Hills Elementary School is closing its doors at the end of the school year in an effort to preserve educational programs and staff in the Iowa City Community School District as Iowa schools continue to face budget shortfalls.
The Iowa City school board unanimously approved the decision Tuesday, saying that while they don’t want to close the school, it’s in the best interest of all students as they deal with the reality of needing to “slash” the budget.
“There are no other cuts to be made unless we are willing to start touching student programming — things like music, foreign language, our librarians and extracurricular activities,” school board member Lisa Williams said. “I consider those programs to be essential to our students’ experiences, and I will continue to pursue cuts that save us operational dollars.”
The decision saves the district about $1.66 million, getting the district closer to the $7.5 million in expenses needed to be trimmed from the district over the next two years.
The Iowa City school leaders have been “slashing” the district’s budget for the last 18 months, Williams said. Over the last three years, $24.7 million has been reduced from the district’s spending plan, she said.
“Last year, we cut millions from our budget by eliminating 11 administrator positions, offering early retirement plans to teachers — many who were not ready to stop teaching, but they left because it was in the best interest of the district. We delayed the purchase of much-needed curriculum,” Williams said.
The budget cuts are a result of decades of “chronic and persistent underfunding by the state,” Williams said. “It is a direct result of the governor and legislature’s decision to take your tax dollars and divert them away from public schools.”
About 100 community members turned up at the meeting and 20 people gave emotional pleas to keep the school open in the town about six miles south of Iowa City.
“I hope you all start advocating for public education the way you have advocated to keep your school open, because it’s impressive,” Williams said to the crowd.
“If you want to do something to help our schools, vote in November for those candidates that really want to support public schools,” school board member Molly Abraham said.
The more than 100 students currently enrolled at Hills Elementary could be sent to Alexander and Weber elementary schools, Superintendent Matt Degner said during a board meeting last month.
Its teachers and staff will have the option of being reassigned to another school in the district, and students still would have access to the services they get now at Hills, including preschool.
Some residents who spoke during public comment said they were frustrated that school leaders did not go to the city of Hills to meet with residents and Hills Elementary families.
Williams and other board members said over the last few weeks they had read “every email, every news story and followed discussions on social media,” in regard to the possible closure of Hills Elementary school.
“Nearly every email and letter spoke about how the school was the heart of the community,” Williams said.
“I understand this is a significant decision with serious ramifications for the Hills community,” Williams said. “I do not believe the closure of Hills will have an adverse impact on students. The educational experience these students will have at their new school will be the same high caliber educational experience we currently have at Hills.”
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The Iowa City school board unanimously approved the decision Tuesday, saying that while they don’t want to close the school, it’s in the best interest of all students as they deal with the reality of needing to “slash” the budget.
“There are no other cuts to be made unless we are willing to start touching student programming — things like music, foreign language, our librarians and extracurricular activities,” school board member Lisa Williams said. “I consider those programs to be essential to our students’ experiences, and I will continue to pursue cuts that save us operational dollars.”
The decision saves the district about $1.66 million, getting the district closer to the $7.5 million in expenses needed to be trimmed from the district over the next two years.
The Iowa City school leaders have been “slashing” the district’s budget for the last 18 months, Williams said. Over the last three years, $24.7 million has been reduced from the district’s spending plan, she said.
“Last year, we cut millions from our budget by eliminating 11 administrator positions, offering early retirement plans to teachers — many who were not ready to stop teaching, but they left because it was in the best interest of the district. We delayed the purchase of much-needed curriculum,” Williams said.
The budget cuts are a result of decades of “chronic and persistent underfunding by the state,” Williams said. “It is a direct result of the governor and legislature’s decision to take your tax dollars and divert them away from public schools.”
About 100 community members turned up at the meeting and 20 people gave emotional pleas to keep the school open in the town about six miles south of Iowa City.
“I hope you all start advocating for public education the way you have advocated to keep your school open, because it’s impressive,” Williams said to the crowd.
“If you want to do something to help our schools, vote in November for those candidates that really want to support public schools,” school board member Molly Abraham said.
The more than 100 students currently enrolled at Hills Elementary could be sent to Alexander and Weber elementary schools, Superintendent Matt Degner said during a board meeting last month.
Its teachers and staff will have the option of being reassigned to another school in the district, and students still would have access to the services they get now at Hills, including preschool.
'Every email’ read by school board members
Some residents who spoke during public comment said they were frustrated that school leaders did not go to the city of Hills to meet with residents and Hills Elementary families.
Williams and other board members said over the last few weeks they had read “every email, every news story and followed discussions on social media,” in regard to the possible closure of Hills Elementary school.
“Nearly every email and letter spoke about how the school was the heart of the community,” Williams said.
“I understand this is a significant decision with serious ramifications for the Hills community,” Williams said. “I do not believe the closure of Hills will have an adverse impact on students. The educational experience these students will have at their new school will be the same high caliber educational experience we currently have at Hills.”
Hills Elementary to close at the end of the school year
Budget cuts are the result of “chronic and persistent underfunding” of Iowa public schools, school board member Lisa Williams said at Tuesday’s meeting. The Iowa City school board voted unanimously to close the district’s smallest school.
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