SJSD says right-sizing district is likely unavoidable

Its blueprint for the potential new high school - the community also seeing for the first time the list of schools on the chopping block as the district moves towards right-sizing.

We spoke with administrators on why st.

Joseph has no choice but to let some schools go.

<<kilee thomas reportingsot: gabe edgars, sjsd assistant superintendent of business and operations-"i know it's hard.

It's not an easy choice to close schools down, but i think it's time for people to realize we are a two high school city."

Fewer and fewer students are walking the hallways in the st joseph school districtover the past decade- there's been a drop of 800 students.

With more seats than there are students-the board and administrators say their hands are tied when it comes to closing down some schools sot: edgars- "there's a lot of emotion and emotion's tough.

It's personal."

"please understand that we get it, we understand, but we're charged to do a job.

Do i want to close bessie ellison down, do i want to close pickett down?

Absolutely not.

"when you have 2,000 open seats in the elementary schools, you aren't being efficient."

5 schools have an unclear future bode, ellison, field, hyde, pershing and pickett.but closing down those those five- would save the district $3.5 million a year.money the district says would pour into teacher's pockets and student's education sot: edgars- "right now, we're spending money on buildings and inefficiencies and those types of things and it's really about the kids and right now, it's not about the kids."

As some members in the community continue to push back against downsizing the district-administrators say regardless if the bond passes- letting schools go is unavoidable sot: edgars- "i still think we're a two high school community, no matter what happens in the election on april 6th.

Really, the only model that we have or the only logistic model we have is lafayette and central to be that combination.

It's not anything against benton or it's not because lafaytte is a better building than benton.

It's all driven by capacity."

With less than a month away from the april ballot- administrators urge residents to vote on what's best for studentssot: edgars- "we are st.

Joe, but st.

Joe could be better."

Reporting in st joseph kilee thomas kq2 news edgars says if declining enrollment continues to be the trend- downsizing the district even more than what's proposed is likely.

The school bond is up for vote on the april 6th