PORT TOWNSEND — Mountain View Elementary school is officially closing.
Sandwiched in between discussions on sports teams, extracurricular activities and the updated state testing guidelines, the Port Townsend School District board voted unanimously to close the elementary school effective at the end of this school year.
“I have gone back and forth in my mind a bunch on this,” said Bobby DuBois, board member.
“I have concerns, I have big concerns.”
DuBois said he knew a school must be closed but still wasn’t positive if it should be Mountain View or Grant Street.
“One teacher told me that they would make it work wherever we are at,” DuBois said.
And so, DuBois said he listened to Superintendent Tom Opstad’s recommendation and voted in favor of closing Mountain View.
The rest of the board echoed the statements.
“This situation by nature has to be temporary,” said board Chairwoman Beth Young.
Young said she hoped to see a substantial turnout in coming months as the board attempts to draft a plan on how to reorganize students among the three remaining schools.
The turnout on Monday was solid; however, most of the nearly 75 people crammed into the Lincoln Building left after the vote was made.
Several people spoke in support of the board’s decision.
Others were opposed but resigned to the fact that something had to be done.
The vote took place just before 9 p.m. — three hours after the meeting began.
The entire board said it was grateful for the community turnout.
“We hold these talks with the community every time,” said John Eissinger, referencing the lengthy discussion before the decision.
“But it’s hard to talk to nobody.
“It’s great to see all of you here tonight, because we need your help in the future.”
DuBois agreed that he wanted to see the same turnout at future meetings.
“I think this decision [to close a school] has to be temporary,” he said.
“It has to be on the community what we do long term.”
The vote on the closure had been coming since last year, when the district twice failed to pass a school bond that would have constructed a new campus at Grant Street Elementary.
The plan has always been to close a school in order to save on operational costs; however, the district must now decide how to do that without a new campus.
Leasing portables is one option discussed at the meeting.
Opstad said nothing was set in stone yet.
“This is a recommendation to close a school, not the implementation of a plan,” he said.
“Even after the vote on a closure . . . the plan can fluctuate.”
One plan is to restructure grades between the remaining elementary school, Grant Street and Blue Heron Middle School.
Grant Street Elementary would house approximately 440 students in grades kindergarten through fourth, and Blue Heron would accommodate about 420 students in grades fifth through eighth.
Opstad has said the district must reduce operating costs by more than $500,000 a year to balance the budget.
A consultant informed the School Board that one way to achieve that is to close a school.
Monday was supposed to be the day the state released the first draft of monies to be distributed from the federal stimulus package. That didn’t happen. As it stands now, it is unknown if the district will receive any funds to aid in the transition.
The board also authorized Opstad to look at potential clients for leasing the vacant school.
Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.
