SchoolsFriday, November 13
Olympia School Board votes to close three elementary schools
The Daily Olympia team
If you have a kid at Madison, McKenny or LP Brown, the Olympia School Board voted Thursday night to close all three elementaries, and they will close next year. Superintendent Patrick Murphy proposed the plan in mid-September, and in a letter to district families he claimed the closures would amount to about $3.1 million in annual savings.
$3.1 millionestimated yearly savings from closing three elementaries
Murphy told district families the closures would amount to about $3.1 million in annual savings.
Source: KOMO
Murphy has pointed to enrollment and state funding. At an Oct. 22 meeting, the district said it had just under 900 fewer K-5 students across its 11 schools this fall than in 2019-20. Murphy also wrote that Washington's funding model assumes an elementary school of about 400 students.
- Takes effect: by the 2027-28 school year
- Delay sought: Director Renee Fullerton wanted a vote about one month later
- Murphy's 22-page alternatives: larger classes, cutting fifth-grade band, shared principals
Resolution 689 would consolidate three schools into five others
| Closing school | Consolidates into |
|---|---|
| McKenny Elementary | Pioneer and Centennial |
| Madison Elementary | Roosevelt |
| LP Brown Elementary | Hansen and Garfield |
Source: KOMO
“This would be devastating to public education as a whole here in Olympia, and I really hope the board votes no.”