SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Sierra Vista Unified School District is recommending the closure of Joyce Clark Middle School after being placed on the Auditor General’s high financial risk list.
The district is one of 10 in the state on the list. To balance the budget for next school year, the district needs to cut about $5 million due to an estimated enrollment decline of 350 students.
"It's really been a situation that has been growing, not just this year. This has been going on in our district. I'd say 10 plus years declining enrollment," Sierra Vista Unified Superintendent Terri Romo said.
Enrollment has decreased by hundreds each year for the last decade, which the district's budget has not accounted for.
"I again, cannot be out of budget for next school year. So July one is when a new budget year starts. We have to be in line and ready to go," Romo said.
The recommendation to close Joyce Clark Middle School, which was made public earlier this week, marks the second school closure proposed for the district next school year. The primary cost savings from the closure will come from staffing reductions.
"[I] met with the staff. I just said my goal is to employ as many people as I can, but I can't guarantee that. So it is. It's the removal of the staffing is what you is where really the cost savings comes," Romo said.
The district is exploring all options to save money and generate extra funds, including potentially selling the center where I met with Romo to the city.
"Administration is ready to offer is flexibility, and we'll be as flexible as we possibly can and just provide the best education we can," Romo said.
I asked Romo about Emma, a seventh grader I met at Thursday's work session, who expressed concern about not being able to switch classes if students are moved back to an elementary school setting.
"Within the K through 7 model, you will have schools that will have middle school teachers assigned to them, so kids can still change classes and do those sorts and have more of that true middle school feeling," Romo said.
She says current seventh graders (with approval from their parents) and their families will receive surveys to collect info on whether or not they'd prefer to be part of Town and Country Elementary School or Buena High School next school year.
“When it's when we are able to listen and have that input, we definitely do. And so I think that's why board members said, you know, please take these surveys seriously, because we truly make decisions based off the results of them,” Romo said.
The district will host a town hall on April 6 for community members to ask questions and share their opinions. They're hosting an enrollment fair at the Rothery Center on April 1, starting at 4 p.m.
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Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook.
