Forum draws consolidation foes

East Heights School teacher Adela Solis said Thursday that her students’ anxiety about possible closure of their school was escalating to unhealthy levels.

“My children are internalizing … that they’ve done something wrong,” said Solis, who wants to keep East Heights open. “This concerns me greatly.”

She spoke at district headquarters during the fourth of six public meetings on the district’s facility study.

The Lawrence school board is trying to determine how to reorganize its collection of schools.

In addition to floating a bond referendum in 2003 to finance building improvements, the board has tentatively decided to close East Heights, Centennial and Riverside elementary schools.

The study has been in progress for one year, but no formal votes have been taken. That is expected to change Nov. 18 when the school board meets to decide contents of the bond issue.

It’s expected to be more than $50 million and include a new South Junior High School, renovation of Lawrence High School, expansion of Lawrence Alternative High School and additions to elementary schools to reflect movement of students after consolidation.

Solis joined 10 other people who spoke against school consolidation. More than 30 people attended the forum.

Still time to talkThe Lawrence school board will conduct two more public forums on a study of Lawrence school facilities.¢ 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Southwest Junior High School, 2511 Inverness Drive.¢ 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at West Junior High School, 2700 Harvard Road.

Melissa Rangel, who has a first-grade child at Riverside, said closing her son’s school would tarnish their neighborhood in north-central Lawrence.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the sense of community, which comes from our neighborhood school,” she said.

Centennial parent Brent Lamb said the board’s preference of closing Centennial instead of Cordley didn’t make sense. If judged on facts rather than emotional or political considerations, he said, Cordley would be shut down.

He also objected to a suggestion of using the Centennial property for new LHS baseball and soccer practice fields.

“I’d like the board to explain why they’re willing to sacrifice (Centennial students’) education so LHS can have more athletic facilities,” Lamb said.

One district patron, John Mitchell, said he favored elementary school consolidation. He said bigger schools with at least two classes at each grade offered students more educational opportunities and a better mix of classroom teachers and support staff.

“Larger schools, at least in Lawrence, are warm, caring and inviting learning environments,” said Mitchell, who has children at Quail Run School.