DETROIT – For years, University YES Academy in Detroit has been one of the city's best, but students found out Monday that the high school is shutting down ahead of this school year.
Parents feel they're getting left in the lurch.
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The sign outside University YES Academy promotes its middle school, but what exactly is going on with the high school? Parents and students got some bad news last night during a special meeting.
Jacari Jenkins-Pettway, 17, showed off his school uniform from University YES Academy, but just two weeks before the start of his senior year, he got some bad news.
"They said the high school is closed," Jenkins-Pettway said. "They're adding a kindergarten and and preschool and taking away our high school."
The school called a special meeting Monday night to deliver the news.
"Due to a board decision we know nothing about, they're going to discontinue the high school," said Jacari's father, Imari Jenkins.
Jenkins has to scramble to find a new high school for two of his kids, just like 250 other high school students and their families.
Most high schools already have their classes filled.
Many parents said over the phone they believe it was a financial decision made without regard for their kids.
The head of the new management team, New Paradigm, brought on just last week, released a statement that reads in part:
We are committed to working with all of the families and are available to support them in working to secure admission to our partner schools in the city.
New Paradigm was just brought on to manage the school less than one month ago. We are experts at school turnarounds and we are focusing our energy on making sure all of these children receive the best education possible."
Jenkins-Pettway's search for a new school for his senior year is on. He's getting a life lesson in dealing with adversity.
The Jenkins hoped something could be done so the senior class could graduate this year, but that won't be possible. The school is now strictly kindergarten through eighth grade.