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20 February 2024
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Wichita parents have four opportunities to comment about the potential closing of six schools. Wichita Public Schools, USD 259, is holding three listening sessions and one public hearing before March 4, the night the Board of Education will vote on the closures.
Last week, the school district announced it wants to close four elementary schools and two middle schools at the end of this school year in an effort to cut the budget by $16 million.
The schools are:
Hadley Middle School, 1101 N. Dougherty Ave.
Jardine STEM and Career Explorations Academy Middle School, 3550 E. Ross Parkway
Clark Elementary School, 650 S. Apache Dr.
Park Elementary School, 1025 N. Main
Payne Elementary School, 1601 S. Edwards
Cleaveland Traditional College and Career Readiness Magnet Elementary School, 3345 W. 33rd St. South
Click here to see the schools the students would be moved to.
Starting Wednesday evening, Feb. 21, WPS is holding listening sessions for parents impacted by the schools possibly closing. The district says staff will “listen to parent feedback and provide answers to questions they may have.”
The listening sessions begin at 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 21, Marshall Middle School, 1510 N. Payne — the focus will be on Park and Hadley schools
Thursday, Feb. 22, West High School, 820 S. Osage — the focus will be on Cleaveland and Payne schools
Monday, Feb. 26, Alvin Morris Administrative Center, 903 S. Edgemoor — the focus will be on Clark and Jardine schools
A public hearing about all six schools is Thursday, Feb. 29, at 6 p.m. at Alvin Morris Administrative Center, 903 S. Edgemoor.
The school district says teachers and staff will not lose their jobs if the schools close. Instead, the employees will fill the many vacancies in the remaining Wichita schools.
WPS also says closing the schools would focus resources on fewer buildings, reduce the repairs and maintenance backlog, better utilize the remaining buildings, and reduce expenditures to balance the budget.
More information can be found at www.usd259.org/transform24.