Burnett Elementary School will close on the last day of the
school year and not reopen in the foreseeable future in order to
save the district almost half a million dollars a year.
Burnett Elementary School will close on the last day of the school year and not reopen in the foreseeable future in order to save the district almost half a million dollars a year.
The closure will end a 153-year tradition in Morgan Hill, and a seven-year tradition for some students there.
In 2006, the rural northwest Morgan Hill school celebrated its 150th anniversary concurrently with the city’s 100th anniversary.
“I hope, in planning for how the schools merge, that we continue to celebrate what Burnett is,” Trustee Shelle Thomas said. Thomas said it was “with a heavy heart” that she made the motion to close the school, which passed unanimously.
The move will save the district $400,000 in administrative and maintenance costs yearly. The district must make $3.7 million in cuts for the 2009-10 school year largely because of the state budget crisis. Similarly hefty ongoing annual deficits are assumed, so large cuts, including closing Burnett, were voted on Tuesday night.
Burnett’s students and most of its staff including teachers will be transferred to P.A. Walsh Elementary School. Burnett could reopen at some point in the future.
Burnett and Walsh have a student body of around 300 each, making them among the smaller schools in the district. The combined student body will be closer to that of Nordstrom Elementary School, which is 700.
The board took the vote at 10 p.m., after four hours of public comment and board discussion.
Burnett parent Janel Tomblin-Brown spoke through tears in the lobby of the Britton Middle School auditorium, where the meeting took place.
Her fifth-grade daughter Summer Brown has attended Burnett since kindergarten, and looked forward to the ringing of the bell on the last day of sixth grade next year. All students that have spent their entire elementary career at the school take part in the tradition.
“She’s upset,” Tomblin-Brown said.
Tomblin-Brown, who is the vice president of the Burnett’s Home and School Club, said it was a special school that the community should hold dear.
“It’s not often that students get greeted by the roosters,” she said. “There’s a farmhouse across the street. It’s a small school that’s part of the community that is the heart of a neighborhood that’s diverse culturally and socio-economically. We’ve really worked hard these last few years. It’s kind of like a family.”
Fourth grade teacher Katie Colon agreed, but said the finality was nice to hear.
“I feel the decision was made a long time ago, before conversation with the public began,” she said. Colon said she was trying to look on the bright side.
“I’m looking forward to collaborating with new teachers. I look forward to more of an opportunity for more experiences, but I’m not discounting the difficulties we’re facing.”
Fourth grade teacher Christine Lewis said the teachers and staff needed to band together.
“One of our biggest responsibilities as teachers is to make the transition as easy as possible for the children,” she said.
Burnett Principal Barbara Neal declined to comment after the meeting. A principal, but perhaps not Neal, will be laid off as a result of the closing, as will other school administrators and two custodians.
District staff has expressed concern that the consolidation will spur a flurry of transfer requests from parents. Both Walsh and Burnett are designated Program Improvement schools under the No Child Left Behind program. Transferring out of a Program Improvement school is an option parents have under the No Child Left Behind Act.
Other decisions made Tuesday night to close the $3.7 million gap included laying off two custodians, saving the district $100,000 and laying off four clerical workers, one each at the two middle schools and two high schools for a savings of $150,000. Each of these motions was passed unanimously. The board also voted 5-2, with Board President Don Moody and Thomas casting the no votes, to lay off four elementary library clerks for a savings of $80,000.
