Rochester Public Schools’ attendance redesign plan could mean the closure of several schools
(ABC 6 News) – It was a big turnout for tonight’s Rochester Public School board meeting as superintendent Kent Pekel presented his newly-developed plan to cut more from the district budget.
Parents and staff packed the room to listen to the proposal and many shared their oppositions.
The school board called the cuts “inevitable.”
“When school districts have fewer kids, we have less need of capacity,” Pekel said.
RPS will cut around $10 million as a result of RPS’s failed ballot referendum.
The 10-point plan includes a proposal to close Pinewood elementary, Riverside elementary, and Mighty Oaks early learning school.
“I know my kids are devastated,” Pinewood Elementary School parent Nikki Osterle said.
Osterle and Caroline Kochan, another parent, said their kids would be greatly affected by this change.
“We both have kindergartners with IEPs, and so I think them starting at Pinewood and having that be their family and then have to switch next year and start over will be really difficult,” Osterle said.
The proposed to-cut schools saw a decline in enrollment and with all three located in southeast Rochester, many parents stated this is not the answer.
“I think it would be in the best interest to keep some south elementary schools open because I foresee south Rochester growing more,” Kochan said.
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The plan is for Lincoln K-8 to move into the building currently occupied by Riverside and have that serve as the attendance area school for most students attending Riverside.
It was emotional for some to hear the possibility of these schools closing down to save costs and they want to make their voices heard when discussing this 10-point plan.
“I see their 10-point proposal and I would ask is that does it have to stay 10 points or could we look at each individual point and not have an all or nothing,” Osterle said.
The school board plans to hold information sessions next month to keep the public updated with what’s happening and will vote on the issue on Jan. 23, 2024.