| ALL THE OPTIONS: | |
| Option 1 | Redistrict five elementary schools |
| Option 2 | Make seven K-4 elementary schools |
| Option 3 | Make three primary schools PreK-2 |
| Grissom, Longfellow, West View | |
| Option 4 | Make six elementary schools K-5 |
| Grissom, Longfellow, Storer, West View, North View, East Washington Academy | |
| Option 5 | "One Muncie" plan: Six themed elementary schools |
| East Washington Academy: Early music and fine arts | |
| Grissom: Elementary AVID program with a focus on reading, writing and math | |
| Longfellow: World languages, STEM | |
| South View: AVID and early college | |
| West View: Traditional theme | |
| Southside: AVID or early college | |
| Northside or Wilson: STEM or world languages | |
Muncie’s Board of Trustees discussed five options that could help get the Muncie Community Schools back on track. The options range from redistricting a few elementary schools to individually themed schools that specialize in one area.
Former board president Tony Costillo said redistribution might happen due to another school being closed. They closed Wilson Middle School late last summer and have closed 22 buildings in the last 30 years.
“We are almost 100 percent sure we are going to have to close at least one more building in order to save enough money to really become a balanced budget,” Costillo said.
He said even if they spend the money needed for each school that it doesn’t mean the schools will stay open. If needed, they may have to close a second school.
Many of the teachers who work in the Muncie Community Schools haven’t lost their jobs, even with the moving and closing of schools. Costillo said the board’s goal is to keep the moral of the teachers up regardless of the option they go with.
“I would like a system that provides the best possible education and that is, in the eyes of most of our teachers equals, the optimum system to teach in,” Costillo said.
The Board of Trustees has started to save money by monitoring and reducing energy costs, but Costillo said they can only cut so much.
“I see the greatest amount of balancing not coming from increased funds, but coming from decreased spending,” Costillo said.
Consultants in the architectural, engineering, financial and educational fields are coming to one of the board meetings in the next two months to recommend the final two options that should be considered.
Costillo said any decision they make would be implemented in the 2015-2016 academic year.
Vice president of the board Michael Long said he had no opinion on the plan and that there were more important issues at hand.
“There are more pressing issues such as the new superintendent search, new chief financial officer search and the possibility of privatizing the food services, maintenance and custodians,” Long said.
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