Hillside Parents Urge School Board to Hold Off on School Closure

Frustrated parents Thursday rallied to save from closure, saying there were too many questions unanswered and a school closure might not be needed.

Betsy Haushalter of Elm Grove urged the Elmbrook School Board to consider instead an operational referendum to exceed the state-imposed limits on property taxes — something Superintendent Matt Gibson said he didn't believe could pass.

"I want a good school," Haushalter said. "I don't want more cuts. I don't want larger class sizes.

"I just don't think it's right," she said, drawing applause from the crowd of about 150 people in the cafeteria.

Later, Haulshalter visibly slumped her shoulders and sat down when told Elm Grove's only public elementary school, , would continue to be in danger of closure in future years, if districtwide enrollment continues to decline.

Elmbrook is considering closing one or more of its six elementary schools to address excess school building space, declining enrollment and budget deficits.

In total across the six schools, about 30 percent of the buildings are not being used, as the district faces annual budget deficits of about $1 million to $2 million. School Board member Glen Allgaier has argued the board has a fiduciary responsibility to not spend money on unused space while considering cutting programs or increasing class sizes.

Closing Hillside, however, would increase average class sizes at and from 23 to 24 and 25, respectively, according to documents presented at Thursday's meeting.

And — to which Hillside's resident students would move en masse — would become the tightest grade school, with about 85.6 percent of its space used. Some of Brookfield Elementary's students would be bumped to another school (either or Swanson, depending on redistricting decisions) to make room for Hillside students.

The board will hold another community information meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the cafeteria, 16900 W. Gebhardt Rd. And the board is slated to discuss the school closure issue Oct. 11 and possibly vote on it Oct. 25, at its regular board meetings which will be held at Brookfield Central to accommodate a larger audience.

Hillside parents Thursday criticized the recommendation, with some pointing out that closing Hillside results in the lowest cost-savings (about $1.2 million), the least school space savings (Hillside and Tonawanda are the smallest buildings) and a mothballed property with one of the lowest values, given its age and size.

But closing Tonawanda, Gibson said to some groans, would create a greater risk for additional enrollment decline. He said Tonawanda's resident enrollment has risen, while Hillside's has been stable or declined.

Some audience members pressed the board to take every action possible first to increase revenues before cutting costs to the extreme of closing a school.

"Should we do the money-making items first?" asked Amber Hayward, who has two children at Brookfield Elementary.

Decisions such as adding four-year-old kindergarten are scheduled for after the school closure decision. Adding 4K would not result in a savings to the district until the third year of its implementation, noted Keith Brightman, assistant superintendent for finance and operations.

Some parents sharply criticized Gibson, who has agreed to be the front person on the recommendation, even though six of the seven board members have indicated they believe the district cannot keep operating six schools with the excess space.

Some said the board should wait until Gibson's successor is hired next spring (he is retiring after 17 years as superintendent), to get a "fresh look" at the finances and solutions.

Gibson said while closing a school is "painful," he was convinced it was something Elmbrook needs to do to ensure it can keep its high-quality staff, curriculum and extras such as arts and athletics.