PUSD Board votes to close Frontier Elementary School

According to reports from those who attended the Special Meeting of the Payson Unified School Board, the board voted to close Frontier Elementary School Thursday, Feb. 24. The board also decided to make one of the two remaining elementary schools in the district a K-2 and the other grades 3-5, but did not decide how that would be designated.

Those who attended the meeting said the decision met with no opposition, and that parents understood and accepted that the closure was due to the severe economic conditions the district is facing.

Other meetings are planned in the future for public input on which grades will be at Julia Randall Elementary School and which would be at Payson Elementary School.

School Superintendent Casey O'Brien was out of town and not available for comment on the board's decision, but he posted the following letter on the PUSD web page Jan. 20:

January 20, 2011

Dear Community Member/PUSD Parents,

The Payson Unified School District will hold a Special Board Meeting on February 24, 2011 at 5:30 p.m. in the Julia Randall cafeteria/gym. The purpose of this meeting is to make a decision on closing Frontier Elementary at the end of this school year and realign the grade configuration of Julia Randall Elementary School and Payson Elementary School. This potential configuration change would mean dissolving all of the current elementary attendance boundaries and having students attend either JRE or PES, based on their grade level vs. residence.

As you know, the District faces significant budget challenges going into the 2011-12 school year. With the loss of over 100 students, sun-setting of federal stimulus dollars and reductions in per pupil funding from the state, PUSD is looking at having to reduce our budget by a minimum of one million dollars.

Understanding the significant budget challenges the district could potentially be facing, late last school year the Governing Board directed that a School Configuration Committee be formed to study, discuss and provide recommendations to the Board on school consolidation. This committee was made up of parents, teachers and administrators from all three elementary sites. Following a series of meetings this semester, the committee came to the unanimous decision that the recommendation should be to close Frontier Elementary School and reconfigure Payson Elementary and Julia Randall.

At the February 24th meeting, the Superintendent and Governing Board will review budget details and the committee’s rationale for the recommendations. This meeting will also be an opportunity for any/all parents and community members to ask questions and provide feedback to the Governing Board. Following input and discussion, the Board will vote on school closure and, if affirmed, a second vote will take place on the resulting attendance boundary change. By state statute, any such decision must take place at a meeting scheduled at least 31 days after the preliminary meeting which was held on January 19^th 2011.

These, needless to say, are very challenging times for PUSD and K-12 education throughout Arizona. We strongly encourage you to attend this important meeting.

On behalf of the Governing Board

Casey O’Brien, Superintendent