Community Meeting To Be Held To Address Potential Stillwater School Closings
MINNEPAOLIS (WCCO) – A community meeting being held Thursday night to address the potential closing of three elementary schools in Stillwater is expected to get heated.
The Stillwater Area School District introduced a proposal that would close three elementary schools, Marine, Withrow and Oak Park, beginning in 2017.
Officials said the schools are no longer efficient to operate because of their low enrollment. However, some parents are upset because they think small class sizes are beneficial for learning.
The three schools combined have less than 500 students. Marine and Withrow are two of the smallest elementary schools in the entire Twin Cities.
The district wants to see its elementary schools have at least 350 to 700 students to improve the quality of learning and support for students.
Parents are fighting to keep the schools open because they believe smaller class sizes create a comfortable learning environment. Parents also said they feel misled by a $97-million bond taxpayers approved last year. They believed that would keep the schools open.
Nearly 1,500 parents have signed a petition to prevent the schools from closing.
Instead, the superintendent said the bond money will help with some student relocation, including building a new elementary school in the southern part of the district where the population is growing.
Students who attend the elementary schools that are slated to close would be moved to Stonebridge, Rutherford and Lily Lake elementary schools.
Thursday's meeting starts at 5:30 at Stillwater City Hall. It is expected to get heated. Public hearings are also scheduled later this month.
A final vote is expected on February 11.
