Below is an update from the Board of Education community input session that occurred last night at Urban Middle School.

As SASD Administration read the many communications from parents and staff, it has become clear that “disrupting the least number of students” could be another criteria.

This criteria was not used by the Executive Management Team in their initial recommendation, but EMT has put together another proposal that could be considered, which involves less disruption of students.

Alternative proposal: 

• Close Washington Elementary School
• Redraw the attendance boundaries having the Washington students attend Jefferson, Cooper and Pigeon River schools. (this option along with our original recommendation would include adding the appropriate classrooms to Cooper)
• Continue free after-school programming at Jefferson
• Offer free after-school programming at Cooper, Pigeon River and 2 south side elementary schools (cost of approximately $50,000 per school per year) with the cost earmarked from the savings of closing Washington
• Elementary School for the Arts and Academics would remain at their current location

This proposal would result in the loss of approximately $250,000 in SAGE monies, which means that the Washington students would not receive the level of services they are currently receiving. 

The Executive Management Team’s (EMT) original recommendation is still on the table, and EMT continues to support the initial recommendation as the best option.

The Board of Education will have a second special session-community input tonight at Urban Middle School starting at 6 p.m.