The future of Reading Elementary has been in question for at least 20 years. The future now will become the past at the close of the current school year.
USD 251 North Lyon County board members voted 4-2 to close the school effective June 30 following a lengthy open-session discussion Wednesday. Angela Anderson, Tim Burton, Matt Horton and David Goldsmith voted to approve the resolution needed to close Reading. Mitchell Maxfield and Tammie Reed voted against the resolution.
Board members weighed the prospect of keeping Reading open as a charter school specializing in dyslexia education but reluctantly decided to close the school given the district’s financial situation. Current Superintendent Aron Dody said recent conversations with state leaders indicated there was no extra money going to any charter school across Kansas, regardless of the school’s specialty, and several board members Wednesday said there was no guarantee out-of-district parents would take students with dyslexia to Reading if the board agreed to keep the school open and change the curriculum.
In addition, statistics released by the district over the past several months indicated the district needed to cut roughly $200,000 for the upcoming school year, and the Reading closure would save about $225,000 — largely through attrition but also with at least one possible termination in the works.
In a statement to KVOE News, Board President Matt Horton said, “It was a very hard decision for the board. But with the numbers of kids and budget constraints, it is the only option. I hope that our parents and patrons can come together in these tough times to work on the betterment of our district.”
Reading Principal Peggy Fort expressed disappointment about the decision — saying there were concerns about the school’s future since she began at Reading nearly 20 years ago — but she also expressed hope the entire district would come together in light of the decision.
Reed says the district missed an opportunity to help the long-term future of USD 251.
There was some hope among Reading residents that the school’s recovery from the 2011 tornado, which caused significant damage, would work in favor of the school remaining open, but declining enrollment and an increase in the amount of money spent per student kept Reading’s future in question.
Reading now joins Admire Elementary as schools closed by the district this decade. Admire was closed in 2010. It also follows the closure of Reading High School in the 1980s. The final day of school will be May 18.
In addition, the board approved an interim superintendent contract with Mike Mathes, who retired as superintendent from USD 386 Topeka Seaman in 2016 after leading that district for over 20 years. The board approved a one-year contract as current superintendent Aron Dody becomes superintendent of USD 417 Council Grove on July 1. Mathes was the only candidate to receive a formal interview by the board.
The board filled another position during Wednesday’s meeting, filling the District 1 position vacated upon the passing of Earl Lyddane in late February by selecting Wendy Linsey. The board originally voted 4-2 against a motion placing Nicole Kuhn on the board before voting 4-2 in favor of Linsey. In each case, the majority voters were Anderson, Burton, Horton and Goldsmith.