Bemidji Area Schools hosts Q&A on proposed J.W. Smith closure

BEMIDJI — As Bemidji Area Schools looks at closing J.W. Smith Elementary School amid a projected budget deficit, around 50 community members filed into the school's gymnasium for a Q&A-style meeting on Tuesday, March 17.

Closing J.W. Smith and spreading the students across other elementary schools represents an estimated $1 million in cost savings.

J.W. Smith is the district's oldest school, built in 1954, and has a projected $1.5 million in deferred maintenance needs over the next five years.

The district aims to trim about $3.5 million from its budget. The School Board is also considering more than $750,000 in staff reductions for schools serving grades 4-12 and cutting two administrative staff positions at the district office, which would save about $250,000.

The recent sale of Central Elementary also represents some cost savings. It was maintained by the district before its sale at about $34,000 a year.

Fewer babies born at Sanford Bemidji in the last several years have led to smaller kindergarten class sizes, according to the district’s figures. But that isn’t the only factor in a decline in enrollment that has led to empty classrooms in the schools.

Contributed

/

Bemidji Area Schools via YouTube

“The losses to charter schools are pretty negligible in the last couple of years. The losses to open enrollment are fairly negligible. It's really the homeschool families," Olson said.

He described how the district offers a wide variety of options for homeschool families to partially enroll in the district, such as for science or music education.

“Every year we communicate with them and say, ‘Wait, this is not an all-or-one situation,’” Olson said.

Laurie Harper was among the community members urging the School Board to consider keeping J.W. Smith open for at least one more year.

Harper is the education director for the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. She also has a personal stake in the proposed closure of J.W. Smith.

"I'm a grandmother of students that attend the school, to hear their story, coming home to tell me that their school was being closed, and not really fully comprehending; it was heartbreaking," she said.

Harper questioned the School Board’s decision not to consult with area tribes about the proposed consolidation. Around two-thirds of the students at J.W. are Native American.

“Your impact isn't just about saving money for the district. It's also accessibility and equitable access,” she said.

J.W. Smith Elementary is within a walkable area of Bemidji’s Old Town, which has traditionally had a walk zone for students and families. The consolidation plan includes a new bus route for these students.

J.W. is one of the satellite sites for the Boys and Girls Club of the Bemidji Area, which is right next door. The grant-funded program offers after-school care at J.W. Smith at no cost to families.

Bemidji Area Schools will host an official public hearing for the proposed closure 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Bemidji High School, with another vote to close the school anticipated in a special March 30 meeting.