Board votes to close elementary schools
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The Minot Public School Board passed a motion at a special board meeting Thursday evening to move forward with closing two elementary schools as part of a cost-saving measure to address a districtwide budget deficit.
After a brief presentation from Superintendent Mark Vollmer breaking down the options available to the district to save an estimated $3.275 million to $4.26 million, board member Jim Rostad motioned to move forward with a vote to close both Bell and McKinley Elementary Schools. Rostad's motion included that the students at Bell Elementary would be bussed to John Hoeven Elementary School, while the McKinley students would be redistributed to other Minot elementaries as deemed appropriate by the district and parents.
Rostad then made a brief statement defending the decision, saying that despite the groundswell of emotion and pride from the schools' staff, families and students of the schools, the board's decision can't be governed by emotions.
Board member Sabrina Herrmann said the board's decisions would be based on the best estimates available to them, but she admitted that until the realignment is put in motion and the new Minot North Campus opens, they won't know exactly how much the costs associated will be. Herrmann proposed the board hold off on the decision to close the schools and instead consider dipping into the district's $21 million reserve.
Board President Mike Gessner emphatically answered Herrmann's proposal, saying if the decision to close the schools is to be made, it must be made now. Gessner also defended the board's decision to pursue the bond measure that funded the construction of the new Minot North High School, saying it will be "the best thing going on in our district in a long time."
The board then proceeded to the vote, which passed 3-2, with Bonny Berryman, Gessner and Rostad voting yes. Dissenting votes came from Herrmann and Mitch Kraft.
Further coverage of this decision, and other proposed cost-saving measures to be discussed at a later board retreat is upcoming.