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PRIEST RIVER – The district can’t afford to operate as many schools as it does in light of the recent $1.13 million supplemental levy failure. The facilities committee of the West Bonner County School District recommends closing the junior high to all use and to consider closing at least one of its elementary schools, district superintendent Kim Spacek says.
“We recommended closing the junior high January 1 to all activities,” he said. He said the committee wanted to give the community sufficient notice so they aren’t suddenly locked out of the gym, which is used for some youth sports and fundraising.
He said the consensus was that the district needed to reduce its footprint. That means considering closure of outlying schools like Priest Lake Elementary and Idaho Hill Elementary, as well as considering selling the downtown Priest River district office and moving administration to the junior high.
“I’m open to it,” Spacek said.
Spacek said the committee will leave it to the board of trustees to make the decision. The board meets Wednesday, Nov. 20, at the high school cafeteria at 6 p.m.
He acknowledges that closing schools will be a difficult decision for the public to accept.
“People want a neighborhood school,” Spacek said.
Some members of the Priest Lake community have threatened to never again support a district levy if Priest Lake Elementary is closed. Priest Lake voters have consistently voted for levies and property tax payers at Priest Lake, because of the property values, pay for a substantial part of the levies when they do pass.
There are 50 students at Priest Lake Elementary School and 126 at Idaho Hill in Oldtown. There are 932 students enrolled in the district, which budgeted for 950. Having fewer students means receiving less money from the state than budgeted.
Adding to that is that the state pays based on student attendance, not enrollment. Attendance averaged 98.68% for October but has been lower. When its 96%, that means the district loses 4% of what has been budgeted, Spacek said.
