'I don't like it... we really have no other options'
ROSEBURG, Ore. -- Closing a Roseburg school is apparently back on the table.
At a work session Wednesday night, the Roseburg School Board discussed possibly closing down an elementary school.
The board had discussed a closure in the past, but decided against it.
According to superintendent Dr. Larry Parsons, talks are back on because the budget is being stretched too thin. "I am reluctantly suggesting to the board that they have to consider closing a school," he said. "I don't like it, but I think we're at the place financially where we really have no other options."
The talks were just a discussion at a work session, and no decision has been made.
Parsons says the board must choose whether or not to close a school by February.
The two schools that have been discussed in the past are Rose Elementary School and Green Elementary.
Though painful, this is the right call. We no longer have enough students to warrant all of the current elementary schools and it is doubtful that will change soon. The economics no longer allow the luxury of operating extra schools for social reasons.Â
No, no, and no.! Kids need these schools. Green Elementary is the only school besides sunnyslope that teaches only till 6th grade. Where would these children go? Winston? that is not their neighborhood, Roseburg? too far from home, might as well teach them all at the Highschool. Trying to cut down funds, what about the extra buses and drivers they need to hire to transport these children somewhere else? Or not? and drive them as in can of sardines, not safe and bad for the children's morale! they will be tired by the time they get to school, and too tired to enjoy family life after school and homework;
 @lotusjani As a parent of two former Green students, I have to tell you that you are mistaken. There are NO elementary schools in the Roseburg School district that go beyond 5th grade.
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~As far as the packed like sardines, they already are. Not to mention the fact that the bus times are so varied, I actually bought my then 9 year old a cell phone because the bus stop was at the driveway of a business whos customers and suppliers speed in and out and with a 45 minute window on the best days, I wanted to be able to get him at the bus before he got hit. We lived THREE miles from the school and the bus didnt get to our stop for an hour to an hour and a half later.
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~The building was supposed to be demolished and a new one put up, but the budget fell through. It still has asbestos remnants from the 'removal' in 2000 or 2001 in the KINDERGARTEN and fifth grade building. It still has noisy old, possibly lead, pipes from when the main buildings were build around the 1960's. It is not a healthy building. My sons BOTH had their health improve and had better attendance due to lack of illness when they LEFT to move on to other schools.
Not to mention that there is very little parking and if not for the church next door and the people who park in the bike lane, Carnes Road would be blocked each morning and afternoon.
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~We love some of those teachers and would never wish to put ANYONE out of work, but Green NEEDS to go.
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~For much less money, Sunnyslope could handle the additional students, by simply adding on a new modular or two. They have the campus space to even add another full building and still keep plenty of parking.
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~No offense to Mrs. Garcia, but a principal doesn't need to make $118k a year either. Cutting back some in areas like that would save a load of money.
I'm sure I could find a few administrators to get rid of. Â
@oregonhusker - Or at least lower their overinflated salaries!
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 @Concerned Citizen  @oregonhusker No, CC, that wouldn't work for me.  I think the high school still has 3 vice principals.  That's 2 too many.  I think there are a few folks at the district office with the word "superintendent" attached to their names.  If we are truly having funding issues, I think only 1 superintendent is needed. Â
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It's time to make the deep cuts in our schools and I say get rid of those who don't spend time in classrooms. Â They're the ones making big money and doing nothing towards the education of our children. Â
@oregonhusker I just checked the RHS website and you are correct - 3 vice principals. That is crazy!!! It makes me sick to know how many cuts there have been at the classroom level but there doesn't seem to have been any cuts at the district office level. That doesn't seem right at all!!! I think there needs to be cuts there - whether in the form of pay cuts or elimination of some of the positions.