Board votes to close East Essex; students move to Eureka

Consolidation in works for pair of elementary buildings

A decision by the St. Johns Public School Board of Education at its May 18 meeting will result in the consolidation of two elementary buildings at the start of the 2009-2010 school year. East Essex Elementary will close at the end of the current school year, and classrooms at Eureka Elementary will be used next fall for student instruction in kindergarten through fifth grade.

The decision to close East Essex followed lengthy debate at the meeting where a number of parents and residents spoke in support of keeping the school open.

Board members voted 5-2 to close the school; Chris Harris, Nick Koenigsknecht, Scott Marier, Phil Schrantz and Bill Tennant supported the closure while Rhonda Dedyne and Rick Drabek opposed the motion.

Enrollment numbers at both schools was cited as a key reason for the consolidation. Using Eureka as a full, K-5 building is estimated to save the district $125,000 according to a report compiled by Superintendent Bob Kudwa that also cited student safety and an improved learning environment among the factors for combining the two schools.

Board members voting against the motion to close questioned the estimated cost-savings, noting that loss of students whose parents may opt to enroll their children in other districts was not factored into the projected saving. Additional concerns included a future use for the vacant building, and the perception expressed by families in that area that the district had not fully explored other options.

Members supporting the closure indicated their decision was not based solely on finances, stating safety concerns as a reason to combine the school buildings and benefits for parents in having all students together in one building. Under the current configuration, families may have students at both East Essex and Eureka.

East Essex has operated as a K-2 building, and Eureka has housed classrooms for students in grades 3-5 since 2002-03. Prior to that time, both had been used as K-5 buildings.

A total of 83 students are enrolled at East Essex: two kindergarten classes with 16 students each, 25 in first grade and 25 in second grade. Eureka’s current enrollment is 88: 26 in third grade, 30 in fourth grade and 32 in fifth grade.