Are Days Numbered for Shorewood Intermediate School?

School officials are considering closing Shorewood Intermediate School because of the district's declining enrollment and the village's aging population.

The district is waiting to see the results of the 2010 census before deciding whether to move forward with a plan to shut down the school and convert Lake Bluff Elementary School into a middle school. Atwater would be the only elementary school under the plan, which will save the district nearly $400,000 per year.

If the new census figures show the median age of Shorewood residents is somewhere between 40 and 50 years, the district would likely go forward with the plan to close SIS by 2012. In the 2000 census, the median age was 37.8 years.

The new census numbers are expected to be released this winter or early spring, but if they're not available by March, the district would likely delay discussion on the school closing plans.

Aging population a problem

"The age of the average resident is increasing…people buy here, they like it and they stay," Superintendent Blane McCann said.

The problem with that, McCann explained, is that people over 40 don't have many children. And even though the district's resident enrollment is up by 22 students over last year, there has been an overall decline in the last decade.

In the 2000-01 school year, Shorewood's total resident enrollment was 1,857 students. This year, it's 1,617 - a 13 percent decline.

"If we continue to dwindle with enrollment, from a efficiency standpoint, it just doesn't make sense (to keep SIS open)," McCann explained.

However, when including students who are in Shorewood because of the state's Open Enrollment and Chapter 220 programs, the district's total enrollment has actually increased over the last four years - from 1,910 to 2,012.   Non-resident students are allowed to go to school in the district if there are extra seats available.

McCann said the district would re-evaluate its participation in those two programs - and whether to accept non-resident students - if the district moves forward with closing a school.

Lake Bluff would become middle school

The plan being reviewed by district officials calls for closing SIS, which houses students in seventh and eighth grades, and converting Lake Bluff into a traditional middle school for fifth through eighth grades. Students in junior kindergarten through fourth grade would attend Atwater Elementary School.

McCann said there are educational advantages to having a middle school with more than two grades.

"Being a two-grade school, we are a little small to do some of the traditional middle school philosophy — being a little bit bigger, we will have more of an opportunity to do more of that," he said.

Proposed changes would occur during summer 2011 and continue through the summer of 2012. The district would utilize Wednesday early-release times and teacher initiative program grant funding to pay teachers and other district support staff for summer work.

McCann noted, however, if the census shows the median age in Shorewood is under 40, the district will likely not move forward with the plan.

The long process

McCann has been discussing closing a school as a way to reduce costs since 2003, when he became the superintendent.

In 2007, a school report by Deb Taylor, former director of instruction, noted that closing SIS wasn't a cost-effective move, but due to declining enrollment, McCann recommended the district revisit the idea in 2009.

Dean Schultz, interim director of instruction, convened a group of faculty, staff, parents and community members to reopen the discussion.

Depending on what the census figures say, the district has established the following timeline for its reorganization plan:

• March 1: Identify 35 people to serve on grade reorganization committees and develop a budget to pay for planning costs.
• April 1 to May 30: Conduct organizational meetings for grade reorganization committees.
• July 1 to March 31, 2012: Grade reorganization committees meet to develop recommendations and implementation plans.
• April 1, 2012: Grade reorganization committees prepare recommendations and actions plan for implementation of the plans.
• May 1, 2012: Grade reorganization committees present recommendations to School Board for approval.
• Sept. 1, 2012: SIS would close and students would move to Atwater and Lake Bluff.

 The school reorganization would not affect the district's rigorous curriculum, McCann said.

"The teachers and students are impacted less because the teachers will follow the students," he said. "The big issue is moving, setting up and doing things a little differently."

Plan would save money, cut staff

The district estimates that the move would save $396,986 annually.

Mark Boehlke, director of business services, said the district wouldn't sell the building and is recommending moving the district's New Horizon Charter School and possibly the Community Services and Recreation Department to the school.

Staff cuts would be determined based on student needs, although a part-time principal at SIS would not be needed. McCann said the district also would likely eliminate some support staff.

Little public support

Despite the administration's plans, School Board member Michael Mishlove said his impressions are the public doesn't want this change.

"I came away from the whole process with a feeling that this doesn't have a whole lot of community support," he said. "If we were ever to do it, I would want it to be part of a change of how we do eduction here. I wouldn't want to just close down some school."

School Board President Paul Zovic said he is well aware that "the community likes having elementary schools that kids can walk to.

"At the same time, as a board... we have to be financially responsible," Zovic added.