CCWS 09-20-2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORKSESSION September 20, 2004 4 . 5. Criteria Used in this Process; 6. Community's Role in Helping to Inform our Decision Making. Mr. Sundberg noted that in order to ensure that Mounds View students are offered the best education at an efficient cost, the school board is considering the closing or repurposing of existing school and learning centers throughout the district. The school district is experiencing problems with declining enrollment and less state funding. The declining population in the Mounds View School District is a result of fewer births in Ramsey County, an older population base, and more school options for parents and children. Other school districts that are comparable to Mounds View School District are also experiencing declining enrollments and are considering the option of closing or repurposing schools. The impact of these changes will result in schools that have larger enrollments, attendance area changes, and transportation route changes for a number of students in the district. The following criteria has been created by the Mounds View School District to determine which schools should be repurposed: l. Neighborhood Cohesiveness; 2. Geographical Balance; 3. School Feeder System; 4. Potential Cost Savings; 5. Comprehensive Programs; 6. Opportunities Afforded; . 7. Adaptability and Flexibility; 8. Repurposing Costs; 9. Transportation Costs. If schools are closed in the school district, members of the school board would like these closings to be a one time occurrence and not a yearly event. The last time the school district decided to close area schools was in 1982. The school board will be making a final decision at the December 14th meeting regarding the repurposing plan. Information can be obtained by logging onto the school district's web site at www.moundsviewschools.org Council Member Larson asked if the Ralph Reeder facility is under consideration to be closed in the near future. Mr. Sundberg noted that the school board is planning on discontinuing its practice of leasing buildings and in-turn will see if this plan results in some financial savings for the school district and that these current sites are under consideration. Council Member Larson mentioned that he thought the Community Education Department currently had a fund balance in reserves. . School Board Member Sundberg noted that he was not aware of a fund balance, but that he would look into this situation further. It has typically been a break-even fund in the past.