Shutting the doors: School board votes 5-2 to close Grantsdale Elementary School

Click on link below to view the article on another school closing tragedy!

Trustees around the nation fail to understand the bond citizens feel toward their smaller neighborhood schools and the superior education which a smaller school provides.

This school closure along with the Missoula school closures in 2004 and in previous years are an example of failed leadership of school boards.

It would behoove all city and county government entities to be involved in a school closure discussion as closing a school effects the whole city and geographical area.  In fact, the Superintendent of Public Instruction  in Helena needs to address this issue in her/his list of priorities so that uninformed and malevolent school boards cannot go against the will of the people to close a school. 

The future consequences of a school closure need to be considered more fully before a school closure.

The negative ramifications of closing Prescott, Mt. Jumbo, and Rattlesnake Middle School in 2004 have never fully been studied. Prescott School Missoula has just touched on some of the fall out from closing Prescott especially in light of the subsequent leasing of the school to a competing private school, Missoula Internatonal School and also the building of a modular at Rattlesnake School to accommodate the crowding there instead of reopening Prescott.

It is highly likely that the district is aware of other problems with the closing of the schools and the leasing of  one of the three to a competing entity but the district would want to keep any problems quiet.

Shutting the doors: School board votes 5-2 to close Grantsdale Elementary School