Mt. Vernon Middle School

JOHN DAY Mt. Vernon Middle School will close after the school year ends in the spring.

Grant School District 3 board members voted Jan. 12 for the closure and consolidating the middle school into other campuses. The district will move the sixth-graders to Humbolt Elementary and grades 7 and 8 to Grant Union High School.

With that, the difficult process of making the transition including staffing changes begins.

Immediately after their unanimous vote for consolidation, the board went into executive, or closed, session to discuss one of the ramifications of the move: re-assignment of school administrators. The agenda included an item about placement of the administrators for the next school year.

Monty Nash, the current middle school principal, asked to talk privately with the board, Witty said. The board first met without Nash, then called him in. The board went back into open session, and voted on the assignments.

As recommended by Witty, Nash will become principal of Humbolt Elementary, and current Humbolt principal Kris Beal will be assigned to a part-time administrative and part-time teaching position at the high school. Curt Shelley will continue as principal of the high school.

Casting the sole nay vote was board member Les McLeod.

Contacted after the meeting, McLeod said he disagreed with the recommendation but supports all of the administrators, who are doing the best they can educating children. 

The (fiscal) environment has changed, McLeod said. He said the board and administration need to be able to move on with the consolidation transition.

Board chairman Gordon Larson said that the decision is the best for our kids.

The consolidation comes as the district copes with declining enrollment, and the loss of state revenue that creates.

An ad hoc committee formed by the district met twice recently to consider the situation and recommend solutions.

Before last weeks vote, Witty discussed the projections that prompted the committee to recommend consolidation.

He noted that a flatline economic projection for the next five years indicates that if enrollment continues to decrease and the state maintains its current level of reimbursement, the district would begin its 2013-2014 school year in the red at minus-$142,985.

Witty said the figures took into account employee attrition through retirement and reduced income from Grant County, due to the lapse of the federal Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. The federal funds, given by the government as a replacement for timber receipts, reached $800,000 at their highest, but dropped to $256,000 this year. The act sunsets at the end of this year, and it is unknown whether it will be renewed.

The options available to the district included cutting electives, sports, cafeterias and other measures but consolidation got the nod.

Pat Holliday, a board member who also was on the financial committee, said she believes consolidation will have less impact on students and move us closer to the goal of keeping quality education.

She and board member Greg Jackle said the decision is a tough one, but it should be made.

Board member Bob Holland asked if all educational programs would be retained.

Witty said thats the goal.

Witty said that 13 years ago, the district had 1,148 students. Enrollment at the three campuses has dropped to 670 today. Projections show the number dropping to 585 to 615 over the next five years.

Id rather sacrifice Mt. Vernon and keep the programs, said Holland.

Board member Jim Cernazanu said its the only logical decision.

Witty said that the district will need to save as much money as possible, and cutting off utilities to the Mt. Vernon building will help with that.

About 40 people attended the meeting, including many Mt. Vernon teachers and staff.

Parent Shannon Adair asked how people can remain up-to-date on the consolidation process.

Witty said plans will be rolled out by an administrative team, and public forums will be held for parents and students to share concerns as the package is prepared.

Witty said that in anticipation of a consolidation decision, officials visited two schools where consolidation has taken place. Administration will likely do further investigation of schools to avoid pitfalls that other districts have encountered.

This isnt where we would be if the money was there, he said.

He said the goal is to provide quality education, even with a small district. Witty praised the job that MVMS has done in educating students, and said he hopes to continue that work, although now it will look a little different.

Teacher Raime Lequerica asked if the district would still insure the middle school campus, and how much savings would be incurred by consolidation.

Witty said its projected that 60 percent of the fixed costs would be saved the first year, although he hopes the number will be higher, particularly in subsequent years. The district would have to maintain liability insurance, but wouldnt put much money into the campus except to mow it a few times each year.

Weve gotta spend money on programs and kids, Witty said.