Middle-school, kindergarten changes proposed in Monroe

Published 12:01 am Sunday, February 13, 2011

MONROE — Students at Monroe Middle School may be forced to change schools next fall.

The Monroe School Board is considering a proposal to shut down Monroe Middle School, one of three middle schools in the district.

Kids would be sent to either Hidden River or Park Place middle schools under the consolidation plan. A steady drop in the number of children in the school district is the reason behind the proposal.

This is not the only possible change for the district. Children in kindergarten may have a different schedule for the next school year.

The school board has scheduled a public hearing at 7 p.m. Monday, at the Administration Building, 200 E. Fremont.

The board is expected to make a decision at its Feb. 28 meeting on whether to close the middle school.

The reason that Monroe Middle School, at 351 Short Columbia St., would be shut down is because it’s the oldest of the three campuses and is landlocked and can’t expand in the future. Monroe Middle School could be used for other educational programs, such as the site for the special needs program or the Sky Valley Education Center, spokeswoman Rosemary O’Neil said.

School officials say low enrollment numbers in middle schools mean the district can only offer a limited number of electives. The consolidation could help them provide full-time art and band teachers.

The school district saw a loss of 50 students districtwide this year. This means a loss of $5,000 in state funding per student.

Also, the district could save $2 million in five years if it only has two middle schools, superintendent Ken Hoover said.

The savings comes from not hiring additional full-time staff, such as an additional principal, and not having to pay rent for the Sky Valley Education Center.

Currently, the principal at Monroe Middle is also the principal at Park Place Middle School.

Also Monday, the school board plans to make a final decision to modify the kindergarten schedule to make up for funding cuts made by the state.

Currently, kindergarten has two different classes per day, one in the morning and another in the afternoon. The proposed change would have each class go full day but alternating weekdays. One class will go Tuesdays and Thursdays, the other Wednesdays and Fridays. Classes would alternate Mondays.

By changing the schedule, the district plans to save an $118,000 a year because the district could eliminate the school bus run that occurs in the middle of the day, O’Neil said.

The earliest the plan will go into effect, if approved, is September.

There are currently 400 children enrolled in kindergarten this year.

Alejandro Dominguez: 425-339-3422 or adominguez@heraldnet.com.

Public hearing

The Monroe School Board has scheduled a public hearing Monday about a proposed consolidation plan which would closed Monroe Middle School, reducing the number of middle schools in the district from three to two. The meeting is at 7 p.m., at the Administration Building, 200 E. Fremont.

The board is expected to make a decision at its Feb. 28 meeting.

People who cannot attend are invited to write to superintendent Ken Hoover at oneilr@monroe.wednet.edu or calling at 360-804-2501.