Livingston, Montana – The Livingston School District may have to close one of its schools due to declining enrolment and a budget deficit.
According to the district’s superintendent, Lynne Scalia, Livingston’s population is changing and has an impact on enrollment.
“Over the past decade, there has been slowly declining enrollment,” said Scalia.
Trustees talked about the likely closing of Washington School and the migration of students and staff to Winans and, if required, East Side School at the Livingston School Board meeting on Tuesday night.
“What we’re looking at is consolidating three schools into two,” said Scalia.
Some district teachers expressed their worries about lost jobs and other potential consequences of the restructuring.
According to Scalia, the prospective change would only impact one position, potentially together with a few other unique posts.
“It would be one administrative position, but that administrator would be able to move into another open position in the administrative ranks due to a retirement,” said Scalia.
Scalia thinks the consolidation would be better than awful given the district’s expected $1.4 million financial shortfall brought on by low enrolment and the expiration of COVID relief funding.
“Kids would be moving into just schools with better HVAC systems, windows, and that sort of thing,” said Scalia.
By April, a decision on whether to continue this conversation is hoped to be made.
