Cascade district puts hold on restructure

The Cascade Union Elementary School District has been looking at ways to restructure their district including a possible school closure, changing schools to operate by grade level, or extending sites up to eighth-grade.

After researching each option, the recommendation given by the Cascade Reorganizational Steering Committee was to keep the status quo - for the time being.

"It looked like next year would be fine, as of now," said reorganization committee leader, and active Anderson community member Shirley Pochoco.

The committee - made up of teachers, administration and community members - found that while the district's budget was deplorable, it wasn't so severely cut to require closing a campus. And although the committee reported positive aspects in restructuring the schools, they said there didn't appear to be enough of clear consensus or community support to prepare for that kind of changes in the district right.

The overall state of the economy also influenced the committee's decision not to recommend any major changes at this time.

"We are all looking at the national economy, and in particular the state economy, and what is going to happen next," Cascade Union Elementary School District superintendent Wes Smith said.

"These things are concerning our parents, and if our parents are concerned it has a negative impact on the psyche of our children," he said.

The district didn't want to add any new worries for the parents in the district, he added.

The district decided to explore whether or not to close one of their elementary sites after Total School Solutions, a financial firm hired by the district, suggested the district could save $180,000.

"Typically in the state you try to operate elementary sites that are around 500 students. That gives you the flexibility to do things creatively and have the resources to do some things on campus. We have schools that are barely over and under 200," Smith reported.

The district said their calculations did not add up to this type of savings Total School Solutions reported. Also, according to demographic information, the district's student enrollment is going to go up within the next three years, Smith said, and eventually bring the district back up to it's highest enrollment numbers.

"It seems awfully short-sited to close the school and disrupt the community only to reopen it two or three years later," Smith said.

"If it was something that would save us a lot, and provide all of these positives for a long period of time, we would have done it," he said.

Although district representatives said they want to keep the status quo in the district next year, they said if the state school budget continues to decrease, they, along with other schools throughout the state, may have to make some tough decisions. Superintendent Smith said that California schools are relying heavily on a special May ballot to pass, and if it doesn't, state school districts will face more significant cuts.

"We have the responsibility to be optimistic and have faith that we will absolutely get through this time, no doubt about it," Smith said.

"But we could be in a situation next year where we are forced to do mid-year cuts - drastic cuts. Certainly by years' end, school closures could be a necessity throughout the state, in lots of districts, not just in Cascade."