still have a picture of them that day.

They also helped with the then 'Beaver Island Volunteer Corps' with the 'Cottage For Karen' project about 6 years ago. That was when we got a bunch of donations of money, material and manpower together and built a brand new home for Karen Slanga on the Island at no cost to her. Trust me she needed and deserved it!

I been watching this happen for 3 years, i will miss the school and all the kids we had go thru the christian church, and as the one who fixed the fleet of vehicles ill miss the work also. i became close to most the kids there and will honestly say you will be missed!

BILS met the needs of certain students in a way that their "regular" school couldn't. It helped many of their students earn a diploma by providing a unique, caring, structured environment. Sometimes, that's all a kid needs. The kids also were a part of our community in the form of spaghetti dinners, evenings at the BICS gym, participation in the Alumni Basketball game, etc. They will be missed. I hope the program is re-established, and soon. It fills a need.

They need 300,000 a year to continue to operate. This is due to funding decreases and new federal guidelines increasing operational cost. (typical bureaucracy)
this is going to take more then a spaghetti dinner.
three hundred thousand is a drop in the bucket
call our senators and county commissioners

please call the following for the facts

Elaine wood 231 929 5082 miworks
Mike Ritter - Superintendent - 231 547 3200 mritter@rayder.net
mike hill 231 922 6200 tbaisd

Federal guidelines....uggg. I've always found it odd that a school full of employees with bachelors and masters degrees in education were not allowed to directly develop and coordinate their educational services with the local community. Allow them more freedom to use their classrooms as best suited for the community of course with local approval and local guidelines. I am sure they have a lot of leeway but seems that the County, State and Feds sure poke their nose in a lot more than they need to.

Is there anyway to use some funds from the BICS to help? Seems there is a lot of money in the pot and maybe it could be shared?

http://www.munetrix.com/app_assets/docs ... 2-3919.pdf


http://beaverislandnews.com/2015-16%20B ... -06-22.pdf

If the schools operations has to be relocated to the mainland I am sure they will continue to provide a great alternative educational environment for the kids.

Let us remember that this school has helped island kids graduate high school as well!