KSHB 41 reporter Claire Bradshaw covers portions of eastern Jackson County, including areas like Blue Springs and Independence. If you have a story idea to share, send an email to Claire at claire.bradshaw@kshb.com.
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Lee’s Summit School District is considering consolidating two schools due to low enrollment: Lee’s Summit Elementary and Westview Elementary.
This idea has stirred the LSE community, prompting yard signs in downtown Lee’s Summit that read, “Save Our School."
KSHB 41 News discussed the consolidation idea with the district and the LSE Parent Teachers Association president.
Valerie Salazar, PTA president and mom of two, said she feels this is an abrupt decision and that the district did not include her community.
Thus, the PTA is holding a meeting with the district Tuesday night.
"We need more time. This is a decision that is going to critically impact students, most importantly, and families of our current students, future students and our neighborhood," Salazar said. "We need time to make sure that the information that's been shared with the public, with our board, with the Citizens Advisory Committee, that they can make an informed decision that is going to greatly impact, again, students."
The meeting is at 5:30 p.m. at Lee’s Summit Elementary.
Parents and the public are invited to attend to learn more and ask questions about the proposed consolidation.
Currently, LSE has 203 students and Westview has 265. District-provided data shows they’re the two smallest elementary schools in the district.
Combining the two would make it the district's sixth-largest elementary school.
For this to move forward, the Citizens Advisory Committee has to make a recommendation to the school board. Then, the board has to approve putting the project on the April 2025 bond issue, which is projected to be around $225 million.
$28.7 million of that bond money, if approved in April, would be used to renovate Westview ahead of moving the LSE families in.
Steve Shelton, associate superintendent of operations, said the district has been monitoring the declining enrollment at both schools for multiple years.
"We were hoping the enrollment would increase," Shelton said. "We would hope the space would re-green. We would hope students would return from the COVID dip, and it just, it hasn't happened. And once the data, once the enrollment numbers came in at the end of September, it was evident to us that we needed to develop a different plan."
Shelton said the district would not sell LSE and would repurpose the building. A few ideas are to house the new Pre-K program or move the hospitality classes program downtown.
KSHB 41 News also asked Shelton about transportation because Salazar said many families walk to LSE. Shelton said district transportation would be provided since Westview is 1.5 miles away.
The district has an FAQ page for stakeholders to learn more. It can be found here.