KSHB 41 reporter Claire Bradshaw covers eastern Jackson County, including Blue Springs and Independence. Share your story idea with Claire.
Lee’s Summit School District is considering consolidating two schools due to low enrollment: Lee’s Summit Elementary and Westview Elementary. This idea has created a stir in the LSE community, prompting yard signs in downtown Lee’s Summit that read “Save LSE.”
KSHB 41 News spoke with the district and the LSE Parent Teachers Association president about the consolidation idea. First, PTA president and mom of two, Valerie Salazar, said she feels this is an abrupt decision and that the district did not include her community. That is why 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. We need time to make sure that the information that's been sharing 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,” said Salazar.
The meeting is at 5:30 PM at Lee’s Summit Elementary. Parents and the public are invited to come learn more and ask questions about the proposed consolidation.
Currently, LSE has 203 students and Westview has 265. They’re the two smallest elementary schools in the district. Combining them would make them the 6th largest elementary school.
The school district’s Associate Superintendent of Operations, Steve Shelton, said the district has been monitoring the declining enrollment at both schools for multiple years.
"We were hoping the enrollment would increase. We would hope the space would re green. We would hope students would return from the COVID dip, and it just as 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 a different plan,” said Shelton.
Shelton said the district would not sell LSE and would look at repurposing the building. A few ideas are to house the new Pre-K program or move the hospitality classes program into downtown.
The district has an FAQ page for stakeholders to learn more. It can be found here. https://www.lsr7.org/community/newsroom/default/~board/district-news/post/lees-summit-elementary-westview-elementary-proposal-frequently-asked-questions
