Future of USD 112 going to the polls

WILSON, Kan. (KSNW) — After the USD 112 BOE voted to close Wilson Jr. Sr. High School in January, some parents have been fighting to keep the school open. Now, the decision will be made in the August 1 primary election.

“Our only and last resort is to file the petition to disorganize, which is the only option we have based on Kansas state statutes,” USD 112 parent Kayla Cullens said.

Members of the community signed a petition which was then approved by the Ellsworth County Clerk.

“We have already worked with an attorney and have got the petition language approved by the county attorney,” Cullens said. “We have already secured the number of signatures required. It has been presented to the Ellsworth county clerk, and she has officially given notice that it will be on the primary ballot.”

The Kansas Department of Education says after someone runs the petition, 20% of electors from the precious election must sign it. Then, it’s checked and approved by the county clerk.

KSDE says at least one hearing must be held within the district to collect facts about the district and surrounding districts.

“It will then go to the State Board of Education who will assign a hearing officer,” Cullens said. “That hearing officer will hold meetings throughout the communities to determine what’s best for our schools and what neighboring district we should get assigned to or which district will absorb our schools.”

If the disorganization passes, the fate of the district is up to the state board of education.

“It’s up to the state board to transfer the territory to one other district or maybe split the district up and transfer it to several other districts,” KSDE Deputy Commissioner for Fiscal and Administrative Services Craig Nuenswander said.

He says the state decides the best options, and it is different on a case-by-case basis.

“USD 112 has some input. The neighboring districts have some input,” Nuenswander said. “The state board will take all those things into consideration. They’ll take into consideration of what might be in the best interest of those students.”

He says that doesn’t necessarily mean closing all schools in the district.

“Bottom line is it’s entirely up to the state board,” Nuenswander said. “Obviously, if there are districts that wish to adjoin some of the territory or wish to be left entirely out of it, that will be a consideration, but it’s not a requirement that they follow the wishes of the districts.”

Lauren Kirmer is a parent in USD 112, and she’s worried all schools would close if the disorganization passes.

“I understand where the people of Wilson are coming from, and it’s very difficult when any small town loses their school, but just because they may be losing their junior-senior high school, I just don’t feel like that’s justification to close all of our schools in the district,” Kirmer said.

She says she believes they have plenty of students to stay open.

After the BOE finalized the decision, tried to get land transfers with other districts, but that was not successful.

USD 399 and 401 tell KSN they considered the land transfer because they feel for other small schools. But, it didn’t make financial sense for their districts.

“We have been trying to work the board to get a transfer or a private school or something that our community can work towards to keep our high school, our seven through here in town,” Cullens said.

Nuenswander says the last time there was a reorganization was about 12 years ago, but those were brought up by the school boards.

Cullens says schools are a crucial part of rural towns.

“We’re going to need a school,” Cullens said. “You can come work here because they can send their kids to school right here in town. They don’t have to put them on a road for 25, 30 minutes. It’s important for any town to survive, and when you lose it, you lose a lot of your community members too because they will go where they can send their kids to school.”

Cullens says she, along with others in Wilson, has lost confidence that the BOE is doing what’s best for the district.

“They have had no community involvement, no community meetings, they haven’t put any alternatives solutions,” Cullens said. “They haven’t researched alternative solutions. They’ve been silent. The transparency hasn’t been there. They’ve proven that they’re not thinking about the whole district, and lately, our confidence in them has been depleted.”

She says the biggest issue is the stress the situation has put on students.

“They have had one of the probably the toughest years of their high school career,” Cullens said. “Many of them have stressed about where they’re gonna go. Kids that have gone to school together since they were in kindergarten are now going separate ways.”