1982-03-17-sr-p10-reardan-school-board-closes-edwall-school

March 17, 1982 Spokesman-Review Page 10:

Reardan board votes to close school

By CHERYL ERNST

Spokesman-Review

REARDAN,Wash. — The final battles aren’t always the most explosive.

After three months of angry discussion at board meetings and a special levy defeated largely by angry parents, the Reardan School Board meeting was strangely quiet as directors voted to close Edwall Elementary School.

“We're caught between a rock and a hard place. The economy is just tough. This isn’t a pleasant decision,” Board Chairman Dennis Fiess apologized to the Edwall parents who wanted to keep their school open.

Thirty-three children attend the school—26 of them live in the Edwall area south of Reardan in Lincoln County.

They represent nine percent of the student population.

And with state and federal budget cuts, the district can no longer afford to subsidize a school just for them, officials said.

There were a few comments:

Veral Klein told the board it wouldn’t save money because parents will send their children elsewhere—cutting the state money school districts receive for each student enrolled.

His brother Dwaine objected to an administrative recommendation that called maintaining a special program for the small group of children “ludicrous,” and said Edwall residents have contributed substantially to the district.

But by and large the 35 people present were quiet as the budget ax fell.

The board left open the question of what would happen to the Edwall facility and property.

Anger—and even bitterness—was evident after the decision. During discussion favoring the school lunch program providing free lunches to needy youngsters, a woman in the back of the room asked if that only involved nine percent of the population.

And after the meeting, parents talked of opening a private school or petitioning to go elsewhere.

In related budget actions, the board agreed to run the $298,000 levy a second time May 11. The strong no vote from Edwall voters was enough to pull the total yes tally below the 60 percent needed for passage March 9.

But school officials said they are confident results can be turned around, based on the low voter turnout in the northeastern part of the district.

Even with passage of the levy, the district will face budget reductions in 1982-83, Superintendent Gil Johnson warned.

The board postponed decisions on the food service program to see if it is self-supporting this year, but approved elimination of one teaching position through realignment of the kindergarten through 12th grade program, elimination of board and administration travel, reduction in contracts for coaches, activities advisers, aides and the band director, reclassification of the business manager to bookkeeper/secretary and canceling some maintenance contracts.