Raising their hands was never a more difficult action, but board of education members for West Elk USD 282 felt they had no more options as they voted to close Moline Elementary School and Severy Elementary at the end of this school year.

The action came at the board’s regular meeting Monday night in Howard where the consolidation of all three schools in the district will take place.

In recent years, all pre-kindergarten through sixth grade students in USD 282 have attended classes in either Severy or Moline while junior and senior high students have gone to West Elk High School.

Now, the board and administration must configure ways to house all students on the Howard campus, adding modular units as a temporary measure.

Although three members, Roxanne Walker, Robert Wolfe and Shelly Hare, voted against the motion to close the schools, there were no alternatives presented that would turn around the bleak financial and enrollment picture for the West Elk district. Supt. Corey Reese stated emphatically that the district can wait no longer to make the cuts and close the two schools.

Board president Marty Taliaferro said, “I wish we were not at this point but we find ourselves being forced into this decision. None of us like it.”

Still, Taliaferro said the discussion should not surprise anyone because it has been the center of controversy for many years.

“We have been here before,” he said. “We have discussed closing one  elementary school and keeping one open. We looked at splitting the elementary grades and keeping both schools open. And we held a bond election that would have provided a new elementary school, but it was turned down.”

Then Taliaferro added, “My greatest concern is that if we don’t do anything, we won’t make it through next year,” referring to the district’s overall finances.

“The risk is very real,” he said.

Supt. Reese gave an update on current measures being considered by the Kansas Legislature to deal with school finances.

Locally, he repeated the problem: A small district with three separate campuses, declining enrollment due to many residents moving to larger communities to find employement, cuts in state educational aid, and redundant services that make the school district less efficient than it should be.

Board member Dr. Bob Black commented, “The board is trying to keep ourselves in a position where we can respond to what’s happening to us.”

Black said the lack of support in the recent bond election said, “You’ll just have to make do.”

Black said the board can skeletize its schools but it won’t work in the long term.

He urged patrons of the district to determine what they will support as a long-term soluton to the challenges faced by USD 282.

“The modulars will be only a temporary solution, not a permanent one,” he said.

Board member Roxanne Walker read a statement which confirmed that the time for consolidation has come, but she would not vote for the closing until she knew exactly where the elementary students would be next year.

“Our backs are against the wall,” she stated. “Consolidation of our district is required.”

Walker urged the Elk County Committee and city leaders to join together in a united effort as the plan for solidation moves foward.

Reese asked for volunteers from the board to accompany him to other communities where modular classrooms are being utilized.

He said the initial plan is for the modulars to be used for elementary students rather than junior and senior high students.

A 12-member committee will be appointed to help configure the facilities for peak efficiency.

Board members Roxanne Walker, Mike Bellar and Shelly Hare will serve on the committee which will consist of three board members, three administrators, three teachers and three parents.

The committee will work fast to prepare a report to give during a special meeting of the board on Thursday, Jan. 28.