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The Squeeze - Good Problems to Have
Russ Survance
Tue, 07 Jul 2026 10:06:19 EDT
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Hemlock, Michigan - Not long ago, the Hemlock Public School District faced a challenge familiar to many rural communities: declining enrollment.
For more than 40 years, student enrollment gradually declined. Like many districts, Hemlock could have accepted that trend as inevitable. Instead, the community chose a different path.
"Ten years ago, the conversation was about how to stop enrollment decline. Today, the conversation is about how to make room for growth. That's not an accident," said Matt Wesener, president of the Hemlock Board of Education. "It's the result of a community that invested in its schools, a staff that delivers every day, and a commitment to making decisions that put students first. The pressure we're feeling isn't a problem to solve. It's evidence that the work is working."
Over the past decade, Hemlock Public School District has focused on strengthening academics, expanding student opportunities, improving facilities, and creating an environment where families want to be. Today, those efforts are producing measurable results.
The district's biggest challenge is no longer declining enrollment.
It's finding enough space.
"We have spent the last several years carefully planning for the future, investing in our students, and living within our means," Superintendent Don Killingbeck said. "The reality today is that more families are choosing Hemlock, our early childhood programs continue to grow, and some of our buildings are beginning to feel that success."
While recent facility improvements have transformed the district, enrollment growth and expanded programming are creating new space demands.
Part of that challenge can be traced to the history of K.C. Ling Elementary School. The building was originally designed with an open-concept floor plan that allowed learning spaces to expand and contract as needed. In 2002, permanent classroom walls were added to improve safety, security, acoustics, and instructional quality. Those improvements were the right decision, but they also reduced the building's flexibility as enrollment increased.
Another major factor is the success of the district's Early Childhood Center.
In 2014, Hemlock Public School District used available space within Hemlock Elementary to launch the center. Today, the program serves more than 200 children and families each year, providing critical early learning opportunities while strengthening connections between families and the school district.
District leaders have also taken deliberate steps to maximize existing resources.
In 2023, district administration relocated from Hemlock Elementary to temporary space on the high school campus, allowing classrooms to be returned to student use. In 2025, administration moved into the renovated North Office, creating additional instructional space while eliminating the need to construct a new administration building.
That decision alone saved taxpayers more than $2 million.
Those actions reflect a philosophy that has guided district leadership for years: maximize existing resources before asking taxpayers to invest more.
"One of the things I'm most proud of is that Hemlock has remained fiscally responsible throughout this entire journey," Killingbeck said. "We are one of the lowest operationally funded school districts in Saginaw County, yet we continue to compete with and outperform many districts with significantly greater resources. We have stretched every dollar possible, pursued grants aggressively, built partnerships, and focused on getting maximum value from taxpayer investments."
The district's approach to facility improvements has followed that same philosophy.
Recent campus improvements, including new athletic facilities, expanded academic spaces, and the upcoming Performing Arts Center, have been funded through voter-approved bond programs that remain near the middle of the pack compared with surrounding districts. At the same time, district leaders have aggressively pursued grants, donations, partnerships, and other cost-saving measures to reduce the burden on local taxpayers.
The result is a school district that has modernized its facilities, expanded opportunities for students, maintained financial stability, and positioned itself for continued growth.
The challenge now is making sure the district stays ahead of that growth.
"We would much rather be talking about how to accommodate more students than how to deal with fewer students," Killingbeck said. "The squeeze we're experiencing is not the result of wasteful spending or poor planning. It's the result of a community that invested wisely, a staff that delivers results, and families who continue to choose Hemlock. Those are good problems to have."
District leaders are currently evaluating long-range facility needs, enrollment trends, scheduling efficiencies, and space utilization strategies as part of ongoing planning efforts.
Additional updates will be shared with the community as that work continues.
