The Olympia School District is the latest to consider shuttering campuses amid a budget crisis and dropping enrollment.
The Olympia School District is the latest to consider shuttering campuses amid a budget crisis and dropping enrollment.
The superintendent's proposal would close and consolidate Madison, McKenny, and LP Brown elementary schools, starting in the 2027-2028 school year, to help save $3.1 million dollars annually, the district confirmed.
No decisions have been finalized, but many parents have made it known they are fired up about the possibility of losing their neighborhood schools, traveling further for their kids' education, and missing their sense of community.
“I think it’s insane,” Madison Elementary School parent Jake Dailey stated. “I think it hurts the kids and the parents and the community as a whole.”
“I do think it’s appropriate to pump the brakes a little,” McKenny parent Brianne Leverenz added. “We specifically selected McKinney from across the country because of how well the community is and how the school’s performance is.”
A formal analysis from an independent firm identified money-saving options for OSD to consolidate McKinney Elementary School into Pioneer and Centennial elementary schools; Madison Elementary into Roosevelt Elementary; and LP Brown Elementary into Hansen and Garfield elementary schools.
“I have a lot of socio-economic, as well as equity concerns regarding the decisions the district is making,” Leverenz explained.
In a letter sent to school district families, OSD Superintendent Patrick Murphy noted an enrollment drop of 1,000 students compared to the 2019-2020 school year, and a lack of state funding.
He estimates closures could lead to $3.1 million in yearly savings on costs like admin, custodians, utilities, maintenance, and other staff.
The report states this proposal comes after years of OSD making millions of dollars worth of budget cuts to the district office and central services, but that the buildings' operating costs are too much.
Still, some parents say it's time to look at the reasons why schools should stay open, like academic success.
“Make sure that while we’re trying to save revenue, that we’re not losing something that’s truly magic in our community,” Leverenz said.
As for what the district would do with the empty buildings if this proposal passes, OSD is considering sales, leases, or retaining them for another district or community-serving use.
The school board will host public meetings about the proposal at the three schools in October, with a vote scheduled for November.
